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February 2024 VOL. 19 • ISSUE 4
CONTENTS THE 89TH FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL. Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Cover Photo by Jose Lozoya
PAGE 10 Endangered Species PAGE 14 Festival Ag Events
PAGE 24 AE DC
PAGE 46 FFB Days
PAGE 28 Gardener Gifts
PAGE 48 FSGA Board
PAGE 30 News Briefs
PAGE 15 Plant City Feed
PAGE 32 Scholarships
PAGE 15 4-H U-Pick
PAGE 35 Lemons
PAGE 16 Corbett Wyatt
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PAGE 18 Fishing
John Dicks
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
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Dennis Carlton, Jr.....................President Casey Runkles................Vice President Clay Joyner..............Treasurer Madison Astin Salter..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2021 - 2022
Dennis Carlton Jr, Casey Runkles, Madison A. Salter, Clay Joyner, Carl Bauman, Brittany Coleman, Travis Council, Jake Cremer, PAGE 52 Tiffany Dale, Drew Futch, Brian Shoop and Morningstar Country Michelle Williamson
Highlands
PAGE 56 From The Science Field
PAGE 42
PAGE 58
Fancy Farms
Farmhouse
Kaylee Poppell, Executive Director 813-685-9121 Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Julie Carlson, Jacob Jones
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
Hey Readers!
InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Woman Of The Year
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2024
305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer
Apollo Beach Office 813.933.5440
6510 N. US Hwy 41, Apollo Beach, FL.33572 Greg Harrell, Erin Campbell
AGENCY MANAGER Thomas O. Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Save $5.00 on Adult & $1.00 on Youth General Admission Tickets at
Artists Appearing on the
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra
Thu. Feb. 29, 10:30 FREE
Soundstage:
out of this world!
The Oak Ridge Boys
OLIVER ANTHONY
Thu. Feb. 29, 3:30
Thu. Feb. 29, 7:30 $35
American Made Farewell Tour
$35
The Beach Boys Fri. Mar. 1, 3:30 $45
Out of The Woods
Feb. 29 - Mar. 10, 2024 Plant City, FL Florida Blue SENIOR DAYS Feb. 29 & Mar. 7
Jordan Davis
Black Eyed Peas
Parker McCollum
Sat. Mar. 2, 7:30 $65
Fri. Mar. 1, 7:30 $55
The Bellamy Brothers Mon. Mar. 4, 3:30 $25
Sun. Mar. 3, 7:30 $65
Seniors 60+ get $5 Off At Gate
O’Reilly Auto Parts ™ Ride-A-Thon Days Feb. 29 & Mar. 7 Ride All Day $20 with $5 Off voucher from participating stores
ZZ TOP
Mark Lowry
Mon. Mar. 4, 7:30 $55
Riley Green
Wed. Mar. 6, 7:30 $50
Tue. Mar. 5, 3:30 $30
Bill Haley Jr. & The Comets Thu. Mar. 7, 10:30 FREE
Gene Watson
Thu. Mar. 7, 3:30 $25
Zach Williams Tue. Mar. 5, 7:30 $40
Wed. Mar. 6, 3:30 $35
Rotary Club of Plant City Special Smiles Day for Special Needs Mar. 1, 9am - Noon
Get FREE with each Midway wristband purchase!
Food & Fun Friday Mar. 1 $5 Off Wristband w/any Publix or GreenWise non-perishable item
Craig Morgan
Kirk Franklin
Thu. Mar. 7, 7:30 $45
Home of OUR
See Website for Details
MIDFLORIDA CU Free Kids Day Mar. 2
Kids thru High School Free Admission
#berryfest24
The Commodores Fri. Mar. 8, 3:30 $35
FOREIGNER
Fri. Mar. 8, 7:30 $55
Jo Dee Messina Sat. Mar. 9, 3:30 $30
Concert dates and times are subject to change
Visit FLstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets for the best seats available!
Flo Rida
Sat. Mar. 9, 7:30 $50
Cody Johnson
While online, check out the Free Entertainment and Special Days and Discounts and full Schedule of Festival Events.
Circle K Super Saturdays Mar. 2 & Mar. 9 $5 Off Wristband with a Circle K register receipt
Chick-fil-A® Ride-A-Thon Day Mar. 4 $5 Off with any Chick-fil-A proof of purchase
Ride All Day $20
Florida Peanut Federation TWOSDAY Mar. 5 Single Rides $2 each Kids up to 17 FREE Adm. With Paid Adult
Grow Financial FCU AMERICAN HEROES DAY Mar. 6
ALL Military & Veterans Law Enforcement First Responders & Healthcare Professionals admitted Free with valid ID
Ride-A-Thon Mar. 6 Ride All Day $25 Tampa Bay Times Day on the Midway Mar. 8 Noon - 10pm, $5 Off Fun Pack Ride Coupon Book with printed Times coupon
Moonlight Magic Mar. 8 10pm - 2am $30
Ride All Day $30
Coca-Cola Family Days Mar. 3 & Mar. 10 Ride All Day $25 w/any empty Coke brand can or plastic bottle
Sun. Mar. 10 6:00 pm
LOWE’S Grand Parade Day Mar. 4
Sun. Mar. 10, 7:30 $75
• T-Mobile • Alessi Bakeries • AMSCOT • Astin Farms • Candyland Warehouse • Global Frequency Technology • TRUFFOIRE • Circle K • Local Ford Dealers • O’Reilly Auto Parts • Grove Equipment Service • Stingray Chevrolet • Uncommon USA • Monticciolo Sedation Dentistry • Netterfield’s Concessions • Verizon • Badcock Home Furniture &more • Good Health Saunas • Krazy Kup • DIRECTV • Images Everywhere! • Master Spas • Choo Choo Lawn Equipment • Florida Blue • Advantage Restoration & Contracting • Entenmann’s • The Bank of Tampa • Solution Source Construction & Development • Suncoast Credit Union • ICEE • AT&T • Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association • General RV Center • SUN ’n FUN Aerospace Expo • AUSSIE GRILL • Eli Lilly and Company INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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STAFF
Letter from the Editor
Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor Patsy Berry Sales Karen Berry Sarah Holt De De Floyd Melissa Nichols
As I write this, we are mid-way through the Florida State Fair. Opening day, as usual, kicked off with the Fresh From Florida breakfast held in the Ag Hall of Fame building. Farmers and ranchers, representatives from Florida’s agriculture community, and others join together with local and state politicians for the event that features Fresh From Florida products of all kinds.
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez
We should all be thankful to live in a country, and state, with access to abundant, nutritious food. In addition, we have one of the safest food supplies in the world. Those raising the food number less than 2% of the population of the country. Hard to believe, isn’t it?
Photography Karen Berry Jose Lozoya
I shared this last year, but I feel it needs and deserves another share. We’ve seen it in many places and even heard it in commercials. It’s Paul Harvey’s 1978 speech to members of the FFA. I’m sharing just a portion of it, but I encourage you to look it up. Even if you have heard it and read it before, do it again. And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker.” God said, “I need somebody willing ot get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper, then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board.”
Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green
Contributing Writers Wade Osborne John Dicks Tiffany Dale
God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds, and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor’s place.
Social Media Victoria Saunders
It had to be somebody who’d plow deep and straight and not cut corners; somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week’s work with a five-mile drive to church; somebody who would bale a family together with the soft, strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh, and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says that he wants to spend his life “doing what dad does.”
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 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909
---So God made a Farmer. Until Next Month
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Publisher/Photography Karen Berry
Sarah Holt
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.
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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PARKESDALE’S Sweet LineUp.
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75866-1
A Very Busy Time
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
-Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
Greetings, This is a very busy time of year for our member families and our board, as well as for those committed to having “The Voice of Agriculture” heard. Please take a few moments and read the article on Farm Bureau Days in Tallahassee last month in this edition of IN THE FIELD Magazine. You will see the issues of importance to our industry that we personally discussed with our legislators. Two major industry events – the Florida State Fair and Florida Strawberry Festival – are at hand. Both provide excellent opportunities to showcase our industry and help educate attendees about the importance of Florida agriculture. We will again host Ag Venture at the fair, and that is a great opportunity to educate the fair attendees of all ages – we are expecting 60,000 - about agriculture through hands-on activities coordinated by FFA members from area schools. We also wish to congratulate Mr. John Hoblick, Former Florida Farm Bureau President, on his induction into the Florida Agriculture Hall of Fame, a welldeserved honor for his many years of service to our farmers, ranchers, and members. This month also marks the 25th anniversary of the formation of the Hillsborough County Agriculture Economic Development Council by the Board of County
Commissioners and the agricultural community. The AEDC is an organization composed of volunteers, including Farm Bureau members, who serve at the pleasure of the County Board. The Council initiates and assists with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within the county to the benefit of all residents. More about the AEDC’s formation and its accomplishments are highlighted in this issue. I encourage you to read that story as it is another example of how we strive to have our voice heard. In that regard, if you are not a Farm Bureau member, please consider joining so that you can help us advocate and educate. If you are a member, please volunteer at whatever level is practical for you. Please visit www.hcfarmbureau.org for more information about our organization, member benefits and opportunities for engagement. Thank you for your continued support of our industry. Dennis Carlton, Jr.
Dennis Carlton Jr. Dennis Carlton Jr. - President
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Dennis Carlton Jr, Casey Runkles, Madison A. Salter, Clay Joyner, Carl Bauman, Brittany Coleman, Travis Council, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Drew Futch, Brian Shoop and Michelle Williamson
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
FLORIDA BONNETED BAT
The Florida Bonneted Bat, or the Eumops floridanus as it’s known by its scientific name, is the largest insectivorous (insect-eating) bat in North America. It’s the United States’ rarest bat, with fewer than 1,000 believed to remain, and is known only from southern Florida. Florida bonneted bats can reach a body length of 6.5 inches with a wingspan of up to 20 inches. Their hair color varies from black to brown to grayish or cinnamon brown, and their large, rounded ears give them the appearance of wearing a bonnet, hence the name. Another very interesting fact about the Florida Bonneted Bat is it’s the only bat in North America that uses an echo-location frequency people can hear when the bats are hunting for moths and other flying insects over the rooftops of Miami and the pine Flatwoods of Southern Florida. Florida bonneted bats have not been well studied, due in part to there being very few known roost sites, and little is yet known about their movement within their range, roosting habits, and preferred foods and habitats. Miami’s few remaining pine rock lands appear to attract them and they’ve been found to roost in woodpecker-created tree cavities, Spanish tile roofs, and bat houses designed for their larger size. The largest known populations are at the FWC’s Babcock/Webb Wildlife Management Area near Punta Gorda.
By Libby Hopkins
ricane can impact the bat’s entire range. Pesticides may also threaten the bonneted bat by diminishing the population of insects it eats to survive. The lack of scientific information about what this species needs to survive is also a serious concern, as biologists lack basic understanding of its life history and habitat requirements to inform management decisions. The Fish & Wildlife Foundation of Florida is helping fund efforts by Bat Conservation International, FWC, the U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the University of Florida to locate and study Florida bonneted bat colonies and determine how they can ensure their continued survival. Bats have been given a bad rap by horror movies and popular culture, but bats really want to avoid humans and not harm us. Bats benefit humans and nature in three ways. Bats around the world eat trillions of insects every night. Scientists estimate bats save U. S. farmers alone at least $3 billion a year in reduced crop damage and lower pesticide use. Other species of bats are important pollinators of cacti and agave plants, while tropical fruit-eating bats spread seeds across many miles in a single night, making them important to the regeneration and diversity of the world’s rainforests.
Florida bonneted bats are thought to have a low reproductive capacity, only giving birth to one offspring per breeding season. However, the female has the capability of going into heat many times during the year. This species may have two breeding seasons each year. Reproduction has been documented during the summer and also during January and February. As is true for most species of bats, the greatest threats to Florida bonneted bats are loss of habitat, including the destruction of natural roosts via development and sealing up building cavities where bonneted bats live.
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Hurricanes can eliminate local roosting populations and are a serious threat to the species as a whole, because one hur-
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DISCOVER
JOIN SUCCEED SCAN HERE TO SELL MORE PRODUCT
FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM/JOIN | INDUSTRYMKT@FDACS.GOV
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2024 Florida Strawberry Festival Agricultural Schedule of Events
(FOR SAFETY THE GENERAL PUBLIC MAY NOT BE PRESENT AT THE ARRIVAL OF PLANTS OR ANIMALS TO THE FESTIVAL OR THEIR DEPARTURE FROM THE FESTIVAL) CHECK IN DATES AND TIMES: (General Public Cannot Be Present For Safety') Wednesday, February 28 (Pre-Festival): Wednesday, February 28 (Pre-Festival): Wednesday, February 28 (Pre-Festival): Thursday, February 29 Monday, March 4 Tuesday, March 5 Friday, March 8
12:00 - 6:00 PM Plant Check-In (Swindle) 3:00 - 6:00 PM Poultry, Rabbit Check-In (Swindle) 3:00 - 6:00 PM Swine Check-In (Astin) 7:00 - 10:00 AM Dairy Check-In (Astin) 7:00 - 9:00 AM Lamb Check-In (Swindle) 6:00 - 10:00 AM Steer Check-In (Astin) 6:00 - 9:30 AM Beef Breed Check-In (Swindle)
RELEASE DATES AND TIMES: (General Public Cannot Be Present For Safety) Saturday, March 2 6:00 - 7:00 PM Sunday, March 3 5:00 PM Sunday, March 3 4:00 - 6:00 PM Wednesday, March 6 2:00 - 4:00 PM Sunday, March 10 Early AM Sunday, March 10 3:00 - 5:00 PM Sunday, March 10 8:30 PM
Swine Dairy Plants (After Sale) Lambs Steers Poultry, Rabbits Beef Breed
EXHIBIT AND SHOW TIMES: Poultry & Rabbit Exhibit Days Swine Exhibit Days Swine Show (Mosaic) Swine Sale (Mosaic)
ALL DAYS (Astin Pavilion) Sponsor: Mosaic Thursday, February 29 - Saturday, March 2 (Astin Pavilion) 7:00 PM, Thursday. February 29 7:00 PM, Friday, March 1
Dairy Animal Exhibit Days: Dairy judging Contest Dairy Showmanship Dairy Show (Grove Equipment Service) Dairy Adult Showmanship Dairy Pee Wee Showmanship Dairy Costume Ball
Thursday, February 29 - Sunday, March 3 (Astin Pavilion) 1:00 PM, Friday, March 1 10:30 AM Saturday, March 2 1:00 PM Saturday, March 2 11:00 AM Sunday, March 3 11:30 AM Sunday, March 3 12:30 PM Sunday, March 3
Plant Exhibit Days: Plant Silent Auction (Choo Choo Lawn Equipment) Plant Sale (Choo Choo Lawn Equipment)
Thursday, February 29 - Sunday, March 3 (Swindle Pavilion) 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, Sunday, March 3 2:00 PM, Sunday, March 3
Lamb Exhibit Days: Lamb Jumping Contest (Traeger Grills) Lamb Costume Contest (Traeger Grills) Lamb Showmanship (Traeger Grills) Lamb Show (Traeger Grills)
Monday, March 4- Wednesday, March 6 (Swindle Pavilion) 3:00 PM Monday, March 4 7:00 PM Monday, March 4 3:00 PM Tuesday, March 5 6:00 PM Tuesday, March 5
Steer Exhibit Days: Steer Show (Mosaic) Steer Showmanship Finals (Mosaic) Steer Sale (Mosaic)
Tuesday, March 5 - Saturday, March 9 (Astin Pavilion) 6:00 PM Wednesday, March 6 7:00 PM Thursday, March 7 7:00 PM Saturday, March 9
Beef Animal Exhibit Days: Beef Breeds Showmanship (Bad Boy Mowers) Beef Breeds Show (Bad Boy Mowers)
Friday, March 8 - Sunday, March 10 (Swindle Pavilion) 6:00 PM Friday, March 8 11:00 AM Sunday, March 10
Livestock Judging: 10:00 AM Saturday, March 9 (Registration - 9:00 AM)
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ALL SHOWS AND SALES ARE HELD IN THE PATTERSON ARENA LOCATED IN THE GRIMES FAMILY AG CENTER
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PLANT CITY FEED’ TO FULLY OPEN MARCH 1
Plant City Feed is set to open its doors on March 1 in a location that has been serving customers since 1978. The ownership of the new store is committed to carrying forth the legacy established by the founder of the original store in the same location, Dennis Der. The owners of Plant City Feed bring nearly five decades of expertise and service to this rich history. Plant City Feed Co-Owner Danny Perkins has been in the feed store business for more than 46 years. He currently oversees operations at Antioch Feed & Farm Supply in “downtown” Thonotosassa and is excited about the opportunity afforded with the new location in South Plant City. He began his career with Feed Depot on the northwest side of Tampa. “I am very fortunate to have an opportunity to work in an environment that’s become my passion. I love my job and coming to work every day is something I sincerely look forward to. “We know this business and how to best serve our customers,” said Perkins. “More important is the chance to build on the legacy my friend Dennis Der established at Southside decades ago.” In addition, Perkins has reached an agreement with Russell’s Western Wear that will allow Plant City Feed to operate from the east end of the Russell’s store, “the way it had been a number of years ago,” he said. “We will continue to offer the drive-through service for easy customer pick-up in the adjacent building.” Plant City Feed will offer a broad range of Nutrena and Syfrett Feed products – both bagged and bulk -- for cattle, horses, pigs, dogs, birds, and cats. “Just because we may not have an item for sale, that does not mean we won’t do our best to get that product and make it available to our customers,” said Perkins. “That’s what real customer service is all about. “We also anticipate reaching out to our customers and the community with special events for their participation and enjoyment, just as we have at Antioch. That’s our way of giving back,” he said. Plant City Feed’s hours of operation are: • Monday through Saturday – 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Sunday – 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. More information is available by calling Plant City Feed at 813/441-4383 or by stopping by 3014 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant City, FL. Plant City Feed can also be followed on Facebook at “Plant City Feed.” “Lastly, but of importance is our need for new team members,” noted Perkins. “If you have an interest in helping us serve our customers at Plant City Fee, please give me a call at 813/6104658.”
A day of fun and excitement for the young and young-atheart will be on tap on February 17 as the Grooms family of Fancy Farms once again hosts the annual Hillsborough County 4-H Strawberry U-Pick. This terrific tradition, started almost 20 years ago by Carl and Dee Dee Grooms, brings together 4-H members, leaders, volunteers, and community-minded citizens from almost every part of the state. The event, located in the strawberry fields at 3524 Futch Loop in Plant City, will run from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m., during which time everyone can pick their favorite berries for only $2.00 per provided one-pound containers. In addition to the berries picked and purchased by the public, berries are also picked and provided to numerous non-profits that distribute to families and individuals facing food insecurity. Started in the early 2000s as a single event to support local 4-H activities, the entire Grooms family has opened their arms, hearts, and fields to welcome back pickers each and every year since. Last year’s U-Pick, which was the largest to date, raised in excess of $21,000, with funds supporting program scholarships, as well as 4-H camps, leadership and citizenship activities, and trips to area, state, and national competitions. Individuals picking for themselves are also welcome to assist in picking for the food banks and charities. All containers for the event have been provided through the generosity of Highlands Packaging. Don’t miss this great opportunity to pick tasty and delicious, ripe, red strawberries. And we won’t mind if you are tempted to enjoy a few while you’re in the field!! See you there!! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Fancy Farms to Again Host Annual 4-H Strawberry U-Pick
CORBETT WYATT MEMORIALIZED IN TWO SCHOLARSHIPS By Jim Frankowiak
The memory of the late Corbett Wyatt, known to his family and friends as “Corbie” and “Bub,” has been assured through the introduction of two memorial scholarships. Wyatt passed as the result of an auto accident late last December. He was 21 at the time of his death. Those who knew Wyatt loved him. He was kind, loving and would light up any room he entered. He always made sure to make everyone he came into contact with feel special. His hugs made you know how much he cared for you. His family and friends describe him as a true “gentle giant.” He loved his family and friends and held a special place in his heart for his “Mama” – Becky. Corbett grew up loving hunting and fishing, spending many weekends and summers doing both with his dad, Bobby, and friends. Fall trips often included hunting on the family’s properties in Richloam and Georgia.
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Following graduation from Strawberry Crest High School, Wyatt attended Werner Enterprises Truck Driving School where he graduated at the top of his class. He could drive just about any type of machinery even as a small boy. This led to his love for agriculture and farming, as well as his active involvement with FFA. He went on to work for Bell Farms where he took pride in being part of making strawberry season a success.
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He is survived by his parents, Bobby and Becky; sisters - Jaylie and Lexi; brother - Chad Marshall, grandmother – Diane Swindle and grandfather – Jack Wyatt along with nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many other family and friends. He was preceded in death by his “Paw Paw” – Raymond “Buddy” Swindle and his “Nanny” – Jenny Wyatt. The initial Corbett Wyatt Memorial Scholarship was awarded by the Florida Strawberry Research and Education Foundation, and presented by the Swindle and Conrad families, to Victoria Nicole Chavez this past January. Chavez is a student at Strawberry Crest High School. The second scholarship was finalized by Shannon Scott, a family friend of Bobby and Becky Wyatt. She recently met with Florida Strawberry Festival officials to finalize the agreement for the Corbett Wyatt Memorial Scholarship. Chris and Shannon Scott, along with JC and Christy Clinard, believed that establishing this scholarship would be a wonderful way to honor Corbett’s dream. “The scholarship holds great significance for Corbett’s loved ones as it serves as a commemoration of his life and his passion for agriculture,” said Shannon Scott. “It WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
also acts as a lasting tribute to his memory while providing support to future agriculture students in their educational pursuits. The scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to these students, covering various expenses such as tuition, textbooks, and other academic fees. It aims to offer valuable support throughout their academic journey. “Corbett had a deep connection to farming and agriculture from a young age. He was always involved, whether it was riding or driving a tractor. His dedication to the farming lifestyle was evident as he participated in FFA, showcasing pigs and steers throughout his high school years. Even after graduating, Corbett continued to pursue his agricultural dream by working in the many areas of the agricultural field. “Corbett held a special place in the hearts of his family friends, as he was not only a friend but also a member of their agricultural community. His drive and work ethic at such a young age were admirable and rare. He took pride in earning money and purchasing his own belongings, demonstrating a sense of responsibility beyond his years. “The Clinard family and I are humbled and honored that the Wyatt family entrusted us to establish this scholarship within the Florida Strawberry Festival’s Agriculture program. The scholarship will be available to all current senior swine and steer exhibitors participating in the Florida Strawberry Festival. Interested students can submit their applications by the end of March, and the
scholarship will be presented at the Livestock Banquet on Tuesday, April 16, 2024.” “The overwhelming support from the community for this scholarship speaks volumes about the kind of person Corbett was, noted Scott. “Through this scholarship, his name will live on, and many students will be able to advance their farming knowledge and pursue their agricultural aspirations.” Scholarship applications will be mailed by the Festival to all senior exhibitors. Corbett Wyatt – gone, but never forgotten!
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Fischbach Land Company 917 S Parsons Avenue Brandon, FL 33511
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Reed Fischbach, Broker Blaise Lelaulu, CCIM, Agent Melissa Raburn, Agent Ellie Dahl, Agent
FischbachLandCompany.com 813-540-1000
Not only is it strawberry season, but snook season opens on March 1st. Capt. Wade Osborne
With El Nino waning and cold fronts diminishing, water temperatures are on the rise. Once temperatures reach the lower 70s, the grass flats come alive. As March progresses and temperatures continue to warm, more and more baitfish move onto the grass flats. Snook, redfish and seatrout follow the bait to feed. It’s truly a magical time of year to fish in Tampa Bay. Now it’s time to wean yourself off shrimp and start using scaled sardines. Even though you can start catching baitfish on most Bay area grass flats in early March, don’t count on all flats having it. March is a transitional month. There are days when I still have to catch my bait in water 15-20 feet deep. That’s why it’s important to always carry a heavy deepwater castnet and a lighter shallow-water castnet. You just never know!
inches, commonly called “rat reds.” Rat reds like to hang out around mangrove roots adjacent to deep-water channels and canals. This month with warmer water temperatures and higher tide phases, look for slot-size redfish on most grass flats around oyster beds. Also, be on the lookout for mullet. Redfish like to travel the flats with mullet and eat the baitfish and crustaceans the mullet kick up as they feed while moving across the grass. The slot limit for redfish is between 18 and 27 inches. The bag limit is one fish per person, with a two-fish vessel limit.
Once you’ve loaded your livewell, it’s time to hit the flats. Snook will finally start to move out of the backcountry and the deep-water canals in search of food. Mangrove points and shorelines are excellent spots to catch snook. They like to hang out in these areas to easily ambush baitfish during a good incoming or outgoing tidal flow. The best way to know if snook are in a feeding mood is to pitch out some live bait. Chumming not only triggers a bite, but it also gives you an idea of how many snook are in your chosen spot. Once snook start popping some of the bait you just tossed out, cast a bait to the same spot for an instant hookup. The slot limit for snook is between 28 and 33 inches. The bag limit is one fish per person, per day.
The seatrout fishing started out with a bang this year. There have been days when I’ve had to release as many large seatrout, if not more than we’ve kept. All have been caught on shrimp in deep water and it doesn’t seem to matter if the tide is incoming or outgoing. Dead-end residential canals and channels protected from the wind by mangroves have been the hot spots. Some days clients have been catching them on the very first cast; other days it may take a little while for them to respond to the bait. Once the scent of shrimp spreads throughout the water column and a few are caught, it seems the action really starts picking up. The slot limit for seatrout is between 15 and 19 inches. The bag limit is three fish per person, with a one fish over 19-inch vessel limit.
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26-Year Veteran Fishing Guide, Captain Wade Osborne. Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Last month I caught very few redfish over 25 inches, most were less than 18
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The sheepshead spawn in Tampa Bay is in full swing and runs right through April. Many people only associate targeting sheepshead around bridge and dock pilings. Sheepshead also spawn around rock piles, artificial reefs, and even over sandy potholes on most grass flats.
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Most people are aware that bonnethead sharks like to hang out at the power plant outflows during the winter, but they’re on some of the grass flats in upper Tampa Bay too. The nice thing about bonnethead fishing; they’re not too picky about the choice of bait. They actually love shrimp!
Sheepshead are referred to as “Convict Fish” and “Bait Stealers.” Some anglers claim, that to catch them you have to set the hook before they eat the bait! I’m not sure about that, but if you get a bite and reel back in half a shrimp, toss it back out, you just might catch that fish on the second go around. The minimum size limit for sheepshead is 12 inches. The daily bag limit is eight fish per person, with a 50-fish vessel limit during March and April.
If you should have some kids aboard and just want to have some fun, Power Pole down on a grass flat and start a shrimp chum slick. Soon their rods will be bent and they will be screaming louder than the reels. There is no minimum size limit for bonnetheads. The daily bag limit is one per person, with a twoshark vessel limit. Afishionado, “Always an Adventure.”
Tampa fishing guide Wade Osborne of “Afishionado Guide Services” has been plying the waters of Tampa Bay as a professional full-time captain, since 1997. Osborne has been featured on numerous TV and radio shows and writes for multiple publications. Osborne offers inshore fishing charters on light tackle spin, fly or plug. He also offers eco-tours with an emphasis on photography. For more info visit Afishionado.com or find Afishionado Guide Services on Facebook and Instagram. Email: wade@afishionado.com Call/Text 813-286-3474
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The ancient Romans thought strawberries could cure bad breath and chronic fainting. Madame Tallien, a prominent woman in Emperor Napoleon’s court, was famous for taking baths of fresh strawberry juice. Brushing your teeth is important, but eating strawberries can actually help whiten your teeth. The acids in the fruit help to remove stains. There is a legend that strawberries were named in the nineteenthcentury by English children who picked the fruit, strung them on grass straws and sold them as “Straws of berries.” Swap your carrots for some fruity strawberries instead. Strawberries have a higher antioxidant value, helping prevent cataracts and other degenerative eye problems. Strawberries contain high levels of nitrate. This has been shown to increase blood and oxygen flow to the muscles. Research suggests that people who load up on strawberries before exercising have greater endurance and burn more calories.
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Editor’s Note: This Rocking Chair Chatter was originally printed in the February 2019 issue
I woke up this morning, put in my partials, inserted my hearing aids and put on my glasses. I exercised my recently new artificial knee and took my medicine. If my body were a car, I think I would trade it in for a newer model. I’ve got bumps, dents and scratches on my finish and my paint job is getting a little dull. But that’s not the worst of it. My headlights are out of focus, and it’s especially hard to see things up close. My traction is not as graceful as it once was even with a walking cane. I slip, side, skid and bump into things even in the best of weather. My whitewalls are stained with varicose veins. It takes me hours to reach my maximum speed. My fuel rate burns inefficiently. But here’s the worst of it – almost every time I sneeze, cough or laugh, my radiator leaks or my exhaust backfires. When I was a kid, adults used to bore me to tears with their talk about how hard things were when they were growing up. Walking 15 miles to school every day, up hill, barefoot both ways and what have you. But now that I’m on Social Security, I can’t help but look around and notice the youth of today. They have it so easy. Compared to my childhood, they live in a Utopia! They really don’t know how good they have it. When I was a kid we didn’t have the Internet. If we wanted to know something, we had to go to the library and look it up ourselves, in the card catalog! There was no email. We had to actually write somebody a letter. Then you had to walk all the way across the street and put it in the mailbox, and it would take about a week to get there. Stamps were a nickel and post cards a penny. Child Protective Services didn’t care if our parents beat us. As a matter of fact, the parents of all my friends also had permission to kick our rear. There were no iTunes, MP3’s or CD’s. If you wanted to steal music, you had to hitchhike to the record store and shoplift it yourself. Or you had to wait around all day to tape it from the radio and the DJ would usually talk over the beginning of the song. We had tape decks in our car. We would play our favorite tape and eject it when finished, and then the tape would come undone rendering it useless. We never heard of call waiting. If you were on the phone and somebody else called, they got a busy signal.
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We never heard of cell phones either. If you left the house, you just didn’t make a call or receive one. I never heard of ‘Texting.’ Never heard of Caller ID either. When the phone rang, you
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had no idea who it was. We just picked up the phone and took a chance. We are the generation that didn’t use seat belts, bike helmets or hand sanitizer. We frequently licked the lead paint on our cribs because it tasted good, and we always sat too close to our color television sets after school because we were alone in the house until mom got home. We rattled around in the back of our family’s station wagons like marbles, on endless road trip vacations. These journeys didn’t include TV screens on the seat backs in front of us that spewed out entertainment mile after mile we just had to make do. Many of our mothers smoked while pregnant, and they were often told that having a drink with dinner would help them sleep better until the baby came. We were hit on the head with metal lunch boxes on the playground, and babysat siblings and younger neighbors when we were far too young to do so. We used to sleep outside in the backyard, were expected to be home by the time the streetlights came on without checking in during the afternoon, and were dropped off at the movies for the Saturday matinee so our moms could run errands without us. We drank Tang because the astronauts did. I remember when Nixon resigned, and am a witness to the beginning of terrorism as we now know it. And if all of these things are not enough, we are the generation that grew up with grandparents who endured the Great Depression. During my lifetime, I never said a word when my grandmother added warm water and salt to her cornflakes, because that’s how she’d learned to do it as a child when milk was unavailable. We learned from our grandparents to do without, if necessary, because that’s what needed to be done. We learned to work when it was time to work, without complaint, or fuss. In my older years I have learned that it is impossible to lick your elbow. A crocodile can’t stick its tongue out. A shrimp’s heart is in their head. In a study of 200,000 ostriches over a period of 80 years, no one reported a single case where an ostrich buried its head in the sand. I have also learned that it is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky. A pregnant goldfish is called a twit. More than 50 percent of the people in the world have never made or received a telephone call. Rats and horses can’t vomit. If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your hear or neck and die. And for the record, over 75 percent of people who read this will try to lick their elbow. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Visit our Russell's booth during the Florida Strawberry Festival located in front of the Grimes Agricultural Building
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AG ECONOMIC DEVELOP COUNCIL MARKS 25TH ANNIVERSARY; VITAL AND WIDE-RANGING ACHIEVEMENTS OF BENEFIT TO ALL By Jim Frankowiak
This month marks the 25th anniversary of the creation of the Agriculture Economic Development Council (AEDC) by a motion of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC). That motion was passed by the BOCC on February 4, 1998. The AEDC initiates and assists with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all of its residents. The Council serves the BOCC by reviewing and evaluating county agricultural issues and helping initiate projects and recommendations. The membership of the Council, which is not to exceed 13 members, shall be confirmed by the BOCC from nominees approved by the AEDC. At least 60 percent of those members must represent major agricultural commodity groups and the balance is to consist of at-large agriculturally related representation. Members serve at the pleasure of the BOCC.
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Current voting members of the AEDC are: • C. Dennis Carlton, Sr. – Chair and Cattle Commodity Representative • Kenneth Parker – Vice Chair and Strawberries Commodity Representative • Danny Aprile – Dairy Commodity Representative • Walt Boland – Citrus Commodity Representative • David Drawdy – Aquaculture Commodity Representative • Reed Fischbach – Agri-business At-Large Representative • Chip Hinton – Hillsborough County Farm Bureau • Tony Lopez – At-Large Representative • Greg Shiver – Ornamental Horticulture Commodity Representative • Jay Sizemore – At-Large Representative • Michelle Williamson – Vegetables Commodity Representative Simon Bollin, Hillsborough County Extension, is the Agribusiness Development Manager.
County Extension at that time as the Tri-County Poultry Agent. “At that time, approximately 25 percent of the nation’s eggs were produced within 50 miles of Tampa,” said Hinton. “There were 300 farms with six million laying hens and 2.5 million pullets,” he added. In addition to his Extension responsibilities, Hinton was asked to serve as an advisor to the Horizon 2000 Plan, as well as a number of other Ag industry advisory groups and planning entities. “That plan and its findings were truly a wake-up call for the county and its agriculture industry,” said Hinton. “It predicted a population growth from 442,000 residents to 1,000,000 by the year 2000 and the future of the then $100 million Ag industry in the county to a non-existent one by 2000. “It was evident that there was no organized leadership within the county’s Ag community and no coursework preparing the Ag leaders of the future,” he said. Hinton and his colleagues formed what he refers to as the “Feather Brigade” to address the growing urban bias present in the county and guiding the formulation of county-wide rules and regulations not only by the county but agencies such as Tampa Bay Water, and the Southwest Florida Water Management District. As began on the Land Use Agriculture Element, Hinton had a position on the Planning Commission. His hope was to assure agriculture’s importance was recognized within Hillsborough County. Dennis Carlton, Sr., the current AEDC Chair, approached Hinton and requested that the cattle industry within the county be acknowledged. “Dennis was well known in the industry, but a new acquaintance of mine,” said Hinton. “I found him to be articulate, credible influential, and an excellent rancher. Dennis has been a close friend and a partner in Ag awareness ever since.”
The AEDC meets on an as-needed basis. Before noting the significant achievements and importance of the AEDC to agriculture and Hillsborough County over the past 25 years, it’s vital to understand the origin of the AEDC and what would have happened had the Council not been created.
In 1993, Hillsborough County created the Agriculture Liaison Office to help the agriculture community have input on decisions that would have an impact on their ability to continue farming. The main project undertaken by this new office was the formation of the Agriculture Task Force in 1995 which has as its mission “…to conduct an assessment of the ‘state of the industry’ and develop recommendations and an achievable action plan that will result in an enhancement of the local business environment to ensure the continued existence and expansion of agriculture in Hillsborough County.”
In July of 1972, then Florida State Senator Guy Spicola introduced a land use element to help predict and plan for agriculture’s future in Florida. That was the genesis of the Horizon 2000 plan. Initial AEDC Chair Chip Hinton joined Hillsborough
The task force’s final report to the BOCC was presented in 1997 and included an economic impact study findings that revealed agriculture had an economic impact of $1.5 billion annually on the county, provided tax surplus, and had the po-
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tential of competing very well with non-agricultural development. The report also found one of the major impediments to the continuation of agriculture was the high cost of regulatory compliance, forcing many farmers out of agriculture and contributing to the conversion of productive agricultural land. It also noted the duplicative and sometimes contradictory nature of some regulations. The task force made several recommendations, but the primary one was the creation of an economic development program to assist in resolving these issues noted in its report and encouraging agriculture within Hillsborough County. That led to the creation of the AEDC and an Agriculture Industry Development Program to initiate and assist with efforts to create a business atmosphere that is conducive to the continuation and expansion of agricultural businesses within Hillsborough County for the benefit of all of its residents. The achievements of the AEDC since its formation have been significant and wide-ranging. Perhaps the most significant, according to both Carlton and Hinton, was the effort to bring the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) to southern Hillsborough County. The county contributed 475 acres for the GCREC site and $422,500 to help with development costs. The GCREC, which was opened in 2005, has as its mission to develop low-input horticultural crop production and pest management systems, to develop conservation strategies to improve the sustainability of agriculture and urban landscape, to improve the genetics of commercially important horticultural crops, and to address major economic impact challenges to increase the profitability and sustainability of Florida agriculture. The GCREC has 20 scientists on its faculty and over 200 employees.
The AEDC is currently supporting a number of initiatives to improve the sustainability of agriculture in Hillsborough County through continued support of increased marketing options, alternative crops, value-added processing, and capital financing opportunities. Among those are: • Ensure that farm worker housing can be developed efficiently while not being evaluated with the same criteria as urban housing developments • Continued support of UF/IFAS GCREC, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, Hillsborough County Extension and College of Agriculture Programs at Hillsborough Community College • Selling of acquisitions of convenience and/or lease backs of county properties for agricultural uses • Surface Water Management issues such as rural ditch cleaning or duplication of regulations • New crop and agribusiness development Lastly, the AEDC is to continue to encourage the Hillsborough County School Board to maintain agriculture education and career development. Congratulations AEDC for 25 years of support to the benefit of the industry and all Hillsborough County residents.
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The AEDC has also assisted with the creation of Hillsborough Grown Marketing directories for both consumers and retail and product distribution companies; the creation of the Florida Farm Link Project, linking farmers seeking land to landowners seeking farmers; establishment of the public market in Ybor City; the development of well construction programs with the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) to alleviate homeowner problems with well failures; securing grant funding to sponsor local agriculture pesticide programs for 11 years; and countless other initiatives of benefits to both the agriculture industry, allied companies and the residents of Hillsborough County.
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GIFT IDEAS FOR GARDENERS By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Whether you are gifting a significant other, relative, friend, or casual acquaintance, it’s time to think outside of the box. A significant classic plant is the rose, whether fresh cut and in a vase or the bush itself. A few other choices you may want to consider include Firebush, Firespike, Powderpuff/ Sunshine mimosa, and Purple coneflower. Firebush, Hamelia patens, a native large shrub, can grow to a height and spread of 15 feet and is suited for central and south Florida. It is fast growing, has medium drought tolerance and prefers shade, but does well in both full sun and partial sun/shade. Orange/red year-round flowers attract butterflies, hummingbirds, bees and birds. The foliage is generally more attractive in the shade, but it flowers more in the sun. I have Firebush in sun and shade, and wildlife is present. This plant can die back in the winter but comes back strong in the spring.
mulching or weeding. What about gifting a nice lawn chair, binoculars, bird feeder, bird seed, or a bird house? If your gardening friends prefer gardening gifts, a subscription to a horticulture magazine or an hour or more of your time helping them with a project. It’s easy to find a pair of red gardening gloves, pink shovels, garden hoses, and trowels, too. Repurpose items: Gift a plant shelf (also known as a towel holder), turn shoes into a succulent planter, or half of a food grade barrel into a planter. Ideas are limitless. For information about upcoming horticultural programs and to find your county’s calendar of events, go to: https:// sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/find-your-local-office. For the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, visit our website: http://sfyl. ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ which contains our calendar of events. Contact Barber at labarber@ufl.edu.
Firespike, Odontonema strictum, non-native, can reach a height of 2-6 feet and spread of 2-3 feet, has medium drought tolerance, and prefers full sun. This herbaceous perennial produces red fall-through winter flowers and attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Powderpuff/Sunshine mimosa, Mimosa strigillosa, is a native perennial groundcover that grows well in north, central, and south Florida. It is fast growing, tolerates drought fairly well and prefers full sun. The pink powderpuff flowers attract butterflies. Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, another native perennial, performs well in our state. This plant can grow to a height and spread up to three feet. Purple coneflower tolerates drought well and performs well in partial sun/ shade and full shade. It produces flowers that attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and birds.
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Some gardeners in your life may have more plants and gardening gear than they can manage (not that many of us would admit to that!). If that’s the situation, consider nongardening related gifts. Maybe offer your time to assist with
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NEWS BRIEFS
Compiled by Jim Frankowiak
District to Reduce Risk of Wildfires by Scheduling Prescribed Fires for Hillsborough County The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) will be conducting prescribed burns from January through March on the Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve to help reduce the risk of wildfires burning out of control. The Lower Hillsborough Wilderness Preserve is located south of Cross Creek Boulevard between U.S. Highway 301 and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard near Thonotosassa. Approximately 300 acres will be burned in small, manageable units. Some major benefits of prescribed fire include:
UF Announces Promotions Robert Gilbert, who has served the past six months as the University of Florida interim senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, will serve in a full leadership role for at least another 18 months. Gilbert has served as UF/IFAS research dean and interim senior vice president while Scott Angle has worked as UF interim provost, a role to which he has now been permanently appointed. Gilbert will now take on the responsibility of leading UF/IFAS through at least mid2025. District Asks Homeowners to "Skip a Week" of Irrigation this Winter The Southwest Florida Water Management District (District) is reminding residents who irrigate their lawns to “Skip a Week” or more of watering during the cooler months of January and February. According to research by the University of Florida, grass doesn’t need to be watered as often during the cooler months. One-half to three-quarters of an inch of water every 10–14 days is sufficient. In fact, if your lawn has received any significant rainfall, then you can turn off your irrigation system and operate it manually as needed. You can determine when your grass needs water when: • Grass blades are folded in half lengthwise on at least onethird of your yard. • Grass blades appear blue-gray. • Grass blades do not spring back, leaving footprints on the lawn for several minutes after walking on it. Watering only every other week at most during the winter will help conserve drinking water supplies that the public needs for critical uses during the dry season.
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For additional information about water conservation, please visit the District’s website at WaterMatters.org/SkipAWeek.
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• Reducing overgrown plants, which decreases the risk of catastrophic wildfires. • Promoting the growth of new, diverse plants. • Maintaining the character and condition of wildlife habitat. • Maintaining access for public recreation. The District conducts prescribed fires on approximately 30,000 acres each year. FDACS Announces New Disaster Recovery Loan Program The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) has introduced a revolving, low or no interest loan program for farmers, ranchers and growers who suffered losses from Hurricane Idalia. This includes producers located in Hillsborough and Polk counties. The program will also be available to producers who experience damage from future declared natural disasters. For more information and to begin the loan application process, visit: fdacs.gov. Ninth Military Ag Tour April 5 The ninth annual Military Agriculture Tour (MAT IX) is Friday, April 5, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The tour is to introduce transitioning military personnel, veterans and their spouses to the diversity of Hillsborough County agriculture and the variety of careers in a modern agricultural operation. The tour will begin and end at the Hillsborough County Extension office (5339 C.R. 579, Seffner) and include visits to a cattle ranch, tropical fish farm, strawberry farm and market, University of Florida, Institute of Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center and a blueberry farm. Reservations may be made at: April5MilitaryAgricultureTour.Eventbrite.com. You may call Simon Bollin at 813/853-1086 or email him at BollinS@HCFLGov.net with any questions. Free Gardening Talks at GreenFest Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be providing free gardening talks at GreenFest March 19 & 20 at the Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Boulevard from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. both days. More information is available at: www.tampagardenclub.com/event/tampa-greenfest/.
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2024 FSREF Scholarship Program Awards 19 Recipients at Banquet By Jim Frankowiak
The 2024 Florida Strawberry and Research and Education Foundation (FSREF) Scholarship Banquet took place last month and 19 students were recognized for their achievements in leadership, community service, and academic excellence. FSREF is affiliated with the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA), which offers scholarships to “encourage young men and women to continue their education beyond high school.” FSGA President, Jake Raburn, and Executive Director, Kenneth Parker, led the group of families, recipients, and donors through the program, which included a catered dinner, awards program including introductory speeches by each recipient, and a charge from Pastor Tommy Warnock of First Baptist Church of Plant City. To date, $565,000 has been awarded to students around the state since the FSREF scholarship program began in 1983.
Additional scholarship recipients included: Addison Raburn, University of South Florida; Ava Hasting, Hillsborough Community College; Brenna Sturgis, University of Florida; Carson Buttram, Strawberry Crest High School; Cooper McDonald, Hillsborough Community College; Elijah Atwood, University of Central Florida; Ethan Cribbs, Warner University; Gabrielle Howell, Durant High School; Jaida Davis, Plant City High School; Kenley Connell, Sante Fe College; Lillian Atwood, Florida State University; Madyson Bentlage, Plant City High School; Makayla Der, South Florida State College; and Timothy Fry, Fry’s Home school.
Each scholarship recipient received a $1,000 scholarship, an FSGA commemorative clock, and a personalized bible. Included within the 19 scholarships, were 5 scholarship donors who sponsored a named scholarship award for $1,000: Marvin Brown Scholarship, Brenda St. Martin Memorial Scholarship, Roy & Helen Parke Scholarship, Corbett Wyatt Memorial Scholarship, and the O.M. Griffin Memorial Scholarship.
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This year’s recipients named scholarships and their schools included: • Brenda St. Martin Memorial Scholarship - Skyler Grooms, Lakeland Christian School • Marvin Brown Scholarship - Emma Poole, Florida Southern College • Corbett Wyatt Memorial Scholarship - Victoria Nicole Chavez, Strawberry Crest High School • Roy & Helen Parke Scholarship - Hunter Hitchcock, University of Florida • O.M. Griffin Memorial Scholarship - Madison Brewer, Plant City High School
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FLORIDA LEMONS: By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Juicy and tart, Florida lemons are in their peak season today. Florida, Arizona, and California are the top lemon-producing states in the United States. Lemons are in the same family (Rutacea) as other citrus fruits, including grapefruit, pomelo, tangerine, and orange. Florida is the second largest citrus producer in the world, behind Brazil. Lemons are very versatile and often make a presence in beverages, salads, soups, entrees, and desserts. While lemons are available year-round in the grocery store, fresh lemons are at their peak now during the winter months. Common varieties of fresh Florida lemons include Eureka, Ponderosa, and Lisbon. Meyer lemons are relatively new and known for being sweeter and less acidic than other types of lemons.
Nutrition Facts
The juice of one lemon packs in the flavor for only 12 little calories and more than 35 percent of your daily needs for vitamins C. Lemons also contain fiber, B vitamins, magnesium, healthprotecting flavonoids, and the antioxidant limonene. Limonene is believed to have anti-cancer properties, but more research is needed.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE
An excellent source of vitamin C, a medium-sized orange contains 116% of the daily value for this vitamin. Oranges are also an excellent nutritional source of dietary fiber, folate, thiamin, potassium, and Vitamin A. In addition to these vitamins and minerals, oranges contain a wealth of other disease-fighting compounds, such as phytonutrients and antioxidants. These potent chemicals fight cancer, lower cholesterol, and control blood sugar levels. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one medium-sized lemon (100 g) contains 29 calories, 0.6 g protein, 0.3 g fat, 9.3 g carbohydrate, and 2.8 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 88% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for vitamin C, 7% for dietary fiber, and significant amounts of vitamins A, E, and K, thiamine, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and folate.
Vitamin C
Fresh Florida lemons are high in vitamin C, which is important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, healthy blood circulation, and wound healing. This vitamin acts as a potent antioxidant in the body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects in cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. This vitamin also helps the body absorb more iron and aids in the development of strong bones and teeth. Current research findings support that vitamin C’s benefits come from the consumption of whole fruits and vegetables. A high intake of produce is associated with a reduced risk of death from all causes, including heart disease, stroke, and cancer. Taking supplements does not seem to provide the same protective benefits as drinking a glass of lemon juice or eating the fruit.
Fiber
Fresh lemons and other citrus fruits contain a significant amount of dietary fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, assist with digestion, and prevent constipation. According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, a diet high in fiber may decrease the risk of several types of cancer including colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas. A single lemon provides 7% of your body’s daily requirement for fiber, which has been shown to reduce high cholesterol levels, which helps to prevent atherosclerosis. Fiber can also help
Folate
Florida lemons are a good source of folate, a vitamin that can reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects) in the fetus. Pregnant women should consume a diet high in folate, and eating a lemon or other citrus fruit every day can help. Folate is also essential for growth and development, and plays a key role in DNA formation. Its heart-healthy benefits come from its ability to lower homocysteine levels in the body. Homocysteine is an amino acid in the blood that is correlated with heart disease. Additionally, low levels of folate have been linked with low energy levels, depression and even memory impairments. So it’s an essential vitamin for everyone, in addition to its significant importance for the developing fetus.
Phytonutrients
Lemons contain a host of different phytonutrients, a class of antioxidants that protects against allergies, cancer, heart disease, and the effects of aging. Some research studies have found that people with high intakes of phytonutrients have a much lower risk of dying from heart disease. This may be due to its ability to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol. Polyphenols, another class of phytonutrients found in lemons, may help protect against cancer, viruses, allergies, tumors, and inflammation.
How to Select and Store
Choose fresh lemons that have glossy skin and are firm and heavy for their size. The juiciest lemons tend to be smaller, heavy for their size, and thin-skinned. Ripe lemons have bright yellow skin. Avoid those that have soft spots, wrinkly skin, or discolored spots. Lemons can be stored either at room temperature or in the refrigerator and will last about two weeks with either method.
How to Enjoy
When ready to use, rinse the lemon under running water. You can simply peel and seed the lemon or slice it into wedges. The fruit can be juiced with a juicer or squeezed by hand. Lemons are used in beverages, sweet and savory dishes, and desserts. The peel, juice, and fruit are all edible and used to add brightness and acidity to dishes. The white portion of the peel is high in pectin, a type of soluble fiber. Other ways to enjoy lemons include: • Squeeze juice to make fresh lemonade or a mocktail. • Squeeze the juice into a pan, allow it to thicken over heat, and use it as a sauce for fish or chicken. • Add lemon juice to baked goods for a bright refreshing twist. • Slip a few slices of lemon into a pitcher of water for a refreshing low-calorie beverage. • Boil lemon slices with your teabag or add slices to boiled tea. • Float lemon slices in your bath for a citrusy spa treatment. • Use the whole lemon to make marmalade. • Serve sliced lemons as a garnish for fish, meat, or vegetable dishes. Enjoy Florida lemons today. With its juicy and tart flavor, lemons are delicious as well as healthy!
SELECTED REFERENCES http://en.wikipedia.org/ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/
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maintain steady blood sugar levels, as can fructose, the naturally occurring type of fruit sugar found in lemons. Lemons also contain pectin, a water-soluble fiber that helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and aids in satiety.
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THE 89TH FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL By Jim Frankowiak | Kyle Robinson photo by Jose Lozoya | Photos courtesy of Florida Strawberry Festival®
The Florida Strawberry Festival, an annual 11-day community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of eastern Hillsborough County, will take place February 29 through March 10 in Plant City. The theme for this year’s festival is “Out of This World!” “Our board of directors and staff have been hard at work planning and preparing an ‘out of this world’ experience for our guests,” Florida Strawberry Festival President Kyle Robinson said. “We look forward to welcoming visitors from far and wide to BerryFest 24.”
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Each year, the Festival has a new theme, offering attendees a glimpse of the experience they will have at the event. “That theme also serves to unify vendors, FFA chapters, organizations, corporate partners, and exhibitors, who create parade floats and displays throughout the Festival,” said Robinson.
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The Festival’s strawberry character featured in each year’s theme artwork is an iconic part of the event’s branding and advertising initiatives. In this year’s artwork, he wears sunglasses, waves a peace sign, and holds a plate of strawberry shortcake – all as he stands in front of a UFO (unidentified flying object). “The Festival’s atmosphere is like no other,” Robinson said. “Seeing families gather, volunteers serving and the Plant City community coming together year after year is extraordinary. There’s no place on earth quite like the Florida Strawberry Festival.” The Festival blends varied competitions, noteworthy entertainment, exhibits, and food offerings that will appeal to all from local Plant City families to visitors from out of the state and country. Contests include a wide range of livestock competitions for youth; contests for babies, junior royalty, and the Festival Queen; along with eating contests such as Deep Fried Strawberry WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Shortcake on a Stick – Amish Donuts, Strawberry Spaghetti, Super Dog Mega Corndog, Strawberry Shortcake, Strawberry Mashed Potato Pie and Strawberry ICEE and Strawberry Stemming for both adults and youth. There are also youth and adult Neighborhood Village contests and miscellaneous competitions such as the East Hillsborough Art Guild Show, Garden Club Horticulture Show, Photography, and Shoebox Float Contest. More than 20 Festival entertainment shows on the Wish Farms Soundstage cover a wide range of musical genres, including Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra, The Oak Ridge Boys American Made Farewell Tour, Oliver Anthony Out of the Woods, The Beach Boys, Jordan Davis, Black Eyed Peas, Parker McCollum, the Bellamy Brothers and ZZ Top. Additional shows include Mark Lowry, Zach Williams, Craig Morgan, Riley Green, Bill Haley Jr. and The Comets, Gene Watson, Kirk Franklin, The Commodores, Foreigner, Jo Dee Messina, Flo Rida, and Cody Johnson. Show tickets can be purchased in advance online at www.flstrawberryfestival.com and the Amscot Main Ticket Office located at 2209 West Oak Avenue in Plant City. Telephone: 813-754-1996. Food offerings at the Festival also have wide appeal. “New to the Festival this year is the Strawberry Cinnamon Bun, Glazed Strawberry Parfait, and Apple Fries,” said Robinson. Apple Fries include fried apple slices, bacon, and peanut butter on cornbread. The 89th Festival also marks the unveiling of the Florida Strawberry Festival History Center and Strawberry Queen’s Exhibit. Both are located within the oldest twostory structure on the Festival grounds. “The Center enables us to showcase our rich heritage for future generations,” said Robinson. The safety and security of Festival guests is an ongoing commitment of the Festival and its board of directors. “Our security team, which is comprised of more than
“Becoming President of the Florida Strawberry Festival is the only position other than being a Hillsborough County deputy sheriff that I would have considered,” he said. “I love the Strawberry Festival. I grew up in this community. My family is from this community, and I too, have some of my fondest childhood memories out here at the Strawberry Festival. How often does one person get to have two dream jobs in one lifetime,” said Robinson. In addition to celebrating the harvesting of strawberries in eastern Hillsborough County, Festival officials have contributed more than $1 million to promote research and agricultural education at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). “We have committed to contributing $25,000 annually over the next four years, as well,” said Robinson. The UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center located in southern Hillsborough County conducts ongoing research to support the strawberry industry and to help Florida strawberry growers compete globally. Advance admission tickets to the Festival can be purchased at local Publix stores. The cost is $10 for adults, and $4 for children aged 6 to 12, while children 5 years old and under are admitted free. Tickets purchased at the Festival gates are $15 for adults and $5 for children. More information about the Festival is available at: www.flstrawberryfestival.com; www.facebook.com/ FLStrawbwerryFestival, www.twitter.com/flstrawberryfst! #berryfest24 and on Instagram @flstrawberryfestival #bwerryfest!24. You may also call the Festival office at 813/752-9194. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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100 Plant City Police officers and Hillsborough County Sheriff’s deputies is on duty 24 hours a day several days in advance of the Festival, throughout its 11-day run, and a number of days after the conclusion,” said Robinson, who prior to his appointment as Festival President in of August of 2022, headed Festival security as a colonel with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office from 2015.
Fancy Farms Market Adds Lunch Menu Featuring Authentic Family Recipes By Michelle Caceres
kitchen, tweaking and scaling her cherished recipes to keep their delicious taste while able to feed a crowd and training staff to replicate the dishes. “Everything is homemade, from the special sweet pickle relish that we put in the chicken salad to the strawberry barbecue sauce we put on the pork,” said Grooms. “It’s not just making chicken salad, it’s making the ingredients that go into the recipes that give them that homemade taste.” In an effort to reduce waste, the marinated strawberries used to make the salad dressing, which would normally be thrown out, have been incorporated into the recipe for the barbecue sauce, which was a collaboration between her mother and her husband, Derek. “The strawberry barbecue sauce was really trial and error, one was too tangy, one too sweet, now we have it just right,” he said. “The first bite has strawberry taste then a minute later you get the tang and it hits you and stays with you.” He knew they got it right when he gave a sample to one of his buddies, who tasted it, put the top back on it, and then immediately undid the top to taste it again. While they’re working to bottle the barbecue sauce, customers can purchase the salad dressing in bottles to take home. The launch of the lunch menu has already generated excitement among Fancy Farms’ patrons as hundreds of sandwiches, croissants, and salads are sold weekly.
In a culinary expansion aimed at tantalizing taste buds beyond their famed strawberry offerings, Fancy Farms Market, located at 5204 Drane Field Rd., is now serving a lunch menu featuring a selection of authentic family recipes. The decision to introduce lunch options comes as a response to growing demand from loyal customers seeking to savor the same quality and authenticity in meals as they have come to expect in the stand’s fresh fruits, strawberry shortcake, cobblers, hand-spun milkshakes, strawberry cookies and bread and homemade jam. As neighboring warehouses were constructed and staffed with employees, she also saw the need to feed these hungry workers. “We always had a goal of serving lunch but my brother had to really encourage me because while we know desserts, lunch was a foreign concept”, said owner Kristi Grooms. “My brother definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone.’ The lunch menu boasts a diverse array of dishes, each crafted with care using recipes passed down from Grooms’ mother DeeDee. From a savory strawberry BBQ pork sandwich on a potato roll to a refreshing strawberry walnut salad (with or without chicken) with Fancy D’s Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing to a chicken salad croissant, the offerings are sold a la carte or as an entree in Fancy Dee’s Lunch Box, that also includes seasonal fruit, chips, a strawberry cookie and choice of beverage for $15. The lunch menu, which was launched on Jan. 25, is available daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. but customers can grab a chicken salad croissant or salad from a grab-and-go refrigerator until 5:30 p.m. (or until they run out).
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Grooms said that since the beginning of January, her mom had been spending her days in the market’s newly expanded
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Larry and Debbie Williams visited Fancy Farms Market with their daughter Ashley Woods and her son Ellis, 8. “We buy our berries and jam here, my son likes it on his toast and sandwiches and when we saw the lunch menu we decided to try it out,” said Woods. As her son sat next to her, devouring the strawberry walnut salad with a strawberry milkshake, she smiled. “Everything is really fresh and the salad is very light,” she said. Her son raved about the salad dressing. “The salad is amazing and the dressing is really sweet and fresh,” he said. Larry Williams said they now have a favorite lunch spot, a place where you can sit on a picnic table right next to the farm where the berries are grown. “All their quality products are amazing and taste like homemade,” she said. For Grooms, the expansion is a testament of the community’s support of local businesses, especially her regulars who visit every day for a milkshake or every week to hang out and chat. “Never in a million years would I have thought this is where God would have taken us, I just wanted to sell milkshakes and strawberries but He had a totally different plan for us,” said Grooms. “In all we do, we want to keep things tied back to the farm, keep things fresh, and maintain these family ties.” Fancy Farms Market is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. It’s closed on Sunday. For more information visit fancyfarmsmarket.com or call (813) 478-3486. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Spring Comes Early!
Spring comes early this year! Yes, I know it’s not so, technically. Spring is still springing in with the Vernal Equinox, which is March 21st this year, and that’s a scientific fact that none can mess with.
by John Dicks
everything from chocolate truffles to chocolate pretzels. The nice thing is that it’s free. Not the chocolate, mind you, but both the admission and parking are listed as such. Strawberry Festival - February 24 & 25 - The Villages
For Spring Breakers, though, and those of us who still feel like the time should be properly celebrated, it seems like the few days before Easter (and the few days after) are the ones we really tend to focus on.
What? Really? There’s another Strawberry Festival? Let’s just forget about that, and forgive them for interfering with our own world-famous version here in Plant City, February 29 March 10.
The reason for Easter itself is, of course, a result of the resurrection of Christ. It is a most Holy of Holidays. Its date, though, always changes a bit, falling on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25 of a given year.
Swamp Cabbage Festival - February 24 & 25 - LaBelle
With it moving around on the calendar, year after year (amongst those 33 days in March and April) it’s referred to as a “Movable Feast,” a religious holiday that is celebrated on different dates in different years. The reason for such fluidity on the calendar is that ages ago, it was determined that the celebration of Easter would be on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the Vernal (Spring) equinox. So it is, for 2024, that our first full moon following March 21 (spring equinox), is slated to start shining at 3:00 a.m. on March 25, making the next Sunday thereafter, or March 31, the day for Easter, with big crowds headed to Church, and children delighting over hunting painted eggs. Thankfully, the internet keeps up with all this and thus can forecast the date for Easter for the next millennia! What tends, though, to sneak in around Easter are the celebrations of Springtime. Here’s a look at some things I’m considering and you might enjoy as well. ………………………………..…… Tampa Bay Chocolate Festival - February 17 & 18 - New Port Richey Who wouldn’t enjoy this? Back by popular demand for its 11 year, it’s a festival of all things chocolate! More than 100 vendors are expected to tempt our taste buds with
This is no once-in-awhile event. It’s the 58th annual of what the promoters say will be “celebrating another year of that of Swamp Cabbage Goodness!!” I went once, years ago, and quite enjoyed it. I even developed a taste for swamp cabbage, which you really want to experience if you never have. River O’Green Fest - March 16 - Tampa Here's a free event celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, which is actually the day AFTER the event! Nonetheless, the day before the holiday seems like a good time to “paint the river green.” Several cities around America, notably Savannah, and Chicago, have made this tradition of temporarily changing a river’s color to green, but Tampa, for several years now, has been doing a fine job and attracting attention in the process. The Hillsborough River, with help from a non-toxic dye, turns bright green starting at 11:00 am. It lasts for about five hours, but the party’s on and running until 6:00 p.m. with music, food, beverages, and family-friendly activities. Spring Bluegrass Festival - March 21 - 23 - Brooksville This is one you’ll have to pay for, but it is a 3-day event and does include some notable names in music such as the Lonesome River Band. Prices for tickets range from $20 - $164.50. If luck should have it with perfect weather, as this date suggests it could be, camping will likely be popular and organizers of the event have prices for that as well. Of course, there are more events happening, too, all because it’s a special time of year in Florida. Frankly, even just digging our toes in the fresh green grass on a warm and sunny day is always special in Springtime!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!”. John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. John serves as Of Counsel to Trinkle Redman, a law firm in Plant City where he also served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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FLORIDA FARM BUREAU DAYS A SUCCESS By Jim Frankowiak
Hundreds of Farm Bureau members, including several from Hillsborough County, and FFA students gathered in Tallahassee at the Florida Capitol for the 2024 Florida Farm Bureau Day to share their perspectives with legislators on upcoming legislative priorities. President Dennis Carlton, Jr., Executive Director Kaylee Poppell, and Farm Bureau member Kenneth Parker, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA), represented Hillsborough County Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau’s legislative priorities for this session include: • Crafting health plans for members that will expand coverage to more rural areas and ensure that farm families have coverage • Combating overregulation by local governments of farmworker housing so that there aren’t obstacles to doing business in Florida • Support of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services that protect Florida’s agricultural producers and Florida’s food supply; support Florida’s future farmers and support Florida’s consumers • Amending Florida’s constitution to eliminate the multiple taxation of agricultural production from local property taxes and the creation of a total tax exemption of tangible personal property, such as farm machinery, equipment, and implements used on property classified as agricultural • Continued funding for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and various initiatives such as the Center for Artificial Intelligence in Ag to be built at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center in southern Hillsborough County, continuation of the Crop Nutrient Research and Education Program, Natural Resources Quantification Program, the Florida Agricultural Enterprises Accelerator and other investments that provide support for the next generation of agriculturists
After a successful day advocating on the hill, the members took to the Capitol Courtyard for the Taste of Florida Agriculture evening reception, featuring special guest speakers Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and Florida Farm Bureau President Jeb S. Smith. Another highlight of the day included a press conference where Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson and legislative leaders announced the launch of two agricultural disaster recovery programs with over $112 million in funding to help Florida farmers, ranchers and growers rebuild and recover from Hurricane Idalia. “Farm Bureau Day in Tallahassee is one of our member’s favorite days. We are already looking forward to continuing our efforts in May in Washington D.C.” said Poppell.
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Dennis, Kaylee, and Kenneth met with multiple legislators and representatives during their visit to the Capitol including Leader Albritton, Representative Lawrence McClure, Senator Danny Burgess, and Commissioner of Agriculture, Wilton Simpson. “Days like today are what make being a Farm Bureau so special” noted Poppell. “Seeing the grassroots of the organization really take shape and share their stories, needs, and concerns helps our industry continue to grow and succeed.”
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FSGA ANNOUNCES NEW EXECUTIVE BOARD
By Jim Frankowiak
The Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) has announced a new Executive Board. The members, who will serve one-year terms, include: • President – Jake Raburn, Hinton Farms • Vice President – Matt Reichenbach, Ferris Farms • Secretary – Payton Astin, Astin Strawberry Exchange • Treasurer – Jay Sizemore, JayMar Produce The FSGA was formed in 1982 to represent the interests of the Florida strawberry industry through research, promotion, legislative and member/community service and support. Each year, FSGA members grow more than 13,000 acres of strawberries, making eastern Hillsborough County the “Winter Strawberry Capital of the Nation” with an overall economic impact of approximately $1.5 billion.
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The FSGA has two affiliated organizations: the Florida Strawberry Patent Service (FSPS) and Florida Strawberry Research and Education Foundation (FSREF), both vital to the overall mission of the FSGA.
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The FSPS promotes patented varieties of strawberries developed through the efforts of and patented by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Strawberry Research Center at Balm in southern Hillsborough County. The Center has patented over a dozen varieties of strawberry since 1992 and those varieties are grown worldwide, the source of royalty funding, which supports ongoing research and other initiatives of the FSGA. In addition to supporting ongoing research activities, the FSREF annually awards scholarships to students recognized for their potential and talents with regard to assuring the future of the industry. The FSGA has given $565,000 in scholarships to high school seniors, collegiate and technical students. For more information about the FSGA, visit https://flastrawberry.org.
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Commissioner Wilton Simpson Seeks Nominations for 2024 Woman of the Year in Agriculture and Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the opening of the nomination process for the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award and the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards. The Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award annually recognizes the achievements of women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture, and the AgriculturalEnvironmental Leadership Awards are presented annually, spotlighting environmentally innovative growers and ranchers who share a commitment to protecting and preserving Florida’s resources while continuing to produce the world-class agricultural goods we rely on. Nominations for both awards must be submitted by March 1, 2024. “These awards are a celebration of the exceptional individuals who have contributed to the growth and innovation of Florida’s agriculture industry,” said Commissioner Wilton Simpson. “I encourage everyone to nominate deserving individuals who have made significant and lasting contributions to agriculture – their dedication, innovation, and unwavering commitment deserve recognition.”
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Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award Since 1985, women who have made outstanding contributions to Florida agriculture have been honored with the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award. This award, sponsored by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services in conjunction with the Florida State Fair Authority, is presented annually to the recipient during the Florida State Fair in Tampa, Florida. Previous recipients of the award have come from all parts of the agriculture industry, including cattle, vegetables, timber, citrus, row crops, equine, horti-
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culture, tropical fruits, sugar cane, dairy, agricultural journalism, and agricultural education and outreach. Nomination forms for the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award can be obtained and submitted online or by downloading the nomination form and mailing the completed form. More information and updates on the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award can be found here. Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award The Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award has been presented annually since 1994. The program spotlights the environmentally innovative farming practices of the state’s growers and ranchers. Award recipients come from different parts of Florida’s agricultural industry, but they all share a commitment to protect and preserve Florida’s resources while continuing to provide agricultural products for society. Nomination forms for the Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Awards can be obtained and submitted online or by downloading the nomination form and mailing the completed form. More information and updates on the AgriculturalEnvironmental Leadership Awards can be found here. For more information about Commissioner Simpson and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FDACS.gov. h t t p s : // w w w . f d a c s . g o v / A g r i c u l t u r e - I n d u s t r y /A g r i c u l t u r a l Aw a rd s - a n d - H o n o r s / Wo m a n - o ft h e -Y e a r- i n - A g r i c u l t u r e - Aw a r d / Online-Application-for-Woman-of-theYear-in-Agriculture WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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MORNINGSTAR COUNTRY HIGHLANDS By Libby Hopkins
Tammy Rohr Morningstar was born and raised on one of the largest Black Angus farms in the northeast United States. She was very involved with 4-H growing up and always out on the farm helping her dad and brothers. “I have seen cows sold to the neighbors and sold as far away as Turkey and Russia,” Morningstar said. “We had several thousand acres of land as well as cattle to work from the feedlot to my dad’s most prized bulls. I’ve been chased by cows, outrun my brothers, and cleared fences in my younger days! We had a huge garden and spent many days pulling weeds, picking corn and stringing beans with my mom and grandma.” She moved to Florida in her early 20s to start a life in Florida with her husband, Ken. “We opened our company, Morningstar Electric, LLC in 2006,” Morningstar said. “Once the kids were grown we had the opportunity to purchase land next door to our youngest daughter which gave us more space for our rescued horses. I am a breast cancer survivor and that gave me a renewed passion to eat and live healthy. I enjoy being outdoors and listening to the sounds of nature.” When her parents passed away, within seven months of each other, she wanted to have cattle so she could feel closer to them. “My brother is still raising Black Angus and I wanted to do something different and unique,” Morningstar said. “After a great deal of research, I settled on Scottish Highlands. I chose to breed them and have just recently decided to open my farm up to tours and photo sessions because of how often I get asked to. We are also experimenting with alternative gardening and farming methods such as aquaponics and hope to educate people on how good quality food can be grown with limited space so they can then do it themselves.” Morningstar Country Highlands urban farm was born. Urban farms, like Morningstar’s, are becoming quite popular and are very beneficial. Some of the benefits of urban farms are that they renew the local economies, they are environmental stewardships of local lands, and they promote health and nutrition as well as bring communities together. If you ask Morningstar what makes her farm different from other urban farms, she will tell you her farm breeds to educate the community. “I feel we are different from other urban farms because we not only breed Scottish Highlands to preserve the breed but we educate on the breed,” Morningstar said. “As a small urban farm with limited space, the goal was not to breed large numbers of cattle for food production but to raise a higher priced and highly sought after breed that is generally sold to people looking to have a few good-natured pet cows for their own urban farms.”
interacting with some of their best-natured diplomats while placing the health of their farm as a priority. “For example, the ones that interact with the public are chosen for their temperament and worked with daily to be well mannered but always left with mothers until time to wean, as opposed to being bottle fed to tame them,” Morningstar said. “We are very adamant that our calves are with their moms for six months for their health and to learn to be a cow.” Morningstar Country Highlands is very active on social media and can be found on Facebook and Instagram. “We will be offering photo sessions, including senior pictures and more this spring,” Morningstar said. “We will also be offering cottage food items such as extracts, tinctures, plants and more. Morningstar Country Highlands apparel is a hit and we are currently working on a website that will feature our products and available calves.” If you ask Morningstar what she likes most about her farm, she will tell you it’s the peace. “What I like most is the peace and tranquility of everything around me,” Morningstar said. “I see the sunrise and the sunset, hear the ducks quacking, cows mooing, horses neighing, chickens clucking and birds singing and it just creates a sense of calmness, satisfaction, and progress.” Keeping thing local is also important to Morningstar and her family. “We are a huge supporters of local,” Morningstar said. “We use local vendors for our products from our merchandise to our local farmers for our hay and equipment. We chose to go the cottage food route because it all stays local and we can have face-to-face interactions with members of our community. My mentor is a local farmer named Richard with Epperson Cattle. He has been a wonderful friend and mentor. As the owner of Morningstar Electric, we have always been very involved with the local Chambers of Commerce, community events, and volunteering.” If you’d like to learn more about Morningstar Country Highlands, you can visit their Facebook page at www.facebook. com/scottishhighlandcoos.
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One of Morningstar’s long-term goals is to include tours and
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With every generation,
we get better at protecting our environment.
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Reclamation ecologists like Ashlee work to return mined lands to productive use as wildlife habitats, public parks and more—so future generations can enjoy these lands for years to come.
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Sign up
for a FREE On-Farm Readiness Review The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule (PSR) inspections have begun. Sign up now to request a free On-Farm Readiness Review (OFRR), offered in partnership by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and University of Florida IFAS. The OFRR is an educational opportunity to help individual farms align practices with the PSR regulatory requirements in preparation for inspections.
For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FDACS.gov/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900. To take full advantage of the OFRR and for PSR compliance, one farm representative should first attend a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training. Upcoming trainings can be found at: crec.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/events This publication is supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award U2FFD007446 totaling $1,166,732 with 100 percent funded by FDA/HHS. The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by FDA/ HHS, or the U.S. Government.
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FROM THE SCIENTIFIC FIELD
Dr. Natalia Peres demonstrates to UF President Ben Sasse and his son Breck and an advisor how she uses technology to detect strawberry disease.
Even when we find things are pretty good, we try to leave them better off than when we found them. The Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) didn’t need fixing when I became leader of UF/IFAS three and a half years ago. The challenge was how to build on the great things it’s already doing for you. To build on those great things, GCREC Director Jack Rechcigl persuaded me to build. That is, I had the good sense to immediately get behind what Kenneth Parker, Tony DiMare, David Carson, Chip Hinton, Jack and others asked me to build. When it gets built, the Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture at GCREC will transform farming in Hillsborough, Polk and the other 65 Florida counties. It will focus on developing the technologies that make you a better and more globally competitive farmer. You’re going to get tools that will revolutionize agriculture the way tractors did a century ago. When I attend the ribbon cutting, it won’t be as the leader of UF/IFAS. Last July, UF President Ben Sasse asked me to temporarily serve as provost, basically second in command at the university and its chief academic officer. In January, he announced that it wasn’t temporary. That hasn’t stopped me from championing the AI center. I have continued as provost to educate lawmakers and industry leaders about the many benefits of the center as we seek the rest of the funding in Tallahassee to allow us to build it. You’re fortunate to have legislators who understand the impact the center will have and the legislative expertise to secure funding. Rep. Lawrence McClure and Senators Ben Albritton and Kathleen Passidomo in particular, deserve our thanks. It’s also fortunate that with my move to a new job there is continuity in the role of senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, a successor who fully supports the AI center and GCREC. Rob Gilbert has already been leading UF/IFAS since July when I moved over to the provost’s office, and he will continue in that role.
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Being provost wasn’t my first choice. I’d rather be visiting the Florida Strawberry Growers Association research farm in Do-
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By J. Scott Angle
Photo is of Commissioner Simpson and President Sasse with Scott visiting GCREC in June 2023.
ver, congratulating Karl Grooms and his family on their many industry accolades and the expansion of their retail operations, or taking President Sasse on a tour of GCREC. I took Sasse on that tour last June. He must have been impressed, because a few weeks later he came to my house and told me he was making me the interim provost. A few months later, he reached out to GCREC faculty member Natalia Peres, who demonstrated on that tour how she’s using technology to manage strawberry diseases, to ask that she be the faculty speaker at our December commencement ceremonies. It was the first faculty member not based in Gainesville we know of to deliver the faculty address at commencement. As provost, I’ll have the opportunity to just walk down the hall to be agriculture’s champion in the president’s office. I hope to translate that access into his continued support for agriculture as we saw recently in his decision to invest $2 million from a university strategic fund to launch our Crop Transformation Center, whose first target is a biotech breeding solution to HLB. Hillborough-Polk leaders will help me. In January, I walked down that hall with two trays of Plant City strawberries that Sizemore Farms and the FSGA sent up. There are a lot of bids for the president’s attention, but few that are sweeter than a clamshell of Florida Brilliance. I hope you’ll embrace Rob Gilbert the way you embraced me. Please tell him how he and UF/IFAS can serve you. Invite him to your farms. Don’t forget about me. I won’t forget you, and I’ll do my best to make sure that President Sasse doesn’t either.
J. Scott Angle is the University of Florida’s Provost. He served as UF’s Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and leader of the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS) from July 2020 through January 2024. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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THE FARMHOUSE AT GILLMAN FARMS IN CORK IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS By Jim Frankowiak
The desire to diversify and to create a safe, outdoor entertainment option for families led Lee and Dixie Gillman to open The Farmhouse at Gillman Farms, located at 5617 Thonotosassa Road, just across the road and a bit west of Keel & Curley Winery. Both raised in Plant City, Lee and Dixie grow 50 acres of strawberries in Cork with the help of sons Buddy, 36, and Jarrett, 26. Lee has farmed strawberries on his own since 1986, but he grew up “with a strawberry hoe in his hand” helping on his dad’s farm. Dixie’s family also operated a small truck farm in Pinecrest, and she grew up heavily involved in FFA activities. “God really blessed us with opportunities to grow and expand our operations while staying connected to family,” said Lee. “We love having our sons and grandkids nearby, all a part of our little farming community.” The family also owns a small herd of beef cattle and their son, Buddy, grows cucumbers and cantaloupes in the spring and fall. The Gillmans are active members of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association and Bethany Baptist Church. In 2018 the couple was recognized by the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce as “Agriculturalists of the Year.” “In 2023, we prayerfully decided to branch out in a new direction,” said Dixie. “With both sons working on the farm, we thought it best to diversify. Since COVID, it seemed people were looking for budget- and family-friendly options for their day trips and entertainment, and the idea for The Farmhouse was born.” “Our original vision,” according to Lee, “was an open-air strawberry shortcake and dessert stand—a place to sell our family-grown produce. We also wanted to open a few fields for U-Pick and farm tours at the end of berry season, providing an educational experience for school groups, senior citizen tours, and more.”
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An unexpected opportunity to expand their produce market arose when Forbes Road Produce, which belonged to the Gillman’s longtime friend Lamar Porter, closed in late 2023. The Forbes Road produce staff were very gracious to advise us on popular items and vendors,” said Dixie.
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The Gillmans have been helped and supported by many businesses and individuals as they worked to realize their plan for diversification. “Neighboring businesses Keel & Curley Winery and The Wedding Retreat have been more than welcoming to our business,” said Lee. “Everyone on the staff of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association has assisted with agritourism guidance, while Fancy Farms, Spivey Farms, and Three Son Produce have been very kind sharing their experience with vendors and equipment challenges.” Among the individuals who helped the Gillman’s make The Farmhouse a reality are Florida State Representative Lawrence McClure, Brian Mayo, Gary Ford and Ricky and Marie Garrett. Staff members Twalla Mange and Melissa Evans have also been invaluable, and many family and friends including Lee’s mom Dorothy Clift, sister Amanda DeAndrea, and Dixie’s sisters Andi Hull and Shelly Allen have stepped in when extra hands were needed. Thanks, too, to Steve Gillman for renovating the building. “Kristi (Grooms) Barnes from Fancy Farms Market told us you need a village behind you to pull off this kind of venture. She was absolutely right!” said Dixie. The Farmhouse offers: • Fresh produce, including their own strawberries and strawberry onions • Fresh-baked strawberry shortcake, strawberry dessert pizzas and cookies • Soft-serve ice cream and milkshakes • Plants and herbs, including hanging strawberry baskets • Locally harvested honey and a wide range of jams, jellies and sauces • A variety of snacks, toys and gift items. The hours of operation are Monday – Saturday from 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., closed Sundays. The Farmhouse at Gillman Farms is located at 5617 Thonotosassa Road, Plant City. The telephone is 813.967.4146. Email: farmhousegf@gmail.com. You may also follow The Farmhouse at Gillman Farms on Facebook. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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