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Kathleen Par Pro Team 3rd in Nation by: Melissa Nichols Parliamentary Procedure is the event in the FFA that is claimed by many to be the hardest contest of all. It has been proclaimed the “Super Bowl LDE” by event coordinator, Dr. Daniel Foster. It consists of six person teams working together in a mock meeting. At the national level this year, there were 46 teams from across the United States and Puerto Rico. The team that represented Florida this year at the 91st National FFA Convention in Indianapolis was from the Kathleen Senior FFA Chapter. This is the second time that Kathleen Senior has made it to the national level for Parliamentary Procedure.
ing and the overall impression of the team. At the conclusion of the presentation, the judges ask each member of the team a set of oral questions. These oral questions are the same for each team and are similar to the written test from the day before, but are not multiple choice and are both asked and answered orally. The next set of questions are called clarification questions. These questions may include more general knowledge questions but are primarily used to answer any questions that may have arisen for the judges during the presentation.
The national Parliamentary Procedure LDE is a contest that has several components. Once teams arrived in Indianapolis the first thing that they did as part of the contest was the written test consisting first of 45 multiple choice test questions. These questions test the student’s knowledge of various parts of parliamentary law, based on the book Robert’s Rules of Order. Next, a student is given five quotes from the book. Their task with this part of the test is to find the exact location of each quote in Robert’s Rules of Order.
The final part of the contest was given after the preliminary round as well as the semifinals. Students were given a team activity in those two rounds. They were given background information of a situation that has arisen in a business meeting. Their task was to then answer questions, determining if several events in the meeting were parliamentary correct or incorrect. They had to use the book as a resource to cite one or more spots that answered the question, as well as paraphrase the information into their own words. This information was typed by the group after they collaborated together and answered the three parts of the activity.
Teams are placed into flights for their first round of competition based on their overall scores on the test. However, individuals are also given another incentive to do well on the exam. Any student that takes the exam is given free membership in the National Association of Parliamentarians until they are 30 years old. Any student that gets at least 40 of the 50 questions on the written test (an 80%) is awarded the status of being an Accredited Parliamentarian. Five of the students from Florida achieved that feat and are Accredited Parliamentarians. The other test that was given was a minutes test. The students were tasked with watching a video of a business meeting similar to their own presentations. They took notes of the meeting that included things such as the motions that were made, whether they passed or failed and the ultimate matters of business that were covered in this meeting. Then, they were given a multiple choice test covering some of the things that were done in the video. The next part of the contest involves each team conducting a mock business meeting in front of an audience that includes a panel of judges. Each member is given a card with a main motion and a list of other motions on them. The listed motions are the required motion that the members must make during the presentation, as well as an additional motion of their choice. Additionally, each member is required to debate a total of four times during the presentation. The judges allocate points for these debates, as well as the team’s ability to have a strong conclusion, the chairman’s ability to lead the meet-
After the conclusion of the contest, Kathleen Senior was named the third place team in the nation. This was the second time that the school finished third in the nation in this particular contest. The team members were Shelby Carlton, Maddie Dvorak, Amber Hanna, Autumn Jackson, Logan Jewell and Jacob Yelvington. Their coach was Mrs. Keitha Bennett. Each student took home a prize of $450 for their efforts in the event. Finishing third was a major accomplishment for this team considering one team member recently moved to North Carolina with his family and wasn’t available to practice with the team. Despite this challenge the students worked hard and proved that they are future agricultural leaders. Mrs. Bennett wanted to send a special thank you on behalf of the team to the Kathleen FFA Alumni and the Florida FFA Foundation for their financial contributions to make the trip to Indianapolis possible. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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In the preliminary round, there were a total of six flights with seven or eight teams per flight. Two teams from each flight advanced to the semifinals. In the semifinals, the same format was used. There were two flights with six teams per flight. The teams gave their presentation and answered their questions again, with the judges again being tasked with ranking the top two teams that move onto the final round. In the final round, there were only four teams remaining. This event was held in finals hall and was also broadcast both on television and online in a livestream.
CONTENTS
November 2017 VOL. 11 • ISSUE 3
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
24 John Small: Visionary Leadership
PAGE 10 Master Gardener
PAGE 33 FFA Federation
PAGE 12 Jack Payne
PAGE 34 Meet The Minks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 18 Robert Gukich, DVM
PAGE 38 Recipes
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 40 Activity
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 41 A Closer Look
PAGE 28 Endangered Species
PAGE 42 PCSO
PAGE 30 Olives
PAGE 45 PCCW
PAGE 32 Florida Citrus
Hey Readers!
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 and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. 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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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com
J. B. Wynn PO Box 197 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 581-3255 jbwynn29@gmail.com
Vice President – Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com
Alternate – Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail. com
Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Standing Committee Bunch Chairs: PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846 Membership- J.B. Wynn (863) 425-1121 Events- Kevin Fussell jbunch@agriumretail.com Trade Show- Bridget Stice State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch@verizon. net
Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 559-7808
Website – Adam Norman 2115 West Pipkin Rd Donald Conroy Lakeland, FL 33811 3882 Lake Buffum Rd East (863) 944-9293 Fort Meade, FL 33841 Adamnorman1977@gmail. (863) 412-0790 com risingc@verizon.net Cattlewomen – President, Mike Facente Megan Atkinson 4465 Poyner Oaks Rd N. 3970 Gerber Dairy Rd Polk City, FL 33868 Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 697-9419 (863) 559-1228 Megamess007@yahoo. L.B. Flanders, DVM com 944 Wedgewood Lane Lakeland, FL 33813 Extension – Bridget Stice (863) 644-5974 PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Kevin Fussell Bartow, FL 33831 4523 Fussell Rd (863) 519-1048 Polk City, FL 33868 bccarlis@ufl.edu (863) 412-5876 Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. Paul Mike Fussell Wright 4520 Barush Rd 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Bartow, FL 33830 Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 698-8314 (863) 557-1741 fussell.flafarm@gmail.com pw5281@polksheriff.org Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 33853 (863) 528-4567 Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 665-5088 cattlemenslivestock@ earthlink.net
Warner University – Dalton Bush 17 Skidmore Rd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 585-9530 Dalton.bush@warner.edu
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry Sales Manager Danny Crampton
Letter from the Editor Each year a day is set aside as a day of Thanksgiving. We focus on gratitude for one day a year. Why not try focusing on gratitude every day? If you focus on something it manifests more within your life. So when life gets you down, instead of thinking thoughts of gloom, steer your mind toward gratitude.
Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Taeler Dupre Chandler Workman
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry
Take time for kindness toward those closest to you. Extend a helping hand. Spend time with family, friends, or a neighbor.
Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Nick Chapman Taeler Dupre
“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” ― Germany Kent
Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks Breanne Williams
I get it. Sometimes it is difficult to find something to be thankful for. Try to step out of your current situation and find something, no matter how small, and be appreciative. Lighten your load, even if it’s just for a moment. If you can do this every day it will become a habit.
Fill your day with Thanksgiving one day a year, but don’t stop there. Find time the other 364 days for a little gratitude. You will be happier for it. What are you thankful for?
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Polk 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 Polk County Catllemen’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 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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Well here we are back on daylight savings time. But most of us know, that doesn’t really affect the cattleman or farmer. It’s 24/7 everyday of the week. And finally we have some cool weather, which most of us are kind of glad to see. I recently attended the National FFA Convention, held in Indianapolis, where the weather was in the upper 20s and low 30s. We don’t need anything like that here. It was great to see over 65,000 blue and gold FFA jackets, our future in Agriculture. I was very proud of my grandson, Cody Clark, who received his American FFA Degree, the highest degree the FFA gives out. 4-H and FFA are two great organizations. Get your kids or grandkids involved. They are our future in Agriculture. I hope everyone that attended our Fall meeting and dinner had a wonderful time. The ones that got some of our great door prizes, congratulations to you. I want to thank all our directors for going out and getting the prizes. Speaking of directors, here is our new Officers and Directors and Support personal, for the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association in 2018. President, Carlton Taylor, Vice President, Ray Clark, Treasurer, Justin Bunch, State Director, David McCullers, Events & Director, Kevin Fussell, JB Wynn, Mike Fussell, Moby Persing, Scott Shope, Ken Sherrouse, Dave Tomkow, Donald Conroy, and Fred Waters, Rodeo and Bridget Stice, Livestock , Extension Agent. Feel free, to call any of our Directors about any cattle questions. Still having calls about damage from hurricane Irma. Please call Marcenda Kessler at the Extension office in
Bartow. She has a deadline for support funding and has many appointments now so you need to call and set up a meeting time with her. Let me remind you there are many things that are covered by this government support and many things that are not covered. Marcenda does a great job so be patient with her. Many time lines are not set by her but by our government. Thank you,Marcenda for the job you do. In closing let me say it’s that time of year when the hay rolling and rye grass planting is going on. Always be safe with all the different types of equipment that you are using and make sure you helpers know what they are doing. If possible get your kids and grandkids involved, but be sure to go over safety with them. I hope all of you have a great Thanksgiving with your families. For all of you who will be in the woods hunting and enjoying the outdoors, be safe. This is a wonderful time of the year. Remember to thank God for all his blessing on us and that he continue to Bless us all. Almost forgot to remind you of our Winter FCA Quarterly meeting at the University of Florida, November 30 – December 1. Hope to see some of you there. If you need information contact Bridget Stice, Livestock Extension agent in Bartow. May our trails cross soon
Ray Clark
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Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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Master Gardeners
The Amazing Diversity of Plant Families By Debra Howell, Florida Master Gardener UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Through seven years of penning articles on garden-related subjects, one thing that has become apparent is the unusual diversity evident in certain plant families. One such interesting family is that of Bromeliaceae, or the bromeliad family. Other oddly diverse plant families worthy of further research are the Euphorbia family, which includes the lowly spurge weeds, but also claims the resplendent poinsettia. In addition, the Clerondendrum family, ranging from the tree-sized glory bower, with its abundant panicles of creamy white flowers and regal dark green and purple leaves, to the ever-creeping bleeding heart vine, which climbs to the top of your tree. This article will focus on the Bromeliaceae family, whose members include bromeliads, pineapples, tillandsia and Spanish moss. That is right – Spanish moss. Since Spanish moss always elicits the “aha” response from people making this discovery, we will begin with it. You may find this information in the UF/IFAS Extension fact sheet, CIR1466, entitled “Florida’s Native Bromeliads.” Many people firmly believe that Spanish moss is detrimental to the tree upon which it hangs. This is not the case. Spanish moss simply avails itself of an increasingly leafless environment resulting from the decline of the tree. The tree may be dying from root causes or internal rot, or even the presence of mistletoe, which is indeed a parasite. Spanish moss was used during the early 1900s, following a “ginning” process for mattresses and also car seats. This plant, also known as Tillandsia usneoides, or Dendropogon usneoides, boasts the widest geographical range of all bromeliads. It bears an aromatic green, long-lasting flower; then a half-inch long stick-like seed capsule around the month of April. Other tillandsias are known as air plants and are considered epiphytes, which absorb surface water and minerals.
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It is hard to believe that pineapples share a family with Spanish moss, but they do in spite of the lack of obvious similarities. Although a number of tillandsias are native to Florida, the pineapple originated in the Caribbean and in South and Central America where it is a major fresh fruit industry.
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Pineapples resemble ornamental bromeliads in some ways, like possessing leaves that appear similar. The leaves of both plant types are lance-shaped and may grow to in excess of five feet long. In the case of the pineapple leaves, they may bear thorny spines or may be smooth, depending upon the cultivar (variety) to which they belong. Of the 15 or so plants in my own landscape, about two-thirds of them have spines, while the rest are smooth. It is apparent the smooth ones are different types because the fruit size and pulp color, as well as flavor, are different from those of the thorny types. An interesting fact is that when the plant contains 70 or 80 leaves, then it will usually flower, with the flower (inflorescence) arising from the apical growth point. Because of the red-toned bracts at the base of the flower, this is referred to as the “red heart stage.” According to the UF/IFAS Extension fact sheet, HS7, Pineapple Growing in the Florida Home Landscape, “the fruit of the pineapple is called a seedless syncarp.” This fruit syncarp results from the fusion of individual flowers into a single fruit. When the fruit is ready to consume, the color of the fruit will change from green to yellow beginning at the base and then extending to the top. It is then ready to enjoy. After you harvest the fruit, it may be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week prior to use. This fruit is a wonderful source of vitamins A and C, as well as potassium. From initial planting to harvest, depending on the type of pineapple and cultural practices, will normally be from 18 to 24 months. Pineapples are drought tolerant, but benefit from watering for better production and growth. These plants like temperatures between 68° - 86° F. Plants should be planted between 12 to 36 inches apart, but if you provide wider spacing, you may get larger plants and fruits. They should be planted in full sun for optimum production. Choose the warmest site in your landscape that experiences no flooding. Bromeliaceae do not like “wet feet.” By mulching, you may retain moisture and reduce weeding maintenance. You may also use waterpermeable ground cloth as your mulching medium. Pineapple plants may produce one or two fruits before declining. The second fruit is referred to as a “ratoon.” The real stars of the Bromeliaceae family are the bromeliads themselves. With widely varying, brilliant foliage and spectacular flower bracts, these plants provide year-round eye candy in your yard. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Bromeliads are one of our “no-brainer” plants, being lowmaintenance and easy to cultivate. They are readily available in several types at your favorite garden center and provide instant gratification in the landscape. Their colorful bracts or flowers last for quite some time. Bromeliads do not like direct sun, but do well while receiving bright, diffused light, such as you would find in a window or on a porch or lanai. These beauties will let you know if they require water by the folding inward or curling their leaves. These are sub-tropical or tropical plants that appreciate our humid environment and are drought tolerant. However, if they receive too much water they will develop root rot and die. Since many bromeliads are “tank” types, you need to flush the center tanks out with water to prevent salt build-up when the water in these cup-like tanks evaporates. Bromeliads like porous growing surfaces and will readily climb the trunk of your oak tree. You may also attach them to a board or piece of bark. Pursuant to flowering, the bromeliad plant will die slowly in a year or so, but will produce pup plants at the base of the mother plant. You then need to remove these pups when about half the size of the mother plant. To remove the pups, just cut them off and place them in potting soil. While some types may take longer, the pups typically take about one year to mature. Bromeliads may experience mealybug, scale and Mexican bromeliad weevil. But their major pest issue is that they can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Frequent flushing or treatment is necessary to reduce mosquito populations.
The Bromeliaceae family, in their native habitats, are epiphytes which grow on trees, not harming the plants to which they attach. They draw nutrients, as well as moisture, from both the atmosphere and debris. They are interesting, lowmaintenance plants in a very diverse family which is worthy of research by the home gardener. Be sure to research the other afore-mentioned families of Euphorbia and Clerondendrum. There is a fascinating world of plant diversity out there waiting to be discovered by you! If you have questions regarding your landscape or becoming a Master Gardener, you may call your local Extension Service for help to find the answer. You can reach the UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Plant Clinic at 863-519-1041 or online at http://polkextension.com. The Plant Clinic is open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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The water-holding leaves (cups) of bromeliad plants may serve as home to mosquito larvae. There are several types of mosquitoes that can be found in bromeliads in Florida and you need to try to prevent these mosquitoes from inhabiting your bromeliads. There are several options you can choose from to do this. One is to remove the plants. The second one is to apply insecticide directly to the cups of the bromeliad as the package directs. The last choice is to use water to flush out the mosquitoes that may be living in the water-holding leaves. This needs to be done every three to seven days to be effective. The removal of mosquito eggs from the plant leaves will require directed water pressure to dislodge and move them out of the plant and into a dry area. If left alone, the mosquito larvae will end up as an adult mosquito, looking to feed on blood that could be you or your pet!
Maddie and Dr. M. K. Othman, Professor of Soil & Water Engineering, NAERLS, Ahmadu Bello University in Nigeria, at World Food Prize events in Des Moines, Iowa.
By Jack Payne Maddie Dvorak of Lakeland wants a University of Florida agriculture degree and then a farm job -- on K Street in Washington D.C. At 16, she sees her handshake and her message as the best tools she has to feed the world. We need a lot more like her. The talent pipeline for agriculture isn’t flowing quickly enough to keep pace with the rising challenge to produce more food on less land. It’s estimated that there are only 35,000 qualified graduates to fill nearly 58,000 U.S. jobs in agriculture and natural resources annually. That’s why it’s so important to expose Maddie and her peers to what those jobs are, the educational opportunities to prepare for them, and the professional network to put them on a career path. Maddie just got back from what is perhaps the world’s leading gathering of professionals focused on agriculture as a way to lift billions of people out of poverty. World Food Prize events in Des Moines, Iowa, included the three-day Global Youth Institute for Maddie, three other Florida high school students, and peers from around the world. Maddie earned the trip to Iowa on the strength of her presentation at the Florida Youth Institute (FYI) on the use of biotechnology as a tool to alleviate starvation in Tanzania. The subject matter prompted her to think globally, immerse herself in a complex topic, and to stand in front of an expert panel and defend her analysis. UF’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) runs FYI to encourage high school students to consider a career in feeding the world – and to consider CALS as a great place to prepare for that career. CALS Dean Elaine Turner supports FYI to help the state’s most promising students see how they can shape the future of agriculture in Florida and around the world. The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences and CALS hosted Maddie and 18 other students in Gainesville for a week this summer. Maddie, 16-year-old at Kathleen High School and dual enrolled at Polk State College, serves as Polk County Federation vice president and District VIII secretary for FFA. But she didn’t grow up on a farm. FYI gave Maddie her first indepth looks at an invasive plant center, a taste panel, a meat lab, and the springs in a state park.
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She visited a UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences demonstration farm. She was given the chance to eat chipotle chocolate-covered crickets as part of a discussion on
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bugs as food. She also met Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick and Farm Bureau general counsel Staci Sims, who are among the state’s most influential agricultural leaders. The chance to learn from people who lead an organization that advocates for farmers reinforced Maddie’s interest in a career as an agriculture lobbyist. It also strengthened her interest in majoring in agricultural education and communication if she’s admitted to CALS in 2019.
Their job is to produce food. My job is to protect their jobs. ~ Maddie Dvorak Our budding leaders benefit from seeing a broad scope of career opportunities in agriculture. For Maddie, that meant deepening her understanding of how helping craft public policy is every bit the agriculture job that driving a tractor is. Every industry needs a talent pipeline for its long-term success. Agriculture is different, though. Feeding the world is sometimes a matter of life and death. It’s a national security issue because of correlations between food scarcity and civil unrest. It’s going to take the best and brightest to keep America feeding a growing global population, even as so many American farms are turning into subdivisions. We need scientists whose discoveries improve farming and policy makers with ideas to overcome obstacles on the path from farm to fork. There’s a compelling public interest for a public land-grant university to reach down into the high school ranks to start developing talent. It supports the future of the state’s second-largest industry after tourism. Agriculture and natural resources keep more than two million Floridians employed. I can’t say it better than Maddie: “Their job is to produce food. My job is to protect their Jack Payne is jobs.” the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. jackpayne@ufl.edu • @JackPayneIFAS WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Its Read Everywhere!
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Billy Garren was reading In The Field at the 2017 Albuquerque NM International Balloon Fiesta in October.
FISHING TAMPA BAY NOVEMBER 2017 by Capt. Woody Gore
Snook: A falling tide and a livewell full of whitebait, to chum with, certainly will draw the snook out of the mangroves. But don’t be surprised if you don’t drag a redfish or gator trout out with them. Always be prepared especially if you’re looking to snag that snook of a lifetime because there’s a good chance she might be the next one that grabs your bait. If you’re in for something non-natural, tie on an artificial lure like the world famous MirrOlure Top Dog Jr.) and rattle it across a broken bottom grass flat using some walk-the-dog action. The anticipation of a snook or redfish strike is almost more than a common angler can stand. And when that long expected strike happens, you think your heart is going to stop. Remember this time of year the big snook are females and probably full of eggs so handle with care. Snap a quick photo, get her back in the water and revive her slowly, or better yet don’t even lift them out of the water. Kingfish/Mackerel: For those who love drag screaming hit and run action fishing, this is the time of year. If Spanish mackerel and kingfish are your thing, fishing is sure to pick up as water temps come down. Anchor up and chum, or slow troll live baits or spoons along the beaches and hardbottoms close to shore, for fast hard hitting action. There are some resident fish, but most being pelagic giants are following the baitfish schools north in spring and south in fall. Spanish mackerel: There are some big mackerel around Tampa Bay and these fish are huge. When getting to this size, they have tremendous speed, power and endurance. Mackerel are also good table fare. For those you keep, bleed them and get them on ice quickly. I put mine in a large heavy duty trash bag before putting them in my cooler; it keeps the cooler cleaner. At the cleaning table, fillet them and remove the skin and bloodline for frying or fillet them and leave the skin on for smoking.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Redfish: Redfish are everywhere in the bay. But if you’re having difficulty finding them, I’ll mention it once again. Simply locate and fish in the middle of a school of large mullet. The redfish bite has been a good on live, dead and artificial baits. Every part of the Tampa Bay seems to hold a few schools. Daiichi Bleeding Bait Circle Wide Gap Saltwater Circle Hooks seem to be the bait of choice as well as WWW.IINNT THE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
Legal Notice
Current and Former Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers in the Southeast and Their Family Members or Representatives Could Get Money From a $24 Million Settlement
threadfin herring, broken large greenbacks, cut pinfish, cut ladyfish, cut mullet. Spotted Sea Trout: The big gator trout have started showing up on Tampa Bay grass flats. Look for a good broken bottom grass flat with plenty of potholes. And start by working the edges of as many potholes as possible. You’re sure to find some worthwhile fish. Trout are a good species to work your artificial skills on because they are not too picky when it comes to food. One good artificial is a Gulp or DOA shrimp under a popping cork. Hook the shrimp just like you would a live one, through the carapace on the head then cast out and pop the cork. The popping sound draws the trout’s attention and you are sure to hook up. Trout no longer have a closed season, so only take what you plan on eating for supper because they do not freeze well. Remember they are a fragile species and have a protective slime coat, so please use a de-hooker and not your hands or a net for the ones you release.
A $24 million Settlement has been reached with U.S. Tobacco Cooperative, Inc. (“U.S. Tobacco”), formerly known as FlueCured Tobacco Cooperative Stabilization Corporation, to resolve claims made by current and former U.S. Tobacco members over reserve funds. Tobacco growers across North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama who were or are members of U.S. Tobacco, as well as their heirs or representatives, are eligible for a payment from the Settlement. The Settlement stems from a lawsuit that claims U.S. Tobacco: (1) accumulated funds over the years through members who may now claim portions of those funds and (2) no longer served its purpose once the Tobacco Price Support Program ended. Although U.S. Tobacco denies these claims and that it is required to distribute any money, it has agreed to do so in this Settlement. You may have seen information about the Lewis/Fisher Lawsuit in the North Carolina Superior Court that was certified as a class action. You can submit a claim even if you are a class member in the Lewis/Fisher Lawsuit. This Settlement will not become effective, and claims will not be paid, until the class claims in the Lewis/Fisher Lawsuit are discontinued or dismissed. Am I Included? You may be included in this Settlement if you are an individual or business that is or was a shareholder or member of U.S. Tobacco from June 1, 1946, through the date the Settlement goes into effect, or an heir or legal representative. An heir in this case is a person who received (or inherited) a share of a former shareholder’s stake or member’s membership in U.S. Tobacco. A legal representative is a person who legally acts for or on behalf of the shareholder or member. How Can I Get a Payment? You must submit a Claim Form online or by mail by May 26, 2018. The payment amount will be based on the total pounds of flue-cured tobacco you marketed and sold and/or the total number of crop years you marketed and sold flue-cured tobacco, relative to all members who submit a claim.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
The Court will hold a hearing on January 19, 2018, to consider whether to approve the Settlement. Attorneys representing the Class will request up to $2 million to be paid out of the $24 million Settlement Fund to pay attorneys’ fees and expenses and incentive payments to the individuals (i.e. class representatives) who brought the case and helped negotiate the Settlement. You and your own lawyer can appear and speak at the hearing, but you do not have to.
For More Information and a Claim Form: 1-866-458-3207 www.FlueCuredTobaccoSettlement.com IINNTTHE HEFFIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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Your Other Options If you do not want to be legally bound by the Settlement, you can exclude yourself from the Settlement by December 20, 2017. If you do not exclude yourself, you may object to the Settlement by December 20, 2017.
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Robert Gukich, DVM, Awarded Excellence in Preventive Medicine-Beef from Boehringer Ingelheim The American Association of Bovine Practitioners (AABP) at their annual convention in Omaha, Nebraska presented Dr. Robert Gukich the Boehringer Ingelheim Excellence in Preventive MedicineBeef award on Saturday, September 16, 2017, in recognition of his outstanding performance and contribution to veterinary medicine.
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As part of the award, BI will also donate $1,500 toward student scholarships to a veterinarian college of Gukich’s choice, which was Auburn University.
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Dr. Gukich founded Lake Wales Large Animal Services, which focuses on bovine and equine species. His practice serves cattlemen who own over 50,000 brood cows, and most of his clients started with him over 40 years ago. Gukich’s cattle clients are among the “Who’s Who” in the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association. As a founding member of Florida Cattle Ranchers, LLC, Gukich raises freshfrom-Florida beef. In March of 2017, the first FCR beef that was born, raised, and fed in Florida was sold in local grocery stores throughout the state. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
“We at Boehringer Ingelheim are proud to once again sponsor the Preventive Medicine Awards,” says Dr. Andy Bennett, Dairy Professional Services Veterinarian at Boehringer Ingelheim. “Dr. Gukich is a great asset to the industry and is very deserving of this award.” Gukich,who was born and raised in Lake Wales, Florida, earned an associate’s degree from Alabama’s Marion Military Institute. He then continued his education at Auburn University, earning a bachelor’s in animal science in 1972 and his DVM from Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine in 1976. Following graduation, he started and developed Lake Wales Veterinary Hospital, which expanded into a six-man, mixed-animal practice. After 25 years, Gukich sold his interest in the practice to focus on bovine and equine species as the owner of Lake Wales Large Animal Services. At this time, Gukich began building his own herd by leasing a local ranch and purchasing 500 head of cattle. The G7 ranch, named for himself, his wife Doris, and their five daughters, now retains over 1,300 head of cattle on 6,500 acres and is a contributor to and supporter of the FCR beef industry. Gukich also oversees a second property, a 4,000-acre ranch in South Florida, purchased
by his grandfather in 1947. That ranch has been designated as a Florida Panther Mitigation Bank through the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. “The focus of his practice has always been preventive medicine,” shares Dr. John Crews, Associate Professor of Agricultural Studies at Warner University and Gukich’s current research partner, who served as director of Florida’s diagnostic labs as well as district veterinarian for 16 years. “Long before computer days, he meticulously wrote out detailed herd health plans for his clients, not just relying on them hearing it while he performed routine pregnancy exams and BSE’s in their cow pens. To his clients he is most often referred to as “Doc.” Gukich has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. to serve on drug advisory councils with nationally recognized pharmaceutical corporations. He has hosted numerous client educational meetings and has appeared on RFD channel’s “Cattlemen to Cattlemen” program as a featured guest to explain animal vaccines and vaccination protocol. Gukich is a long-standing member of the AABP as well as the Society for Theriogenology, AAEP, AVMA, Florida Veterinary Medical Association, and the Academy of Veterinary Consultants.
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The state with highest percentage of people who walk to work is Alaska. The city with most Rolls Royce’s per capita is Hong Kong. The Hawaiian alphabet has 13 letters. Jean Harlow was the first actress to appear on the cover of Life magazine. Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming 1/10 of a calorie. A rhinoceros’s horn is made of hair. Money is made of woven linen, not paper. Cleopatra used pomegranate seeds for lipstick. Armadillos are the only animals besides humans that can get leprosy. The seven rays on the crown of the Statue of Liberty represent the seven continents; each measures up to 9 feet in length and weighs as much as 150 pounds. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is the mostvisited museum in the U.S. There are 182 places in the U.S. that have the word “Christmas” in their names.
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Old Sayings I remember while growing up my mother would use all sorts of sayings like, Dirt Poor, Saved by the Bell and He’s a Dead Ringer and many others. Remembering those days I decided to do some checking and find out how those sayings started. In the good old days they cooked in the kitchen with a big kettle that always hung over the fire. Every day they lit the fire and added things to the pot. They ate mostly vegetables and did not get much meat. People would eat the stew for dinner, leaving leftovers in the pot to get cold overnight and then start over the next day. Sometimes the stew had food that had been there for quite a while. Hence the rhyme: “Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot nine days old.” Sometimes they could obtain pork, which made them feel quite special. When visitors came over, they would hang up their bacon to show off. It was a sign of wealth that a man could, “bring home the bacon.” They would cut off a little to share with guests and would all sit around and chew the fat. Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous. Bread was divided according to status. Workers got the burnt bottom of the loaf, the family got the middle, and guests got the top, or the upper crust.
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Lead cups were used to drink ale or whisky. The combination would sometimes knock the drinkers out for a couple of days. Someone walking along the road would take them for dead and prepare them for burial. They were laid
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out on the kitchen table for a couple of days and the family would gather around and eat and drink and wait and see if they would wake up. Hence the custom “of holding a wake.” England is old and small and the local folks started running out of places to bury people. So they would dig up coffins, take the bones to a bone-house and reuse the grave. When reopening these coffins, one out of 25 coffins were found to have scratch marks on the inside and they realized they had been burying people alive. So they would tie a string on the wrist of the corpse, lead it through the coffin and up through the ground and tie it to a bell. Someone would have to sit out in the graveyard all night (the graveyard shift) to listen for the bell, thus someone could be “saved by the bell” or was considered a “dead ringer.” Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May and they still smelled pretty good by June. However, since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the privilege of the nice clean water, then all the other sons and men, then the women and finally the children, last of all were the babies. By then the water was so dirty you could actually lose someone in it. Hence the saying, “Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water!” Houses had thatched roofs, thick straw-piled high, with no wood underneath. It was the only place for animals to get warm, so all the cats and other small animals (mice, bugs) lived in the roof. When it rained it became slippery and sometimes the animals would slip
and fall off the roof. Hence the saying, “It’s raining cats and dogs.” There was nothing to stop things from falling into the house. This posed a real problem in the bedroom where bugs and other droppings could mess up your nice clean bed. So, a bed with big posts and a sheet hung over the top afforded some protection. That’s how canopy beds came into existence. Back in the 1500s and maybe even before then, some people could afford to sleep on wooden framed beds so they were off of the floor. These frames had heavy ropes tied from side to side that supported the mattress. Over time the ropes would stretch so they’d have to tighten them. Hence the saying, “Sleep tight.” Later added to that was: “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” The floor was dirt. Only the wealthy had something other than dirt. Hence the saying, “Dirt poor.” The wealthy had slate floors that would get slippery in the winter when wet, so they spread thresh (straw) on floor to help keep their footing. As the winter wore on, they added more thresh until, when you opened the door, It would all start slipping outside. A piece of wood was placed in the entrance. Hence: a thresh hold. There is an old Hotel/Pub in Marble Arch, London that used to have gallows adjacent to it. Prisoners were taken to the gallows (after a fair trial of course) to be hung. The horse drawn dray, carting the prisoner, was accompanied by an armed guard, who would stop the dray outside the pub and ask the prisoner if he would like “one last drink.” If he said YES it was referred to as “One for the Road.” If he declined, that prisoner was On the Wagon.
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From our family to yours, wishing you a
Happy Thanksgiving
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Septic
John Small: Visionary Leadership By Leslie Buchanon
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Visionaries. They’re the ones at the forefront of every great endeavor. They have the ability to see the future and share it with others in stunning detail. They’re the “idea” people. They display an unwavering character and belief in their mission. To them, a handshake is their word and bond. Throughout history, many great leaders have been referred to as visionaries, such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, Susan B. Anthony, Ghandi, Walt Disney, and even Henry Ford, just to name a few. Modern day visionaries are all around us each and every day. While they’re not as well known as the
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visionaries previously mentioned, their impact on the world around them is no less important. This month we introduce you to a visionary who has used his passion and leadership in the field of education to expand educational and career opportunities for students in Polk County, Mr. John Small. Born the son of a military father, John Small entered the world in Germany. As is true with most military families, he and his family moved frequently until settling in a small community outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
where he received his formal education and graduated from high school. During his time in high school John attended agriculture classes and was an FFA member his 10th grade year. He also participated in the Residential Electrician program offered through the agriculture program at his high school, and after school he worked on local farms planting and harvesting Christmas trees and working in coal mine reclamation. Throughout his high school career John raised hogs at home and each year entered zucchini in the Cookport Fair. Little did he realize at the time, these experiences developed and fostered the skills, knowledge, and passion he would need to eventually change the future for many young people. After his high school graduation, John attended The California University of Pennsylvania where he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Educational/Industrial Technology in 1985. Due to the lack of availability of local teaching positions, John was forced to look outside of his home state for employment. His desire to become a teacher brought him to Bartow in 1986 where he accepted a position as a Drafting/Industrial Arts teacher at Bartow High School. He would remain in this position until 1990 when he left to serve as Dean for the Lake Alfred Career Development Center from 1990-1992, and then Assistant Principal from 1992-1993. Simultaneously, in 1992 he went on to earn a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Meanwhile, he transferred to Bartow Middle School where he served as Assistant Principal until 1995. His experiences up until this point allowed him the opportunity to become appointed as the Assistant Principal at Lakeland Middle Academy in 1995, where he would remain until 1997. In 1997 John accepted a position as Assistant Director at Traviss Career Center and continued in this position until 2001. Through his vision of higher education and career opportunities for all students, Mr. Small left Polk County Schools and started the Polk State Collegiate High School in 2001 where he served as Dean of Secondary Education on the Lakeland Campus until 2006. The Polk State Collegiate High School program
In order to continue to develop his vision, John returned to Polk County Schools in 2006 and became the Senior Director of Workforce Education and eventually the Assistant Superintendent of Multiple Pathways in Education. Under Mr. Small’s leadership many career academies were born, including the Central Florida Aerospace Academy. Career academies are described as, “small, personalized learning communities within a high school.” Students are able to apply voluntarily to these academies where they receive career training from staff teams that offer rigorous and relevant programs of study. These programs are supported by a local advisory committee and are centered around a theme that includes either college prep and/or industry certification, all while fostering relationships with the community and local businesses. Workforce Education programs include career academies with an emphasis on aviation, agriculture and natural resources, business, health sciences, technology, marketing, and public service, just to name a few. Throughout his time at Polk County Schools, Mr. David Byrd worked very closely with John, with a particular focus and emphasis on the agriscience programs in the county. Mr. Byrd explains, “John Small is a great guy to work with. He is a thinker, an innovator, a visionary. He sees ideas and possibilities and puts them into practice. He is a great supervisor. He doesn’t micro-manage. He allows his employees to add input and creativity. John developed innovative schools like Polk State Collegiate High School and the Central Florida Aerospace Academy. In addition, he impleContinued on Page 42 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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is a highly sought after educational program for high school juniors and seniors in Polk County. According to the Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School website, “The purpose of the school is to provide academic and technical education for serious high school junior and senior students who desire to undertake collegelevel study. The two-year curriculum enables students to complete a high school diploma and many of the requirements for an associate degree, simultaneously, in either academic transfer or technical education options.”
By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida We hope you are as excited as we are to jump aboard the Literary Time Machine this month. As you well know, the thought of new learning is always a catalyst for further investigation each time we travel to the mid-1920s via Mr. Torrey Simpson’s creative explanations of the ornamental plant life that existed during that time. Exotic ornamental trees are the continued focus this month. The first tree on our list includes its own unique way to ornament the body. The Adenanthera pavonina, also known as a Circassian bean, Mr. Torrey Simpson writes, is “A large tree with pinnate leaves from India which bears long, twisted pods filled with lenticular brilliant red seeds. These are used for various purposes in their native land and among others are eaten for food…they may easily be strung by pushing a darning needle through them. They make beautiful necklaces which never fade or shrink.”¹ We imagine that plenty of children have enjoyed that aspect of these exotic trees. Of course, it was a little further into our reading when we noted something he called, “Woman’s tongue.”¹ Assuming that this might have a derogatory meaning, given how much women are derided for their ability to speak at length, this tree (Albizia) caught our attention. Not surprisingly, he tells a story about this tree that can be found from Persia to Japan, a tree that he refers to as “noble.”¹ He writes: A large, beautiful specimen stood near my home in the City of Washington which was badly injured during a severe freeze in 1898 when the mercury went down to seventeen below zero and it eventually died from the effects of it. It is cultivated in northern Florida and Mr. C. E. Pleas has informed me that it is naturalized around Chipley.¹
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Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of this statement is the fact that he said he lived in the “City of Washington.”¹ Does he mean Washington, DC? When did it get that name? And, how bad was the freeze of 1898? We suppose it’s time for a
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Part 38
history lesson. Apparently, Washington, DC was so named in 1790 and then was almost totally decimated during the War of 1812. And, in 1847, some Virginia residents took back parts of the city they had initially handed over due to a spat about being left out of the development that took place on “the other side of the river.”² We’re not certain when people stopped calling it the City of Washington, or Washington City. Sorry, but you’re more than welcome to see what you can find and let us know! After a little more investigation, we discovered that in Florida, the Freeze of 1898 created a 60-degree temperature plummet. Temperatures went from 78˚ to 18˚.³ In Washington that would have been all the more drastic a drop. There’s no wonder the Woman’s tongue nearby Mr. Torrey Simpson’s home was killed due to that freeze. Oh, and by the way, according to UF, this is an invasive species introduced to Florida in 1883.⁴ Perhaps it’s not so noble after all. The final tree mentioned on our current voyage is Aleurites, also referred to as the Candlenut or wood oil tree. Torrey Simpson explains, “A. moluccana, the Candlenut, is a native of the Moluccas but it has run wild in many parts of the tropics. Although it is quite tender here it grows rapidly and soon becomes a large tree that blooms and bears two or three times a year.”¹ We had to stop and wonder where the Moluccas are? Encyclopedia Britannica gave us the answer. The Moluccas are the Spice Islands, or Indonesia’s Maluku. They are mountainous islands that receive 80-150 inches of rain each year. There are quite a few species that are unique to that region. And, dozens of different languages are spoken there.⁵ They sound like there’s a lot to learn about them and we welcome you to continue your exploration via the link at the bottom.
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That explained, Mr. Torrey Simpson continues, “Just before blooming the leaves under the blossom buds begin to be covered with a beautiful silvery scurf and this added to the large heads of small white flowers give the trees at this time a fine appearance…It is believed that with careful selection a fine, edible nut may be raised from this tree in Lower Florida where it seems to be entirely free from any poisonous qualities that have been claimed for it in other places.”¹ We don’t know about you, but if other places, that are perhaps more familiar with this tree, claim it has poisonous qualities, we’re not too keen on giving that “edible nut”¹ a try. But, just to ensure you don’t try it, we looked it up and discovered that it’s used as a poison in Haiti and Turkey. It’s known to give you diarrhea. However, there seems to be a good deal of benefits from it as well. So, the choice and risk, are up to you!⁶ Thanks for traveling with us this month. Keep your eyes open for exotic and invasive plants, especially those that can serve multiple purposes like some of those we looked at today. Until next time, happy gardening! Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 144-145). ²Washington DC. The History of Washington, DC. https://washington.org/DC-information/washington-dc-history ³Bowden, D. (2014). Florida’s Worst Freezes. Volusia HistoryRetracing Florida’s Past. http://www.floridahistorynetwork. com/blog---floridas-worst-freezes.html ⁴UF/IFAS Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Albizia lebbeck. https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/albizia-lebbeck/ ⁵Encyclopedia Britannica. Moluccas. Islands, Indonesia. https:// www.britannica.com/place/Moluccas ⁶Earth Medicine Institute. Aleurites moluccana. http://earthmedicineinstitute.com/more/library/medicinal-plants/aleurites-moluccana/ Photo Credits: Forest and Kim Starr. Aleurites moluccana fruit and leaves. (2007). https://flic.kr/p/DmduTv Martin LaBar. Albizia julibrissin. Flower. https://flic.kr/p/6YDjX7 Ventilago. Adenanthera pavonina. Seed pods and seeds. https://flic.kr/p/nUwPKR INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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No Exception: The Plight of the Amorpha crenulata By: Ginny Mink
Each month we look at species in Florida that are on the endangered or threatened list. In most instances, we invest our time considering animal life, but this month we are going to look at a plant. The reason we chose this one out of the list of others, is the fact that it’s known as the crenulate lead-plant. While that might not sound intriguing to you, we had to wonder if it had anything to do with that dreaded malady: lead poisoning. We ascertained that if indeed it had any connection, or similar qualities, we would be less enthusiastic about encouraging you to contribute to its livelihood in whatever way you could. Such is not the case. This plant, Amorpha crenulata, was added to the federally endangered list on July 18, 1985. At the time of our research, it has only been located in eight areas. Four of those are parks owned by the Miami-Dade County Parks Department. Another area is on a right of way of the Bird Road Railway, and the other three spots are found in the Snapper Creek Rd/Old Cutler Road, 8th Street and Red Road, and Schoolhouse Road areas. All of which are in the Miami-Dade County region.¹ If you’ve followed this series for any length of time, you are aware of our affinity for species that are endemic to Florida and Florida alone.¹ Thusly, when we encountered an article published in 2012 that mentioned that there are only 200 mature correlate lead-plants alive in the state, it’s easy to see why we took an interest. And, though these plants were studied for a period of more than two years, no seedlings were observed and the plants didn’t show much growth or hope.² To take the severity of the issue of their preservation to the next level, their habitat, pine rockland, has been considered “globally imperiled.”³ This declaration is based solely on the rarity and potential for extinction found in the plants and animals that call this habitat home. In fact, only two percent of the historic 185,00 acres of pine rocklands exists at the present time.³ And, since there doesn’t seem to be any correlation between the correlate lead-plant and lead-poisoning, it’s safe to say we should do something for this rare plant.³
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Should you decide to go exploring for the correlate leadplant the next time you’re in the Miami-Dade area, you’ll need to know how to recognize it. These plants can grow to a height of about five feet and have red or purple branches with 25-33 leaflets. The leaflets are green or grey and are dotted on their undersides. There are loosely clustered flowers that are considered a “showy white,” and the fruit is dotted on the upper two-thirds of its laterally compressed shape.¹
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Don’t get too enthusiastic about actually discovering any on a relaxing vacation in that locale though. This is because they are only known to exist within a 20 square mile vicinity between Kendall and Coral Gables. That means they are only in a 5 x 12 mile area going east to west and north to south respectively.¹ Their biggest threats are habitat alteration. Shockingly, over the last 50 years, Florida has seen eight million acres of wetlands and forests cleared to make room for its increasing population needs. Agricultural and urban development in this plant’s native area have aided in the elimination of the correlate lead-plant’s range. It’s quite possible that nearly 99 percent of the pine rocklands in the Miami-Dade sphere have been destroyed. Of course, there’s also the issue of non-native exotic plants invading the area and fire suppression processes.² This plant has been included on the Multi-Species Recovery Plan designed specifically for South Florida. There are seed samples stored in the National Seed Storage Laboratory located in Colorado at Fort Collins and there are numerous programs installed to aid in restoration and reintroduction of rock pineland habitat. Sadly, they are not certain that the success of these concepts will be long-lived due to how restricted these plants are.² Controlling exotic species is a key factor to these endeavors.¹ Bees and other pollinating insects find the correlate-lead plant advantageous to their own survival. And, since most of us realize the value of these creatures, it should be easy to ascertain why preservation of the Amorpha crenulata is a worthy cause. Besides the sheer fact that as stewards of this Earth, granted by the Creator, we should do all that we can to preserve His design. This plant is no exception. Resources: ¹U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services. Crenulate Lead-plant. Amorpha crenulata. https://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/ Crenulate.pdf ²Red List. Amorpha crenulata. http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19893100/0 ³Fairchild Garden. (2016). The Connect to Protect Network: Pine Rockland Fact Sheet. http://www.fairchildgarden.org/portals/0/consteam/pine%20rockland%20factsheet%202016b. pdf?ver=2016-07-19-212801-240 Photo Credits: Scott Zona. Amorpha herbacea var. crenulate 1. Flowering Crenulate Lead-Plant. https://flic.kr/p/9UpPeG WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Florida
Olives
By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Olives are native to the Mediterranean, Asia, and Africa, but did you know that Florida is also a producer of olives? According to the American Olive Oil Producers Association, olive oil in the United States is produced in California, Arizona, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Oregon and Hawaii. The U.S. consumes 80 million gallons of olive oil each year, second only to Europe. Over 98% of the olive oil consumed in the U.S. is imported. Olive trees have grown in Florida’s climate for many years, but is being considered as a commercial crop in more recent years. In Florida, olive trees first produce white flowers around April to May, and are ready for harvesting in the fall months. Olives start out as green and turn black as they ripen, although some varieties stay green. Olive trees can live up to thousands of years. Planting more than one olive tree near another may increase fruit production. There are hundreds of different cultivars of olives and some are better for eating while others are better for being pressed into olive oil. Although olives are often thought of as vegetables, since they are eaten on pizza, in salads, and meat dishes, olives are actually a type of fruit called drupes. Drupes, which include mango, cherry, nectarine, peach, plum, and pistachio, are characterized by having a pit at the core, surrounded by the flesh of the fruit, the pericarp. Most olives are bitter when they come straight off the tree, so they are treated first with brine, salt, or lye to make them more palatable.
NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Fresh Florida olives and olive oil are famous for their health benefits and are especially rich in heart-healthy monounsaturated fats. Diets that are high in olives, such as the Mediterranean diet, are linked with better heart health and overall lower risk of death from all causes. Virgin olive oil is produced by crushing fresh olives, then extracting the oil without the use of heat or chemicals. This type has the best flavor and the most antioxidant compounds. According to the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one cup of sliced canned olives (134 g) contains 155 calories, 1 g protein, 14 g fat, 8 g carbohydrate, and 4 g of dietary fiber. It also provides 38% of the Daily Recommended Value (%DV) for copper, 25% for iron, 17% for fiber, 15% for vitamin E, 12% for calcium, and plentiful amounts of other valuable nutrients.
HEALTH BENEFITS Heart Health
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Olives are very rich in the type of fat that is good for cardiovascular health, oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fat. They also contain a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Diets high in monounsaturated fats are linked with lower total cholesterol, and lower LDL (“bad” cholesterol), the type of cholesterol linked with heart disease, stroke, and atherosclerosis. Although dietary fat was once shunned as being unhealthy,
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newer research points to many health benefits of some types of fat, particularly the monounsaturated kind.
Antioxidants Olives are also full of phytonutrients that function as antioxidants, which prevents our cells from oxygen damage. They also contain vitamin E, selenium, and zinc, which also function as antioxidants. Oleuropein is an antioxidant unique to olives and powerful in its ability to fight disease. It decreases LDL cholesterol and helps protect nerve cells from oxidative stress.
Anti-inflammatory benefits Phytonutrients act as antioxidants, as well as natural anti-inflammatories. Lower inflammation levels is linked with better cardiovascular health. Olives have been shown to lower levels of C-reactive protein in the blood, a compound that is used to measure general inflammation in the body. Additionally, lower oxidative stress and lower inflammation levels are linked with lower risk for cancer, particularly breast and stomach cancer.
How to Select and Store Olives are widely available in grocery stores in jars, cans, and sometimes on the salad bar or olive bar. They can be purchased whole, sliced, pitted, or stuffed with peppers or almonds. Different types vary in color and size. Choose olives that are firm, shiny and plump and avoid those that look wilted or mushy.
How to enjoy Many people enjoy olives straight out of the jar or can. They can be placed in an antipasto plate along with cheeses and meats, or used as a pizza topping. Other ways to enjoy olives include: • Place olives in a food processor with olive oil and garlic to make olive tapenade, which you can use as a dip or topping. • Chop whole pitted olives and toss with pasta along with tomatoes, garlic, and olive oil. • Marinate olives in olive oil, lemon zest, coriander seeds and cumin seeds. • Add chopped olives to your favorite tuna or chicken salad recipe, or use as a salad topper. • Chop finely and add to your favorite salsa. • Olive oil can be used in place of butter in baked goods, such as cakes or cookies. Enjoy delicious Florida olives and olive oil today. With its mellow taste and versatility, you’ll be doing your taste buds and your heart a big favor!
SELECTED REFERENCES http://www.whfoods.com/ http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/ olives.html WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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FLORIDA’S
INDUSTRY JUST CAN’T SEEM TO GET A BREAK
By Jim Frankowiak
Florida’s citrus growers initially thought this year would mark the turnaround of an industry hit hard over the last 10 years by huanglongbing (HLB) also known as citrus greening. But, then came Hurricane Irma shortly before harvesting was to begin. The largest and most powerful hurricane ever recorded on the Atlantic Ocean, Hurricane Irma is among the strongest hurricanes ever to make direct landfall in the United States, bringing hurricane and tropical storm conditions to every county in Florida. Florida agriculture was not spared. Initial impact estimates developed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) projected total losses to production agriculture in the state at more than $2.5 billion with citrus hardest hit. Total losses, including crop losses for Florida’s signature citrus crop, exceed $760,800,000. The state’s citrus industry is facing its lowest orange yield in 75 years, a marked departure from estimates provided before Hurricane Irma arrived. Nearly 60 percent of all citrus in the U.S. comes from Florida with annual sales totaling $1 billion, but that will not be the case this year. Prior to Hurricane Irma, forecasts projected yields of up to 75 million boxes, the first increase in production over the last five years. Early estimates from Florida Citrus Mutual set the yield after Irma at 31 million 90-pound boxes. That was countered by an estimate of 54-million boxes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture shortly after Hurricane Irma hit. That estimate’s reliability was questioned by FDACS officials and the industry who wanted that estimate held until more data could have been collected to more fully and accurately assess the damage brought by Hurricane Irma.
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Regardless, the industry is fast-approaching the lowest yield year ever in Florida at 27,200 million boxes in 1942. Overall, the industry in Florida has seen a 70 percent decline in citrus production since 2003 as a result of citrus
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greening and four hurricanes during the 2003-2004 season. There is optimism, however, from the industry based upon hoped for federal recovery assistance. Florida Governor Rick Scott and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam asked for $2.5 billion to be added to the $36 billion disaster relief package that was set for approval by Congress. Scott and Putnam met with Florida’s congressional delegation in Washington, D.C. to discuss agricultural damage in the state caused by Hurricane Irma and to request federal assistance. Unfortunately, that legislation moved forward without additional support for Florida agriculture. “While I’m disappointed in the lack of support for Florida agriculture in this current legislation, I’m hopeful that the commitment to an additional emergency funding measure next month (November) comes to fruition so Florida agriculture can recover,” said Commission Putnam in response to the just- passed legislation. In the meantime, Florida officials anticipate oranges imported to Florida are expected to surpass those grown in the state. Specifically, 59.3 million boxes of oranges are projected to come from Florida this season, while 65 million boxes will be imported. Forty-four percent of imported oranges come from Brazil with the balance from Mexico, Costa Rica and Belize. The Florida Citrus Commission approved an adjusted $17.8 million budget that reflects an increase in imports that will cover crops lost due to the impact of Hurricane Irma. These revenues come from a tax on each box of citrus. That is a slight increase in revenues due to the increase in anticipated imported oranges this season. Despite these setbacks, Florida’s citrus industry is confident that it will be able to recover going forward thanks to ongoing support from Governor Scott, Commissioner Putnam and the state’s Congressional delegation, as well as producers committed to rebounding. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
By Ciyla Strickland By Ciyla Strickland
Polk County FFA Federation
When I was little I was always taught to “find a passion and spark something great within that passion.” These were the words of my grandma, my nana, my best friend. When I found my passion, I decided I would do any, and everything I could do to set a spark to start something great. Now, at 17, I know I have made a difference in the organization that helped me strike a spark. My name is Ciyla Strickland. I am a senior at Winter Haven High where I serve as the Student Advisor. This year I have the privilege to serve as the reporter on the Polk County FFA Federation. I found a passion within the FFA. This is truly shown with the steps I have taken to further agricultural education to our elementary students. I hope to one day become an agricultural educator, to ensure our future is bright. As for today’s promise of a bright future, we can assume that Mulberry High freshman, Kaylin Sturgis will do whatever it takes to ensure that future of agriculture is bright for their generation. After her recent win at the Polk County Creed contest, Kaylin states, “This experience has given me the want to influence younger individuals by showing them what you can accomplish from being apart of an agricultural organization.” Kaylin goes on to say that she plans on screening for state office when she is eligible. Polk County Federation wishes you the best of luck on your FFA adventure, Kaylin. The FFA Organization is blessed with over 86,000 members and 67,000 of these members attended the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana. This, week long convention was filled with work-
Haines City FFA Member, Braden Crawford, combined his love for agriculture and music when he was accepted into the National FFA Talent Competition. Braden competed in the first of three rounds on Tuesday. He struck a spark into the competition room when he sang “No Such Thing as a Broken Heart” by Old Dominion. Round one was as far as Braden made it, but we are very proud of this young man! Multiple competitions, multiple workshops, and multiple members of courtesy corps. Courtesy Corps is a great opportunity for students to serve the State/National FFA. More than 10 Polk County FFA Members participated in this program. As FFA members we are “Living to Serve,” thank you to the amazing members who participated. Polk County FFA had an abundant amount of events in October. We sure struck a spark this past month. We can't wait to see the brightness that comes from the members all around. We couldn't be more proud to call Polk County FFA members family. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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shops, competitions, sessions, and tons of memories. More than 40 Polk County FFA members attended, some rode the convention bus up and made some very exciting stops along the way. Others flew, and competed in National competitions. Kathleen High Parliamentary Procedure team flew up on Tuesday and competed on Thursday. The team practiced for months to prepare for the contest, but was still very nervous to compete. After competing in three rounds the team placed third in the nation! Kathleen Par Pro, Polk Federation is very proud of you all!
Shooting-Range-in-the-Backyard In honor of the hunting season, I figured it was about time to teach my children to shoot what they are aiming at. Now, keep in mind that I have taken my eldest, J (Jaidyn), out to the shooting range with the little .38 that my father gave me. When I did, he assured me that his “guy” was “more dead” than mine simply because he hit his target more frequently. Indeed, he isn’t a bad shot at all. In fact, he’s pretty good.
with intense severity, I sent them out to the target stand to put up their individual targets. Of course, it was at that moment that the fighting ensued. There were arguments over who would get to shoot first. Thankfully, J had his Daisy rifle out back with us so I was able to avoid a knock down drag out by telling them that they could shoot the targets at the same time. (And, yes, they will actually come to blows.)
The young ones, on the other hand, have not had the joy of attempting to shoot at a target with a pistol. Of course, I am not so daring as to allow them to take out the .38. Instead, I chose to purchase a little Powerline BB air pistol by Daisy. I ordered a target stand and some targets that “splatter” every time you hit them.
Hazel hit her target pretty quickly into her shooting. And, since she got to shoot the pistol first, I suspect she had an advantage. Zeke got really riled up at that point, demanding that he get to shoot the pistol. But that was ok, because Hazel determined that she didn’t want to shoot that one anymore. She decided it was “too scary.” That emotion didn’t last long (trust me).
I wish I had taken pictures of the little ones’ faces when J opened up the box with the little BB gun in it. Zeke was especially enthusiastic and even Hazel declared, “I’m shooting that pistol!” But before I would allow them to get anywhere near the little gun, I informed them that they would have to get some gun safety lessons from their big brother. Though J would never admit it, I am pretty certain that the fact that I deferred the gun training to him was cause for a sense of pride in him. The reason I feel completely comfortable trusting my 14-year-old to train my 4 and 6 year old how to properly handle a gun, is because my father is the one that trained him. My father has taken J hunting and has undoubtedly chewed him out about any gun safety impropriety. Thusly why he was so adamant that Hazel and Ezekiel followed his instructions to the letter. He was very serious with them about the importance of never pointing a gun at anyone and I added the concept that we should always treat guns as if they are loaded even when “we are certain” that they aren’t. Once all the instructions had been drilled into their little heads PAGE
By Ginny Mink
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They shot about 100 BBs before Zeke made a mistake. He finished shooting his rounds and then turned around with the gun pointed at J. “That’s it!” J said, “You just killed me!” Zeke was angry, “It’s not loaded. You’re not dead!” Again, we reminded him that guns should always be treated as though they are loaded. But, since he’s a four-year-old, all he could do was get really angry about being in trouble for not adhering to the rules. That intense anger was reason enough to end our shootingrange-in-the-backyard (I love living in the swamp) experience early. Hazel was becoming a handful anyway because she couldn’t pump the rifle herself and since it’s a single shot, J and I were tired of doing it for her. I can tell you that they learned some valuable lessons about gun safety during this adventure. And, they have begged me almost daily, to shoot some more. Hazel is getting better at hitting the target and Zeke has actually landed a few. Whenever the kids aren’t around, J takes his own joy in trying to make the whole black target turn orange. Yes, his aim is actually that good. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Unfortunately, we discovered that if you shoot the same spot it changes back to black. So, he can only turn the target a sort of spiderweb of orange. It’s still pretty cool to watch him casually sitting in a chair on my back porch just hitting that target shot after shot. I am impressed with his skill and since Hazel seems a bit of a natural at it too, I suspect with practice she’ll be quite good.
I guess if the wee ones develop the affinity for target shooting that seems to be the current direction of their enthusiasm, I will take them to Tenoroc and let them try their hands at archery and bigger targets at further distances. Maybe one day a friend will want to take them hunting. I’ll gladly cook the deer they bring back, but I’m not down with gutting and skinning.
Zeke, on the other hand, though he wants to hit the target, hasn’t quite grasped the value of taking the time to aim. No matter how completely off-target he is, he always beams and announces, “I hit it! Did you see that?” We’ve tried to explain that it will make a splat sound and change colors, but he’s convinced that his BBs land exactly where they’re supposed to.
And, even if they never have a desire to go hunting, I want to be comfortable with the fact that my children know how to safely respect guns. I also want to rest assured that they will be able to defend themselves should the need ever arise. I’m not worried about zombies, but I have read what happens in the end. It’s quite a revelation.
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Thanksgiving
And The Holidays Ahead by John Dicks
Cool weather finally came our way last month. It was, though, almost Halloween before the temps dipped down into the 50’s.
Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces it’s roots nearly 400 years ago to 1621 when the Pilgrims and Indians feasted at Plymouth, of what is now Massachusetts.
That’s just one of many great things about living in Florida. Yes, sometimes summer seems unbearably hot, but the trade-off of a steamy summer more than makes up for things when you can enjoy the last few days of daylight savings time with afternoons that warm their way into the low 70s.
Our nation’s first President, George Washington, sought to recognize the event when he proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving in our country. He named November 26, 1789, “as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God.”
Even Thanksgiving, which comes early this year, is better enjoyed in shirtsleeve weather than by bundling up with multiple layers of clothes, too many to be shed before settling down for the feast in celebration of our national holiday.
Such flowing and solemn language contrasts markedly with the tradition of our recent Presidents who, after issuing their own proclamations, engage in the annual silliness of pardoning a couple of turkeys!
Thanksgiving seems like a uniquely American tradition. Many of us have dressed up our kids as Pilgrims or Indians to take part in school plays. Yet we are not the only country in the world to celebrate the holiday.
Following the lead of George Washington, Thanksgiving became an annual tradition, though each state in our Union chose their own date for the recognition of the holiday.
Canada, for example, certainly does; but it’s in October, likely because the traditional harvest is earlier up there. Folks in the Netherlands observe Thanksgiving, too, though it’s not an official public holiday. It is, however, where some of our Pilgrims first boarded ship for their trip to the New World. All in all, it’s one of my favorite times of the season. It’s filled with great food, stories shared with family and reminiscing with longtime friends. There’s always, too, that mental headcount being made. Who’s not here? We miss them. Some have passed from this world. Some are headed to be with the family of spouses. Others are absent with commitments to work. This year an overseas deployment keeps one of us away. Still, I look forward to reflections that are shared. There is the giving of thanks and the prayers for health, wellness and safe travels, which are all spoken and silently murmured. Our national celebration of Thanksgiving is older even than our country itself. Few will forget that our modern
Most were settling upon the date being the last Thursday in November when, in1863, Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed it as such. His effort toward establishing a date to be shared by all was viewed by many as an attempt by the President to foster a sense of American unity between the northern and southern states. Nearly 80 years later, in 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt and the United States Congress (which seemingly is never content with things) changed the date slightly to the fourth Thursday of November. It was thought that making it a bit earlier would give our country an economic boost. I suspect that even back then the merchants operating on what is now known as “Black Friday” appreciated the subtle change in date resulting in more shopping days until Christmas! It’s what happens this year, too, with Thanksgiving falling upon the nearly earliest possible day to be the fourth Thursday in November. Nonetheless, let’s especially enjoy this special holiday, for despite small disappointments and setbacks that may come our way, just by living in America we really do have much to be thankful for.
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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. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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Recipes
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Herb and Butter Roasted Florida Spiny Lobster with Citrus and Olives
Chef Justin Timineri
DIRECTIONS
INGREDIENTS
2 (6-8 ounce) Florida spiny lobster tails, removed from the shell 1 Florida orange or grapefruit, peeled and segmented 4 bamboo skewers (6 inches) 1 tablespoon fresh herb mix, chopped fine (thyme, rosemary, parsley) Olive oil for cooking 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 cup microgreens or arugula 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 12 Spanish Queen and/or Kalamata olives, pitted Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
q
Cut the lobster tails in half, lengthwise. Preheat a medium-sized sautĂŠ pan over medium-high heat. Season the lobster tail meat with salt, pepper, and fresh chopped herbs. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter to the preheated pan. Carefully add the seasoned lobster to the hot pan. Cook the lobster tails for 2 to 4 minutes while turning them until just cooked. Make sure not to overcook the lobster. Remove the lobster skewers from the pan and let them cool slightly. Insert the bamboo skewers into the middle of each of the halved lobster tails. In a small bowl, combine the microgreens or arugula with the lemon juice. Season the greens lightly with salt and pepper and toss to coat. To plate the dish, put a bed of the greens on a small platter. Arrange the lobster skewers, citrus segments, and olives. Serve immediately.
Florida Strawberry Cheesecake Dip q Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh Florida strawberries, rinsed, dried and chopped fine 1/4 cup Florida pecans, toasted and chopped fine 1/4 cup Florida honey 1/3 cup freshly squeezed Florida orange juice
1 cup low-fat cream cheese, softened 1 cup low-fat sour cream Assorted cookies, graham crackers and fresh Florida fruit for dipping and spreading
DIRECTIONS
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Set aside 1 tablespoon each of the strawberries and pecans for garnish. In a small bowl lightly mix the strawberries, honey, and orange juice. In a separate bowl blend the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Add the strawberry mixture and fold together. Fold in the pecans then cover and chill. Garnish the top of the dip with the reserved strawberries and pecans. Serve with cookies and fruit for dipping.
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Buddy Burner
Camping season is ramping up with the upcoming cool weather and it’s good to have camping supplies ready for those spurs of the moment camping trips. Some of us may remember making buddy burners in scouts or summer camps and that is what we will feature this month. Buddy burners are easy to make and efficient for providing a quick way to warm a meal without having to build a big camp fire. The beauty of the buddy burner is that it can be used for cooking and easily extinguished so you can get on with other camp activities such as hiking or fishing. Though our hurricane season will be over this month, buddy burners are a handy item to keep in stock for the loss of electricity, each buddy burner can burn for hours depending on how tightly the cardboard is rolled into the tin can
Materials:
• 5 oz. tuna or cat food can (tin is best) * Save the top to extinguish the fire * • Corrugated cardboard • Wax (paraffin, old candles, tealights, old crayons) • Scissors • Two pots (to make a double boiler)
DIRECTIONS: Wash any residue out of the tin can, remove any paper labels, and allow it to dry. Measure the height of the tin can, (typically about 1 ¼ “) Cut corrugated cardboard (across the corrugation) to a width that is equal to the height of the tin can (1 ¼ “) * you should be able to see the corrugation holes along the edge of the cardboard * Tightly roll the cardboard into the tin can to fill the entire can Wedge a small scrap piece of cardboard into the center of the can, (this will be a wick and make it easy to light) • Melt the wax with a double boiler • Fill a large pot with water • Fill a small pot with wax • Place the small pot of wax into the large pot of water (this is a double boiler) • Boil the water to melt the wax, make sure water does not get inside the small pot of wax When the wax has melted, carefully pour the wax over the cardboard into the tin can until all the cardboard is covered.
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Light the buddy burner wick to produce flame. Extinguish the fire with the lid from the tin can to starve it of oxygen.
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A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci)
Many homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are increasingly opting for all-natural gardening techniques such as organic or biologic pest control. I am one of those and I prefer to watch the drama of nature play out then resort to chasing the dragons tail with pesticides that offer a questionable longterm benefit. This year, and specifically these last few months, I have had a tough time with a tiny insect that has become a monster problem throughout Florida. The insect that has given me the biggest headache is the whitefly population that is devastating my assortment of hot peppers. I have watched the populace grow and, typically with other pests, when the pest population grows to the point of panic I notice that the population attracts natural predators and I watch nature perform its tremendous balancing act. Usually, like magic, the problem self corrects if I’m patient enough to let nature take its course. This month I will share with you my experience with the whitefly as we take a closer look at how this insect is becoming a growing concern in central Florida. Whiteflies are true bugs, meaning they feed on sap and phloem in the same manner as other bugs such as aphids, cicada, plant hoppers, and mealybugs. The whitefly is a formidable pest because it is known to feed on over 900 species of host plants, 300 of which were recorded in Florida. Worldwide there are over 1,500 species of whitefly, most of which never reach populations high enough to cause economic concern, however, when populations do become unmanageable, the results are devastating. Like other sap sucking insects, the whitefly can cause the host plant to become very weak as it’s sap is drained. The leaves will turn yellow and often wilt, fruit may be malformed and yields reduced. The process of digesting the plants sap produces large amounts of honeydew deposits that can become colonized by fungi such as sooty mold reducing the plants efficient photosynthesis in severe cases. Once in a weakened state, the plants ability to fight off disease is greatly reduced and the plant becomes more susceptible to other diseases. To make matters worse, whiteflies are vectors of several viruses that can limit production of crops or kill the plant. Because the whitefly has a large variety of host plants, they can become a vector to many more diseases than insects that feed on only a handful of host plants. Whiteflies are not indigenous to North America, they were introduced through trade with foreign countries. Bemisia tabaci is a species of whitefly that was first discovered in the U.S. in 1897 and is believed to be native to India or the Middle East. It was first recorded infesting sweet potatoes in Florida and became the type specimen for future occurrences of whitefly. Throughout the 20th century ornamental growers and landscapers struggled with managing whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) infestations that became increasingly harder to control. By the 1980s, reoccurring infestations became common but could still be managed with a reasonable integrated pest manage-
The past 25 years of research on the whitefly revealed some surprising information, most significantly a hypothesis that the species Bemisia tabaciis is not a single species, but rather many biotypes or races within the species, each biotype has a slightly different genetic makeup and geographic distribution. There remains disagreement on how to classify the large variety of biotype, but it is clear in most publications that there are at least two biotypes that are of concern in Florida, these are the B biotype, (MEAM1), thought to originate in the Middle East Asia Minor and the Q biotype (MED) from the Mediterranean South America. The Q biotype (MED) is said to be the most resistant to chemical control. The greatest challenge to managing these whiteflies is the biodiversity within the species. Pest Management approaches must be tailored to the specific species because each biotype has a slightly different genetic makeup and therefore responds differently to various pest control methods. To further complicate matters, adult whiteflies cannot be accurately identified in the field and positive identification requires laboratory work by professional entomologists. As for me and my humble garden of peppers, I have already observed that despite having a devastating population of whiteflies on my peppers, I notice that they like some species of pepper more than others and do not like my passionfruit at all, even though it is within a foot of my peppers. I am doing more research on plants that may repel the whitefly and experiment with planting some near my peppers to see if the claims are accurate. Some potential whitefly guard plants I will try include: sagebrush (Artemisia), Basil (Ocimum basilicum), or French marigold (Tagetes patula). If any of you try it, please contact us to let us know how well it worked for your plants. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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ment program. In 1986 infestations became much more predominate and crops that had never been a host, such as poinsettia, suddenly became a target for the whitefly. Attempts to control the infestations were futile, the new infestations were resistant to all previously successful methods and pesticides. New diseases began to spread to some of Florida’s vegetable crops and the whitefly earned its way to becoming a major economic pest. This new wave of infestations lead researchers to believe a new, more aggressive subspecies was to blame and designated the new more aggressive whitefly as Bemisia tabaci (biotype B) otherwise known as the Florida biotype. This new invader was so aggressive, it displaced the original whitefly type specimen Bemisia tabaci (biotype A), which can no longer be found in the United States according to a University of Florida IFAS publication. By 1994 the biotype B that was becoming so problematic was described as a new species and has since been known as the silverleaf whitefly Bemisia argentifolii (Bellows & Perring) for its tendency to cause silverleaf disorder in squash.
Continued from Page 25
mented career academies in all of the high schools and middle schools in Polk County. And he is a good friend!” To add to his already impressive resume, there are a couple of other innovations, which Mr. Small can claim. He and his team were responsible for creating the We3 Expo and his weekly talk show “Education Talk” that is featured on local radio stations each week. The We3 Expo is an annual three day event where elementary, middle, high, and adult schools are able to share about the educational opportunities available at each of their respective schools. The event is held each year at The RP Funding Center, formerly known as The Lakeland Center, and is open to the public. Local businesses partner with Polk County Schools as students throughout the district visit booths and learn more about educational opportunities available through Polk County’s Career Academies, International Baccalaureate programs, and Choice, Charter, and Magnet schools. It is expected that over 10,000 people visited the We3 Expo earlier this month, with this year being the Expo’s 10th anniversary. To continue to promote the career academy opportunities available, the “Education Talk” weekly radio show was born. The weekly talk show airs on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. on TALK 1430 AM and 96.7 FM and features students, teachers, and business partners in Polk County Schools. Finally, in March 2016 John was appointed Deputy Superintendent by the new Polk County Schools Superintendent, Mrs. Jacqueline Byrd. Mrs. Byrd shared, “John is truly a person that cares about children. By implementing the academies, he has provided the children viable options. Polk County is truly grateful for John Small providing his time and talents to our community.”
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On September 29, 2017 Mr. Small decided to retire from Polk County Schools after over 30 years of service. Although he has retired, that doesn’t mean his love and vision for students has changed. He has undertaken a new venture as Vice President of School Development for the company K12®. He explains, “I’m working to create online career technical education pathways for students to gain industry certifications by helping them build online career academies. My main interest there is that, so many times if you’re in a big high school in a big area there’s a whole lot more offerings for students. When you get to rural schools, those offerings are limited. Between career academies and agricul-
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
November 2017
ture, I think agriculture is the industry most affected by that. Most of your agriculture communities don’t have huge populations so they don’t have as many offerings for students.” Before his retirement earlier this year, Mr. Small could be frequently seen attending many FFA banquets at the end of each school year, handing out medallions each year during the Parade of Champions at the Polk County Youth Fair, and attending the Florida FFA Convention & Expo each June. He was very proud to share that he was able to attend Convention every year, with the exception of last year, which is quite a feat. John was even awarded the coveted Honorary State FFA Degree in 2015 during the Florida FFA Convention & Expo. When asked about his faithful support of the FFA programs in Polk County Schools he shared, “The reason that I loved it (FFA) and promoted it so much is because it’s good for the students to get engaged in something, and if we can get them engaged in activities that are co-curricular and/or positive they certainly perform better academically.” When he’s not rushing through airports to catch his next flight to attend an educational conference, Mr. Small enjoys spending time with his family. To unwind during the times when he’s home, he heads to a remote and quaint location where he boards his boat and enjoys flats fishing and scalloping. Among his favorite fish to catch that are native to the region are snook, redfish, trout, and shark. Although Mr. Small is no longer officially part of Polk County Schools, his vision will continue for many years to come as career academies throughout the county continue to grow, develop, and expand. With his eyes fixed on the horizon, not the sunset, Mr. Small has a vision of replicating the legacy he has left for Polk County Schools in other areas of the country to provide students educational opportunities not previously available to them. Visionaries are described as those who set forces into motion that change the world. Thank you for your service to the students in Polk County Schools, Mr. Small, and we wish you the best as you continue to set the forces into motion that will change the world for our future generations. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The Active Shooter By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Polk County is a safe place to raise your children, enjoy a movie, go to church, or stroll through downtown during a festival. In many places we still have that wonderful small town feel. We don’t have the crime or violence that you see in Chicago, or New York, or even Orlando or Tampa. But just because we’re enjoying a record low crime rate, and our crime rate is well below the statewide average, it doesn’t mean something bad can’t happen here. All we have to do is look at the tragic murder of innocents at the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs, Texas. An active shooter can strike anywhere, and that’s why you need to think about it. What would you do? Let’s say an active shooter came into your workplace. You have choices: Run, evade or hide, or attack and fight. Once the incident starts, law enforcement will be coming, but experience tells us that it won’t be in time to stop significant casualties.
mit in person or by mail, if you meet the state requirements. We encourage you to visit their website www.freshfromflorida.com and read about concealed weapons permits and requirements. If you are eligible to apply for one, you will need to take a course – which is the course we offer at PCSO – and be fingerprinted (we also do fingerprinting). In a perfect world, we wouldn’t have to worry about such problems, but as you know, this isn’t a perfect world. It’s my hope that one of these types of tragedies never comes to Polk County, Florida, but if it does, know that our deputies are trained for it, and hopefully, a good number of people have trained for it. You can’t always prevent a bad thing, but we can certainly prepare for it, and minimize its lethality.
The ideal situation is that there is someone in your workplace—or anywhere else there is an attack—who has a gun and knows how to use it. Maybe that person is you. The only thing that stops a bad person with a gun is a good person with a gun. Active shooters usually don’t plan on their victims shooting back. That’s why I advocate that people who feel comfortable owning and using a gun for protection become qualified and obtain a concealed carry license. What if no one has a gun to fight back? If you can, run out of the building. Get as far away as possible, and help others escape. In fact, you should plan ahead and have an escape route in mind before there is a shooting. If running is not an option, then you need to evade and hide. Lock doors, turn off lights, barricade yourself inside a room, and don’t make a noise. If you have to fight, go all-in like your life depends on it, because it does. Commit to the fight one hundred percent. Use whatever you can as a weapon, and if possible, outnumber the attacker, and overwhelm him. Deputies in the Polk County Sheriff’s Office train for activeshooter scenarios in order to be prepared for such a situation should it arise. The Sheriff’s Office also offers training to businesses, churches, and other organizations as well. If you or your organization are interested in this free training, please call 863-298-6677—we will be setting up training dates. We also hold concealed weapons permit classes throughout the year, so that citizens can apply for a concealed weapons permit. Many people don’t realize this, but Florida Department of Agriculture issues these permits. You can apply for the perINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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WE’RE PUTTING SCIENCE TO WORK TO PRESERVE NATURE
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© 2017 The Mosaic Company
Every day, Mosaic puts science to work right here in our community. Our team of engineers and other specialists work with regulatory agencies to identify areas of environmental sensitivity that should be preserved and protected. Through its land conservation and reclamation efforts, Mosaic has helped provide over 46,000 acres of natural lands that offer functioning habitats for plant and animal life. Shelley, a senior permitting engineer for Mosaic, works to ensure these preservation areas support a sustainable post-mining landscape that includes wildlife corridors and habitat diversity.
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To learn more about Mosaic’s preservation techniques, visit Science.MosaicCo.com.
MOS-2699IN - Mosaic Shelley_In the Field_8.75x11.25.indd 1 THEFPrint IELDResize_Preservation MAGAZINE November 2017
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM 11/3/17 12:24 PM
Polk County Cattle Women November has been a busy month so far for the Cattlewomen. On Thursday November 9 the Cattlemen had their Fall Dinner at Whippoorwills, the home of Ned and Rhonda Waters. The ladies prepared a variety of delicious desserts to share with the fabulous steak dinner the men served. Our members also gave back to our community by bringing an unwrapped toy to donate locally to Florida Baptist Children’s Home. It was a truly beautiful setting and I would like to extend my thanks to the Waters Family for allowing us to use their venue. On Saturday November 11 the Cattlewomen were out at two separate events. Locally Vice President Missy McLaughlin-Raney and I attended the Honey Bee Festival held in Bartow. The event was sponsored by Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers to raise awareness about a variety of agriculture industries here in central Florida. In Pasco County some of our local ladies, along with the Florida Cattlewomen and Team Beef, attended the Savage Race held at the Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City. Both events had a great turn out and promoted our beef industry well. The holiday season is fast approaching. As it gets closer I hope you will take the time to reflect on all of the blessings in life and what you are most thankful for. This year has been rough for everyone
We will not have another membership meeting until after the New Year. Our Christmas Party will be held on December 1 at the Walters home at 7:30 p.m. I hope to see you there! Be good and do good deeds,
Megan Atkinson
Polk County Cattle Women President
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November 2017
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between the drought and the aftermath of Irma, but we still have the things that matter most, our faith and our families. I know that this is the busiest time of the year for many of us but I encourage you to try help others in some small way whether it’s a monetary donation or a donation of your time to a local outreach program, animal shelter, children’s home or church, they will all be appreciative of your support. You may never really know how much you have impacted someone else’s life but I can assure you they will never forget.
Classifieds
Tel: 813.759.6909
ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES
Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813) 752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com July 16, 2017, Nov. 26, 2017
BUILDING SUPPLIES METAL ROOFING
Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.
ALUMINUM
We have all your aluminum needs! Screen Room, carports & awnings. Call Blake (813) 752-3378
WINDOW SCREENS
We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378
CABINETS
All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. Call Blake 813-752-3378
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ROUND BALES
4X5 round bales of herbicidal and fertilized Pangola Hay. Call Dale 813-229-9876 or John 407-448-5608
2004 KUBOTA M120
Tractor with cab and Loader. $22,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
USED MOWERS
Zero turn mowers. Good Condition. Price starts at $1,000. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
2015 MASSEY FERGUSON
1739ELL Tractor w/ loader. 243 hours, 4x4, 39hp, hst. Warranty!! $16,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
1998 MASSEY FURGUSON 4253
Tractor 95hp, 4x4 open station with loader. $15,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FMC 352
Air Blast Sprayer. Good condition. $3,500.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
7X15 LAWN TRAILER
DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. Many standard sizes in stock. Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES
Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG Box STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378
JOBS MECHANIC NEEDED Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
Now Hiring Experienced Barn Builders 813-754-1766 HIRING
VINYL SIDDING
Agriculture / Grove Equipment tractor Used Lawn Trailer with aluminum plate tool parts sales person. Experience a plus, box. 5ft tongue & heavy duty gate. $1,650 Call Computer skills a must! Call 863-537-1345 Alvie 813-759-8722
MOBILE HOME SUPPLIES
Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mulcher. For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.
Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
FOR RENT
Everything you need under ONE roof! Call Blake 813-752-3378
FARM EQUIPMENT TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
2005 MAHINDRA 6500
ROSSI CADDY 8 HAY RAKE Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FOR SALE
PRODUCE FRESH PRODUCE
Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
REAL ESTATE NORTH GEORGIA MOUNTAINS
MAHINDRA 4530
Tractor with loader. 4X4, 44hp. $15,000 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
**FOR SALE**
Schlitter Encore Recumbent I purchased this bike brand new in May 2017. It has less that 75 miles on it. Its a carbon frame 700c wheelbase. 52/39/30 FSA triple crank with carbon crank arms. Vuelta Corsa Lite wheel set. This bike is clean and kept inside. Asking $2,200 Call 813-758-3864
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES Zero Turn Mower 52� cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
4X4, 65 hp with loader. 1,000 hours. $16,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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Administrative assistant / Finance Manager. Bilingual a plus. Paid based on skill and experience. Call Alvie 813-759-8722
BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR
CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE.
We are a Simonton/MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty. Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378
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ADULT TRICYCLE
Brand New Still in the Box & Never Ridden! Big Seat, Large Basket, Single Speed $275.00 Ask for Jimmy (863)226-3504
November 2017
Have you ever considered moving to beautiful Blairsville, Georgia or just need a getaway home? Blairsville is a desirable community & great location. Call Jane Baer Realty and ask for Jane. 706-745-2261 www.janebaerrealty.com
MISC. FREE
Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722
RUBBER MULCH
All Colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted (813) 752-3378
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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