FloridAgriculture November/December

FloridAgriculture The Voice of Agriculture in Florida

VOLUME 80, NO. 7 • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

Made in Florida Gift Guide Mental Health Resources

Making Spirits Bright

The Next Generation of Farmers

www.floridagriculture.org | www.FloridaFarmBureau.org

OFFICERS President ............................ John L. Hoblick Vice President .............Brantley Schirard Jr. Secretary .............................. Steve Johnson Treasurer ...................................... Rod Land

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DIRECTORS District 1 ......................................Jerry Davis District 2 ...................................Jeff Pittman District 3............................. Henry McCrone District 4 ............................ Michael Dooner District 5 ....................................... Rod Land District 6 ........................................Jon Deas District 7 ................................. Thomas Ford District 8 ....................................... Ed Shadd District 9 ................................... Adam Cook District 10......................................Jeb Smith District 11.......................................Kelly Rice District 12 ........................ J. Daniel Peterson District 13 .....................................Mark Byrd District 14 .............................. Steve Johnson District 15 ..................................... Dan West District 16 ................................ Ken Harrison District 17 ............................... Mark Sodders District 18 ................................ Jacob Larson District 19 ................................. Mark Wilson STATE WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Chair ..................................... Danielle Daum Vice Chair ........................... Victoria Hunter STATE YF&R LEADERSHIP GROUP

CONTENTS 14

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: SARAH HEDDEN PHOTOGRAPHY; NAPLES SOAP; JENNIFER SIDELINGER; JESSI HEGGAN

President ........................... Ryan Armstrong Immed. Past Pres. ................... Adam Cook

6 One Potato, Two Potato

STAFF Editor, Communications Mgr. ..Rachael Smith Communications Coord. .Amanda Overstreet Graphic Designer.....................Alex Compton 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 St. Periodical postage paid at Gainesville, FL and additional mailing offices. It was established in 1943.

Copyright 2020 by the Florida Farm Bureau Federation. Main telephone number: 352-378-8100.

POSTMASTER Send address changes to: FloridAgriculture, P.O. Box 147030 Gainesville, FL 32614-7030 For advertising information, contact Bob Midles at 615-771-5567 or bmidles@farmflavormedia.com.

Non-member subscriptions are not available.

4 Food Where It’s Needed

10 Planting the Seeds

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12 Hope on the Horizon 14 Made in Florida Gift Guide 17 Washington Report 18 Making Spirits Bright

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22 Let’s Talk Tractors 24 Outstanding in His Field 26 Five-Ingredient Favorites 31 Classified Ads 32 Crossword Puzzle FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Giving Thanks Amid a Year of Perseverance As we approach the holiday season, there has never been a more important time to give thanks. We give thanks to the volunteer leaders who serve the community. We give thanks to the farmers, ranchers and farm workers who grow and harvest the food that nourishes our bodies.

This year’s pandemic has mentally and financially challenged us all in some way. But even in times of hardship, our farm families embraced adversity and turned it into opportunity.

From adapting to new business models, engaging more directly with consumers or giving back to their local communities, our farm families have truly persevered.

legislators and lawmakers and participated in virtual hearings on unfair trade practices.

We used various online platforms to deliver engaging conferences and trainings to our members. Our Florida Fusion conference welcomed more than 250 participants “virtually.”

We participated in a national social media campaign, #StillFarming, collectively reaching an audience of 90 million.

We contributed more than $300,000 in monetary donations to food insecure families statewide. Our Young Farmers & Ranchers donated 20 million pounds of food and received the Harvest for All Award

We give thanks to the farmers, ranchers and farm workers who grow and harvest the food that nourishes our bodies.

As an organization, we have also persevered. With thanks to the collective efforts of our grassroots members and our amazing staff, we have continued to be the voice of agriculture.

Even though we could not meet in-person, we did not stop representing our members at the state or national level.

We learned new technologies without missing a beat.

We hosted virtual and teletown-hall meetings with state

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for the most food donated.

Our State Women’s Leadership Committee contributed $30,000 to youth scholarships and other charitable endeavors.

This is just a sampling of what we can accomplish when we work together. So many intangibles are hard to measure – the time our members have spent volunteering at a local county fair, serving as an agricultural ambassador or mentoring a young farmer.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

John L. Hoblick, Florida Farm Bureau President

These acts of service reflect our grassroots strength and further solidify our legacy of service.

I am thankful to serve an organization that represents such strong and passionate Floridians, all coming together to support agriculture and the rural community.

As we look forward to a new year, we will look ahead with optimism. Because one thing that has remained certain during this time of uncertainty is the public’s appreciation of our farm families as cultivators, innovators, educators and leaders.

Next year marks 80 years of service to our member families.

We will continue to build upon this legacy as we look toward cultivating tomorrow.

COMMODIT Y CORNER

NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK We’ve got some exciting news to share with you! Starting in January, our magazine will have a new name and design. We will continue to publish content that highlights Florida’s farmers and rural life, just in a new format. So keep an eye out for Florida Farm & Family when you check the mail in the new year. Happy reading!

EVENTS Farm-City Week (Nov. 18-25) floridafarmbureau.org/ farm-city-week American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting (Jan. 8-13, 2021) fb.org/events

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, events may change. Please check the website provided for the most up-to-date information available.

NOW THAT'S SWEET:

Florida Sugar Cane Did you know Florida leads the nation in the production of sugar cane? The sweet crop can be grown anywhere in the state, but most commercial sugar cane production happens in South Florida near the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee.

Read on for more sweet facts: • Florida produces 52% of the total U.S. value for sugar cane for sugar and seed.

• Approximately 70% of Florida’s commercial sugar cane acreage is in Palm Beach County. The remaining 30% is grown in Hendry, Glades and Martin counties.

• Sugar cane planting takes place from late August through January and is harvested between late October and mid-April.

• Sugar cane can be grown as a hobby crop for syrup production or “chewing cane,” but in South Florida, sugar cane is grown commercially for the production of crystal, or white, sugar.

• Most of the fibrous portion of the cane stalks (called bagasse) is burned as fuel for sugar mills.

• An average sugar cane stalk weighs about 3 pounds but contains only about 0.3 pounds of sugar.

Sources: Florida Farm Bureau, UF/IFAS

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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FOOD Where It’s Needed FARMERS AND ORGANIZATIONS PARTNER TO HANDLE MARKET SHOCKS AND FEED HUNGRY NEIGHBORS

IN ORDINARY TIMES, the complex systems that keep millions of Floridians fed are seemingly invisible.

It takes a major economic shake-up to show just how essential every step in the process is.

When coronavirus-related shutdowns began to affect the citizens of Florida, many local farmers were experiencing the 4

peak of their harvest.

“Our harvest season is usually from December to the middle or end of April,” says Stephen Basore, director of food safety at TKM Bengard Farms in Palm Beach County. “With farming, you start spending money early at planting and you get your income later on during the harvest. The break-even point is somewhere toward the end of our season. Unfortunately, business just dropped off at the tail end of our deal.”

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

With conventions, tourism and restaurants all suddenly not placing orders, the planned destinations for much of Florida’s produce dried up. Feeding Florida and its network of 12 Florida food banks went to work immediately to attempt to reroute this food through produce-recovery programs.

SPRINGING INTO ACTION “Within days, we asked our growers if they wanted to create direct-to-consumer-style boxes for food banks,” says Sherri Atwell,

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/YANA TATEVOSIAN

By Laura Leavitt

PHOTOS: MICHAEL JOHNSON

director of produce recovery at Feeding Florida. “They could get the food that was in excess off the ground, use their own packing systems, and keep their staff working and food still moving.”

The challenges were multifaceted: Many people were plunged into unemployment, and children were sent home from school, leaving more people at risk of hunger. At the same time, large commercial farms feared that the loss of the most crucial harvest and sales weeks of the season could be financially ruinous to farmers and the hundreds of people whose day-to-day employment is tied to the harvest and distribution of Florida-grown produce. The Feeding Florida team formed a bridge to help rescue both farms in trouble and feed thousands of at-risk families.

“In those early weeks, we raised about $1.3 million above our budget to pay harvest costs of about 35 cents per pound to growers,” says Robin Safley, executive director of produce recovery at Feeding Florida. “We were able to help save around 75 jobs across multiple growers in Florida.”

The money raised for the Farmers Feeding Florida program helped farmers to combine their products into Community Supported Agriculture-style produce boxes for widespread distribution to the hungry. They found their way into the hands of children who would typically be eating breakfast and lunch at school.

TKM Bengard Farms distributes boxes of fresh produce.

POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS TKM Bengard Farms also started similar outreach programs.

“We worked with the Palm Beach County school district, where we supplied fresh fruits and vegetables,” Basore says. “We also partnered with the Palm Beach Civic Association, which raised money to buy produce from local farmers and take it to the Palm Beach County Food Bank.”

TKM Bengard Farms, a major producer of iceberg and romaine lettuce, sought out opportunities to collaborate with other farmers to create both for-profit boxes and some at a lower cost or for donation whenever possible.

“I’m not a produce broker – I’m usually focused on food safety – but other farms started purchasing produce from us to create boxes early on,” Basore says.

“We weren’t the first people to think of it, but we were able to jump in, sourcing products from other farmers. It’s taken this crisis to bring growers together this way.”

Tireless farmers, producerecovery advocates and food bank

workers made a major difference this spring.

“Our no-touch food box program through the food banks put farmers in a good position to apply for the USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which had very similar food boxes,” Safley says. “Between March 7 and June 15, we moved 17.7 million pounds of produce. The April numbers alone were 2.2 million pounds more than in April of last year.”

Since the pandemic is not likely to abate before the next growing season, the farmers and advocates are already gearing up for what comes next.

“People are realizing just how much we need farmers. We’re in the category with other first responders, people who keep the community safe, because people see how important the food supply is,” Basore says. “We’re just trying to help as many people as we can.”

See more online To learn more about Florida food banks’ efforts and how to donate, visit feedingflorida.org.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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One Potato,

Two Potato

AFTER NEARLY 100 YEARS OF GROWING POTATOES, BLUE SKY FARMS REMAINS TRUE TO ITS ROOTS

By Nancy Henderson

His great-grandfather Frank was well ahead of his time when it came to farming more efficiently and implementing best management practices. As Johns points out, “You don’t have to feed a tractor.”

It’s been almost a century since Frank traveled from Illinois to Northeast Florida to start a farm here and make a better life for his family. Johns, who established Blue Sky Farms in 1987, now grows more than two dozen potato varieties, from white, red and yellow to purple and French fingerlings, on 500 acres in Hastings, also known as the “Potato Capital of Florida.”

A favorable climate and an early growing window, he says, result in “the freshest potatoes coming out in the U.S. every year.”

PRIORITIZING CONSERVATION Like the generations before him, Johns is dedicated to conservation.

In 2019, he won the Florida Agriculture Commissioner’s Environmental Stewardship Award.

“My contention is that farmers are the original stewards,” Johns says.

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

PHOTOS: SARAH HEDDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

WHEN NEW REGULATORS START discussing best management practices, fourth-generation potato farmer Danny Johns simply nods. “That’s exactly what Great-Grandpa did when he bought his first tractor and started Florida’s first horseless farm,” he says.

Danny Johns grows potatoes at Blue Sky Farms in Hastings.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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13%,” Johns says. “It’s a lot more effective, so we’ve doubled our production with half of the water.”

Blue Sky also supports the local community, giving away potato seeds for 4-H and school projects, partnering with the University of Florida to develop new varieties and sustainable farming practices, and hosting farm tours to educate residents about where their food comes from. In addition, Johns’ operation donates hundreds of thousands of pounds of imperfect specialty tubers each year to the local food bank. “Farmers don’t

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

like to waste things,” he says.

“We like to see the fruits of our labor going to the community.”

ADAPTING IS KEY Like other growers, Johns has been forced to adapt during the coronavirus pandemic but is grateful his conventional reds, whites and yellows have continued to sell well.

“Potatoes are a comfort food, and I think people are reverting back to their roots,” says Johns, whose personal favorite is the moist, low-carb SunLite variety. “One

PHOTO: SARAH HEDDEN PHOTOGRAPHY

“For my great-grandfather, increased efficiency was the biggest thing. How do you do more with less? How can we be more efficient on the farm and drive the cost out of the food chain?”

To address the issues of water quality and field runoff, Blue Sky Farms installed a subsurface irrigation system that eliminates evaporation, retains water belowground and sends it where it is needed while keeping nutrients intact.

“This new system has actually increased our productive land by

thing I’ve learned is that in a pandemic, you need toilet paper, bullets and potatoes.”

But, he admits, “We got our butts kicked on (the purples and fingerlings) because those were going to the restaurants and high-end chain stores, so demand fell off the cliff. The one constant in farming is change, so next year, after seeing what happened with the specialty potatoes, I’m going to revisit that and maybe not grow as many.”

The shutdown will undoubtedly prompt other changes, Johns says.

“This showed a vulnerability, especially with the logistics of getting produce (to market). The food was still on the farms, but when you drop that center link of restaurants, a lot of farmers lost a lot of money. To me, it was an eye-opener for the whole food chain that we need to make improvements moving forward.”

But Johns has been around long enough to know that farmers are a steady bunch with humility and appreciation for things that can go wrong at the last minute.

“Failure is not an option,” he says. “You figure out a way to get through.”

Right now, he isn’t sure who will carry on his family’s farming legacy, but he’s hopeful about that, too. “My son and daughter aren’t really interested in the farm. But I’m taking my 3-and-a-half-yearold granddaughter out on a tractor every chance I get.”

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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Planting

the SEEDS

LANCE JACKSON REPRESENTS FLORIDA’S NEXT GENERATION OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS

THE AVERAGE AGE OF U.S. FARMERS may be in the late 50s, but a new crop of young farmers is taking the lead to move the industry forward. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture in 2017, 2,838 principal operators of Florida farms are between the ages of 25 and 34, and 331 are under the age of 25. One of those young farmers is Holmes County native Lance Jackson, a cotton, peanut and cattle farmer.

“I grew up on a small family farm in Graceville, where my father had a small herd of cattle and worked with some produce to generate extra income,” Jackson says. “Being around the farm as I was growing up, I became more interested in making this my lifelong career so I could do my part in feeding and clothing society.”

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Now 35, Jackson says his farming career took off at the young age of 15 when he grew his first few acres of peanuts. Today, he farms 500 acres in the Florida Panhandle, 250 each of cotton and peanuts. He also recently purchased a small herd of cattle.

“My peanuts are sold through a broker to a candy company, and

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

the cotton I produce is exported to China,” Jackson says.

He says that although his family used the farm only for extra income, being surrounded by crops, livestock and the farming lifestyle led Jackson to his true passion: a career in agriculture.

“My father still has a small herd of cattle today,” Jackson says.

COT TON, PE ANUTS: MICHAEL CONTI; COWS: JACKSON FAMILY

By Rachel Bertone

PHOTO: JACKSON FAMILY

AGRICULTURE ADVOCATE To help increase interest and advocate for the industry, Jackson is an active member of the Florida Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Group. He currently represents District 1 and says his goal is to not only become a great leader for agriculture but also to help others succeed.

“I’m proud to be part of this organization because it gives me the opportunity to communicate with other Florida Farm Bureau members and talk one-on-one with them about their needs and concerns,” Jackson says. “This is really important to me, because I’m helping to keep the voice of agriculture heard.”

The Leadership Group consists of a select number of agriculturalists who grow and learn specific skills to help them succeed at the local, state and national levels. This includes skills such as public speaking, legislative awareness, media training and more.

“Being involved has allowed me to develop new relationships with several other farmers and ranchers in Florida and learn more about agricultural diversity in the state,” Jackson says. “While visiting the Capitol with our group, I was able to make lots of connections in politics and address situations that we all face with our operations.”

Along with the Leadership Group, Jackson also serves on his local Holmes County Farm Bureau Board of Directors.

It offers ample opportunities for diversification.

“Florida is a great place for young farmers because of its fertile soil, numerous growing seasons and variety of crops,” he says.

Jackson doesn’t deny that farming can be tough, and sometimes – especially for younger farmers – it can be hard to break into the industry if they have no prior experience. But he says the outcome is so rewarding that it outweighs the challenges.

“At the beginning, it is a rough row to hoe,” Jackson says. “But at the end, you can look back and stand proud to see what you’ve accomplished. Never give up on your dreams.”

He also encourages young people who are thinking of getting into agriculture not to let others hold them back.

“If your heart is there and it’s something you really want, there’s nothing you can’t overcome, no matter how big the storm,” he says.

Briana and Lance Jackson

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Agriculture is a major, diverse industry for Florida, and Jackson says it’s the perfect place for young farmers to begin their careers or carry on a family legacy.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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HOPE on the

HORIZON FARMERS FACING CRISIS NEED SUPPORT NOW MORE THAN EVER

By Jessica Mozo

FARMERS COME FROM STRONG STOCK – they rise before daylight, work around the clock and rarely take a vacation. There are cows to milk, seeds to plant, fields to plow, bills to pay and equipment to repair. It can be a struggle just to keep a farm afloat.

“Farming is very important work, and it’s a 24/7 job,” says Heidi Liss Radunovich, a licensed psychologist and associate professor at the University of Florida. “Farmers can’t go on vacation and leave their work behind. They pride themselves on being very strong – on being able to push through and get it done.”

It’s no wonder farmers across America struggle with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and even suicide. The mental health of farmers wasn’t looked at closely until recent years, when agriculture workers began taking their own lives in increasingly higher numbers. A January 2020 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that out of all occupations, farmers are among the most likely to die by suicide.

“Farmer mental health has come up as a big issue, and finding solutions is a tall order,” Radunovich says.

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“They are such hard workers, but sometimes they push through to get the job done even when they’re suffering from chronic or emotional pain. They can’t rest like people in other occupations.”

FARMERS IN CRISIS Radunovich is collaborating with a group called AgriSafe to improve the mental health of Florida’s agriculture workers. The group secured a Department of Agriculture grant in October 2019 that will allow

them to reach out to Florida farm workers and identify issues impacting their mental well-being.

“We don’t have a lot of statistics specific to Florida yet – this is work we still have to do,” Radunovich says. “Most research on farmer mental health has been international or in the Midwest, where they have some different issues than we do.”

Florida farmers are vulnerable to natural disasters, for starters.

According to a March 2020 study by the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, Florida’s agricultural industry experienced an estimated $1.3 billion in losses due to Hurricane Irma and another $1.4 billion in losses from Hurricane Michael from 2017 to 2018.

Need help? Talk to your doctor about options for counseling and/or medication. If someone you know is struggling, stop and ask how they are doing. Listen without judgment – their emotions are real. Ask if they have thought about talking to a mental health professional. Ask if they have contemplated suicide. If so, offer to call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline with them or accompany them to the local emergency room. Call one of the numbers below for help: Suicide Prevention Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255) Disaster Distress Helpline 800-985-5990 For more resources, visit floridafarmbureau.org/mental-health-resources.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

OBSTACLES TO SEEKING HELP When it comes to treatment, living in a rural area puts agriculture workers at a disadvantage. It’s harder to access therapists, and although online therapy has advanced, some rural areas still lack high-speed internet access. What’s more, the stigma of depression being seen as a weakness has made some farmers ashamed to seek help. The good news is depression is highly treatable with therapy and medication.

“It’s helpful to not focus on having a mental health problem, but instead to focus on wellness and resilience,” Radunovich says. “Think about ways you can strengthen yourself.”

Other obstacles include lacking insurance and transportation.

“The expense of insurance can be really prohibitive, and if you’re working long hours, it can be hard to get away to the doctor or therapist,

especially if they are far away,” Radunovich says.

AgriSafe is creating a crisis hotline specific to farmers to help them connect with local resources because national hotlines aren’t always able to help locally.

“We’re hearing a lot about farmer suicide related particularly to financial stress – the incredible distress that comes with financial loss,” Radunovich says. “Losing your farm weighs very heavily on people.”

One bright spot is that farmers have ample opportunities to dwell in nature, which can have a calming effect on the mind.

“There are benefits to living in rural areas – you don’t have city stressors like crowds and traffic,” Radunovich says.

“Research supports the value of living among trees and nature. It can really help your mental health.”

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/HIRURG

“Hurricane damage causes economic stress across the agriculture industry,” Radunovich says. “Citrus greening has caused huge devastation in our citrus industry. Florida has dealt with challenges to policies dealing with migrant workers that affect farmers’ ability to get enough workers, and algal bloom has caused water issues.”

Increased regulations on imports and exports along with trade tensions have made it tougher for American farmers to sell, and key commodity prices have fallen by about 50% since 2012. Economic losses have also hit hard due to COVID-19. Farmers who provide food to hotels, restaurants and schools that closed were suddenly scrambling to find buyers. Many farmers are also burdened with large amounts of debt. The threat of losing their farm is so distressing, it’s more than some farmers can bear.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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MADE IN FLORIDA

GIFT GUIDE 7 FLORIDA PRODUCTS THAT ADD A LOCAL TOUCH TO HOLIDAY SHOPPING

By Jessica Mozo

’TIS THE SEASON for giving, and we’re on a mission to make holiday shopping a breeze this year. If your friends or relatives yearn for the sand and sea but aren’t lucky enough to live in the Sunshine State, consider sending them some Florida cheer this holiday season.

SOMETHING LUXURIOUS Want to make someone feel pampered? Naples Soap Company crafts nature-inspired soaps, body butters and sea salt scrubs with pleasing fragrances such as Coconut Lime and Lavender Vanilla. The company was founded by a mom and nurse who struggled with eczema and wanted a natural remedy to make her skin healthier. Naples Soap’s ultra-hydrating Florida Fresh Body Butter gets rave reviews with its uplifting grapefruit and orange scent.

Their product lineup also includes shower and bath bombs in relaxing scents, including Ocean Breeze, Pure Paradise and Coconut Water. naplessoap.com 14

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO: NAPLES SOAP

We’ve rounded up some locally made gift ideas that will bring a slice of sunny Florida to the doorstep of any recipient on your holiday gift list. Edible goodies, wearables and even beauty products made in Florida – there’s something for anyone and everyone who appreciates a little local love.

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: NORMAN LOVE CONFECTIONS; ALLIGATORLE ATHER.COM; ISTOCK.COM/OLVAS

SOMETHING MADE OF LEATHER Alligators have long been synonymous with Florida, and Pete Kinnamon’s Alligator Leather in Lakeland specializes in alligator belts and wallets.

Kinnamon has been in the alligator business for more than 40 years, and all the alligator hides that are tanned and used in his products are harvested and produced in Polk County. The company’s website offers both alligator belts in stock and ready to ship, as well as custom-made belts. Alligator leather wallets are another great gift idea if you don’t know your gift recipient’s belt size or style. The company also makes alligator money clips, checkbook covers, clutch-style purses and more. alligatorleather.com

SOMETHING SWEET You’ll fall in love with Fort Myers-based Norman Love Confections, which has been named the best premium chocolate company in the United States six times since 2006.

The chocolatier’s handsome signature boxes are fi lled with an assortment of 25 premium chocolates, including fresh milk chocolates accompanied by dark, white and gourmet chocolate truffles. Norman Love Confections even makes holiday baking easy with its gourmet cookie mixes, so all you have to do is add an egg and butter, stir, and bake to enjoy oven-fresh gourmet cookies. The cookie kits come in double chocolate chunk, chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin chip. normanloveconfections.com

SOMETHING WITH KEY LIME Savor the unforgettable flavor of the Florida Keys with a Key lime pie from Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe.

Kermit’s Key Lime Pie is the pie that started it all, with a tart Key lime flavor enveloped in a graham cracker crust and topped with whipped cream.

The pies are shipped overnight with dry ice to ensure they arrive fresh. The company also makes a Strawberry Key Lime Pie, Key Lime Pie Bars dipped in dark and white chocolate, Key Lime Fudge, Key Lime Taffy, and Kermit’s Key Lime Pie Candy – a hard candy that lets you take the flavor of Key lime in your pocket everywhere you go. keylimeshop.com FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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SOMETHING FRUITY (OR NUTTY) A bright basket of tree-ripened oranges, grapefruits and tangerines makes any holiday table look inviting, and they also make the perfect holiday gifts. Florida Farm Bureau has gathered an appealing collection of festive citrus arrangements and tasty Florida confections with something for everyone on your list. Rest assured that each piece of fruit is shipped within days of being picked off the tree, and every gift carries a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Offerings include oranges, grapefruit, honeybells, apples and pears, as well as chocolate-covered peanuts, Southern pecans, brittle bites, marmalade and other gifts.

What’s more, Farm Bureau members receive a 5% discount. Check out the selection in the online store. floridasbestfruit.com 16

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

SOMETHING FROM THE SEA Soak this up – while sponges might not be on many holiday wish lists, perhaps they should be. But we’re not talking about store-bought sponges. Tarpon Sponge Company based in Tarpon Springs offers natural sea sponges for bathing, decorating and cleaning. The family-owned business harvests sea sponges straight from the Gulf of Mexico and operates an interesting retail shop on the sponge docks of Tarpon Springs.

Additionally, the company has an assortment of seashells and sand dollars, aquatic and nautical gifts, and custommade sponge gift baskets. tarpon sponge.com

PHOTOS, FROM TOP: ISTOCK.COM/PGIAM, JULICHK A; TARPON SPONGE COMPANY

SOMETHING OUT OF THIS WORLD Do you have curious kids on your holiday shopping list? Kennedy Space Center’s freeze-dried Space Food makes a cool, inexpensive gift for science lovers – especially aspiring astronauts. Space Food retails for $4.99 plus shipping, and you can choose from freeze-dried ice cream sandwiches in mint chocolate chip, vanilla or Neapolitan flavors, freezedried apple slices, or freeze-dried strawberries. Freeze-dried foods were developed to help sustain astronauts on long-duration space flights. Order them through Kennedy Space Center’s online Space Shop, which also has tons of other awesome gifts for space enthusiasts. thespaceshop.com

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

Losing Another Champion in Congress

By JohnWalt Boatright, Director of National Affairs Members of Congress come and go, but it is not often that Florida agriculture loses a powerful advocate within the town of Washington, D.C. It is even rarer that we lose that person of his own accord.

The Tea Party tidal wave swept Republicans into power during the 2010 elections, the first time in decades. That predicated a 2012 congressional campaign involving a small-town, large-animal veterinarian with big ideas challenging a seasoned incumbent with plenty of cash.

Ted Yoho wanted to run a true grassroots campaign for Congress.

He did, and he won.

Newly elected Rep. Yoho quickly made himself at home on the House Agriculture Committee, going to bat for the Farm Bill programs that support our industry in down times and fund the research that guards against the pest and disease threats we constantly fear in Florida.

On issue after issue during his eight years in the U.S. Congress, Florida agriculture could count on Yoho at the producers’ side, whether it was the immediate aftermath of a hurricane, the unfair trade practices of a foreign government or the unintended impacts of our own government’s policy.

Trade has been the defining issue in Florida agriculture since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed into law in 1994. In every trade deal,

there are winners and losers, and it was clear that Florida’s specialty crops would lose, and lose big.

Yoho helped sound the alarm to U.S. trade officials and lead the Florida delegation to a remedy during his tenure, one we hope is realized in short time.

On agricultural labor, a vitally important priority for industry,

and hear them out. True to form, Yoho offered his own solution that addressed the existing domestic workforce while offering an uninhibited future flow of legal, reliable workers.

In recognition of his fierce defense of agriculture, Rep. Yoho was bestowed the coveted Golden Plow Award by American Farm

U.S. Rep. Ted Yoho is retiring after eight years in Congress.

Yoho listened attentively for years and devised a solution of his own.

During the stretch of an entire week in September 2019, he crisscrossed the state, meeting with Farm Bureau members in eight different town hall meetings to have a candid conversation on the nuances of agricultural labor and the stagnant policy that governs it.

To many producers, it was a breath of fresh air. They did not always agree with Yoho, and they did not have to, but they appreciated his willingness to seek the root of the problem

Bureau. In the days since, it was displayed prominently upon entering his personal office on the seventh floor of the Longworth House Office Building. It is a well-earned testament to a great friend of Farm Bureau, and an equally committed and passionate staff under his leadership.

For his support of Florida agriculture and his advocacy on behalf of good government, Florida Farm Bureau, and the state’s farmers and ranchers, are immensely grateful to our friend, U.S. Congressman Ted Yoho, for a job well done.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

17

Making Spirits

BRIGHT

POINSETTIAS BRING A POP OF COLORFUL CHEER TO THE WINTER SEASON

By Jessica Mozo

“No other plant brings so much color to the winter season.

I like to add many poinsettias to my home and outdoors for holiday decorations,” says Tom MacCubbin, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension Agent Emeritus and host of the Better Lawns & Gardens radio show broadcast. “After the holidays, we add poinsettias to the landscape for winter color. I have been enjoying poinsettias most of my life, first in Maryland and now in Florida for more than 40 years.”

While the traditional poinsettia is bright red, the flower comes in several other colors, too, including white, cream, pink, marble and bicolor.

There are actually hundreds of red poinsettia varieties.

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“We grow three different red varieties so we can time them to be available for different parts of the season,” says Craig Roth, president of Sunshine Growers Inc., a 25-acre wholesale plant nursery in Fort Meade. “Some are ready at Thanksgiving, others are ready the first of December and others later in December.”

GROWING POINSETTIAS Sunshine Growers starts growing poinsettias in July, and the first ones are ready to sell in October.

“We start our poinsettia season with a Love You Pink variety that is the color of breast cancer awareness, and we sell that one in October,” Roth says. “Then for Thanksgiving, we grow two varieties that we paint with copper glitter paint so they have a fall look.

Those are more apricot-colored, and they’re called Premium Ice Crystal and Viking Cinnamon.

The copper glitter makes them look great for a Thanksgiving table.”

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/JOHNROB

THE HOLIDAY SEASON is upon us, and many plant and flower enthusiasts agree it wouldn’t feel like the holidays without beautiful, red poinsettias.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

19

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them to grow a bit faster, and down here in Florida, it can be tricky to keep them the right size, so they don’t get too overgrown with the heat and amount of rain and humidity we get.”

POINSETTIA CARE AND MAINTENANCE Poinsettias are relatively easy to care for. They need watering every three or four days (or when the soil feels dry to the touch). After the holiday season, poinsettias can be planted outdoors in partial sun. Poinsettias thrive on sunlight,

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

but they also need dark nights in order to bloom.

“If you plant them out front and a streetlight comes on, they won’t bloom in time because the light disrupts their cycle,” Roth explains. “They need dark nights; the day length getting shorter helps them to bloom.”

With proper care, poinsettias can live for years. MacCubbin recommends fertilizing them with a slow-release landscape product and pruning them around March to within 12 to 18 inches of the soil. When they get a foot of new growth, remove 4 to 6 inches from each shoot and continue doing so through the end of August so they can mature.

“They initiate the flowering process in mid-October,” MacCubbin says. “If they get any nighttime light during October and early November, their flowering will be delayed or prevented.”

At Sunshine Growers, Roth says the poinsettias don’t require any marketing because people are always eager to buy them when the time comes.

“For Christmas, poinsettias are the best-known flower,” he says.

“It’s often said the poinsettia crop starts off green, then turns red, but as a grower, you have to turn it back to green to make money.”

After many years, Roth still enjoys watching their progression each season.

“It’s still interesting to see their leaves change from green to full red between October and midNovember,” he says. “The change happens naturally in such a short period of time, from totally green to totally red or pink, just in time for the holidays. As many times as we’ve done it, I still love that.”

PHOTO: MICHAEL D. TEDESCO

In December, Sunshine Growers sells its novelty collection, including the classic red Winter Rose variety.

“Some have different colors mixed on the same petals, some are shades of pink and some are whites,” Roth says.

In frost-free areas like Florida, poinsettias tend to grow very well – and quicker than in colder climates.

“Poinsettias are our largest single crop; we grow about 200,000 plants of varying sizes each holiday season, from 12 inches tall to 28 inches tall,” Roth says. “Warmer climates allow

FIVE FUN FACTS ABOUT POINSETTIAS • Contrary to popular belief, poinsettias are not poisonous to humans or pets. Some people are sensitive to their milky white sap, which contains latex. It can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, mucus membranes or digestive system if consumed.

• Poinsettias are valuable – in fact, they are the second bestselling flowering potted crop in the United States, after orchids. Potted poinsettia sales totaled $149 million in the U.S. in 2018, according to the USDA. • Poinsettias were named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, a gardener and former congressman from South Carolina who brought the plant to the U.S. from Mexico around 1828. In Mexico, the Aztecs used poinsettias to make clothing dyes and they used the white sap as medicine to cure fevers.

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• While typically red, poinsettias come in many varieties, including shades of white, pink, purple, orange and yellow.

• The colorful parts of poinsettias most people assume are the flower are actually modified leaves called bracts. The yellow flowers, called cyathia, are located in the center of the colorful bracts.

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/CHIYACAT

Source: UF/IFAS Extension

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

21

Let’s Talk Tractors

PAQUETTE’S HISTORICAL FARMALL MUSEUM TAKES TRACTOR ENTHUSIASTS ON A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE HAVE A TRACTOR FAN IN YOUR FAMILY? Gather up and make a beeline for Leesburg, where you’ll find the extraordinary Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum. Discover everything you never knew about tractors by exploring the museum’s collection of 200 tractors, plus another 100 combines, graders, loaders and other historic farm equipment pieces.

“We’re trying to collect one of everything,” says Stewart Paquette, owner and founder of Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum.

Looking at his impressive collection, one would assume Paquette grew up on a farm – but that’s not the case.

“I’m not a farmer. I knew nothing about tractors growing up,” says Paquette, who owned a construction and paving company for decades in his native New 22

Hampshire and later in Leesburg.

“I sold my company in 1998, and my wife and I decided to take time off, travel and see America.”

Paquette found himself at a crossroads in life when his wife passed away after a two-year battle with cancer in 2007.

“I didn’t have my business anymore. I didn’t have my wife of 40 years anymore,” he recalls. “I felt I wanted to do something, and I knew God had something for me to do.”

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

A MUSEUM IS BORN While watching RFD-TV one evening, Paquette’s interest was piqued by a Max Armstrong program about tractor pulls.

“Up in New Hampshire, we had horse pulling, but I didn’t know about tractor pulling,” he says. “I decided to buy a tractor.”

And so he did – but not just any tractor. Paquette wanted a red International Harvester (IH), a legendary brand that was once considered the greatest single agricultural enterprise in the world.

Paquette traveled with a friend all the way to a dealer in Canada to buy his first tractor – a 1959 International Harvester 560.

“We fi xed it up and painted it, and then I found some other tractors that were in need of repair,”

PHOTOS: JENNIFER SIDELINGER

By Jessica Mozo

he says. “I already had trailers from having been in the construction business before, so I began buying more tractors and bringing them down to Florida. I kept them in a barn, and by the time I had seven or eight tractors fixed up, people started asking if they could come and see them.”

It was then Paquette realized a new vision for his life.

“I thought about how kids today don’t even know where their food comes from,” he says. “I decided I wanted to teach people more about agriculture through tractors.”

In 2010, Paquette opened his tractor museum, and in the years since, he has amassed quite the collection. Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum gets more than 10,000 visitors each year from all over the globe, including Canada, Europe, Russia, Australia and South America. The museum is staffed by about 15 rotating volunteers.

“We get some tour groups and some children’s field trips,” Paquette says. “Our volunteers talk with them about how farmers plow the ground.

They show them the instruments and machinery they use for planting, plowing and picking.”

The museum’s collection includes the oldest Farmall tractor ever built from 1923, which has been fully restored. It was the 106th one ever made in a line of 200, all built by hand.

“We also have the Garrett tractor, which is the only one in the world.

It’s an International Harvester designed to haul logs out of the woods,” Paquette explains. “And we have the Travelall, which is like a big long station wagon with up to six or eight doors on the side. I got a 1972 one out of Boston with only 41,000

miles on it. It was like brand new.”

Two tractors in Paquette’s prized collection of eight from the rare International Harvester gold series that came out in 1970 are the only ones of their kind.

“They both came on a trailer to Louisiana from an International plant in Chicago,” Paquette says.

“One was for sugar cane and one was for rice.”

A TRACTOR LOVER’S PARADISE Visitors to Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum begin their tour in The Dealership, a 1940s replica of an International Harvester dealership.

It’s where you can purchase tickets; browse the Parts Department stocked with authentic IH parts, tools and equipment; and take a peek at restorations in progress in the shop. From there, visitors can explore the Tractor Barn and the International Hall of Fame. The nearby Show Barn hosts parties, weddings and special events. The museum property is also home to a herd of buffalo and some miniature donkeys that visitors enjoy seeing.

Every February, the museum holds its annual Tractor Pull and Show, which lasts for three days and attracted about 4,000 people in 2020.

The festive event includes tractors of all types, fire trucks, live music and a barbecue dinner. The next show is slated for Feb. 11-13, 2021.

“At our February 2020 tractor show, we had a member of the McCormick family come, who is of the International Harvester lineage,” Paquette says. “I really enjoy meeting all the people who come. I learn a lot from them, and they learn some from me.

People love to talk tractors.”

IF YOU GO...

Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum 615 S. Whitney Rd., Leesburg Hours: Open year round Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The museum is closed Dec. 25-26, Jan. 1-2 and July 4.

Admission: $20 for adults and $15 for military and veterans.

Children ages 9 and under are free. Group rates are available for parties of 10 or larger.

352-728-3588 stewsihstuff.com

Paquette’s Historical Farmall Museum

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

23

OUTSTANDING in His Field FLORIDA’S FARMER OF THE YEAR LEADS BY EXAMPLE

By Cathy Lockman

RICK ROTH has a philosophy of cooperation that has motivated his work life for more than 44 years.

“When it comes to being a farmer, a member of the Florida Farm Bureau or a legislator, I’ve been very fortunate to have opportunities to work together with others on issues that matter to me,” Roth says. “The focus on solving problems and making a difference is very satisfying, especially when you get to do it with others who are dedicated to the same thing.”

That sense of common cause – and the success it has inspired – earned Roth recognition as the 2020 Florida Farmer of the Year. A vegetable, herb, rice, sugar cane and sod producer, Roth and his family own nearly 4,000 acres and a major packing house in Belle Glade. It’s an operation that his father, Ray, started in 1948, when he left the family farm in Ohio, renting 100 acres in Florida sight unseen. Ray began buying his own land in 1955 – first 110 acres and then 1,666 more in 1962 as part of a multiple farmer purchase. Rick joined his dad in 1976, and together they expanded their operation, adding four more parcels of land in the decades that followed.

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“My dad was an amazing man,” Roth says. “He was much more of a farmer than I am. He envisioned and established the operation that is still the core of what we do today.” That legacy is honored not just by the farm’s growth, but also by Ray’s Heritage, a 60,000-square-foot packing house built in 2006.

“The Farm Bureau is a great organization, where all of that comes together in common cause, to serve the industry and the public.”

- Rick Roth, legislator

SOLVING PROBLEMS A 1976 graduate of Emory University, Roth studied math, a major that has provided him with not only the numbers background to run a successful business, but a way of looking at issues that makes him a problem solver. The farming community’s efforts to solve an environmental issue allowed him to utilize those problem-solving principles.

He explains that the problem of nutrient runoff came to a head in 1988 with lawsuits to protect the remaining Everglades.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

“The entire ag industry worked with the South Florida Water Management District to develop a matrix of best management practices to control phosphorus runoff from farms,” Roth says.

While he admits it’s been a long process, with the problem not fully solved until 2015, he’s proud of the results and the farming community’s determination to solve their runoff problem.

“We solved this together. In 1994, the water going into the Everglades system had a phosphorus concentration of 180 parts per billion. Now it’s 10 parts per billion,”

he says. “The phosphorus concentration in rainfall is 38 parts per billion, so the effort by farmers and the South Florida Water Management District has resulted in water that is much cleaner than rain. The vegetable and sugar cane farmers stuck together. The results are highly effective management practices that benefit everyone.”

SERVING THE PROFESSION AND THE PUBLIC Roth says that same sense of camaraderie and shared purpose is central to the work of the Florida Farm Bureau, where he served as vice president from 2000 to 2010.

“As farmers, we have political and economic reasons to stick together and to trust each other. The Farm Bureau is a great organization, where all of that comes together in common cause, to serve the industry and the public.”

Roth’s foray into politics didn’t end with his tenure as vice president of the Florida Farm Bureau. In 2016, he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives, where he serves on the State Affairs Committee and three subcommittees, including Agriculture & Natural Resources.

That commitment to serving the farming community makes a significant impact on the industry and the public. Add to that Roth’s personal success and dedication to crop rotation and you have a winning combination – one worthy of recognition as Florida’s top farmer this year.

“One of the rewarding parts of life isn’t safety and comfort,” he says.

“It’s challenge. It’s teamwork. It’s solving problems. It’s so rewarding and risky to be on the front line of what’s going on. Farming is as front line as you can get.”

LEARNING IN THE FIELD Rick Roth was one of the nine farmers to receive the Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Award. The Sunbelt Ag Expo is typically held in Moultrie, Georgia, in October, though the 2020 event was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Known as North America’s premier farm show, the annual event has more than 1,200 exhibitors showcasing the latest in farming technology. The expo has a 100-acre exhibit area adjoining a 600-acre working research farm. Visitors can tour exhibits and attend seminars and demonstrations, including harvesting, tillage and precision ag demonstrations. The next expo is slated for Oct. 19-21, 2021.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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FIVE-INGREDIENT

Favorites HEALTHY, SEASONAL RECIPES YOU CAN MAKE WITH FIVE INGREDIENTS OR LESS

Pan-Roasted Orange Chicken PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES MAKES: 4 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS

3 teaspoons ground cumin 3 teaspoons granulated garlic 2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 large orange

1 ½-2 pounds chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on 2 tablespoons olive oil ½ red onion, sliced

Recipes, styling and photography by Jessi Heggan

PREPARING HEALTHY MEALS doesn’t have to involve hours in the kitchen or complicated recipes with long ingredient lists. In fact, with just a handful of simple ingredients, you can make delicious and satisfying dishes that the whole family will enjoy.

Luckily, Florida has so many fresh ingredients readily available this time of year that nourishing yourself with healthy, flavorful meals is easy – even during the holidays.

Inspired by what’s in season, the following recipes star fresh fruits and vegetables that can easily be found at a farmers market near you. And excluding basic kitchen staples like salt, pepper, flour and olive oil, each recipe can be made with just five simple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen.

Start with the Pan-Roasted Orange Chicken, which is elegant enough to serve at a dinner party, yet easy enough for a quick 26

weeknight meal.

Topped with juicy tomato slices and an herbed cheese spread, the Puff Pastry Tart with Goat Cheese and Tomato makes an easy appetizer that’s perfectly portioned for serving at your next holiday get-together.

Inspired by traditional Buffalo wings, the Buffalo Cauliflower Poppers offer a healthy, vitaminpacked alternative to the classic dish without sacrificing flavor.

Finally, satisfy your sweet tooth with the Strawberry Yogurt Parfait, a blend of fresh strawberries, creamy vanilla yogurt and crushed gingersnap cookies for a festive holiday touch.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, garlic, salt and pepper. Zest the orange and then slice it into rings. Add the zest to the bowl of spices and stir to combine. Spread the spice rub on both sides of the chicken thighs. Set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat and add the sliced red onions.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until translucent.

3. Move the onions to the side of the pan and place the chicken thighs into the pan skin side down. Brown the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Flip the chicken thighs over and top with orange slices. Roast in the oven for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Serve immediately.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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Puff Pastry Tart with Goat Cheese and Tomato PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES MAKES: 9 SMALL TARTS INGREDIENTS

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

½ teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

10 ounces herbed goat cheese ½ cup sour cream

1 pound fresh tomatoes, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Unfold the puff pastry sheet and use a knife to cut down the folds so you have 3 sections of pastry. Cut these sections into thirds to make squares. Using a knife, score each square about ¼ inch from the edge of the dough, then use a fork to poke holes in the middle of the pastry.

Place pastry squares on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the salt, olive oil and garlic in a small bowl.

Remove the squares from the oven and brush with the garlic and olive oil mixture. Return to the oven for an additional 5 minutes or until browned.

Let cool completely.

4. In a large bowl, combine the goat cheese and sour cream, and mix with a hand or stand mixer until combined and fluffy. Spread the goat cheese mixture on each tart and top with tomato slices.

Serve immediately.

Note: If you prefer to make one large tart, you can roll out the puff pastry into a 12-by-10-inch sheet and follow the same steps for scoring, baking and topping the tart.

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOK TIME: 30 MINUTES MAKES: 4 PARFAITS INGREDIENTS

2 cups strawberries, sliced 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 2 cups vanilla yogurt, divided ½ cup crushed gingersnap cookies, divided

Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

then 1 tablespoon of crushed gingersnap cookies. Repeat all 3 layers once more.

DIRECTIONS

3. Top each parfait with whipped cream, if desired, and serve immediately.

1. In a small bowl, toss the sliced strawberries with the sugar and let them sit for 30 minutes.

2. To build the parfaits, add ¼ cup of vanilla yogurt to the bottom of 4 small jars or bowls. Top the yogurt layer with ¼ cup sliced strawberries,

See more online Find holiday recipe ideas at farmflavor.com/christmas.

Buffalo Cauliflower Poppers PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES COOK TIME: 15 MINUTES MAKES: 4-6 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS

1 large cauliflower

1 cup flour

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 teaspoon granulated garlic

2 eggs ¼ cup milk 4 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup Buffalo sauce DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a wire rack on top.

2. Cut the cauliflower into medium-size florets and set aside. In a large, resealable freezer bag, combine the flour, salt and garlic. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk to combine.

3. Toss cauliflower florets in the egg mixture and then add them to the bag with the flour mixture. Seal the bag and shake to coat all the cauliflower florets with the flour mixture.

4. Bake the breaded cauliflower on top of the wire rack for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss with Buffalo sauce. Bake for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until cauliflower poppers are crispy.

Note: This recipe can also be made in an air fryer.

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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Florida Farm Bureau Federation Income and Expense Summary for the Fiscal Year 2019-2020

REVENUE ..........................................................................................................................................7,227,808 EXPENSE ..............................................................................................................................................7,147,167 OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) .....................................................................................................80,641 OTHER INCOME (EXPENSE)...................................................................................................1,544,138 INCOME (LOSS) BEFORE PROVISION FOR INCOME TAXES AND OTHER CHANGES ............................................................ 1,624,779 INCOME TAX BENEFIT (EXPENSE) ................................................................................................ 885 CHANGE IN NET ASSETS ........................................................................................................1,625,664

Florida Farm Bureau Women’s Fund, Inc.

Florida Farm Bureau Scholarship Fund, Inc.

Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Fund Balance for the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2020

Statement of Revenues, Expenses and Changes in Fund Balance for the Twelve Months Ended June 30, 2020

REVENUE AND SUPPORT .......... 20,807

REVENUE AND SUPPORT ............ 12,532

EXPENSE ................................................15,599

EXPENSE .................................................. 15,279

REVENUE AND SUPPORT IN EXCESS OF EXPENSE ................. 5,208

REVENUE AND SUPPORT IN EXCESS OF EXPENSE ................(2,747)

FUND BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF YEAR ...................64,878

FUND BALANCE AT BEGINNING OF YEAR ...................... 67,363

FUND BALANCE AT END OF THIS MONTH.................. 70,086

FUND BALANCE AT END OF THIS MONTH.....................64,616

WHAT’S GROWING IN YOUR STATE?

STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION

COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION: 5700 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32608 COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESS OF HEADQUARTERS OF PUBLISHER: Florida Farm Bureau Federation, 5700 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32608 FULL NAMES & COMPLETE MAILING ADDRESSES OF PUBLISHER, EDITOR & MANAGING EDITOR: Florida Farm Bureau Enterprise, P.O. Box 147030, Gainesville, FL 32614

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PUBLICATION TITLE: FloridAgriculture

EDITOR: Rachael Smith, P.O. Box 147030, Gainesville, FL 32614

PUBLICATION NUMBER: 8868

MANAGING EDITOR: Same as Editor

FILING DATE: 8/26/20

OWNER: Florida Farm Bureau Enterprise, P.O. Box 147030, Gainesville, FL 32614

ISSUE FREQUENCY: Monthly, except combined NUMBER OF ISSUES PUBLISHED ANNUALLY: 8

KNOWN BONDHOLDERS, MORTGAGEES OR SECURITY HOLDERS: None

ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICE: $3

TAX STATUS: Has not changed during the preceding 12 months

ISSUE DATE FOR CIRCULATION DATA BELOW: 8/26/20

AVERAGE # COPIES EACH ISSUE DURING PRECEDING 12 MONTHS

# COPIES OF SINGLE ISSUE PUBLISHED NEAREST TO FILING DATE

TOTAL # OF COPIES

136,912

138,500

PAID/REQUESTED OUTSIDE-COUNTY MAIL

135,414

137,204

TOTAL PAID AND/OR REQUESTED CIRCULATION

135,414

137,204

FREE DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE COUNTIES

355

357

FREE DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE MAIL

388

388

TOTAL FREE DISTRIBUTION

743

745

COPIES NOT DISTRIBUTED

755

551

TOTAL

136,912

138,500

PERCENT PAID AND/OR REQUESTED CIRCULATION

99.45%

99.46%

FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

Read about Florida's top farm products and find recipes at farmfl avor.com.

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Contact your local County Farm Bureau for more information!

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 Charles F. Woodhouse, Esq. MBA, JD, MS Food Safety Graduate Certificates in Food Law and Packaging Attorney Specializing in Agriculture and Food Law Food Safety Modernization Act Compliance PACA and Florida Broker/Dealer Complaints Crop Insurance and Risk Management Programs Representation before County Committees, State Committee, and National Appeals Division Matters WOODHOUSE SHANAHAN PA Agribusiness Industry Regulatory Compliance Washington, DC & Cedar Key, FL E-mail: cfw@regulatory-food-science.com Website: www.seafood-and-produce-law.com Blog: www.food-label-compliance.com Tel Cedar Key, FL 352-278-1110 Tel Washington, DC 202-293-0033 FAX 202-478-0851

NOVEMBER SolutionSOLUTION to Crossword: A D A M

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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NOVEMBER CROSSWORD The Weekly Crossword

by Margie E. Burke

10 11 12 13 ACROSS 1 Perched on 14 15 16 5 Smoking gun 17 18 19 10 Type of list 14 Twofold in 20 21 22 nature 23 24 25 15 Hamilton or Hunt 16 Voice below 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 soprano 17 Iodine, e.g.

33 34 35 36 19 Urban blight 37 38 39 40 41 20 Garam ____ (Indian spice 44 45 46 42 43 mixture) 49 50 47 48 21 Upstage 23 Capone nemesis 51 52 53 25 Sacred song 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 26 Printer's layouts 30 Rat, for one 61 62 63 33 Do-over, in 64 65 66 tennis 34 Tire feature 67 68 69 36 Blender setting 37 "By yesterday!"

Copyright 2020 by The Puzzle Syndicate 39 Closing stanza 41 Finish a drive?

66 Kind of code 9 Part of SPF 35 Wooden pin 42 Famous 67 "If all ___ fails…" 10 Past one's prime 38 Pass through 44 Dots on a map 68 Letter before 11 Unable to read 40 Privately 46 Gymnast's goal epsilon 12 Knock for a loop 43 Retro phone 47 Apparition 69 Look sugges13 Pitcher's target feature 49 Economic upturn tively 18 Unwelcome 45 Like some 51 Mensa material forecast booms 53 Place for pins DOWN 22 "That's enough!" 48 Camera stand 54 J.W. Marriott, for 1 Little Joe's 24 Wiped out 50 Chaste one brother 26 Thinks ahead 52 Concise 57 Accident 2 Sandwich fish 27 Fable writer 54 Kind of crime 61 Horne solo 3 Cereal grain 28 Data analyst's 55 Not written 62 Fired bullet, e.g.

4 Flexible forte 56 Muddy up 64 Diplomat's asset 5 Enjoyment 29 Really enjoy 58 Bring on board 65 Willow for 6 Dead letters?

31 Now or _____ 59 Helm position basketmaking 7 Savvy about 32 "Bopper" lead-in 60 Bartlett, for one 8 Strong dislike 63 Fast flier 1

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FIND US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/ FlaFarmBureau

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FLORIDAGRICULTURE | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020

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LIVESTOCK Registered Angus Cattle For Sale Ohana Farms Bull Calfs, Cows, Heifers, Pairs 386-212-1006 REGISTERED BLACK ANGUS BULLS for sale bull calves weaned, gentle $750 Solid Performance Bloodlines 813-713-6345

MISCELLANEOUS AKC Registered Beagle Puppies for sale in NW Florida. Call 850-554-1062 or email Allenmanning59@gmail.com.

LOVE AMERICA? www.AmericaTheBeautiful.Shop 2 Lawn Crypts Palms Memorial Park, Homestead, Florida.

Includes Bronze Memorial. $5,000. (904) 540-0643

PLANTS & SEEDS 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

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

LONGLEAF LAND COMPANY Land for sale in Northwest Florida and South Alabama Contact Jody Jones 334.493.0123 longleaf@longleafland.com www.longleafland.com 50 ACRES OF BEAUTIFUL OLD FLORIDA WITH SHADY OAKS TREES AND FLOWING CREEK. $359,000. Tons of wildlife and great for hunting deer, hog and turkey. 3 bed, 2 bath home with well and septic.

On Hwy 31, south of Arcadia, DeSoto County. Welcome to your peaceful, quiet country paradise with lots of opportunity for hunting and fishing. Zoned A-5. This beautiful property is priced to sell at only $7,000 per acre!

Melissa Bajsa, CMTG Real Estate Group, 863-430-3977.

FOUNTAIN, FL - 10 Acres - $59,000 - Negotiable Parcel has no flooding, mostly wooded with oak, pine and Magnolia, ideal for privacy and your dream home or agriculture. Easy access to Highway 231, 45 minutes to Panama City Beach (powdery soft sand) Tyndall AFB, Navy Base, Tallahassee, Alabama nearby. Contact Realtor: Shelly Leon at 850-381-3596 shellyleon05@gmail.com FOR SALE BY OWNER $45,000 Undeveloped residential lots 1 and 2.

Total acreage 8.73 Summerset Way Madison, Florida 32340 850-973-121

Fresh Citrus

Mandarin Oranges - Clementines Grand Slam Gift Box “Seedless, sweet and easy to peel” Florida Grapefruit “Sweet and jucy” 18-20 Navel Oranges, 1/5 Bushel (Approx. 32-50 pieces) 4/5 Bushel (Approx. 36-48 pieces) 6 Red Delicious Apples, $18.95 $26.45 6 Di Anjou Pears, Florida Navel Oranges Holiday Gift Box (18-20 Navel 3 Golden Delicious Apples “Seedless and sweet eating orange” Oranges, 10 Red Delicious Apples, 2/5 Bushel $26.45 4/5 Bushel (Approx. 64-88 pieces) $26.45 4 Grapefruit) 2/5 Bushel $26.45 RED DELICIOUS Full Bushel ..... $29.45 Half Bushel ..... $15.95 Apples from Ohio GOLDEN DELICIOUS Full Bushel ..... $30.45 Half Bushel ..... $16.95 Fresh New Crop!

FUJI Full Bushel ..... $32.95 Half Bushel ..... $18.95 • Full Bushel (approx. 80-88 per carton. Tray packed.)

• Half Bushel (approx. 40-44 per carton. Tray packed.)

Nettles Smoked Turkeys Packed By Nettles of Lake City, FL

Hickory smoked the old fashioned way. Ready to eat hot or cold. A favorite for the holidays or anytime!

Average Weight: 10 lbs. ....................... $28.45

Holiday Special ... Packed By Farmland

HONEY & BROWN SUGAR “SPIRAL” CUT DINNER HAMS (BONE-IN) Great for a gift or Holiday Dinner. Fully cooked and ready to eat ......................................................................... 8-9 lbs. avg ................... $3.95/lb

FARMLAND DINNER HAM IOWA SILVER MEDAL/ HONEY & BROWN SUGAR HAM Excellent fully cooked natural hickory smoked, boneless and ready to eat! Receive a free packet of honey & brown sugar glaze with each ham. ..... 16 lbs. avg ..... $3.95/lb

Amish Cheese

Country Smoked Sausage

Mild Cheddar Cheese ...................... 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $19.95

1-Mild Country Sausage (2.5 lb. pkg.) • 1-Hot Country Sausage (2.5 lb. pkg.)

3-Andouille Country Sausage (2.25 lb. pkgs.) • 3-Jalapeno Country Sausage (2.25 lb. pkgs.) ... 9.5 lbs. total $37.95

Packed by Troyer’s Cheese from Millersburg, OH

Sharp Cheddar Cheese .................... 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $22.45 Variety Cheese Pack - Contains 2 Mild, 2 Colby and 2 Sharp blocks 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $21.45 Green Onion ...................................... 3.5 lbs. (6/9.5 oz. pkgs) ................. $25.45 Cheddar Garlic ................................... 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $26.95 Hickory Smoked Cheddar .............. 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $18.45

Packed by Nettles Sausage Variety Pack Sausage For grilling, breakfast, or anytime!

Country Smoked Sausage Fully Cooked – Specify Mild, Hot, Andouille or Jalapeno Mild ....................................................... 4/2.5 lb. pkgs. .................... $37.95 Hot ......................................................... 4/2.5 lb. pkgs. .................... $37.95 Andouille ............................................. 12/12 oz. pkgs. .................. $37.95 Jalapeno ............................................... 12/12 oz. pkgs. .................. $37.95

NUTS .... Stock Up!

Brittle Bites - Peanut Brittle Squares ............ 12 oz. can ................. $4.00 Colby Cheese ..................................... 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $20.45 Cashews - Whole .......................... 16 oz. can ................. $9.95 Mixed Nuts ................................... 16 oz. can ................. $6.95 Pepper Jack Cheese ......................... 3 lbs. (6/8 oz. pkgs) ....................... $22.95 Milk Chocolate Pecans ................. 12 oz. can ................. $6.95 American Cheese Slices ................. 5 lbs. (120 slices) ........................... $17.95 Chocolate Peanuts ...................... 12 oz. can ................. $4.50 Baby Swiss Cheese .......................... 2.8 lbs. (6/7.5 oz. pkgs) ................. $22.45 Butter Toffee Peanuts ................ 12 oz. can ................ $3.95 Summer Sausage ............................. (4/12 oz. pkgs) ............................... $22.45 Honey Roasted Pecans ................................... 8.5 oz. can ................ $6.95 Honey Krunch Peanuts ................................... 12 oz. can ................ $3.50 Gourmet Honey Roasted Mixed Nuts Almonds - Roasted & Salted ............................ 9 oz. can ................... $4.50 A combination of jumbo Cashews, Almonds, mammoth Pecan Halves, Skinless Peanuts .............................................. 16 oz. can ................. $3.50 and crunchy Peanuts roasted to perfection and glazed with sweet Orange Blossom Honey .................................. 2 lb. Squeeze Bottle $12.00 honey. A combination sure to please even the most refined tastes.

Wildflower Honey ........................................... 2 lb. Squeeze Bottle $12.00 (Style of tin may vary) .......................... 30 oz. tin ........ $12.95 Palmetto Honey w/ comb ............................. 12 oz. Jar .................. $10.45

BUTTERY Caramel Corn W/Nuts

With Nuts, Pecans & Almonds - REUSABLE DECORATIVE TIN Our gourmet CARAMEL CORN W/NUTS is made with fluffy popcorn covered in smooth buttery caramel for a bit of sweetness, and then add in the crunchiness of Pecans and Almonds... makes a wonderful pairing and an incredible treat!

(Style of tin may vary) ........................... 20 oz. tin ....... $7.50 MEMBER TO MEMBER ORDER FORM

HARVEST BLEND Mixed Nuts

Our Harvest Blend Mixed Nuts is a wonderful mix of Honey Roasted Peanuts, Sesame Sticks, Peanuts, Pistachios, 16 oz. can ................... $6.95 Cashews and Almonds.

Shelled Pecan Halves

Fresh New Crop, Pecan Halves!

Great for snacking, baking & southern pecan pies. There’s nothing like fresh pecans! They’re good for you too!

1 lb. bag .................... $9.95

Peanut Gift Pack

Makes an attractive gift! - HONEY KRUNCH (12 oz.), SKINLESS PEANUTS (12 oz.), BRITTLE BITES (12 oz.)

3 (12 oz.) cans ......... $10.95

Chocolate Nut Gift Pack

“It Doesn’t Cost. It Pays y To Be A Farm Bureau Member”

A Perfect Gift Idea! - A Chocolate Lovers Delight!

Cashews and Almonds roasted to perfection and DOUBLE dipped in pure milk chocolate!

CHOCOLATE COVERED ALMONDS (10 oz.)

CHOCOLATE COVERED CASHEWS (10 oz.)

2 (10 oz.) cans .......... $11.45