In The Field magazine Hillsborough issue

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DECEMBER 2020 VOL. 16 • ISSUE 2

CONTENTS SWEET LIFE FARMS

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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121

Cover Photo by Karen Berry PAGE 10 Caladium

PAGE 30 Gifts For Gardeners

PAGE 14 Carter & Gabby Howell

PAGE 32 White Strawberries

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PAGE 50 Literary Time Machine

PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots

PAGE 35 Pecans

PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter

PAGE 36 Veterans Florida

PAGE 24 State Officer Column

Citrus Greening

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PAGE 52 A Closer Look

PAGE 56 Scott Angle PAGE 58 Weekend Zoo PAGE 60 UF gains Acreage

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John Dicks

PAGE 27 HCSO

PAGE 46 Endangered Species

PAGE 28 USDA

Hey Readers!

InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!

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DIRECTORS FOR 2018 - 2019 Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes

Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents

Valrico Office 813-685-5673

100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Amy Engle

Plant City Office 813.752.5577

Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below

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Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Jake Raburn................Vice President Tony Lopez..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary

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305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Artis Griffin

Tampa Office 813.933.5440

6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Jared Bean

AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Celebrating a most fruitful relationship

between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.

1979

Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.

711 E. Lancaster Rd Orlando, FL 32809 (407) 855-2121

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2402 Police Center Dr Plant City, FL 33566 (813) 717-9100 6706 N. 53rd St Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 744-2220 Sales: Dean Fultz (901) 355-5197 or Jim Johnson (813) 205-0355

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STAFF

Letter from the Editor

Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt Melissa Nichols George Domedion

Merry Christmas!!! It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Wrapping up 2020 will probably look a lot different than the usual Christmas celebration, but it can still be one for the ages. We will, hopefully, look back at 2020 and remember the lesson of “overcoming.” We learned to overcome obstacles that had never been in our path before. But here we are. Heading in to 2021 with a brand new attitude and the confidence that we can indeed tackle what life throws at us.

As always, let us not forget the reason for the celebration this season.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. NIV Luke 2:8-12 My wish for you in 2021? Aside from prosperity, it is my wish that we celebrate what we have in common with those around us more often than dwelling on our differences. “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” –Proverbs 11:25 As we celebrate this season of togetherness, however that looks for you this year, we’d like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from all of us at In The Field magazine.

Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Anita Todd Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Social Media Victoria Saunders

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed

by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association.

Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25

Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.

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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

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CHRISTMAS WISHES AND THANKS TO ALL HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY

-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President

Dear Readers, My very best of the Christmas season to you all and your families. I sincerely enjoy this time of year and the opportunity to share time with family and friends. Christmas is a very special time for many to focus on our families and neighbors. It is also a time for us to celebrate the real reason of this season: the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. Matthew 1:21 says “And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save his people from their sins.” I encourage each of you reading this article to reflect back on this year, and to be reminded of what is truly important this Christmas season.

The Christmas season is a joyful time of year. It’s a time when we see Christmas trees being decorated, lights being hung up, and for many of the ladies out there, the Hallmark channel staying on 24/7. Some of my fondest memories as a child are centered around Christmas and all the life giving activities this season brings. One of the most gratifying things we can do is give to others and even to our community. This also includes not just a tangible gift but the gift of our time. This is something our Farm Bureau family really does a great job in doing. I share with Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick’s appreciation to the volunteers who serve our community and to the farmers, ranchers and farm workers who grow and harvest the food we eat every day.

As each of your families might have experienced in one way or another, this year has also had its challenges. For some, celebrating the Christmas season might feel out of place for a year like 2020. As a parent, I have learned about the importance of modeling kindness, generosity and compassion for others to my children. In the same way, I hope our community is enlightened and motivated by the selfless way

our farmers, ranchers, first responders, truck drivers and teachers have modeled these characteristics throughout this year’s challenges. We all play a part in making our community stronger. I encourage you to look for ways this holiday season to give your time towards helping uplift those who need it most, whether that is through volunteering in the community or even just a kind word to the cashier in the checkout line.

This year’s challenges also require courageous leadership and the willingness of all elected leaders to work across the aisle for the good of the nation. American Farm Bureau Federation President Vincent “Zippy” Duvall notes “agriculture provides a strong model for that, with a long tradition of aligning behind smart policy, not party lines.” Like Duvall, I also urge all our elected officials chosen by the people to turn the page on partisanship and commit to working together on issues moving forward. This would show farmers, ranchers and families across America that we will rise to meet the challenges before us together as one nation under God. I am confident that if we do, we will successfully address the struggles before us with a brighter future. Again, my thanks to all, and I hope you have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Dennis Carlton, Jr.

Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President

305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors

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Dennis Carlton, Jr. , President; Jake Raburn, Vice-President; Tony Lopez Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Christina Andrlik, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Lawrence McClure, Sambahv,Jay Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Will Womack, Gayle Yanes Judi Whitson, Executive Director

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FIVE NEW CALADIUM CULTIVARS RELEASED

By Jim Frankowiak Five, new caladium cultivars have been released as a result of a collaboration involving researchers at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) at Balm, Florida in southern Hillsborough County. The team included Dr. Zhanao Deng, Professor, Environmental Horticulture; and Drs. Natalia Peres, a plant pathologist; and Dr. Johan Desaeger, a nematologist.

Commercially available caladium plants are grown from bulbs produced by Florida growers for use throughout the United States and some 40 foreign countries. The GCREC has had an active caladium breeding program since 1976, developing and introducing dozens of new caladium varieties in response to the needs of Florida growers. This has continued with the introduction of five new cultivars this year:

• Dots Delight – is a lance leaf variety with white veins and light pink spots.

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• Lava Glow – a fancy leaf caladium variety that produces many bright red to red-purple, heart-shaped leaves. It has shown excellent tolerance to sunburns and resistance to leaf spot diseases.

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• Crimson Skye – has a compact stature and produces many heart-shaped leaves with pink blotches.

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Photo Courtesy of Terri Bates •

• Pink Panther – has a novel combination of leaf characters, wide lance leaves, upright and sturdy petioles, deep pink main veins, light pink blotches and ruffled leaf margins.

White Lightning – produces large lance leaves with a large white center and green margins.

“These new varieties are well-suited for growing in containers and in the landscapes from full sun to shady locations,” said Deng. Bulbs for these new cultivars are available at Bates Sons & Daughters – http://www.caladiumsonline.com/commercial/fancy-caladiums.asp) and Florida Boys Caladiums – https://floridaboyscaladiums.com/.

With every generation,

we get better at protecting our environment.

Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.

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FFA’s Dynamic Duo

By Libby Hopkins

Raising and showing cattle was never part of the Howell Family history. That all changed when Carter and Gabby Howell came into the world. The brother and sister are Durant High School’s FFA dynamic duo. They recently were Grand Champion and Reserve Champion Steer at the Hillsborough County Fair and they won the Florida Farm Bureau District 5 Speech Contest. “Our family has never been involved in agriculture as far as our parents are aware,” Carter said. “This was something completely new to us.”

“It was very cool for us to win,” Gabby said, “It wasn’t something both of us expected to win, but once it happened, it made us realize all the hard work we put into our projects paid off. It was great to see Carter accomplish winning Grand Champion at his last year at the county fair since he’s a senior.”

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Carter became involved with agriculture in sixth grade.

“In sixth grade we have what’s called ‘the wheel’ and for two weeks you get a chance to experience different electives like band, chorus, theater and technology and then you pick which one you want to take during the second part of the semester,” Carter said. “I really wasn’t drawn towards anything so I decided to take agriculture. I really enjoyed the class but I didn’t think I would take any other agriculture classes.”

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In seventh grade, Carter met his teacher, Mr. Leighman, and he encouraged Carter to take more agriculture classes. “He pushed me to start competing in different agriculture competitions,” Carter said. “It become exciting to me and I wanted to be more involved with FFA and which lead to my sister, Gabby wanting to go to Durant High School and be involved with FFA.”

Half a million students across the U.S. are becoming leaders, building self-esteem and preparing for career success. They are members of FFA and they are making new friends, going new places and trying new things. FFA prepares students by helping them develop leadership and life skills that will shape their decisionmaking and values for the rest of their lives.

Students, who join FFA, earn money and awards including scholarships, become part of a team, have fun, learn to make positive choices, target career success and serve their community. “I got involved with FFA because of Carter,” Gabby said. “When I saw how much fun he was having and being able to compete in competions, I wanted that too, so, I joined FFA.” To date, Carter and Gabby are Durant High School’s FFA only brother and sister who have been presidents of their chapters. Carter is the Seniors FFA Chapter President and Gabby is the Freshmen FFA Chapter President.

“Our roles didn’t come to us at firsthand,” Carter said.

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FLORIDA AG HALL OF FAME FOUNDATION

OFFERING SCHOLARSHIPS

By Jim Frankowiak

“We have to work hard to achieve these positions. There are some fantastic teachers and advisors at Durant that makes sure that everyone who is in FFA works very hard.”

The siblings love how FFA has challenged them to work hard and to be successful. “Going to the FFA National Convention was by far one of the best experiences I’ve had thus far with FFA,” Gabby said. “Getting the opportunity to compete with FFA students from other states was awesome. The public speaking and leadership development competion was my favorite and I won third in the state of Florida this past May. It was something that helped me develop my public speaking skills and I loved it.”

The Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Foundation is providing 10, $500 scholarships to graduating high school students. The scholarships will be announced at the Ag Hall of Fame banquet in February 2021.

Eligible students must be enrolled in college or be a high school graduate of 2021 or earlier.

Funds will be distributed upon proof of college enrollment. The scholarship application, which must be postmarked by January 11, 2021m can be accessed online at https://floridaaghalloffame.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ scholarship-application-2021.

Both Gabby and Carter feel FFA has prepared them for future successes. Gabby wants to continue to advance in FFA in her next few years of high school. Carter will be graduating in 2021 and he is planning on attending college. “I considering a couple of universities, but I want to pursue a career in agriculture business and applied economics as well as political science,” Carter said. “I know I want to be in the cattle industry, but I also see myself getting into politics. I know everyone hates politics, but I see myself as a politician.”

No matter what the dynamic duo does with their futures, FFA has taught them how to be leaders. “FFA has taught me how to be a leader or to lead by example,” Gabby said. “I think that this is something that will be very important for me in the future as well as Carter.”

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Tampa Bay Fishing Report January 2021 Capt. Woody Gore

Here it is, almost January 2021, how fast the years come and go. As we get further into winter, anglers can expect some colder weather, which means the snook have moved into their winter haunts.

Sometime after the first cold snap, they begin transitioning into rivers, creeks, deep estuaries, or anywhere holding warmer waters. Many other species also dislike cold water, so be on the lookout for just about anything when targeting those wintertime snooks.

Remember, the tides also play an essential role in wintertime fishing, and like the warmer times, moving water forces bait to swim, making easy targets for hungry fish. The first of an incoming or outgoing tide usually produces the best results.

So, try planning your trips around tidal movements, but keep in mind not everyone has this luxury. So, whenever you get an opportunity to go fishing, load up the tackle, and go. The same area producing Snook and Redfish also produce Trout.

Look for hard sandy or rocky, broken bottom grass flats with plenty of potholes and mangroves. The following areas are the excellent starting points for fishing: Picnic Island, Simmons Park, Bishop Harbor, Joe Island Weedon Island, Fourth Street, Cypress Flats, Rocky Point, and Double Branch Creek.

Snook: Artificial lures do well during the

winter, but also plan on fishing deeper waters. Remember, wintertime fish move into deep waters seeking those warmer muddy bottoms. There is nothing as exciting as fishing topwater lures. Topwater enthusiast finds the strike anticipation is loads of fun, even during the winter.

But keep in mind, topwater lures seem to work better on warmer surface water temperatures. Good choices for winter artificial’s include sinking or suspending lures and soft plastics with a 1/8 oz. Jig head always produces. However, if live bait is your game, shrimp always entice a bite.

mangrove shorelines usually hold feeding redfish. Here again, artificial’s still work for redfish during the winter. And for us, diehard topwater anglers, it’s hard to resist a surface walking MirrOlure (MirrOdine) or a (Top Dog Jr.) And for all the

live baiter’s, try using greenbacks (if you can find them), or shrimp, dollar size pinfish, cut-bait, and plenty of wintertime patience should do the trick.

Spotted Sea Trout action has been

steady this year. But it should go on the upswing with wintertime’s cooler water temperatures. Trout fishing seems to better on strong tides around deep-water flats for the best trout bite. The best baits are shrimp, pinfish, and greenbacks.

Deeper flats, moving water, and a popper type float prove deadly in catching nice fish. Especially when rigged with either live or DOA artificial shrimp. Don’t forget to try casting soft plastic paddle tails rigged on a 1/8 or 3/8 oz. Jig head then bounce it off the bottom during the retrieve. Remember, the bite always comes as the baits begin falling, so don’t be surprised to have a fish on as your lure hits the water.

The same area producing Snook and Redfish also produce Trout. Look for hard sandy or rocky, broken bottom grass flats with plenty of potholes and mangrove shorelines.

The following areas are the best starting points: Picnic Island, Simmons Park, Bishop Harbor, Joe Island Weedon Island, Fourth Street, Cypress Flats, Rocky Point, and Double Branch Creek.

Cobia: Don’t be surprised to see one fol-

Redfish typically stay relatively active

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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)

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because the cooler water doesn’t affect them like it does snook. Broken bottom grass flats, submerged oyster bars and

December 2020

lowing larger stingrays and Manatees. As we get deeper into the winter months, you should see them around the hot water discharges of power plants. Sharks also frequent the warm water discharges this time of year, so don’t be surprised when you catch one while targeting Cobia around the power plants.

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“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”

813-477-3814

Capt. Woody Gore operates Tampa Bay’s #1 Outdoor Fishing Guide Services. Guiding and fishing Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater areas for over fifty years, he offers first-class customer service, family-oriented charters, and a lifetime of memories.

Visit his website at www.captainwoodygore.com or send an email to fishing@captainwoodygore. com or give him a call at 813-477-3814.

Member: ​FOWA-Florida Outdoor Writers Assoc., MemberSEOPA Southeastern Outdoor Press Assoc. CEO/Pres.

Sport-Fishing Unlimited & Outdoor Communications, Outdoor Writer & Speaker

Sheepshead will show up everywhere during the winter spawning

months. Try fishing for these great fighters around markers, bridge fenders, docks, or practically any type of structure. Shrimp and fiddler and small rock crabs always produce.

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Growing Christmas trees provides a habitat for wildlife.

Recycled trees have been used to make sand and soil erosion barriers and been placed in ponds for fish shelter.

Christmas trees remove dust and pollen from the air.

Artificial trees will last for six years in your home, but for centuries in a landfill.

59 percent of real Christmas trees harvested are recycled in community programs.

An acre of Christmas trees provides for the daily oxygen requirements of 18 people.

Christmas trees are grown in all 50 states including Hawaii and Alaska.

Thomas Edison’s assistant, Edward Johnson, came up with the idea of electric lights for Christmas trees in 1882.

Christmas tree lights were first mass produced in 1890.

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Sponsored by:

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971

HOPEWELLFUNERAL.COM YOUR AROUND TOWN SPONSOR Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the December 2015 issue

289704-1

MOON PIES Someone asked me what my favorite TV show was when I was growing up. I don’t remember, but I do remember my favorite radio program was “The Lone Ranger.”

There were a number of things we didn’t have in my early years. We didn’t have fast food. We ate at home. My mother cooked three meals a day, and we sat down as a family, without cell phones, at the dining room table to eat. If I didn’t like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.

Pizzas were not delivered to our house, but milk was! There was no such thing as a credit card. I never had a phone in my room. We were on a party line, and had to wait till the neighbor hung up to make a call.

There were no movie ratings because all movies were clean and responsible for all ages.

If you don’t believe me watch the re-runs of Gunsmoke, Wyatt Earp, and The Jackie Gleason shows.

I remember when the headlight dimmer switch was on the floor of the car, and we used hand signals out the window when making a turn.

I had a pant leg clip for my bicycle without a chain guard. No tenspeed bikes. Just one speed, and we had to pedal hard to get up hill.

My mother used a Royal Crown bottle with holes in the stopper to shake water on the clothes as she was ironing. It always sat on the end of the ironing board. RC Colas were our favorite drink. We used it to wash down a Moon pie.

Moon pies are still popular today. You can buy them at any Cracker Barrel store. I read where Bell Buckle, Tennessee has an annual “RCMoon Pie Festival” in the middle of June each year. This past year they featured, by popular demand, the return of synchronized wading, a 10K run and a Moon Pie eating contest. Men even compete for King Moon Pie, and the winner receives a cardboard crown. The Moon Pie parade features hundreds of locals all dressed up in their Moon Pie attire. For an “All-American” treat, there’s nothing like a Moon Pie and R.C. cola.

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Salley, South Carolina has a big event each year. Since 1966 they have put on a one-day event they call, “Salley Chitlin Strut Festival.” The Saturday after Thanksgiving the town is filled with the aroma of fried hog intestines (chittlerlings). It’s non-stop all day long with a beauty pageant. (Can you imagine being crowned “Miss Chitlin?”). There’s a dance, hog calling contest and a chittlin’ eating contest. You’ll en-

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joy the line up of country music, arts and crafts, a parade and carnival rides that rounds out the festivities.

If you plan to attend the “Chittlin’ Strut Festival,” be sure to stand upwind from the cooker.

For something different you might want to attend the Tuna Tossing Festival in Port Lincoln, South Australia. In recent years, with the world tuna stocks collapsing, they use a fake fish made of polyurethane. The contest is much like the hammer toss in track and field.

Each year, contestants in four categories hurl fish weighing up to 22 pounds as far as they can.

The “Fiesta of the Near Death Experience” is really a strange one that is held every year on July 29th in Neves, a small town in Spain.

The town’s population nearly doubles to 4,000 each year as people come to pay their respects to the ‘Saint of Death.’ The idea of this festival is to give thanks to those who have had a near death experience, and say thanks to the Saint after surviving a close brush with death during the past twelve months. A procession of family and friends of the ‘celebrants’ makes its way through the streets of the town, all appropriately dressed for the funeral.

The idea is crazy enough, for the most part, but they also have to carry their ‘escapee’ in his or her own coffin. Pallbearers are made up of family members. This unconventional pilgrimage is led by the effigy of Santa Marta, which in biblical terms is the name of Martha, the sister of Lazarus who was brought back from the dead by Jesus.

The Fiesta of Near Death Experiences is one that fits right into the mold of Spain’s eccentric celebrations – up there with goat throwing in Zamora or jumping over babies near Burgos, Spain. No one knows exactly when or how the unusual goat throwing Festival started, but it has been going on for generations. The story is told that one day a goat ended up in the local church bell tower, and when the bells went off the extremely startled goat leapt out the window of the bell tower.

Today some town folks get under the tower holding a blanket to catch the goat. If you would like to partake in the festivities, make your way over to Northern Spain to watch a bound goat be tossed out of a church and caught in a tarp. It’ll make an interesting story at your next cocktail party.

In closing lets make plans now to attend the “Road Kill Cook Off Festival” in Marlingon, West Virginia. Enjoy a pleasant day of tasting strange cuisine, shopping for local crafts, tasting home made wines and enjoying live entertainment.

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December State Officer Column

By Emma Poole and Christian Bentrovato

It’s a new month, so we’re back again with another update on how our year as state officers is going! November has been another great month as we continue our chapter programs and keep on encouraging students as we have the chance.

We hope that we’ll have the chance to attend more in-person events after the holidays are over, but until then, we’ve had some amazing competitors that have done an outstanding job in nontraditional formats.

We would first like to say we are so proud of all the teams from Area V, including our home of Hillsborough County, that have competed so far this year and done so incredibly well! Even though these competitions might not look like we expected, that hasn’t stopped local teams from representing and being successful. On a statewide level, we are also very proud of Artha Jonassaint, who was recently selected as the National FFA Southern Region Vice-President! We have no doubt that she’ll have an amazing year of service and have an impact on so many members throughout her experience.

With Thanksgiving having just passed and Christmas now around the corner, we thought that it would be in the holiday spirit to spend part of this column sharing some of the things we are thankful for.

“This holiday season I am thankful for many things. From my family to my teammates, I am thankful that they are by my side every step of the way. As I look back throughout my years of being in FFA I remind myself about the many journeys I have been on and the friendships I have made. I remind myself how thankful I am for being able to have such an amazing experience. It is important that during these trying times we remember all of the things we are thankful for. I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving and have a Merry Christmas!” – Christian

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“2020 is the biggest blessing in disguise. Sure, this year has been unpredictable, but it’s actually given me a lot of direction. Instead of thinking I’ve been stuck at home, I think about

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how I’ve had more time to do what I love. I’ve had time to write music, time to spend with my family, and time to reconnect with myself. In the times when I wasn’t at home, I’ve travelled the state singing live and on the radio, I’ve connected with my fellow state officers, and I’ve really gotten to know my home state better. I’m thankful for this year because it’s caused us all to appreciate each other a little bit more. I hope that during this holiday season, we’ll hold the ones we love a little bit tighter and cherish the moments we share and memories we make together. If 2020 has done anything for us, it’s helped us see that life is precious and should be appreciated in the good times and the bad. I’m thankful for my community, my family, my FFA advisors who’ve helped me along the way, and my faith. I hope each of you have a wonderful holiday season, and I challenge you to look past the negatives and find at least one thing to be thankful for!” – Emma We are both thankful for our community and the opportunities that we have to connect with each of you. We’re thankful for the way all of you support and encourage us throughout all of our endeavors.

There have been other amazing projects that we’ve been working on while in-person events are limited. We are happy to report that this year with our new commemorative calendar program we sold over 2,500 calendars! These calendars will feature the stories of outstanding FFA members from around the state. Thank you to everyone who purchased one!

From both of us and all of our teammates, to all of you, we hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and that the rest of your year will be full of everything you could ask for. We look forward to seeing what the new year has in store for all of us here at Florida FFA! Until next year, Christian Bentrovato and Emma Poole WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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DISTRICT OFFERS SIX WAYS TO SAVE WATER AND MONEY DURING THE HOLIDAYS

The Southwest Water Management District (District) is suggesting six ways to prepare for holiday meals and parties without running up your water bill.

During the holidays, water plays a role in everything from food preparation to the clean-up process. Here’s how to incorporate water conservation into your holiday preparations: • Defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator or microwave instead of running hot water over them.

• Rinse vegetables and fruits in a sink or pan filled with water instead of under running water. This water can then be reused to water houseplants. A running faucet can use up to four-gallons of water per minute.

• When washing dishes by hand, fill one sink or basin with soapy water and fill the rinsing sink one-third to one-half full. Avoid letting the water run continuously in the rinsing sink.

• Select the proper size pans for cooking. Large pans require more cooking water than may be necessary.

• Scrape food scraps into the garbage can or a composting bin, rather than rinsing them into the sink’s garbage disposal. A garbage disposal uses up to 4.5-gallons of water per minute.

• Run your dishwasher only when you have a full load.

Dishwashers use between 7- and 12-gallons of water per load.

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For more water conservation tips, visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/conservation.

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HCSO, PCSO WORK TOGETHER TO ARREST SUSPECT The Hillsborough County and Polk County Sheriff’s Offices teamed up to arrest a suspect that is well-known to law enforcement.

Sheriff Chad Chronister

On October 27, 2020, the PCSO’s Agricultural Crimes Unit contacted HCSO about Devin Pinkney, 37, who was suspected of stealing hand tools and jackhammers from an industrial business in Polk County’s jurisdiction. The business was unoccupied at the time of the crime.

Through investigative means, Pinkney was located at a construction site on Falkenburg Road. Both HCSO and PCSO responded to the location. Pinkney admitted to stealing the tools and jackhammers. He also told detectives that he still had possession of the tools but that he’d thrown jackhammers into a dumpster in Tampa. Agricultural Crimes Units later located both the tools and jackhammers.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office Agricultural Crimes Unit arrested Pinkney. He is charged with Burglary of an Unoccupied Structure and Grand Theft ($750-$5,000).

“We are so fortunate to have a great working relationship with local law enforcement partners, like the Polk County Sheriff’s Office,” said Sheriff Chad Chronister. “Because of it, our agencies were able to work together to get this suspect off of our streets. The Agricultural Crimes Units are an integral part of both agencies, as we work to protect our local farms, ranches, and of course, in this case, industrial businesses.”

Anyone with information about an agricultural crime happening on a local farm or ranch is asked to call (813) 247-8200. #teamHCSO’s Agricultural Crimes Unit was recently featured on a podcast episode of “Keeping It 100 with Sheriff Chad Chronister.” To listen, you can download episodes to your mobile device via Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, and iHeartRadio. Episodes are also available on teamhcso.com. “Keeping it 100 with Sheriff Chad Chronister” is a monthly podcast that highlights various individuals and community partners who are dedicated to making Hillsborough County the best place live, work and raise a family. It debuted in January 2020.

Devin Pinkney

To report a crime on your farm or ranch, or to provide information about a case the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating, please call (813) 247-8200.

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USDA Grant to Provide Safe Food Production Methods to Underserved Farmers

By Jim Frankowiak The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Safety Outreach Program (FSOP) has awarded a $31,273 grant designed to produce and provide easy-to-access training in safe food production methods to underserved farmers. Faculty from the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and Florida A&M are partnering to serve this audience with online programming that will support their viability and competitiveness in the marketplace.

While Florida ranks fifth in the nation in the number of beginning farmers, these growers struggle to participate in educational workshops that can support their success and provided needed information on how to implement safe food production best practices into their operations.

“It’s not for lack of interest,” said Michelle Danyluk, UF/IFAS professor of food science and human nutrition and one of the grant’s leaders. “Many small and beginning farmers often work off-farm to support their families and simply cannot afford the time to attend traditional day-long workshops.”

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The successful completion of this project is anticipated to generate more than 20 remote learning modules and eight, instructor-led webinar workshops. These remote learning experiences will give participants access to food safety training information important for their own understanding and for use in training employees and other farm workers. Specific topics include:

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• Providing food safety training to employees • Food safety recordkeeping • Practicing food safety during harvesting • Evaluating surface water and distribution systems • Sanitation monitoring and verification Growers who would like to stay apprised of project progress are encouraged to join the available listserv by emailing either Katelynn Stull (k.stull@ufl.edu) or Taylor Langford (taylorlangford@ufl.edu).They can also check the progress of this and our other ongoing produce safety extension efforts on: The CREC Extension events website https://crec.ifas.ufl.edu/ extension/events/ ; The FSHN Extension events website https://fshn.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/extension-events--news/ and The Southern Center for Food Safety Training website https://sc.ifas.ufl.edu/ In the meantime, all growers are encouraged to attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. This course is one way to satisfy the training requirements in the FSMA Produce Safety Rule, is currently being highly subsidized by state departments of agriculture (around $25, compared to around $200 when not subsidized), and is being offered remotely. Courses in Florida and the Southern Region are listed on the websites above, and nationally and internationally at https://producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/training/grower-training-courses/upcoming-grower-trainings/ WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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HOLIDAY GIFT IDEAS FOR THE GARDENERS IN YOUR LIFE

By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County

With Christmas and the New Year right around the corner, it’s time to ponder what to gift to your gardening friends. The classic holiday plant gift is poinsettia. However, this article will focus on two other great holiday plants, amaryllis and gardenia.

Amaryllis is a bulb that produces large trumpet-shaped flowers. It is also a good container plant and can reach a height and spread of one to three feet. This bulb needs well-drained soil, has medium drought and low to no salt tolerance. It makes a great impact when planted in terraces, at gate entrances or as a border plant in groups of 10 or more. Plant this bulb between September and January. Amaryllis performs best in partial shade and well in sun. Propagation is from seeds, cuttings and smaller bulbs attached to the “mother” bulbs. You can leave bulbs in the ground for years or dig them up and replant them during September and October. Blooms last for several weeks.

For more information, see http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fp255.

Gardenia produces fragrant white flowers and has glossy dark green leaves. This plant can reach a height and spread of four to eight feet. Full sun to partial shade provides the best flowering. Well-drained soil that has been amended with organic matter is preferred. This large shrub has medium drought and low to no salt tolerance. It should be fertilized three times each year. After flowering has been completed, it can be pruned.

However, if you prune after October 1, blooming the following year will be decreased. You propagate this plant by grafting or cuttings. Gardenia can be used as a hedge or groundcover, and it’s beautiful in mass plantings or as a specimen plant. See http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/EP/EP33800.pdf.

For the gardeners in your life, they may well want non-plant gardening related gifts. Consider giving items such as knee pads, a garden cart, a saw or pruner, gloves, plant books, seeds, bulbs, pots, mulch, potting soil, perlite, compost, plant hangers, composting bin, composting worms, microirrigation kit, garden sculpture, garbage cans (I only have eight and could use more) and dozens of other items gardeners want or need.

AMARYLLIS

Offer your labor at a safe distance, etc., a specific number of hours or tasks to perform for your friends who may not want or are not able to do them. Tasks could include weeding, planting, pruning, watering, propagating, fertilizing, mulching, relocating plants and more. Please get outside and garden so you can check things off your list, enjoy the outdoors and frolic with nature.

For information about our upcoming horticultural programs, visit our website: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ and check out our calendar of events: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/upcoming-events/. Wishing all of you safe and wonderful holidays.

Contact Barber at labarber@ufl.edu.

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White Strawberry AMONG TWO NEW VARIETIES RELEASED BY UF/IFAS

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By Jim Frankowiak

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A white strawberry – the first white strawberry to go to market in the U.S. -- is one of two new varieties released by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS). The other red cultivar has noteworthy taste, according to Vance Whitaker, associate professor of horticultural sciences and a strawberry breeder at the UF/ IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC).

Neither variety has yet been named. The white strawberry, which smells somewhat like a pineapple, is FL 16.78-109 and the red berry is FL 16.30128.

“Because the white strawberry is being test-marketed this year, there has been a lot of interest in it,” said Whitaker, who noted a grower told him that some chefs like the new fruit. “The flavor is very different from a typical strawberry, sweet but with a pineapple-like aroma,” he said, noting that when the white berry is ripe and ready to eat, it is white inside and out with a slight pink blush on the skin and red seeds.

Whitaker emphasized the consistently even red color and conical shape of the new red variety makes the fruit more attractive. “The new red strawberry is notable for its outstanding flavor,” he said.

“Because of its high sugar level, it tastes somewhat similar to another UF/IFAS variety called Sensation®, which is currently one of the leading varieties in Florida, yet with a more intense flavor due to the fruit’s higher acid content.”

Both varieties are anticipated to be grown commercially during the 2021-2022 season.

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FLorida

Pecans

By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Florida pecans are an important part of holiday desserts and dishes, but did you know that they are also good for your heart? Pecans, as well as many other nuts, are a nutritional powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy compounds. They are a nutritious, satisfying snack, as they pack a healthy combination of protein, good fats, and fiber. They have a rich, buttery taste and are naturally sweet. The fat it does contain is the healthy monounsaturated type that lowers cholesterol levels and contributes to heart health. Florida pecans are generally harvested between October and early December, although they are available year-round.

While our neighboring state, Georgia, is famous for its pecan production, Florida produces five to ten million pounds of pecans each year! Most of Florida’s pecan trees are found in the Panhandle and the north-central part of the state, but can be grown in all regions. However, in the southern portion of the state, this crop is not produced in high quantities because it requires colder, drier winters. Interestingly, one third of pecan acreage in Florida is native production, while the rest is comprised of newer, improved varieties. The pecan is native to North America and in the same family as English walnut, black walnut, and hickory.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Pecans are a great source of plant-based protein and healthy monounsaturated fat. Consumption of this type of good fat, as touted in the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to decrease total and LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase healthy HDL cholesterol. In fact, eating the fat provided by pecans increases the body’s absorption of nutrients from other vegetables. So toss some pecans into a salad or oatmeal for a boost in nutrition.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one ounce of raw shelled pecans (28 g) contains 196 calories, 2.7 g protein, 20 g fat, 4 g carbohydrate, and 2.7 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 60% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for manganese, 35% for copper, 15% for thiamine, 10% for zinc, 8% for magnesium, 6% for phosphorus, and other valuable nutrients, including the B vitamins, vitamin E, and selenium. A one ounce serving also provides you with 12 grams of healthy, monounsaturated fat that has been shown to be heart-healthy.

Thiamin Pecans are a good source of thiamin, also known as vitamin B1. One ounce provides 15% of your daily requirement for this B vitamin. This nutrient is involved in enzymatic reactions relating to energy production and is also essential for cognitive function. Thiamin is required for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter essential for memory.

Protein Protein is the second most abundant substance in the body after water and plays an important role on many levels. Fresh

Fiber Pecans contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, assist with digestion, and prevent constipation. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas. Fiber can also help maintain steady blood sugar levels and aid in weight control. Eating foods high in fiber, such as pecans, can help you feel fuller on fewer calories. Additionally, researchers have found that individuals who consume nuts do not absorb all of the calories contained in the nuts, which may also help with weight management in moderate quantities.

How to Select and Store Pecans are readily available in grocery stores as shelled and unshelled. If choosing unshelled pecans, look for ones that are heavy for their size and dry. Shelled pecans come as halves or pieces, raw or roasted, and salted or unsalted. Other varieties are glazed and flavored varieties of pecans in bags, single-serve pouches and resealable canisters. Additionally, you can purchase a variety of pecan-based products, such as pecan oil, pecan butter, pecan milk and pecan meal.

Store shelled pecans in the refrigerator, not at room temperature, to protect their flavor because of the high oil content.

They can be stored for up to six months in the refrigerator or one year in the freezer in a sealed plastic bag. Unshelled pecans can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to one year.

Pecans do not need to be thawed before baking or cooking, but taste better at room temperature if consuming right away.

Pecans are a buttery, nutty addition to anything from cereal, yogurt, salads, and ice cream. They are also delicious shelled and eaten out-of-hand. Here are some more ideas: • Puree for an alternative to peanut butter • Chop and toss with salad, oatmeal or cereal • Sprinkle on top of baked goods, breads, or cake before baking • Incorporate into ice cream, yogurt, or fruit salad • Mix with other nuts and dried fruit for an easy trail mix Savor healthy, nutty Florida pecans today. With its rich texture and versatile uses, the pecan is a healthy addition to any dish all year round.

SELECTED REFERENCES http://www.ipmcenters.org http://www.americanpecan.com http://www.florida-agriculture.com INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Florida pecans are an excellent source of plant-based protein. Many important compounds in the body are comprised of protein, including antibodies that fight infection, hormones that control a variety of physiologic functions, and enzymes that increase the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Protein is also a major source of energy and required for the maintenance and repair of tissues.

VETERANS FLORIDA RECEIVES USDA FUNDING;

EXPANDING ACROSS STATE

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded the Veterans Florida Agriculture Program (VFAP) a three year, $745,000 grant to continue and expand across the state. VFAP began in Hillsborough County through a partnership with the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) t Balm and will now expand to UF/IFAS research and education centers throughout Florida.

The VFAP takes place at UF/IFAS research and education centers across Florida, matching participants with a career at an agribusiness or working farmer or ranch after program completion. Veteran participants work 40-hours weekly and earn a $15/hour stipend for hours worked. They are also encouraged to enroll in a UF agriculture certificate program in which they are eligible for GI Bill funding or VA Vocational Rehabilitation funding.

Since the program’s inception, 17 veterans have interned at various UF/IFAS facilities and each has received job offers upon program completion with most pursuing careers in the Florida agriculture industry.

The fellowship is supported by the Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans Program from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).

VFAP is a nine-month fellowship program to help veterans transition into sustainable careers in Florida’s agriculture industry. The program provides participants with comprehensive, hands-on experience and the knowledge, skills and abilities to be competitive for today’s leading agriculture careers.

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More program information is available by emailing Amy Entress, Entrepreneurship Development & Agriculture Program Manager, at entress@veteransflorida.org. or Simon Bollin, Agribusiness Development Manager for Hillsborough County Economic Development. His email address is bollins@hcflgov.net.

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SWEET LIFE FARMS A DECADE CELEBRATING THE SWEET LIFE AND MORE

By Jim Frankowiak

Sweet Life Farms is a 10-year-old produce grower with strawberries as its main crop along with watermelon.

But the “sweet life,” sometimes referred to as La Dolce Vita, fostered by the farm is about more than just produce. It’s about the great memories shared with family and friends and the memorable experiences good food can offer.

Sweet Life Farms is also a bit different from many, if not most, of the strawberry growers in and around Plant City. The majority are family farms that have been producing strawberries for decades. Sweet Life Farms was formed 10 years ago by Steve Howard, Ron Lovell and Andy McDonald. They were friends and acquaintances.

The McDonald family has been growing produce and berries for five generations and shares the same foundation as many berry farms in the area.

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“I was approached by the McDonald family to start a farm and sales business,” said Howard. “A few years later we purchased the cooler. Ron worked for me at Patterson Companies, a trucking company, as comptroller

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and I knew the McDonalds from church and we also met their transportation needs.

“We are three Christian men with pride and desire to be the best,” said Howard. “In addition to my trucking company, I have 3 PL Logistics, a brokerage company that gives us an advantage. Andy is a great farmer with a strong work ethic. Ron was the perfect comptroller to run accounting.”

Howard, Sweet Life Farms President and majority owner, is originally from Wallace, North Carolina and moved to Florida in 1993 and went to work for Patterson Truck Brokers. He and his wife Krista have been married since 1980 and have children: Joseph, Melissa and Gaston, as well as two grandchildren Jace and Georgia. “I drove a long distance truck hauling produce out of Florida from 1980 until moving to Plant City,” said Howard.

Lovell was drawn to Sweet Life Farms because “it was an opportunity to get into the business with an experienced farmer,” he said. “We are three partners with WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

different business backgrounds, fields of expertise and each with common goal to provide the best product.”

Born and raised on a small farm in southern Indiana, Lovell has spent the majority of his career in accounting, finance and some operations management. He is an alumnus of Upper Iowa University with an undergraduate degree in Business Administration. He and his wife Cheryl have been married for 52 years and have two grown children, a son and daughter and several grandchildren.

McDonald, Director of Farming Operations and overall farm manager, is a fifth generation Plant City farmer whose family has grown both strawberries and vegetables. He grew up on his family’s farm and got into farming full-time after graduating from Plant City High School in 1995. Andy and his wife Jean Ann have two sons and a “princess.” The boys are Cooper, 15; and Knox, 11, and five-year-old “Princess Charlee.” Jean Ann is Human Resources and Food Safety Coordinator at Sweet Life Farms.

just as safe as they are delicious. We take great pride in our dedication to product safety. That “Commitment to Safety” includes: • All farms and the Sweet Life Farms packing shed are Global Food Safety (GFS) Initiative-certified by Primus Labs • Regular Ranch and Harvest Crew audits • Compliance with Product Traceability Initiative (PTI) • All cartons/bins are labeled with Harvest Mark for farm and lot traceability • All clamshells contain a Global Trade Item Number As to the future, “We plan to continue to expand acres and try to be the best in doing so,” said Howard. “I give thanks to my Lord and Savior and to all of our employees and customers. God has blessed us in so many ways,” he concluded.

Andy is a long term and active member of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA). He was elected to the association’s board when he was 19. He has also served as FSGA president for two, separate terms and a member of the FSGA research and scholarship committees.

Sweet Life Farms includes 650-acres, a cooler, warehouse and administrative facility on the north side of Plant City, literally around the corner from I-4 centralized to farms. “A majority of farmed acreage is directly owned and controlled by us. We have 70 permanent and about 750 seasonal employees,” said McDonald.

He also noted farm labor is consistent and regularly certified.

“Sweet Life Farms emphasizes a back to basics approach with focus on quality and repeat business rather than volume and package count,” said McDonald. “From the beginning, it’s always been about bringing quality produce to the consumer. Our mission is simple. We aren’t the biggest, but we want to be the best. We realize consumers have a lot of choices when it comes to produce. Grocery store aisles are full of different brands from many different parts of the world.”

Sweet Life Farms believes “quality produce and quality living go hand in hand. Now more than ever, consumers have countless choices, products and brands at their fingertips, so our goal is to make sure that our products stand out. We take great pride in bringing you the besttasting, highest quality produce around. Our fruit is quite possibly the sweetest you will ever try. We might be a new company, but we are not new to the industry.

Our roots go back to over half a century ago. We know what matters most to the consumer, and that is quality and consistency. We want to bring consumers the best, and we’ll strive for nothing less than that.”

Food safety is very important at Sweet Life Farms. “We make every possible effort to ensure our products are

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For more information about Sweet Life Farms, visit: SweetLifeFarms.com.

UF RESEARCHERS ACHIEVE MILESTONE Toward Development of Citrus-Greening-Resistant Tree

By Jim Frankowiak

University of Florida scientists have achieved a major milestone in their quest to develop a citrus greening-resistant tree by sequencing the genome of a fruit plant that is a close cousin to citrus trees.

ous studies on citrus greening also played a very important role in finding candidate genes for citrus greening tolerance, citrus tristeza vice resistance and other important characteristics.” His team also included Dongliang Du and Qibin Yu.

The sequencing, assembly and analysis of the trifoliate orange genome resulted from collaborations among researchers at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Gmitter laboratory at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center (CREC), Rokhsar laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley and scientists Dr. Shengqiang Shu and Dr. Albert Wu at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute (JGI). UF’s Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research (CBR) did a portion of the genome sequencing for the collaborative team effort.

Going forward, Dr. Gmitter is leading a project to sequence more citrus genomes for the citrus research community and for developing citrus greening-resistant cultivars. Dr. Deng is taking a close look at some of the orange and trifoliate orange genes that are likely involved in citrus greening resistance or susceptibility. “The goal is to confirm their involvement and modify them for citrus greening resistance,” said Deng. Both Deng and Gmitter laboratory teams are using the available genome sequences to design gene/genome editing constructs to knock down or cut out those genes that make orange trees susceptible or sensitive to citrus greening and other bacterial diseases and to develop a new generation of citrus varieties that can fend off these damaging diseases.

“At this time, it is hard to predict when citrus trees with edited genomes will become commercially available,” said Deng.

“One thing is certain, that is, we are much closer to that day than before.”

Research scientists now believe they have found the genes to lay the groundwork to make citrus more tolerant and potentially resistant to certain diseases, including citrus greening.

“Trifoliate orange and its hybrids have genes that can confer high tolerance to citrus greening and resistance to the Asian citrus psyllid, the insect that transmits greening to citrus,” said Dr. Zhanao Deng, an environmental horticulture professor and senior author of the new UF/IFAS-led study. “This genome can be used as a reference template to sequence widely used trifoliate orange hybrid rootstock varieties.

“Former postdoctoral researcher, Ze Peng, played a critical role in completing this project,” said Deng. “He conducted an extensive analysis of the trifoliate orange genome, uncovered unique features of the genome, discovered candidate genes for citrus greening tolerance and other important characteristics and drafted and finalized the research article.” Other GCREC postdoc researchers who participated in this project include Nidhi Ravat, Saroj Parajuli and Qian You.

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Dr. Fred Gmitter of the CREC “played a critical role in the whole project,” said Deng. “As the coordinator of the international team that sequenced the first citrus genome, he is richly experienced with citrus genome sequencing and guided the completion of this project. His connections with Rokhsar and JCI scientists persuaded them to take this project. His laboratory also used a special new technology that allowed polishing of the trifoliate orange genome assembly, which could be compared to proof-reading a huge encyclopedia. His previ-

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Scientists have produced grapefruit plants with edited genomes and some of them have shown resistance to citrus canker diseases. “We are testing these plants for resistance to citrus greening,” noted Deng. “CREC researchers have produced citrus plants with edited genomes. Some of them showed resistance to citrus canker and these plants are also being tested for citrus greening resistance.”

Funding for this project came from grants from the Citrus Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Citrus Disease Research and Extension (CDRE) Program.

“Shortly after our study was released, multiple researchers contacted us, eager to access and use the trifoliate orange genome sequence,” said Deng. “The citrus research community has been really excited at the availability of this high quality genome sequence. We believe that this new resource will be very valuable for us fighting against the devastation of citrus greening and other disease and for developing new citrus scion and rootstock varieties for the Florida and U.S. citrus industry.”

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Good Tidings Of Great Joy!

by John Dicks In this strange year of 2020, we have reached the season when we annually ponder and reflect upon the special scripture found in in the Gospel of Luke, noting that the “angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”

It was, of course the angelic pronouncement and revelation of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The world was dramatically changed those some two thousand and twenty years ago. Certainly it was for the better, and if we are wise, will continue to work for the betterment of us mortal earthlings.

Ironic, perhaps, is that humanity is, in this season, in dire need of yet another dose of good tidings which will bring us great joy.

Respectfully, I am referring in this instance to recent news regarding vaccine development to effectively eliminate the dreadful virus which has been wreaking havoc worldwide.

The global warp speed efforts by brilliant medical professionals to produce preventative protocols in the form of a shot in the arm, perhaps saving millions of people worldwide, has been a dazzling phenomenon and an amazing thing to follow.

Frankly, I consider it to be a wonderful blessing to have been bestowed upon us during this Christmas season.

Consider the numbers. In our state alone, we have crossed that threshold mark of 1,000,000 Floridians to have been infected by COVID-19. With an estimated population of some 22 million, the numbers reflect that nearly 5% have caught the coronavirus.

Not so long ago, during casual conversations, generally by phone, or sometimes while shielded by mask, I’d ask friends if they knew of anyone who had contracted the virus. At first, the response was a general one. Typically, they knew of someone who had a cousin, who lived near a neighbor, who had heard at work about someone who had caught it.

Gradually, the news got a little closer to home. We began to learn of recent infections in some whose name we knew.

Now the news seems to flash like lightning; seemingly that all of us now know of someone, or more likely are very closely related to someone (if not themselves) who have suffered the malady.

Dreadful it has been; even for those of us who have not been victims ourselves.

Our lives have been disrupted, our families and friends have been separated through isolation; our holidays and celebrations have been put on hold; and our work and businesses have all suffered.

We all so long for an end to this. Our hopes and dreams are for a return to normal; or at least what we remember as such.

Stunning then, is the news that help is on the way. Developed so quickly and with an efficacy far greater than ever imagined, protective inoculations are being administered, reinforcing our battle against the international viral scourge.

Pharmaceutical companies have been working nonstop, 24 hours a day, developing, producing and managing for widespread distribution the medicine, or vaccine, needed for our immunization.

Granted that some have expressed concern, or even skepticism, about getting vaccinated. I have spoken with several who are adamant in their worries over something so new.

I respect those thoughts and views, but heartedly disagree. I profess no knowledge nor special insight, but I do recognize that putting an end to this pandemic is something we all have been wanting and praying for.

I have faith that this vaccine is the answer, and I am putting trust in the science that produced it, that it will protect us, our family, and friends.

Our frontline healthcare providers are getting it. So, too, will our military members and law enforcement personnel.

We can, at least, do our part as well. Frankly, it’s the patriotic thing to do.

Have a wonderful Christmas; and let’s make it a great new year!

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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.

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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es

Holiday Cheer:

THE OKALOOSA DARTER MAKES A COMEBACK By Ginny Mink

Let’s try to start this holiday season with some good news given the fact that 2020 has been rife with anything and everything but. Since we write about endangered species each month, it’s a great joy to discuss the Okaloosa Darter as it has been down graded from endangered to threatened!

You might be wondering what an Okaloosa Darter is, and that’s ok, because that’s our job! This is a tiny fish that only grows to be about two inches long. They range in color from a redbrown to a green-yellow and have brown spots, five to eight, along the lateral surface of their bodies. Plus there’s a distinctive spot above the bottom of the pectoral fin.¹ This fish hangs out in woody debris and vegetation. And, is only known to reside in the margins of “six clear flowing streams in northwest Florida.”² In truth, more than 95% of its population is found on Eglin Air Force Base. In case you didn’t know, this is “one of the world’s largest conventional weapons testing facilities.”² The Okaloosa Darter was initially added to the endangered species list in 1973 because scientists discovered that the population was somewhere around 1500 fish. The streams that these fish live in drain into two Choctawhatchee Bay bayous located in Okaloosa and Walton Counties. Which is, of course, managed by Eglin Air Force Base. In fact, 97% of the Okaloosa Darter’s habitat is located there.³ These fish lack swim bladders to control their buoyancy so that makes them bottom dwellers. They eat mayfly nymphs, midge larvae, and caddisfly larvae. Their breeding season is between March and October though most activities along those lines happen in April and peak in October. Studies revealed that among 201 females only 29 eggs were mature even though they have about 79 to lay. The eggs stick to vegetation once the females release them and the orange banded males fertilize. Sexual maturity for females is reached at a little over an inch in length.¹ The United States Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with Loyola University New Orleans have provided innovative research that has been part of the decision to downgrade the Okaloosa Darter from endangered to threatened. “Using innovative sampling and biometric techniques over the past two decades, researchers from USGS and Loyola University New Orleans used a combination of three-pass removal and point count observations with mask and snorkel to estimate the number of these 50-mm (2-inch) fish in six small stream systems.”² This revealed an estimated 500,000 fish in the six streams!²

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The USGS and Loyola University, are not the only groups working to ensure the survival of this species. In fact, Eglin Air Force Base has worked closely with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore the stream habitats. The natural resources managers at Eglin have managed to eliminate 98% of the erosion that was occurring at darter watersheds. That reduced the sediment amounts entering the clear streams and they removed the artificial impoundments to allow the streams’ connectivity to be restored. This created additional stream habitats for the Okaloosa Darter. Thereby, improving the population of the darters included there.³

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission believes that the biggest threat to the Okaloosa Darter is the introduction of the brown darter to its habitat. These fish are outcompeting the Okaloosa Darter for resources and food.

Sedimentation, as discussed previously, was a real issue as well because it was covering the sites where the fish laid their eggs.

While Eglin Air Force Base is committed to conservation of these fish, there is still a problem with off-base development and the use of land in the surrounding areas.¹ The techniques employed by the USGS and Loyola University for conservation purposes allowed them to track the life of the Okaloosa Darter, one of which lived to be 8 years old. This was a record for this genus. Other methods include using prescribed burns to open up stream canopies and learning more about the roles that beavers may be playing in modifying the habitat of the Okaloosa Darter. Obviously, there is still more research to be done, but these attempts have made great strides that could be applicable to other small stream fish.² The future is definitely looking brighter for these wee fish.

Though there are still recovery actions to be met, it is highly likely that this fish will eventually be removed from the threatened list and restored to its natural numbers in the very near future. This is great news for a species that is so area specific and endemic to Florida. And as we tell you every month, it truly is our job to steward the earth we have been given by the Creator and that means taking care of all that He has created.

There’s a reason He put the Okaloosa Darter in Florida!

Resources: ¹Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Okaloosa Darter Etheostoma okaloosae. https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/freshwater/okaloosa-darter/ ²Jelks, Howard. Population Monitoring of the Federally Threatened Okaloosa Darter at Eglin Air Force Base. USGS. https:// www.usgs.gov/centers/wetland-and-aquatic-researchcenter-warc/science/population-monitoring-federallythreatened?qt-science_center_objects=0#qt-science_center_objects ³Leon, S., Seiber, S. & Tate, B. (2011). Recovery Success Stories| Okaloosa Darter. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. https://www. fws.gov/endangered/what-we-do/ep-08.html Photo Credits: Lang, Paul. (2011). US Fish and Wildlife Service. Rowan and a darter. https://flic.kr/p/9v5fbV Albanese, B. (2016). Ethestoma_tallapoosae_male_BA16-032 (Tallapoosa Darter). https://flic.kr/p/J9mvNy (not an Okaloosa Darter, but gives you an idea of what they look like).

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s e p i c e R Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Chef Justin Timineri

Stuffed Florida Zucchini and Yellow Squash Parmesan

DIRECTIONS Cut off the stem side of the zucchini or yellow squash.

Cut zucchini or yellow squash evenly in half lengthwise.

Using a small spoon, scoop out the seeds from each half to create room to hold other ingredients.

Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.

INGREDIENTS 2 medium-sized Florida zucchini or large yellow squash 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded 1 cup marinara sauce (your favorite)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs Olive oil for cooking 2 tablespoons fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Season the zucchini or yellow squash with salt and pepper.

Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumb topping mixture on top of the zucchini or yellow squash.

Place the zucchini or yellow squash skin side up in the sauté pan and cook for about 2 minutes on both sides.

Remove from pan and place on a cookie sheet skin side down.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, com-

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Preheat a medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat.

Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to the preheated pan.

Add the corn kernels and diced peppers to the pan, and lightly season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook the corn mixture until the peppers and corn start to get slightly golden brown.

Add the black beans and cumin to the corn mixture, stir ingredients to combine, and remove from heat.

Place the corn mixture into a bowl. Let cool to room temperature or in a refrigerator until next step.

To assemble quesadilla, lay out 4 tortillas on a flat, clean surface.

Evenly distribute 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese on each tortilla.

Next, evenly distribute the corn mixture on top of the

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Evenly distribute the ricotta cheese and marinara sauce on top of the zucchini or yellow squash.

Top the yellow squash and zucchini with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

2 ears fresh Florida sweet corn, kernels cut off the cob 1 cup cooked black beans, drained and rinsed 1 cup Florida bell peppers (assorted colors), diced small

DIRECTIONS

Season ingredients to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the preheated pan.

Ingredients

Florida Sweet Corn and Jack Cheese Quesadilla

bine panko bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon olive oil, chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.

Bake the stuffed zucchini or yellow squash for 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown and cheese is bubbly.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Serve warm.

8 soft corn tortillas (6 inch) 2 cups jack cheese, shredded 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste Vegetable oil for cooking cheese, and add even amounts of the fresh cilantro.

Add the last 1/4 cup of cheese on top of the cilantro, and top each one with a tortilla.

Lightly press each stuffed tortilla to make it flat.

Preheat a medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat.

Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil to the preheated pan.

Cook each quesadilla for 2 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown and the cheese has melted.

Remove the cooked quesadilla from the pan and repeat cooking process.

Hold cooked quesadillas in a 300-degree oven until all are cooked.

Slice the quesadillas like a pie and serve warm with fresh Florida salsa and guacamole.

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By Ginny Mink

Ornamental Gardening in Florida The end of 2020 has arrived and there are a great many of us celebrating. What a year it has been! Of course, there’s certainly no guarantee that next year is looking any better, but we can be hopeful, right? So, as we hop on the Literary Time Machine for one last 2020 voyage, let’s do so with expectation and excitement about what will unfold both now and in the future.

When we last journeyed, we had begun a chapter entitled Ornamental Fruit-Bearing Plants. As we try to get our hearts right for the festive season, perhaps we will allow ourselves to find joy in plants that provide, not just beautify.

We’ll pick up with Mr. Torrey Simpson’s writing at the Cecropia palmata. He writes, “Trumpet tree of the Lower West Indies. A small tree with a single stem and awkward, horizontal branches, bearing immense, digitate leaves which are silvery beneath. The sexes are separate and both bear catkin-like blossoms, those of the female ripening into finger-like fruits in clusters, very sweet and palatable. They make striking trees for the edge of masses.”¹ According to the Useful Tropical Plants website, the fruit can be eaten raw or cooked and tastes a lot like figs. It is often used as a filling for cakes. The leaves and young buds are used medicinally along with various other parts of the tree.

Supposedly, it is widely used in the Americas because it is considered to be: “…analgesic, antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, cardiotonic, diuretic, emmenagogue, hypoglycaemic, hypotensive, mildly laxative and vasodilator.”² So, the trumpet tree, or snakewood tree (as it’s also known), might be a good addition especially if you are herbal remedy minded.

Which leads us then to the Chrysophyllum cainito, “Star Apple, so called because when the fruit is cut across a dark star is shown in the center. A beautiful West Indian tree attaining a large size, with handsome, glossy, metallic green leaves whose under surfaces are clothed with shining, gold-brown hairs.”¹ We can only assume that the star apple is different than the star fruit.

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The Miami Fruit website does a better job of explaining the fruit which is very definitely different than star fruit. These are green or purple skinned and the skin is not edible. However, the pulp surrounding the seeds, which is sweet, white, and juicy is similar to an abiu.³ So, what in the world is an abiu?

Dengarden tells us that the abiu was first introduced to the states in Florida but it didn’t do well here because we have frosts and droughts. Thusly, the author writes, why it grows much better in Hawaii.⁴ It looks interesting. But you can learn more about that on your own if you are further intrigued by fruit you never heard of!

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Part 75

As a Florida man, it seems proper that Mr. Torrey Simpson would talk about citrus. He pens, “These trees have been celebrated for their beauty for ages and well do they deserve all praise. A vigorous grapefruit tree with its fine glossy leaves, almost breaking down under an enormous load of great yellow fruits is a thrilling sight, and it seems to be nature’s supreme effort in the way of production. The orange is almost equally handsome and a kumquat tree in full fruit is a charming thing.

All the citrus are from the warmer parts of the Orient.”¹ Sadly, citrus in our state has had a rough go and no doubt Mr. Torrey Simpson would be quite dismayed.

We’ll close this voyage with one of this author’s favorite fruit bearing trees here. “Eriobotria japonica, Loquat. A fine tree from Japan with large, handsome foliage which is more or less covered with wool above and below. It bears clusters of yellow, pear-shaped fruits which are deliciously sub-acid.

Hardy in northern Florida and it does well quite generally.”¹ Loquats can make amazing jelly and even fruit tarts and pies if you are willing to do the work to get the small amount of fruit from each little yellow oval. This author has done so and thoroughly enjoyed the process and the results. In case you’ve never thought to cook with the loquats that grow in your yard this holiday might be a time to try it!

So, as we zoom into 2021 from here, let’s keep our eyes focused on the good things that exist, including fruit trees, friends, and family. We will welcome you back aboard in January! Until then, happy gardening and Merry Christmas.

Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida.

Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 216-217). ²Useful Tropical Plants. Cecropia Palmata. http://tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Cecropia+palmata ³Miami Fruit. Star Apple- Caimito (Cainito). https://miamifruit. org/products/star-apple-caimito ⁴Doan, Viet. (2019). Tropical Taste of Hawaii: The Amazing Abiu.

Dengarden. https://dengarden.com/gardening/TropicalTaste-of-Hawaii-The-amazing-Abiu Photo Credits: Zona, Scott. (2018). Cecropia palmata. https://flic.kr/p/LpHC3Y Wicked Little Cake Company. (2010). Star apple like a purple persimmon. https://flic.kr/p/87uH3S PINKE. (2019). Loquat filled with fruit. In my garden. Mar. 2019. https://flic.kr/p/RBSERn

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ANaturally Closer Look Amazing

by Sean Green

Rainbow Scarab (Phanaeus vindex)

As we wind down the year, I find myself reflecting on the events that characterized 2020. I can’t help but think of the phrase “Hind sight is 2020,” and how many of us might be glad to see the year 2020 in hind sight. The world has suffered a pandemic, racial tension, social unrest, natural disasters, economic depression, and technology threats that have made it challenging to maintain focus on the beauty our world still provides. This month I’d like to share a little hope, a rainbow in the dark, an ancient gift that is still treasured today. I’d like to share with you the rainbow scarab (Phanaeus vindex). Scarab beetles in general have been highly revered for thousands of years.

The scarab beetle is both an allegory and a living testament that beauty can emerge from even the most abhorrent existence if we just take a closer look.

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The rainbow scarab (Phanaeus vindex) is a North American dung beetle. It is a member of the scarab beetle family (Scarabaeidae); the same family as the black dung beetle (Scarabaeus sacer), the one famously depicted in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. Personally, I think our rainbow scarab is much more beautiful than the black scarab.

Our rainbow scarab is one of the most colorful insects you will find.

It has a yellow head, and the thorax is a blend of yellow, green, blue and red. The coolest part of their brilliant coloration is that it’s not simple pigment but rather a spectacular construct of the physics of light. The rainbow scab beetle has microscopic plate like structures

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called lamellae on its body that bend light in an interface pattern that results in reflected light waves interacting, and interfering with each other to produce a brilliant metallic sheen pattern on the insect.

Different angles on the surface reflect different wavelengths that we perceive as the color reflected, ie: red, blue, green, or a combination of colors. As our viewing angle changes, so does the perceived color shift. Structural coloration is the technical term used to describe how the rainbow scarab gets its color. Butterflies and peacocks and hummingbirds are only a few examples of other animals that get their color by the same physics.

The lamellate antennae of the scarab beetle are unique among beetles and distinguish the scarab beetle from others. The antennae are tipped with three plates that are folded like a paper fan and nested like a telescope so they can either form a club shape, expanded to a fan shape, or be withdrawn altogether. The male rainbow scarab has an impressive solid black horn that is used for sparing when other males threaten to compete for food or the companionship of female beetles. Dung is the main (and often only) food sources for the scarab beetle, there is a word for that and that word is coprophagous, literally meaning “Dung Eating.” Do not assume that these insects will deal with just anyone’s dung. Most dung beetles seem to prefer the dung of herbivores over that of carnivores; most likely because the nutritional content is higher. New research suggests that omnivore WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

dung is the most popular because it has the best of both worlds; nutrients from plant fibers and smell from meat in the diet that makes the dung easy to find.

The rainbow scarab is among the few groups of insects that actively care for their young, this is comforting news considering how these babies are brought into this world. There are three basic nesting behaviors among the hundreds of species within the Phanaeus genus of dung beetle in North America. The “dwellers” live, nest, and feed inside the dung itself. The “rollers,” pillage the dung pat, rolling it up into a near perfect ball and move it away from the source to a remote nest. The rainbow scarab is in the third group, the “tunners” and dig tunnels under the dung pat to create brood chambers. Unlike many other species of dung beetle, the male and female rainbow scarab work together to excavate the soil and create a subterranean nest. The brood ball (dung ball) is made collaboratively by rolling up moist dung and coating the outside with a layer of soil to preserve the dung quality. The dung balls are rolled into a pear-shaped structure before being rolled into the brood chamber. This dung ball will be the only food source for the larvae. Once the dung ball is carefully placed within the chamber a single egg is laid on the pointy end of the dung ball and the female repeats the process, one dung ball for each egg until she has filled the chamber and has no more eggs to deposit. In addition to the brood chamber, the couple will excavate additional tunnels within the chamber for the storage of surplus dung balls that will be food for newly emerged or overwintering adults.

Sometimes extra chambers are also created as shelter for adults.

such as cattle, sheep, and goat. Research has suggested that the nesting behavior of tunneling species, such as the rainbow scarab may serve as a biologic solution for the control of significant pest species such as the horn fly (Haematobia irritans) as the dung beetle has been observed outcompeting populations of horn fly (Bertone et al.

2004) If you happen to find a rainbow scarab before the end of the year, I hope you have the opportunity to take a closer look at its wonderful colors, but more importantly, reflect on the spiritual aspects of this humble creature as the ancient Egyptians have. This insect is a symbol of not only new life, but of a beautiful life that can be found everywhere. Happy Holidays.

All this excavating is admittedly a crappy job, but of the three nesting behaviors, the tunnel builders are highly valued as the most productive dung beetle for soil and livestock health. The tunneling process brings rich subsurface soil (solicasts) to the surface and more importantly, reduce the surface waste accumulation of ruminant livestock

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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD As an undergraduate student studying geomatics, Chris Kilroy has helped build a wave tank for coral. He ran a computer model to read drone images from a strawberry field. He has operated a robot named Thorvald to kill plant disease on a farm.

By J. Scott Angle

I made a promise to our undergraduates they’ll get opportunities like Chris’s. I hope that Hillsborough and Polk’s agricultural community might donate or offer students real-world experience on your farms and in your offices to help me keep that promise.

Chris found all these opportunities in Hillsborough County, and they’re your opportunities, too. The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is educating your future employees while they’re undergraduates. According to a Brookings Institution analysis, 57 percent of the labor in agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting has the potential to be automated by 2030. So you’re going to need people who can work with robots like Thorvald.

We’ve long been committed to opportunity for Hillsborough and Polk County through the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Plant City program we established nearly 20 years ago. It gives students who can’t or don’t want to move to Gainesville the opportunity to get a UF education in their own community.

I intend to expand and enrich hands-on opportunities, because not all students pursue them like Chris does. I worry that some are passing up opportunity because of finances.

That’s why I’ve made a public commitment to CALS undergraduates in Plant City and elsewhere that each of them will have a real opportunity to engage in at least one meaningful beyond-the-classroom experience during their CALS careers.

THE VICE PRESIDENT’S PROMISE

I call it the Vice President’s Promise. CALS Dean Elaine Turner and I launched this initiative in October to increase undergraduates’ access to research projects, internships, leadership conferences and study abroad.

We want these to be opportunities that all students can afford.

We’re raising money to defray the cost of outside-the-classroom learning–providing a stipend so a student can afford an unpaid internship, or covering travel costs for study abroad, for example.

This is so important to me and my wife Kay that we have pledged $10,000 to start the initiative. I hope you’ll consider joining us as donors. Visit https://give.ifas.ufl.edu/VPPromise/ , email advancement@ifas.ufl.edu or call 352-392-1975.

Chris came to us from Hillsborough Community College, whose aquaculture greenhouse is at the UF/IFAS Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin. That led to the wave tank work at the Florida Aquarium Center for Conservation in Apollo Beach under CALS faculty member Joshua Patterson.

Plant City CALS faculty member Amr Abd-Elrahman offered Chris the opportunity to participate in research by analyzing drone imagery. Geomatics program specialist Katie Britt connected him to plant pathologist Natalia Peres at our Gulf Coast Research and Education Center to do the work using a robot to test the effectiveness of using ultraviolet light to kill fungus on strawberries.

For employers, internships are an opportunity to audition future employees. Undergraduate research projects are opportunities for fresh eyes to take a look at the challenges you face in the field every day.

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Please continue to invite students to your ranch, farm or office as interns or visitors.

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Dr. Scott Angle, University of Florida vice president for agriculture and natural resources, is committed to providing experiential opportunities for undergraduate students in the areas of agriculture, life sciences and natural resources. By enriching existing programs in the UF/ Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences College of Agricultural and Life Sciences that are devoted to the holistic student experience, UF/IFAS fuels an unparalleled collegiate journey that stands above our academic peers and prepares students to be competitive in today’s workforce and society.

With a personal commitment of $10,000, VP Angle has launched this initiative for UF/IFAS CALS. Opportunity, experience, leadership, and an unrivaled education—this is the VP Promise to CALS students. You can join VP Angle and CALS with your gift.

Visit https://give.ifas.ufl.edu/VPPromise/ or call 352-392-1975.

Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).

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Weekend Zoo

By Libby Hopkins

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Jenny Walker of Wimauma comes from a very long line of animal lovers and animal trainers. “I’m a fifth generation exotic animal trainer,” Walker said. “I’ve trained domestic animals, elephants, zebras, camels, tigers, horses and my performing dogs. I really do love it and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. This is my whole life and it’s definitely in my blood.”

Walker is the owner of Jenny’s Petting Zoo and the zoo is located at her home in Wimauma. She opens up her home and her pets to the public every weekend. “The zoo came about from my background,” Walker said. “We’ve always traveled all over the world and toured with different shows, circuses and stage shows. My family on both sides is all entertainers and when COVID hit, it totally wiped out the whole entertainment industry out. It was so sad for all of us.”

Walker has wanted to own a zoo since she was a little girl.

“I’ve always wanted to own a zoo and growing up in my family, attending school was always difficult because we were always traveling,” Walker said. “I was already working when I was 10-years-old. My brothers and I were in and out of school, so for the most part, we were home-schooled. I have two little boys who just started kindergarten and I always told my husband that one of these days, we’re going to have to stop going on the road and performing because I want our kids to have a good education. Times are changing for the circus world and it’s getting harder to keep up this life, but then COVID hit and everything changed for us.”

Like the saying goes, “When one door closes, another door opens.” COVID gave Walker a chance to start the zoo she always wanted. “Just when you think the world is crashing in around you, something good happens,” Walker said. “My husband said, ‘okay, let’s start a zoo’ and it was good for us because we already had all these beautiful animals at our home

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that were already trained and know how to perform. We have all the equipment at our house too, so we opened up a zoo.”

Walker opens up her zoo to the pubic every Saturday and Sunday. “I do two live animal shows a day on Saturdays and Sundays,” Walker said. “It’s free admission for the zoo and the live shows are free. We don’t charge admission to come to our home and see our animals as it’s a way for me to give back to my community and give them something fun to do on the weekends together as a family.” Walker and her husband make fresh squeezed lemonade and hotdogs to sell to their guests and they sell feed for guest to buy and feed the baby animals. They also charge a small fee if guest want to ride their camels or ponies. “The money we make off of selling snacks and animal feed goes back to the animals at the zoo because we use it to buy more food and to help care for them.”

Jenny’s Petting Zoo opened this past June and the feedback Walker has gotten from her visitors and the community has been tremendous. “They absolutely love it,” Walker said. “I get a lot of return guests and they bring more people with them.

I always try to change things up for them so it’s always something different when they come.”

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It’s a lot of work for Walker and her family but the zoo is only on the weekends and it’s something Walker and her family can do together. “My kids are there with me and they get to run around our front yard and have fun too,” Walker said. “It’s only on the weekends and we’re really into it.”

Walker has many high hopes for her zoo in the upcoming year.

“I want to get the word out about Jenny’s Petting Zoo,” Walker said. “I want people to know we are here and they don’t have to go and spend a ton of money to experience riding a camel or riding pony. They can see live animal shows for free while enjoying the fresh Florida air. They can learn about animals and how to treat them. I believe that if we teach children to be loving and kind to animals today, it may make the world a better place for tomorrow.”

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If you would like to learn more about Jenny’s Petting Zoo, you can visit her Facebook page at www.facebook.com/jennyspettingzoo or call 813-362-0336. The zoo is located at 12611 Andrews Rd. in Wimauma. Jenny’s Petting Zoo will have visits from Santa Claus each weekend in December leading up to Christmas.

UF GIVEN 27,000 ACRES NEAR YEEHAW JUNTION; WILL SERVE AS LIVING CLASSROOM AND LABORATORY FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY UNIVERSITY-WIDE

By Jim Frankowiak | Photos courtesy of UF Photographers The University of Florida has been given more than 27,000 rural acres near Yeehaw Junction in Florida’s Osceola County to protect one of the last natural areas of its kind and to serve as a living classroom and laboratory for students and faculty throughout the university. Elisabeth DeLuca made the contribution and it is among the largest gifts of real estate ever to a university in the United States.

“Few things in this world are as precious — and threatened — as our untamed lands and the wild animals that live there,” DeLuca said. “We need to preserve what we can for the benefit of all of us. These acres are in good hands with the University of Florida, and it pleases me to know that UF will use them to learn more about our natural world and to train new generations of scientists and environmentalists.”

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The property — which includes cattle ranchlands, citrus groves, wetlands and forests — is one of the last refuges for the endangered Florida grasshopper sparrow and hosts many other state and federally listed species such as the Florida panther, gopher tortoise and the red-cockaded woodpecker.

The property provides a critical nature corridor between the Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park and the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area. The land is also a conservation focal area for the Everglades Headwaters National Wildlife Refuge and Conservation Area.

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In addition to protecting threatened wildlife, UF will use the property to, among other things: measure hunting’s impact on the ecosystem to control wild boars; determine how cattle grazing affects plants, insects and animals; teach land and forest management; study water storage and conservation; and conduct student and researcher fieldwork. The site is expected to host classes ranging from plant and soil sciences to entomology and wildlife ecology. The ranch provides a centralized location for Extension-related services as well as offering a unique natural classroom for students taking part in Florida 4-H. The UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) along with numerous colleges within the university will direct research on the property. Some of that research, scientists hope, will help land developers, conservationists and policymakers learn how to balance growth, agriculture and preservation around the state. University officials believe work done there will also create opportunities for community collaboration and large-scale research, which will set UF apart from its peer institutions.

“Elisabeth DeLuca’s generous contribution of such a significant property is a gift to all Floridians and really, to people everywhere,” said UF President Kent Fuchs. “The preservation of this land and what it will enable our scholars to learn, teach and achieve will reverberate around the globe.”

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In assuming ownership of the land, UF will maintain the current operational and revenue-generating activities taking place on the tract to ensure that it is financially self-sustaining.

In addition to donating the land to UF, the donor has placed a conservation easement on the property and has selected Ducks Unlimited (DU), the world’s largest not-for-profit private organization dedicated to wetlands conservation, to be the recipient of this easement. In structuring the gift of land between UF and Duck’s Unlimited in this way, the donor has created conservation protections while still making it possible for important teaching, education, and research to take place.

Together, UF and Ducks Unlimited will ensure that the land remains protected and sustainable for generations to come, officials said.

“This Kissimmee Prairie landscape is in the Everglades headwaters, yet at the edge of central Florida’s tourism and development core and is now a permanently protected piece of the conservation puzzle,” said DU CEO Adam Putnam. “For generations to come, students and researchers will make new discoveries alongside migrating waterfowl, endangered red cockaded woodpeckers and grasshopper sparrows on this massive outdoor laboratory. Future ranchers, waterfowlers, nature lovers and wildlife scientists will be able to apply what they’ve read in textbooks to what they’re observing on the landscape, thanks to Elisabeth DeLuca. This partnership between the University of Florida and Ducks Unlimited benefits waterfowl, wildlife and millions of Floridians who value clean water and the protection of the natural landscape.”

large size will bring the university’s discovery and teaching to heights rarely reached in academic pursuits.

“This gift is a precious piece of Florida that will become the premier living laboratory for natural resource management research and study,” said Angle. “UF/IFAS researchers and students will have unprecedented access to a pristine area of diverse habitats to benefit conservation efforts.”

J. Scott Angle, UF’s vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said the Yeehaw Junction land’s diversity and

CROP INSURANCE: IT PAYS TO MANAGE YOUR RISK When you purchase risk management coverage with Farm Credit of Central Florida, we return a portion of our commission as patronage dividends to eligible stockholders.

Patronage dividends could help lower the cost of insurance premiums, saving you money as you manage your risk.

Farm Credit of Central Florida is glad to discuss how we can save you money on your crop insurance with patronage dividends. Feel free to contact our crop insurance specialist, Regina Thomas, at 407.721.4687 or rthomas@farmcreditcfl.com.

Patronage dividend distribution is subject to eligibility. Certain limitations, conditions, and exclusions apply for crop insurance. Please refer to the policy for more details.

Important Sales Closing Dates Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP) . . . . . . .Feb. 28 Citrus Fruit & Citrus Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .April 15 Nursery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . May 1 Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 15

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Apiary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 15 Blueberries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 20

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Classifieds BUILDING SUPPLIES METAL ROOFING Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock.

Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.

ALUMINUM We have all your aluminum needs!

Screen Room, carports & awnings.

Call Blake (813) 752-3378 WINDOW SCREENS We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors.

Call Ted(813) 752-3378 CABINETS All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities.

Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size.

Call Chris 813-752-3378 VINYL SIDING Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378 MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES Everything you need under ONE roof!

Call Blake 813-752-3378 NEW, USED & ABUSED.

Info@inthefieldmagazine.com

Tel: 813.759.6909

Hay Equipment Package New Holland 450 Utility Round baler Sitrex H90V8H Rake Sitrex RT5200H Tedder Sitrex DM6 Disc mower Excellent condition. $25,000.00 for the package.

Call Alvie 813-759-8722 MAHINDRA MAX26XL 2017 Mahindra tractor - loader - backhoe.

26hp, 4x4, hydrostat transmission. 460 hours, warranty, financing available.

Call Alvie 813-759-8722 CITRUS PACKING HOUSE Citrus packing house equipment for sale.

Mikey Fertilizer Spreader, Rears mini blast sprayer, FMC juice machine & two wind machines. Call 863-324-2833

FOR SALE BETOMIX 320 3 pointy lift, pto driven cement mixer. Very good condition. $850 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 OLD ANTIQUE BLUE STOVE Bread warmer, chrome trim.

You have got to see it to believe it!

Call Ted for more details. 813-752-3378

CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a MI Windows dealer. Our windows are DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER energy star, lifetime warranty.

No upcharge. House & Mobile Home.

Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378 Many standard sizes in stock.

Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 FARM EQUIPMENT I4 POWER EQUIPMENT Trade-Ins Welcomed, Service Department Available. Exit 22 • S. Frontage Rd. Plant City 813-752-4459

KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG Box STORES! Call Today!

Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378

TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

HUNTER JUMPER SADDLE Marcel Toulouse Candice Double Leather hunter/jumper saddle. Size 17.

Very little use. $650 813-323-0222

JOHN DEERE Looking for your new tractor?

Come see us at Everglades Farm Equipment. evergladesfarmequipment.com 2805 SR 60 West, Plant City 813-737-1660 MASSEY FERGUSON 3435 Vineyard Tractor. 80hp, 1523 hrs.

Cab with A/C. $23,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 OVERSTOCK SPECIAL Barn doors starting at $80.00 Call Ted 813-752-3378 ALLUMINUM SKINS Staring at $30.00 Call Ted 813-752-3378 Marden 10’ grove chopper with carrier- $950.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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2016 MAHINDRA 2555 With loader, 55hp, 4x4, HST Transmission.

1175 hours. $17,000 Ask for Alvie 813-759-8722

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JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345 PARTS COUNTER HELP Wanted for parts look up and sales. Experience in the agriculture equipment service. Speak with Alvie.

813-759-8722

LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES YEAR END SALE! On select models of Bad Boy, Hustler, and Bush Hog zero turn mowers.

Call Alvie 813-759-8722

PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17.

Come out and see us!

MISC. FREE Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722 24 HOUR SERVICE Coggins Plumbing licensed • bonded • Insured. www.cogginsplumbing.com 813-643-7173 FARM BUREAU INSURANCE We have you covered! Call us today.

813-752-5577 LOOKING TO BUY OR SELL? Call Rhonda Wetherington, P.A. Realtor, GRI. 813-933-1761 ALAN’S AIR CONDITIONING Residential, Commercial Sales SVS & Repair. Legendary service for over 20 years!

813-752-0821 FOR RENT Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher.

For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.

TRADE • BUY • SELL? Since 2004 In The Field has been Hillsborough and Polk Countys #1 Agriculture Magazine.

Call Us at 813-759-6909 to place your Ad Today!

USED BAD BOY OUTLAW XP Zero turn mower.

61” cut, kawasaki engine. $4,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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