July2016theagmag

The Ag Mag Agriculture and gardening in north central Florida

July 2016 Volume I, Issue 7

Agritourism: Protections offered by the new law What a peach!

A perfect crop for Florida The graying of the American farmer; The growth of ag in Florida classrooms

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Farming Wonders of the World

Above: Zeewolde, The Netherlands. Google Earth, Š2015 Aerodata International Surveys, DigitalGlobe, GeoContent.

Note the single modern windmill in the center. The brightly colored areas are fields of tulips.

Below: Fields of tulips; a traditional windmill in the foreground and modern ones in the background. 123rtf.com.

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Contents 3 |

FARMING WONDERS OF THE WORLD Tulips in The Netherlands

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Masthead + Letter from the Publisher

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News

8 | My Mama’s Apron

by Jeri Baldwin 11 | AG LAW It Ain’t Peanuts!

by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law 14 |

What a Peach!

A Replacement Crop for Citrus?

by Jan Cross Cubbage

16 | Florida’s Agritourism Law New Protections

by Carolyn Blakeslee 18 | Potential Is Everywhere Will You Grab It?

by David the Good 19 | The Greying of the American Farmer

by Kali Bowen 21 |

School Gardens A Growing Part of Florida’s Schools

by Kohrine Counts and Karla P. Shelnutt

24 | SECOND NATURE

Forty Shades of Grey

by Melody Murphy 27

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Calendar of Events

34 | RECIPE Eggplant Rollatini

by Andrea Kelly Photo by Jeri Baldwin

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The Ag Mag Volume 1, Issue 7 ISSN 2471-3007

Publisher + Editor Carolyn Blakeslee TheAgMag@gmail.com Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales Brooke Hamlin 352-537-0096 TheAgMag1@gmail.com Director of Programs and Events Jeri Baldwin WowJer@aol.com Design + Production Carolyn Blakeslee Valerie Feagin Amy Garone Contributors William K. Crispin Jan Cross Cubbage David Goodman Melody Murphy Contact Us 352-537-0096 P.O. Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477 TheAgMag@gmail.com The-Ag-Mag.com Facebook.com/ TheAgricultureMagazine Copyright ©2016 The Ag Mag, LLC All rights reserved Covering agriculture and gardening in north central Florida. The magazine can be found in feed stores, tack shops, tractor dealers, hardware stores, extension services, farm bureaus, FL Farm Credit offices and other farm-friendly banks, a few vets, high school and university ag departments, trailer dealers, selected restaurants, farm-oriented real estate offices, Thoroughbred association, landscape and garden centers, libraries, and theatres including The Hippodrome and OCT. NEW: Also available by subscription. Send your name and address with a check for $24 to the address above, or order securely online at https://squareup. com/store/the-ag-mag/

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Letter from the Publisher

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his month we present a point/counterpoint about the aging population of farmers. The average age of farmers today is nearly 59; and, because of the significant costs of getting started, such as purchasing land and equipment, younger people are often reluctant to become growers unless their families are already involved in farming. On the other hand, a whopping 1,300 school gardens are up and running in Florida, piquing the interest of children statewide and giving them hands-on experience in growing and eating their own food.

In future issues, we plan to continue covering the different ways young people are being introduced, trained, and funneled into farming — and we hope to present ways to make it easier for new farmers to start up.

We pick up the agritourism topic again with more information about the legal ins-and-outs. The good news is, Florida has enacted some fairly strong laws that protect farmers who open their facilities to others to visit and enjoy, but in order for the protections to be valid, the farmer must fulfill certain requirements such as signage.

Jan explores the virtues of peaches; Bill presents the case for peanuts. David explains how anyone’s yard can have a fruit tree or two (or several), and how sweet potatoes and other foodbearing plants can replace more conventional plants such as azaleas in beds and landscapes.

Jeri writes about growing up on the family farm in her wonderful way that tugs on our heartstrings and scratches that itch of longing for the good old days.

We hope you enjoy this issue!

Cheers,

Carolyn

News The Ag Mag Welcomes New Partner

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he Ag Mag’s founders, Publisher Carolyn Blakeslee and Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales Brooke Hamlin, are pleased to welcome Jeri Baldwin to join them as Director of Programs and Events.

Jeri, a gifted historian, writer, educator, and farmer, is a native of Marion County, Florida, and was educated in its public schools. An early and lifelong reader, she continues to read enthusiastically and often to this day.

In her youth, she delivered the Ocala Star Banner for 10 years on horseback around the north Ocala farm where she lived with her family.

As a 4-H member, she often chose speech among her club projects. She first visited Florida State University as a finalist in the state 4-H speech finals. With the help of a Florida Senate Teaching Scholarship, Jeri graduated from FSU with a BS degree in Physical Education.

She then earned a Master’s degree in Outdoor Education at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.

As an assistant program director for the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Jeri worked with troubled teenagers, taking them canoeing, hiking, and camping all over Georgia and Florida in a therapeutic outdoor program

designed to help students learn the value of cooperative work and play while encouraging emotional and spiritual healing. She has also taught at Central Florida Community College (now College of Central Florida). Biographical and creative writing, history, photography, and publishing books have been lifelong activities.

In 1986, she and a partner purchased 80 acres of northeast Marion County land to conserve some land in Marion County.

Thirty years later, the farm, now called Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation, stewards 756 acres of farm land, wetland, swamp and hammock. Still an active farm, CCCF also teaches, facilitates, hosts conferences and other events, and grows as a living work in progress.

Rebates for Florida Friendly Landscaping

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everal Florida counties’ Environmental Protection Departments are offering rebates for property owners who replace irrigated turf with Florida Friendly Landscaping, install rain sensors to irrigation systems, install soil moisture sensors, and make other changes to water use including installation of drought tolerant plants.

In Alachua, a 50-cent persquare-foot rebate will be offered for those who replace irrigated turf with Florida Friendly Landscaping, while a 35-cent per-square-foot rebate will be offered for switching to Florida Friendly Landscaping with correctly installed micro-irrigation.

Rebates of up to $2,000 are offered to both residential and commercial properties. Call Alachua County EPD Water Conservation Coordinator Stacie Greco, 352-264-6829.

Other participating counties and cities include Miami-Dade (Morgan Hopkins, 305-248-3311, x.223); Manatee County (941-748-

4501); Orlando (407-434-2256); Apopka (407-703-1731 and 407-4342256). For further details, check the chart at http://bit.ly/292ZX3a.

Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area Opens to the Public

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questrians, hikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts have a reason to celebrate: 4,900 additional acres of forestland is now open for recreational activities in Marion County. On May 27, more than 100 people gathered for the grand opening of the Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area.

More than 12 miles of trails loop through the forest and provide excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing. Visitors can access the property from three trailheads, one of which has a parking lot that accommodates horse trailers.

The forest connects to other conservation lands on three sides. It links the Indian Lake State Forest to the west, with the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway to the east, and it provides a protective buffer from development for the Silver Springs State Park located directly to the south.

The Silver Springs Forest Conservation Area is owned and managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District and was protected thanks to a partnership between the District, the nonprofit Conservation Trust for Florida, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, and the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program.

Visit the District’s website at www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/silverspringsforest to get directions, download a trail map, and learn what activities are permitted on the property.

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Photograph by Jeri Baldwin

My Mama’s Apron

by Jeri Baldwin

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didn’t know you could be a Mama nor tend a farm without an apron. Mama backed up to my Daddy near 5 a.m. every morning, and he tied a clean apron around her waist.

When she walked out her door going to church or town, she untied her apron and laid it over a big chair near the door. Those were the only times I ever saw

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her without one.

Mama made her aprons with pieces of material she found on the remainder table at J.C. Penney or McCrory’s dime store in downtown Ocala.

She checked both stores almost every Saturday until she found a piece she could afford with her leftover grocery money.

Pieces cost 5, 10, sometimes 15

cents. Any more was more than she had. She looked for strong fabric. She would “run up” her aprons on her treadle Singer and save her scraps. When she saved enough, she sewed them into a crazy quilt apron for a colorful, extra apron.

Mama dipped a corner of her apron in a bucket of water and wiped straw, crud and dirt

off the cow’s udders before we milked each morning. When she unexpectedly found ripe blackberries or dewberries behind the chicken house or tucked into a corner of the fence, she picked them into her apron, took them to the kitchen and made a cobbler, then lifted the hot pie to the big table under the window to cool.

When she canned, she gripped a hot jar with one corner of her apron and wrenched the hot lid tightly closed with the other corner.

Other times those same apron corners gripped a jar and a tight lid and loosened it. Then, with a corner of her apron, she wiped the jar rim clean and set it on the dining table.

When north Florida summer heat savaged everything, she reached down, whipped up the underneath corner of her apron, and swabbed the sweat that poured off her face without slowing a bit.

In the clear, soft light of daybreak, Mama gathered the day’s ripe vegetables into the pocket she made by holding two corners of her apron in her hand. Red, plump tomatoes, fat green peas, ears of yellow, succulent corn, squash, radishes, beans, egg plant — back and forth along the rows until her apron bulged. She lugged her harvest to the kitchen, which then came to the dinner table at noon: a plate of sliced tomatoes and onions, a big bowl of peas seasoned with chunks of ham and golden ears of corn swimming in melted butter, all dishes brought to the table gripped with the corners of her apron. Last, Mama brought

a heaping platter of smoking biscuits held by a corner of her apron to the table beside my Daddy’s elbow.

After dinner, Mama passed the summer afternoon shelling peas to put by for the winter.

She brought a crate full of peas to the porch. With the crate on one side of her rocker and an empty box on the other, she lifted hands full of peas into her lap, shelled them into her apron, and dropped the hulls into the empty box. When her apron filled, she gathered its corners, went to the kitchen, dumped the peas into the sink, washed them, filled a pot and started them cooking. After they blanched, she dipped the peas into glass jars, added a lid and ring, tightened the ring, set the jars in boiling water and processed them. Back in her rocking chair she shelled and canned peas until her crate was empty and gleaming jars of purple hulls, white acre and black-eyed peas stood cooling on the counter, each sounding its cheerful ping as it sealed, followed by Mama’s “Thank You, Lord.”

On Wednesday, her wash day, Mama built a roaring pine knot fire under her old, black, cast iron pot to boil the north Florida dirt out of our clothes.

She kept an eye on the water and shoved wood under the pot to keep it boiling. She wrapped her apron around her hand to shield it from the steam as she punched the clothes deep into the boiling water with her punch stick. When the wind gusted strong smoke from the fire into her eyes, she backed away, lifted a corner of her apron, dried her eyes, wiped her nose, mopped

her face and dove back in.

Before Mama pinned the first load of clothes to dry, she walked along each heavy wire with a corner of apron folded over the line and swiped away the dirt gathered on the lines since the last Wednesday. She filled her apron pockets with clothes pins and pinned heavy wet clothes onto the wire. They hung straight down until the sun and wind burned moisture away. By late afternoon, the clothes danced, dried, on the line. When the sun dropped toward evening, clothes with the sun’s essence burned into them went into the house over Mama’s arm, with socks, underwear, and clothes pins tucked into apron pockets.

When she got cool or strangers made her feel timid, she rolled her apron around her arms. That made it tough for me when I was a little tad ’cause I usually already had my head burrowed under her apron because of the same stranger.

It amazed us all how much she could dust if company chugged along the road to our house. She always said one of the reasons she wore an apron was to protect her dress for company, but she never took her apron off when company came.

One day the neighborhood children played in a huge old live oak just west of our house.

High in the tree, my brother lost his grip and crashed to the ground. On the way down, a broken stick somewhere on the tree caught his throat and ripped it open. His hysteric screams sent Mama charging to the back door to see her favorite child, her son Curtis, lying under the

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tree clutching his throat, blood gushing between his fingers. As she banged open the screen door, Mama reached into the porch ceiling, swept a huge mass of spider webs into her hand, raced to my brother, plastered the spider webs into the gaping wound, and bound her apron around his neck. Inside the house, she poured kerosene into the tear and wound strips of clean rags firmly around his neck. He spent the rest of the day on our living room settee.

Eight years later he joined the U.S. Navy, and in a Navy PBY reconnaissance plane in the south Pacific in World War II, crashed and died just after his 18th birthday.

When my Daddy opened the War Department telegram and read, “… We regret to inform you that your son Curtis Arthur Baldwin …” my Mama threw her apron over her face, fell into her rocking chair, and rocked — and rocked — and rocked.

Mama was democratic about her apron.

When my face could not pass her muster she most generously shared it with me. She ordered

me to spit on a corner of her apron, then, one hand clamping my head still, her other hand and apron scoured my face. I took great care to spit a lot, since every drop of moisture helped when she scrubbed. Did not concern her that when she cleaned my face to her satisfaction, it pretty much resembled sandpaper. What concerned her was a clean face — by her standards.

When Mama walked to the gate of her chicken yard, her sassy rooster almost always felt he had to defend his hens. When he saw Mama he raced to the gate, fluffed his wings, threw himself backward toward the ground, and slashed his spurs up towards her legs. Mama snatched up both corners of her apron and flapped it at Mr. Rooster like a ghost gone berserk. Sent him squawking to the corner of the chicken yard to smooth his ruffled feathers and regain his dignity.

With Mr. Rooster civilized again, Mama gathered the corners of her apron, poured in cracked corn and scattered it to her chickens. That done, she shook the corn dust out of her apron, gathered the corners again, then clucked and cooed to her hens along the line of nest boxes, and laid big warm brown eggs into her apron and fetched them to the kitchen.

As her children left home Mama had extra eggs, so she sold them in Ocala every Saturday for $2.00 a week. It was the only money she ever made. My Mama would never disobey my Daddy, but sometimes things just got done without him knowing. Years later, when I defied my Daddy and went to college, I struggled to pay my way.

My Mama sent me an envelope every week — 160 weeks — four years. It always had two one dollar bills in it.

My Mama never believed in doing anything later. Her aprons helped her plunge right into whatever chore she wanted to do next without wasting time gathering tools or bags. Didn’t need them. She had her apron.

I have the deep reaches of memory where comfort and love find its beginnings.

Jeri Baldwin is a writer, historian, farmer, and cofounder of Crones Cradle Conserve Foundation, the 756-acre ecological preserve and education center in Citra, and is Director of Programs and Events for The Ag Mag.

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It Ain’t Peanuts!

by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law

Last month’s column presented a focus on north central Florida watermelon production and related legal issues sometimes confronted by producers.

This month we look at another area crop of significant economic importance, now in the ground for harvest in the fall: peanuts. Three of the top seven Florida peanut-producing counties are Levy, Suwannee and Gilchrist. The state’s peanut production, nearly 13 percent of the nation’s, is second only to Georgia. The Southeast region of Georgia, Florida, Alabama and Mississippi account for about 72 percent of all U.S.-grown peanuts. Peanuts are the 12th most valuable cash crop grown in the U.S. with a farm value of more than one billion dollars.

U.S. peanuts fall into four basic varieties: Runner, Virginia, Spanish and Valencia. Each of these peanut varieties is distinctive in size and flavor.

Runner type peanut is the primary variety grown in Florida for the dry market and used for peanut butter. Peanut production requires experience and good planning. But harvesting and handling of the

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crop gets complicated.

After proper curing, farmers’ stock peanuts (harvested peanuts that have not been shelled, cleaned or crushed) are inspected and graded to establish the quality and value of the product. The inspection process determines the overall quality and on-farm value of the shelled product for commercial sales or price support loans. The inspection and grading of Florida runner peanuts by the Agricultural Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/AMS) occurs at buying stations or shelling plants usually located within a few miles of where the peanuts have been harvested. A pneumatic sampler withdraws a representative quantity of peanuts from the drying wagon, and from this sample the USDA inspector determines the meat content, damaged kernels, foreign material, and kernel moisture content.

Once the grade is established, the loan or commercial value is determined from USDA price support schedules.

After grading, peanuts move on to the shelling process.

In the first step of this process, peanuts are cleaned — stones, soil, bits of vines, and other foreign materials are then removed. The cleaned peanuts move by conveyor to shelling machines where peanuts are de-hulled as they are forced through perforated grates. The peanuts then pass through updraft air columns that separate the kernels from the hulls. Specific gravity machines separate the kernels and the unshelled pods. The kernels are then passed over the various perfo-

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rated grading screens, where they are sorted by size into market grades.

A market analysis by the University of Florida Food and Resource Economics Department revealed that the economic impact of the peanut industry between 2009-2012 contributed more than two percent of the total value of goods and services produced in both Gilchrist and Levy counties. Big numbers for the lowly legume!

Florida’s total agricultural exports including peanuts recently exceeded $4 billion annually, with products going to more than 159 countries and territories across the globe. This puts Florida eighth in the nation for agricultural exports. Farm acres planted to peanuts within the north central Florida region more than tripled in the 10 years from 2002 to 2012 due in part to growing export markets, federal price support, and the availability of federal crop insurance.

The export market contributed to higher demand and market price, while the price support and crop insurance addressed the inherent risk of production and market fluctuations. Agricultural law has its hand in each of these factors contributing to how many acres a north central Florida peanut farmer decides to plant.

The federal peanut program through market-triggered government payments provides income support for peanut producers and landowners. The payments supplement producer returns from the market when the national peanut price or crop revenue drops below guaranteed levels.

Indirect beneficiaries of the program include input suppliers, processors, and communities where economic activity associated with the peanut industry is generated. Consumers in the U.S. and abroad benefit from lower prices of peanuts and peanut products if the program creates incentives for farmers to produce more peanuts than they otherwise would.

A separate “marketing loan” program provides interim financing for producers and further protects them when prices decline because the government will take ownership of the loan collateral (peanuts) if prices drop below the loan rate (currently set at $355 per ton). The peanut program is structured the same as what is available for other “covered commodities” such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and rice, but with a reference price that is higher relative to market conditions than for other crops.

This price protection makes participation in the program attractive to growers. This aspect became important when Congress settled a trade dispute with the World Trade Organization involving Brazil and the U.S. cotton industry. Acres signed up in the cotton price support program were allowed in the 2014 farm bill to change to another commodity, including the peanut program. Peanut growers who do not have all of their acres enrolled in the price support program (base acres) are concerned that cotton growers seeking more generous price support of peanuts may flood the market with peanuts, driving down the market prices on

which farmers without base acres rely. The peanut industry would have benefitted from representation by an agricultural lawyer with a working knowledge of such trade agreements.

Part of my practice is devoted to federal crop insurance, which provides a separate safety net to protect against yield loss due to weather related perils. The insurance guarantees are established just prior to planting, based on historical yields and expected market prices (not statutory prices used in farm programs). The insurance premiums are subsidized

by USDA, and subsidy rates vary based on the type of policy and coverage selected. The 2014 farm bill mandated a peanut revenue insurance product for

the 2015 crop year so farmers could choose between a traditional yield-based policy and one that protects against declines in revenue (yield times price). Revenue policies have been available for many other farm program crops for almost two decades, but developing one for peanuts has been problematic because its relatively small market is considered “thin” and futures market prices are not available for setting the price guarantee. After considerable study, USDA’s Risk Management Agency decided to base prices for the new revenue product on several factors, including the futures prices of cotton, wheat, soybean oil, and soybean meal, as well as the Brazilian price of peanuts,

peanut stocks, and the Farm Service Agency loan rate for peanuts. From planting to harvest to marketing, a variety of laws unique to agriculture play an integral role in our peanut industry.

For more information, the Florida Peanut Producers Association is a grower check-off association that represents the interests of Florida’s peanut producers through research, promotion and educational programs. Its website is www. flpeanuts.com.

William K. Crispin (www.afarmersfriend.com) is an Agricultural attorney in Gainesville, Florida. His national practice focus is production agriculture with an emphasis on crop insurance.

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What a Peach!

A replacement crop for citrus?

by Jan Cross Cubbage

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ig red-blushed juicy balls of exquisite sweetness … all mine … and there are at least a couple of hundred clinging to weighted, warped branches on each of the Florabest variety peach trees in my yard.

When I purchased this particular tree as a spindly willowlike sapling several years ago, I had no idea of the fruit-bearing potential to come. What I have discovered about peach tree growing in Florida is that the fruit tree specialists at my alma mater, the University of Florida, are geniuses who have taken “northern” species of peach trees and designed Florida hot climate-loving varieties that are prolific bearers of grade A peaches. UF peach specialists have developed varieties of peaches that do not need the deep, long-chill dormancy period of their northern cousins.

Peach trees designed for the short, warm winters of north central Florida are early bloomers, and their thick clusters of pink blossoms are easy on the

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eyes. Florida-specific peach trees are self-pollinating, yet they will attract a host of pollinators. The blooms-to-fruit time period averages 75 to 85 days.

This year’s spring brought many hot and rainy afternoons that made for large, succulent fruit on my tree. As I write, it is the second week of June and I am anticipating canning and freezing several bushels of peaches in the next several days. In the meantime, we have been stuffing our faces with fresh Florida peaches as the ripening begins.

Sorry, Georgia, but Florida is about to roll over your peach production status.

Because of the citrus greening disease spread by the Asian citrus psyllid, Florida citrus growers have seen their production numbers fall like ... well, like a rotted orange. In the 2013-2014 citrus harvest season, Florida grove owners saw their tons of fruit produced drop lower than the worst-ever season of 1989-1990, when Florida experienced citrus crop damage from a record deep freeze.

Peach orchards are looking like a very sweet replacement for the orange groves devastated by citrus greening disease. Florida cultivated peaches offer an early harvest (April to early June, depending on latitude of grove location). An early fruit harvest equates with avoiding a host of insect pests and fungi diseases that Georgia growers must deal with. A late spring peach harvest also means Florida peaches are going to beat their Georgia cousins that ripen mid-July to the commercial fruit stands!

All peach trees sold at tree nurseries in Florida are grafted to a nematode resistant rootstock called Floridaguard.

The experts recommend planting peach trees 15 feet from each other and provide 20 feet between rows. Watering of young plants is crucial to their growth. I fertilized my trees in the early spring with a generic fruit tree fertilizer, heaped compost around their tilled bases, and also spread ashes from my wood-burning barbeque around the trees. I abhor chemicals —

and honestly, my peach trees did not need any other assistance than the previous mentioned.

I have learned that there are two basic varieties of peach fruits. One type is called “melting flesh” fruit-bearing. The fruit of melting flesh fruitbearing trees, Floribest and Tropic Snow, ripen and soften quickly. The fuzzy, red fruits of these trees are medium-sized, thin-skinned, low-acid, exceptionally juicy, and high-sugar treats. Just like eating peach jam, straight from the tree branch!

The second variety of peach trees are the nonmelting fruit variety. Non-melting fruit peach tree producers are the better choice for commercial growers, as their peaches will hold their flesh firmness through the picking, shipping, and marketing process. These varieties are UF Gold, UF Prince, Gulfsnow, UF Glow, UF Sun and UF Beauty.

Maurico G. Rodriguez is a Florida peachgrowing specialist who is offering his consultant services pro bono to any wannabe peach orchard growers. There is an abundance of potential for small farms to realize profits from roadside stands

marketing Florida homegrown peaches.

Florida peaches versus Georgia peaches? Florida has a rookie base in peach growing, but look out, Bulldogs, for Florida peach growers will soon be nipping at your heels!

For more information on growing Florida peaches, refer to IFAS publication RFAC018, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ac018.

Citrus Greening

Grants to Plant Fruit Trees

First detected in Florida in 2005, citrus greening disease has now affected a total of 162,200 acres of citrus groves.

Since 2007, diseased oranges have resulted in loss of $7.8 billion in revenue and 7,513 jobs.

Citrus greening is caused by a bacterium that is carried tree to tree by its host, a tiny insect: Asian Citrus Psyllid.

The bacteria first enters a citrus tree by the insect’s leaf feeding. The bacteria then move through the tree via the veins of the tree and starve the tree of nutrients, damage its roots. and cause the tree to produce small, deformed fruit, lacking in both flesh and juice.

Growers who responded to a March 2015 survey conducted by UF/IFAS reported that as much as 90% of citrus grove acreage, and 80% of trees, was infected at that time.

In a bit of bright news, USDA reports that Florida’s 2015-16 orange crop estimate now stands at 81.4 million boxes, representing a four-month trend of gains and an increase from the 80 million boxes predicted at the beginning of the season. USDA’s final report will be released July 10.

Jan Cross Cubbage, a blood stock agent and Thoroughbred farm manager, is at heart an educator. She is a retired high school teacher of history and science, and former certified workshop facilitator for Florida Fish and Wildlife; she has received four grants for educational programs from Southwest Florida Water Management District; she wrote the equine lesson plans for the online Florida Agriculture in the Classroom (FAITC); and she is the author of Screaming Ponies, a book about American wild horses. She is also a former licensed Thoroughbred trainer in six states and a former jockey winning races in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.

The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation in Pittsburgh offers grants to schools, city parks, low-income neighborhoods, etc., for the planting of a fruit orchard in a community setting.

Everything is included: high-quality fruit trees and shrubs, equipment, on-site orchard design expertise and oversight, horticultural workshops, after-care training, manuals. Deer fencing and drip irrigation is subsidized as needed. FTPF also helps coordinate all aspects of the planting, and offers an educational experience for volunteers interested in learning more about trees. An age-appropriate curriculum and educators are offered to schools.

Recipients must be nonprofits, NGOs, public schools, or government entities serving a charitable purpose. Recipients must be fully committed to caring for the trees in perpetuity with a clear goal to use the orchard to further their charitable mission, and must have a planting site capable of hosting a grove of fruit trees 12-15 feet apart, with a minimum of 15-20 trees. The land must be owned or be in a longterm lease.

For more information or to apply online, visit www. ftpf.org/application.doc.

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Florida’s Agritourism Law New Protections

by Carolyn Blakeslee

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ccording to the Florida Agritourism Association, “Agriculture is critical to Florida’s economy. The University of Florida has published research that Florida agriculture, natural resources and related industries provide 1,609,139 jobs and $76.5 billion in value added impacts annually. And when it comes to green acres, the State of Florida has nearly 24 million in forests, croplands and ranches — two thirds of Florida’s total land area.”

Agritourism combines Florida’s two largest industries, tourism and agriculture, to offer onfarm recreational and/or educational experiences for visitors. According to the Florida Dept. of Agriculture, the state experienced record tourism in 2015, with 105 million visitors spending $89.1 billion. And, according to USDA Census of Agriculture Data, the number of Florida farms offering agritourism experiences nearly tripled in five years — from 281 in 2007, to 724 in 2012. It would be interesting to see current data.

2013 agritourism law

The 2013 change in the Florida Statutes reduced the liability for farms, farmers, agritourism operators, employers, employees, owners, and lessors, as long as a warning sign is posted and the same language appears in contracts with participants: 570.89Posting and notification.— (1)(a)Each agritourism operator shall post and maintain signs that contain the notice of inherent risk specified in subsection (2). A sign shall be placed in

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a clearly visible location at the entrance to the agritourism location and at the site of the agritourism activity. The notice of inherent risk must consist of a sign in black letters, with each letter a minimum of 1 inch in height, with sufficient color contrast to be clearly visible. (b)Each written contract entered into by an agritourism operator for the provision of professional services, instruction, or the rental of equipment to a participant, regardless of whether the contract involves agritourism activities on or off the location or at the site of the agritourism activity, must contain in clearly readable print the notice of inherent risk specified in subsection (2).

(2)The sign and contract required under subsection (1) must contain the following notice of inherent risk: WARNING Under Florida law, an agritourism operator is not liable for injury or death of, or damage or loss to, a participant in an agritourism activity conducted at this agritourism location if such injury, death, damage, or loss results from the inherent risks of the agritourism activity. Inherent risks of agritourism activities include, among others, risks of injury inherent to land, equipment, and animals, as well as the potential for you to act in a negligent manner that may contribute to your injury, death, damage, or loss. You are assuming

the risk of participating in this agritourism activity.

The operators are exempt from legal actions for injury, death, damage, or loss, except in acts of “gross negligence, willful or wanton disregard for … safety … and that act or omission proximately causes injury, damage, or death to the participant” or if an operator “intentionally injures the participant.” In addition, another omission will also nullify the protection: failure to post the “WARNING” signage and include in contracts the “WARNING” wording as outlined above. A link to the Florida Statutes is provided below in “Resources.”

2016 refinements

The law’s update, signed into law on May 23, clarified certain questions that had been raised by local governments. The upshot is that the state agritourism law supersedes local laws, even if they are stricter, and whether they are already on the books or proposed in the future.

However, one protection was offered to local governing bodies that were concerned with “substantial offsite impacts” of agritourism activities. Some of these concerns included sound that carries from events, especially concerts; parking; and wear and tear on access roads. (Hint: Invite your neighbors!)

Fire codes were also updated in March (and the language is still in flux) to address the increased hustle and bustle of farm tourist activity.

In the past, non-residential farm buildings were exempt from fire code regulations, but this policy had to be examined in light of the numbers of people visiting various events. For more information, visit the UF/IFAS Blogs link provided below.

Language to define agritourism activities was expanded and now specifically includes civic and ceremonial activities such as weddings.

Finally, agritourism activities must be conducted on property that is classified as agricultural with the local property appraiser.

Finally …

This article is not intended to provide legal advice. Meet with your insurance agent and

attorney to be sure you have sufficient protections in place for your visitors and your farm.

Resources: n Florida code pertaining to agritourism, http:// bit.ly/28WrnYo n Florida Agritourism Association (FATA), www.

VisitFloridaFarms.com n FATA agritourism toolkit, http://bit. ly/28UE31r n USDA agritourism papers and data: http://1. usa.gov/28QOdwE n Florida Dept. of Agriculture, www.

FreshFromFlorida.com n UF/IFAS blog articles about agritourism, http://bit.ly/28RYtXS n Visit Florida, www.visitflorida.com/ Carolyn Blakeslee is the Publisher of The Ag Mag. Four people who walk the planet call her “Mom.” They also sing.

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July 2016

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Potential Is Everywhere Will you grab it?

by David The Good

W

hen you look at your yard, what do you see?

Most of us see it as a place of recreation, or a sweep of lawn and a splash of landscaping that sets off the front of our house.

The backyard is a place for dogs, barbecues, and perhaps a pool. For the green-thumbed set, the back yard might also

include a few raised beds or an orange tree.

This is the American way, by golly. Plant a flag pole in the front yard and erect a white picket fence with a John Deere mailbox and call it a day!

I admit it: I love the way a well-manicured lawn and some nice landscaping looks. It has a sense of order and wholesome-

ness that takes me back to my youth in South Florida, where green St. Augustine grass lawns edged up to blacktop roads and bordered sea walls in front of 1950s cinderblock ranch homes.

Yet when you think about it, that beautiful lawn and landscaping is a constant drain on our resources that pulls on us.

More often than recreation, our yards are a place of sweat and toil as we push lawnmowers, prune hedges, and pry weeds out of sidewalk cracks. The oak trees are always dropping limbs and the sedge grass is always popping up between the azaleas. How does all this work pay us back, other than some sort of vague idea that it’s “keeping up our property value?”

It doesn’t!

When I see a lawn or even an empty lot, I see potential. Potential for rows of sweet potatoes, sweet peaches, sunwarmed grapes and ... Continued on Page 26

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FloridaMemory.com

The Greying of the American Farmer

by Kali Bowen

D

uring the last 30 years, the United States has seen farmers age without a sufficient new generation of industry leaders to whom they may hand their responsibilities. Whether it be due to a passionate love of the industry or the trend of living longer, healthier lives, the growing age of baby-boomer agriculturists has resulted in a wide disparity between the average age of farmers and that of other professions.

Meanwhile, young farmers and college graduates struggle to enter the industry because of high capital expenditures and mounting college loan debts.

What industry leaders think this kind of trend means for the future of agriculture has been of interest to the public for several years now, including what action should be taken by the United States Department of Agriculture to prepare for this, if any.

The increasing age of farmers

Data from USDA agricultural census surveys taken during the past 30 years indicates that the average age of farmers is increasing. Most recently, the 2012 census reflects an average age of 58.3, up from 50.5 in 1982.

What this means for the future of agriculture has been debated and has even caused the USDA to take action through investing in incentive programs in order to encourage young farmers to enter the industry.

Some argue that the census information is misleading.

Michigan State University extension officer Steve Lovejoy is one such individual. When calculating the age of farmers, the data that is collected pertains to the “primary operator,” and does not include others who work on the farm, but may not own it. “You’ve got grandpa who is still considered the patriarch of the family, and maybe two generations working with the farm who aren’t counted,” Lovejoy said. “That’s different

from [median worker age] in other aspects of the economy.”

Agricultural economist from Ohio State University, Carl Zulauf, offered his thoughts on the subject and suggests that this trend is less indicative of a shrinking industry than others propose. “Historically, farmers have been older than the general U.S. population. That’s a reflection, I believe, of the enterprise itself. Farming is capital intensive and it takes time for the necessary capital to be accumulated in order to farm,” Zulauf said.

Others pose that the aging baby-boomer population is to blame. David Widmar, an agricultural economist from Purdue University, says that the U.S. population as a whole is aging and the average age of farmers is moving along with that trend.

Yet, Widmar also acknowledged that the overwhelming capital required to start a new agriculture business is a discouraging factor for young entrepreneurs.

Aging farmers are either passing the family business down

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to a son or daughter, or selling their land to another farmer.

However, the high price of land means that typically it is not being sold to a young farmer just starting out, but another experienced farmer.

Furthermore, college graduates who are already bearing the burden of student loan debt are especially disadvantaged from entering the agriculture industry. Young people entering the production agriculture business today are increasingly college educated and face financial challenges unlike many faced by the previous generation’s traditional farmers, whose primary debts came from land, seed or equipment. Now, student loan debt is forcing graduates to make challenging decisions about their futures and is frequently turning them away from professions like farming.

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According to the same 2012 USDA census, 87% of farms are family owned. This high number of family farms doesn’t work to the advantage of young individuals lacking a farming background and attempting to enter the agricultural scene. Land is gridlocked by century-old family farms and out-priced for much of the upand-coming generation of optimistic farmers.

Looking to the future of American farming

With one third of U.S. farmland owned by primary farmers older than 65, the USDA has predicted that 10 percent of all farmland will change hands within the next five years. In order to prepare for this, the USDA has taken action by investing $5.6 billion in incentive programs.

These programs have been implemented in order to increase the number of young farmers, and to create a smooth transition into the next generation of farmers.

One program that has been developed as part of this initiative is akin to a matchmaking service, connecting experienced farmers with young ones who are willing to work toward ownership. Additionally, the USDA has developed a “New Farmer” page on its website, geared toward preparing inexperienced farmers for production. It connects new farmers with tools and resources to help launch their new businesses.

The USDA also has pathways in place for new, beginning farmers to be prioritized for land purchases and connecting them with insurance subsidies, farm loans and other resources.

Without an influx of young farmers, the change in hands of farmland could result in the growth of corporate-owned farms. Before that happens, however, an activist group, the National Young Farmers Coalition, has partnered with Clif Bar & Company to promote legislation that would assist college graduates hoping to begin an agriculture business. NYFC executive director and founder Lindsey Schute is particularly passionate about young people in agriculture. She and other NYFC and Clif Bar & Company leaders are hoping that legislators will treat future farmers like teachers, doctors, or other public servants and offer loan forgiveness programs to graduates. “We are a generation of farmers committed to growing quality food and stewarding our land and resources.

This work must be celebrated and supported as a vital service to our nation,” Schute said.

As farms change hands in the next decade, many changes will take place on the production side of agriculture. Corporate farms will expand slightly, in some areas young people will crop up and continue family businesses, and USDA programs and legislation will provide an easier path for young adults who are passionate about agriculture.

Kali Bowen is a senior at the University of Florida studying Agricultural Education & Communication and minoring in Agricultural and Natural Resource Law. She can be reached at kalimbowen@ufl.edu.

School Gardens

A Growing Part of Florida Schools

by Kohrine Counts and Karla P. Shelnutt Students learning at the Loften Farm to School to Work Hub garden, Gainesville, FL. Photo by Kelli Brew, Alachua County Public Schools

1,300 school gardens in Florida

School gardens have been popping up like little pea plants in schools throughout Florida.

Not only are they an excellent way to get fresh produce into classrooms and cafeterias, but they also provide students with a living classroom where concepts related to science, math, agriculture, nutrition, and more can be learned and applied. If you have ever thought about starting a garden at your school, this article will answer some questions and list a few important points that need to be considered before you begin.

How do school gardens benefit children?

Fruits and vegetables have many health benefits and are a key part of a child’s diet. These benefits include protection against obesity, heart disease, and certain cancers (RobinsonO’Brien, 2008). Unfortunately, less than half of children and teens eat enough fruits and vegetables every day. Studies

have shown that children who work in a school garden are more likely to try new fruits and vegetables (McAleese & Rankin, 2007; Ratcliffe et al., 2011). This is key. As many parents can tell you, getting a child to try a new fruit or vegetable is half the battle of getting a child to eat more fruits and vegetables regularly. In addition, many school cafeterias now serve fruits and vegetables grown in their school gardens, giving children a chance to eat local, fresh, and in-season produce.

Working in a school garden gives children a chance to explore and nurture their curiosity. They also learn to work as a team and discover more about the source of their food. Life skills, such as leadership, decision-making, and self-awareness, also develop in children who work in school gardens (Robinson & Zajicek, 2005).

Most children love to work in a school garden. It gives them a break from the normal school day and offers a “senses

rich” classroom that engages all five senses. Children also enjoy preparing and eating the food they have grown (Heim, Stang, & Ireland, 2009). This hands-on part of a school garden makes learning more fun.

How do school gardens benefit teachers?

A school garden is a great teaching tool. A garden can be used to teach children about nature. Children can learn about bugs found in the garden, water and sunlight’s effects on plant growth, and wild animals that visit the garden. School garden lessons can also be tied to math, writing, science, and history. For example, students can calculate how many seeds should be planted in each row or learn how plants convert light energy from the sun into a form of energy that can be stored and used later. Links to free lesson plans are listed below.

School gardens allow children to form ties with their school and with their fellow students in spite of differences

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in language, culture, and ability (CutterMackenzie, 2009). School gardens also help disabled or special needs children gain and refine motor skills in ways that classroom lessons might not (Rye et al., 2012).

Different types of school gardens

The type of garden you choose to plant will affect other parts of your plan, such as the budget and the supplies you need, so it is one of the first things you should consider. These are the main types of school gardens: In-ground garden. This is a classic garden in which plants are grown directly in the ground.

It has the lowest initial cost, but requires lots of open space with healthy soil. It is important to make sure the soil is not polluted. If your school is tight on space, another type of garden may work better.

Raised bed garden.

Raised beds are a good idea if dirt quality or foot traffic are potential concerns.

Plants in raised beds need more water, and the wood and supplies needed for this type of garden may increase costs. But think outside the box— even old pallets have been used to make raised beds.

Container garden.

Container gardens work well in schools that lack the space for a

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regular garden. Examples of suitable containers are plastic pots or a garden tower. Even an old bathtub or wheelbarrow can be used.

Hydroponic garden.

Hydroponic systems allow you to grow plants in water instead of dirt. There are many simple and inexpensive hydroponic systems that provide a fun learning opportunity for children.

Planning a school garden

Before any seeds can be planted, the school garden has to be “grown” on paper. The following are important questions to consider before you start a garden and are discussed in more detail in the UF/IFAS Farm to School Grow-toLearn Guide (Prizzia, 2014).

Who is going to be in charge of planting and keeping up the garden? Gardens are usually not successful unless there is a champion at the school who takes responsibility for garden maintenance throughout the year. Typically, this is a science or agriculture teacher who incorporates the garden into lesson plans; however, any teacher or parent with a talent for gardening would make a good leader and caretaker.

What kind of plants should I grow? This depends on your location, the kind of garden you have, and the plants that grow best during your location’s growing season. Select plant varieties that are disease- and pest-resistant. You also can choose to plant seeds or buy seedlings. Seedlings will help reduce the amount of time you have to wait to harvest; however, they tend to be more expensive than seeds.

What supplies do I need and how do I raise money to buy them? The supplies you need depend on the type of garden you choose.

However, the main things you will need are seeds (or seedlings), fertilizer, hoses or watering cans, and basic gardening tools (hoes, shovels, gloves, etc.). Check with your school or school food

service department first to see if they have funds for a school garden. From there, ask parent/ teacher organizations or community partners if they would be willing to contribute or hold a fundraiser for your garden. Also, there are state and national grants available for school gardens.

Links to sources that offer grants are listed below.

Putting it all together

School gardens are full of benefits for children and teachers. Working in the garden can improve a child’s health and learning. A garden also is a great teaching tool that ties nature to reading, math, and science. Additionally, school gardens can be used to engage all types of students and make learning fun.

School gardens require planning, so do not skip the research and planning stages. Proper planning will help make your school garden a success. For more information on planning, finding funding, and using a school garden as a teaching tool, visit the links below. Before you know it, the students at your school will be enjoying the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor!

Resources n The UF/IFAS Extension offers an easy, step-bystep guide on how to plan, plant, and maintain a school garden. http://bit.ly/28T99Xg n The USDA’s Team Nutrition website offers grants and free lesson plans (if your school is part of the USDA’s Child Nutrition Program) that tie gardens to science, math, and more. http://1.usa. gov/28Q6pr7 n The Let’s Move website has a checklist that will help you plan your school garden. http://1.usa. gov/21u46iO * n The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has many links that offer school gardening help in Florida and across the nation. http://bit.ly/28ZFw5W n The Florida Agriculture in the Classroom website offers grants and workshops in Florida.

They also offer lesson plans and fun online garden games just for children. http://faitc.org/ grants/ n Visit the “Grants” section of our Calendar.

Reprinted courtesy UF/IFAS Extension’s Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences,

Publication #FCS3332. Original publication date February 2016. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis. ifas.ufl.edu. Kohrine Counts is a dietetic intern, Food Science and Human Nutrition Department; Karla P. Shelnutt ia an associate professor and Extension nutrition specialist, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville.

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July 2016

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Second Nature

by Melody Murphy

Forty Shades of Grey

G

rey skies and rainy days have always made me happy. I love misty mornings, ghostly fog, storm clouds, woodsmoke curling up from a fire, river stones and seashells, live oaks shrouded with Spanish moss. I am fond of mockingbirds, owls, chickadees, raccoons, otters, squirrels, rabbits, dolphins, oysters, cats and dogs with charcoal coats.

Most people would agree that grey is a lovely color in nature. Just not on your head, if you’re a woman.

I turn 40 this month.

(There. I’ve said it in print.) It’s been strange coming to terms with that. I don’t think 40 is old — it’s perfectly fine when it happens to other people —but it’s surreal to think that you yourself are 40, one of those middle-aged, solidly Adult people you remember from your childhood, which surely wasn’t that long ago — was it?

Well, yes. It was. When

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you keep starting sentences with, “I remember 30 years ago when ...” and distinctly recall the Carter administration, it’s been a while since you were a kid.

I have to keep saying “I’m 40” to get used to it, like breaking in a new pair of shoes. My hair is already several steps ahead.

I found my first grey hair at 16. It’s been a steady progression ever since, like Sherman’s march through Georgia, and my hair is now almost completely grey.

I colored my hair for most of my life, until a year and a half ago. Naturally brunette, it’s been every shade of brown and red, with numerous illconceived attempts at blonde.

There were some unintentional interludes of black, orange, fuchsia, burgundy, marigold, and, the last time I colored it myself, striped.

Coloring your hair is expensive. Having it done professionally looks better than a DIY box job, but costs a fortune. And

there comes a day when your stubborn silver strands refuse concealment for more than two weeks. I don’t have the time, money, or inclination to visit the salon that often.

And why should I? I’m glad you asked, says society.

In our paradoxical culture, “natural” is a selling point for everything from food to fabric to cleaning products. We are constantly told, Do what comes naturally. Just be yourself. You do you.

The world is your rainbow. Rules are made to be broken. Dress codes are out. Ladies, wear black to a wedding and paint your nails indigo. Gentlemen, don that orchid tie. Enlightened children, please transcend the great pink-and-blue gender divide in your toy and home-furnishing preferences.

Skin color isn’t supposed to matter, whether the one you were born with or the hues you’ve had tattooed on yourself.

We aren’t supposed to raise an

eyebrow when someone sports turquoise tresses or purple streaks. There’s a current trend among the young to have their hair dyed “grey.” It results in a sickly, washed-out lavender you don’t often see outside of funeral parlors or the gills of a dying trout, but when you’re 19, sure, give it a whirl.

But: Heaven forbid you should let your hair be its natural color — if that color is grey. And you’re female. And not yet eligible for AARP.

Many view it as a sign that you’ve given up on your appearance. I’m not clear on that logic.

I still shower, apply makeup, accessorize, wear colors I believe to be flattering. I think my face is still the same. Nobody has yet mistaken me for a grandmother.

There’s a definite double standard. If a woman goes grey, she’s “let herself go.” People say, “She’s let it turn,” like her hair is a zombie in The Walking Dead. But if a man does it, he’s “distinguished” or “a silver fox.” I have never, in the 20-plus years he has been a worldwide sex symbol, heard anyone say, “I’d be attracted to George Clooney if he would just slap some Grecian Formula on his head.”

Grey hair doesn’t mean I feel old or colorless or have resigned myself to the inexorable march toward death. It means I am tired of fighting with it and spending a fortune on it, and am ready for a change. Sometimes the greatest change is simply to start being yourself — something you learn as you get older.

And I like the color. I already wore silver jewelry because I prefer it and it looks better with my complexion and grey eyes. If I paid for blonde highlights, no one would bat an eyelash. But when I let the natural highlights appear, this is widely regarded as anarchy, even though they are free and more flattering than gold would be.

Above all, I have earned every last grey hair on my head, and you need to respect that. I have a Caribbean coworker who, when he first noticed the grey, said, “Your wisdom is showing.” Yes. Why don’t more people regard it that way?

If you want to get deep, I am actually doing what modern society encourages: being myself.

Being natural. Telling my hair, “You do you.”

Why do we judge this one color as inferior, something to conceal? My eyes were blue when I was little and have since turned grey, but I don’t feel that I should take to wearing blue contacts. So

why hide my hair?

Because grey hair = aging, and we live in a youth-obsessed society. People struggle to create the illusion of a youthful appearance. It’s an insult to say “old people” — but not “young people.”

That’s a can of worms I don’t have time to open right now.

I love all things vintage: antiques, old books, old movies, old music, old houses, old cars, old trees. Maybe that’s why I’m comfortable with my grey hair. Aging is a natural process, and as I told you six months ago, I embrace nature.

I didn’t think I was making a social statement when I let my hair go grey, but maybe I am.

That’s OK.

On my own head be it.

Melody Murphy is currently celebrating her 40th birthday for 40 days and 40 nights, because why not. As for other colors she enjoys, the 40th anniversary is known as the ruby anniversary, the ruby is her birthstone, and thus she is celebrating this momentous occasion as her Ruby Jubilee.

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... Continued from Page 18 buckets of pears, perfect for homemade pie. All that ground being dedicated to grass and non-edible trees could instead be feeding your family or even multiple families. As the new push towards urban and microfarming has been illustrating, you can do a lot in even a small space! At my property, we grew almost 1,000 pounds of produce last year — and we didn’t even garden the entire yard. That made a big dent in our monthly grocery bill.

Part of the problem with many of us is that we see gardening as difficult, or at the very least, time-consuming. It can be indeed — yet you’d be surprised how much you can get done in a short time and how much you can grow if you pick the right crops. My book Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening: The Secret to Growing Piles of Food in the Sunshine State has sold excellently since its publication last fall. In large part, I believe that’s because it simplifies gardening in our climate and gives backyard growers a list of supereasy crops that really will outproduce most of the vegetable varieties you buy in the local hardware seed section.

I’m not a super gardener.

I’m just tenacious and won’t give up after the first few — or few thousand — garden failures. So how can you use the potential in your yard without killing as many plants as I did?

Let me give you a few quick starter ideas.

1. Plant Beans

Beans are usually hard to

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mess up, though some varieties do poorly in Florida. Plant southern peas, Asian yard-long beans, wax beans, and other bush types and you’ll have plenty.

2. Plant Weird Spinaches

Chaya (a.k.a. Mexican tree spinach), longevity spinach, and Malabar spinach are all great choices. Though they’re not easy to find, beg cuttings and you’ll be set for years. All three plants are perennials, and Malabar spinach, though frost-tender, will usually self-seed if it fails to come back in the spring.

3. Plant Yams and Sweet Potatoes

True yams, i.e. edible relatives of the dreaded air potato, are super-easy to grow. Go to my website www.thesurvivalgardener.com and look them up right now. They’re highly productive and make gigantic roots that taste like a great potato.

Sweet potatoes, which are not related to true yams, are another Southern staple that’s simple to grow in Florida.

4. Plant Easy-to-Grow Fruit Trees

Get a mulberry (or three), a couple of Japanese persimmons (Fuyu is the most popular non-astringent type), a few sand pears, and maybe a few figs, and you’ll be bringing in baskets of fruit in a few years.

These trees are some of the easiest to grow. Once you have them, get yourself some good UF peach varieties and some chestnuts and you’ll really be eating like a king.

You can still leave space for that lawn in the front yard,

should you so desire, but as the sweet harvests start to roll in, you may end up replacing the entire thing with edibles. That’s what I eventually did and I never missed the grass. How could I when I was eating fresh produce from the yard, year-round?

If you’re really short on time, concentrate on planting trees. If you have more time, plant an herb bed. If you have a little more, put in a bunch of garden beds or replace your azaleas with vegetables. Don’t be afraid to plant your fruit trees in attractive places rather than in a block. Fruit trees are beautiful — you might as well keep up that pesky property value while you’re at it, right?

Speaking of property value, I actually filled my entire front yard with edible trees, shrubs, and perennial vegetables and just cut paths through with a weedeater — and then sold the place to a far-sighted buyer for more than my asking price. Productive fruit trees beat perfect St. Augustine grass any day!

The potential in even a typical suburban lot is an incredible thing. Tap into it and you’ll never look back.

David The Good is a Florida native, a gardening expert and the author of four books you can find on Amazon, including Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening, Create Your Own Florida Food Forest, Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting and his new bestseller Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening. Find fresh gardening inspiration every weekday at his popular website www.TheSurvivalGardener.com.

Calendar of Events Events: Workshops, Conferences, Fairs, Etc. Friday, July 1

1. Ask Your Master Gardener, noon, Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala.

2. Plant Clinic with the Master Gardeners, 10-1, Belleview Public Library, 3145 SW Hwy. 484, Belleview.

Monday, July 4

Happy Independence Day! Tuesday, July 5

1. Levy Soil and Water Conservation District meeting. 6:30pm, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, http://myswcd.org/. Upcoming meetings (first Tuesday): 8/2, 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6.

2. Master Gardeners Plant Clinic, 10-1, Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Road.

Tuesday, July 5

Springs Academy. 12-1, $5.

July class will focus on springs biology: algae, plants, wildlife. North Florida Springs environmental center, 99 NW 1st Ave., High Springs.

Thursday, July 7

1. Choosing the Right Mulch.

Free, 3-4; pre-register at least 3 days ahead of time. UF/IFAS Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-337-6209.

2. Springs Academy. Biology: algae, plants, wildlife. 12-1pm, $5.

North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW First Ave., High Springs.

July 7-8

Pesticide Applicator CEU Review and Examination. Class 9-12 on Thursday, CORE Pesticide Review; Friday, 9-12 exam, at Ft. White Branch Library, 17700 SW SR 47, Ft. White. Register at 386-7525384.

Friday, July 8

8th Annual Healthy Horses Conference. Lectures, lunch, demonstrations, pasture management, more. UF, Gainesville. http:// reg.conferences.dce.ufl.edu/ Equine/470

July 11-13

Applications and Analyses of Mycorrhizal Associations. $500.

McCarty Hall B, Room 3108, UF, Gainesville.

Tuesday, July 12

1. Dixie Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting.

6:30-7:30, Cypress Inn Restaurant, Cross City. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesday): 8/9, 9/13, 10/11, 11/18, 12/13.

2. Florida Farmers’ Network.

Network with people involved with sustainable production, get connected with resources. Lunch

Join us and make some hay!

The Ag Mag is seeking independent account managers in the north central Florida region including Alachua, Levy, Marion, and Citrus counties, and The Villages/Leesburg/Wildwood.

Must have some knowledge of agriculture as well as advertising sales experience. Excellent customer service a must. Needs to be a self-starter to develop, grow and maintain relationships with clients. Several open territories available. Please send resume to TheAgMag1@gmail.com. Questions? Call Brooke, 352-537-0096.

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provided. 11-4, South Mandarin Branch Jacksonville Library. 352474-2328, agnetworkncfl.wix.com/ home.

3. Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting, 9am, USDA Ocala Service Center, 2441 NE Third St., Suite 204-2, Ocala, Information: Ann Bishop, 352-622-3971, x.112. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesday): 8/9, 9/13, 10/11, 11/8, 12/13.

4. St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board meeting, 11am, District headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka.

Information: Missy McDermont, 386-329-4214. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesdays): 8/9, 9/13, 9/27 (final budget meeting to be held at 5 pm), 10/11, 11/8, 12/13.

July 7, 14, 21

Small Farm $uccess classes.

July 7: Getting started with your

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small farm. July 14: Crops and livestock for your small farm. July 21: Planning for profits. All classes start at 6. $10/1, $25/all 3. UF/ IFAS Osceola Extension, Kissimmee. http://bit.ly/28Lqsab July 12-13

Everglades Invasive Species Summit, Long Key Nature Center, Davie. http://bit.ly/291cntn.

July 12-September 15

Principles of Pasture Productivity series. Chipley: July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 13. Blountstown: July 21, Aug. 25, Sept. 15. http://bit. ly/28S8uV8 Wednesday, July 13

1. Advanced Forest Site Prep Herbicide Workshop. Free, 9-2. 4 CEUs, 3.5 CFS. UF North Florida Research and Education Center, 155 Research Rd., Quincy, FL 32351.

2. ServSafe® Commercial Food Handler Certification Training and Exam. 8:30-5. $110/class and exam, $165 includes textbook.

Marion County Ext. Classroom, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 888-232-8723. For other dates and locations, see listing under “Many dates,” below.

Nominations close July 13

Florida Agritourism Association Board of Directors. VisitFloridaFarms.com.

Thursday, July 14

1. Canning Under the Cottage Law. $10. 9-1, UF/IFAS Polk Extension, 1702 S. Hwy. 17, Bartow. 863-519-1043, http://bit. ly/28LmIqs. This class will be offered again on November 4.

2. UF/IFAS 18th Annual Hay Field Day. Field demonstrations and workshops on fertilization, weed control, haylage, new Ba-

hiagrass varieties. $10 in advance, $15/same day; includes lunch.

Event begins at 9 (registration 8:30) at Santa Fe River Ranch, 29220 NW 122 St., Alachua. Information/registration: Dr. Cindy Sanders, Director, UF/IFAS Alachua Extension, 352-955-2402, sanders1@ufl.edu.

Friday, July 15

Summer Cover Crops and Soil Health Field Day. See how 17 summer cover crop species perform in west central Florida. The Center is evaluating different sources of cover crops to develop future planting recommendations for the Southeast. Regional Soil Health scientist Nathan Lowder will demonstrate different infiltration rates for cropland management types.

USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, Brooksville Plant Material Center, 14119 Broad St., Brooksville. 10-1. Information: Janet Grabowski, 352-796-9600, x.101.

FARMER

&

Tuesday, July 19

1. Ask Your Master Gardener, 1-2:30, Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Rd.

2. UF/IFAS Annual Corn Field Day, 10-noon, UF/IFAS West Florida Research and Education Center, 4253 Experiment Road on Hwy. 182, Jay. Will feature 27 replicated corn varieties and 15 corn variety demonstration plots. Lunch will be provided. RSVP to Jay Ext. Office, 850-675-3107.

Wednesday, July 20

Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority meeting, 3:30, Lecanto Government Bldg.,

RANCHER REE F

t Firsvery Deli

PROOF

Saturday, July 16

1. Florida Food Policy Council meeting, 9:30-3, Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), Viticulture and Small Fruit Research Center, 6505 Mahan Dr., Tallahassee. The event will be broadcast at various UF/IFAS extensions statewide for those who can’t travel to Tallahassee. https:// flfpcdotorg.wordpress.com/, flfpc. org. $25 (includes membership).

2. Fundraising dinner for Marion Therapeutic Riding Association. Happy Hour at 6, dinner at 7, at Silver Springs Moose Lodge, 7165 SE Maricamp Rd., Ocala. $20/ person. 352-732-7300, http://bit. ly/25c2RGO.

Peanut Hay

Room 166, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto. Later meetings: Aug. 17, Sept. 21.

Deadline July 20

2017 Florida Ranches Calendar Photo Contest. Open to all.

Horizontal format only; high-quality .jpeg, .tif or .raw files accepted (minimum 2,400 pixels wide); pictures must feature Florida ranch properties. http://bit.ly/1ZUU4ps.

Thursday, July 21

1. Free workshop about agricultural services and programs available to veterans, small farmers, and beginning farmers.

9-2, Please

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July 18-20

Soil Microbiology Short Course: Applications and Analysis of Mycorrhizal Associations.

UF, McCarty Hall B, Room 3108, Gainesville. http://conference.ifas. ufl.edu/soils/micro/

July 2016

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Okaloosa County Extension, 3098 Airport Road, Crestview, 850-5264910, www.farmcredit-fl.com/ workshop.aspx.

2. Green Industries: Best Management Practices. $25, lunch included. Marion County Ext. Auditorium, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352-671-8400.

July 22-23

UF Livestock Judging Camp.

Open to judges of all experience levels, to prepare students for the State Livestock Judging Contest and the National 4-H and FFA Livestock Judging Contest. UF Horse Teaching Unit, 1934 SW 63rd Ave., Gainesville. http://bit. ly/28WTqTT. Saturday, July 23

Ask Your Master Gardener: Bees in Florida. 10-11, Fort McCoy Public Library, 14330 NE Hwy. 315.

Monday, July 25

Why Aren’t Florida’s Water Laws Protecting Florida’s Water?

Led by two attorneys: Heather Culp, Assoc. Director, Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Inst.; Traci Dean, Director, Center for Earth Jurisprudence, Barry University Law School.

Free, 7pm, High Springs New Century Woman’s Club. 386-454-0415.

Wednesday, July 27

1. Food Safety for Local Growers: Understanding Your Retailer’s Requirements. Free. 8-4, Publix Distribution Center, 9800 W. Beaver St., Jacksonville. http://bit. ly/28M1ZGL.

2. The Great CEU RoundUp. Pesticide license holders may earn up to 6 CEUs in this all-day program. It will be held at UF Gainesville and streamed online to participating extension offices statewide. $15-50, 8-4. www.ftga. org/ceu-round-up/.

Saturday, July 30

Tampa Bay Cottage Industry

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Expo. $30. 9-3:30, Wiregrass Ranch H.S., 2909 Mansfield Blvd., Wesley Chapel, http://bit.ly/28M3ox8.

Deadline August 1

Heifer Development Program. Open to members of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. http://bit.ly/1WGLH0S. Tuesday, August 2

Springs Academy. Stresses: groundwater pumping, fertilizers, wastewater disposal, recreation.

12-1pm, $5. North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW First Ave., High Springs.

Tuesday, August 9

Building Your Own Farm’s Food Safety Manual. $35/first person, $15/each additional attendee from your farm. Lunch and refreshments included. 8-5, UF/ IFAS Extension Brevard County, 3695 Lake Dr., Cocoa, FL. http:// bit.ly/1UfiJqm. Thursday, August 11

AgWeather Solutions 2016.

9-3, Plant Science Research and Education Center, 2556 W. Hwy. 318, Citra. Information/registration: Cynthia Sanders, 352-955-2402.

August 11-13

South Florida Bee College, UF/IFAS Ft. Lauderdale Research and Education Center, Davie.

Queen rearing, pests and diseases, more. Honeybee@ifas.ufl.edu, http://bit.ly/295l3MS. Tuesday, August 16

Best Practices at Farmers’ Markets: Improving Food Safety, and Market Growth. 9-3:30, UF/ IFAS Orange County Extension Education Center, 6021 S. Conway Rd., Orlando, FL. August 17-18

25th Anniversary Citrus Expo, Lee Civic Center, N. Ft. Myers. http://CitrusExpo.net/.

August 24-25

Evidence-Based Turf Management. $500, Ft. Lauderdale. CEUs available. http://bit. ly/1TeZzyO. Tuesday, September 6

Springs Academy. 12-1, $5.

Springs advocacy: local, state, national. North Florida Springs environmental center, 99 NW 1st Ave., High Springs.

September 6-10

3rd Annual Florida Local Food Summit. Sept. 6-8, on-farm workshops. Sept. 9-10, workshops in Orlando. Jenni Williams, 321749-6061, jenni@foginfo.org, www.

FloridaFoodSummit.com.

Deadline September 22

Southeastern Hay Competition. https://sehaycontest.wordpress.com/ Mid-May through January 15, 2017

Wicked Plants exhibit featuring more than 100 of the world’s most diabolical botanicals, from plants that merely smell like death to those that can actually cause it. Based on Amy Stewart’s book Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln’s Mother. Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesvile, www.flmnh.ufl.edu.

Dates Vary

Citrus County Extension Svc. Remote Plant Clinic Dates and Locations. Fourth Monday: 2 pm, Sugarmill Woods Library. Every Tuesday, 1 pm: Lakes Region Library.

First Wednesday, 2 pm: Floral City Library. Second Wednesday, 1:30 pm: Central Ridge Library. Third Wednesday, 1 pm: Citrus Springs Library. Second Friday: 1:30 pm, Coastal Region Library. Information: Citrus County Extension Svc., 3650 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 1, Lecanto, FL 34461, 352-527-5700, www. citrus.ifas.ufl.edu.

Every Wednesday

Farm baskets of vegetables, jams, jellies, etc., are delivered to the Ocala Public Library every Wednesday at 2:30 pm. $25-50.

Reserve in advance. Crones Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl., Citra, 352-595-3377, www.CronesCradleConserve.com.

Every Thursday and Saturday

Garden Classes at Ocala Wellness Community Garden, 2200 block of West Hwy. 27, Ocala.

Thursday classes are held 5:306:30pm; Saturday classes, 9-10am.

6/9 and 6/11: Garden maintenance.

6/23 and 6/25: Garden clean-up.

Every Saturday

Farmstead Saturdays. 9 am to 3 pm. Free admission. Lunch and pastries available. Crones Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217 Pl., Citra, 352-595-3377, www.CronesCradleConserve.com.

Varies

Citrus County Master Gardener Plant Clinics. Every Tuesday, 1pm, Lakes Region Library. First Wednesday, 2pm, Floral City Library. Second Wednesday, 1:30pm, Central Ridge Library. Second Friday, 1:30pm, Coastal Region Library. Third Wednesday, 1pm, Citrus Springs Library. Fourth Monday, 2pm, Sugarmill Woods Library.

Many dates

ServSafe® Food Safety and Quality Program. Class and Exam, $110; $55 more for textbook. COCOA: Mon., July 25; Fri., Aug. 5; Mon., Sept. 12 and Nov. 14.

GAINESVILLE: Wed., Jul. 6; Tues., Aug. 23; Mon., Oct. 10; Tues., Dec. 6. JACKSONVILLE: Tues., Aug. 16.

LARGO: Mon., Aug. 8 and Oct. 10.

LECANTO: Thurs., July 14 and Oct. 13. LIVE OAK: Mon., Nov. 7. OCALA: Wed., July 13 and Tues., Oct.

4. ORLANDO: Mon., July 11 and Sept. 19. PANAMA CITY: Tues., July 26; Thurs., Aug. 25; Wed., Sept. 28; Thurs., Nov. 17. STARKE: Wed., Aug. 24 and Nov. 9. WEST PALM BEACH: Tues., Aug. 2. YULEE: Thurs., Aug. 25 and Nov. 27. http://tinyurl.com/nmdc3sc.

Free Online Classes Promoting Specialty Crops as Local. Communicating with consumers. http://www.piecenter.com/ training/local/ Sustainable Agricultural Research & Education (SARE) offers classes on sustainable agriculture, strategic farm planning and marketing, and more. http://bit.ly/28KVYUH ... Continued on the next page

www.superiorlandscape.net FULL SERVICE GARDEN CENTER

LANDSCAPE DESIGN & INSTALLATION

Palms • Shade Trees • Citrus Trees Annuals • Perennials • Shrubbery Pottery • Custom Planters Mulch • Pine Straw • Soil

Ponds • Waterfalls • Fountains Paver Patios • Driveways Landscape Lighting Outdoor Kitchens

SUPERIOR LANDSCAPE & GARDEN CENTER 5300 North US Highway 27, Ocala, FL 34482

352-368-6619

July 2016

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Grants, Scholarships, Other Funding Deadline July 1

Chanticleer Scholarship.

Open to public garden professionals in, or wanting to be in, leadership positions and desire more training and exposure. Scholarship enables recipients to take more coursework (seminars, workshops, certificate- and degree-granting programs) and assists in travel expenses. http://ChanticleerGarden. org/scholarship.html.

Deadline July 26 The Florida Department of Agriculture now has a cost-share Cogongrass treatment program.

This program is available in all counties in Florida. It offers reimbursement of 50 percent of the cost to treat Cogongrass infestations with herbicide for two consecutive years, up to a maximum of $100 per year for treatment of up to one acre, and $75/acre per year for any additional area. Qualified applicants may apply to treat up to a maximum of 133 acres of infested area. The Cogongrass Treatment Cost-Share Program is now accepting applications on a first-come, first-serve basis until July 29, 2016, or until the available funding has been allocated. Treatments are to begin fall of 2016. http://bit. ly/1kmjMnL, or call Jeff Eickwort, Forest Biologist, 352-395-4689.

The application form is available at http://forms.freshfromflorida. com/11298.pdf.

Deadline October 1

The Fonald Samull Classroom Herb Garden Grant. Open to teachers of grades 3-6 with at least 15 students. 10 grants, $200 each, available for indoor or outdoor herb gardens for supplies such as soil, plant trays, containers, etc. http://herbsociety.org/resources/ samull-grant.html..

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No Specific Deadline

1. American Heart Association Teaching Garden Grant. Open to schools. The AHA provides the materials for planting day, garden beds, organic soil, seedlings and plants, cooking demonstrations, and other activities; Teaching Garden Took Kit including school garden manual, lesson plans, and more. http://bit.ly/28Vv3Gm.

2. Fresh Access Bucks is seeking applications to add more farmers and markets to their network.

This is to encourage SNAP recipients to redeem their benefits at farmers’ markets and at farms that sell direct to consumers. Matching funds. 352-377-6355, x.125, www.

FreshAccessBucks.com.

Deadlines vary

1. Florida Agricultural Scholarships Online. Check this web site often for announcements of new awards. www.FloridaAgricultureScholarships.com.

2. USDA grants, loans, and other support. Many programs are open to individual and family farmers, even people starting out. Micro-loans are fast tracked.

There are other programs open to farmers’ markets, nonprofits, and educational providers. www. usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/ usdahome?navid=KYF_GRANTS.

Positions, Internships Deadlines vary

1. Florida Sea Grant. If you are interested in marine and coastal work, check in with the Florida Sea Grant program, as new positions are posted frequently. www.flseagrant.org/about/jobs/

2. Internships in the beef industry. Many opportunities; some include housing. www.floridacattlemen.org/internship-opportunities/

3. UF/IFAS. Extension

agents, dairy cattle assistants, water resources agents, horticulture agents, veterinary support, professors, teaching assistants, much more. Check out the list at http:// explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/ listing/.

Summer Camps July 18-21

Kayak/Paddleboard Mini Camp, ages 10-15. Campers learn the basic skills of kayaking and stand-up paddling. Program includes instruction and local outings. 802, $80/child, includes before-care starting at 7:30. Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road, Ocala, 352-671-8560.

July 25-29

Fish Camp, age 9-15. Youth will learn bank/boat fishing, boating safety, small-boat handling, types of tackle, casting tips, knot tying, fish identification, cleaning, preparation, fishing rules and etiquette. All campers will receive a rod and reel, tackle box, tackle; final day includes a family fish fry. $140/child, 8-5, before-care available at no extra cost starting at 7:30.

Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road, Ocala, 352-671-8560.

Weekly through July 29

1. Firewise Nature Camps, age 6-12. Each week a new nature theme is introduced. $100/ child/week includes 8-5 camp and before-care and after-care, extending it to 7:30am-6pm. July 5-8, Magnetic Personality. July 11-15, Star Light, Star Bright. July 18-22, Navigating the Ocean Blue. July 25-29, Incredible Journey. Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road, Ocala, 352-671-8560.

2. Levy County Summer Day Camps. July 5-8, Marine Science. July 18-22, Games. July 25-29, Outdoor Activities. $25 per session;

breakfast and lunch included. Levy County Ext. Office, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, http://levy.ifas.ufl. edu.

Weekly through July 29, Tuesday-Friday

Summer Mini Camp, ages 6-12. 9-2, $15/child/ week. Arts and crafts, indoor and outdoor games, etc.

Forest Community Center at Sandhill Park, 777 S. CR 314A, Ocklawaha, 352-438-2840.

Weekly through August 5

Blue Moon Ranch Horse Day Camp. $225/week, $50/day. Ride every day, groom, tack, play on horseback. Ages 6-16, 9-4. Wildwood, 352-578-4947, www.

BlueMoonRanchFl.com.

August 1-5

Archery Camp, ages 9-15. $50/child, 9-12. Brick City Adventure Park, 1211 SE 22nd Road, Ocala, 352671-8560.

Holy Moses Water Treatment, Bryant’s Pump Service and Well Drilling 24-Hour Emergency Service Pumps, Wells, Softening, Purification and More ­— All makes and sizes!

352-629-3769 P Ocala, FL 386-755-3358 P Lake City, FL 229-559-8272 P Lake Park, GA Holym@bellsouth.net

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$300 off Any Truck on Lot with this coupon

Send your agriculture- and gardening-related Calendar listings to TheAgMag@gmail.com.

4235 N Hwy 441 Ocala, FL 34475 WWW.GATORTRUCKCENTER.COM

Now Available: Mailed Subscriptions to The Ag Mag. $24/year.

Delivered via First Class mail every month.

To order securely online, visit https://squareup.com/store/the-ag-mag/ OR Send your name and address with a check to: The Ag Mag PO Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477-0194

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Pineywoods Automotive, Inc.

- Your Neighborhood Garage MV11887

Maintenance - Service - Repair Foreign & Domestic Trailer Repair & Service Oil Change Available for most vehicles including tractors 352-629-6727 Fax: 352-351-2946 5800 N US Hwy 27, Ocala, FL 34482

Please Make Appointment July 2016

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Eggplant Rollatini Recipe

by Andrea Kelly

N

ow in season, eggplant is a versatile vegetable that can be grown as a perennial.

Many cooks “salt” eggplant before cooking it in order to remove moisture and bitterness.

Other cooks swear that modern varieties have had the bitterness bred out of them.

If you choose to salt your eggplant, for this recipe, trim the eggplant and slice it lengthwise into ¼” slices as wide as possible. Layer them in a colander placed in the sink or atop a plate, sprinkle the slices with salt, let stand for 30 minutes to drain. Rinse under cold water and pat dry.

Ingredients: 2 good-sized eggplants, about 2 lb.

2-3 cups tomato sauce, homemade or purchased 1 cup ricotta cheese (whole milk is richest) 4 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese 4 tbsp grated Parmigiano cheese 1 tbsp chopped herbs (basil, parsley, etc.)

Sea salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, freshly ground pepper to taste Olive oil

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Directions: n Preheat oven to 450. n In a bowl, combine the mozzarella, ricotta, half the Parmigiano, herbs, and seasonings. n Brush eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake until browned (about 10 minutes), flip them over and bake until the second side is browned but still tender (another 5 minutes or so). n Remove from oven and reduce heat to 350. n Brush a 9-inch square baking dish with olive oil and then spoon a thin layer of tomato sauce into it. n To make each rollatini, place a spoonful of the cheese filling near one end of each slice and roll it up. Place rolls seam side down in the baking dish. n Spread the rest of the tomato sauce onto the rolls and sprinkle the rest of the Parmigiano cheese onto the top. n Bake for about 30 minutes. If the sauce is bubbling hot, then the rolls will be cooked through. n Serve immediately. Add more Parmigiano cheese if you want to. Enjoy!

Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation

Ecological Preserve Retreat Center Natural Farm Florida Certified Stewardship Forest

Farm Store Open 9-3 7 Days a Week

Design Your Least Likely Vacation Women's First Sunday Brunch July 3, 2016 11AM Create - Craft - Design Your Least likely: Destination?

Companion?

Activity?

Cost?

Your opportunity to create the most outrageous vacation you can imagine.

Bring something to illustrate your least likely vacation!

All women are invited to join us for brunch, which offers an amazing assortment of women, excellent fresh, locally grown food, a fun and entertaining program in an atmosphere of quiet, respect, and contemplation.

Brunch is offered on a sliding scale, from $10 to whatever donation you are able to contribute to Crones' Cradle Conserve.

Reservations must be made by noon on Thursday June 30, to reserve your space.

Call 352-595-3377 or email Amy at catcrone@aol.com

352-595-3377 catrone@aol.com FB: Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation cronescradleconserve.org No Pets or Smoking Cash or Check Only 6411 NE 217th Pl. Citra, FL 32113 6.4 miles east of 301 on CR 318 July 2016

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August 7th, 2016 3:00 PM

July 8th, 2016 7:30 PM 90 Mins of Pink Floyd Tickets Starting $20

I'll See You On The Dark Side of the Moon

Ocala's Home for Live Entertainment!

Visit www. ReillyArtsCenter.com (352) 351-1606 | 500 36 | The Ag NE Mag9th St. Ocala, FL | Box Office Hours 10 am - 2 pm Mon-Fri