August/September 2019

The Voice of Agriculture in Florida

FloridAgriculture VOLUME 79, NO. 6 • AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

YOUNG AG CHAMPIONS

COVERED CITRUS A HORSE COUNTRY STAR MANGOES TO GO www.floridagriculture.org | www.FloridaFarmBureau.org

OFFICERS

President Vice President Secretary Treasurer

John L. Hoblick Brantley Schirard Jr. Steve Johnson Rod Land DIRECTORS

District 1 District 2 District 3 District 4 District 5 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9 District 10 District 11 District 12 District 13 District 14 District 15 District 16 District 17 District 18 District 19

Jerry Davis Jeff Pittman Henry McCrone Michael Dooner Rod Land Jon Deas Thomas Ford Ed Shadd Brad Etheridge Jeb Smith Kelly Rice J. Daniel Peterson Mark Byrd Steve Johnson Dan West Ken Harrison Mark Sodders Jacob Larson Mark Wilson

STATE WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

Chair Vice Chair

Sarah Carte Danielle Daum

STATE YF&R LEADERSHIP GROUP

President Immed. Past Pres.

Adam Cook Andrew Taylor STAFF

CONTENTS

A total of 330 guests attended Florida Farm Bureau’s 2019 Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference. See more photos from the conference on pages 12-13.

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UNIQUE CITRUS RESEARCH

8 THOROUGHBREDS 10 THE GREENING BATTLE

Editor G.B. Crawford Communications Mgr. Rachael Smith Communications Coord. Amanda Overstreet

12 GROWING LEADERSHIP

FLORIDAGRICULTURE (ISSN 0015-3869) is published Jan.-Feb., March, April-May, June, July, Aug.-Sept., Oct. and Nov.-Dec. for $3 per year in member dues by the Florida Farm Bureau Federation, 5700 S.W. 34th Street. Periodical postage paid at Gainesville, FL and additional mailing offices. It was established in 1943.

20 GROWING TROPICAL FRUITS

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Copyright 2019 by the Florida Farm Bureau Federation.

Main telephone number: (352) 378-8100.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

POSTMASTER Send address changes to: FloridAgriculture, P.O. Box 147030 Gainesville, FL 32614-7030

Aug. 30 Deadline for FFB Volunteer Communicator of the Year Award Nominations.

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For advertising questions, contact our Communications Coordinator by telephone at (352) 374-1535, by e-mail at amanda.overstreet@ffbf.org or by hard copy: FloridAgriculture Amanda Overstreet P.O. Box 147030 Gainesville, FL 32614-7030

Oct. 15-17 Sunbelt Ag Expo, Moultrie, Ga. For more information, visit https://sunbeltexpo.com/.

Oct. 30- 2019 Florida Farm Bureau Annual Meeting, Orlando.

Nov. 1 For more information, contact debra.jones@ffbf.org.

Cover: Finalists for the 2019 Florida Farm Bureau Achievement in Agriculture Award are profiled on pages 16-18 in this edition. The award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who excel at agricultural production, leadership in Farm Bureau and community service.

Non-member subscriptions are not available.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

REGIONAL DISCUSSIONS KICK OFF FALL MEETINGS THE APPROACH OF FALL IS ALWAYS A TIME WITH GOOD FOOD AND FELLOWSHIP for our

members at county Farm Bureau annual meetings.

We also have some important business to address. The Farm Bureau approach to issues and challenges involves working together as we develop strategies that will help sustain our farm families.

In following this approach, I held a number of regional meetings with county Farm Bureau leaders in July and August. The purpose of these sessions was to consider several topics.

First, we discussed the progress the Florida Farm Bureau Board of Directors has made with opportunities identified last fall. The opportunities include the establishment of a Florida Farm Bureau legal fund, financial assistance to county Farm Bureaus, the creation of a staff position for leadership programs and an evaluation of our organization’s structure at the state level.

The board has already provided a grant for each

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county Farm Bureau and formed a fund that will help support legal cases that possess statewide significance.

At the regional meetings we also addressed our work on immigration reform and the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Florida Farm Bureau continues to advocate for a revised national immigration policy that allows us to protect the security of our borders while allowing law-abiding guest workers to enter our country and perform manual labor on farms.

Without such a functioning program, food production and our people will both suffer.

Fruits and vegetables – central foods in a wholesome diet – will become far less available and much more expensive.

Our national leaders must devise trade policy provisions that will protect against the Mexican practice of dumping cheap fruits and vegetables into the U.S. market. The flood of such imports has damaged Florida’s economy and forced producers out of agriculture.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

John L. Hoblick, Florida Farm Bureau President

We will continue to raise these policy issues with our Congressional delegation, the administration and the public. The changes we propose are vital for the sustainability of Florida’s farm families.

I also took the opportunity offered by the regional meetings to give our county Farm Bureau leaders an overview of the various divisions in our state office.

A talented staff in each division contributes to the success of our organization.

I sincerely appreciate their dedication and their work.

With your grassroots participation, we are moving forward with the development of our programs and operations as we continue to serve Florida agriculture.

I look for many more Farm Bureau successes in the months ahead.

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A researcher at the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education Center, Schumann has reported a number of exceptional results with the enclosure.

The experimental facility includes orange, tangerine and grapefruit varieties – all of which are susceptible to greening, yet show no evidence of infection. The spaces within the screen keep out psyllids, while allowing light and water to enter.

The enclosure, known as a Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS) system, just over one acre in size, has also substantially boosted production. Murcott (honey) tangerines inside the enclosure were harvested at a rate of 680 boxes per acre two years after planting. In open field cultivation 200 boxes of the crop per acre are considered a good yield.

Initial figures show that CUPS can generate exceptional profitability.

“It looks very optimistic to me with net revenue for fruit of over $20,000 per acre,” Schumann said. “That’s unheard of.”

Buyers value the quality of the fruit, snapping up every harvest since the trees began yielding fruit two years ago. Some of the Murcotts have garnered $44 per box, or more than double the wholesale price for the open-cultivation product.

A TEST ANSWER FOR

Greening

By G.B. Crawford, Director of Public Relations

Increasing harvest volumes will help repair some of the damage to the state’s overall economy. Since the plant malady was discovered in 2005, it has cost an estimated $4 billion in lost revenue, thousands of jobs and a reduction of Florida’s signature crop to the lowest production levels since the 1960s.

Consumers will find more citrus in the grocery stores.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, Florida has regained its overwhelming lead as the nation’s primary source of oranges. Improved citrus management techniques now available are demonstrating their effectiveness.

But the psyllid – the insect vector that spreads greening – is still around. Researchers and farmers alike continue to grapple with the problem the bug poses.

Arnold Schumann has tested a strategy that blocks the psyllid from attacking trees. His approach involves enclosing a grove with a high-density polyethylene screen.

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

(PHOTO COURTESY OF UF/IFAS)

FLORIDA’S CITRUS GROWERS have begun the slow climb out of the production trough carved by greening disease.

The UF/IFAS project has demonstrated the effectiveness of growing trees under cover in pots.

Note the pole and cable components of the CUPS structure.

Schumann is convinced that small farmers as well as producers with large acreage can adopt CUPS for their respective operations.

Although the UF/IFAS facility cost $43,000 to install, he thinks that growers who plan well can build such an enclosure for far less money.

“Some of the growers who have started doing this have paid half or less with the right choice of materials and the right contractors,” he said. “Some of them are doing it themselves.”

The profit incentive for the grower is obvious. How many farmers will take the risk by making the investment is unknown.

Gerald “Jerry” Mixon Jr., a Polk County farmer, has already enclosed a 60-acre parcel. Established more than two years ago with tangerines and oranges, the unit has not yet produced a crop, but plant growth has been exceptional.

“Getting used to the pests is more challenging,” Mixon explained. He has discovered a mealybug problem this season, for example. “Normally, you don’t worry about mealybug outside because there are enough natural predators there. It’s a little bit

Arnold Schumann is directing a 10-year Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS) project at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center.

different because there are not natural predators in the building.”

Outstanding tree growth under cover also requires more intensive pruning. Some of his Murcotts have already reached a height of 14 feet.

Both Mixon and Schumann noted that hurricanes pose a bigger danger to CUPS buildings compared with open groves. High winds from Hurricane Irma ripped away screening from Mixon’s enclosed area two years ago, costing both money and time.

“I would love to have the university step in at some point and figure out how to make this pole and cable structure a little more windworthy,” he said. “Currently, it is supposed to be able to withstand about 65 to 70-mile-an-hour winds.”

Once a variety is harvested from a CUPS facility, its appearance and taste earn near-universal acclaim.

Mixon is sure that consumers will pay more for an outstanding product, especially for fresh fruit.

“If they like citrus – and I think there is a large enough constituency that enjoys a great-tasting, good looking piece of fruit – I think they will pay whatever the market’s top dollar is,” he said. “This fruit will

be, by all indications, beautiful and great-tasting fruit without the constraints and issues that (greening) brings.”

How consumers will respond is a key subject of interest.

Researchers at both UF/IFAS and the University of California’s Lindcove Research and Education Center are evaluating the marketing opportunities. The California group plans to compare directly a CUPS facility’s profits with those from an equal acreage of open cultivation.

“I think we are all still guessing,” said Beth Grafton-Cardwell, director of the center.

“Everyone is hopeful that it will be something that consumers can still afford.”

Arnold Schumann said growers who adopt CUPS must plan meticulously.

Early season producers such as Early Pride, Sugar Belle, clementines or grapefruit may be the most profitable choices for Florida. “Commercial operations cannot afford trial and error,” he warned.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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A HORSE FAMILY

Legacy

By Rachael Smith, Communications Manager

OCALA STUD FARM is just south of State Road 200 on SW 27th Ave., in Marion County. Its rolling green pastures are decorated with live oaks draped in Spanish moss.

Thoroughbred horses can be seen grazing on the limestonerich grass. It is the state’s oldest thoroughbred farm, rich in history.

The third-generation farm is managed by the O’Farrell brothers, Joe and David. Joe manages the finances and David handles the day-to-day operations.

Their dad is also still very involved in the family business.

Joe is proud of the farm’s family heritage. Started by his grandfather with investors in 1956, the 60-plus year-old farm pioneered the Florida horse breeding industry. “My grandfather (Joe O’Farrell Sr.) 8

signed the first-ever 2-year old training sale,” said O’Farrell. “Back then we didn’t have the pedigrees to compete with the Kentucky pedigrees, so grandfather started the 2-year-old sales. The idea was to take a horse that didn’t have pedigree, train them and show potential buyers that this Florida pedigree could run and compete as a race horse.”

The idea took off and 2-year old sales are now used to purchase racing stock. The family farm is home to young horses from the top sires in the country. It breeds thoroughbreds for the juvenile market and sells through Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company (OBS).

“We’ve carved out our own little niche in the industry,” said O’Farrell. “We take a lot of pride in producing Florida breds.”

OBS President Tom Ventura says that Joe O’Farrell, Sr., was one of the founding members of Ocala Breeders in 1974. He adds that Ocala Stud typically targets the entire foal crop to the

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

OBS 2-year olds in training sales, which makes them unique among commercial breeders.

OBS 2-year-old sales accounted for two-thirds of the market, selling over 1,600 animals for nearly $140 million in 2019.

“Ocala Stud has developed a well-earned excellent reputation and is highly respected in the horse industry,” said Ventura.

David McClure is the stallion manager for Ocala Stud Farm.

He said that in total, the farm bred 850 mares last year. At least two breeding sessions are scheduled each day at the breeding barn during the season.

Stallions are housed in one of the farm’s original barns. The stallion roster is most impressive.

Profiles of the 13 stallions can be seen on the company’s website, www.ocalastud.com. The “The Big Beast” is one of America’s leading sprinters and stands at 17.3 hands.

His first three books covered 232 mares. “Girvin” won the 2017 Haskell Invitational Stakes and ran

at the 2017 Kentucky Derby.

The farm has sold and bred more than 155 stakes winners including a Horse of the Year and four Divisional Champions. It has connections to three Kentucky Derby winners: “Carry Back” (1961), “Unbridled” (1990) and “Street Sense” (2007). “Three Ring,” a filly bred by Ocala Stud, ran in the 1999 Kentucky Derby.

It takes a village to raise the horses. The core farm staff that makes it happen includes longtime farm foreman “Chico” who has been with the company 22 years. His brother has worked with the farm for 16 years, his cousin, 15 years. “It’s just a nice place to work,” beamed Chico.

The main horse trainer, George Burrows, has been with Ocala Stud for 41 years. Known as the horse whisperer, Burrows says that his favorite part about the farm is the family who owns it. “I’ve worked for two people my whole life, my father and Ocala Stud,” said Burrows.

The farm has 45 seasonal employees and 90 during its peak season. Last season the

farm had more than 200 horses in training and 75 brood mares in foal.

O’Farrell said that being part of an agricultural advocacy organization such as Florida Farm Bureau is important to protect his farm’s legacy. He is president of the Marion County Farm Bureau and serves on the Equine Advisory Committee. “Even though we are in the thoroughbred business, we are all part of agriculture and share a lot of the same issues,” said O’Farrell.

“It’s important to be involved, whether it’s at the local, state or national level.”

O’Farrell said that even though breeding has its challenges, it’s an exciting time to be part of the equine enterprise in Marion County. The “Horse Capital of the World” is one of four equine economic hubs that have a large concentrated area of horses. Millions of dollars are being spent to make the county a horse destination, including the construction of a state-of-the-art world equestrian center aimed

A large bell from the battleship U.S.S. Kentucky welcomes visitors to the oldest and longest-operating thoroughbred farm in Florida. Joe’s grandfather would ring the bell each time one of his thoroughbreds won a stakes race. It was a friendly rivalry to fellow horse-racing state, Kentucky.

to attract horse enthusiasts worldwide.

“The horse industry is a really fascinating business to be part of,” said O’Farrell.

“It’s a lifestyle. The business is unbelievably rewarding.”

The Big Beast is one of the largest thoroughbred sprinters.

He stands 17.3 hands.

A 5/8 mile track is used in training.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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CITRUS GREENING

Growers’ Perspective

By Mary Foster, Correspondent

“PRIOR TO THE GREENING VIRUS, the citrus industry was self-supporting, and that remains the goal,” said Ellis Hunt, president and part owner of Hunt Brothers Cooperative in Lake Wales and chairman of the Florida Department of Citrus.

Ellis Hunt inspects citrus trees.

“But until we find a solution to the virus and the need for constant replanting, we will continue to need support from Washington and Tallahassee,” he added.

Founded by D.A. Hunt and Charles Hunt in 1922, the cooperative remains a family business.

Despite the effect of the Huanglongbing (HLB) citrus greening virus, Hunt said they have been able to extend the life of infected trees by using 10

a number of methods. “Good fruit can still be produced by an infected tree, depending on irrigation and fertilization. Often, the bad fruit falls from the trees, anyway.

“We spray the groves every other month, fertilize new trees every other week during growing season, bulldoze badly diseased trees at least once a year and plant back at a much higher density,” Hunt said.

“The faster you grow the trees, the stronger and healthier

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

they are, keeping the psyllid count down and producing more fruit—hopefully outgrowing the disease.”

Hunt said that they plant two trees for every one they remove, and for new acreage, they plant at an even higher density.

“Spraying the groves is much harder in Central Florida than in South Florida because up here, we’re dealing with a checkerboard effect of multiple growers owning smaller groves making it harder to coordinate,” Hunt said.

“There is such a thing as the ‘bad-neighbor’ effect where infected groves that have been abandoned or where growers have sprayed less often to cut costs infect healthy neighboring groves.”

Other measures to protect groves include mesh covers installed over new plantings to keep the insects out, but each jacket costs $8 – as much as the trees.

One technique used by growers to battle citrus greening involves using mesh covers for small trees.

“The cost of replanting has at least doubled,” said Hunt, “and that does not include irrigation.”

According to Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, Florida was annually producing around 300 million boxes of citrus in the early 2000s but is now down to around 100 million boxes a year.

“The impact of the virus in terms of human suffering is devastating,” Shepp said. “There are a string of small towns that rely 100 percent on citrus, and in these towns the guy who drives a truck to transport citrus is out of work, and that means the family doesn’t have the money to go to the corner diner on Friday night, and that means the diner goes under,” she said.

Carson Futch, former owner of P&H Solutions, a citrus groves service company, and Mutual Harvesting, abandoned the business in 2011 after a 30-year career. “The economic impact does seem to be harder on small to intermediate groves,” he said.

Costs are also up for the nurseries. Florida Citrus Rule Chapter 5B-62, F.A.C. now requires nurseries to grow trees in greenhouses, adding expense

Enclosed nurseries, as required by state regulations, produce greening-free rootstock.

and limiting production volume.

“In 2007, trees sold for $4.50 a tree, while they are now $8 a tree and up,” said Anna Jameson, co-owner of Brite Leaf Citrus Nursery in Sumter County.

“For several years, demand was down as more growers left the citrus industry, but we have seen an upswing in the past two years – due in part because of optimism on the part of growers that a solution to the HLB greening virus is in sight,” she said.

According to Kyle Story, vice president of The Story Companies, there is hope for the farm sector. “We are adapting to the reality of HLB greening virus, just as we have every other disease.”

“We give the trees what they need by taking tissue and soil samples, having the samples analyzed, then adding boron, nitrogen or some other type of minor to the fertilizer to boost growth,” he said. Story oversees the harvesting and marketing divisions for The Story Companies, founded in 1945.

Rather than use mesh covers, Story is using the Citrus Under Protective Screen (CUPS)

system, which amounts to a screen greenhouse over his groves, to grow the highest quality citrus.

He also pointed out that the Abandoned Grove Abatement Program, overseen by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry Field Office and the local county appraiser’s office, helps growers dispose of diseased trees and prevents them from losing their agricultural exemption.

According to Mike Sparks, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual, there is an intensive vetting process by grower panels through the Citrus Research and Development Foundation to review research proposals to pursue funding.

“Only projects that will clearly help the growers are getting funded,” Sparks said. “The money is being well used.”

The federal farm bills of 2014 and 2018 each allocated $125 million for this purpose. Growers have also assessed themselves $90 million for research, diverting monies from marketing programs to research projects that study various possible solutions.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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Ready. Set.

YOUNG FARMERS AND RANCHERS LAUNCH A NEW CHARITABLE PROJECT

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resoundingly positive vibe was in the air at Florida Farm Bureau’s 2019 Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference.

The event attracted 330 attendees, giving them opportunities to learn, exchange ideas and draw inspiration for their careers. Held July 12-14 in Daytona Beach, the conference included a tour of the Daytona International Speedway.

Participants even had some time to enjoy the salt air and sunshine.

While planning for future activities, the YF&Rs initiated a new charitable project. They will conduct a collection of items for Noah’s Bandage Project, a charity that provides attractive bandages for children undergoing treatment for cancer as well as funds for research aimed at curing the disease.

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• F or an album of conference photos, visit http://bit.ly/2xXw4Md. • For details about YF&R programs, visit http://bit.ly/32vF7SG.

1 A future YF&R member in attendance. 2 The competitors for the statewide Discussion Meet include Kevin Korus, left, Alachua County, Tyler Pittman, Alachua County, Sydney Armstrong, Highlands County, and Pete Dola, Levy County. 3 Michael and Brooke Hill of Lake County will contend for the Achievement in Agriculture Award. 4 FFB President John L. Hoblick, left, and FFB State Directors Jeb Smith and Steve Johnson headed a panel discussion at the July 13 conference breakfast meeting. 5 The Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau YF&Rs captured the Most Innovative Award in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Harvest for All food donation program. 6 This home-grown farm hand was ready for a snack. 7 Paul Long, center, a spokesman for Noah’s Bandage Project, served as an energetic motivational speaker at the closing session. The YF&Rs raised 321 packs of bandages for the charitable ��������� n of Lake project at the conference. 8 ����������������� County smiles for the camera. 9 Kyle and Alisha Patterson of St. Lucie County are 2019 YF&R ����������������� nalists. Their children, Kole and Kinsley, joined them at the conference. 10 District 5 YF&Rs pause for a moment. 11 Jake and Tiffany Sache of Levy �����������������������nalists. Their children are Emily, Sadie and Kade. 12 Beach volleyball was a hit during a late afternoon of free time.

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

TA L L A H A S S E E R E P O R T

Grassroots Activism Is Farm Bureau’s Strength

By Adam Basford, Director of State Legislative Affairs

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he Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference, held July 12-14 in Daytona Beach, included informative breakout sessions on current agricultural issues, networking opportunities with current members and more.

I took a quick, 12-question digital survey at the conference. Members had the ability to take the survey through an app on their IPhone or Android – making the process of collecting this information quick and efficient.

This survey method also ensured that the results collected produced the best data and feedback as possible.

The survey included a combination of both open and close-ended types of questions.

Being engaged in the political process from beginning to end makes us more influential as a whole.

Ninety-eight percent of our attendees said they have voted in past elections. We should never take for granted the opportunity to vote. Each vote may make a difference in the ways that we live.

Through strong grassroots advocacies and a politically

SAVE THE DATE! Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Days December 10, 2019 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.

More Details to Come! involved membership, the sky could be the limit for Florida Farm Bureau.

I can assure you that we have a group of young members who are willing to make a difference and promote Florida agriculture. Fifty percent of our attendees felt that they could have an impact in local elections.

Whether it is waving signs for a candidate, walking door to door to speak on a particular message, hosting a community or charity event or making a political contribution - all of these grassroots initiatives can make a difference in upcoming elections.

Ninety-three percent of our members think that it is extremely important to be politically influential. And they are correct.

As members of the Farm Bureau, we know firsthand the struggles that we face in agriculture every day. Sixty percent of our members said they would consider running for office if they felt they could make a difference. The fact that we have a group of young members with ambitions to run for political office is exciting for the future of Florida Farm Bureau.

Our entire organization initiates our legislative priorities and gives Farm Bureau its influence as the Voice of Agriculture in our state.

Our upcoming 2019-2020 Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Days will be a perfect time to express our grassroots advocacy at the state Capitol. Due to a scheduling conflict, Farm Bureau will be changing the date of our usual Legislative Days to committee week this year. The Taste of Florida Agriculture Reception will be held on Tuesday, December 10, 2019 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Although this is a slight change from previous years, we are committed to making this year’s Legislative Days a great event.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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YF&R Achievement in Agriculture Award Finalist The couple were high school sweethearts and both attended Auburn University. She has a B.S. in Hospitality Management and Michael a B.S. in Agriculture Economics.

He graduated on a Friday and that next Monday was eagerly working on his parents’ ornamental tree farm in Clermont. In an effort to diversify the farm, Michael decided to cultivate 10 acres for blueberries.

“It was like starting over,” said Michael. “I did all of the research, planting, irrigation and everything MICHAEL AND BROOKE HILL that comes with it.”

Lake County He spent long hours learning about blueberries and understanding every part of the business. He started a packing house facility that soon not only served the family’s own blueberry farm, but farms across the state.

By Rachael Smith, In 2019 it was one of the largest Communications Manager blueberry packing facilities on the East Coast. More than 8 million ichael and Brooke pounds of blueberries were packed Hill are a power for both domestic and international couple who have turned 10 acres into a growers, serving 30% of the state’s diversified blueberry market.

While Michael was growing operation, including a U-Pick, blueberries and building the packing house, farm management operation, Brooke was forced to quit company, consulting firm and her marketing job at a local hospital trucking company. to care for their son who was born Michael is a fourth generation farmer. Despite his parents’ warning with a rare disease. He spent months in the hospital. Brooke stayed home of the hard work, long hours, stress to care for him full time until the and the unexpected challenges farm’s bookkeeper retired. Their son’s synonymous with agriculture, Hill health subsequently improved and would have it no other way. “It’s awesome. I literally don’t work a day Brooke felt comfortable stepping into the family business part-time to in my life,” said Michael. handle the bookkeeping. She began Brooke wholeheartedly agrees.

“Farming is absolutely worth it if you looking at ways to market the U-Pick blueberry farm. have a passion for it,” said Brooke.

COUPLE SHARES PASSION FOR AG

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

Michael credits the growth of the U-Pick farm to Brooke. She started marketing Southern Hills Farm (Brooke created the name) on social media, launched a website and the first U-Pick season debuted in 2014. “What started out with selling lemonade in my mom’s SUV has turned into a year-round agritourism business. It diversifies the farm and gives it longevity,” said Michael.

Five thousand blueberries were picked in the first year. Fast forward to 2019 and 5,000 blueberries were picked per day during the season. The farm has expanded to include peaches and sunflowers and is the largest blueberry U-Pick in the state. Its fall festival welcomes 100,000 visitors in eight days.

“Our farm is only 13 minutes from Disney World® so we get a lot of the international tourist traffic,” said Brooke.

Brooke relies heavily on social media to promote the business and credits the growth due to their 30,000 followers on Facebook. “We are not afraid to try new things,” said Brooke.

“It’s a combination of everything we’ve done that’s helped our success.”

Michael’s mom and his sister also work full-time for the farm along with 80 seasonal employees.

The Hills are very active in their community and serve as mentors to other young farmers looking to follow their passion in agriculture.

They understand the importance of connecting the general public to local farms.

“We want consumers to be informed,” said Brooke. “Know what grows locally and know where your local farms are.”

YF&R Achievement in Agriculture Award Finalist

CARRYING ON A FAMILY TRADITION

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Meet the top three statewide finalists for the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement in Agriculture Award.

By Amanda Overstreet, Communications Coordinator

ver since Jake Sache was a little boy, all he dreamed about was becoming a farmer. Fascinated with farm equipment and touched by his father’s passion for the land, he knew his calling at a young age.

a degree in Agriculture Education and Communication.

They purchased a combine that jumpstarted their custom grass seed harvesting business and their operation only grew from there.

“That John Deere CTS is dear to my heart,” Jake said with a

JAKE AND TIFFANY SACHE Levy County

Jake grew up on his family’s farm, Sache Farms, in Levy County, where they grew tobacco, watermelon, peanuts and raised cattle.

Now a fourth generation farmer, Jake carries on his family’s tradition with his wife, Tiffany, also a fourth generation farmer and Chiefland native.

The Saches are high school sweethearts who married in 2010.

Prior to being a stay-at-home mom to their three children, Emmale (7), Sadie (5) and Kade (3), Tiffany worked as a medical assistant and phlebotomist in a pediatric office in Gainesville.

The couple started their operation, JS Custom Harvesting, in 2006 while Jake was attending the University of Florida pursuing

smile. Shortly after they purchased the combine, the Saches expanded into watermelon and peanuts.

JS Custom Harvesting also raises a commercial herd of cattle for their cow-calf operation and grows coastal Bermuda hay on approximately 960 acres throughout Levy County and the tri-county area.

Jake and Tiffany lease the land they grow their crops on from family members and other residents in the agricultural community in Levy County.

Tiffany mentioned that, “Because Chiefland is an area so rich in agriculture it can be difficult to compete for land to lease with other growers.”

JS Custom Harvesting is a diverse business that keeps the

family on their toes year-round. “It really gets going in March when we start planting watermelon,” Jake said.

“By April we are planting peanuts, May we are harvesting melons and before you know it it’s July and we’re cutting grass seed and baling hay,” he said.

Jake and Tiffany received a County Alliance for Responsible Environmental Stewardship (CARES) Award in 2011.

Their operation uses Best Management Practices (BMPs) such as drip irrigation, center pivots for low pressure irrigation, rotational grazing in cow pastures, soil sample testing and soil moisture probes to accurately measure the water content in the soil.

Following in his father’s footsteps, Jake serves on Florida Farm Bureau’s Fruit and Vegetable Advisory Committee as well as the Levy County Farm Bureau Board of Directors while Tiffany serves on the Women’s Committee.

The couple also serve as members of the Levy-Gilchrist Young Farmers and Ranchers. “We are new to the committees and are still learning the ropes,” Tiffany said.

“We are just so thankful to have the opportunity to network with other farmers our age and learn about their operations and ideas.”

With a family of their own, Jake and Tiffany shared that one of their greatest joys is seeing the passion their children have for farming.

“Watching their faces and the way they look at their daddy when he gets ready for work in the morning is what keeps us going,” Tiffany said. “We’d love nothing more than for them to carry on the family tradition.”

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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YF&R Achievement in Agriculture Award Finalist

CHANCE CLAY Putnam County

PRESERVING THE FAMILY LEGACY

A

By G.B. Crawford, Director of Public Relations

fter recording 70 inches of rainfall last year, Chance Clay quit monitoring his gauges. Rising water levels on his family’s farm submerged cropland and created lakes in areas previously dry for decades.

A beef cattle, blueberry and timber producer, he has made a number of adjustments to heavy rainfall, including moving both plants and animals to higher ground.

The Putnam County farmer understands that he must adapt to variable natural conditions, as he conserves basic resources. That is the hallmark of agriculture.

“We are here to protect our ranch and protect our

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environment,” Clay noted. “Just simply by good agricultural practices, water is cleaner when it comes off this ranch than when it comes on it.”

Like many other agriculturists, he has diversified the family business. In recent years he has added to the cow-calf production with stocker cattle purchased at livestock markets around the state.

These animals enlarge the herd at the ranch and give the family another revenue source at different times throughout the year.

Two parcels of timber are grown for both pulpwood and lumber, creating another commodity for sale.

Since 2010 Clay and his wife, Sarah, have also developed a U-Pick blueberry business.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

Through their use of social media channels, retail customers are becoming a prime market.

“We are trying to hedge some of our risk by selling locally with U-Pick, versus being at the mercy of the commercial blueberry market,” Clay explained.

The Clays plan to establish a full-fledged agritourism venture that includes expanding the crop mix with strawberries, blackberries, oranges and peaches, and organizing weekend festivals on the property. Guests will be able to enjoy music and food during their visits.

While there, the hosts plan to give them an introduction to their property and their livelihood. “Hopefully, we’ll get to talk to people about agriculture,” he said. “I think it is really important to show people what we do.”

Clay Ranch LLC has been in the family’s hands since the mid19th century. Three years ago it was placed under the state’s Rural and Family Lands Protection Program, making certain that the land will always remain an agricultural property.

As the 7th-generation owner, Chance Clay takes pride in maintaining the family’s legacy.

“It is very important to me and to the rest of the family to preserve this place,” he said.

“I’ve got a love for it. My family has a love for it. My biggest goal is to keep this place going as a successful operation.”

WA S H I N G TO N R E P O RT

MINIMUM WAGE POLITICS ARE HERE TO STAY

I

By JohnWalt Boatright, Director of National Affairs

Congressional Budget Office Wage Projections

(SOURCE: CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE)

magine for a moment that your mortgage company notifies you of its plans to double your home loan payment. Or your landlord announces a gradual increase in your rent to span multiple years.

Housing costs are the single largest expense incurred by many households. In these examples, you are left with few options: increase household income, reduce costs in other areas or somehow achieve a combination of both. None of these options is an easy answer.

Consider a similar circumstance with an unexpected increase in a major input for a small business. The largest financial obligation for many businesses is the employee payroll, and Florida’s agricultural sector supports many hands.

On July 18, another farm challenge emerged when the U.S. House of Representatives approved to mandate a $15-per-hour federal minimum wage over the course of six years.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) says 1.3 million jobs could be lost with such a proposal. It is clear that business, including agriculture, would move to reduce labor costs in response.

The trend line in the accompanying graph, supplied by the CBO, compares hourly wages to the federal minimum wage over the past 50 years and projected into the next ten. By a wide margin, the $15 wage proposal exceeds the historical norm of federal minimum wage increases in the United States.

The last increase in the federal minimum wage was in 2009. In that year the wage was increased by 70 cents an hour to $7.25 an hour. The House proposal would more than double the current figure.

The chart also suggests that political and economic pressure will continue to build as the federal minimum wage, measured in 2018 dollars, inches closer toward the troughs of 1989, 1997 and 2007.

Agriculture is subjected to a fundamental disadvantage by such a scheme because farmers are price takers, not price setters. This means that the market dictates the price received for food and other farm commodities, leaving producers to operate as efficiently as possible.

In addition, as diversified as Florida’s agriculture is, the enterprise needs a robust and stable workforce to harvest its products. Such an arbitrary rise in the wage floor would add to the workforce woes already faced by Florida farmers.

There is little chance of this proposal’s advancement in the current Congress, but it serves as a predictor for continuing discussions on this issue.

The presidential politics leading into 2020 will assure us of that.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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Family Farming IN THE EVERGLADES

By Susan Salisbury, Correspondent

VISITORS WHO SEE ROW AFTER ROW OF MANGO TREES at Erickson Farm in Canal Point sometimes assume it’s owned by a big corporate entity.

The Ericksons — Dale Erickson, 68, and his daughters Kim Erickson, 43, and Krista Erickson, 39, and grandson, Brendan Erickson, 20, soon set them straight. They’re the farm’s third, fourth and fifth generations.

“It’s like no, my family owns this! We have been here for over 100 years,” said Kim Erickson, who handles marketing and manages the website, social media and gift shipping.

In 1911 Alfred and Elfrida Erickson, Swedish emigrants, settled on the homestead on the shore of Lake Okeechobee that now comprises the 62-acre farm.

The farm grew vegetables for decades, and in the 1960s, Floyd Erickson, the second generation, planted mango and avocado trees.

Today the Ericksons’ main crop is mangoes from more than 20

3,000 trees, but also lychees, avocados and sapodillas. They also ship curry, mango and paan leaves, mostly purchased by florists for decorating.

Through market shifts, rainstorms and hurricanes, they’ve thrived and changed while keeping the focus on producing top-quality fruit.

“We have over 50 kinds of mangoes that are in full production. We truly have over 100 varieties if you count the ones we are testing,” said Krista, who runs the daily operations, including wholesale shipping.

Retail sales are conducted from a stand at the front of the packinghouse during peak mango season in summer.

About 15 workers assist with sales, packing, picking, pruning, planting and other tasks.

On a muggy July morning, a steady stream of mango

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

fanatics pulled in off of U.S. 441 to buy anywhere from one basket to 15 boxes of mangoes.

Guy Byrd of Okeechobee stopped in to buy two boxes of mangoes, selecting from the seven types available that day, and to ask about when to prune the Glenn mango tree he bought there last year.

When Dale took over from his father in 1977, sales were primarily wholesale. Now 80 percent of the crop is sold directly to consumers, who either visit the farm or order and have the fruit shipped anywhere across the continental U.S. “We were very blessed that when NAFTA started coming through, that Dad had the vision and had started propagating all these varieties,” Krista recalled.

Dale created a market niche by growing many mango varieties and other tropical fruit.

Kim, Dale, Krista and Brendan Erickson welcome customers at their farm.

The family farm is located in the Everglades Agricultural Area.

“We couldn’t compete with the imports,” Dale said. “Labor is $4 a day for 12 hours in Guatemala.

The imports come from Puerto Rico, Mexico, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Ecuador and Brazil.

“They also have to pick their fruit 42 days before it is mature,” he said. “We pick them ripe from the tree.”

The exception is mangoes picked green and sold to Miami wholesale distributors who break down the loads for Asian, Indian and Hispanic grocery stores.

Now they’re attracting not just mango lovers but mango connoisseurs, who crave the flavor and texture nuances of each type, Krista said.

“They drive every week or two weeks from Boca Raton, Orlando or Miami because they can get all the different varieties. They enjoy it as much as we do,” Krista said.

Among the offerings are the huge Southern Blush, described as peachy and juicy, and the Edward, known for its smooth texture and pineapple-like flavor.

Fruit is picked by hand, with each piece evaluated for ripeness.

Trees are kept at 10 feet, so ladders

are not needed. A picker pole with a mesh basket and razor blades is used to pluck the fruit.

“You pick each tree multiple times, 15 to 20 times, two to three times a week,” Dale said.

“A hurricane won’t blow them over if they are 10 feet. In 2004 and 2005 we lost 800 trees to the hurricanes,” Dale said.

During hurricane-impacted years, the Ericksons have grown vegetables such as Indian eggplant to remain viable.

Each July the farm holds Mango Madness, a one-day event that draws several thousand people and has been going on for ten years. Attendees can sample up to 10 varieties, enjoy a grove tour,

buy a tree, purchase mangoes and food, drinks and even artwork from vendors.

During the off-season in the winter, maintenance is performed on the groves, roads and equipment.

“There’s never a down time,” Kim said.

Krista adds, “We are a team.

Without Dad truly overseeing and caring for the fruit, there would be nothing for me to manage and sell. There is no way I could do the front of the house and do sales and manage the crew and attempt to help Dad if Kim wasn’t taking care of letting the rest of the world know that we exist and handling the ripe mango shipping."

Retail business generates most of the revenue for the farm.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

21

EVERGLADES GROWERS HELP SUSTAIN BARN OWLS

Barn owls thrive in the Everglades Agricultural Area because farmers provide nest boxes for them.

B

arn owls make their homes in boxes put up by farmers in South Florida. Growers like the owls because they eat rodents that would otherwise munch on their sugarcane, sweet corn and rice.

Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS) have found that mosquito bites can contribute to the deaths of the beneficial barn owls.

But scientists also found they can use the insecticide permethrin to ward off the mosquitoes that prey on little barn owls – known as “nestlings.”

When researchers put permethrin inside the nest box, the number of mosquitoes went down – without negatively impacting the little owls, said Caroline Efstathion, a scientist who led the study when she was a Ph.D. student at the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.

“It actually increased their survival rate compared to nestlings in boxes with no insecticide,” Efstathion explained.

“The birds benefit from the nest boxes, and farmers benefit from the rodent control,” she said.

“We showed that mosquitoes are a factor to consider in the conservation of endangered birds.”

Barn owls thrive in South Florida because farmers have installed nest boxes for them, according to UF/IFAS research.

Growers, especially those who produce sugarcane in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), use barn owls to reduce rodent populations and damage in their crops. The 700,000-acre EAA encompasses an area near Lake Okeechobee.

For the study, scientists attached mosquito traps to boxes where barn owls nested in sugarcane fields, said Nathan Burkett-Cadena, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of entomology, and a co-author on the study.

The study results are published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases.

(PHOTO COURTESY UF/IFAS)

By Brad Buck, UF/IFAS

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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2019 COUNTY FARM BUREAU ANNUAL MEETINGS AUGUST WALTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Aug. 2 @ 6:00 p.m. CT DeFuniak Springs Community Center DeFuniak Springs, FL HOLMES COUNTY FARM BUREAU Aug. 8 @ 6:00 p.m. CT That Place Downtown Bonifay, FL WASHINGTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Aug. 15 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Washington County Ag Center Chipley, FL JACKSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Aug. 22 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Jackson County Ag Complex Building Marianna, FL UNION COUNTY FARM BUREAU Aug. 22 @ 7:00 p.m.

Hal Y. Maines Community Center Lake Butler, FL

SEPTEMBER INDIAN RIVER COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 5 @ 6:00 p.m.

Vero Heritage Center & Citrus Museum Vero Beach, FL LIBERTY COUNTY ANNUAL MEETING Sept. 5 @ 6:00 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Civic Center Bristol, FL SANTA ROSA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 5 @ 5:30 p.m. CT Jay Civic Center Jay, FL

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LAFAYETTE COUNTY ANNUAL MEETING Sept. 9 @ 6:30 p.m.

Mayo Community Center Mayo, FL

CLAY COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 19 @ 6:00 p.m.

Lake Asbury Jr. High School Green Cove Springs, FL

GULF COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Honeyville Community Center Wewahitchka, FL

COLUMBIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 10 @ 7:00 p.m.

Columbia County Fairgrounds, Banquet Hall Lake City, FL

MARION COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 19 @ 6:30 p.m.

UF/IFAS Extension Auditorium Ocala, FL

HAMILTON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:30 p.m.

VFW Hall Jasper, FL

SUWANNEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 19 @ 6:00 p.m.

Suwannee County Agricultural Coliseum Complex Live Oak, FL

NASSAU COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:00 p.m.

Northeast Florida Fairgrounds, Multi-Purpose Bldg.

Callahan, FL

PUTNAM/ST. JOHNS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 23 @ 6:00 p.m.

Putnam County Fairgrounds, Exhibit Hall Bldg.

East Palatka, FL

PINELLAS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 7:00 p.m.

Pinellas County IFAS Extension Office Largo, FL

JEFFERSON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 24 @ 6:00 p.m.

Wacissa United Methodist Church Monticello, FL

BAKER COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 28 @ 12:00 p.m.

Heritage Park Macclenny, FL

TAYLOR COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 10 @ 5:30 p.m.

Forest Capital Hall Perry, FL OKALOOSA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 12 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Crestview Community Center Crestview, FL SARASOTA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 12 @ 6:30 p.m.

Sarasota County FairgroundsPotter Building Sarasota, FL BRADFORD COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 17 @ 6:30 p.m.

Belle Oaks Barn Brooker, FL

DESOTO/CHARLOTTE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:30 p.m.

Turner Agri-Civic Center Arcadia, FL

CALHOUN COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 17 @ 6:00 p.m. CT W.T. Neal Civic Center Blountstown, FL

DUVAL COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:00 p.m.

Duval County Extension Office (Ag Center) Jacksonville, FL

MADISON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 17 @ 6:30 p.m.

Madison County Central School Cafeteria Madison, FL BAY COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 19 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Hiland Park Baptist Church-Fellowship Hall Panama City, FL

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

ESCAMBIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:00 p.m. CT Molino Park Elementary School Molino, FL GILCHRIST COUNTY FARM BUREAU Sept. 26 @ 6:30 p.m.

Trenton Elementary School Cafeteria Trenton, FL

OCTOBER LEON COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 1 @ 6:00 p.m.

Goodwood Museum & Gardens, Carriage House Tallahassee, FL SEMINOLE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 1 @ 6:30 p.m.

Sanford Civic Center Sanford, FL SUMTER COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 1 @ 6:00 p.m.

West Central FL Ag Education Center, Sumter County Fairgrounds Bushnell, FL

OKEECHOBEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

Oakview Baptist Church Okeechobee, FL OSCEOLA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 7:00 p.m.

Kissimmee Valley Livestock Building Kissimmee, FL GADSDEN COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

FL National Guard Armory Quincy, FL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

FL Strawberry Festival Grounds-Charlie Grimes Ag Bldg.

Plant City, FL

HERNANDO/CITRUS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 8 @ 6:30 p.m.

Hernando County Fairgrounds, McKethan Auditorium Brooksville, FL HIGHLANDS COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 10 @ 6:00 p.m.

Jack Stroup Sebring Civic Center Sebring, FL POLK COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 10 @ 6:00 p.m.

Stuart Center, Bartow Extension Office Bartow, FL WAKULLA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 10 @ 7:00 p.m.

Wakulla County Extension Office, Livestock Pavilion Crawfordville, FL

LEVY COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

Bronson High School Cafeteria, Bronson, FL

ALACHUA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 15 @ 6:00 p.m.

Santa Fe River Ranch Alachua, FL

PASCO COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

Pasco County Fairgrounds, Dan Cannon Auditorium Dade City, FL

HARDEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 17 @ 6:00 p.m.

Hardee County Agri-Civic Center Wauchula, FL

VOLUSIA COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

Volusia County Ag Center, Elvin B. Daugharty Bldg.

DeLand, FL

LAKE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 21 @ 6:00 p.m.

Lake County Fairgrounds Expo Center Eustis, FL

ORANGE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 7 @ 6:00 p.m.

Central Florida Fairgrounds Orlando, FL

MANATEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU Oct. 21 @ 6:30 p.m.

Manatee County Fairgrounds-Mosaic Arena Palmetto, FL

This schedule was received as of press time. For the most current meeting schedule, visit www.floridafarmbureau.org/calendar/.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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Simplify Back-to-School THE FALL SEASON can be cluttered between after-school activities, week­end sports

and evening homework – as well as making dinner each night. The recipes below can be ready in less than an hour and put a fresh twist on classic favorites to please parents and kids alike. Discover more recipe inspiration and tips at AmericanPecan.com.

Baked Pecan-Crusted Chicken Tenders INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups raw pecan halves or pieces • 1 cup panko or gluten-free bread crumbs • 1 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper • 1 teaspoon salt, plus additional, to taste • 1 1/2-2 pounds chicken breast tenders or chicken strips • 3 large eggs • 1 cup all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend • pepper, to taste DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the oven to 425 F. • In a food processor, pulse the pecans into fine breadcrumbs. In a shallow

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

bowl, mix the pecans with panko, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and one teaspoon of salt.

• In a separate shallow bowl, whisk the eggs until smooth. In a third shallow bowl, add flour.

• Lightly season the chicken tenders with salt and pepper, to taste. Working with one chicken tender at a time, dip in the eggs, coat with flour, then with pecan mixture.

• Set the chicken on a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack or parchment paper.

Repeat with remaining chicken.

• Place the chicken on the center rack and bake 20 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.

(Courtesy of Family Features)

Pizza with Pecan-Herb Topping INGREDIENTS:

• 1 store-bought pizza dough • 1 cup raw pecan halves or pieces • 1/2 cup fresh parsley • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder • 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional) • 1pinch salt • 1pinch pepper • 1/2 cup jarred pizza sauce • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese • 1/2 cup thinly sliced red pepper • 1/2 cup thinly sliced Vidalia onion DIRECTIONS:

• Heat the oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Lightly flour a clean surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out the pizza dough to 1/8-inch thick and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Gently pierce the dough with a fork to prevent air pockets. Bake the crust 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden in color.

• In a food processor, pulse the pecans, parsley and garlic powder until the mixture becomes coarse crumbs. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Set aside.

• Spread the pizza sauce over a crust. Top with mozzarella cheese, red pepper slices and onion slices. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the pecan mixture over the pizza.

• Transfer the pizza to an oven and bake 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with the remaining pecan-herb mixture.

(Courtesy of Family Features)

Cool Cucumber Salad Florida Cucumber and Sweet Pepper Salad INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Florida bell peppers (or 12 small sweet peppers), seeds removed and sliced thin (a variety of colored peppers is recommended) • 2 Florida cucumbers • 1 red onion • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped fine • 1 tablespoon fresh herbs (basil, thyme, oregano or mint) • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar • 1 tablespoon olive oil • Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste DIRECTIONS:

• Add all ingredients, except the salt and pepper, to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Lightly toss all ingredients to coat. Taste the salad and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated and serve cold. Sprinkle with pine nuts and add Parmesan curls. Add salt and pepper, to taste.

(Courtesy of Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services)

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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Horse-quality square bales (limited rolls), fertilized & irrigated fields. Feed stores welcome. Clean digging stock. Call Haystack Farms at 386-963-3505 or 855-326-8873. www.haystackfarms.com.

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FISHERIES FLORIDA FISH FARMS Bass, Bluegill, Catfish, Grass Carp (Permit Req.) & Koi (Ornamental Carp) Contact: Florida Fish Farms, 9684 CR 705, Center Hill, FL 33514. 352-793-4224. Visit our website: www.floridafishfarms.com.

PONDSTOCKER Bass, Bream, Catfish, Tilapia, Koi, Grass Carp, Shinners and Gambusea Minnows. Pond Supplies. Licensed and experienced. Call today! Cal Trotter.

1-321-952-9176.

Palm Bay, FL. SHONGALOO FISHERIES Channel catfish, certified Florida bass, bluegill, grass carp, shellcrackers, warmouth, koi, and gambusia for stocking. See complete list at www.shongaloofisheriesinc. com. Hampton, FL. 352-468-1251.

SERVING SOUTH FLORIDA Native Fish Stocking - Grass Carp - Tilapia Fountain & Aeration Systems Complete Lake Management ALLSTATE FISH & WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 1-800-270-6558 www.allstatemanagement.com

GOOD THINGS TO EAT FARM BUREAU BUYER'S CLUB Don't miss your last chance to purchase Coloma Frozen Foods until 2020!

We're also offering new peppered turkey breast and smoked chicken wings!

LEGAL SERVICES Michael Martin Martin Law Office Agricultural & Environmental litigation Defective products and seeds Crop insurance All litigation issues state or federal 863-686-6700 Lakeland, FL Representing four generations of farm and ranch families.

Email: Mike@martinpa.com Website: www.martinpa.com

NOTICE Pursuant to the By-Laws of the Florida Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund, Inc., Notice is hereby given of the annual meeting.

The annual meeting of the members of the Florida Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund, Inc. will be held December 4, 2019 at the Florida Farm Bureau office in Gainesville, Florida at 12:00 noon.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

LEGAL SERVICES

REAL ESTATE

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FOR SALE 40 acres planted pines. Good deer/turkey hunting. Future pine straw/timber income.

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MISCELLANEOUS FOR SALE Registered Texas Heeler Puppy ONE MALE (FULL MERLE) LEFT! Hanging Tree Lineage, Working Stock Dog Available Now 904.351.8118 AKC REGISTERED BEAGLE PUPPIES FOR SALE in NW Florida. Call 850-554-1062 or email Allenmanning59@gmail.com. www.thebeagleman.com

PLANTS & SEEDS MUSCADINES Grow 1/2 dollar size Muscadines and Blackberries. We also offer over 200 varieties of Fruit and Nut trees plus Vine and Berry plants. Call for free color catalog. 1-800-733-0324.

Ison's Nursery & Vineyard, PO Box 190, Brooks, GA 30205. Visit our web site at www.isons.com.; Lic. #0692 Alternative Fruit Crops All of the latest and greatest varieties of avocado, dragon fruit, guava, longan, lychee, macadamia nut, mango, peach, pomegranate, and more. Call Pine Island Nursery (305)233-5501. www.PineIslandNursery.com

LONGLEAF LAND COMPANY Land for sale in Northwest Florida and South Alabama Contact Jody Jones 334.493.0123 longleaf@longleafland.com www.longleafland.com N. Fla., S. Ga. Seal Bid 09/19/2019 9000 acres of cattle, farm land J ackson Co. Fla. Tracts ranging from 168 acres to 2122 acres. please email or call Ted Knight RE Broker 850-545-7243, landdealinfo@gmail.com for details, web links to maps, info.

One of a kind opportunity!!!

10 acres Highlands county,Lake Placid Fl. 330 ft road frontage,pole barn, fenced and pond. 120,000.00 Contact Steve Cooper at 863-441-0524 Poultry Layer-Breeder Hen Facility in NE Florida.

49.19 ac.; five, modern and updated, cage-free layer houses capable of conversion to breeder hen houses; generators; a 40' x 100' equipment building; and a four-bedroom, two-bath manufactured home. The farm is certified organic, Egg-Land's Best, Publix, and numerous other certifications.

Contact Larry Saucer @ 386-365-1794.

Saucer Realty & Capital.

CROSBY & ASSOCIATES, INC. Real Estate Brokerage 863-293-5600 * www.crosbydirt.com FARM LEASE- OKEECHOBEE, FL- 450+/Irrigated Farmland...Total property acres are +/-640 acres. Land is irrigated via wells and a large surface water pond on the south property line. Farmland formerly used for silage corn crops, with the last crop harvested in May of 2018. http://properties. crosbydirt.com/415655-lease HENDRY COUNTY - LABELLE, FL$525,000 Located in the eastern part of Lehigh Acres, near Labelle, this site represents an investment opportunity that can support agricultural uses as the area matures. Suitable for livestock, farming, hunting, or homesites. http://properties.crosbydirt.com/482702-sale CHARLOTTE COUNTY, PUNTA GORDA, FL- 650 Irrigated Acres $3,390,000 This Charlotte County agricultural tract is a former citrus grove with expensive irrigation infrastructure. Much of the grove has been removed and burned, allowing for quick transition to other crops, if desired. https://crosbydirt.com/property/ 650-irrigated-acres-multiple-uses

August 2019

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

Maury L. Carter & Associates, Inc. Licensed Real Estate Broker CONTACT Daryl Carter or John Evans 407-422-3144 - www.maurycarter.com

All Realty Services www.myallrealty.com

HAW CREEK RANCH & TIMBERLAND, PRICE REDUCED - Flagler County-1200Âą Acres - Located in Flagler County, Florida, Middle Haw Creek Ranch and Timberland offers a variety of uses. Whether you are an avid outdoor enthusiast, a hunter, a cattle rancher, or a timber investor, this property offers it all. The property is located near large metropolitan areas and Florida's east coast, making it easily accessible. The land can be described as "Old Florida" Pine Flatwoods with scattered cypress heads, oak hammocks and palmetto stands. This property is teeming with wildlife. Deer, turkey, hogs, and other Florida wildlife species call this property home. Hunting, fishing, camping, and other outdoor activities are readily available and ideal for this site. BRING OFFERS!!!

NOW $4200/acre or $5,040,000 WAS $5,880,000 or $4,900/acre SPRINGWATER RANCH Lake County 1,241Âą Acres - This property offers the comforts of the country with proximity to major cities. Springwater Ranch is located roughly an hour northwest of Downtown Orlando and is just a short twenty minute drive north of Mount Dora, FL. The ranch is mostly improved pasture and boasts gorgeous elevation changes throughout the property. This property is a working cattle ranch but would double nicely as a sod operation. THIS WON'T LAST! ASKING PRICE: $6,205,000 or $5,000/acre LAKE HARNEY PINES PRICE REDUCED - UNDER CONTRACT - 123+/- acresLocated SE of Lake Harney, Volusia County, FL-This 123+/- acres is perfect for timber investment, recreational uses, hunting and other outdoor activities. Conveniently located 45 minutes from Orlando, make this your own perfect weekend getaway. The property is secluded and offers ultimate privacy. Deer and turkey are abundant.

Located minutes away from the St. Johns River, which offers additional recreational boating and other opportunities. Long term timber investment opportunity.

NOW: $245,385 or $1,995/acre WAS: $367,770 or $2,990/acre.

95.93 acres, gorgeous land with pond and solid home.

3br/2 ba.

Madison, FL. $490,000 150 acres, gorgeous home & barn on rolling land with planted pines.

Greenville, FL. $549,000 98 acres, perfect hunting/ farming land with open cypress ponds.

Greenville, FL. $425,000 33.26 acres, wooded area for hunting or clearing for homesite.

Jennings, FL. $92,900 55 acres, freshly cleared land, great for planting crops or development.

Madison, FL. $154,000 305 acres, cattle ranch with 3br/2ba home.

Madison, FL. $1,500,000 440 + acres, working cattle farm with well-built cattle coral and 4 br mobile home.

Greenville, FL. $995,000 345 acres, cattle ranch with 1250 square ft. home and out-buildings.

Madison, FL. $1,150,000 180 acres, hunting tract in Madison County.

Greenville, FL. $486,000 7.3 acres, 12,000 sq ft. of warehouse space and 3br/2ba home.

Lee, FL. $245,000 61 acres, two beautiful homes, horse barn, equipment shed, and other outbuildings.

Pinetta, FL. $625,000 Gary Silvernell, Realtor Associate 334-355-2124

AUG./SEPT. CROSSWORD Crossword 1 2 3 4 5 ACROSS 1 Place for a 14 massage 6 Chowder morsel 17 10 Highway exit 20 14 Teach one-on24 one 15 "Unfaithful" star 27 28 29 16 Burn soother 17 Make amends 32 (for) 37 18 Gambler's concern 41 42 19 Overabundance 45 46 20 Like summer school classes, 48 49 often 53 22 Bone brace 24 Hook, line and 59 _____ 26 Worse for wear 63 27 Informant 66 30 Express a thought 32 Track down 33 "Cheers" regular 64 Pixar movie set 34 Kind of race in Mexico 37 State with 65 Prop for Picasso 66 Ill at ___ certainty 38 No ____ or 67 Follow, as reason advice 40 Corduroy ridge 68 Gas additive 41 Cooking fuel 42 Italian import DOWN 43 Furnace, for one 1 Hollywood 45 Ungraceful one sighting 47 Favor 2 Adorable 48 Case opener?

3 Kind of bomb 50 Wear away 4 Country group 53 Dot above the i with the #1 55 Priest's helper song "Amazed" 59 "Beat" anagram 5 Do a meteorolo60 70's hairdo gist's job, say 62 Delve into 6 Dagger's 63 Elvis movie, "___ companion Happy"

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Big dipper Here-now link State of disorder Type of sleeve Repeat starting letters, as in "good as gold" Everest or Ararat Tom who sang "I Won't Back Down" Get what was left?

Stiffly formal ___ and board Refinery residue Exploding star Some Winter Olympians

31 Warm up, in the kitchen 33 WSJ alternative 35 Sheltered, at sea 36 School session 39 Confusion 40 "The Wind in the Willows" critter 42 Roll up, as a flag 44 One that got away 46 Pint-sized 48 Theater platform 49 Fibula's neighbor 51 Ludicrous show 52 Biblical disaster 54 Inventory unit 56 Nonsense 57 Follow orders 58 Holler 61 Friend's opposite

Solution available online at FloridAgriculture.org or in next issue.

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JULY SolutionSOLUTION to Crossword: S E R E

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A C T I V I S M L O T I O N

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REAL ESTATE Suwannee County Well-kept 4/3 on 5 acres, all fenced with 5 ft chain-link, lots of fruit trees, grape vineyard. New roof in 2014 $209,000 David Mincey 386-590-0157 MLS 102588 Beautiful 3/2 at 1800 sq. ft on 20 acres cleared land, this farm could be yours. $229,900. David Mincey 386-590-0157 MLS 100784 TWO HOMES, both 2017 Big Foot Homes on 10 acres. 3 bay steel building, stalls, new fences, horse ready, borders Twin Rivers Forest along the Suwannee River $325,000 David Mincey 386-590-0157 MLS 98572

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

152 acres fenced with pasture for the animals. Property is scattered with oaks and would make a nice homesite. $3,750 per acre. Ronnie Poole, 386-208-3175 MLS#104390

1,152 acres in Lafayette Co. Managed Timberland, Planted Pine, mixed with Hardwood Bottoms, Excellent Hunting. $1,500/acre.

7,588 acres of high quality timberland, Planted Pine, Hardwood Bottoms, Excellent Hunting. $1,450/acre.

Call Pat Duane at 352-867-8018 Southern Pine Plantations of Fla. Owns the property it sells.

Beautiful 83-acre Horse Ranch not far from town. 4/2 home, 7 stall horse barn with office and full bath, birthing stall, hot water wash station, wood working shop, mechanic shop, RV barn, 2 paddock with animal shelters, hay barn, stocked fish pond with gazebo and dock for cook outs. $650000 avid Mincey 386-590-0157 MLS 99748 POOLE REALTY, INC 127 HOWARD STREET LIVE OAK, FL 32064 Office: 800-557-7478

160 acres with merchantable timber.

Property has a gentle roll with good elevations. Build your home overlooking Crawford Lake and enjoy the view of the water and the surrounding farmland. $3,602.50 per acre. Ronnie Poole, 386-208-3175 MLS#96691

Southern Pine Plantations North and Northwest Florida 377 Acres, Jackson Co, 148 acres Cultivated farm land, Irrigated, 15,400 sq. ft. packing shed, 2,400 Sq. ft. Cooler. $2,950/acre

N FL Farm. 5/3.5 Two-story on 55+ acres. $525,000 Kellie Shirah 386-208-3847 MLS 100610

484 Acres, Lafayette Co, The area is well known for its fantastic hunting and fishing, Pave Road, Pines and Hardwoods. $1,350/acre.

Continued on next column ...

Continued on next column ...

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

REAL ESTATE OKLAWAHA RIVER 30 acres surrounded

by Ocala National Forest. Fantastic views from this 3/3 3958 sq. ft. home With vaulted wood ceilings, 50x34 greatroom, 2 stone fireplaces, 3 car garage, formal dining, dock on the river and wildlife galore. $775,000 .

Century 21 Beckham Realty Tedra (386)546.5269

145 Acre Sod Farm / Gadsden Co FL Zoned for 40+ houses.

120+,- Acres / Jackson Co FL - Will divide.

51 Acres / Grady Co, GA - Close to Cairo, Thomasville & Tallahassee 607 Acres / Thomas Co, Georgia 35 Acre floodable duckpond 75 Acres / Liberty Co, FL - on the Ochlockonee River. Access by way of the river D. E. BILLINGSLEY Lic Real Estate Broker AL / FL / GA / MT FL - 850.510.3309 MT - 406.203.4191 Fax - 1.866.593.0228 DE@debillingsley.com www.debillingsley.com

LABOR HOUSING ATTENTION GROWERS Labor Housing for H2A and/or Domestic Workers available…

EXCELLENT LOCATION (Western Palm Beach County) Approx. 1 hr. drive to Boynton/Delray, Vero/Ft. Pierce and Devils Garden Full Kitchen and Mess Hall Permitted and ready for immediate occupancy Capacity: Up to 1,000 persons Contact: Chuck Royal (561) 996-6581 Ext. 113 Also additional location in Moore Haven Glades County. Call for details.

A number of North Florida farmers are producing Satsuma oranges. In the early 20th century these oranges were grown as a major crop in the area.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2019

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