March2016theagmagonline

The Ag Mag Agriculture and gardening in north central Florida

March 2016 Volume 1, Issue 3

NEW: Farm Finance column.

This month: USDA loans

Coming soon to our area: The intoxicating, magical scent of orange blossoms

Ducks: Eggs-actly the perfect poultry for eggs

The horrifying secret to becoming a great gardener

April 4-10 Silver Springs International Film Festival March 2016

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Upcoming Events Friday, March 5 at 7:30 PM Jaws: The Movie and Live Shadowcast Tuesday, March 8 at 7:30 PM Jim Breuer: Live at the Reilly

Jim Breuer: Live at the Reilly March 5

Saturday March 12 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 12 at 3 PM The Ocala Symphony Orchestra presents: Silver Youth Friday, March 18 at 7:30 PM The Vagina Monologues Benefiting PACE Center for Girls Sunday, March 20 at 3 PM Royal Opera House of London simulcast La Traviata

A Twist of Lemmon March 30 and April 1

Friday, March 25 at 7:30 PM Dance Alive National Ballet presents: Ballet Spectacular!

Thursday, March 31 at 7:30 PM Friday, April 1 at 7:30 PM A Twist of Lemmon

ReillyArtsCenter.com / 352.351.1606 500 NE 9th St. Ocala, FL 34470 Box Office: M-F, 10 AM-2 PM 2

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Dance Alive presents: Ballet Spectacular!

March 25

The Ag Mag Volume 1, Issue 3 Publisher + Editor Carolyn Blakeslee TheAgMag@gmail.com Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales Brooke Hamlin 352-537-0096 TheAgMag1@gmail.com Design + Production Carolyn Blakeslee Amy Garone Contributors Jeri Baldwin William K. Crispin Jan Cross Cubbage David Goodman Melody Murphy Business Development Managers Jan Cross Cubbage Lynn Noble Contact Us 352-537-0096 P.O. Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477 TheAgMag@gmail.com Facebook Facebook.com/ TheAgricultureMagazine Copyright Š2016 The Ag Mag, LLC All rights reserved Covering agriculture and gardening in north central Florida: Alachua, Citrus, Levy, and Marion Counties, as well as The Villages, Leesburg, and Wildwood. 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, UF/ IFAS, high school and university ag departments, trailer dealers, selected restaurants, farm-oriented real estate offices, Thoroughbred associations, landscape and garden centers, nurseries, libraries, economic development offices/chambers of commerce, wineries, farms with retail outlets, and theatres including The Hippodrome, OCT and Reilly Arts Center.

Fun Facts Layers (hens) are called pullets.

Typically pullets start to lay eggs when they are 20-24 weeks old.

Chickens offer 4-5 years of productivity.

If a stray rooster ends up in your pullet order, you can save him for the pot, or save him to get eggs that will hatch to replace hens later on.

Meet some of the nicest people ever!

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 TheAgMag@gmail.com. Questions? Call Brooke, 352-537-0096.

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Dr. Tom Frazer pulling and examining seagrass from the coast of Cedar Key. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones. See “Water News,” p.16.

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Contents 6

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Letters to the Editor

7 | NEWS: n The Hoof Beat: UF/IFAS Equine Sciences Center

n Silver Springs International Film

Festival, with special focus on Florida

films and international films about

farming and horses 10 | AG LAW: Soil and Water, Florida Code, and Public Input

by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law 12

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Cute Chicks Ducks Are Eggs-Actly the Perfect Poultry

by Jan Cross Cubbage

15 | Citrus Blossoms, Bull Gators,

and a Florida Front Porch

by Jeri Baldwin 16 | WATER NEWS:

Nature Coast Biological Station (NCBS)

by Jack Payne 18 |

The Horrifying Secret to Becoming a Great Gardener

by David the Good

20 | RECIPE: Sweet Potato Pie

by Jeri Baldwin 22 | SECOND NATURE: Citrus Lessons

by Melody Murphy 24 | FARM FINANCE: USDA Loans

by Carolyn Blakeslee 26 |

Calendar of Events

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Wonders of the World (and Space): Growing Food and Flowers in Space March 2016

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Letters to the Editor To the Editor:

I have just finished reading your February issue of The Ag Mag and must tell you how much I enjoyed it. It was interesting and educational. Coming from the Northeast I had never heard of Whippoorwill peas and have since looked up ”Hoppin’ John” recipes. Hmm … hmmm … hmm … “Hoppin’ John” and a mess o’ greens sure does sound like a delicious southern meal. Can’t wait to try it.

I especially enjoyed Jan Cross Cubbage’s story, “My Love is Blind.” How wonderful of her to rescue Lady Hoosier and bring her back home to Marion County. They say when a tear falls from your right eye it is a tear of happiness ... I can attest to that.

Kudos and keep up the good work.

— Pat Tobin, Ocala

Hello Ag Mag,

How or where can I get more copies of your February edition? As a Lake Weir FFA Alumni vice-president, I would like to share this at our March meeting.

Also I saw no mention of the Southeastern Youth Fair in February’s edition. This is the youth of Marion County’s

biggest event of the year. Will it be mentioned in the March edition?

Love the magazine ... how can someone get a subscription?

Thank you!

— LaDonna Collinsworth Editor’s Reply:

Thank you for writing!

About the Southeastern Youth Fair — I was mortified when we found out, after going to press, that we’d missed that event. As a new magazine, we aren’t yet on everyone’s news lists, so we simply didn’t know about it. We’ll be posting links on our Facebook page when Youth Fair news pops up.

How many copies of the magazine would you like for your upcoming meeting? The March issue should be available by the last week in February, too. I could either meet you somewhere with magazines, or mail them to you.

We haven’t yet decided about subscriptions, but we’ve had at least two inquiries so far. We’ll probably add a subscription form and web link soon. Thank you for asking.

Hello,

Recently, I contacted Brooke Hamlin to tell her how much I enjoy reading The Ag Mag. I also want to express to

you my enjoyment in reading the great articles. The articles are so interesting and informative I read every single one. Most of the time I simply skim articles.

Thank you for the knowledge and entertainment of your great publication!

— Paula Sheldon, Garden Stables

To the Editor:

I picked up the February issue at the Ocala Civic Theatre to read during intermission and was delighted to find it jam-packed with lots of interesting and informative articles. I learned so much from that issue. I had no idea that an eagle chick’s talons are the size of a human adult’s hand, where I can get a free tree to plant in my back yard, or the history of Whippoorwill peas, to mention a few tidbits. I chuckled sympathetically at Melody Murphy’s bemused treatise on camellias, and choked back tears reading Jan Cross Cubbage’s love story about her adopted blind mare. Great stuff! Keep it coming!

— Janet Shelley, Ocala Editor’s Reply:

Thank you, Janet! You made my day.

— Carolyn B.

Please send your Letters to The Editor to The Ag Mag, P.O. Box 770194, Ocala, FL 34477, TheAgMag@gmail.com.

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The Hoof Beat UF/IFAS Equine Sciences Center

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ocated just seven miles north of Ocala in Marion County sits the University Of Florida IFAS Equine Sciences Center. Established in 1969, the facility brings together both undergraduate and graduate level students learning about the equine industry.

With breeding season underway, University students enrolled in Foaling Practicum are learning about the reproductive process first-hand. These students take foal-watching shifts each night. When a mare goes into labor, Nick Carden, the facility manager, is quick to lend a hand answering any questions that arise during the process.

Once the foals are weaned, students will have the opportunity to work with them again in the

Weanling Handling Class offered at the Horse Teaching Unit in Gainesville. As the Quarter Horse foals mature, UF students will continue to work with them until they are sold as two-year-olds at the annual UF sale held in April.

Thoroughbred weanlings and yearlings are sold privately or at the Ocala Breeders Sale. This is a busy season with 28 foals arriving within a two-month time frame.

A select few undergraduate students interested in a career in the equine industry live and work at the farm. These students learn what it takes to manage horses day-to-day while attending classes on campus and balancing school work with farm life. The majority of students are pre-veterinary majors, but others interested in animal science, farm management, equine reproduction, or just learning good horse handling skills may seek this work/study opportunity. Most recently, the center has allowed the Marion County 4-H Horse Judging Team to hold practices at the facility.

These 4-H members are passionate about horses and eager to

learn as much as they can.

The farm primarily houses broodmares. Two stallions are shared between the Ocala and Gainesville farms. The majority of mares are artificially inseminated with top breeding prospects from around the country. Thoroughbred mares must be bred livecover in order to be registered with The Jockey Club. Generous donors in Marion County and across the U.S. donate breedings each year to ensure that the best foals possible are hitting the ground.

Bringing together top horses, improved nutrition research, and student learning opportunities is what the UF/IFAS Equine Sciences Center is all about.

For more information, visit www. ufequine.com and on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/1U2d9VR. This year’s sale takes place at 1pm on Saturday, April 23 at the UF/IFAS Horse Teaching Unit, 1934 SW 63rd Ave., Gainesville, 352-376-0562..

Article and photo by Margaret Carden, UF/IFAS Marion County Extension.

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nutrient-dense products. Ultimately the Salatins show how they regenerate their landscape, community, local economy, customers’ and farm workers’ health, and their soil.

Polyfaces screens April 8 at 9 pm at the Marion Theatre, Ocala. There is a pre-film reception at 7 pm at The Corkscrew, a block away. On Thursday the 7th, a meet-the-filmmakers luncheon will be hosted at Trilogy. Local farmers and locally made products will be featured.

To watch a trailer of Polyfaces, visit https:// vimeo.com/81468461.

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ach year, Ocala’s prestigious Silver Springs International Film Festival attracts entries from around the world. However, festival sponsors also honor the area with films about our famous springs, horses, movie-making history, and agricultural heritage.

One of the films to be screened, Polyfaces, is a feature-length documentary about the innovative farmer, Joel Salatin. Amid Virginia’s beautiful Shenandoah Valley, Salatin, a self-described “Christianlibertarian-environmentalistcapitalist-lunatic-farmer,” uses ecologically beneficial, sustainable agriculture to produce organic meats on his 500-acre Polyface Farm.

The farm uses no chemicals and provides food for more than 6,000 families and restaurants within a three-hour drive of their farm. The film Polyfaces follows the Salatins, a fourth-generation farming family, during the course of three years.

Salatin teaches us to reconnect with the land and produce food in a way that works with nature; using the symbiotic relationships of animals and their natural functions, the farm produces high quality,

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he second block of films honoring the local area has to do with horses. The festival’s 2016 Horse Fever Film Series will feature the best of Equus Film Festival, which took place in November in New York City.

Kill Pen, a documentary feature, will be screened at 5 pm in the main theatre on Wednesday, April 6th.

The film is an exploration of the criminal activity behind the underground horse slaughter industry in America.

With candid interviews and whistleblower footage, Kill Pen investigates how and why unregulated horsemeat is getting into the human food chain. The film examines the risks of consumption in such a system, as many of these horses are diseased and/or heavily drugged. To watch a trailer, visit http://silaproductions.com/ documentary-film/documentary-film-kill-pen.

Following Kill Pen, the 7:30-minute short Reflections: Horses-n-Heroes will be screened. It is about an equine learning and mentoring experience for young girls from financially disadvantagedfamilies.

Next up is the 47-minute documentary short, Blind Spot: Moments Unseen, about three visually impaired people who journey by horseback into the heart of the Andes, up to elevations of 8,500 ft.

The evening in the main theatre is capped

with the 65-minute documentary feature, Keeping Up with the Kaimanawas. Visit Facebook.com/WilsonSisters.nz for more information.

On Wednesday the 6th in the balcony theatre, two shorts will be screened: The Edge (3 minutes), about natural horsemanship and therapeutic riding; Their Last Ride: Thundering Hooves (5:32 minutes), followed by a 38-minute documentary short, Capturing Wild Horses, and a 75-minute feature documentary, American Outrage. The latter film reminds us of events that just transpired in Oregon. Until 1973, Shoshone sisters Carrie and Mary Dann were ranchers in Nevada who, like most Western ranchers, grazed their livestock outside their ranch on the open range on land recognized as Western Shoshone land by the U.S. government. One morning in 1973, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) informed the Danns that their animals were trespassing on federal land and set off a dispute between the Danns and the U.S. that has raged ever since all the way to the Supreme Court and even to the U.N.

On Thursday, April 7, screenings in the main theatre begin at 5 pm with Dartmoor Ponies: Final Round-Up, an 11-minute short, followed by One Day, a 62-minute documentary feature about a teenage girl who falls in love with a champion racehorse she sees on TV; she miraculously joins up with the horse 21 years later. That is followed by a 10:48-minute short, Cornish Cowboy, about an English horse whisperer, and a 105-minute documentary feature called Unbranded that tracks the journey of four men on a 3,000-mile ride with wild mustangs.

The balcony theatre gears

FARMER

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up at 7 pm starting with Corrals to Competition, a 69-minute documentary feature about Extreme Mustang Makeover events that culminate in competitive public auctions, followed by the 61-minute Return of the Horse, a documentary about the science and history of America’s wild horses known as mustangs.

On Friday, April 8, the festival gives way to Please return by f other subjects, but at 3 pm in the balcony theatre two 941-361-106 more films are shown: the 23-minute Cowgirls, orfolcall toll-free 877-95 lowed by It’s Reining (51 minutes), a Florida film about cutting horses and professional reining (clips can be viewed online at www.vimeo.com/itsreining/videos).

APPROVED AS IS

On Saturday, April 9, the main theatre starts at 11 am with a 3-minute trailer for Li’l Herc, folAPPROVED WITH lowed by an encore screening of the 7:30-minute CHANGES short Reflections and the 91-minute film Cowgirls ’n Angels: Dakota’s Summer, a narrative feature about a little girl who dreams of one day finding her father, a rodeo rider, and discovers an enduring love for Signature horses in the process.

For more information on these films and all the others in the weekend’s lineup, visit SpringsFilmFest.com and Facebook.com/ February 2013 silverspringsinternationalfilmfestival.

RANCHER

PROOF

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Soil and Water, Florida Code, & Public Input

by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law

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griculture and law are joined at many facets. In the last issue I explained why — the vital importance of food production — and today I’ll begin to delve into areas that, although ubiquitous in our daily lives, have a legal connection with production agriculture.

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Recently I attended the UFsponsored Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference held at UF’s Mid-Florida Research and Education Center at Apopka. The agenda had presentations on Water: Florida Agriculture and Water Resource Challenges, and Climate Change: Sea Level Rise and Implications for Florida Agriculture and Natural Resources. These two topics drew my interest. There were other interesting segments, although Soil was not one of them. But certainly risk prone production agriculture requires regular review of current policy(s) and insightful revision of future policy positions that can lend direction to a sustainable agriculture industry.

Notably, the Florida

Legislature codified the state’s Public policy with respect to agricultural production at Fla. Stat. §604.001:

The Legislature declares that:

(1) It is the public policy of this state and the purpose of this act to achieve and maintain the production of agricultural commodities for food and fiber as an essential element for the survival of mankind.

(2) The production of agricultural commodities in this state is a large and basic industry that is important to the health and welfare of the people and to the economy of the state.

(3) A sound agricultural industry in this state requires the efficient and profitable use of water and energy and many

other natural, commercial, and industrial resources.

(4) The efficient and profitable use of energy and water resources in agricultural production in this state is often difficult to achieve because of problems that are not well known or fully understood by the people, such as weather, climatic changes, and market conditions.

(5) It is important to the health and welfare of the people of this state and to the economy of the state that additional problems are not created for growers and ranchers engaged in the Florida agricultural industry by laws and regulations that cause, or tend to cause, agricultural production to become inefficient or unprofitable.

(6) The laws and regulations that have caused problems for agricultural production in this state have been due primarily to a lack of adequate and informed consideration of the adverse impact such laws and regulations would have on efficient and profitable agricultural production in this state.

Although there is no specific mention of Soil in the above statute, Fla. Stat. §604.01 does address this important component of production agriculture and environment by declaring that:

A thorough and careful survey and mapping of the soils of Florida is hereby declared as a matter of legislative policy, basic to:

(1) The development of intelligent research programs on the agricultural potentialities of the soils of the state;

(2) The organization of effective soil conservation and land use planning programs;

(3) Agricultural extension and home demonstration work;

(4) Highway and secondary road planning;

(5) Establishment of equitable land tax assessments;

(6) Agricultural teaching;

(7) The development of a sound body of helpful agricultural information for nationwide distribution to prospective landowners; and

(8) A number of other social and agricultural enterprises of broad public interest.

The relevancy of the foregoing policy declarations is keen to both farmers and the general public. As the population increases and climate change throws curve balls, the importance of including the stated priorities of soil and water conservation is increasingly paramount to sustain and improve on the status quo. Whether the community discussion is about addressing the health of our north central Florida springs

North Central Florida Soil and Water Conservation Districts: n Association of Florida Conservation Districts, 901 NW 8th Ave., Suite C-10, Gainesville, FL 32601, 352-379-8951, http://afcd. us/wp. n Alachua SWCD, 5709 NW 13th St., Suite B, Gainesville, FL 32653, 352-376-7414, Donna.Hopwood@fl.usda.gov. n Dixie, Gilchrist, Levy County SWCD, PO Box 37, Bronson, FL 32621, 352-486-2672, http://myswcd.org. n Marion SWCD, 2441 NE 3rd St., Suite 2042, Ocala, FL 34470, 352-622-3971, http:// marionsoilandwater.com. n Sumter SWCD, 1725 David Walker Dr., Suite C, Tavares, FL 32778, 352-343-2481, chakesha.martin@fl.usda.gov.

or allowing large scale land development, the premise of meaningful discussion has to include soil and water conservation.

In fact the national emphasis on the importance of water and soil is incorporated into the Florida law through Fla. Stat. §582.10 allowing for the creation of soil and water conservation districts throughout the state.

There are 58 Soil and Water Conservation Districts in Florida, all organized by local people for the purpose of promoting and encouraging the wise use, management and general conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. These districts are non-taxing and are supported by maintaining relationships with organizations, including government agencies. Reliance on voluntary contributions, unfortunately, is many districts’ primary source of funds to carry out their important mission. An elected five-member, nonpartisan board of supervisors manage each Soil and Water Conservation District, volunteering their services. Currently Florida has 290 supervisors. ... continued on the next page

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I highlight these SWCDs because many of us wish to have a local communication channel addressing those issues directly related to the conservation of soil and water. Further, these districts are a greatly under-utilized public resource. SWCDs are the only organized groups that are directed by local, elected supervisors.

This forum for a local voice is unique to the SWCDs as the water management districts are operated by a board of governors appointed by the Governor. Similarly, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, although headed by an elected Commissioner of Agriculture, delegates water related matters to its Office of Agricultural Water Policy with an appointed director.

So if you are seeking a body whose mission is to solve local issues with local elected officials, check out your area’s Soil and Water Conservation District. Soil and water conservation is good policy for all.

William K. Crispin (www.afarmersfriend.com) is an Agricultural attorney in Gainesville, Fla., home of the University of Florida and the Institute of Food & Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). His national practice focus is production agriculture with an emphasis on crop insurance.

Crispin’s work with farmers’ federal crop insurance claims furthers his commitment to agriculture producers. The fair adjustment of their crop loss is a key component for the economic survival of the industry, and important for the program’s integrity.

Crispin has served as general counsel to soil and water conservation districts as well as the South Florida Resource Conservation and Development Council, a USDA not-for-profit affiliate.

Crispin co-authored three patents delineating a method to quantify the amount of carbon sequestered by grassy and herbaceous plants.

Determining the ecosystem value of carbon removed from the atmosphere through management of the natural system can lead to farmers and ranchers economically participating in the global climate change issue.

Crispin earned a BS in Agriculture from the University of Illinois and a JD from The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

Coming next month: Florida’s Right to Farm Act.

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Cute Chicks

n Some typical breeds of chicks available in the area include Barred (Plymouth) Rock, Araucana, Black Australorp, Light Brahmas, and Rhode Island Reds. n If you want strictly layers, ask for pullets (hens), not “straight run” (mixture of male and female). n Most area feed stores order only pullets, but an occasional rooster will slip in, so they aren’t guaranteed to be 100% hens. Some people put their surprise roosters into the pot; others save them to have their own hatched eggs to replace their hens. n Typically hens offer 3-5 years of productivity. n Chicks cost about $4 each. n Pullets typically start to lay eggs when they are about 24 weeks old, give or take. n You’ll need a heat lamp (red colored lights are preferable), or a basic lamp to warm things up a little, depending on the weather. Chicks should be kept at 90-95°F the first 10 days or so. n They can be put into a “brooder box” with the light — a big plastic tub is sufficient (with puppy training pads in the bottom to give them traction) along with pine chip bedding, a free-choice supply of high quality food, and plenty of fresh water. n Heat your brooder before bringing the chicks home. n Reduce their supplemental heat by 5°F each week as they develop feathers. n As your chicks grow, you can sort out their growing needs such as shelters and pens to keep out predators.

Resources: www.backyardchickens.com/ http://abundantpermaculture.com/ https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=12J93tOQEq4

Ducks Are C Eggs-Actly the Perfect Poultry

hickens are by far the most popular of poultry for small farm production in the U.S., but I learned from a travel magazine that European chefs often prefer duck eggs for their culinary creations. So, I thought, why not try raising ducks for eggs instead of chickens?

I ordered ducklings representing four various proven egg layer breeds from a mail order hatchery. My eight tiny, downy little friends arrived in a small box in late March of last year. My waddling egg makers presently endow me with four to five large, delicious eggs each morning. Now that I have been a duck keeper for not quite a year, I would choose quackers over cluckers for a myriad of reasons.

by Jan Cross Cubbage

... Continued on the next page

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The members of my international troop of medium-sized breeds of ducks are four French Rouens, one Blue Belgian, one Silver Belgian, one American Gold, and one Khaki Campbell, a Scottish breed. In spite of their breed origins, there is no pecking order among them. I found out in my ducky research that unlike chickens, ducks are eggalitarian fowl and prefer group splash play in their pools to playing king of the roost.

I provide my ducks with a premium diet of millet, cracked corn, and wheat, as well as flax seed and organic egg layer crumbles. Though penned at night in a large yard next to our house, my ducks are free to roam the yard and pastures.

Two small kiddie pools in my garden area serve as swimming holes and they are a must-have for ducks. The plastic pools are rinsed and filled twice a day.

I often scoop a bucket or two of the dirty water to serve as a high-nitrogen liquid fertilizer for fruit trees, flowers, shrubs and vegetable plants.

The superiority of duck eggs to chicken eggs is evident as soon as you crack open a duck egg. A duck egg has a shell and membrane that is thicker than a chicken egg. This feature keeps duck eggs fresher for longer periods of time than chicken eggs. Egg whites of duck eggs are thicker and have higher protein than chicken eggs. And, the bright orange yolks are higher in Omega 3 fatty acids, B vitamins, and folic acid than chicken eggs.

Ducks are easy keepers and their entertainment value is unequalled. When it rains,

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chickens believe the sky is falling and dash for cover.

Ducks quack with joy during a downpour, waddle in fourth gear to the largest puddle they can find, and have a stupendous splash party. Because of the large amount of preening oil that a duck grooms with on a daily basis, they are in fact waterproof.

Shade and water on hot days is a must for ducks but a shelter is not. Even in hot weather, ducks appear to fare better than other poultry.

A pleasant surprise in my relationship with my ducks came about early last spring as I discovered my eight ducks are wonderful gardening partners.

Unlike chickens who are surface scratchers, ducks use their bills as plows. When I readied my garden for early spring planting, I allowed the ducks into my fenced gardens to cultivate.

Pushing their bills through the top soil in search of larvae and grubs accomplished two tasks: loosening of the soil, and elimination of cut worms and other insect pests that would have grown up into consumers of my growing veggie plants and produce. Throughout the growing season I would allow my ducks into the vegetable gardens now and then. After liberally handhosing my garden, I would let the ducks enter the garden for a smorgasbord of insect and larvae feeding. Once again, they loosened the soil around plants, snatched bugs off of plants, and while doing so squirted some guano here and there. Ducks will peck at greens, but unlike

chickens, ducks will not peck at squash or tomatoes.

During the course of their lifetime of about ten years, my eight ducks will provide me with approximately 24,000 eggs, fertilizer, free gardening services, and tons of fun as I watch them play their water games. I have chickened out and ducks are part of our farm family forever.

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.

Orange Blossoms, Bull Gators, and a Florida Front Porch

by Jeri Baldwin

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he aroma of orange blossoms heralds and defines spring permanently for those who, as children, first inhaled the impossibly sweet odor of growing, bursting orange blossoms.

The vast Orange Lake, lying in Marion and Alachua counties, is arguably the ideal location for simultaneously celebrating the two surest announcements of spring for Southerners and lucky settlers: Orange blossoms and alligators. The slight movement of air soughing across Orange Lake sends essence of orange blossom to envelop all it touches. Orange blossoms are on the verge of filling the night with exotic, abiding aroma, permeating the lazy Spanish moss and drifting across the land which nurtures the trees.

A small citrus grove stretches south from a particular home and farm buildings in Cross Creek. Last privately owned by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, the writer and Pulitzer Prize winner, the grove, now part of a state park, ends

just short of the shore of Orange Lake. The farmstead, including its grove, is the source of the exquisite essence of orange which spring’s cycle evokes.

The Rawlings’ tenant house porch, recently rebuilt with aged pine, creaks wonderfully when sat upon. From that vantage, the full magic of nostalgia — sitting on a wooden porch, and indulging in soft swells of fine orange liquid spirits — speaks volumes about the world being well. Adding a March full moon is nearly enough to ease a true Southerner’s “Spring Twitch,” that itch which Southerners identify as signs of seasonal change.

Other twitches are summer, fall and winter, used usually to answer the puzzled question, “But how do you tell that seasons have changed when there are no signs?” Folk born north of the Mason-Dixon line need larger signals such as snowstorms. True Southerners sense change as easily as bees home in on nectar and pollen.

The second significant sig-

nal of spring’s arrival shreds the air with the roar of a bull alligator whose quest for a mate quiets all nearby sound and movement.

That shivery boom announces that spring has its priorities as he noses among the lake’s floating islands in his search. His throaty calls to announce that he is near signal that spring has begun.

There is no place more suited to experience the sacredness of Earth than with a bull alligator roaring nearby and the exotic, enthralling scent of orange blossoms in your nose. Spring’s advent pays tribute to its brawn and beauty in north central Florida. Earth in her Spring glories is the perfect answer to many ills.

Jeri Baldwin is a writer, historian, organic farmer, and co-founder of Crones Cradle Conserve, the 756acre ecological preserve and education center in Citra. For more information about the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park, visit floridastateparks.org/park/MarjorieKinnan-Rawlings. Photos of the Rawlings home courtesy of the park.

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Water News Nature Coast Biological Station (NCBS)

by Jack Payne

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he Nature Coast is a paradise for scientists because it poses so many fascinating riddles: How does swimming with humans affect manatees?

Can we raise Sunray Venus clams? Where do boaters and fishers need to be most careful to avoid harming sea turtles?

The area from Wakulla to Hernando counties is also a researchers’ magnet because of another asset: The residents of the Nature Coast counties. These generous people have already given a boost to an effort to expand what is known about the woods,

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water, and wildlife in these parts.

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) has launched the Nature Coast Biological Station (NCBS) on the premise that science is more powerful when researchers work with the community to discover and disseminate.

Setting up the station in Cedar Key is a big step; now, visiting scientists can be comfortably housed for days, even weeks, in a modest bunkhouse we’re making out of an old waterfront motel.

NCBS researchers from UF/IFAS,

the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and other agencies will be venturing into Suwanee River wetlands, Steinhatchee, the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge, and many other spots in the coastal region. NCBS hopes to draw visiting scientists and graduate students, just as it did in late January for a two-day public symposium that was hosted with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in Levy County.

NCBS is an opportunity for area residents to contribute to the science that improves the community. That can take many forms: Volunteering; performing “citizen science” through projects such as water quality sampling under the guidance of our faculty; requesting a presentation about the center or any of its research projects; offering goods and services as a vendor. And, local students will be engaged in research internships this summer.

Perhaps most importantly, area residents are invited to ask questions and inform researchers of pressing concerns. It might just inspire the next big research project. Indeed, a big reason NCBS is

optimistic about solving so many riddles along the Nature Coast is because of community partners in the research. Residents of coastal counties have proven they are interested in bringing science to their community — and participating in it. For example, last fall UF/IFAS wanted to tell a story in a short film of a community using science to revitalize its economy.

An all-star cast was drafted that included a city commissioner, a mayor, and leading clam farmers.

The film short got rave reviews from the fans who saw it at Gator football games and in TV commercials.

Capt. Denny Voyles is a good example of a valuable community partner. Because he is an expert guide who makes his living transporting anglers to where the fish bite, he’s been invaluable

in transporting researchers to find those same fish and tag them.

With his help, scientists can learn how much spotted seatrout harvest can occur and still keep the fish population healthy and the fishing excellent.

Area residents know intuitively how important protection of the local environment is to the community’s pocketbook. Here’s a statistic that bears it out: 13 percent of the jobs in the Nature Coast area are dependent on natural resources, compared with just one percent statewide. That’s why keeping the fishing business healthy and even establishing new economic enterprises such as oyster farming are so high on the NCBS research agenda that plans to focus on science that serves the community’s ecological and economic well-being. Science de-

pends on people working together, whether that’s the researchers working on a team or the surrounding community cooperating with scientists.

Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. For more information or to get involved, contact Regional Specialized Extension Agent, Savanna Barry, at 352-294-0886 or savanna.barry@ufl. edu. PHOTOS: Left: Leslie Sturmer and Reggie Markham harvest a bag of Sunray Venus clams offshore of Cedar Key. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones. Above left: Clams at Cedar Key. Above: UF/IFAS students conducting oyster reef surveys near Cedar Key. UF/IFAS photo by Lyon Duong.

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The Horrifying Secret to Becoming a Great Gardener

by David The Good

“Y

ou know so much about plants and gardening! Where did you go to school?” I get this question quite often. My answer is “Florida Atlantic University.”

Then they invariably say, “horticulture major?” And I answer, “No, actually. I got a Bachelor’s in fine art with a focus on studio painting.”

Now you know the sordid truth: I’m an artist. Not a very good one, but I could probably manage to afford tins of Alpo and the occasional six-pack of High Life by selling landscapes on a street corner.

So how did I end up an expert gardener?

That’s the REAL horrifying secret. Not my being an artist.

Ready to hear it? I killed lots and lots of plants.

That’s how you become a great gardener, provided you keep planting more plants every year and figuring out what killed the previous round.

Then, over time, you kill fewer plants. And fewer. And eventually, most of your plants will live — and you can consider yourself a great gardener.

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Obviously, you’re not trying to kill plants on purpose.

Nature is quite good at killing all on her own. One year it might be a windstorm, one year it’s pickle worms. Another year you try heirloom eggplants and only a few survive. The next year your irrigation system is just a mess so the gardens fall apart.

Try, try again! And learn from your mistakes.

Experimentation is Key

Say you want to grow tomatoes. I mean, it’s easy, right?

All you need is some tomato seeds or transplants, plus a bit of decent soil, regular water, and maybe a tomato cage to prop them up. Plant at the recommended time of year and it’s off to the races.

At least, that’s what one would hope. What usually happens is that instead of going from transplants to tomatoes in a few months, you go from transplants to hornworms, then to blossom end rot, then to stinkbugs, then to cracked and split rotting beefsteaks falling into the paths, then you finally give up and tear the whole bed out.

That is, unless you’ve grown a lot of tomatoes before — or have learned from someone who has.

If you want to grow a crop well, I recommend planting a spread of different varieties and making notes on the ones that do well compared to the ones that fail. Do the same thing over a few years and you’ll pin down winners and losers.

Doing the same with your gardening methods will bring even more success. Plant tomatoes in big pots, in double-dugbeds, in a square foot garden, and whatever else you think up.

You’ll start seeing patterns and learning what works well — and instead of the season ending in frustration, it will end with homemade spaghetti sauce.

I spent five years testing a huge variety of crops and methods in preparation for writing my book Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening: The Secret to Growing Tons of Food in the Sunshine State. I now kill very few plants in my garden, but it took a lot of casualties to discover what methods and crops were best for our strange climate.

Before moving here, I did the same thing in South Florida and in Tennessee. I also had a productive gardening stint down in sugar-sandy Polk county.

You can do the same thing. But there’s a trick to it.

Experimentation may be the key to gardening success, but the doorknob you turn to enter plant paradise is to cast away the fear of failure.

Fail Regularly and You’ll Find Success

If you spend a lot of time asking questions and reading, but very little time throwing seeds around and popping trees in the ground, it’s time to get out there and start making mistakes.

A lot of us are so afraid of failure that we never take any steps forward.

Can you grow apple trees from seed? Will a mango tree live in your yard? Can you grow coffee in a pot indoors? Can I graft the neighbor’s orange tree onto my lemon? Will rhubarb live through the heat?

You might find some answers online (I answer a lot of questions like these on my web site), but the very best way to learn is to try it. Start planting things everywhere. Pop peach pits in the ground. Attempt to germinate a sea bean you found on the beach. Try potatoes in a barrel. Start a food forest in your back yard. Grow 15 pepper varieties. Build a banana circle.

Gardening is incredibly fun when you quit fearing failure. Most experiments cost very little and will teach you things about your yard and plants that you’ll never learn from general gardening guides.

I’ve grown Key limes

more will live. Cast away your fear of failure and do something outrageous. Before you know it, you’ll be an expert. Maybe you’ll even become a successful farmer. Then you could buy one of my so-so landscape paintings.

Please?

Experimentation with gardening along a south wall: Key limes growing successfully outside their natural range.

two zones out of their range by planting against a warm southfacing wall, and I have the Key lime pics to prove it. I have black pepper and coffee growing against the same wall. They’ve gone through 20-degree nights without damage! I’ve also planted jackfruit and mangos in the front yard — they died. I planted sweet cherries and Granny Smith apples — they’re still alive and growing. I planted almonds — they died. I’ve grown sweet potatoes beneath fruit trees and planted cassava cuttings in an abandoned lot. I’ve successfully grafted nectarines onto a wild Chickasaw plum. I turned three old hot tubs into water gardens.

I even figured out how to heat my greenhouse overnight with nothing more complicated than 55-gallon drums filled with water.

You can read and worry, or you can get out there and start doing really cool things.

Yes, you’ll kill lots and lots of plants if you’re doing it right — and that might be horrifying at the time — but every year,

David The Good is a Florida native, a gardening expert and the author of four books available 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 new horticultural inspiration every weekday at his popular gardening web site www.

TheSurvivalGardener.com.

“Like” our The Ag Mag Facebook page for interesting posts about ag and gardening news, events, cool pictures, and humor.

www.facebook.com/ TheAgricultureMagazine Facebook is a registered trademark of Facebook, Inc.

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Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

by Jeri Baldwin

Crust: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp salt 1/3 cup cold butter, cut into chunks 2-3 tbsp cold water

Filling: 1¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar 4 medium (1½ cups) sweet potatoes, cooked, skins removed, mashed (locally grown is best) ¾ tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp salt ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground cloves ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 1 cup evaporated milk 3 eggs

Toppings (Optional): Whipped Cream, sweetened if desired Toasted bits of pecans (toast on lightly oiled pan for 2-3 minutes) sprinkled across the top of pie.

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Directions: Heat oven to 350° F. Combine flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt in small bowl; cut in butter with pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in enough water with fork just until flour is moistened. Shape into ball; flatten slightly.

Roll out ball of dough on lightly floured surface into 12inch circle. Fold into quarters.

Place dough into 9-inch pie pan; unfold, pressing firmly against bottom and sides. Trim crust as needed; crimp or flute edge. Set aside.

Combine all filling ingredients except evaporated milk, eggs, and toppings in large bowl. Beat at medium

speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add milk and eggs. Beat until well mixed.

Pour filling into crust. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. If crust is browning too quickly, cover edge with 2-inch strip of aluminum foil.

Cool completely.

If using pecans, sprinkle as many as you like over surface of pie. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. Store covered and refrigerated.

With thanks to Land O’Lakes company for some details (crust) in this pie.

Articles, Tips, Photos from Events, Listings Sought ...

FEATURE ARTICLES. Soil management.

Pest control. Seeds. You know your field (we know, that was a bad pun). Do you have an innovative method of [x]? marketing? distribution? Tell us about it! The sky’s the limit when it comes to ideas and content. Suggestions are happily accepted as well.

INTERVIEWS. Perhaps you know an experienced farmer who can offer great advice in a particular subject area, or a broad perspective on life as a north central Florida farmer. We would love to read your conversation with that expert. Or just send us your suggestion, and we’ll cover it if we agree.

HOW-TO. Practical ways you’ve learned to address needed projects or nagging problems. If you have a Tip or a How-To, we invite you to share your knowledge.

With your photographs, please include the name and date of the event, as well as the names of the people pictured and the names of their farms or businesses. We’ll be happy to give you credit, and we would love to publish Cowboy Social Pages.

NEWS. Are you offering a new product or service? Opening a new location? Know of a story that should be shared? Send us your news! We are happy to edit if you aren’t confident about your writing.

CALENDAR. We are the most comprehensive source of information on upcoming ag and gardening events, celebrations, and opportunities in our area. Send us your Calendar listings.

Seeking Submissions

LEGISLATIVE CONCERNS. If you know of a local “take action” item, please let us know.

EVENTS COVERAGE. We can’t make it to every event, although we wish we could.

Send us coverage of your recent event.

FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS: Written materials should be in Word .doc format. Photographs welcome (the more the merrier; 300dpi .jpegs). Send materials to Carolyn Blakeslee, Publisher, TheAgMag@gmail. com.

QUESTIONS? Call Carolyn at 352-286-1779.

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Second Nature

by Melody Murphy

Citrus Lessons F

Kumquat blossoms

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or most of my life, there were citrus trees in my grandmother’s yard. Most likely planted in the 1940s, they were stout, mature trees by my childhood.

In the back yard, there was the grapefruit tree by the garage. Its thick, lizard-haunted trunk and limbs were covered by bright green spongy moss, and ferns grew around it. My swing hung in it when I was little. It was a properly old-fashioned, grandfather-made swing, with a sturdy, knotted rope strung through a sanded, painted board. My grandfather loved the bitter fruit of this tree. I did not, other than the bright, citrusy smell when my grandmother would slice one open for his breakfast.

There were two orange trees in the back yard and two on the side of the house, which tended to mossiness in the shade of the neighbor’s oaks. I had a rickety metal slide under one in the back yard. I liked to sit at the top and survey the world, almost hidden by the thick canopy of emerald-green leaves. Under the shade of these trees, I splashed in my wading pool, played with my dolls, fed my chickens.

My grandmother would pick oranges in the mornings to squeeze for fresh juice for my breakfast. This is exactly why I am spoiled about my orange juice and will not touch concentrate.

oranges. But after this last gasp, they died and were cut down last fall.

I asked the nice man who cut them down to save me a little of the stumps. I have no idea what I want to do with the wood, but I needed to keep something of the last of the citrus trees from my grandparents’ yard. It was the end of an era.

It is startling to go there now and see a bare yard with no trees. No shade, no leaves to rustle in the breeze, no fruit to pick for juice, no blossoms to waft the most heavenly fragrance on earth. It is a strange, sad feeling to see that wide-open yard.

If I were going to live in that house, I would have to plant citrus trees. Even a grapefruit tree, though I have no wish to eat the fruit. But there should be something for lizards to haunt one day, and for ferns to grow around, and for me to sit under when I am elderly and the tree is in bloom.

The same tree can bear bitter fruit and sweet blossoms, and that’s true of life as well as citrus.

Melody Murphy has always said that if heaven doesn’t have orange blossoms, she isn’t sure she wants to go. She also judges and pities people when she sees orange juice from concentrate in their refrigerator.

Photographs by Melody Murphy

I don’t know for sure what variety they were — Hamlin, maybe, or Parson Brown — but they were excellent juice oranges, the standard by which I judge orange juice to this day. And there was a tangerine tree, close to the back porch. Two branches grew in a perfectly curved and angled fork, so that I could climb the tree with a book, lean back, and read.

The block was covered in citrus. Both neighbors were old-Florida farming men, one by occupation and one by heritage. Between them, they had a small orange grove, a grapefruit tree by the pineapple patch, a couple of lemon trees, and a kumquat tree tucked away between the big dogwood and the persimmon tree, close to the scuppernong arbor.

Speaking of kumquats: At my other grandmother’s house, there is one small, scrappy citrus tree behind the back porch. I have always said it is a kumquat and she has always argued with me. She insists that kumquats are oval, while the fruit of this tree is round. She is half-correct.

The oval, called the Nagami, may be more common to her experience, but the round kumquat, called the Marumi or Morgani, exists.

It could be a calamondin, but I don’t think so — although it’s hard to tell them apart. They both have a thin, sweet, edible peel, and extremely sour fruit, which I have always actually enjoyed eating.

I was a terrible person once and tricked a friend into eating one without warning her. I am a terrible person still because twenty years later, I can’t help laughing when I remember her face. I had not known a person could spit that far across a yard.

Of course, the tree could be a hybrid of several things, because there is nothing citrus growers like more than hybridizing new varieties to perplex the public. These crafty grafters enjoy propagating mystery as much as citrus.

Whatever this tree is, it’s the only one left standing. The others started to go this century, breaking my heart as each one fell. The tangerine tree was the first. Then the orange trees in the back yard. Then just the wizened old grapefruit tree was left out back. It started losing its limbs, until one truncated branch remained — the one that held my swing. That branch put out a leaf or two, and one last blossom, the year my grandmother died. Then it was gone, too.

Last year, the two orange trees in the side yard went. They miraculously put out a few blossoms last spring, and a few small, dried-up

Orange blossoms

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Farm Finance Loans

by Carolyn Blakeslee

F

armers, including those who have been turned down by traditional lenders, have another option besides traditional lenders: the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA has a wide variety of loans and grants available. This article explores loans.

Farm Loans Programs

USDA will directly lend up to $300,000, and will guarantee up to $1,399,000 in funding obtained from local banks. The direct loans are made through local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) county offices.

The loans are made to farmers who want to purchase land, build or renovate buildings, purchase equipment or livestock, and/or plant annual or permanent crops.

Farmers (including individuals, cooperatives,

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partnerships, joint operations, and corporations) who are unable to obtain financing from conventional lending sources may apply for USDA loans.

Specifically targeted funds are available to beginning farmers and ranchers who have been in business for fewer than 10 years and are family-sized farmers. Specifically targeted funds are also available to women, African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asian Americans or Pacific Islanders who have been farming for fewer than 10 years or are entering into farming. FSA also makes Youth Loans of up to $5,000 to help young people work on an agricultural project in conjunction with local farm organizations.

Besides the above kinds of loans, USDA will also make emergency loans and

conservation loans.

There is no guarantee that USDA will fund anyone — like commercial banks, they have criteria, including the ability of the applicant to show a track record of paying bills on time or, if payments have been late, good reasons why.

To download your information packet and checklist, go to http://1.usa.gov/1Q3E5PQ. For more information, visit www. fsa.usda.gov/programs-andservices/farm-loan-programs/ index, and to apply for any USDA FSA program contact your state or local office (listed at http://1.usa.gov/1RVPHcu).

Further information on Guaranteed Farm Loans is online at http://1.usa. gov/1UgI0y0; direct Farm Operating Loans (maximum $300,000), at http://1.usa. gov/1Qav6A7; direct Farm Ownership Loans (max.

$300,000), http://1.usa. gov/1d1GP3l.

Specifically Targeted Loans

Minority and Women Farmers and Ranchers loans are available as FSA Guaranteed loans (up to $1,399,000 through traditional lenders), direct Operating Loans and direct Farm Ownership Loans (described in the preceding paragraph).

Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Loans are available to those who haven’t operated a farm for more than 10 years, substantially participate in the operation, and meet other loan eligibility requirements.

Veterans are encouraged to apply, although that doesn’t mean veterans receive special consideration above others.

For details, visit http://1.usa. gov/20OEZF8.

Microloans Program

USDA will directly lend up to $50,000 (no minimum) for direct farm ownership or direct farm operating costs.

Examples: down payment on a farm, building or renovation of farm home or other buildings, soil and water conservation projects; tools, fencing, trellising, hoop houses, bees and related equipment, milking and pasteurization equipment, maple sugar shack and equipment, livestock, seed, fertilizer, utilities, land rents, family living expenses, irrigation; GAP (Good Agricultural Practices), GHP (Good Handling Practices, and Organic certification costs; marketing and distribution costs, including those associated

with selling through Farmers’ Markets and Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations.

The requirements to get a Microloan are a bit less stringent than the Farm Loan Program. In addition, an applicant may have a Guaranteed Operating loan, Farm Ownership or Emergency loan, and still qualify for a Microloan as well.

For more information, visit http://1.usa.gov/1WC3mEM. Emergency Farm Loans

Up to $500,000 is available for producers who own or operate in a county that has been declared a primary disaster area or quarantine area. Producers in counties contiguous to the declared, designated, or quarantined primary counties are also eligible for Emergency loans.

Visit http://1.usa. gov/21jnT4r for more information.

Youth Loans

FSA lends up to $5,000 to individual youths (age 1020) to establish and operate income-producing projects of modest size in connection with their participation in 4-H, FFA, and similar organizations.

The project must be planned and operated with the help of an adviser and must produce sufficient income to repay the loan. Funds may be used to buy livestock, seeds, equipment, and supplies; buy, rent, or repair needed tools and equipment; pay operating expenses for the project.

Visit http://1.usa. gov/1PQFjAa for details.

Farm Storage Facility Loans

Up to $500,000 is directly lent to finance the purchase, construction, or refurbishment of farm storage facilities. A landholder, leaseholder, tenant, or sharecropper producing eligible commodities, including fresh fruits and vegetables, may apply. Storage facilities may be cold-storage structures with a useful life of at least 15 years, and may also include permanently affixed cooling equipment; new site prep, pits, pads, aprons, foundations; new structures for storing hay; and new conventional cribs or bins for whole grain storage.

Information: http://1.usa. gov/1PQFjAa. Business and Industry Guaranteed Loan Program

While the B&I program isn’t specific to farming, it nonetheless falls under the aegis of the USDA. Up to $10 million, with some exceptions allowing up to $40 million, is available per loan to help new and existing rural businesses. Individuals, co-ops, partnerships, corporations, nonprofits, and other legal entities may apply, as may public bodies. Loans may be used for a wide variety of business activities, including business conversion, expansion, repair, modernization, or development; purchase and development of land, facilities, etc.; purchase of equipment, machinery, supplies, inventory, etc.; working capital and debt refinancing.

Information: http://1.usa. gov/1mRxJuO. Carolyn Blakeslee is the publisher of The Ag Mag.

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Calendar of Events Events: Courses, Conferences, Fairs, Etc. February 29-March 4

27th Annual Florida Postharvest Horticulture Tour. Participants learn how fresh subtropical, tropical, and temperate fruits, vegetables, and ornamental crops are handled. Behind-the-scenes visits are hosted by the operations’ top management.

Participants become familiar with a variety of methods and technologies used to harvest, pack, cool, chip, and receive fresh crops. Coordinators: Dr. Steven Sargent and Dr. Mark Ritenour, specialists in postharvest technology at UF/IFAS. Tour travels via commercial bus to a variety of operations throughout Florida including growers, a fresh-cut processor, and a major supermarket distribution center. $600; lodging and meals not included. http://bit. ly/1kJIHBw. Wednesday, March 2

Central Florida Citrus Growers Round Table Discussion. Any and all citrus-related discussion is encouraged.

Olive Mackey and Dr. Robin Stuart from FDACS-DPI Citrus Health Response Program will comment on parasitic wasp releases and other topics including insecticide applications during bloom, PFD, varieties/rootstocks, etc. 9am, UF/IFAS Extension, 1951 Woodlea Rd., Tavares, FL 32778. Reserve your spot at 352-343-4101, x.2714, asperez@ufl.edu.

March 3-13

Florida Strawberry Festival, Plant City. www.flstrawberryfestival.com/ March 4-5

Bee College. Open to everyone interested in honey bees. Lectures in the morning, hands-on workshops in the afternoon; open hive demonstrations.

Fees vary. Protective gear provided; also morning and afternoon snacks, lunch both days, a banquet dinner Friday, ice cream

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social after Awards Ceremony. Held at UF’s Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, 9505 N. Oceanshore Blvd., St. Augustine. www.ufhoneybee.com, http:// bit.ly/1P8M3FW. (NOTE: The Master Beekeeper Program is offered on Thursday, March 3.)

March 4-8

Alachua County Youth Fair and Livestock Show. Open to Alachua County 4-H and FFA youth age 8-18. Alachua County Fairgrounds. Schedule: http:// Alachua.ifas.ufl.edu. Information: 352-9552402.

Saturday, March 5

1. 3rd annual Habitat Strawberry Festival. 9-5, McPherson Government Complex, 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala. 352351-4663, www.HabitatOcala.org.

2. 4th annual UF VBMA Veterinary Business Conference. Speakers from around the country will talk about business and practice management. Speakers include Dr. Wendy Hauser, Debbie Boone, Michelle Guercio-Winter, Stith Keiser. Also interactive wet labs in the afternoon that will correspond with each of the morning lectures. Free; 5 CE credits. ufvbma2016. eventbrite.com.

3. Aquatic and Flying WILD Workshop. Open to K-8 educators, formal and non-formal. Hands-on, standards-based conservation education workshop. Includes ready-made lesson plans. 8:30-2:30, free.

Registration required; workshop limited to 20 participants. Held at Oakland Nature Preserve, 747 Machete Trail, Oakland, FL 34787. Information: Carrie Allen, 321-4388105, Callen0771@gmail.com.

4. Florida 4-H Rifle State Match, Hernando Sportsman Club, Brooksville.

March 5-6

1. 29th Annual Floral City Strawberry Festival, Floral Park. www.

GoStrawberryFest.com.

2. Gainesville Home and Garden Show. Stephen C. O’Connell Center, 250 Gale Lemerand Drive, Gainesville.

Tuesday, March 8

1. Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting, 9 am, USDA Ocala Service Center, 2441 NE Third St., Suite 204-2, Ocala, Information: Ann Bishop, 352-622-3971, x.112.

Subsequent meetings (second Tuesday): 4/12, 5/10, 6/14, 7/12, 8/9, 9/13, 10/11, 11/8, 12/13.

2. St. Johns River Water Management District Governing Board meeting, 11 am, District headquarters, 4049 Reid St., Palatka. Information: Missy McDermont, 386-329-4214. Subsequent meetings (second Tuesdays): 4/12, 5/10, 6/14, 7/12, 8/9, 9/13, 9/27 (final budget meeting to be held at 5 pm), 10/11, 11/8, 12/13.

March 10-13 and 18-23

Suwannee River Fair. Information: Levy County Extension, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, 352-486-5131, http://levy. ifas.ufl.edu.

Saturday, March 12

Florida 4-H Shotgun State Match, Polk County Trap and Skeet, Winter Haven.

March 12-13

Marion County Master Gardeners’ Spring Festival. Plant sale and gardening expo; in-garden talks; seminars; Kids Gardening Zone to entertain and educate children. Saturday 8-5, Sunday 9-4.

Food vendors, gardening vendors, general/commercial vendors welcome subject to space availability; fees must be paid by February 12. Held at the Livestock Pavilion, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala 34470, 352-671-8400. http://bit.ly/1mYu8vx March 14-15 or 18-19

Starting a Successful Hydroponic Business. This program will feature hands-on activities inside three greenhouses, a shade house, and an outdoor production area at the facility for two days and will also provide an optional grower tour on March 15 or March 19 for each class. Topics to be covered include: planning the business and developing a marketing strategy, growing transplants, selecting hydroponic systems, soilless media choices, irrigation and fertilizer, managing pests, and the production of several crops from microgreens to herbs to cut flowers to tomatoes. The short course is being offered in response to the tremendous increase in demand for information on using hydroponics and controlled growing systems to provide high quality locally grown products for local markets. The short course is perfect for those considering the venture or who have recently started a hydroponic business. The facility is one of the best in the southeast for teaching hydroponic growing in an actual operating greenhouse setting. Attendees will learn firsthand by doing it themselves. The optional tour will be

an exclusive visit inside one of the most successful and modern greenhouse hydroponic operations in Florida. This workshop is for the small farmer wanting to start a business using controlled growing systems to provide high quality locally grown products for local markets, as well as families looking for an interesting hobby that will provide fresh flowers, vegetables, and herbs. The cost is $210-325 depending on level of participation and date of registration (discount before February 25); $30 optional tour, 4:30-6:30 pm day 2. All day both days; held at Suwannee Valley Agricultural Extension Center, 8202 CR 417, Live Oak, FL 32060.

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Information: Dilcia Toro, dtoro@ufl.edu, 386-362-1725, x.102. Register online at http://smallfarmsacademy.eventbrite.com.

Registration deadline is March 8th. UF/ IFAS Small Farms Academy, http://svaec. ifas.ufl.edu/sfa.

March 15-16 http://growingfl.com/news/2016/01/ carinata-summit-march-15-16-2016-01-26/ Wednesday, March 16

Review and Exams for Restricted Use Ornamental and Turf or Private Ag Applicator Pesticide License. 8-5, UF/IFAS Lake County Extension Auditorium, 1951 Woodlea Rd., Tavares. Information: http:// bit.ly/1NtSPVM. Thursday, March 17

Fruit Trees for Your Landscape.

6:30-8 pm, presentation by Dr. Denise DeBusk, Environmental and Community Horticultural Agent. Techniques for success in growing persimmons, peaches, pomegranates, figs, grapes, and more.

UF/IFAS Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-955-2402.

Saturday, March 19

1. 11th Annual Ropin’ in the Swamp. Books open at 7:30am, roping starts at 9. Prizes: Two trophy Tod Slone saddles, two trophy breast collars, eight Bob Berg trophy buckles. $40/ roper. Free admission for spectators.

University of Florida Horse Teaching Unit, 1934 SW 63rd Ave., Gainesville.

Information: Miranda Craig, 352-457-6325, ufblockandbridle@gmail.com.

2. Family Day at the Dairy Farm: 2016 UF/IFAS Dairy Farm Open House.

Visit a working dairy farm, learn about milk, and meet researchers who work to improve Florida dairy products. 9 am-2 pm. Wear closed-toe shoes. No pets.

13515 NW CR 237, Alachua. Information: 352-392-5594, x.227, Facebook.com/ FamilyDayattheDairyFarm.

3. Florida 4-H Archery State Match, Easton Sports Complex, Newberry.

4. Vertical Gardening Techniques.

10 am presentation by Luke Connor, master gardener. Fort McCoy Public Library, 14660 NE Hwy. 315, Ft. McCoy. March 19-20

Florida SpringsFest. 10-4, $8/ carload of up to 6 people. Entertainment, education and activities, talks, walks, trade show, glass bottom boat rides, kayaking and canoeing guided tours. Silver Springs

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State Park, 1425 NE 58th Ave., Ocala, 352236-7148.

Tuesday, March 22

Turf Boot Camp: Grow a FloridaFriendly Lawn. 6-7 pm, presentation by Dr. Denise DeBusk, Environmental and Community Horticultural Agent. Grass selection, mowing, watering, fertilizing, pest management. UF/IFAS Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-9552402.

Thursday, March 24

Water Works: Stand Up and Act Now! Water issues impact our drinking water, property values, jobs, ecotourism.

Suwannee-St. Johns Group Sierra Club, Tri-County Working Group (Marion, Citrus, Levy) is dedicated to informing the public about specific problems with current water resources. Get the facts and learn how you can help. 10:30 am, Marion County Public Library, 2720 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala.

March 25-26

23rd Annual Southeastern Pro Rodeo. $14 in advance, $17 at the gate (free for children 5 and younger); Friday is Family Night and $35 admits two adults and two children 11 and younger; $5/each additional child. Gates open at 5:30 both nights, rodeo starts at 7:30.

Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, 2200 NE Old Jacksonville Road, Ocala. Information: 352-843-1616, OcalaRodeo@gmail.com, www.OcalaRodeo.com.

March 28-April 3

Citrus County Fair. 352-726-2993, www.citruscountyfair.com/fair.html.

Tuesday, March 29

Food Safety and Quality Program (ServSafe®). 8:30-4:30. Training for food managers and staff. Program offered by Dr. Brenda Williams, Family and Consumer Sciences Agent. For information and to register: 888-232-8723, http://tinyurl.com/ nmdc3sc.

Thursday, March 31

1. Florida Water Star training; offered to building professionals about water-efficient landscaping. 8:30 am-5 pm. $35/training, $50 exam fee. Class held at Osceola Heritage Park Exhibition Bldg. in Kissimmee. Information: Merry Mott, mmott@fngla.org, 800-375-3642, FloridaWaterStar.com.

2. Grow Great Tomatoes. 6-7,

presentation by Dr. Denise DeBusk, Environmental and Community Horticultural Agent. Growing tomatoes in the garden and in containers; coping with Florida’s challenging environment including managing pests, diseases, and other disorders. UF/IFAS Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-955-2402.

March 31-April 3

Levy County Fair 2016. Livestock, creative arts, science and technology, baking, sewing, horticulture, more; entertainment and rides. SW 9th Terrace off of SW 21st Place, Williston. Information: Gail Havard, pghdusk2dawn@aol.com, www.LevyCountyFair.com.

Saturday, April 2

Go Springs and Get Wet. $15, 9:30am. Educational presentations about springs; guided hiking and kayaking tour; springs cleanup activity, etc. Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon.

Wednesday, April 6

Farm Estate Planning: Where will your farm go? Many life events can change the dynamics of a family farm: marriage, children, divorce, illness, retirement, death. Planning in advance of a crisis or significant life event increases the chances that the family farm will successfully transition to someone who is ready to carry on the family business. Yet, four out of five Florida farmers do not have written estate plans. This workshop will help farmers and their families discuss the future of the farm, assess future financial needs, and develop an outline of a farm estate plan.

8:30-4:30, Citrus County Extension Office, 3650 W. Sovereign Path, Suite 1, Lecanto. $25/first person, $5/each additional. bit.ly/ AgSavesCitrus. NOTE: Also March 31 in Quincy (bit.ly/AgSavesGadsden) and April 5 in Sebring (bit.ly/AgSavesHighlands).

Thursday, April 7

Greenhouse and Outdoor Hydroponics Short Course for Teachers.

Overview of springs protection, Florida hydroponic industry, greenhouse and shade structures, post-harvest handling safety, production systems and media, seeding and growing transplants, water and nutrient management, basics of pest management, popular and profitable crops. 8:30-4:30, UF/IFAS Small Farms Academy, 8202 CR 417, Live Oak. $150, includes class materials, lunch, refreshments; some scholarships available.

April 7-16

Lake County Fair. www.lakecofair. com/.

Saturday, April 9

Open House, 10-4, UF College of Veterinary Medicine, 2015 SW 16th Ave., Gainesville, VetMed.ufl.edu.

Saturday, April 16

1. 1st Annual Golf Tournament.

Registration ($80/person) includes lunch and 18 holes of golf. Registration at 11, lunch at 11:30, tee off at 12:30 at Ocala Golf Club, 3130 E. Silver Springs Blvd., Ocala. This is a fundraiser for the youth programs of the Marion Soil and Water Conservation District, 352-622-3971.

2. Natural Foods Gala and Sustainability Festival. The event features guest chefs making all kinds of dishes, as well as vendors offering crafts, foods, plants, and more. $2/person admission, $2 per food sample. Crones Cradle Conserve, 6411 NE 217th Pl., Citra, 352-595-3377, www.CronesCradleConserve.com. See ad, back cover.

3. Swallowtail Farm 7th Annual

Farm Spring Festival. Music, refreshments, workshops, demonstrations, tours, activities, games. $10. Swallowtail Farm, 17603 NW 276th Ln., Alachua, www. facebook.com/events/1570738633148652.

Saturday, April 23

2nd Annual Sale in the Swamp, 1pm. Sale of 16-20 head of 2-year-old horses bred in the UF/IFAS Equine Sciences Program; see “The Hoof Beat” article in this issue. UF Horse Teaching Unit, 1934 SW 63rd Ave., Gainesville, 352376-0562, www.ufequine.com.

Tuesday, April 26

1. 2016 Florida Agriculture in the Classroom Agriculture Literacy Day. The annual reading event is a chance for farmers, ranchers, UF/IFAS extension and 4-H agents and master gardeners, FFA teachers and students, and agriculture industry representatives to go into elementary classrooms and read a children’s non-fiction book about Florida’s agriculture industry to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. This year’s book is titled Drive Through

Florida: Livestock and Poultry. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. invites Florida agriculture industry volunteers to read its newest non-fiction book to elementary school children that will showcase the livestock and poultry industry in Florida. Those who want to read are asked to schedule their classroom visits with schools at least two weeks before their readings. http://faitc.org/aglitday/ Agriculture Literacy Day.

2. Green Industries: Best Management Practices (GI-BMP). This is an educational program for people working in lawn care and landscape maintenance. The GI-BMP program teaches environmentally safe landscaping practices that help conserve and protect Florida’s ground and surface waters.

Florida Statute 482.1562 requires all commercial fertilizer applicators to have a license from the FL Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services. To get this license, each Green Industry worker must be trained in the GI-BMP and receive a certificate of completion from UF/IFAS and FDEP. $25, 8:15-3:30, lunch is included. Terry Holt, UF/IFAS Extension Marion County, 2232

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NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, FL, 352-6718400. This course will be repeated July 12 and October 18.

April 30-May 1

2nd Annual Spring Festival. 9-5 both days. Cedar Lakes Wood and Gardens, 4990 NE 180 Ave., Williston, 352-812-2279, www.CedarLakesWoodsAndGarden.com.

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 organic 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 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.

Awards Deadline March 1

Nominate the Agricultural Environmental Leadership Award winner.

The award commends enterprises that demonstrate leadership in developing and implementing innovative and progressive techniques to safeguard the environment and conserve natural resources. The following environmental practices will be considered in judging nominations: Wildlife protection and Habitat Conservation: Provide a safe, vibrant habitat for wildlife within an agricultural operation; Pesticide/Nutrient Management: Use pesticides/nutrients responsibly, maximizing benefits and minimizing potential adverse environmental effects;

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Water Quality: Preserve or improve water quality within or adjacent to an agricultural operation; Soil and Water Conservation: Reduce soil erosion, nutrient depletion and water consumption, and enhance water recharge; Waste Management/Recycling: Reduce waste by recycling agricultural by-products and waste products on site.

Information: FreshFromFlorida.com, http:// bit.ly/1P8zA9D. Deadline March 31

Nominate the Florida Grower 2016 Citrus Achievement Award winner.

Candidates must be actively involved with citrus production as a grower, packer/ processor, marketer, supplier, or researcher; have had a measurable impact on the citrus industry within the last three years; be actively involved in one or more citrus industry organizations or association; have demonstrated commitment to the future of the Florida citrus industry besides personal gain; and be a leader who is recognized and respected by his/her peers. bit.ly/1RctYgC.

Positions, Internships Deadline March 1

Farm Credit’s Social Media Corps program: National Dairy Challenge.

Mini internships; students develop and implement a live, on-site content plan for an influential organization’s event.

Students will take photos, create tweets and Facebook posts, engage with key stakeholders online to expand the visibility of the Diary Challenge events. One-onone training before event; hotel and meal costs paid; assistance with travel. National Dairy Challenge will be held April 7-9 in Syracuse. bit.ly/1mJ9wqL. Open until filled

Located in Illinois, The Land Connection seeks a full time program director to join the team this winter. The program director will oversee the farmers’ market, farmer training, and outreach programs, and will be in charge of writing grants to support these programs. http:// thelandconnection.org/about/employmentopportunities.

Deadlines Vary

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/ Deadlines Vary

Internships in the beef industry.

Many opportunities; some include housing. www.floridacattlemen.org/internshipopportunities/ Deadlines Vary

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/.

Scholarships, Grants, Other Funding Deadline March 2

Suwanee River Fair Scholarship.

Information: Levy County Extension, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, 352-486-5131, http://levy.ifas.ufl.edu/.

Deadline March 9

Florida Forestry Teachers Tour.

Open to FL educators in environmental or social studies, science, math, multidisciplinary, or related areas. Discover where products you use every day come from. Learn about environmental issues and how foresters work to meet the needs of the community and the environment while enjoying first-class luxuries. Participate in hands-on activities from the Project Learning Tree Activity Guide that will assist you in connecting what you see and learn in the field with curricula in the classroom. (Note: Many of the facilities are hot and humid. Also, the physical nature of the mills will include walking long distances and climbing/descending stairs/ ladders.) June 21-24, lodging in Fernandina Beach. 30 CEUs. $50 refundable deposit collected when teacher is notified of acceptance; a refund will be given once the teacher attends the tour. All other costs, except transportation to and from the event, are covered by the sponsors. www.

FloridaStateForests.org/TeachersTour, 850681-5875.

Deadline March 10

Organic Agriculture Research and Extension Programs. $17.6 million

to support research and outreach activities that will help growers, producers, and processors find innovative ways to improve organic agriculture. http://1.usa.gov/1NRY5Tz. Deadline March 13

UF/IFAS College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Last year, CALS awarded $427,800 to 332 students. Open to full-time undergrad. students enrolled in or entering CALS or the Biological Engineering major. http://cals.ufl.edu/students/scholarships-awards. php.

Deadline March 18

1. Florida Agriculture in the Classroom Volunteer Grants.

Open to organizations seeking funding for projects that educate students about the source of their food, fiber, forest, flowers, fuel: Extension offices, nonprofits, governmental agencies, farm bureaus.

Information: faitc.org/ag-volunteer-grant-program/.

2. USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture Challenge Grants Program. $850,000 available. To enhance K-12 and postsecondary education in the food, agriculture, natural resources, and human sciences. http://1.usa.gov/1Qjj45U. Deadline March 31

1. Lake County Fair scholarships. Open to residents of Lake County. http://lakefarmbureau.com/d/scholarship.pdf.

2. Marion County Farm Bureau scholarships. Open to residents of Marion County whose parent/guardian is a member of MCFB, pursuing agriculture, and not a UF or CCF student. www. marioncountyfarmbureau.org/d/scholarshipapplication.pdf.

Deadline April 1

1. Citrus-Hernando Farm Bureau Scholarship. Open to residents of Citrus and Hernando counties. Information: www. hernandoeducationfoundation.org/uploads/files/Hernando-Citrus_ County_Farm_Bureau_Scholarship.pdf.

2. Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) positions (two) available at Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) for the summer of 2016 (10 weeks starting in June).

REUs will design and conduct studies that contribute to the larger Coastal Waters Consortium (http://cwc.lumcon.edu/) collaborative effort studying the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on Louisiana salt marshes and coastal environments. $500/week

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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stipend, room and board, support for the research. http://on.fb.me/1RAXey7 Deadline April 15

1. Levy County Farm Bureau Scholarship. Open to residents of Levy County. Academics, career and technical education involvement will be considered.

Information: 352-493-4780.

2. Pioneer Garden Club of Ocala scholarships. Two $500 scholarships will be awarded to Ocala high school students with B or better GPA, who have been accepted into and plan to attend a Florida college or university and major in ecology, horticulture, landscape design, conservation, botany, forestry, or marine biology. Tricia Evans, Scholarship Chair, Pioneer Garden Club, Ocala, 352-6949785.

3. USDA Organic Transitions Program. $3.8-million available to support research, education, and extension projects that will assist current organic producers and those transitioning into organic farming. Priority concerns for 2016 include: documenting and understanding

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the effects of organic practices such as crop rotation, livestock-crop integration, organic manure, mulch and/or compost additions, cover crops, and reduced or conservation tillage on ecosystem services, greenhouse gas mitigation, and biodiversity; improving technologies, methods, model development, and other metrics to document, describe, and optimize the environmental services and climate change mitigation ability of organic farming systems; developing cultural practices and other allowable alternatives to substances recommended for removal from NOP’s National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances; addressing major barriers that limit the transition to organic agriculture in a given region or specific crop or animal production systems. http://nifa.usda.gov/fundingopportunity/organic-transitions-org or http://1.usa.gov/1TdP26a.

Deadlines Vary

1. Alachua County Farm Bureau.

Scholarships, mini-grants for Ag Literacy Day Pizza Parties, speech contest, Teacher Ag Mini Grants, Agri Science Awards,

grants for Youth Fair transportation, Youth Fair and Livestock Show achievement awards. Information: www. alachuacountyfarmbureau.com/programs-2/ youth/.

2. UF/IFAS Awards, scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, travel awards for Graduate Students. http://cals.ufl. edu/students/graduate-travel-awards. php#award.

3. 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.

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

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March 2016

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Growing and Space Wonders of the World^ Z

innia flowers are growing in the International Space Station’s Veggie facility. Veggie provides lighting and nutrient

supply for plants in the form of a growth chamber and “planting pillows” to provide nutrients for the root system.

The Veggie facility supports a variety of plant species that can be cultivated for fresh food and even beauty for crew members on long missions. Previously, the facility has grown Outredgeous red romaine lettuce — which was consumed by the crew a few months ago — and now they are growing zinnias.

Understanding how flowering plants grow in microgravity can be applied to growing other edible flowering plants, such as tomatoes.

NASA Photos: Left: Zinnias in various stages of sprouting.

Center: Zinnia blossom. Below: Astronauts Kjell Lindgren, left, and Scott Kelly are getting their first taste of space lettuce.

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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

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Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation

Ecological Preserve Retreat Center Organic Farm Florida Certified Stewardship Forest

Farm Store Open 9am-3pm 7 Days a Week

Florida Folk Keepers Series including: Farm to Fare Weekly Baskets Basket Making, Fire Building, Farmstead Outings Wild Food Foraging Women’s First Sunday Brunch Garden Workshops including: Spring Sustainability Festival Soil Building, Garden Layout, Spring & Fall Natural Foods Galas Companion Planting Group and School Farm Tours Event Space Available for your Organic Gardening Apprenticeships Weddings, Parties, Showers, Board Meetings, Workshops & Conferences Local Produce Delivered to Your Restaurant 352-595-3377 catrone@aol.com 6411 NE 217th Pl. FB: Crones’ Cradle Conserve Foundation Citra, FL 32113 cronescradleconserve.org 6.4 miles east of No Pets or Smoking Cash or Check Only 301 on CR 318

Saturday April 16, 2016 - 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Natural Foods & Sustainability Festival

Tease your palate. Encourage your own food preparation.

Natural and Organic Foods to Sample Including Grass fed beef and chicken, goat milk cheese, goat milk cheesecake, fresh organic vegetables and herbs, fruits, fish and hushpuppies, wild pig, other local meats, and sweets served in sample portions… try whatever tempts your taste buds.

Exciting Tips For Preparing Organic Foods & Recipe Cards for Organic Foods

Live Music Garden Tours Greenhouse Tours Farm Store

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Vendors: Featuring Sustainable uses and ideas to promote living habits to register a smaller foot print on the earth, including: Solar Energy, Native Plants, Rain Barrel Use, Cooking with Wood Local Artists with Creative Original Items Including: Wooden Bowls, Pottery, Jewelry, Baskets, Books, Home Accessories