The Ag Mag Agriculture and gardening in north central Florida
May 2016 Volume I, Issue 5
May 2016
|
1
2
|
The Ag Mag
Upcoming Events Sunday, May 1 at 3 p.m. Sunday, April at 3 PM Artist Lounge Live 3presents: Elvis My Way starring Brandon Bennett Sara Jean Ford: Dream of Now, Dream of Then
Saturday, April 9 at 7:30 PM Saturday, May 7 at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 10 at 3 PM Dust My Broom: History of the Blues The Ocala Symphony Orchestra presents: Tribute the 8 Boston Pops! Sunday,toMay at 7 p.m. FAFO presents: Symphony Sunday, Under May 1the at Stars 3 PM Gates open at 5:30 p.m. Sara Jean Ford: Dream of Now, Dream of Then Saturday, May 14 at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 14 at Callaway 8 PM Ann Hampton Callaway & Liz From WestCallaway Side Storyand to Wicked: Ann Hampton Liz Callaway Broadway with the Callaways From West Side Story to Wicked: Broadway with the Callaways Sunday, July 3 at 3 p.m. Ocala Symphony Orchestra: Saturday, 15 at 7 PM Red, White,April and OSO Blue! Central Florida Master Choir presents July 8 at 7:30 p.m. SunFriday, in the Morning, Moon at Night Classic Albums Live presents: Pink Floyd: Saturday, at 9 PM Dark SideApril of the23 Moon Laugh Out Loud Comedy Show
Reilly Arts Sunday, MayCenter 1 at 3 PM 500 NE 9th St.presents Artist Lounge Live Ocala, FL 34470 Sara Jean Ford: Dream of Now, Dream of Then 352.352.1606 ReillyArtsCenter.com Box Office: M-F, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. ReillyArtsCenter.com / 352.351.1606 500 NE 9th St. Ocala, FL 34470 Box Office: M-F, 10 AM-2 PM
7 p.m. May 8 Mother’s Day
ANN HAMPTON CALLAWAY & LIZ CALLAWAY FROM WEST SIDE STORY TO WICKED BROADWAY WITH THE CALLAWAYS May 14, 8 p.m.
May 2016
|
3
A Cracker Horse at work? or at play? Photo by James Levy, Executive Director, Florida Cracker Horse Association. “Cracker Cattle and Cracker Horses� article begins on p.8.
4
|
The Ag Mag
Contents 6
|
Masthead + Fun Facts
7
|
Letters to the Editor
8 |
Cracker Cattle and Cracker Horses: Their History, and Today’s Program by Doyle Conner, Jr.
12 | A Former Florida Horror: Screw Worm Fly by Jan Cross Cubbage 14 | Interview with Richard Mills by Jeri Baldwin 17
|
18 |
Happy Mother’s Day! Manure Destroyed My Gardens. Don’t Let It Wreck Yours! by David the Good
20 | SECOND NATURE How Does Your Garden Grow? by Melody Murphy 22 | AG LAW Carbon Matters by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law 25 | SPOTLIGHT Bryant’s Pump Service and Well Drilling by Brooke Hamlin 26 | RECIPE Braised Fennel by Carolyn Blakeslee 27
|
Calendar of Events
34 | FARMING WONDERS OF THE WORLD Sheep
May 2016
|
5
Fun Facts
The Ag Mag Volume 1, Issue 5 ISSN 2471-3007
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 Valerie Feagin Amy Garone Contributors Jeri Baldwin William K. Crispin Jan Cross Cubbage David Goodman Melody Murphy Business Development Lynn Noble Contact Us 352-537-0096 P.O. Box 770194 Ocala, FL 34477 TheAgMag@gmail.com www.The-Ag-Mag.com Facebook.com/ TheAgricultureMagazine Copyright ©2016 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, high school and university ag departments, trailer dealers, selected restaurants, farmoriented real estate offices, Thoroughbred associations, 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/
6
|
The Ag Mag
A
ccording to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, a study found that for male farmers in Sweden, the risk of a hip fracture was 14 percent lower compared to other occupations, adjusted for age. When also adjusted for rural status of residence, the risk reduction was still 15 percent lower. When also adjusted for income, education and latitude the effect was even more marked — at 39 percent lower risk. http://bit.ly/1Wbr2Sw
E
very year, Florida exports nearly $1 billion worth of our hardworking farmers’ tomatoes, citrus, strawberries, peppers and more to Canada. In fact, Canada is Florida’s biggest agricultural trade partner, accounting for nearly 25 percent of our total ag exports. www.FreshFromFlorida.com We hope you enjoy our special section on Florida agricultural history. Starting on Page 8, read about Cracker Cattle and Horses; a bygone pest, screwworm flies; and an interview with Richard Mills. PHOTO: Cracker bull, Stephen Monroe, Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS).
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.
Letters to the Editor To the Editor: Just want to thank you for what has quickly become my favorite magazine. Can’t wait to pick up each new issue. It stays within reach all the time. And within a week or two I read every article, every ad, literally every word front to back. Great work. If I had to pick a favorite it would be the Calendar of Events, things I wouldn’t know about otherwise. Well done. Thank you. — Phil Noble, Lochloosa Editor’s Reply: Thank you, Phil! You made our day. — Carolyn and Brooke
Two Comments: 1. Yes, people DO read the “Letters to the Editor.” 2. As a person who has worked with horse rescue for over 10 years, I was shocked and dismayed at Jan Cubbage’s article, “My Love is Blind.” First, she rescues an older mare from a rescue. Cubbage admits that the mare did not have good care for many years. The rescue from whom she got the mare tells Cubbage the mare should not be bred, but Cubbage breeds her anyway! Did Cubbage have a contract with said rescue? Does the rescue know Cubbage bred
a formerly neglected mare? Did Cubbage breed the mare yet again? As someone who knows there are way too many horses that cannot find responsible homes, this article encourages others to rescue and then BREED! We do not need more horses! Lady Hoosier comes from excellent bloodlines and a reputable breeder and still she turned up rescue. Ridiculous. — Sue Sefscik, Dunnellon Jan’s Reply: Nowhere in the article does it state that the rescue had a “do not breed contract” and in fact the owner/manager of the rescue assisted me in getting a Jockey Club identifier to their farm to verify that the mare was in fact, “Lady Hoosier.” They understood my intent to breed her if she adapted well at my farm. The rescue also assisted me with finding the current owner of her so I could gain her registration papers. Why? Because they too recognized Lady Hoosier’s worth as a broodmare and I had excellent references. Her foal, Lucy, now in training, has the potential to be a money earning race horse and when her career is over the current owner is sending Lucy back to me. She will make me a wonderful trail horse.
As far as Lady Hoosier, she has a home here at Cubbage Patch for life. That is my ”thank you” gift to her for giving me a beautiful baby that will probably rack up several thousand dollars in breeder’s awards for me. That money will go towards feeding our horses and ponies. We feed 14 rescue horses and ponies at our 40-acre farm every day that have not been bred and never will be. — Jan Cubbage, Cabbage Patch Farm CORRECTION: Bee Facts: “Doctors recommend patients with severe allergies to use local honey for relief.” False because: 1) No clinical trial ever proved this in fact gives allergy relief ... it’s just a myth that persists because people like honey. 2) Bees do not pick up tree or grass pollen. 3) There are NO components of pollen in honey, only sugars of nectars of flowers are in honey, so exposure to pollen local or otherwise is impossible to obtain by eating honey. 4) Royal jelly manufactured by worker bees and fed to the queen is made from the pollen but it is not “honey.” Sorry ... I am a science freak! Have a honey of a day! — Jan Cubbage
Please send your Letters to The Editor to The Ag Mag, P.O. Box 770194, Ocala, FL 34477, TheAgMag@gmail.com.
May 2016
|
7
Cracker Cattle and Cracker Horses: Their History, and Today’s Program by Doyle Conner, Jr.
I
n 1521, Juan Ponce De Leon brought a small herd of Andalusian cattle and horses with him on his second expedition to the New World. These were the first cattle and horses ever to set foot on what is now the continental United States. The Spanish explorers were forced back to their ship by Caloosa Indian warriors, and Ponce De Leon was mortally wounded. There is no record of what became of the explorers’ livestock, so it is imagined that these were the first cattle to run wild in Florida. The challenge to conquer Florida went out, and other conquistadors soon followed. These explorers brought cattle and swine, and horses for transportation. Like the early cattle, these horses were the product of selective breeding, and many were of Andalusian lineage. The horses played a tremendous role in Florida history. In 1540, Don Diego Maldonado brought a large herd of Spanish cattle and horses to the
8
|
The Ag Mag
Pensacola Bay area to supply the expedition of Hernando De Soto. Don Diego was unable to make contact with the conquistadors and it was reported that many of the cattle were lost to run wild in the timber of north Florida or left with the Indians. In 1565, Pedro Menendez De Aviles founded the city of St. Augustine and soon had cattle and horses shipped from Spain to begin producing beef for the garrison. Ranching was born when Jesuit and Franciscan friars set up a system of missions across north and north-central Florida. Their mission was to convert Indians to Christianity, but the friars also used Indian labor to tend livestock and crops. These were the first established ranches in North America. The pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock had not yet been born. By 1618, Florida’s Spanish governors were seriously expanding cattle production
on local ranchos. The Spanish herds, as well as those kept by the Indians and many cattle running wild, flourished on the immense prairies and rangeland of Florida. The result of this herd increase was that Spanish cattlemen in Florida began to ship cattle to the large trading center of Cuba. This was the first industry to develop in the New World, and trade with Cuba would continue for the next 300 years. Persons born in Florida to Spanish parents were known as Criollas. Many Criolla men worked as vaqueros on the ranchos of Florida. Vaqueros and natives clashed during the Indian revolt of 1647. These were probably the first fights between cowboys and Indians in North America. By 1700, there were more than 30 privately owned ranchos in Florida. A census ordered by Spanish tax collectors reported more than 20,000 cattle on the ranchos. Mission herds
were exempt from reporting, and cattle owned by individual chiefs, and those running wild, would not have been counted. In the early 1700s, Britain, France and Spain were all vying for control of the peninsula state. James Moore, British governor of South Carolina, led a raid into Florida and took several thousand cattle and horses to sell to Carolina and Georgia settlers. Raids of this type continued for many years. Because of their speed and endurance, these horses were in great demand by soldiers, officials and stockmen. In the early 1800s, many individuals, including Andrew Jackson, bought cattle from the Indians of Florida and drove them back to Tennessee, Kentucky and other states to crossbreed with their European-type herds. As time passed, British, Spanish and French in Florida mingled and fought, separated and fought, traded and fought until the Spanish and French mostly left. The influence of Spanish occupation remains in Florida in the bloodlines of our livestock and the names of many landmarks. During the War Between the States, Florida was the leading supplier of beef for troops on both sides. The Spanish horses were highly prized for transportation. These sturdy horses could travel in Florida’s rough conditions where other horses failed. After the war, Florida was one of the first states to establish a viable economy. This economy was built by pioneer families who were exporting
cattle to Cuba. The cow men, who had been left with worthless Confederate dollars, insisted on being paid in gold coin. The Cuban trade became a lucrative enterprise for such early pioneer families as the Roberts, Carltons, Lykes, Summerlins, McKays, Hendrys, Aldermans, Wells, and many others. During reconstruction, millions of Spanish gold doubloons poured into Florida’s post-war economy as a result of this trade. Thousands of “cracker” cattle were shipped from the docks of Tampa, Manatee and Punta Rassa. Records show that in one 10-year period (1868-1878), 1.6 million head of cattle were loaded on ships bound for Cuba, Nassau and Key West. Most of these went to Havana. At this time Florida was America’s leading exporter. It would be impossible to overstate the importance of this financial boom to the state. This was the foundation of Florida’s vast agricultural econ-
omy. Many of Florida’s oldest and largest businesses began as cattle ranching operations. In the late 1800s, purebred beef and dairy breeds of northern European origin began to be imported into Florida. These cattle would have influenced the genetic makeup of what we now know as Florida cracker cattle due to their being crossed with the Spanish cattle of the Florida range. The importation of Brahman and Brahmancrossbred bulls in the 1930s and later significantly changed the genetic makeup of herds where they were introduced. The Florida Fence Law, advances in veterinary medicine, and improved insect control techniques made it possible for these new breeds to survive in the Sunshine State. Crossing the hardy cracker cows with other breeds, especially Brahman, became very popular. Pure cracker cattle were quietly, almost without notice, being bred out of existence.
May 2016
|
9
By the late 1960s, only a handful of pure cracker cattle were left. They were old and scattered across the state on the ranches of families that had been stubborn and smart enough to hang onto some of the old stock. Members of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association discussed the threat of losing this breed with the Commissioner of Agriculture and decided to take action. In 1970, Mrs. Zona Bass and Mrs. Zetta Hunt, daughters of pioneer cattleman James Durrance, donated five heifers and a bull — descendants of their father’s original herd — to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) on behalf of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. The old cracker cattle of this ranch were regarded by many in the industry as the purest of the pure.
10
|
The Ag Mag
With this small herd, FDACS was entrusted with the preservation of the breed. FDACS used these donated cattle to begin building a herd. The cattle were kept at the Agricultural Complex in Tallahassee. As numbers increased, a herd was established at the Withlacoochee State Forest near Brooksville in 1979. A herd of cracker cattle was established by the Department of Natural Resources on the Lake Kissimmee State Park and the Paines Prairie State Preserve during the 1970s. The Lake Kissimmee herd was established from cattle of Durrance bloodlines and cattle obtained from the Chaires family of Old Town. The Paines Prairie herd was established with animals from the herd of Woody Tilton in addition to cattle transferred from Lake Kissimmee. Also, a few small privately
owned herds were being maintained. FDACS used bulls from other cracker herds to broaden the genetic base of its herd and avoid inbreeding. In 1984, the family of Mr. John Law Ayers donated a small herd of cracker horses to FDACS. Mr. Ayers had maintained a herd of pure old cracker stock and resisted temptations to cross them with other breeds. From this stock, horse herds were established at the Agricultural Complex in Tallahassee and the Withlacoochee State Forest near Brooksville. The Ayers family and others such as the Bronsons, Boals, Partins, and Sassers continued to maintain small herds of cracker horses. Beginning in 1985, attention was focused on the herds. A selection and screening program was developed. All cattle that did not meet strict breed criteria were culled from the herd. FDACS has maintained the Ayers line of cracker horses. Surplus animals have been made available for sale to interested parties. In recent years, horses have been transferred between the herds to avoid inbreeding. Stallions of the Ayers line have been added from other herds to broaden the genetic base. Through efforts of FDACS, the Florida Cracker Cattle Association (FCCA) and the Florida Cracker Horse Association (FCHA) were formed in 1988. The associations have grown steadily. The associations adopted breed standards and appointed evaluation commit-
tees to select cattle and horses to be registered as foundation stock for the preservation of the breeds. In 1989, the historic first annual FCCA Cracker Gatherin’ was held at the Withlacoochee State Forest. This event was hosted by FDACS and the FCCA. Since 1990, every annual Gatherin’ has included a sale of cracker cattle and horses to allow interested parties to purchase animals and join the preservation effort. Cattle and horses from private and state herds are included in these sales. Those wishing to own a “living link” to Florida’s past can purchase animals. These are public auctions; anyone may participate or just come and watch. The Florida cracker cattle are prized as living, tangible links to our history. The Florida cracker horses enjoy widespread popularity as they can be trained for all riding disciplines. The Florida Cracker Cattle Association Annual Gatherin’ and Sale is held during the fall each year. The FDACS coordinates and hosts this annual event.
FARMER
&
cowboy lifestyle, restoring saddles, bridles, boots, chaps, saddlebags etc. for the generations to come. Many of his restorations are on display in museums around the U.S. and Europe. During his service as curator of the Florida Agricultural Museum, he conserved the material artifacts of this state’s heritage and developed a healthy respect for the tough minded individuals who made Florida what it is today. In 1995, 2006 and 2016 Doyle served as chairman of The Great Florida Cattle Drives. PHOTOS: Cracker bull, and cracker cow and calf: Stephen Monroe, Florida Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). Cracker horses: James Levy, Executive Director, Florida Cracker Horse Association (FCHA).
RANCHER
PROOF
The term “Cracker” refers to the early American cowboys of Florida (1850s onward) who, like the Seminoles, used the feral horses of Florida as working ranch Please return by f horses. The “crack” of a 941-361-106 large whip aided the cattle or call drovers in moving cattle toll-free 877-95 out of dense brush; thus the cowboys were referredAPPROVED to AS IS as “Crackers.” The Florida Cracker Horse is Florida’s APPROVED WITH official State Heritage CHANGES Horse. — Jan Cubbage Signature
February 2013
Doyle Conner, Jr. is a sixth generation cracker and cowman. As long as he can remember Doyle has collected and restored the trappings of the
May 2016
|
11
A Former Florida Horror Screw Worm Fly by Jan Cross Cubbage
“T
hough the horned cattle and horses bred in these meadows are large, sleek, sprightly, and as fat as can be in general, yet they are subject to mortal disease. I observed several of them mortified, their thighs and haunches ulcerated raw and bleeding, which like a slow cancer at length puts an end to their miserable existence,” wrote William Bartram, America’s first naturalist, who visited the Alachua Prairie and Seminole in the spring in 1774 and described the situation well. A vast plague was upon the Florida peninsula — in fact, throughout the south, devastating Texas as well — and it was known as the “screwworm fly.” The flesh-eating larvae of the common screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) have sharp, hard jaws that enable them to eat the flesh of their host — any species of mammals. The female adult screwworm fly seeks out scratches or other injuries on livestock and lays her eggs in the Tusklike mandibles protruding from the screw worm larva’s mouth rasp the flesh of living warm-blooded animals. Courtesy ARS.
12
|
The Ag Mag
wound. The multiple eggs evolve into flesh-eating larvae with voracious appetites. The sites of the screw worm larvae infestations most often develop into large infected and ulcerated weeping wounds. The larvae eventually fall to the ground, find a cozy place to dig in (like locusts), enter their pupae form, and eventually outgrow their shell and pop out as winged adults. Fortunately not present in the U.S. today, the screwworm fly was the painful thorn in the side of north central Florida’s cattle industry from its earliest beginnings until a scientific discovery known as radiation put an end to them in the late 1950s. The demise of the screwworm fly benefited the entire cattle industry in the U.S., but it was here in Florida that a centuries-old war against the insect antagonist ended quite suddenly. By the late 1930s, the cattlemen of Florida were employing two strategies to deal with the serious problems associated with screwworm fly larvae damage to livestock. First, the ranchers borrowed a new American beef cattle breed from Texas and Brazilian ranchers. The importation of Brahman (bos indicus) cattle offered Florida cattle breeders a large-framed breed of cattle that
carried a tough hide and was therefore more resistant to the bites of insects. Ranchers also started a rigorous spraying program of livestock, using largely kerosene as a cheap and long-lasting fly repellent. It was, however, a losing battle. The decorated hero of the war on screwworm flies was an Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientist from Kerrville, Texas by the name of Edward Knipling, who experimented with using radiation to sterilize insects. In the late 1940s, Knipling was using 2,500 to 5,000 roentgens of radiation exposure to sterilize screwworm flies during their pupae life stage, prior to their emergence as winged adults. It was a “Eureka!” moment for Knipling when he realized that the release of thousands of sterilized adult screwworm flies might just obliterate the total reproductive capabilities of the flies within a large geographic region. After small tests — including the 1951 release of sterilized screwworm flies on Sanibel
Edward F. Knipling. Photo courtesy Cornell University.
Island, which resulted in 100% eradication of the fly on the island — the eradication-via-radiation program was moved to the heart of Florida’s cattle ranching industry. In 1955, Bithlo, Florida, near Orlando, was chosen as a site for a large eradication program. Sterilized male screwworm flies were spread by airplane over miles of ranch land. In a matter of months, the screwworm fly population of a 2,000 square mile area of central Florida ranchland was declared free of screwworm flies. In 1958, a second trial was conducted in Sebring. By 1959, the sterilization program was continued throughout Florida and by the end of 1959, Florida was declared screwworm fly free. This declaration is looked upon as one of the greatest achievements in American livestock history. Texas, being a much larger cattle industry state than Florida, finally was declared free of
screwworm flies by 1982. Mexico and our other Latin neighbors are almost at 100% eradication success with assistance from the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. 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 Class-
Sterile male screwworm fly marked with a numbered tag to study fly dispersal, behavior, and longevity. Photo by Peggy Greb. Courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Loading cartons of sterilized screwworm larva into release plane. 19--?. State Archives of Florida, Florida, www.floridamemory.com.
Single-engine plane dispersing sterile screwworm flies. Courtesy fao.org.
Screw worm infestation in a calf. 196-?. State Archives of Florida, www.floridamemory.com.
room (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.
I
n 1957, prior to eradication, screwworm was considered to be costing the livestock industry of Florida more than $20 million annually. The allocation of funds for the 1976 eradication program in the rest of the U.S. was approximately $15 million. Considering that losses from screwworm for that year had been estimated at $375 million, there was a significant return on investment. It has also been estimated that the economic benefit to livestock producers from screwworm control between 1962 and 1976 was in excess of $1 billion. Surveillance to prevent reintroduction of screwworm into the southern U.S. has continued, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) maintains laboratory identification facilities. In the 1980s, three animals brought screwworms back to the U.S. after being taken to Venezuela, but sterile flies were dropped for six weeks in a 40-mile radius of the animals and no new infestation occurred. At present, Puerto Rico, the U.S. and most of Mexico are free of screwworm. The risk of reintroduction from other countries through the movement of animals is ever present and requires continuous vigilance. Source: fao.org
May 2016
|
13
W Interview with Richard Mills by Jeri Baldwin 14
|
The Ag Mag
hen Richard Mills was growing up, his family ate vegetables and herbs they grew, and meat raised on their farm. When they hankered for a taste change, someone hunted deer, bear, or squirrel in the woods or fished for bass, bream, and catfish in nearby lakes and rivers. In the Mills neighborhood, some families who lived on poverty’s edge had only the meat they shot in the forest. The few “boughten” items — flour, coffee, supplies, and tools not made on the farm — bounced the 15 miles from Ocala to the Mills home on mule, horse, or wagon. The long before-dawn until after-dark
journey included crossing the Ocklawaha River twice by ferry, and enduring the rutted, dusty road which the state later paved and named State Highway 40. After buying or bartering for what they needed, they made the arduous trip home. Traditional southern cooking offered taste and variety when folks ate their own fresh vegetables and meats. The Mills cooks baked cornbread, muffins, or corn pone for most meals, and hushpuppies when fresh-caught fish topped the supper menu. Fresh vegetables — deep fried, baked, or boiled — gave meals flavor. Potato and cabbage slaw made up the salad list. Mostly, foods served
were vegetables in season. However, the Mills diligently used everything they grew, so often a meal also included food that had been canned, dried or salted. Careful use of everything made a wider variety possible at meal time. The family gardeners planted corn, potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and squash. A Mills garden also always included cow peas. Four varieties of cow pea could be grown; the Mills preferred the pea, speckled with brown spots, named the whippoorwill (yes, named after the bird) pea. Richard’s grandfather, Steven Manning, introduced the whippoorwill pea to his relatives in the Ocala National Forest. Israel Brown, a farmer in Lake County, had given him the peas one day when Manning stopped at the Brown farm to visit as he journeyed to visit his kin folk. Manning admired the dark green, lush planted fields and wondered what grew. He stopped to ask and the farmer
introduced the whippoorwill pea, then gave him some for his own use. Whippoorwill peas grew quickly and thrived in almost any soil available. They made a delicious meal cooked with “fat back.” The peas were often cooked with okra, tomatoes, or both; a variety of mixtures only enhanced the goodness of the whippoorwill with its thick brown gravy. The whippoorwill pea was highly valued because of its medicinal qualities. The Mills family lore includes the story about Richard’s daughter being healed of rickets by eating the pea. Richard and his wife, Margaret Katherine, made the strenuous trek to Ocala when their small child grew ill and pale, and they feared for her life. Dr. Peek, their doctor, explained that Janet had rickets and they needed to find the whippoorwill pea to feed to her until the rickets disappeared. The relieved parents smiled as they explained that Janet’s great-grandfather made sure that whippoorwill peas always grew in their garden, so finding them offered no problem. So, the pea is always available to families east of the Ocklawaha River for several reasons: first, as a food it tasted delicious and kept well, making it most attractive to folks who could afford little else during the hard times they lived in. And, to the story-loving Southerner, the whippoorwill pea provided an astonishing tale, one that never grew old, for sharing with other story-loving folk. Richard Mills and the Ocala National Forest grew to maturity together. The Forest, established in 1908 as the first national forest east of the
Mississippi River, was 13 years old when Richard was born. The Forest contained much of the undeveloped acreage in Marion County. The 1925 United States Census listed 1,054,080 acres of green space. 695 farms were listed at less than 20 acres, while another 1,652 farms had less than 100 acres. These figures likely indicate that of the 88,536 families in the county, by and large, most raised their own food. Only a small number, 452, of the farms listed in the census had enough acreage to support a farming business. Raising their own food made economic sense and the flavor and availability made nutritional sense. After a year of pneumonia, at age 7, Richard began public school in the cozy, hand-built East Marion School in the Forest, close to his home. Mr. B.F. Mills built the school by himself, using only hand tools. Richard remembers his school basketball teams that often excelled in competition with other schools. He loved playing marbles during recess, and other free times. As a reluctant student, he spent many hours helping his father, the school’s custodian, with janitorial chores. As the first member of his family to graduate high school, Richard finished at East Marion High School in 1940. He then had a chance to train as a welder. After finishing his course, rather than search for a job, he joined the United States Navy and spent four years of World War II on the USS Santa Fe, a light cruiser. He explained that his ship spent many days all alone on the open ocean. Fortunately, the enemy did not cross their path.
May 2016
|
15
Following the war, Mr. Mills worked for a time In Ocala for Strick Curry, a local, popular business man. When there was not enough work to keep him, he decided to apply to the U.S. Forest Service. He joined the Forest Service, and the years hurried by. Richard Mills retired after 36 years in the Service. Most of those years he spent in lookout towers, ever alert for the wisps of smoke that signaled fire. His assignments also included road work, construction, tree planting, and fighting large fires nationwide. He especially enjoyed his assignment in the interpretative section, because he “loved to tell stories.” Except for the WWII years, Richard Mills always grew/ grows and ate/eats the food on which his parents raised him. As
16
|
The Ag Mag
his four children grew, they, too, learned to eat fresh, homegrown food, loving the flavor, vitality, and good health results. Mr. Mills heartily supports the current movement in this country where people carefully determine the source of their food, its quality, and distance from garden to their home, measuring nutritional value by the distance food traveled. Local food wins the day, particularly grown naturally without chemicals, and near their homes. Many folks plant and experience the joy of growing their own food. Lisa Heenan, the Australian who produced the award winning film Polyfaces, spoke recently in Ocala at April’s Silver Springs International Film Festival. Standing before a group of
farmers and fans, she said that “the human body is designed to last for 100 years if a fresh, chemical-free, balanced diet is chosen through a lifetime.” Richard Mills is 94. Jeri Baldwin is a writer, historian, farmer, and co-founder of Crones Cradle Conserve, the 756-acre ecological preserve and education center in Citra. Visit CronesCradleConserve.org. PHOTOS: p.13, Mr. Mills sitting at the base of his camphor tree, photo by Jeri Baldwin. p.14: Whippoorwill peas growing in the Mills garden, photo by Jeri. P.15: the inlet behind the Mills property, photo by Carolyn Blakeslee. Whippoorwill pea seeds are available online at several sources including www.jlhudsonseeds. net/VegetablesA-D.htm (search for “Bean Cowpea Whippoorwill” about one-third of the way down).
Happy Mother’s Day!
Scott Todd, a research assistant at the University of Florida, applies plant growth regulators to potted floral crops, May 6, 2004. Researchers at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences say growth regulators control characteristics such as plant size and bloom. Todd said potted flowering plants are a good Mother’s Day gift because the blooms last for two to four weeks. (AP photo/University of Florida/IFAS/Thomas Wright)
May 2016
|
17
Manure Destroyed My Gardens. Don't Let It Wreck Yours! by David The Good
F
or those who aren’t familiar with the very high risk associated with putting manure in your gardens, you need to read this column. If you follow me online or have read my previous columns, you may have heard me tell this story before, but I’m telling it again because it needs to be told. I don’t want anyone to make the same mistake I made. About four years ago, I dropped a load of cow manure onto my property and promptly spread it around many of my fruit trees and through my garden beds. Within a couple of weeks, the plants were looking really screwed up. It took me a while to figure out what was going on and when I did pin it down, I’d already lost about $1,000 worth of plants. Mulberry trees were stunted, blackberries were killed, tomatoes were wrecked ... it was a mess. The culprit was “aminopyralid,” a toxin contained in the very popular herbicide Grazon™. I’ve since discovered that Grazon is everywhere in commercial agriculture now — and gardeners are losing their gardens right and left. Grazon is a “selective” herbicide. It kills broad-leafed plants but it doesn’t kill grasses. Hay farmers love it for that reason — but gardeners are paying a steep price. I was devastated after losing my gardens, so I wrote an article about it. That story reached the editor of Mother Earth News and she asked me to
18
|
The Ag Mag
share it again there — and to write for them. Since I sounded the call warning gardeners about this persistent herbicide, I’ve heard many, many stories. This stuff is in hay, in straw, in cow manure, horse manure, goat manure, and who knows where else. It isn’t destroyed in a compost heap and it passes right through an animal’s digestive tract and into your garden, fully capable of killing your carefully tended beds for years. Years! Here’s an example: I recently visited a homestead near Ocala and saw the homeowner had piled horse manure into his garden beds. As soon as I saw all that manure, my heart sank and I dreaded what I might find on further inspection. Sure enough, all was not well. The newest growth on the tomato plants was twisting into thick coils that would never bear a single fruit — and the poor gardener who had added the manure to his beds had no idea what was going on. There’s nothing worse than poisoning your gardens while trying to feed them! Manure has been a gardener’s best friend for time immemorial, but now it comes with huge risks. I’d love to say there are still plenty of sources for safe manure, but there aren’t. At this point, I’ve seen so many wrecked gardens and heard so many mournful tales that I don’t trust any manure.
Let’s say you find a manure supply on a local farm. The homeowner tells you they “never spray their fields with anything.” That’s a start — but what about the hay they bring in to feed the animals during the winter? Is that all safe? Chances are it isn’t. If an animal eats hay that was grown in a sprayed field, its manure will hurt your gardens; and, most hay fields are being sprayed. Aminopyralid stays in the soil for a long time, too. Estimates range from two to five or more years. That’s a long time! The poison is taken up into the grass and passes through the animal’s digestive systems without losing its plant-killing power. If you add straw or hay to your gardens or compost pile, it can kill your plants. If you add manure, it can kill your plants. If you add compost from off-site that contained manure or any plant material contaminated with aminopyralids, it can kill your plants. As I write in my book Compost Everything: The Good Guide to Extreme Composting, “Don’t bring manure, compost, straw, or grass clippings onto your property. Trust no one except people who don’t feed their animals any purchased hay and who you are sure do not spray their fields with anything. This is the only way to be completely sure your garden won’t get whacked!” As a side note, I’ve had some people tell me it was worth buying the book just for the hundreds (or thousands) of dollars my warning saved them. Watch your backs, folks — I really want your gardens to succeed. What a shame that one of the very best organic amendments, manure, is now a high-risk addition to your gardens. I lost my shirt (or at least a bunch of my plants) — you don’t have to lose yours too. David The Good is 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 latest bestseller Grow or Die: The Good Guide to Survival Gardening. Find new inspiration every weekday at his popular gardening website TheSurvivalGardener.com. IMAGE courtesy Washington State University Whatcom County Extension.
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
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 May 2016
|
19
Second Nature by Melody Murphy
How Does Your Garden Grow?
I
f you are descended from farmers, there is a heritage in your soul that calls you back to the earth, even if you have never hoed a row in your life. The South once was an agrarian society, and to this day our roots pull at us. Southerners still feel obligated to grow and tend something, even just a pot of mint on the windowsill. We often have back-yard gardens, either from true enthusiasm or that inherent sense of obligation. I feel guilty that I have yet to plant the tomatoes I have been intending to put along the sunny south side of my shed for six years. As Ouiser says in Steel Magnolias, “I am an old Southern woman. We’re supposed to put on funny-looking hats and grow vegetables in the dirt.” My grandfather had a nice vegetable garden out back where he grew peas and lettuce.
20
|
The Ag Mag
I remember helping him dig up pretty little pink new potatoes and radishes from the warm dirt in the evenings before supper. The other grandfather had, among the peace lilies and red salvia in the front flower bed, an impressive array of bird’s-eye pepper bushes. All you need to make your own hot sauce is a bottle, vinegar, and time. Nothing is better on mustard greens. We had a garden, too. I remember cucumbers and forever raking pine needles for mulch. We also planted plum, nectarine, and peach trees. The wasps got the plums and nectarines before we could, but I would dash in barefoot among the bees to get the peaches on summer mornings. They were whitefleshed and delicately flavored, with a faint tracery of pink, and I have never tasted a better peach
fall’s harvest. My best friends and I still tell stories of the summer we picked all the blackberries we could find on our land, and their mother made a cobbler that would not get sweet no matter how much sugar she added — but so help us, we would eat it because we picked those berries ourselves. My last and favorite uncle died this spring. We used to have lengthy conversations purely about fresh produce. “You like corn?” was a perfectly acceptable opener. We could compare the merits of bean varieties for easily 15 minutes at a time. He introduced me to the wonder of spicy pickled okra and was the greatest wizard of potato salad I have ever known. He and my great-grandfather had, of course, planted a magnificent back-yard garden together. My aunt made the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had, from blueberries my uncle and I picked from the bushes in their yard in Alabama. That’s what June ought to taste like. The last time they visited, we went to the Saturday morning farmers market and selected vegetables as meticulously as if they were diamonds. It was this time of year, when the air is warm and jasmine-scented, magnolias are blooming, and days are long and full of light. We debated at length whether we wanted white or yellow corn, and should we get a couple of green tomatoes to fry up, and did those peaches look fit to eat? That evening, using our carefully curated produce, I fixed fried chicken, corn, green beans, butter peas, ripe red
sliced tomatoes, biscuits, and two cobblers, peach and cherry, for the family. If I do say so myself, it was a delicious meal, made even better by the fact that my uncle and I had gone out and chosen the produce for it together, with great care, taking joy in a beautiful morning of fresh air and sunshine. It could only have tasted better if we had grown and picked the tomatoes ourselves. Melody Murphy fully intends to get on it with those tomatoes this year. And maybe some bird’s-eye peppers. And basil. And mint. Cucumbers would be nice ... and blueberries ... But first, she has to buy a funny-looking hat.
Photographs by Melody Murphy
in my life. Except the peaches my grandmother and I brought back from south Alabama when I was in college. Well, but then there were the peaches my other grandparents would bring back from Georgia ... Southerners mark time in produce. We remember vividly the best peaches, the spring the strawberries were so good, that one perfect watermelon we bought on the morning of the 4th of July from an old man in overalls, his vintage white pickup truck full of watermelons and cane fishing poles, under a live oak among “Fireworks For Sale” signs, straight out of a Norman Rockwell postcard. In the South, we are perfectly happy with a vegetable plate. (Perhaps because we season our vegetables with bacon ...) We also love festivals based on produce. Strawberries, blueberries, citrus, corn, peanuts: If we can grow it, we celebrate it. We rejoice in fresh produce in season, knowing that it is better not to have it at all than poorly at the wrong time. And if you can pick the produce yourself, well then, by all means. Produce-picking is a form of entertainment and pride. It doesn’t matter if you can go to the store and purchase it; if you can pick it yourself, we feel like you ought to do that. You’re far more likely to be thankful for your food. Pushing 80, my grandmother and her neighbor used to go pick squash together for fun. My mother’s mission this winter was to gather all the pecans she could from my grandmother’s yard, which will keep us in cakes and pies until this
May 2016
|
21
Carbon Matters
by William K. Crispin, Attorney At Law
S
everal years ago, as a member of the Agricultural Advisory Committee to the South Florida Water Management District, I presented to its Board of Governors a broad based concept to include farmers in discussions of Everglades restoration challenges to allow
22
|
The Ag Mag
production agriculture to be a part of the solution. This proposition was adopted by resolution of the Governor’s Commission for a Sustainable South Florida and the Agriculture Advisory Committee to the South Florida Water Management District. I referenced the Florida legislature’s findings in the statutes of the acknowledged importance of agriculture to the citizens of Florida. Particularly “that agricultural lands constitute unique and irreplaceable resources of statewide importance; that the continuation of agricultural activities preserves the landscape and environmental resources of the state…” North central Florida farms are much more than deposits of soil whose sole purpose is for production of food and
fiber. As our population grows, the open nature of the green space comprising farmsteads is more and more broadly viewed as a consortium of beneficial uses beyond an area without asphalt and concrete. Indeed, farms’ inherent benefits of habitat and aquifer recharge zones are widely accepted assets to the general public, and wildlife. So much so that creative legal instruments such as conservation easements have been developed to help hold off “highest and best use” transformation of the farmland. Now back to agriculture being a part of long term solutions to our modern day environmental challenges. A magazine called Modern Farming recently caught my attention
with its cover story on carbon farming. Carbon sequestration is the process of capturing and storing carbon in organic form in soil organic matter. With current day impacts of climate change now being witnessed by citizens throughout Florida, a refreshed objective view is being given to the long established scientific findings of human influenced contributions to the over-abundance of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. An earlier column had referenced the importance of our soil as the fertile ground for food and fiber. Scientific research has provided further noted attributes of soil, that being a bank for the storage of carbon. Carbon is better in the ground than in the air. Experts believe that soil carbon sequestration will reduce the buildup of carbon dioxide
(a greenhouse gas) in the atmosphere while improving the nation’s soil, air, and water quality, and the agricultural economy. Intensive research has been conducted for many years to quantify carbon sequestration in agricultural lands. One of the leaders in this research has been the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the research arm of the USDA. A leader of this research within the ARS is Ron Follett, based in the ARS station in Ft. Collins, Colorado. Dr. Follett pioneered recognition of “soil organic carbon” (SOC) as an offset to greenhouse gas emissions and is widely recognized for his work on nitrogen. Since 2005 Dr. Follett has led the ARS GRACEnet (Greenhouse gas reduction through agriculture carbon
enhancement network) research effort, working with more than 70 scientists from 32 ARS locations around the United States. The group has published more than 160 scientific papers so far. Along with other research, the network is developing a nationwide database of information from field studies for development of models that address the role of U.S. agriculture on greenhouse emissions and global climate change, as well as the potential of improved soil and crop management systems to affect these factors. The primary objective of GRACEnet is to identify and further develop agricultural practices that will enhance carbon sequestration in soils, promote sustainability, ... continued on the next page
May 2016
|
23
and provide a sound scientific basis for carbon credits and trading programs. Follett was inducted into the ARS’ Science Hall of Fame in 2011. Agricultural law and its regulations provide stability to the industry, helping to provide the bedrock that governs the burgeoning agriculture based carbon offset trading. To be a contributing part of the solution to population driven challenges, farmers must be proactive in those circles that provide a voice. The levels of contribution a well-managed farmstead offers to the public are many. Recognition by the public and more awareness by the farmers of these contributions facilitate a constructive dialogue between urban and country residents. The article referenced at the beginning of this column, “Carbon Farming,” talks about a new carbon measuring and accounting program developed through the ARS, referred to as COMET-Farm to assist farmers transitioning to carbon-sequestering practices. Using farmer provided data, a farmer can experiment with different land management programs that, in turn, provide information as to which practices can ultimately be marketed on a carbon exchange. The Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, through its Choice forum, comments that while conceptually appealing, the U.S. does not have a national carbon market. The last attempt to establish one ended in July of 2010 when the U.S. Senate announced it would not consider companion legislation to the American Clean Energy and Security Act that was
24
|
The Ag Mag
passed by the House of Representatives on June 26, 2009. In the period since, there has been no serious attempt to establish a national carbon market. In this absence, a number of public and private sector entities have moved to consider alternative approaches for tapping some of the GHG mitigation potential of the agricultural sector. Three of the most prominent approaches are: placing greater emphasis on GHG mitigation in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) conservation and renewable energy programs, facilitating private sector-led supply chain initiatives to reduce the carbon footprint of specific products, and supporting joint public-private efforts centered on voluntary GHG mitigation. USDA’s conservation, renewable energy, and energy efficiency programs incentivize farms to adopt many practices that result in GHG mitigation. The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) provides farmers with annual payments and other incentives to shift environmentally sensitive cropland to grasses, trees, and other conservation covers for periods of 10 to 15 years. These shifts typically increase the carbon stored in soils and vegetation, and decrease carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) associated with field operations. The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides technical and financial assistance to farmers to adopt a variety of conservation practices on lands that remain in production. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
has identified 35 EQIP supported practices that increase carbon sequestration and reduce emissions of CO2, methane (CH4), and N2O (USDA, NRCS, 2014). USDA Rural Development’s (RD) Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) provides financial assistance to farms to install renewable energy systems such as solar panels, wind mills, and anaerobic digesters; and to invest in improved energy efficiency such as more energy-efficient irrigation pumps. Expanding the supply of renewable energy and improving farm energy efficiency can mitigate CO2 emissions by reducing the demand for energy generated from fossil fuels. Between 2009 and 2011, REAP funded projects produced more than 6.5 million megawatt hours (Mwh) of renewable energy and improved energy efficiency (USDA, RD, 2012). As the public washes the politics out of the climate change issue, north central Florida farmers will again have an opportunity to fulfill the state’s legislative prophecy, to wit: “that the encouragement, development, improvement, and preservation of agriculture will result in a general benefit to the health and welfare of the people of the state.” 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. Crispin is coauthor of three patents delineating a method to quantify the amount of carbon sequestered by grassy and herbaceous plants.
SPOTLIGHT Bryant’s Pump Service by Brooke Hamlin
M
ike and Mary Hall, owners of Bryant’s Pump Service and Well Drilling, have enjoyed a great reputation of providing quality product with quality service for more than 20 years. They started with the idea and commitment that everyone deserves the best water resource they can have on their property. Mary tells us that in recent years the challenges of keeping
our water quality safe and wells running properly have become more difficult. Because of the tremendous increase in water use over the years, the possibilities of a well becoming compromised have grown exponentially. Mary said they are getting more calls than ever, asking for service to check water quality, as well as to deal with problems such as sand or sediment in the water. Other problems are unique to the South, such as damage by fire ants. “They can do a number on electrical wires,” Mary said. “The owner should do an annual check. Their well service should be able to give them a list of things to look for to ensure things are running smoothly or identify problems when they aren’t.” Mary said, “Often we can walk them through a problem and fix it over the phone at no charge, saving them a service call. Otherwise our service man can get to them quickly.” Of course, all those services are included in Bryant’s annual service package. “Failure of a well for any reason can be devastating and that is why we are available 24/7 to answer your questions or dispatch one of our highly qualified service men ready to help. Water is just about our most important resource, we’re here to keep it flowing!” Brooke Hamlin is The Ag Mag’s Director of Marketing and Advertising Sales. Bryant’s Pump Service can be reached at 352-629-3769 in Ocala, or 386-755-3358 in Lake City. 24-hour emergency service is offered on pumps and wells. Water softening and purification is also offered.
May 2016
|
25
Braised Fennel Recipe by Carolyn Blakeslee Serves 2 as a main dish, 4 as a side Easy Fast (less than 30 minutes)
F
lorida is a great place to grow fennel, a delicious bulb vegetable. This aromatic plant has, if cooked, a subtle taste of licorice. If eaten raw or juiced, the licorice taste is considerably stronger. In the garden, it can grow a few feet tall with celery-like stalks and dilly fronds, and its milkweedlike flowers attract butterflies. To prep fennel, slice around and discard the hard root core. Slice the remaining bulb as you would an onion, as fine or as coarse as you please. Cut off the stems and fronds. (NOTE: These parts needn’t be discarded. They are utterly delicious when juiced with cucumber. The cucumber juice cuts the anise taste, and this juice is said to improve digestion and fix halitosis.) Sometimes fennel is billed as anise, but anise is a completely different plant. While the taste is similar, anise is harvested for its seeds, which are used for flavoring.
26
|
The Ag Mag
Ingredients: 2 fennel bulbs, sliced ½ pound bacon, finely chopped 1 large sweet onion (optional) Salt and pepper to taste Grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Directions: n Wash the fennel, and prep as instructed above. Chop the bacon and the optional onion. n In a skillet, cook the bacon on medium-high until cooked through, and as crisp or as soggy as you like. n Add the chopped fennel. Cover and reduce the heat. Stir frequently; cook until tender. n Add salt and pepper to taste. n Serve, topping with Parmesan cheese (optional).
Calendar of Events Events: Workshops, Conferences, Fairs, Etc. 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. Tuesday, May 3 1. Levy Soil and Water Conservation District meeting. 6:30pm, 625 N. Hathaway Ave., Bronson, http:// myswcd.org/. Upcoming meetings (first Tuesday): 6/7, 7/5, 8/2, 9/6, 10/4, 11/1, 12/6. 2. Springs Academy. Hydrogeology: the Florida aquifer, groundwater recharge, springs flows. 12-1pm, $5. North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW First Ave., High Springs.
Friday, May 6 Marion County Master Gardener Norma Samuel presents “Ask Your Master Gardener” session on pests in the home landscape. Noon, Freedom Public Library, 5870 SW 95th St., Ocala.
May 4-6 65th Beef Cattle Short Course. Production and management techniques; market analysis, use of GMO feed and products, biotechnology tools; basics of nutrition, reproduction, management; grazing systems, weed management, forage management. $130. Held at Straughn IFAS Extension Professional Development Center, 2142 Shealy Dr., Gainesville. http://bit.ly/1Smpbtc.
Saturday, May 7 1. Annual Blueberry Festival. 8-4, Island Grove (intersection of CR 325 and Hwy. 301). 2. Farmland Preservation Festival. Free admission. Tractor parade, 10; rides and slides for the kids; entertainment; farmers market; craft booths; exhibits and demonstrations; food. 9-3, Coon Hollo Corn Maza, 22480 Hwy. 441 N., Micanopy, www.FarmlandFestival. com. 3. Marion Master Gardeners Spring Plant Sale, 8-noon. Native plants, herbs, perennials, pollinator/ butterfly/hummingbird plants, rain barrels, micro-irrigation supplies, much more. UF/IFAS Ext. Marion County, 2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, 352671-8400.
Thursday, May 5 Florida Friendly Landscaping. Ground covers and turf alternatives. Free, 3-4pm, Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-9552402, http://bit.ly/1WBwM8F.
Tuesday, May 10 1. Florida Friendly Landscaping. Planting for conserving water; also drought tolerant plants. Free, 6-7pm, Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-955-2402,
http://bit.ly/1WBwM8F. 2. Food Safety and Quality Program (ServSafe®), 8:30-4:30, Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville. 352-955-2402, http://tinyurl.com/nmdc3sc. 3. Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District Board meeting, 9am, USDA Ocala Service Center, 2441 NE Third St., Suite 2042, Ocala, Information: Ann Bishop, 352-622-3971, x.112. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesday): 6/14, 7/12, 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, 386-3294214. Upcoming meetings (second Tuesdays): 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. Friday, May 13 1. How to Start a Food Business in Florida. Business plan, food packaging and safety, regulations. $125, 8:30-4:30, Straughn IFAS Ext., UF, 2142 Shealy Dr., Gainesville, 352294-3909, http://bit.ly/1RkQbXF. 2. Rodeo event. Exhibitions 6-8, race at 8:30. Ocala Rodeo Grounds, 4680 NW 27th Ave. (exhibitors: 4886 NW 27th Ave.), Ocala, 352-512-1487.
May 2016
|
27
Saturday, May 14 2nd Annual Bronson Blueberry Festival, 9-4, James H. Cobb Park. Tuesday, May 17 1. Ask Your Master Gardener: Container Gardening. 2pm, Dunnellon Public Library, 20315 Robinson Road. 2. Cold Hardy Citrus Workshop. 8:30-2, free. Taylor County Extension, 203 Forest Park Dr., Perry, http://bit. ly/1VwByow.
May 19-22 Florida Native Plant Society’s 36th Annual Conference, Daytona Beach Resort and Conference Center. Presentations, workshops, and field trips (tours, pontoon boat trips, etc.) on butterflies, bees and wildflowers, tree care, Everglades plants, environmental education, invasive plants, rain gardens, more. 321-271-6702, http:// fnps.org/conference.
Wednesday, May 18 Withlacoochee Regional Water Supply Authority meeting, 3:30pm, Lecanto Gov’t Bldg., Rm. 166, 3600 W. Sovereign Path, Lecanto. Upcoming meetings (third Wednesdays): 6/15, 7/20, 8/17, 9/21.
Saturday, May 21 Annual Ag Fest and Master Gardener Plant Sale. Plants for sale; info and presentations on beekeeping, composting, 4-H program, raised bed gardening, more. 8-noon, free. Alachua County Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville.
Thursday, May 19 Water Works. Presentation on Citrus-Levy-Marion water problems on our lifestyles including ecotourism and farming. 10am, Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon, 352-628-0698.
Thursday, May 26 1. Corn Sileage and Forage Field Day, free, 7:30am-2:30pm, UF/ IFAS Plant Science and Education Research Unit, 2556 W. Hwy. 318, Citra, http://bit.ly/1V7mBJu.
Learn the secrets in this book...
“If I had had this book 10 years ago, I'd have saved a lot of frustration and wasted energy.”
“If you've had trouble growing anything edible in Florida, or if you are new to Florida gardening, this is a must read.” “This book gives hope to us, the ‘purple thumb’ people, that we can have a successful garden in Florida.”
...and
transform your
Florida garden forever! From expert gardening author David The Good comes a remarkable new book that gives you the key to jaw-dropping success in your garden:
Totally Crazy Easy Florida Gardening Now on Amazon in Kindle and paperback versions
28
|
The Ag Mag
2. Maintaining Your Citrus Tree. Variety selection, fertilization, cold protection, pest control. Free, 6-7pm, Alachua Extension, 2800 NE 39th Ave., Gainesville, 352-955-2402, http://bit.ly/1WBwM8F. 3. Master Gardeners’ Plant Clinic. 10-1, Dunnellon Public Library, 20351 Robinson Road. May 30-June 24 Greenhouse 101. Online training course in English and Spanish. $200. Topics: plant parts and functions, photosynthesis and growth, greenhouse technology, flowering, compactness and branching, irrigation, nutrition, plant health. http://backpocketgrower. org/onlinecourses.asp FUTURE COURSES: Nutrient Management 1 (intro), 7/18-8/12. Nutrient Management 2, 8/22-9/17. Disease Management, 9/26-10/21. Weed Management, 10/24-11/18. Tuesday, June 7 Springs Academy. Chemistry:
general, nutrients, trace contaminants. 12-1pm, $5. North Florida Springs Environmental Center, 99 NW First Ave., High Springs. Friday, June 10 Rodeo event. Exhibitions 6-8, race at 8:30. Ocala Rodeo Grounds, 4680 NW 27th Ave. (exhibitors: 4886 NW 27th Ave.), Ocala, 352-512-1487. 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, 352-5953377, www.CronesCradleConserve. com. Every Thursday and Saturday Garden Classes at Ocala Wellness Community Garden, 2200 block of West Hwy. 27, Ocala. All Thursday classes are held 5:306:30pm; Saturday classes, 9-10am. 5/12 and 5/14: Harvesting tips. 5/26 and 5/28: Cooking your harvest. 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.
Awards Deadline June 17 Grower Achievement Award. Open to vegetable growers who represent the spirit of excellence in the industry and/or are innovative and outstanding. Nominations. www. GrowerAchievementAward.com. ... Continued on the next page
Every Friday Fridays, 10am, through May 27, Native Plant workshops and giveaways at Belleview Public Library, 13145 SE Hwy. 484, Belleview.
14’x48’
10’6”x36’
Financing available 5455 N. US Hwy. 441, Ocala 352-840-0200 www.AllenFarmAndLawn.com May 2016
|
29
United States Department of Agriculture
#WomenInAg From the classroom to the farm to the boardroom, women in agriculture are helping to pave the way for a better future. As leaders, it is our responsibility to make sure the next generation of women are educated, encouraged and empowered to take on the challenges of meeting the world’s growing food, fuel and fiber needs. To help women in Florida connect with other women leaders in agriculture all across the country, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has established a women in ag mentoring network. Join the conversation by emailing AgWomenLead@usda.gov or check out #womeninag on Twitter.
2,546,126 Acres
26,133 Women Farmers in
Florida
$
433.3
million
Economic Impact
36%
of Florida Farmers are Women
In the magazine publishing world, the May issue traditionally is a special Women’s issue. Hats off to Florida women farmers!
30
|
The Ag Mag
Grants, Scholarships, Other Funding Deadline May 2 USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program. Loans and grants up to $250,000 for making energy efficiency improvements, and up to $500,000 for purchasing or installing renewable energy systems. Open to producers with at least 50% of gross income derived from ag operations. Energy efficiency projects may include door and window insulations, installation of LED lighting, heating and cooling upgrades, solar powered pumps for sprinkler pivots, electric irrigation motors. Renewable efficiency projects may include the purchase, installation or construction of geothermal systems for electric generation, the action of hydropower below 30 megawatts, development of hydrogen and wind projects, solar or ocean generation. Producers must provide 75% or more of the project cost if applying for a grant; 25% if applying for a loan. Loan applications accepted year-round; grant
applications due May 2. You can obtain an application at any local USDA office or visit http://1.usa.gov/1AlJtoH, or email Theresa.purnell@fl.usda.gov. Deadline May 10 USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has $20 million available for new Conservation Innovation Grants nationwide. CIG promotes science-based solutions to benefit producers and the environment. Projects may include on-farm pilot projects and field demonstrations, and should accelerate the transfer and adoption of promising technologies to landowners that address critical natural resource concerns. At least 50% of the total cost of CIG projects must come from non-federal matching funds, which may include in-kind contributions. Maximum $2 million. www.grants.gov. Pre-proposals due May 10 Regional Conservation
Partnership Program. Reviewing partner proposals to improve the nation’s water quality, combat drought, enhance soil health, support wildlife habitat and protect agricultural viability. Applicants must match the federal award with private or local funds. Partnerships can include private companies, local and tribal governments, universities, non-profits and other non-government partners to work with farmers, ranchers and forest landowners on landscape- and watershed-scale conservation solutions. For more information on applying, visit http://1.usa.gov/1kkYT9t or www. ncrs.usda.gov/GetStarted. Deadline May 12 USDA’s Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grants. Funding is available to strengthen local and regional food systems. Funding supports projects such as farmers’ markets, CSAs, roadside stands, agritourism. http://1.usa.gov/1WeJ6Lp.
“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.
May 2016
|
31
Deadline May 20 Financial assistance to help nursery owners save water. Open to
nurseries in Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole, Volusia counties. Financial assistance to install
evaporative cooling pad recovery systems or improve existing systems. Suzy Daubert, 352-742-7005, x.3.
Florida Fresh Foods Local Produce Weekly and Bi-Weekly Baskets Naturally Raised Meats Dairy Products Email: FloridaGrubHub@gmail.com or Call: 352-812-3111 For More Info!!
32
|
The Ag Mag
Always Accepting Qualiied Farm Partners
Deadlines Vary 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
Two Sister's
VINTAGE Furniture, Antiques, Junque & More 352-427-2843 540 N.E. 14th Street, Ocala 34470 TwoSistersVintageThrift.com
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
June 13-July 29 Levy County Summer Day Camps. 6/13-17, Sport Fishing I. June 20-24, Shooting Sports I. June 27-July 1, Shooting and Fishing II. July 5-8, Marine Science. July 1822, 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. June 20-24 1. Bug Camp. Open to 5th-9th graders who love the creepiness of bugs, who want to study insects, and everyone in between. 8:30-4 each day, UF/IFAS entomology and nematology department, Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Dr., Bldg. 970, UF, Gainesville. $175/ person. Students age 14+ may register as Junior Leaders ($125). http://bit.ly/1LHIvzS. 2. Marion Sprouts. Open to kids 8-14. June 20-24, 8:30-4:30. $75. Plant growth and development, water, gardening for food, soils, garden pests, career exploration, plant I.D., environmental horticulture. Marion County Master Gardeners, 2232 NE Jacksonville Road, Ocala 34470, 352-671-8400. Please send your agriculture- and gardening-related Calendar listings to TheAgMag@gmail.com.
(352)726-1221 www.brannenbanks.com Snow’s Country Market 352-489-4933 Open daily 9-6 Georgia and Kent Snow, Proprietors
6976 N. Lecanto Hwy. Beverly Hills, FL May 2016
|
33
Farming Wonders of the World
34
|
The Ag Mag
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
May 2016
|
35
Happy Mother’s Day!
To every Mom who raised a horse lover, and to every mare who raised a horseman’s partner.
Ocala Trailer Sales featured trailers of the month, call for pricing!
2016 Sundowner Rancher 16-foot Slant Load
2016 Sundowner 2-Horse Super Sport Slant Load
We ¤ nts e ignm Cons rades and T
2016 Sundowner 3-Horse Sportman Slant Load Now offering complete service and repair on all makes and models
2016 Sundowner 2-Horse Super Sport Slant Load
For the special woman who does it all, Give her the gift that’s as strong as she is! Be sure to check our Facebook page and website for deals that can’t be beat! It’s easy to fall in love with the looks, quality and value of our Sundowner and Trailers USA inventory. With great financing options, you can have the trailer of your dream become reality.
Ocala Trailer Sales 6785 West Highway 40 l Ocala, FL 34482 352-629-0212 l www.OcalaTrailerSales.com
Where quality doesn’t cost, it pays!
36
|
The Ag Mag