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VOL. 11 • ISSUE 4
Page 70
Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 100 S. Mulrennan Rd. Valrico, Fl. Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Insurance Services: 813.685.5673 Member Services: 813.685.9121 OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Contents February 2016
Ag in the Classroom
Page 10
Gridiron Challenge
Page 14
Support for Citrus
Page 16
Fishing Hot Spots
Home Landscape recognition
Page 40
Jack Payne
Page 42 Ag Issues
Page 46
Page 18
Recipes
Rocking Chair Chatter
Forrest Lumber
Page 22
Page 48 Page 50
Endangered Species
Literary Time Machine
Wook’s Beef Jerky
Page 32
Alex & Valerrie Crawford
Florida Chinese Cabbage
Meet the Minks
Page 28
Page 35
Page 54 Page 60 Page 74
National Parks
Page 78 Activity
Page 82 A Closer Look
Page 83
Fertilization 101
Page 88 Hops
Page 92 Creative Plants
Page 93
What FFA Means to Me
Page 96
Kenneth Parker....................President Will Womack................Vice President James Tew..........................Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2015 - 2016 Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Bradley Ferguson, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Lawrence McClure, Rep. Jake Raburn, Emeritus, Sambahv Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Ron Wetherington
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. Juile Carlson, John McGuire
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
1302 S. Collins St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Bill Williams
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
13103 W. Linebaugh Ave. Tampa, FL.33626 Greg Harrell, William Clarke
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AGENCY MANAGER Tommy Hale INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2016
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IN NTHEFIELD IELD MAGAZINE
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Letter from the Editor
STAFF
Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry Sales Manager Danny Crampton
I just returned form the Fresh From Florida breakfast. I enjoy this annual event that occurs on opening day of the Florida State Fair. A large crowd is always on hand to enjoy the fellowship and food. You can “graze” your way around the Ag Hall of Fame while visiting farmers, ranchers, and other guests.
Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Nolan Lewis
Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam and Attorney General Pam Bondi were on hand to welcome everyone to the breakfast and to present a resolution to Farm Credit to commemorate the 100th year of their existence.
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez
Believe it or not, if you eat you are involved in agriculture. Unfortunately most consumers don’t see it that way. They don’t think of the time and effort, or blood, sweat and tears that goes in to getting food to their tables. This is a mindset that needs to change. Life cannot be sustained without food. We know more about our cell phones, computer games and TVs than we do where our food comes from. Educate yourself. Look for food that is Fresh From Florida. It only takes a second to check but can make a world of difference to our Florida economy. This community of agriculturists is truly passionate about what they do. Where would we be without them? Check next month’s issue for a run down of results from the Florida State Fair! Until Next Month
Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Nick Chapman Vanessa Caceres Contributing Writers Woody Gore Les McDowell John Dicks
Sarah The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
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. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 335630042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813759-6909 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. Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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IN INTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121
Thank You Dear Readers: Last month I outlined Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities for this session. I am pleased to provide you with an interim report on accomplishments that have been achieved thus far by our State Legislative Affairs team in Tallahassee with the assistance of many of you and the understanding and support of our local state legislators. Thanks to them all we now have a comprehensive and long-term water policy to protect, preserve and restore Florida’s natural resources, while providing adequate water to meet the needs of agricultural producers, municipalities and consumers. This legislation, which was passed with bi-partisan support, is the first of its kind for Florida and is also responsible for several improvements to state laws impacting state springs and water quality in the Sunshine State. Additionally, your Farm Bureau team helped pass legislation that: • Assures sales tax exemptions for farm equipment, saving farmers and ranchers in the state an estimate $13 million. • Prevents local governments from removing the agricultural assessment – Greenbelt -- on land being used for bona fide agricultural purposes
taining Farm Bureau’s objective of a state-run nutrient programs to keep Florida’s waterways clean • Recognizes the critical need for agricultural careers in the state and provides a path for the approval of more Ag certifications for students My most sincere thanks to our Farm Bureau legislative team, elected officials and those of you who have actively supported our outreach to state lawmakers. It is only through this level of support and action that these kinds of results can be achieved. And, the legislative session is not yet over. If your family does not belong to Farm Bureau, please join so you can help us continue this important work. The fee associated with family membership in Farm Bureau is modest and your active involvement will be beneficial to your family and our industry. If your family is already part of our Farm Bureau family, please consider suggesting membership to your friends and don’t hesitate to get involved in our policy-making process. To learn more, please visit: http:// hcfarmbureau.org or call 813/685-9121 for more information.
Kenneth Parker Kenneth Parker - President
• Amends the Ag Lands and Practices Act to prevent local governments from assessing duplicate regulations and fees on farms regulated at the state or federal level • Helped prevent the Environmental Protection Agency from overstepping its regulatory duties by main-
Board of Directors
Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; James Tew, Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Member-at-large; Glenn Harrell; Board members: Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Bradley Ferguson, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Lawrence McClure, Rep. Jake Raburn, Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Ron Wetherington Judi Whitson, Executive Director 8 8
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Join Us for a Heart-to-Heart Discussion
February Is American Heart Month Free Ladies Night Out Seminar Matters of the Heart Part of our Ladies Night Out series. We’ve brought together a team of experts to discuss risk factors and treatment for heart disease, including a board-certified interventional cardiologist. Also, hear about heart-healthy eating options from our registered dietitian, and learn about increasing your heart health through exercise from our rehabilitation manager. Blood pressure checks will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis from 5 to 5:45pm. This event is free and open to women and men.
Tuesday, February 23 | 6–8pm
Ghazanfar Khadim, MD
Free Seminar l Free Parking l Light Dinner South Florida Baptist Hospital Main Lobby 301 N. Alexander St., Plant City
BC1600543-0116
The Steve and Krista Howard Heart and Vascular Center is the first of its kind in the Plant City area, offering state-of-the-art diagnostic services, including diagnostic heart catheterization and interventional heart and vascular procedures.
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Register today: BayCareEvents.org or 1-800-BayCare
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PO Box 110015 Gainesville, FL 32611 T: (352) 846-1391 F: (352) 846-1390 W: www.AgTag.org FORTEACHER IMMEDIATE RELEASE FLORIDA AG IN THE CLASSROOM FUNDS JULY 7, 2015 GRANTS IN HILLSBOROUGH AND POLK COUNTIES By Jim Frankowiak
FLORIDA AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM HAS A NEW LOOK!
GAINESVILLE – Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. (FAITC) has a new look. The Gainesville-based non-profit organization has adopted a new logo that prominently features an orange, Florida’s signature crop. ‘We wanted a fresh, new look that clearly identified Florida Agriculture in the Classroom as representing our state’s agricultural industry,’ said Tamara Wood, the organization’s chairwoman. ‘What better way to do that than to add an orange to the logo.’ FAITC took its cue from the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization (NAITCO), which recently updated its logo to include an apple, the universal symbol of teachers. With Florida leading the way in the production of citrus, FAITC board members felt it would be an obvious choice to represent our organization and its roots, Wood said. Check out FAITC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FloridaAgintheClassroom and let us knowInc. what you 11 think. • “International Garden” – Williams Middle Magnet School stuFlorida Agriculture in the Classroom, selected school garth grade with provides Floridaasteachers and inakindergarten through 12the dentsstudents will create garden to showcase all of nationalities repden projects in Hillsborough andFAITC Polk counties for funding part resented in other the school’s population. garden willconcepts be used to of its 2015 Teacher Grant lessons, Program.materials, The Gainesville-based workshops,nongrant money and programs that useThe agricultural teach social students aboutand sustainability, ecosystems, profit organization approved total reading, of 39 Teacher Grant projects science, to ateach writing, nutrition, studies more. Its main sourcebiotechnology of funding and human impacts the environment. across Florida. The fundedcomes projects are anticipated toagriculture reach more specialty from sales of the license plateonnicknamed the ‘Ag Tag.’ The cost of than 13,000 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. an Ag Tag is $25 above the regular cost of renewing a Florida license plate of which $20 goes to Funding for these projects exceeds $30,000. FAITC programs.
Polk County
“We are product of the innovative school garden approaches Flor• LISA “BHS GASKALLA Agriculture Department Garden” – Bartow FORaMORE AT gaskalla@ufl.edu or at Senior (352) High ida teachers are using to teach variety INFORMATION, of subjects such asCONTACT readSchool students will refurbish their existing hydroponics system ing, writing, science and math,” said Tamara Wood, chairman of 846-1391. with nutrients, vegetable seeds, seedlings and fertilizer, as well as the Florida Agriculture in the Classroom board of directors and replace broken garden tools. Florida Citrus Mutual representative. Approved projects in Hillsborough and Polk counties include:
Hillsborough County • “Co-Operative Gardening through Florida’s Access Points Curriculum” – Middle school students at Ferrell Middle Magnet Girls Preparatory Academy will create a school garden to teach intellectually disabled students that a person’s disability does not define them. They will learn how to create a garden, work co-operatively and act responsibly in management of the garden. • “Here we ‘Grow” Again” – Elementary students at Hunter’s Green Elementary will add eight new raised beds to their school garden. • “Lee Magnet’s Going GREENER!” – Elementary students at Lee Elementary will add four additional plots to their school garden and refurbish their existing gardens. • “Berry Patch”- Muller Elementary Magnet School students will expand their campus blueberry patch. • “We All Need Plants” – Robles Elementary School students will replenish their existing fruit and vegetables gardens and each grade level will be given a different real life situation they have to solve involving these gardens. 10
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• “Aquaculture Garden” – Students at Haines City Senior High School will create a re-circulating aquaculture system. • “Cardinals Care K-5 Garden” – Kindergarten through fifth grade sciences students at Polk Avenue Elementary will add hydroponics stackers to their existing school garden. • “Roosevelt Farmers” – Middle school students at Roosevelt Academy will add 40-feet of tables to their greenhouse to support 36 additional coir bags in which they will grow more fruit and vegetables. • “BA Veggies for Cades” – Middle school students at Bethune Academy will create a garden to use as a hands-on learning center and to provide produce to local families who cannot afford these items. Florida Ag in the Classroom’s primary source of funding is the sale of agriculture specialty license plates, often referred to as the “Ag Tag.” The organization’s mission is to educate K-12 teachers and students about the source of their food, fiber and fuel with curricula, workshops and farm tours, grand money and reading programs such as the annual Florida Agriculture Literacy Day. More information about Florida Agriculture in the Classroom is available at: faitc.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
®
Save $2.00 on Adult & $1.00 on Youth General Admission Tickets at Publix
Royal Fun for Everyone! March 3 –13, 2016 • Plant City, FL Artists Appearing on the
Soundstage:
©
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra
Thu. Mar. 3, 10:30 FREE
Charley Pride
Thu. Mar. 3, 3:30 $15 & $20
Lecrae
Josh Turner
Cheap Trick
Sat. Mar. 5, 3:30 $25
BIG & RICH
Mickey Gilley
Thu. Mar. 3, 7:30 $20 & $25
Fri. Mar. 4, 7:30 $25 & $30
Fri. Mar. 4, 3:30 $15 & $20
Donny & Marie
Shenandoah
Sun. Mar. 6, 3:30 $15 & $20
Sat. Mar. 5, 7:30 $20 & $25
Sun. Mar. 6, 7:30 $55
Gene Watson
Mon. Mar. 7, 3:30 $15 & $20
LONESTAR
Mon. Mar. 7, 7:30 $15 & $20
#berryfest16
Dick Fox’s Golden Boys
Frankie Avalon, Fabian & Bobby Rydell Tue. Mar. 8, 3:30 $20 & $25
Trace Adkins
Tue. Mar. 8, 7:30 $20 & $25
Ray Stevens
Wed. Mar. 9, 3:30 $15 & $20
Martina McBride
Wed. Mar. 9, 7:30 $20 & $25
Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Thu. Mar. 10, 10:30 FREE
Visit www.flstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets now!
Oak Ridge Boys
Casting Crowns
Thur. Mar. 10, 3:30 $15 & $20
COLE SWINDELL
Fri. Mar. 11, 7:30 $35 & $40
Thur. Mar. 10, 7:30 $20 & $25
Merle Haggard
Sat. Mar. 12, 3:30 $35
Charlie Wilson
Sat. Mar. 12, 7:30 $35 & $40
Tanya Tucker
Fri. Mar. 11, 3:30 $15 & $20
echosmith
Sun. Mar. 13, 3:30 $20 & $25
While online, check out the Free Entertainment and Special Days for Discounts and full Schedule of Festival Events.
The Band Perry
Sun. Mar. 13, 7:30 $40
Free Grandstand 3:30 & 7:30pm Seating is on a first come, first seated basis. Concert dates and times are subject to change
•Candyland Warehouse•Stingray Chevrolet•Mosaic•Alessi Bakery•AMSCOT•Carolina Carports•Astin Farms•DIRECTV•Verizon Wireless •Netterfield’s Concessions•Florida Blue•Southern Ford Dealers•Global Frequency Technology•Images Everywhere!•TECO •Good Health Saunas•truwhip•SunPass•Florida Dairy Farmers•O’Reilly Auto Parts•Club Wyndham•Nathan’s Famous •Diamond Resorts Int’l•Bright House Networks•Uncommon USA•General RV Center•Smithfield•Sunshine Bank•99.5QYK 12
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Gridiron Challenge
By Libby Hopkins
There is an old adage that says “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” This February, elementary and middle school students will challenge themselves to create a unique recipe that showcases dairy products (milk, cheese and or yogurt). It’s called The Gridiron Cooking Challenge and the challenge is in its third year. The challenge is sponsored by the Florida Dairy Farmers. “This will be the third annual Gridiron Cooking Challenge,” said Vanessa Hodak, Vice President, School Health and Wellness for the Dairy Council of Florida. “With our in school program, Fuel Up to Play 60, we work with students and teachers throughout Florida. The Gridiron Challenge was created by our Dairy Council of Florida team to bring together a few of our favorite things which are dairy foods, Florida students and working with our three Florida NFL teams.” The way the challenge works is that the state of Florida is divided into three Florida NFL markets, the Jaguars, Buccaneers and Dolphins. In each market, four teams of four students and one adult will be selected to recreate their dairy inspired recipe in 60 minutes or less. There will be one winning team per NFL market. “Recipes have ranged from breakfast casseroles to pancakes to potato cakes,” Hodak said. “It’s been fun tasting and recreating the recipes for farmers, fairs and friends.” There is a scoring matrix which evaluates six areas. The first is availability of ingredients. The second is clearness and accuracy of the recipe. Third is appearance of prepared food. Fourth is originality. Fifth is enhancement of recipe with dairy products and then finally, creativity. “Over the past two years there have been so many creative and tasty recipes,” Hodak said. Two of her favorites were S’Moo-Rez French Toast, which has ingredients that consist of bananas, cauliflower, zucchini, Greek yogurt and chocolate pudding. Her other favorite was Maki Kid’s Breakfast Sushi, which has cucumbers, strawberries, yogurt, tangerines, mint leaves, blueberries and grated ginger. Elementary and middle school students have until Midnight on February 29 to get their teams together, create their recipe and register for the Gridiron Cooking Challenge. Every team entry needs to include the recipe and a photo of the prepared items. The finalist will be notified by March 18. Teams with the top four recipes in each NFL Market will compete at a facility in their area for a grand prize of a $2500 school prize pack and each student member on the winning team will win an iPad Mini 2 and other cool prizes. Teams from Tampa Bay will compete at One Buc Place and they will be judged 14
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by local chef, Brian Sommers of Clementine Chef in Tampa and a member of the Dairy Council of Florida staff. “I am so happy to be judging the Gridiron Cooking Challenge submissions for the Florida Dairy Farmers,” Sommers said. “I can’t wait to see what these teams come up with.” Clementine Chef is Tampa’s chef-lead meal delivery service. Based on a philosophy of cooking insanely delicious food that makes you feel good, Clementine promises real, non-processed ingredients, all organic, no GMO’s, no antibiotics, hormones or gluten. Hodak hopes that elementary and middle school students from all over Florida will get their chef hats on and create a recipe for their chance to participate it this event. “The Gridiron Cooking Challenge is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about nutrition and food, experiment with flavors, learn to work with their fellow students and teachers as a team, but most of all, have fun,” Hodak said. “This process teaches them how to be confident, increase their cooking and kitchen skills while getting the chance to visit an NFL facility, in addition to meeting a player and cheerleader and get the opportunity to win some cool prizes.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.”
If you would like to learn more about the Gridiron Cooking Challenge or if you would like to register a team to compete in the cooking challenge, you can visit the Florida Dairy Farmer’s website www.floridamilk.com. The link to register for The Gridiron Cooking Challenge is under their contest and sweepstakes button. If you would like to learn more about Clementine Chef and the food delivery services they offer, you can visit them on the web at www.clementinechef. com or call 813-382-5575.
ENERGY INDEPENDENCE FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA AG
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Continued Support for Florida Citrus Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam
Florida is known for our white sandy beaches, world-class attractions and my personal favorite, citrus. Look no further than Florida’s official license plate, with its image of two oranges and an orange blossom, as proof of its place in our history and culture. Florida has been synonymous with citrus for most of our 500-year history since Spanish explorers landed on our shores. However, without immediate and tangible support, citrus’ place in Florida history might just become that - history. Today, citrus makes up more than $10 billion of Florida agriculture’s more than $120 billion annual economic impact on our state and supports more than 64,000 jobs. But on the heels of the smallest orange crop in nearly 50 years last season and even lower citrus crop estimates for this season due to a bacterial disease commonly referred to as citrus greening, Florida’s citrus industry is in a fight for survival. With a nearly 500,000 -acre footprint in Florida, citrus has a profound impact on so many of our interior counties and the quality of life of the surrounding communities. The industry’s continued decline could have a devastating ripple effect. Fortunately, there is strong support for Florida’s citrus industry to fight the spread of citrus greening and support research for a cure. The citrus industry, academic institutions and state and federal governments have invested time, significant amounts of money and effort to research and test solutions to this existential problem, but no silver bullet has been discovered. In the meantime, we must use every tool in the toolbox to keep the industry alive. For that very reason, we’re rolling out a multifaceted plan to provide Florida growers with more immediate support until a permanent solution is developed. 16
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First, we’re exploring options for a state level cost share program that will help the industry eliminate abandoned groves and the associated host material where the Asian citrus psyllid thrives. By eliminating the trees that harbor greening and provide breeding grounds for the psyllid, we can more effectively and efficiently combat the psyllid and the spread of greening. Second, removing diseased and abandoned groves and leaving land fallow is an important element to control greening, but local property appraisers throughout the state do not consistently apply the state’s greenbelt tax exemptions. We’re working to provide clarity and consistency in the law so that growers can make the best land management decisions without the fear of losing their greenbelt status. Third, we’re working to increase the availability of healthy citrus tree seed and budwood for the industry to replant groves devastated by greening. Our department is charged with providing healthy and clean seed and budwood, and we’re working aggressively to meet the growing demand. History has proven that Florida’s citrus industry can overcome the challenges that come its way, but the threat that citrus greening poses is unprecedented. By working to eliminate abandoned groves, providing consistency in the greenbelt law and increasing the availability of healthy citrus tree seed and budwood to replant, we can offer immediate support to the industry. As Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, I am committed to working alongside growers, processors and consumers to ensure Florida’s signature crop remains alive and continues to thrive for generations to come. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Tampa Bay’s Fishing Report February 2016 Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com) Andy Svatek The good news for trout anglers, if we keep getting cool weather the bite might pick up. I have confidence that in the past few years our trout populations seem to be increasing. This might be contributed to anglers taking a different position regarding the release of more spotted sea trout than they keep. Once a plentiful and seemingly endless resource, trout suffer severely during bouts with red tide and hard winter fish kills. I’m continually learning more and better ways to live release fish. There is more to it than just tossing them back and hoping they will survive. We must release them quickly, in or near the water and never using a landing net, dry hands or a rag. If a photo is required do it quickly and gently. Try using a non-invasive bottom-lip gripping devices while holding the fish horizontally and gently supporting its belly with a wet hand. Ever wonder how long you should keep them out of the water for a photo? Try holding your breath until you put them back. Voracious feeders, trout can quickly swallow your bait and become throat hooked. Once this occurs your best attempt at a live release is usually futile. So try bending your hook barbs down and go for quicker hook-sets. A hook-set does not mean a hard set just a quick one followed immediately by a bent rod whenever you feel a fish on the line. Keeping your rod bent and line tight prevents the barbless hooks from dislodging as you reel. If you want a nice trout dinner, take a few home, they make delicious table fare. But only take enough for a meal; never plan on filling the freezer. Trout do not freeze well and quickly become freezer burned and thrown away after a few weeks. Remember, there’s nothing better than fresh fish for dinner and, like we really need one, it gives us another excuse to go fishing. So where do you find and how do you catch this highly sought after Tampa Bay fish? That’s a relatively easy question. Trout love grass flats, sandy potholes, rocky bottoms with grass and incoming or outgoing tides. They eat live shrimp, sardines, small threadfins, small crabs and artificial lures. Try fishing the two to five foot grass flats, especially those with a broken bottom in front of Bishops Harbor, 18
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Cockroach Bay, Apollo Beach, Weedon Island, Culbreath Isles, Pinellas Point, Tarpon Key, Ft. Desoto, Boca Ciega Bay, Picnic Island, Joe Island, Fourth Street, Cypress Flats, Rocky Point, and Double Branch or anywhere you have moving water and grass.
What’s Biting in February on Tampa Bay? Snook:
Gulf of Mexico: Season: Dec. 1-end of February; May 1-Aug. 31, Size Limit: Not less than 28” total length (TL) or more than 33” TL, Bag Limit: 1 per harvester per day With the warm weather, snook fishing has remained strong and as long as the water temperatures don’t fall too quickly you should be able to target them as usual. Of course the bait of choice is greenbacks and with the warm weather we’re still getting them off the flats.
Redfish: Redfish continue feeding and should continue right
through the colder months. You’ll find them on shallow-water flats often with their tails up. When trying to pattern these wily adversaries watch for wading birds around the flats and mangroves since they feed on the same things. Its also mullet time and large numbers are schooling. Redfish tend to hang with these large schools eating whatever they stir up; so always target mullet schools.
Cobia, Sharks, Jacks:
Cobia and smaller Blacktip, Spinner, Bonnet Heads, and smaller Hammerhead sharks should show up around the power plant hot water runoffs, especially if the water temperatures ever drop. Using large shrimp, small crabs and pinfish always entices a quick hookup. There are plenty of large Jack Crevalle (Yellowtail Jacks) feeding on the remaining bait schools and glass minnows. If you’ve never tangled with one of these incredible fighters you’re in for a real shock. Hooking and landing a Yellowtail in the 10 to 15 pound class is something you’ll not soon forget. When it’s over you’d swear you arms are WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
Anne Love three inches longer. Use whitebait if you can find it or shinny diving artificial lures with quick erratic actions.
Other Things to Catch: Look for flounder, sheeps-
head and mangrove snapper off the beaches on patches of hard bottom also bridges, oyster bars, rock piles or fish attractors and deep water docks throughout the Tampa Bay area. Try greenbacks, mussels, shrimp or oysters. If you’re fishing the bridges try scraping the pilings to get them going.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore has been guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; his level of customer service, experience and attention to detail allows him to offer world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814 WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
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The first annual fair in the American colonies was held in 1641 in New Amsterdam (now New York City) to showcase farm products of the local area. The USDA estimates that more than one million customers visit farmers’ markets each week. The USA’s first state fair was held in Syracuse, New York in September of 1841. The average supermarket carrot travels 2,000 miles from field to table. USDA surveys suggest that most farmers’ market produce travels less than 50 miles to market. The first time that fairgoers ate hot dogs and ice cream as they walked along the midway was during the Saint Louis World’s Fair in 1904, thus coining these two foods as the world’s first “fast foods.” One cup of strawberries is only 55 calories.
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Heommeedies
R
I’ll bet everyone that reads this column has a favorite home remedy handed down over the years. Medical science has come a long way, and has almost put the home remedies out of circulation.
my mouth with my shirt and asked the man next to me, “Would you please push the next floor for me?” Everybody got off when the doors opened.
I started doing a little research and found a lot of interesting remedies. Here’s one I’ll bet you never heard. Put a bar of soap at the end of your bed for leg cramps. I recall my grandmother saying it worked every time for her. My dad always said, “If you can’t fix it with a hammer, you have an electrical problem.”
If you want to get in on the fun, next time you’re on an elevator stand silent and motionless in the corner facing the wall.
Before writing this article I went around town and asked a few of my friends what some of their home remedies were. The first stop was Michael Cameron’s office. He said, “Avoid cutting yourself when slicing tomatoes by getting someone else to hold the tomato for you.” Ferris Waller’s favorite was, “Avoid an argument with your wife about lifting the toilet seat by using the sink.” Jim Scott said his favorite was, “You need only two tools in life-WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn’t move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn’t move and does, use the duct tape.” And Bob Fulks said, “If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxative; then you’ll be afraid to cough.” They say if you have a sore throat wrap your dirty socks around your neck. Another one for a sore throat is to gargle whisky and warm water. Many people prefer to forego the water. To avoid the mess when your toilet backs up, use the yard. Then there is one highly unlikely cure for lockjaw. You are supposed to take tea with ground up insects and other bugs, with cockroaches for preference, and then drink it. A rather painful “cure” for stuttering was to take the shank of a freshly slaughtered calf and hit the stutterer in the mouth with it. One primitive culture’s answer to a snake bite was to immediately rip a live chicken in half and place one side of the carcass against the wound. If you have a wart rub it with a piece of red meat and then bury the meat at full moon. By new moon, two weeks later, the wart is supposed to have gone away. Enough of the remedies! Did you hear the story of an old woman riding in an elevator in a very lavish downtown building in New York, when a young and beautiful woman smelling of expensive perfume, gets into the elevator. She turns to the old woman and says arrogantly, “Romance” by Ralph Lauren, $150 an ounce!” On the next floor another young and beautiful woman gets on the elevator and also very arrogantly turns to the old woman saying, “Channel No. 5, $200 an ounce!” About two floors later, the woman has reached her destination and is about to get off the elevator. Before she leaves, she looks both beautiful women in the eye, then bends over and farts and says…….. “Broccoli 49 cents a pound!” Have you ever noticed how quiet it gets when you get on an elevator? No one seems to have much to say. I try to liven things up. One time while on an elevator in Tampa I whispered loudly into my cell phone, “So Doc, exactly HOW contagious are we talking? Really? My goodness, that is serious. I am in an elevator. Of course there are other people on board. Do what? OK, Thanks Doc, Bye! I covered 22
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I have a friend in Atlanta that is always pulling practical jokes on the elevator. He got a lot of laughs when he arrived at his floor, and quickly grunted and strained to yank open the doors, then acted embarrassed when they opened by themselves. He went a little to far and got arrested when he boarded an elevator with a cooler with “human head” written on the side of it. Did you hear the story a few years back about a very large, old, building that was being torn down in Chicago to make room for a new skyscraper? Due to its proximity to other buildings it could not be imploded and had to be dismantled floor by floor. While working on the 49th floor, two construction workers found a skeleton in a small closet behind the elevator shaft. They decided that they should call the police. When the police arrived they directed them to the closet and showed them the skeleton fully clothed and standing upright. They said, “This could be Jimmy Hoffa or somebody really important.” Two days went by and the construction workers couldn’t stand it any more, they had to know who they had found. They called the police and said, “We are the two guys who found the skeleton in the closet and we want to know if it was Jimmy Hoffa or somebody important.” The police said, “It’s not Jimmy Hoffa, but it was somebody kind of important.” “Well, who was it?” “The 1956 Blonde National Hide-and-Seek Champion.” Oh, here’s a good one! A good samaritan was walking home late one night when he came upon this drunk on the sidewalk. Wanting to help, he asked the drunk, “Do you live here?” “Yep.” “Would you like me to help you upstairs?” “Yep.” When they got up on the second floor, the good person asked “Is this your floor?” “Yep.” Then the good samaritan got to thinking that maybe he didn’t want to face the man’s irate and tired wife because she may think he was the one who got the man drunk. So, he opened the first door he came to and shoved him through it then went back downstairs. However, when he went back outside, there was another drunk. So he asked that drunk “Do you live here?” “Yep.” “Would you like me to help you upstairs?” “Yep.” So he did and put him in the same door with the first drunk. Then went back downstairs. Where, to his surprise, there was another drunk. So he started over to him. But before he got to him, the drunk staggered over to a policeman and cried “Please officer, protect me from this man. He’s been doing nothing all night long but taking me upstairs and throwing me down the elevator shaft!” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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A Thorn in Your Side to Spur You to Action:
Save the Key Tree Cactus By Ginny Mink I had a friend that used to have what they call a xeriscape garden (she lives in Africa now so that’s probably changed). The concept is that the things within this landscape design do not require extensive amounts of moisture. Or, if you want to get all technical, “The word “xeriscape” is derived from the Greek “xeros,” meaning dry, and “scape,” a kind of view or scene. Together, xeriscaping is landscaping with slow-growing, drought-tolerant plants to conserve water and establish a waste-efficient landscape.”¹ Thank you, UF IFAS Extension. Anyway, the first time I saw this design technique was during a trip to Las Vegas to visit said friend. Then later I met a Plant City resident who’d done the same thing essentially. She planted a large number of succulents within a white stone flower bed. I loved it and hence an affinity for all things cacti transpired. That’s why this little gem, the Key Tree Cactus, has tugged on my heart strings this month for our endangered species series. The Key Tree Cactus, Pilosocereus robinii, was declared endangered on July 19, 1984. I was 8 years old then (if that matters to ya). Its prevalence within the United States is relegated entirely to the Florida Keys! It’s part of the rapidly expiring tropical hammocks found on some of the islands. Specifically, the Key Tree Cactus is only found on Long and Big Pine Keys as well as, Upper and Lower Matecumbe. The cacti that were once found on Boca Chica Key, Windley Key and Key West are believed to be gone completely.² Here’s some basic science about these neat creations. The Key Tree Cactus was first recognized in 1838 and is known to produce expansive white flowers that are nocturnal in appearance. Additionally, it can yield a purplish-red fruit with white pulp that surrounds seeds that are tiny, hard, shiny, and black. This is a rather large cactus reaching heights of nearly 33 feet tall. Thereby giving it a tree like appearance especially since these cacti produce round branches much like a tree does.² While Florida is the only known Key Tree Cactus home within the continental US, it is believed that there are some that grow in Cuba as well. Those are located in the provinces of Habana and Matanzas. The distribution within the Keys themselves only include eight populations. The largest number of populations is found on Long Key where there are three. Then Upper Matecumbe Key and Big Pine Key both have two. While the final single population is located on Lower Matecumbe Key.² Reproduction with these cacti is a challenge as it mostly occurs when a branch falls to the ground and takes root to produce an additional plant. This explains why the populations are found in clumps. There is the possibility that the sphingid moths assist in pollination though. While these cacti may flower all year, the best months are July-October. Birds have been known to aid in seed dispersal during these times and the cardinal is particularly valuable.² Unfortunately, ants and the also endangered, Key Deer, feed on the fruits of these Key Tree Cacti and often cause damage to them. However, the Key Deer may aid in seed dispersal as well so it appears to be a double-edged sword. The biggest problem, of course, is humanity’s every increasing desire for commercial and residential endeavors. As we build, we encroach on the habitats of significant plants, animals, 28
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birds, insects and other life forms.² Eventually we will pay the price for our destruction of the planet. This is something we must rectify before it’s too late. Twenty plus years ago there were over 600 cacti in the Keys but there was no flowering occurring in the Upper Matecumbe Key area. Survival looked bleak. The Lower Matecumbe Key population was on a private lot and it was also experiencing flower-less times. However, the Big Pine Key and Long Key cacti seemed to be stable and viable at the time.² Now, with the assistance of Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and the dedicated biologists there, along with other government entities and private donors, the future of the Key Tree Cactus is a bit brighter.³ In fact, in 2009 the Key Tree Cactus Preserve gained permanent protection status on Islamorada in the Keys. There were a number of organizations that contributed to this achievement. Over the last 15 or so years, the Fairchild Topical Botanic Garden observed an 80% decrease in the Key Tree Cactus population. Thusly, acquiring this status for the nine acre refuge was a big deal.³ This grants them the ability to monitor and protect the population located on that tract of land. Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden performed surveys from 2006-2009 and discovered that the middle and upper key populations were stable while the lower keys were experiencing a sharp decline. They discovered that soil salinity might be an important factor. Thankfully, every year the biologists there go to the populations and collect seeds and stem cuttings. They document these collections and then begin to propagate the cacti in their greenhouse. When the cactus reach specified sizes they are then being reintroduced to suitable habitats.⁴ Fairchild is always looking for viable places to create additional populations so if you would like to help with this endeavor please utilize the information in the resources section. Let’s remember that there’s a reason for the existence of each and every living thing and that makes them worth protecting. Resources: ¹University of Florida IFAS Extension Living Green- http://livinggreen.ifas.ufl.edu/landscaping/xeriscaping.html ²United States Fish and Wildlife Services- http://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/KeyCactus.PDF ³Examiner- http://www.examiner.com/article/key-tree-cactus-preserve-a-little-known-jewel-islamorada-1 ⁴Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden- http://www.fairchildgarden.org/ support-join/donate-now or watch the video at: https://youtu.be/ CO1LfA06vl0 Photo Credit: Phillip Hughes of the US Fish and Wildlife Services David Bender (courtesy of Ken Warren) of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Market Watch:
Wook’s Beef Jerky
By Libby Hopkins The Seminole Height’s Sunday Morning Market is one of my favorite local artisan/farmers’ markets in Tampa. It has the coolest stuff made by local makers and it also has some of the most amazing local food to tempt your taste buds. I recently took a friend of mine, that is a self proclaimed foodie, to the market. He prides himself on only eating food from local restaurants and not restaurant chains. I guess you could call him a “Locavore Foodie” if there is such a thing. At any rate, he loved the market, especially Wook’s Beef Jerky. He bought two bags of their jerky. I have to admit; I love their jerky, too. “My jerky is 100 percent beef, no nitrates, no fillers, low in sodium, only 175 mil for the whole bag,” said Deborah Wilk, of Wook’s Beef Jerky. “It’s also a low calorie snack, only 170 calories for the whole bag.” Wook’s Beef Jerky is a Veteran owned and operated, family business located in Lakeland, FL. “My husband, William used to make jerky when he would get deployed,” Wilk said. “He was in the military so his friends and him would make jerky before they left for long periods of time. The name of the company comes from my husband’s nickname from when he was in the military.” Along with beef jerky they also make an alternative for the vegetarians, Wook’s Mushroom Jerky. The mushroom jerky is made from Portabella or Baby Bella (Panini) mushrooms, sliced, marinated and then dehydrated. “Wook’s also makes a line of jerky made specifically for your dog or cat. All the pet treats are made from 100 percent USDA approved meats or vegetables,” Wilk said. “There are no chemicals, preservatives, spices or fillers added to any of these treats and are made fresh weekly at our shop in Lakeland. The treats are made from beef, chicken, chicken livers, turkey, lamb lungs or sweet potato.” 32
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Beef jerky has quite and interesting history. According to Jerky.com (www.jerky.com), “Ch’arki” a name derived from the Quechuan language of the Incas (which literally translates into ‘dried meat’), later evolved into what we now call jerky. The discovery of jerky allowed humans to both store food for long periods of time and have an easily carried, dense source of nutrition to take with them on journeys. Jerky is both flavorful and compact and almost any meat can be made into jerky. Some say Native Americans made the first jerky (buffalo jerky) thousands of years ago, while others say an ancient Inca tribe called the Quechua made jerky as early as the 1500s. Whatever the case, this time tested recipe has been passed from generation to generation.” Wook’s has some yummy flavors of jerky. My favorite is the Teriyaki Jerky, while my Locavore Foodie friend’s was their Spicy Cajun Jerky. They also make Hickory and Pepper Jerky as well. Their vegetarian jerky flavors include Spicy Mushroom Jerky, Pepper Mushroom Jerky and Hickory Mushroom Jerky. “At the farmers’ market, people are looking for a healthier snack and it’s a way to get the product out to people,” Wilk said. “I like doing the markets because we are able to be on the frontlines and we are able to talk to our customers. We also are able to get immediate feed back. We have gotten good feedback and people are excited to be able to get jerky that isn’t loaded with all the chemicals.” Keeping things local is important to Wilk and her husband. She gets WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
her meat from a meat market in Plant City and she gets her mushrooms to make her vegetarian jerky from the Plant City’s Farmer’s Market. “Keeping things local and shopping local is extremely important to us,” Wilk said. “I appreciate it when people shop local because it helps my business grow and I am able to help support may family.” If you would like to learn more about Wook’s Beef Jerky or if you would like to purchase some of their delicious jerky, you can visit their website at www.wooksbeefjerky.com. If you would like to visit them at one of the local farmers’ markets that Wook’s Beef Jerky is a part of and sample some of their jerky in person, you can check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/wooksbeefjerky.
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Florida
Chinese Cabbage By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Chinese cabbage, also called Napa Cabbage, is sweeter, juicier, and more delicate than green cabbage and rich in vitamin C and fiber. The leaves are long and crispy and eaten raw or lightly cooked. Napa cabbage is the star ingredient in Korean kimchi, a spicy fermented cabbage, and is commonly found in stir-fries and Asian dishes. Chinese cabbage is a member of the Brassica family, which also includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale and mustard greens. Chinese cabbage is a cool season annual vegetable that is in its peak season now. It grows best with short days and moderate to cool temperatures, around 60 to 70°F. At one time, U.S. production of this vegetable was primarily in Central Florida and the Everglades. Today, Napa cabbage is commercially produced in Florida, California, New Jersey, and Hawaii. The two main types of Chinese cabbage found in the U.S. are the better-known Napa, which is stockier with crinkled outer leaves, and the Michili, which is longer and slender with ruffled leaves.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of raw fresh Napa cabbage (100 g) contains 16 calories, 1.2 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 3.2 g carbohydrate, and 1.2 g of dietary fiber. One serving also provides a whopping 45% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 38% for vitamin K, 20% for folate, 18% for pyridoxine, and plenty of potassium, calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and zinc. That’s an impressive line-up of nutrients with only 16 calories in one serving!
ANTIOXIDANTS Chinese cabbage is full of antioxidants in many forms, including flavonoids and carotenoids. These compounds help provide anti-inflammatory effects, which is beneficial in warding off many major diseases. Other antioxidant nutrients high in this leafy green vegetable include vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, manganese, and zinc. These antioxidants are beneficial in protecting blood vessels from oxidative stress, which contributes to atherosclerotic plaques and the development of high blood pressure. Several of the carotenoids are especially important for good eye health, offering protection to the retina and macula, and offering extra insurance for good vision.
VITAMIN K One cup of Chinese cabbage provides over one-third of your daily needs for vitamin K. This vitamin is an essential component for clotting of blood in the body. This vitamin also helps maintain bone health by transporting calcium and metabolizes the mineral into your skeleton. Several research studies have found that vitamin K boosts WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
bone mineral density and reduces fracture rates in people with osteoporosis. As a result, the Institute of Medicine increased its daily recommendation of vitamin K. Chinese cabbage also contains other bone boosting nutrients such as calcium and magnesium.
PYRIDOXINE Pyridoxine, which is also known as vitamin B6, has many important roles in the body. This water soluble vitamin helps convert the food we eat into glucose, which is then used for energy. Pyridoxine is necessary in making neurotransmitters, which send signals between nerve cells. Synthesis of hormones, red blood cells, and immune cells are also dependent upon pyridoxine.
HOW TO SELECT AND STORE
Choose Napa cabbage with fresh, crispy, compact leaves that are firm and free of yellow spots and holes. The leaves should be green and crisp, not limp or wilted. Store unwashed Chinese cabbage in a perforated plastic bag or wrapped in paper towels in the refrigerator for up to one week. Rinse well immediately before using. To use, cut off the base and separate the leaves.
HOW TO ENJOY
Napa cabbage is delicious eaten raw or lightly cooked. It can be shredded and eaten in salads, stir-fried, or steamed. Other ways to enjoy Napa include: • Steam the separate leaves and use as a wrap for sandwiches • Steam the thicker white stem portion and serve with a little bit of olive oil and white vinegar • Chop into pieces and add to any soup or stew • Blanch briefly in boiling water, then add soy sauce, ginger, and garlic on top • Sauté with ham, onion, and apples for a twist on a traditional stir-fry • Shred finely and add to noodle dishes • Use leaves as a crunchy sandwich topper • Mix with vinegar and chili powder to make homemade pickled cabbage Fresh Florida Napa cabbage is at its peak today. Eat more of this delicious leafy green vegetable and enjoy new flavors and extra health benefits.
SELECTED REFERENCES
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ http://www.whfoods.com
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Home Landscape Recognition By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Agent
Homeowners’ efforts to conserve water and protect water quality and other natural resources are rewarded with the FloridaFriendly Landscaping™ Home Landscape Recognition award. This award is provided to homeowners that practice the nine principles of the Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ program, complete the Home Landscape Recognition Checklist and receive the number of points required. This Home Landscape Recognition process may be beneficial to your homeowner associations’ landscape review or architectural control committees as they may be interested in utilizing the criteria in this recognition for their residents. The nine FFL principles include: • Right Plant, Right Place – Reduce the need for water, fertilizer, pesticides and pruning by using plants suited to the site conditions in your yard. • Water Efficiently – After your plants are established, water only when your plants need it. Efficient watering is the key to having a healthy Florida yard and reducing runoff. • Fertilize Appropriately – Use slow-release fertilizers to fertilize your landscape. Over-utilization of fertilizers can be hazardous to your yard, the environment and Florida’s water resources. • Mulch – Maintain a two to three (2-3) inch layer of mulch to help retain moisture, prevent erosion and suppress weeds. • Recycle – In a Florida yard, leaving grass clippings on your lawn can reduce your need to fertilize from three times each year to two times a year. • Control Yard Pests Responsibly – Unwise use of pesticides can harm people, pets, beneficial organisms and the environment. Most insects do not cause a great deal of harm to your landscape plants. • Reduce Stormwater Runoff – Water running off your yard can carry debris, fertilizer and pesticides that can harm water quality. Direct downspouts to landscape or lawn areas. Attract Wildlife – Plants in your yard that provide food, water and shelter can conserve Florida’s diverse wildlife and increase the variety of species that live in your yard. • Protect the Waterfront – Waterfront property, whether on a bay, river, stream, pond or beach, is very fragile and should be protected. Leave a 10 foot buffer strip between your landscape and the waterway. This strip should be a no-fertilizer, no-pesticide zone. 40 40
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All nine FFL principles have statements which you, as the homeowner, score based on your evaluation of your landscape. A minimum number of points is required for each principle. You score yourself and submit the form to your local participating extension office. Your submission will be reviewed and provided to the Landscape Recognition team. The team leader will contact you to schedule an on-site evaluation that takes approximately one hour. This team will also score your yard, provide you with comments, insights and suggestions. If you receive the minimum number of points or more, you will receive a Landscape Recognition sign for your yard. The sign is 12 inches by 9 inches and a stand is provided. To view the Landscape Recognition Checklist, please go to: http:// fyn.ifas.ufl.edu/materials/FYN_Yard_Recognition_Checklist.pdf. There are two levels of recognition: silver and gold. Each level has specific required practices; such as the landscape contains a specific number of unique plant species, roof runoff (with or without downspouts) drains onto landscaped areas or pervious surfaces, fertilizer is only applied when grass is actively growing, not more than 50 percent of the irrigation system (by area) is high-volume, etc. There is no cookie-cutter approach to Florida-Friendly Landscapes. As you can see from the photos that accompany this article, there are many distinct differences, but all are Florida-Friendly and have been recognized as such. This landscape recognition/evaluation service is provided in certain counties. Contact me at our office as we do offer this service, 813-744-5519 x 54105, or contact your local county extension office to determine if this is a service they offer. For more information about the nine principles of the FloridaFriendly LandscapingTM Program or for assistance with gardening related questions, give us a call, check out our website: http:hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu and view our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HCFFL/. Hope you will participate! Thanks.
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IFAS – A Go-To-Source
By Jack Payne When there’s a dispute between agriculture and natural resources, here’s the thing I always say: We need to protect the natural resources that make agriculture possible in the first place. Nowhere is this more true than in the world of water. The Florida Legislature has unofficially declared this the year of water, and it wasted no time sending comprehensive water legislation to the governor’s desk, just days into the session. The resulting media coverage pits environmentalists versus agricultural interests. Unfortunately, the dichotomy is an all-too-common tool for framing a story on what might otherwise be – ahem – a dry subject for the average reader. The reality is that we need clean water AND we need to grow food. It’s not an either/or proposition. My bias is that IFAS is the bestpositioned organization to thread that needle. Protecting the water supply and the food supply simultaneously is a huge challenge. Science is the tool we use to meet such challenges. That’s why I’m glad the water legislation assigns IFAS a vital role in providing the science that will put this legislation to work. Our charge is to figure out things like how to best use fertilizer. Think of it this way: Fertilizers are the nutrients that need to be just deep enough in the soil to get absorbed by the roots of our crops. If those nutrients go below the roots, though, they are lost and become pollutants that can enter our water, costing millions to clean up.
It’s a matter of inches. Location! Location! Location! It requires a sophisticated interdisciplinary effort to figure out what kind of fertilizers to use and how to apply them to achieve the cleanwater goals of the legislation. Who else could do this but IFAS? We’ve got the team of soil scientists, water experts, agronomists, and others to do the research. And we’ve got the Extension experts to make sure that our discoveries get from the lab to Florida’s 9.5 million acres of agricultural land. So when high-profile legislation passes, I regard the interest groups’ competing interpretations of its effect as largely beside the point. What I’m more interested in is whether the actions ordered by law are informed by evidence instead of ideology. Credible science has a tremendously important role to play in public policy. Of course, we’ll be an interest group in Tallahassee, too, advocating for the funding that allows us to do so much good for Floridians. I’ll let you know how that turns out. But I’m encouraged that in week one the Legislature has recognized IFAS as a go-to source for addressing some of the state’s grandest challenges.
Jack Payne is the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. jackpayne@ufl.edu • @JackPayneIFAS 42
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QUALITYProducers Trust AgroLiquid
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Ag Issues In The Florida Legislature Off To A Fast Start by John Dicks Sometimes the things you see, hear and read coming out of our Legislature in Tallahassee are enough to make you want to just scratch your head and say, “hmmmnnnn.”
and to the surprise of many, in 2014 it set by law that specifically in the year 2016, the starting date would be in January! All very simple and straightforward, right?
Last year I wrote about legislation that would affect the Ag Industry. I planned to do the same thing this year. But rather than focusing on it in the late spring, when the Legislature normally meets, starting in March, this year our writing schedule has been moved up to now.
Well sometimes the best strategy is to simply quit trying to figure out the maneuvers of lawmakers and just go with what we know.
That’s because, of course, the Legislature is already in full swing, having started its 60 day session on Tuesday, January 12. Why the switch from March to January this year? Well, here’s the backstory. Our Florida Constitution is fairly explicit on when and for how long the Legislature shall meet in regular session. There can also be special sessions, called as needed, and last year there were several of them. Generally, though, the Constitution provides that 60 days each year is long enough for our elected Senators and Representatives to meet and conduct the business of Florida. The Constitution also states that in odd numbered years the legislature’s regular session shall start in March. But what about the even numbered years? Uniquely, our Florida Constitution provides that every 10 years, right after our nation’s census is conducted, the Legislature shall start in January. This is presumably done so that as new Congressional and Legislative districts are being drawn there will be plenty of time before the fall elections for campaigning by some Legislators who may find themselves running to represent folks in new districts. Basically it means that our Constitution has mandated that January will be the start date for the Legislature in years 2002, 2012, 2022, etc. for every 10 years. So that takes care of things, by way of our Florida Constitution, for the “2” years and the odd numbered years; but what about the other even numbered years, such as 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020?
So, here is what we know. The session has begun and, yes, there are some important issues being discussed that will have an affect on the Ag Industry. Perhaps most significantly, and in a rather remarkable showing of just what can be accomplished when lawmakers set their sights on an objective and work towards consensus rather than division, it took less than two weeks to pass legislation and have signed by the Governor a matter which had been debated for nearly three years. The bill that our Florida lawmakers agreed upon, nearly unanimously, is designed to clean up Florida’s waterways and protect the supply of water and natural resources for future development, while also providing adequate water to meet the needs of agricultural producers, municipalities, citizens and tourists. It was one that had seen significant support from the Ag Industry. Many environmentalists, however, suspect that it does not go far enough to clean up Florida’s springs and preserve natural resources. There are a variety of other bills moving through the process that could also impact farmers and ranchers. One is a provision to exempt from sales taxes the purchase of fencing materials used in agricultural production. Another would provide a statewide exemption for farmers from obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License while driving certain farm vehicles. Still another bill would ensure that farm buildings used for private events would not be subject to the fire code. Considering that this is an election year, starting the 60 day session in January leaves more time for the campaigns ahead. Plan on a return next year, however, to the customary start in March for the Florida Legislature.
On these, the Constitution is mostly silent, leaving it up to the Legislators to pick a date. Generally, though, they have over the years kept things consistent and started the regular session in March. The local folks in Tallahassee seem to appreciate that, too, since they gear up like clock work to meet the needs and demands of 160 Legislators, plus their staff and an unimaginable number of professionals making up the lobbying core. To the great pleasure of our Capitol residents, the Legislature churns quite the economic engine for the local folks. Logically, then, it would seem that tradition would have caused the Legislature to start its regular session this year in March like usual. However, with a variation on the old adage, it seems that the only thing certain with the Florida Legislature is its uncertainty! Maybe it was the suspicion that court challenges to the Congressional and Legislative districts would force changes in the political landscape shaped by new voting maps (which has certainly happened). Who really knows? But the Legislature did plan ahead 46 46
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John Dicks is both a lawyer and a farmer. He and his family own 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. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three years as Mayor. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
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s e p i c e R These recipes come from WWW.STRAWBERRYSUE.COM
Simply Sweet Florida Strawberry Pie Ingredients Chilled pie dough for one 9-inch pie 5 cups of quartered and hulled strawberries, divided 3/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup cornstarch 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1/8 teaspoon salt Whipped cream Pie crust
DIRECTIONS
Filling
Heat oven to 425°F. Place a baking sheet on a middle oven rack.
Add 2 cups of strawberries to a small saucepan. Mash strawberries until chunky. Add sugar, corn starch, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon Roll out pie dough to fit pie dish. Press dough juice and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium down into dish so that it lines the bottom and heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar sides. Trim dough so that about ½ inch hangs over dissolves and glaze has thickened; 3 to 5 minutes. edge of dish. Crimp edges of dough around dish. Cool completely. Pierce bottom of the crust with a fork (this prevent air pockets or bubbles from forming while baking). Place pie crust onto preheated baking sheet and reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees F. Bake 20 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove from oven and cool.
Combine remaining 3 cups of strawberries with cooled strawberry glaze. Stir until strawberries are well coated. Spoon strawberry filling into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate pie at least 2 hours before cutting to allow filling to set. Top with whipped cream.
Easy Florida Strawberry Yogurt INGREDIENTS 2 cups fresh or frozen Florida strawberries, diced 2 tsp sugar 32 oz unflavored, unsweetened yogurt
DIRECTIONS Rinse, destem and dice the strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Toss the strawberries until they are coated with sugar and let sit in a covered bowl for 30 minutes to macerate. Add half of the strawberries into to the yogurt and blend until smooth. Stir in the remaining strawberries. You won’t believe how much tastier yogurt is when you put in your own fresh strawberries to flavor it! Add granola when you serve and you’ll be on track for a great day! 48
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Forrest Lumber and Timber: Building a Lumber and Timber Business for Today’s Market
Business Up Front By Vanessa Caceres Forrest Allen, of Forrest Lumber and Timber in the Lithia community of Fort Lonesome, got his hands dirty with sawmill dust early in life. “I’ve always loved the wood business, and I’ve always been around the wood industry and sawmills,” he says. So, it was only natural that Allen would enter the family business. His father started a small sawmill in 1978, cutting pine and hardwood logs for both residential and commercial customers. Back then, the business was called Allen Sawmill. “We grew and learned the lumber business from the ground up,” Allen says. The company has always focused on great customer service and keeping up with the changing times. To that end, the Allen family decided a name change and a slight tweak in its focus was in order—so, in 2013, Forrest Lumber and Timber began. “We are able to serve more lumber needs for our changing customers and industries alike,” Allen says. These days, Allen counts farmers, ranchers, home builders, and the general public among his regular customers. They come to the business seeking lumber and building supplies. Some projects that customers might be working on including putting a roof on a hotel, building a house, or building a wooden fence around a farm or ranch. They’ve stepped away from the sawmill business, as there aren’t as many good quality trees in Florida like there used to be, Allen says. However, the old sawmill is still on the business property and works well. Forrest Lumber and Timber gets its lumber from north Florida, Georgia, and Alabama.
That personal touch
Although it’s helpful to come to Forrest Lumber and Timber with a basic idea of your project, Allen is always ready to help hammer out the details. “I suggest ideas, but I let customers make up their own minds. If they’re going to build something that’s not going to work, I make suggestions. Ninety percent of the time, it helps,” Allen says. To find out more about Forrest Lumber and Timber, call them at 813-6331270. Or, you can visit them at 16437 S County Road 39 in Lithia. 50
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Facts about the Florida forestry business • Florida has nearly 16 million acres of timberlands. • Those nearly 16 million acres supported economic activities generating $13.95 billion in output impacts in 2011. • The industry supported nearly 76,000 full- and part-time jobs. Seventy five percent of those jobs were within the pulp and paper industry; 13% were in forest management and logging. Other industries with related jobs included secondary wood products, lumber, veneer, and panels manufacturing. • A little over 70% of the Florida timberland ownership in 2011 was private; the rest of the timberland ownership was state, federal, county, and municipal. • Forests cover almost 50% of Florida’s land areas, but most of the state’s timberlands are north of Orlando. • Liberty County in north Florida has the largest percentage of timberlands; more than 90% of the county is timberlands. • In north Florida, most counties are at least 50% forested. Source: 2013 Florida Agriculture by the Numbers, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
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Safeguarding local resources is
Being good stewards of local resources is an important part of what we do at Mosaic. As a native Floridian and an environmental specialist for our phosphate operations, I understand that our lands and waters are part of the regional ecosystem. Every year, mined lands are reclaimed for wildlife habitats, wetlands, lakes and streams. In our fivecounty operating area, we also monitor more than 30 water outfalls on our property as well as nearby creeks and streams. We take our responsibility for meeting Florida’s water and reclamation standards seriously — for our neighbors as well as yours. We help the world grow the food it needs.
®
mosaicco.com/florida Michelle Sims, Environmental Specialist Florida phosphate operations
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© 2015 The Mosaic Company
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Part 17 Ornamental Gardening in Florida When last we spoke, Mr. Simpson had informed us of the devastating effects of ants on cultivated plants. His in depth discussion of plant enemies has left us wondering what’s next. Without further ado we’d like to return to our last voyage so that we might bring it to a close. And, hopefully learn how best to rid our gardens of unwanted pests, the likes of which have, “…(n)ever been exterminated within the memory of man…”¹ according to Mr. Simpson. During the rainy season in Florida Mr. Simpson advises that red spider is not too bad. However, “Red spider attacks many plants particularly in early spring and it flourishes best under dry conditions.”¹ He suggests thorough and repeated spraying with water or using sulfur dust. He jumps then to grasshoppers, an enemy with which he seems particularly irritated. Bothered enough to include the scientific name in his discussion. He says, “The lubber grasshopper, Dictyophorus, is one of the standard nuisances the plant grower must contend with.”¹ It reminds one of being in trouble and having your mom yell your full name. To help us recognize their presence he elaborates, “The eggs hatch in early spring, the young being black, marked with yellow or red. Later they assume a variety of bright colors and sometimes reach a length of three inches.”¹ Instantly we knew exactly the wretched invader he described. Then, with signature Simpson humor, he adds, “I will not say that a full grown lubber will eat as much as a mule but he will in a short time destroy nearly as much.”¹ This is pretty drastic but he’s quite serious. He continues, “I keep close watch early in the season and whenever I find the young I kill every one of them. By so doing I do not have many later on.”¹ No doubt. Apparently he’s not the only one who finds these creatures undesirable. He explains, “Common fowls will not touch them but I am told that guinea hens will devour them.”¹ But if you don’t have guineas, he says, “Put out poisoned bran mash made of one-fourth pound of Paris green with five pounds of bran mixed with water. Add a pint of molasses.”¹ Sounds gross enough but what’s Paris Green? We looked it up and discovered, thanks to History Magazine’s Vic54
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By Ginny Mink
toria King: “Arsenic was used in a compound called Paris Green developed around 1775 by Carl Scheele, which was used as a pigment in paints, wallpaper and fabrics. Throughout the 1800s, there were reports of people becoming ill from living in houses decorated with the poisonous wallpaper, however, Paris Green was not recognized as a health hazard until the end of the century… Arsenic was also popular due to its easy availability in rat poison and insecticides.”² Therefore, we do not recommend the previously described bran mash! Mr. Simpson moves on to a lengthy list of additional problematic issues. He says, “We have a variety of scales all of which adhere closely to the leaves or bark of trees and plants and do great damage. A complete scrubbing with strong soapsuds every two weeks will generally clean them out. Mealy bug is common and may be killed by spraying with soap solution. Cutworms can be destroyed by scattering around poisoned bran mash. Lime water used liberally in watering pot plants will drive out or kill angle worms.”¹ Here we encountered another concept we were unfamiliar with: lime water. As you know, whenever we are uncertain about something we look it up. Therefore, we discovered (via Garden Guides): “Agricultural lime is an important tool in gardening and is made from the burning of shells, bones and limestone. It is commonly used in the garden as a way of raising the pH level of the soil to help bring balance. It has the additional side effect of being an insecticide.”³ At least this one isn’t gonna kill ya (or if it is we don’t know it yet). Mr. Simpson warns that things may not actually be as bad as they initially seem. He says, “Some of the insects come in waves and threaten to destroy everything before them but it seems that in many cases an enemy soon follows and they are greatly reduced in numbers so that they do little or no damage…I am sure there has been a great deal of talk made about some of our insects merely for effect for a number of these nuisances which once swarmed here are scarcely to be found now. Nature has been managing the plants and insects for perhaps hundreds of millions of years…”¹ We’ve got our own opinions about that last statement but we’ll leave it alone. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
We were pretty shocked at his next culprit, the great blue West Indian land crab. Of course, he’s most familiar with south Florida but he explains, “…it swarms out over fields destroying cultivated crops and ruining many of the plant lover’s choicest things. Something may be done in the way of eradicating them by dipping long moss, old cloth or cotton in gasoline and dropping it in the hole which can be closed by stamping it with the foot. Small pieces of bread coated with Rough on Rats or any roach paste will be eagerly eaten by them and they then die.”¹ The visuals here, for us, are truly disturbing. His description of another problem makes us kind of sad. He says, “Rabbits are bad, especially during winter and I have never succeeded in trapping them though I have had several traps that were warranted to never fail.”¹ Chuckle if you must because it’s about to get really sad for Thumper. He suggests then, “A gun in the hands of a good marksman is about the best remedy….There are one or more wood rats…I have only been able to get one or two in any trap and then the rest get wise. Smoking the traps might help. A good cat will catch some of them but cats catch birds and there you are.”¹ Ok, you can laugh, but maybe feel a little sad for the Thumpers of Mr. Simpson’s time (some of whom are probably on the endangered list these days- the Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit comes to mind). He concludes his chapter on plant enemies with a few housekeeping suggestions. He tells readers, “…everything about a greenhouse or slat house should be kept clean…Insects harbor where it is dark and dirty, they do not flourish well where there is absolute cleanliness…Most of the birds and snakes and all the toads and lizards are the friends of the plant grower as they destroy countless injurious insects. They should be protected and encouraged in their work.” Indeed. Just a piece of additional information before we end this trip on the Literary Time Machine, there’s an incredible piece of history on the Rough on Rats chemical. You should definitely go read it if you are even remotely interested in historic issues with arsenic. It can be found on the University of Wellington’s⁴ site and that information is in the resources section. Until next time, keep those gardens growing! 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. 81-84). ²History Magazine- http://www.history-magazine.com/arsenic.html ³ Garden Guides- http://www.gardenguides.com/131670-lime-insecticide.html ⁴ University of Wellington- http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/ tei-NHSJ07_02-t1-g1-t8.html WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Alex & Valerie Crawford By Nick Chapman Harvesting a Different Crop
Growing up in eastern Hillsborough County, one can’t help but be influenced by agriculture. It drives the local economy and sets the tone for many residents’ lifestyles and livelihood. Alex Crawford is no exception, growing up in the area and graduating from Durant High School. Except he and his wife Valerie will not be plowing earthly fields, but have chosen to harvest a spiritual crop for God. The Crawfords have joined the staff of Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), which is one of the largest ministries in the world. Cru’s inter-denominational organization has chapters in 2,400 college campuses and has offices all over the world. Alex and Valerie’s desire is to work on the campus of the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando, where they both received their college degrees. The journey of this couple to the same spiritual calling began at two very different backgrounds. “I had high school friends from Durant that encouraged me to get involved with Cru when I went to UCF, and I got plugged in right away,” said Alex. Through his involvement, he experienced an increased spiritual growth and awareness. His active participation in events sponsored by Cru helped strengthen his biblical knowledge and his courage to articulate those beliefs to others. He knew he wanted to do some type of ministry work, and Cru seemed to be preparing him for that end. Valerie’s story is different since she is a true-life case study on the effectiveness of Cru and its ability to change lives through the sharing of God’s word. “When I came to college at UCF, I was focused on success, partying. It was all about myself,” Valerie said. “I was doing everything to please the world, and to be what the world wanted me to be. I realized my life needed a change.” That change came when she got involved with a Cru study group. While in high school, Valerie remembered attending an event with a Christian youth group and thought about the loving and open experience it offered. So when Valerie’s life was at a low in college, she 60
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decided to Google “Christian ministry,” and found Cru in her search. She soon got connected with the Cru ministry at UCF, and was impressed by the open arms and variety of activities Cru had to offer. “Everyone had so much joy, more joy than I had. They were so selfless in wanting to get to know me. I wondered, ‘Why do they care about me?’ That made a huge impact on me, because I was all about myself.” She started joining in Bible studies to learn more about God. Between these studies and the one-on-one contact and encouragement by a Cru leader, she decided to give her life to Christ. “God really used Cru in my life to draw me to Him, and it changed everything.” With time and study, she started reaching out to freshmen students that she could see were lost and trying to fit in with the world just as she had done. “Finding God gave me a heart to reach those women because I could see how broken they were, like I was,” she added. Eventually Alex and Valerie met through Cru events and started dating. Their relationship and love grew as they worked together in Cru and as they finished their degree programs. Although Alex had an inclination for ministry work, Valerie didn’t consider it until her junior year. “I was on a mission trip with Cru. A staff member suggested I should do full time ministry as my job. She said I had a passion for speaking with young women about God,” commented Valerie. The idea did not thrill her at first, but after a period of prayer and meditation (and much encouragement); she decided to give her life to that calling. She remembered giving Alex a call and saying, “I’m going to do fulltime ministry with Cru, and I want to work with college women.” Alex didn’t know at that time what type of ministry work he wanted to do, but Valerie’s decision to work with Cru helped him choose the same path. The couple married in May 2015, and has been moving toward their goal of ministry work. “We decided to get involved with the staff of Cru because we see the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
huge need on college campuses,” Alex emphasized. He continued to point out that one of the challenges for young people of faith is that believing and attending worship is easy while under their parent’s roof, but can become difficult while at college. “The college environment can be the first real test on a young faith to see if they will continue on their religious path. College is where you begin to lay the foundations of your life. It’s a time when your choosing a career path, and you might find your future spouse.” They note that college not only offers the “party scene,” but a variety of experiences and temptations that can take a person’s eye off of their religious beliefs. Alex added, “College pushes the idea that life is all about the pursuit of money and happiness. I don’t believe success is bad, but when you put that desire before God, then it becomes an idol.” The college campus is where Cru originally started, and it’s why Alex and Valerie want to work at UCF. Alex quoted Bill Bright, founder
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of Cru, “If you reach the college students of today, you can reach the world tomorrow.” Their enthusiasm and zeal for God’s word and the positive impact it can have on young lives should propel this godly couple to help touch many students through their future work with Cru at UCF. Alex and Valerie love meeting new people and making new contacts. They hope that through this article, hearts might be touched to help their efforts both spiritually and financially. Cru staff members have to raise their own funds for their ministry work. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about their work with Cru, please give Alex a call at (813) 957-8278 or email him at alex.crawford@cru. org. Or ladies, you can reach Valerie at (321) 795-6587 or email her at valerie.crawford@cru.org. You can also read more about their work at their website: alexandvalerie.com, where you can also subscribe to receive their monthly newsletter.
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JOIN THE “FRESH
FROM FLORIDA”
PROGRAM “Fresh From Florida” is a program administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It is designed to connect distributors and retail buyers with Florida growers to increase sales of Florida products. To learn more about the program benefits, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/Join or call 850-617-7399.
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Dennis Carlton
CONTINUING THE LEGACY OF PARKESDALE FARMS AND A TRIBUTE TO ITS ‘HEART AND SOUL’ By Jim Frankowiak
Parkesdale Farm Market is the largest family-operated strawberry and citrus market in Florida. The market and its legacy traces its beginnings to 1956 when the late R. E. (Roy) Parke, Jr. and his wife Helen relocated their family to Plant City, well known as a prime area for growing winter vegetables and strawberries, The Parke’s farm began with 10-acres of strawberries.
The beginnings of the Parkesdale Farm Market can be traced to the early 1970s when Roy’s daughter Cheryl and her husband Jim Meeks became involved. While Cheryl was a Plant City native, Jim lived in a variety of different locations since his father worked for the Otis Elevator Company and was involved in the installation of elevators at new construction sites in a variety of states ranging from several months to longer periods. Much of his work was in the state of Texas during boom times for the oil business. “My parents got tired of all of that travel and decided to move to the Pompano area where many of my mother’s family members lived,” said Jim. His dad went to work for a company that furnished aircraft interiors. Jim attended Florida State University and once he received his degree, he joined Texaco and the company sent him to Tampa as a sales representative. He lived on Davis Island, a place “at that time very popular with Air Force men and women and young professionals.”
How Parkesdale Farm Market and its bountiful offerings expanded and became known across the U.S. and other parts of the world is an interesting story of special people and a good deal of hard work. Originally, the market was a seasonal operation, selling strawberries and citrus. Once the season ended, the market closed and some of the family members returned to the Pittsburgh area. They worked the crops in that area until it was time to return to Florida in mid to late summer and begin to plant berry and vegetable crops for the coming season in Florida. 70
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He lived in the same apartment building as Cheryl Parke, a daughter of Roy and Helen Parke who was a reservationist with Delta Airlines at the time. They met and began a relationship that held strong for over 50 years until Cheryl’s passing this past November. Jim and Cheryl had been married for 49 years. Jim and Cheryl left the Tampa area and headed to the Miami area after he was promoted by Texaco to a supervisory position and oversaw the selection and development of new Texaco station sites in the south Florida market area. “There was high growth and development in that area at that time, and I was a very busy man.” In addition to WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
his new site responsibilities, Jim was often asked to work weekends assisting visiting Texaco executives and customers of Texaco. “I missed spending time with my family and decided after a while to make a career change,” he said. That led Jim and Cheryl to Plant City in the early 70s and the idea to take the at-the-time seasonal Parkesdale Market and make it a year round business. “I consider Cheryl to be the legend of the market,” said Jim. “She was a very special person that never met a stranger. She had a great memory and never forgot our customers and not just their names, but other information like where they were from, special items they liked and more. I was comfortable in the background making sure we met and exceeded the expectations of our customers.” Jim and Cheryl worked long and hard to build the market into what it has become. “Working and living together, day in and day out as we did is not something all couples can do,” said Jim. “Sure, we had our ups and downs, but we worked together for many years.” “There were many days when I had to get up early and drive to places as far as Frostproof and beyond to get citrus, bring it back to the market and then drive into Tampa for other items,” he said of the times when local citrus was sub-par. There was a time when the market had a bakery, “but it just got to be too hard to find the type of help that you need for such an operation,” he said. They also had help from other family members.
can learn about the differences of various citrus available through the market and when those various varieties are in season, as well as proper storage of citrus, how to select citrus and much more. The journey that brought Cheryl and Jim to the market and change it from a seasonal operation limited to strawberries and citrus to the year round business it has become is similar in a way to the third generation of the family that is building on that legacy. The Meek’s son Jim and his wife Xiomara decided eight years ago to become involved in the Parkesdale Market and to help move it forward. Son Jim also attended Florida State University and after graduation pursued a career initially as a financial advisor and then information technology. Xi, who holds a Master of Science in Geology degree, is a senior transportation planner for the Polk County Board of County Commissioners and is the business manager at the market, while Jim has taken on the majority of duties and responsibilities of his father. They have two children: Zoe, who is 9, and seven-year-old Piper, they would be the fourth generation of the family that may become involved in the operation of the market in the future. Zoe and Piper attend Walden Lake Elementary School.
“My mother had worked for the public school system in Pompano, developing menu items for students,” said Jim. “She was responsible for a number of the recipes we use today such as our popular strawberry cookies that uses the juice from fresh cut strawberries.” Overall, the market has expanded its initial strawberry and citrus to produce, cookies, bread, gift baskets, gift fruit, preserves, pickled items, dressings, marinades and salsas. “We enjoy a good deal of business from the area and many, many repeat customers from among our winter visitors in the area,” noted Jim. The market’s customers include families and corporate businesses all across the United States. The market has over the years become a “must stop” location for noteworthy visitors from elected local, regional state and national leaders, including presidents or those aspiring to that office, as well as celebrities in town for the annual Florida Strawberry Festival. “Cheryl was right at home with them all,” said Jim, “just as she was with customers from this area and visitors from the north.” The two items that headline the market and attract its visitors are its “World Famous Strawberry Shortcake” and fresh strawberry milkshakes. Available January to mid-April, people flock to Parkesdale Farm Market for a bowl of Strawberry Shortcake served fresh from the fields. Sweet, sliced berries sit atop of a bed of shortcake with a dollop of whipped cream. “Our shortcake has been an ever-improving recipe to combine the tastes of the south with the appeal of the north for the perfect shortcake. A little like a biscuit with a touch of cake, our shortcake is just sweet enough to compliment the juicy strawberries and moist enough to soak up all the sugary flavored berry juices,” the market’s website says.
Since becoming involved with the market and its operation, Jim and Xi have implemented some modernization and expansion projects, but the essence of the market has remained unchanged. “We don’t want to mess with success,” said Jim. “And there’s no need to try to fix something if it’s not broken.” They are carefully monitoring and taking advantage of the growing interest and popularity of locally grown produce and utilization of contemporary marketing initiatives such as social media. The last few years have been particularly difficult for Jim as he helped Cheryl with the ongoing challenge of depression and her passing has not been easy for him. He continues is his involvement with the market and is committed to fostering Cheryl’s legacy. “We both worked hard and long at the market, but Cheryl was its heart and soul.” Our heartfelt thanks to Jim and Cheryl and best wishes to Jim and Xi as they move forward.
The market has brought its special touch to the love of berries that abounds during the season and the annual Florida Strawberry Festival with its own Strawberry Throne. Customers are invited to put on a crown, hold a bouquet of roses and enjoy the opportunity to be Strawberry Queen or King for a Day. And they can do that while enjoying fresh milkshakes, shortcakes and other treats while seated in the market’s tropical garden amid lush flowers and foliage, which are – by the way – available for purchase, too. Additionally, the market has a range of educational opportunities for its customers on its website: www.parkesdale.com where visitors WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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By Ginny Mink
Growing Concern at Brownlee’s Garden Center
If you recall, last month we tried to pay a visit to a certain somewhere and discovered its owners were on vacation. Therefore, this month we made a return trip to Brownlee’s Garden Center and Mimi’s Place Antiques. As I pulled in through the gates Hazel said, “Where are we?” I answered, “I don’t know, where are we?” She sat quietly thinking as I chose a place to park and then she responded, “It looks like a barn!” And, then, from the other side of the back row, Zeke chimed in with glee, “I love it!” He was clapping his hands as though it were some great destination. Jaidyn (J) asked Hazel why she thought it was a barn and she informed him in her, that’s-a-dumb-question tone, “Because there’s a gate.” Imagine a four year old with a Valley Girl attitude and you’ll get the idea. Maybe even add, “Duh,” in your mind and that should really highlight it for you. J rolled his eyes but somehow managed to refrain from any pre-teen exasperation or sarcasm. We got out of the van, the kids were excited even though they hadn’t seen anything but a wood fence. Immediately Zeke was drawn to the wagon and wheelbarrow near the plants. “What is this place?” Hazel asked me, eyes wide. “It’s a place where they grow plants and sell antiques.” She pointed then at all the potted plants on tables, “What are those?” This was not her first venture with plants so I was a little bothered by her feigned ignorance. However, I went with it and said, “Plants they grew.” To which she quickly retorted, “Are we going to grew some, too?” I laughed out loud and I think J did, too. I had Zeke and Hazel stand by the sign with the verse on it and Hazel leaned back a little too far and almost took it and herself to the ground. The fear and shock that registered in her face at that moment would have made a most excellent photo but I was too busy trying to prevent the havoc the Minks were bent on wreaking. I finally got them to stand still enough for the picture and before I knew it they were off to the citrus trees. “Don’t touch!” I was hollering as I followed. That’s a phrase that Zeke has chosen to treat as foreign. That way he doesn’t have to adhere to its directives. Of course the very first thing he does is reach up to the oranges that hang, not fully ripe. “I can touch it!” He informed me with great satisfaction. Thankfully he didn’t try to pull it down. Before I could even enjoy that moment of gratitude he was off to the grapefruit and had a better handle on it. “Do not pull on that!” I told him and he reminded me that he could touch it. I’m not sure if he was insinuating he was tall enough or that he was a completely rebellious little monster. Either way, he’s so cute it’s hard to get mad (of course I’m a bit biased). 74
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About that time Ray Brownlee came out. I suspect he was getting concerned by the propensity for my children to cause trouble. I introduced myself and the lovely Minks. Hazel wanted to ask him to let her plant things but since they didn’t even know we were coming and that’s not what they ordinarily do there I just urged her to be quiet and polite. That’s when we headed inside to look at the antiques. Patti was inside and we made our introductions to her as well. I will tell you that I was most intrigued by the “laundry cream” in mason jars near the entrance. Patti said a lady at her church made it. I might have to go back sans children to look into that. Amusingly the kids wandered off into the office/cashier area of the shop and were oohing and aahing about the stuff they found in there. I guess it doesn’t take much to “wow” the Minks. I redirected them and now I’m not so sure that was a great idea. I mean at least while they were enamored by calculators and bookkeeping supplies they weren’t asking me to buy anything. However, when we headed into the super cool antique rooms, the begging ensued. There were a number of stuffed animals and old school dolls that garnered puppy-dog-eyed pleas from both Hazel and Zeke. As we neared the end of the antiques section we bumped into Michelle Welch, owner of Wishing Well Barn. She had the distinct honor of hearing me scold my children on multiple occasions since some of the dolls were glass and Zeke is kind of a bull in a China shop. I’m honestly amazed that I didn’t become the proud owner of some hugely valuable, though utterly disintegrated, antique vase (read that vaaaassss). They loved the vintage typewriters, the hutches with glass doors, the wagons, various toys, and pretty much anything they shouldn’t touch. Hazel is unfortunately in a poor mood at the moment as she informed me that her, “legs got tired,” while we were there and thusly she, “didn’t like anything.” I suspect she’s still holding a grudge because I wouldn’t buy her a glass faced Precious Moments doll sitting in a wee wood chair. Then the truth spills out of both she and Zeke, “I wanted that bear!” Hazel states and Zeke adds, “I liked the puppy dog.” I guess I was wrong about the doll, but dead on about the grudges! While it may seem a tad odd to pay a visit to a garden center, the truth is, we are gearing up to begin another series, Growums: We Hope. It’s a garden in a box endeavor that we’ll be documenting starting this month, so look for it! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
We Hope
If I shared all the poop jokes that ensued in the midst of preparations for this endeavor you would either laugh hysterically or make the same gagging noises Jaidyn and Hazel made. In case you are unaware of the Growums concept, it’s a garden in a box. Basically it’s an interactive kit designed to teach kids the importance of growing their own food. They are given a number of vegetable and herb options and more can be purchased online via: http://growums.com. The Mink children were given this kit thanks to the generosity of In the Field Magazine’s very own, Karen Berry! She suggested we put it to use and chronicle our journey. We’ll test it out for you guys and if it’s any good then we’ll tell you. If not, we certainly won’t sugar coat the truth. That said, we followed the directions which required the children to “scrape the Growums Magic Planting block,” after Jaidyn followed the “add 3-4 gallons of warm water” directive. Insert poop jokes now. I told the kids it looked like, “cow patty in a box.” Honestly, it kind of smelled like it, too. One touch and Hazel was all about the “eeewwws.” Of course Zeke had to imitate his sister at least initially but he was soon engrossed in muck scraping. I got them little shovels to do it even though the instructions directed them to use their hands. They were a tad too squeamish for that. We added the mix to the Growums Box, which is uniquely designed to feature self-watering components. That task completed, we came in and opened the three Growums Garden Kits: Pizza, Ratatouille and Herb. The in-
By: Ginny Mink
structions told us to watch the videos online once we added the kits to our garden (you have to enter the codes found inside the kits). The characters on the site are amusing (Sherriff Duke the Cuke was the star) and Zeke and Hazel actually sat still long enough to watch the first step video. It showed us how to use the starter kits that also have self-watering components, grow pellets, seed packets and labeling stakes. Hazel chose the Pizza garden, Zeke went with Ratatouille (because he thought the character looked like Larry the Cucumber from Veggie Tales), and Jaidyn got stuck with herbs. Planting the seeds was a bit of a challenge when trying to instruct a two year old, keep an eye on the four year old and take photos. Needless to say, Hazel ended up planting tomato seeds in every pellet, so we’ll see how those turn out. I just had her add the other seeds on top and we labeled accordingly. The goal is to see whose plants grow best (or at all, as we heard a rumor that some people have no luck with these things). Seeds planted, we took them outside because there’s not really a windowsill in our house with enough room or sun to meet their growth needs. Since most of the conversation was either poop joke oriented or more along the lines of, “Put three seeds in that hole, no not there. Three: one, two, three. You put them all in one? No, three, right there…” I guess you probably get the point. I can tell you that Hazel wanted to check on them in the morning, “In case they need water.” Hopefully we’ll have some sprouts to transplant by next month’s edition. If not, you’ll be the first to know.
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National Treasures By Libby Hopkins
American poet Walt Whitman once said, “Afoot and lighthearted I take to the open road, healthy, free, the world before me.” It could be said that Conrad Anker, a world-renowned climber, adventure photographer Max Lowe and Rachel Pohl, also a climber and an artist had Whitman’s words in mind when they set off to explore the nation’s national parks. Shaun MacGillivray, of MacGillivray Freeman Films, followed the adventures on their journeys to 30 national parks to create the film, National Parks Adventure. The film will make its Tampa debut at the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) in their Florida Hospital IMAX DOME Theater on Feb. 12. “We shot National Parks Adventure in 30 national parks over a nine month period,” said Shaun MacGillivray, the film’s Producer and President of MacGillivray Films. “We had four crews shooting the film including a time lapse crew, aerial crew, ground crew and TV crew. Using IMAX cameras in these vast national parks enabled us to capture every vantage point of these natural wonders and bring the most vivid colors and landscapes to our audiences.” The film is also narrated by Academy Award winning actor, Robert Redford. MOSI is thrilled to be showing the film in conjunction with the 100-year anniversary of the U.S. National Park Service. “I am extremely excited about the film being shown here at MOSI,” said MOSI Outside Coordinator, Kristen Gilpin. “Working with bio diversity and wildlife, I find national parks to be a treasure of our country and state parks to be absolute gems as well. I am hoping that the film will show people more of what the outdoors has to offer, even in just a local outdoor parcel like MOSI Outside, up to state parks and the Everglades.” Florida has a lot offer to its residents when it comes to outdoors. We have three national parks, two national preserves, two national seashores, 11 state parks and 29 refuges of conservation areas. The 78
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Tampa Bay area also has one National Park Service location which is DeSoto National Memorial in Bradenton. MOSI will be providing free tickets to the ranger staff at DeSoto National Memorial to see National Parks Adventure in the Florida Hospital IMAX DOME Theatre. It’s MOSI’s way of saying “Thank You” for their dedication to our country’s heritage and to make sure they get to see this important film that celebrates the work they do to serve the public every day. “We hope the film will inspire people to explore and see the parks we have here in Florida,” Gilpin said. “National parks are necessary to preserve the most fragile ecosystems and the most remarkable natural monuments in our country.” Gilpin also feels that national parks are a great place to take a family vacation. “Theme parks are enjoyable in their own way, but there is something every special about standing on a piece of land and being the only human around for miles in every direction,” Gilpin said. “There is a disconnect from the business of life and learning a new rhythm that is natural to that area, the animals and plants. It’s such an overlooked thing in our world.” National parks are very much a part of the American experience. For years, families have packed up their cars and driven miles away from their home in the city to enjoy the great outdoors where they would hike through lush forests or gaze up at towering cliffs or down into plunging canyons. They witnessed the breathtaking arcs of national and natural history. “There is such an amazing state of calm in these places, where you put your cell phone down, put your tablet away and step back from your email and drive out to one of these faraway places,” Gilpin said. “It’s really transporting you into the wild.” If you would like to learn more about the film, National Parks Adventure you can visit MacGillivray Freeman Films’ website at www. macgillivrayfreeman.com. If would like to spend the day at MOSI and see the film, you can purchase tickets through MOSI’s website at www.mosi.org or call 813-987-6000. MOSI is located at 4801 E. Fowler Ave. in Tampa. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
PO Box 110015 Gainesville, FL 32611 T: (352) 846-1391 F: (352) 846-1390 W: www.AgTag.org
VOLUNTEER READERS SOUGHT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR AG LITERACY DAY – APRILJULY 267, 2015 By Jim Frankowiak FLORIDA AGRICULTURE IN THE CLASSROOM HAS A NEW LOOK! Florida Agriculture Literacy Day will takeAgriculture place Tuesday, April 26th GAINESVILLE – Florida in the Classroom, Inc. (FAITC) has a new look. The Gainesville-based non-profit has adopted a new logo that prominently features an this year and volunteer readers are being organization sought to share the second Florida’s signaturebooks crop. highlighting the state’s in a series of new, orange, non-fiction children’s ‘We wanted a fresh, new look that clearly identified Florida Agriculture in the Classroom vegetable industryaswith elementary students across the state. representing our state’s agricultural industry,’ said Tamara Wood, the organization’s chairwoman. ‘What better way to do that than to add an orange to the logo.’
The book,” Drive Through Florida: features an animatFAITC took its cueVegetables,” from the National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization (NAITCO), which that recently updated logo to include an apple, ed red truck named ‘Ole Red’ will take its students on a tour of the universal symbol of waylettuce, in the production of citrus, FAITC board members felt it Florida’s tomato, teachers. squash, With snapFlorida bean,leading sweet the corn, bell pepper would be an obvious choice to represent our organization and its roots, Wood said. and potato industries. Check out FAITC’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/FloridaAgintheClassroom and let us know what you think.
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Adamteachers Putnam, the Florida DeFAITC provides Florida and students in kindergarten through 12th grade with lessons, materials, workshops, grant money and other partment of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) andprograms Flor- that use agricultural concepts teachClassroom reading, writing, nutrition, science, social studies and more. Its main source of funding ida Agriculture into the (FAITC) invite farmers, growers, comes from sales of the agriculture specialty license plate nicknamed the ‘Ag Tag.’ The cost of ranchers, Farm Bureau members, Florida cattlemen and cattlewoman Ag Tag is $25 above the regular cost of renewing a Florida license plate of which $20 goes to en, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences FAITC programs. Extension and 4-H agents, master gardeners, FFA teachers and stuFOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT LISA in GASKALLA AT gaskalla@ufl.edu or at (352) dents and agriculture industry representatives to read elementary 846-1391. classrooms around the state as part of this 13th annual event. Volunteer readers are asked to schedule their classroom visits first, and then order materials on the FAITC’s website: www.agtag.org. Materials will be mailed to readers. Each will receive one book ,one disc with the book and teachers resources and classroom sets of stickers and bookmarks for delivery to the classroom the day of the reading. Readers are asked to allow two weeks for delivery.
Although readers are encouraged to read to elementary students on Ag Literacy Day, April 26, they can read until the end of the school year. The book and materials are provided to readers at no cost as a result of funding FAITC receives from sales of the agriculture specialty license plate, which is also known as the ‘Ag Tag’ and a donation from the Florida Farm Bureau’s Women’s Committee.
The deadline to register for materials is Tuesday, April 12, for those who intend to read on Florida Agriculture Literacy Day, April 26.
FAITC is a non-profit organization that educates Florida teachers and students about where their food, fiber and fuel come from using lessons, materials, grant programs and other projects.
The book is geared to upper elementary students in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades and readers are recommended to target those grades as they schedule readings. The book can be read to younger elementary students, but readers should avail themselves of instructions for younger elementary students on the FAITC website: www.agtag.org.
For more information about Ag Literacy Day in Hillsborough County, contact Hillsborough County Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson via email: Judi.Whitson@ffbf.org or telephone: 813685-9121.
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Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green Photo by Jennifer Pohlhaus
Fantasy Coin Pouch In going with the fantasy references to the featured insect this month and given the upcoming Bay Area Renaissance Festival, I thought this would be a good time to create a small coin bag for the occasion. After all, you will want to be prepared should a troll or goblin demand a few coins to let you pass. There are many embellishments that can be added to the bag. I have added a Monkeys Fist Knot to the bottom of the bag for both function and form, it serves as a base on which to sew a securing bead. Illustrating how to make a Monkey Fist Knot is not included in this activity, but will be featured next month. If you want to add one to your coin bag, an Internet search will result in many excellent tutorials for the Monkey Fist Knot.
Supplies: Felt Leather Leather Lace (optional ...for the monkey fist) Cording Upholstery Thread (Cotton, Hemp, Polyester withstands weather better than Nylon) Upholstery Needle or Awl (Stitching Awl, Nail) Hammer Leather Punch (or anything that will make holes in leather) Leather Rivets Rivet Setter Leather Stamp (optional) Scribe Compass (optional)
Open
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Saddle stitch the leather strap to the felt Close the pouch • Loop the leather strap to create an appropriately sized belt loop. • Cut and sew the strap to itself just above the top edge of the pouch Cut and sew the strap to itself just above the top edge of the pouch, rivet for extra support.
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Optional - Embellish the bottom of the pouch • Create (or purchase) a bottom decoration such as a Monkey Fist Knot,
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• Punch 2 holes through the bottom leather strap of the pouch to accommodate Monkey Fist ends. • Monkey Fist ends thread through each hole in the bottom of the pouch. • Sew the ends of the Monkey Fist Knot together to secure it to the bottom of the pouch.
Round the end of a leather strap, (I traced a quarter)
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Sew securing beads to the bottom of the pouch (or Monkey Fist) • This will be the bead that anchors the cord shut.
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A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Ogre Faced Spider (Deinopis)
The mythological Ogre is a creature familiar to anyone that has a passion for the fantasy genre characterized by fictitious magical worlds and the wondrous creatures that abound in them. In general, ogres are described as large, hairy, smelly creatures that are similar to giants but have excessively large heads for their body and are said to have an insatiable appetite for babies. These creatures are, of course, completely fabricated from imagination and are not to be found in the natural world. There is one creature however, the Ogre Faced Spider, also known as the Gladiator Spider, that does indeed exist in the natural world, unveiling itself only at nightfall to hunt the woeful inhabitants of the tropics that stray too close to escape it’s ambush. To truly appreciate this fascinating creature, you will have to venture out at night to get a closer look. My wife and I went on a night hike together and did just that. We were fortunate and found an abundance of these fascinating spiders to share with you if you’re not inclined to hike the woods at night on your own. Deinopis, from the Greek (deinos – “fearful”) and (opis – “appearance”), is a genus of the family Deinopidae, a group of spiders characterized by their long stick like bodies and a unique hunting strategy of “netting” it’s prey. Deinopids do not spin permanent webs like other spiders; instead, they wander around in search of good place to set up their ambush. Once an ideal position is found, she will spin an upright rectangular orb web, similar to any other orb web one might find, however, unlike many orb webs, her web is not sticky but more like a very fine thread of wool that may unravel from a sweater. When the initial orb web is complete, she will detach the web from its supporting silk frame and hook it to her front four legs. The web itself is stretchy and can be expanded without breaking. To set up for an ambush, she hangs with her head pointing down and holds her silken net horizontally above the ground. When a walking insect crosses beneath her, she quickly descends toward her prey while opening her silk net to entangle the insect from the top, then quickly wraps the net around the bottom of the insect completely enclosing it. The capture of flying insects, like moths, is even more spectacular to watch if you can attract one to her. She cast her silken net backwards through the air to capture a flying insect in much the same way one might WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
catch an insect with a butterfly net. Deinopids have far better night vision eyesight than most animals, including owls and cats. Most spiders have eight eyes. If you look at the structure of the eyes, certain conclusions can be made about the spiders general characteristics. Hunting spiders such as the Jumping Spider (Salticidae) for example, have very large front eyes that are provide for binocular vision. Like other hunting spiders, Deinopids also have highly developed front eyes that are so much larger than the other six eyes, it makes them look as if they only have two large eyes in the front. The truth is, these two front eyes must be larger than those of even the Jumping Spider (Salticidae) because they hunt at night and need to gather much more light than the eyes of a daytime hunter like the Jumping Spider (Salticidae). A common structure in nocturnal vertebrates is a layer of tissue within the eye called tapetum lucidum, it’s function is to reflect light back through the retina (light sensitive) layer of the eye to increase the exposure of the initial light that came through the lens of the eye. It is this layer that gives animals a characteristic “eyeshine” when light is pointed at their eyes. Many insects have similar tapetum adaptations that provide an iridescent layer to enable the insect to gather light more efficiently. The “eyeshine” that characterizes nighttime creatures make it easy to find them in the dark. If you want to see the phenomenon in action, walk through your yard at night with a flashlight held about eye level, or better yet, with a headband light; you should see “sparkles” in the grass, on the ground, in trees, etc. Those “sparkles” are the “eyeshine” of numerous nighttime hunting spiders (and other insects) and after just a little practice, you will be able to follow the shine right to the spider. If you are particularly adventurous, try to get a high powered UV black light flashlight, and you may see some of our native scorpions hunting at night as well. We were fascinated with the Ogre Faced spider, and could have watched it all night. Our next trip, we intend to get some high speed shots of this spiders ambush attempts, even if we don’t get the shots, it’s a magical experience to watch. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Say Hello to Candy O!
A gorgeous little puppy that was abandoned at an apartment complex. We are so impressed with this little girl! She is smart and is learning all of her commands. Candy gets along well with her brothers and sisters and her humans! She is approximately 4 months old and is almost potty trained! That’s a huge plus!! We aren’t quite sure of her breed, but we think she’s a mix between Perfect & Awesome! If you are looking for a puppy to add to your family, look no further because Candy is sweeter than honey! To find out more about Candy, visit us at www.saveaboxer.org
Sponsored by:
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PLATINUM BANK IS PROUD TO SERVE
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BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS. SHARING EXPERTISE. EMBRACING COMMUNITY. Plant City Area Executive: David Sullivan Plant City Lenders: Matt Buzza, Susan Baggett, Tommy Pollock 1804 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant City, FL | 813-659-1234 | PLATINUMBANK.COM
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Fertilizers 101 By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Agent
With spring approaching a review of fertilizer basics may be helpful. Generally, fertilizer is defined as any substance containing one or more recognized plant nutrients which promote plant growth. Checking with the Department of Agriculture in a number of states results in a mixed bag of definitions. Many states include any substance that controls soil acidity or alkalinity, provides other soil enrichments or provides other corrective measures to the soil in the fertilizer definition. Most states exclude unmanipulated animal or vegetable manure and some states exclude marl, lime, limestone, wood ashes, peat and/or compost that has not been shown to have value in promoting plant growth. There can be confusion over the terms natural organic, synthetic organic and organic fertilizer. Natural organic refers to products that are derived from either plant or animal products containing one or more elements, other than carbon, hydrogen and oxygen, which contribute to plant growth. These products are derived from living organisms and may include dried blood, composted manure, fish bi-products, bone meal and cottonseed meal. Synthetic organic refers to products that are manufactured chemically from elements or other chemicals. Synthetics go through some sort of manufacturing process, although they may come from naturally occurring mineral deposits. Synthetic products may also be referred to as inorganic fertilizer. Organic fertilizer, in the strict sense of definition, refers to a product containing carbon and one or more elements needed for plant growth, other than hydrogen and oxygen. Organic includes both natural and synthetic products. Hence the confusion, as most who desire an organic fertilizer really want a natural organic or nonmanufactured product. This article will focus on synthetic products typically purchased for use on turfgrass. Most of these products are also appropriate for use on ornamental plants, however, some plants, such as palms, have specific nutrient needs and required specifically formulated fertilizers. Important considerations are the expectation on product release rate (how quickly turf greens up), product duration (how long the product produces a greening effect), and environmental impact (product leaching or volatilization). Nitrogen is the most critical nutrient source that promotes turf growth, so turf performance depends on the nitrogen source in the product. In general, there are three nitrogen release sources: fast release, slow release and controlled release. That being said, there are many environmental and cultural factors that critically effect the ability of turf to uptake nutrients and produce acceptable turf quality. These factors must be evaluated, monitored and corrected, if necessary, prior to creating a fertilization plan. Soil tests are the basis for developing a fertilization plan and provide information on what the soil needs or does not need to provide for turf nutrient requirements. Additionally, tissue testing can reveal whether the turf is effectively taking up the nutrients. Fast release sources are referred to as quick release, or soluble due to their high solubility in water. Fast release nitrogen sources release nitrogen very quickly and may have a quick greening response that lasts just a few weeks. Multiple applications are usually necessary to maintain turfgrass quality. Nitrogen deficiency symptoms may occur between applications due to the cycling between high and low nitrogen levels. Fast release sources may promote excessive shoot growth and readily volatilize or leach. Common examples include urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and calcium nitrate.
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Slow release and controlled release sources provide nitrogen gradually over time and promote more consistent turf quality and fewer deficiency symptoms. These sources also minimize losses due to volatilization, leaching and excessive shoot growth. The terms slow release and controlled release are frequently used interchangeably. Here, slow release refers to uncoated products and controlled release refers to coated products. Uncoated products are homogenous, meaning that the composition is the same throughout particles. Examples of uncoated products include ureaform (UF) and methylene urea (MU). These uncoated products contain about 40 percent nitrogen and rely on microorganisms to mineralize the nitrogen. Because of this reliance on microorganisms the nitrogen release rate can be quite variable, usually between eight and 12 weeks, depending upon pH, soil temperature and soil moisture. During cool or cold seasons UF and MU may not be the products of choice, as microorganism inactivity will prevent the nitrogen from being released. WWW. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
Another example of an uncoated product is isobutylidene diurea (IBDU), containing 32 percent nitrogen. IBDU is soluble and releases nitrogen by hydrolysis, like the fast release nitrogen sources, except that it has low solubility and therefore releases nitrogen very gradually over time depending upon soil moisture. Because of the reliance on soil moisture, dry or drought conditions will delay nitrogen release. Additionally, low pH and high temperature will accelerate the release of nitrogen. Since IBDU is not dependent on microorganism activity it is a preferred product for cool season application. Coated products include sulfur coated urea (SCU), polymer-coated fertilizers (PCF) and hybrid polymer-coated sulfur-coated fertilizers (PCSCU). SCU is 30 to 40 percent urea nitrogen coated with sulfur and sealed with, typically, wax. Imperfections, micro pores and cracks in the coating allow water to enter and dissolve the urea rapidly. Once waters enters, the urea can release very quickly and is sometimes referred to as catastrophic release. Coating thickness and imperfections control the release rate, so particles release at different rates, usually between six to 16 weeks. Microorganism activity is needed to break the sealant to expose the sulfur coating. During cool seasons microorganism inactivity and coating variability can cause a mottling effect on turf. When the sulfur coating is too thick, the nitrogen does not release, and is referred to as lockoff. These particles may rely on some physical disturbance, such as mowing, to break the particle and eventually release the nitrogen. Polymer-coated fertilizers release nitrogen by diffusion through a polymer coating. These products may contain other nitrogen sources such as ammonium nitrate, or other nutrients such as phosphorous and potassium. There are a variety of methods and chemistries used to produce the coating. Regardless, manufacturers are able to produce quite predictable release rates depending upon the number of layers and thickness. Water diffuses through the coating to dissolve fertilizer inside. The fertilizer then moves out of the polymer coating into the soil. Eventually, over eight to 52 weeks, all of the fertilizer is dissolved from inside the polymer coating. Polymer-coated sulfur-coated urea is produced with a polymer layer around the sulfur layer instead of a wax sealant. The polymer layer provides more protection and results in even more predictable and uniform nutrient release. Water must diffuse through the polymer coating, dissolve the urea through imperfections, micro pores and cracks in the sulfur coating and then diffuse back through the polymer coating into the soil. Another brand layers the polymer coating on the urea granule with a sulfur coating and wax sealant on the outside of the particles. With either production method, release rates are longer and less temperature dependent, and surge growth after application is reduced. WWW. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
Most fertilizer ordinances prohibit the application of quick release products, requiring a minimum of 50% slowly available nitrogen. Most ordinances also restrict the application of any nitrogen and phosphorous from June 1st through September 30th. In areas with fertilizer ordinances controlled release products may be able to provide the most consistent long term release for spring application. A slow release product may appropriate for fall application. Fertilizer should not be applied during the winter (December through March), as turf naturally wants to enter a dormancy when temperatures drop and hours of day light are reduced. All fertilizer labels will provide a Guaranteed Analysis. The Guaranteed Analysis is the manufacturer’s guarantee for minimum percentage of nutrients claimed for the product. In the guaranteed analysis, nitrogen must be guaranteed as Total Nitrogen (N). If chemical forms of nitrogen are claimed, the forms will be shown in the Guaranteed Analysis. No particular order of forms of nitrogen is required. When a fertilizer contains determinable forms of nutrients that are slowly available and a slowly available claim is made, then the guarantee is shown as a footnote (asterisk), rather than as a component in the Guaranteed Analysis. See below. To determine the slow release component or percent divide the slowly available nitrogen by the total nitrogen and multiply by 100. GUARANTEED ANALYSIS Total Nitrogen (N) x% x% Ammoniacal Nitrogen x% Nitrate Nitrogen x% Urea Nitrogen* x% Other Water Soluble Nitrogen x% Slowly Available Water Soluble Nitrogen x% Water Insoluble Nitrogen Available Phosphate (P₂O₅) x% Soluble Potash (K₂0) x% *x% Slowly available urea nitrogen from _______ (nitrogen source material) So, which fertilizer source is the best? First and foremost, you must practice sound agronomic practices: perform soil and/or tissue testing, improve soil conditions and correct detrimental cultural practices, such as over watering and over fertilizing, fertilizing during the winter months, and mowing at the wrong height. Plan nutrient management based on environmental and seasonal influences such as temperature, rainfall and/or irrigation, use intensity and proximity to water bodies. The type of turfgrass, expected quality and budget also influences management strategy. For more information on fertilizers and correct fertilizer application practices contact your local UF/IFAS Extension office. IINNTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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10/27/15 February 2016
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UF RESEARCHERS AWARDED USDA SPECIALTY CROPS GRANT FOR FLORDA-GROWN HOPS STUDIES Driven by Increasing Demand of Craft Beer Brewers By Jim Frankowiak
The brewing and sale of craft beers is on the rise here in Florida, as well as other areas of the U.S. Craft beer produced and sold in Florida exceeded $875 million in 2013, according to statistics released by the Brewers Association. The state’s 66 craft breweries produced approximately 5.4 million gallons of beer during that year and those figures, including the number of breweries, continues to increase. With that increasing demand comes a growing need for the highest quality ingredients, locally grown, if at all possible. Traditionally, it has been thought that one of the main ingredients for craft beer – hops – can only be grown in areas other than Florida, specifically the northwestern areas of the U.S. or imported hops from Europe. In the U.S., which is the second highest hop producing country in the world after Germany, most hop-growing takes place in the Yakima (Washington) and Willamette (Oregon) valleys and western Canyon County of Idaho. That was the case until local craft brewers tried to grow hops in the Sunshine State. One of those was Dr. Brian Pearson, an Assistant Professor at the University of Florida Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka, Florida. He was introduced to craft beers while traveling abroad and has become a craft beer hobbyist fully engaged in the process and anxious to explore its full potential in Florida. “I was aware that most believed hops could only be grown in certain areas of the country that did not include Florida, but I and others have tried and found that it is possible to grow hops in Florida,” he said. He has successfully planted four varieties of hops and has collaborated with others in the Carolinas and southwestern areas of the U.S. where they have also had success in growing hops in areas heretofore considered to be not hops friendly. Hops are the female flowers, also called seed cones or strobiles, of the hop plant. They are used primarily as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, to which they impart a bitter, tangy flavor. Hops are a climbing plant and are typically grown in hop yards, growing up trellises. Only female plants are grown in hop fields. The flowers from the female plants are used to flavor beer. Hops are usually dried in an oast house before they are used in the brewing process. Undried or “wet” hops are sometimes used with limited crops as has been the case in Florida. Convinced of the potential of Florida grown hops, Pearson was instrumental in the formation of the Florida Hops Consortium “to foster the development and production of an extremely unique agricultural crop to the Florida craft brewing industry – locally grown Florida hops.” Though the consortium is in its infancy, Pearson has reached out selectively to the craft brewing industry in Florida. One of his initial contacts was Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, the largest 92
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craft brewer in Florida. Cigar City’s Justin Clark and Master Brewer Wayne Wambles were delighted to learn of the consortium and the results of Pearson’s work. “A new source of hops was important news to us,” said Clark. But there is more and it has to do with another aspect of locallygrown hops. Hops, like wine grapes, acquire unique characteristics from environmental factors during production. This phenomenon, known as terroir, has led to an abundant array of flavors and aromas in the world’s highest quality, regionally unique food and beverage products. It has also led to high demand and price of these regional ingredients. “The opportunity to brew a new craft beer with locally-grown hops and the unique flavor and aroma they impart would be very special and not something we often have the chance to achieve,” noted Wambles. At about the same time, Hillsborough County’s Agribusiness Development Manager Simon Bollin had been monitoring the growth of craft breweries and the ever-increasing demand for locally grown ingredients. He, Extension Director Stephen Gran and Agriculture Economic Development Board Member Chip Hinton, met with Clark and Wambles shortly after their meeting with Pearson. They apprised Clark and Wambles with the work and areas of expertise at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences located in southern Hillsborough County working to assist the needs of local growers just as Pearson’s UF/IFAS Apopka center does so with producers in that area. Bollin then arranged a meeting between Cigar City Brewing, Coppertail Brewing and several other local breweries and the GCREC to further discuss the potential of locally grown hops. That meeting led to an agreement with a GCREC team led by Dr. Zhanao Deng developing and submitting a proposal for a Florida Specialty Crop Block Grant to support further research into the full viability of Florida grown hops “with specific emphasis on the selection of suitable hop varieties and determining the horticultural practices that can increase yields,” said Deng. In the meantime, Cigar City purchased nine hops plants for greenhouse trials. The GCREC will be looking at up to 15 hops cultivars in the initial two-year study, and harvested hops will be test brewed by participating breweries. The hops research proposal was awarded more than $168,000 in grant funds, originating from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service for projects that enhance the competitiveness of Florida specialty crops, defined as fruits, vegetables, dried fruit, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Creative Plants By Libby Hopkins
President Abraham Lincoln once said, “The greatest fine art of the future will be the making of a comfortable living from a small piece of land.” Jamie O’Berry of St. Petersburg is taking what our former president said to heart. She is just making a living off of small plants, succulents to be exact. O’Berry is the owner of O’Berry Succulents. Her business is a traveling succulents boutique. “I went to the University of South Florida for fine arts and somehow found myself doing social work for seven years,” O’Berry said. “Working in social work, I needed a creative and therapeutic outlet and turned to gardening. I do not have an agriculture background, but my father does. He studied botany and foliage plants in college and always had a small nursery. He has taught me everything I know about gardening and succulents.” O’Berry and her father learned from trial, error and reading field guides when they first started growing succulents. So what are succulents you ask? Well, according to the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society’s website (www.tucsoncactus.org), “In general, the word succulent means juicy. A succulent plant is one that stores water in its tissues. Nearly all succulents have extensive, very shallow root systems that are adapted to absorbing lots of water after very light rainfalls. Succulents aren’t just juicy. Most of them use their stored water to continue metabolic activity when there is no available water in the soil. That is, they grow during the dry season. In order to be able to do the above two functions, many succulents have a special variant of photosynthesis called CAM. Without going into technical detail, CAM plants are ten times more efficient with water consumption that non-CAM plants. This is very important where water is scarce. It is important for growers to know that CAM requires a big day-night temperature differential to work, at least 15 degrees Fahrenheit. If you keep CAM plants at the same temperature, they will die.” O’Berry started making succulent arrangements as something to do with her dad on the weekends. “We began making agave arrangements in hanging baskets,” O’Berry said. “As we introduced new plant species to our designs, we saw the potential for creating these wonderful little worlds. We started to plant them with natural ingredients such as driftwood and stones from our mountain property in Tennessee.” It’s the Tennessee landscapes and mountains that inspire her succuWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
lent creations. “Our goal is to mimic nature and natural landscapes,” O’Berry said. “We forage for stones, drift wood, moss and pods and add them to our designs. She is also inspired by the pottery she plants in such as figurines, teakettles and anything playful with a sense of nostalgia. “What we don’t find at second hand stores, we receive from local ceramic artist such as Laurie Landry Pottery and Kairos Cermaics.” O’Berry and her father knew their succulent creations were so beautiful and would be accepted by everyone, they decided to start an Etsy Store. O’Berry Succulents was born. “Our Etsy store had a really successful run till we decided to put all our focus into selling locally and in person.” O’Berry decided to start selling her succulents at the local farmer’s and artisan markets in St. Petersburg and Tampa. “My father wanted to start selling our hanging baskets on the side of the road and I thought that there has to be a better and more organized way to get our product out,” O’Berry said. “A friend of mine told me about Tampa Bay Markets (www.tampabaymarkets.com) which hosts outdoor farmer’s markets in the bay area and we applied.” The more markets they did, the more popular their succulent creations became. “We are now a part of Hyde Park and Seminole Heights Markets, Saturday Morning Market, The St. Pete Indie Market and the Tampa Indie Flea,” O’Berry said. O’Berry loves the feedback she has gotten from her clients at the markets. “We like being able to interact with our customers and give them specific care instructions,” O’Berry said. “All the feedback at the markets has been positive. Patrons like that they can purchase a ready made planter for themselves or a gift and it will live for a significant amount of time.” O’Berry Succulents has become a full-time job for O’Berry and she attributes that to customers who support local small businesses by shopping local. “Buying local keeps myself and the hundred other growers and makers in the bay area in business,” O’Berry said. “It helps inspire us to be creative and thrive off of each other” If you would like to learn more about O’Berry Succulents or if you would like to see what market they will be at in the area, you can visit their website at www.oberryssucculents.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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What FFA Means tO
Me By Laura Cerkoney
ing in SAE, or Supervised Agricultural Experience, projects such as owning and caring for my own horse and multiple seasonal gardens, all of which I have kept records on.
When many people hear about FFA or Future Farmers of America, most think about it just being a club for country folks to have more farm animals, or the rest have no clue what it is. To me, FFA is so much more than this. FFA’s focus is not only on plants and animals but also about success for the members’ career choices and a way for students to grow and expand personally and professionally. Through Career Development Events or CDE, students learn to socialize and speak to others which helps in future jobs and interview opportunities. This is just one way FFA helps to change and improve members’ futures. Through agriculture and FFA I have been able to deepen my knowledge and expand my love for animals. From this it has allowed me to take on more responsibilities, such as being the head representatives of the Chapter, as well as having to delegate Chapter activities and proceed over meetings. By becoming my Chapter’s President I have also challenged myself to be more outgoing and less shy, because I have to interact with so many members, not only at the school, but also other delegates from other schools’ FFA Chapters. I have gained business skills when dealing with several different companies who graciously donated supplies to improve our program, and coordinated fundraising events to better our Chapter. Leadership plays an integral role in my presidency, but also other officers and members involved have heightened their leadership skills. FFA is no longer just something that I am a part of, but also a part of me, and I believe that is what makes this club so special- it changes lives and prepares students for their possible future opportunities. FFA has allowed me to receive awards such as my Discovery, Greenhand, and Chapter degrees, which I obtained through the process of participat96
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These accomplishments have allowed me to realize the importance of certain elements in not only FFA but in agriculture as well. One of the speeches involving agriculture that I have connected with is Paul Harvey’s “So God Made a Farmer” speech which talks about the hardships and love farmers put into their work and the major importance agriculture has, and I can easily connect with this because in a way my duties as president are to share the same information. I also connect with the FFA motto, “Learning to Do, Doing to Learn, Earning to Live, Living to Serve,” because I think this resonates with the idea that FFA is not just for those seeking a career in farming, but forms a connection with students and members and allows them to see FFA as not just a club but also as a home, and some place that they can learn life skills. This impact is just one of the ways our Chapter and its officers hope FFA continues to spread in Gaither High School and in Hillsborough County. By allowing FFA into my world and to become a part of my life and being a part of something as influential as The National FFA Organization, I have been able to open doors to my future I never thought possible and met wonderful people along the way. This has allowed me to figure out important choices, even down to what college I want to attend, which is Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, to pursue my Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Sciences. With this I plan to expand into Equine Sciences and work as a barn manager to oversee care for the horses. One small choice in my life as a freshman to attend an agriculture class has forever changed my future and I would never be where I am today. Because of this I am forever grateful for FFA. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
2016 STRAWBERRY FIELD DAY ATTRACTS GROWERS AND ALLIED ASSOCIATES By Jim Frankowiak University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) officials and researchers from the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center met with nearly 100 strawberry growers and industry associates at the 2016 Strawberry Field Day held at the headquarters of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) at Dover to provide an update on research projects. Those in attendance also had the opportunity to participate in field tours for a first-hand look at a range of projects underway. After welcoming attendees from GCREC Director, Dr. Jack Rechcigl, UF/IFAS Research Dean Jackie Burns noted IFAS has added 54 new positions at its various facilities throughout Florida to foster and enhance varied agricultural research programs “through the support of organizations such as the FSGA.” “The recent dedication of a 5,000-square-foot office addition to the GCREC funded in part through international royalties from cultivar sales,” was also noted by Dr. Rechcigl as an added example of mutual support between the strawberry growers and UF/IFAS. Dr. Seonghee Lee, Research Assistant Professor at the GCREC, provided an update on molecular breeding activities designed to develop superior cultivars, noting “better berries make more profits.” The techniques he and his colleagues are utilizing both at the GCREC and at the summery nursery in Colorado have proven to be valuable in terms of speed, simplicity and cost-effectiveness in the development of new strawberry cultivars with sought after characteristics of flavor, disease resistance and fruit quality. Helping strawberry growers meet challenges such as Anthracnose Fruit Rot (AFR) and Root Necrosis caused by Colletotrichum acu-
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tatum, as well as charcoal rot were discussed by Dr. Natalia Peres who detailed recommendations for AFR control keyed to cultivars. Charcoal rot, which has grown notably since the phase out of methyl bromide, management recommendations developed by Dr. Peres and Dr. Joe Noling rely heavily on effective diagnosis as an initial step, susceptibility by cultivar and higher temperatures along with enhanced application of fumigants. Attendees had the opportunity to view field trials underway at Dover and were provided with information on trials at Balm, utilizing various fumigants. The growers’ increasingly difficult challenge of being assured of a stable work force each season was addressed by agricultural economist and assistant professor, Dr. Zhengfei Guan, along with competition from Mexico and federal regulations as the most serious issues facing the industry. Guan and his colleagues will be conducting an extensive labor survey seeking to determine how best to achieve a stable workforce for growers. The survey will include personal interviews with both grower and worker representatives with questions keyed to the interests of both and possible alternatives leading to the desired outcome of an ongoing and stable workforce. The emergence of Chilli Thrips this strawberry season and control options was presented by Dr. Justin Renkema, an entomologist on the GCREC faculty. He also discussed the emergence of broad mites and the Panera seed bug as emerging threats. Following the presentations, attendees were provided with the opportunity for field tours, including a Spotted Wing Drosophila trap demonstration and new cultivar breeding trials, weed science trials and soil fumigation trials.
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HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL?
JOBS GROVE EQUIPMENT SERVICE
is looking for agriculture/tractor mechanics at both the Bartow & Plant City locations. Having own tools is a plus. Pay based on skill and experience. Call Bartow at 863-537-1345 or Plant City at 813-759-8722
February 2016
All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722
POLK FURNITURE
Polk Furniture Consignment Store. Purchase $637.00 worth of furniture & receive two tickets to a 3 day, 2 night cruise. 863-332-3954
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2016
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100
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2016
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM