INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
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Above and Beyond
By Melissa Nichols
For the fifth year in a row one local business has supported the Polk County Youth Fair in a big way. Kelley Buick GMC’s owner Derrick Kelley and his son Tyler feel that no child should be left out. They know they can’t buy every single market animal, plant and cake, but they want every child to know they care. “These children are the future business men and women, they are the future political figures, doctors and lawyers. I want them to look back and remember when that car dealership came in and gave every kid an add-on. Maybe it will inspire them to support the youth of the community even more. My hope is that we are able to touch kids who could use the additional support with their projects, to help them, to make them more successful and to give back,” said Derrick. This year Kelley Buick GMC came with the intention of buying a few hogs, maybe a steer, a plant or two and giving add-ons to every exhibitor, as well as providing several thousand bottles of water to the exhibitors and those who help throughout the fair. As the week progressed, Kelley blew past their budget without looking back. They purchased 17 market hogs, 7 steers, and a truckload of plants, on top of doing a $100 add-on to all steer exhibitors, a $50 add-on to all hog exhibitors, and an all-around premium donation to go toward premiums paid by ribbon color for the entire fair.
Another division of Kelley got involved this year and made some donations. Kelley Lakeland, the truck store, made multiple donations to the arena fan fund, purchased market animals and helped out wherever they could. At the end of the week Ed Dalton, Tyler and Derrick attended every sale, shook hands of exhibitors throughout the arena, barn and fair as a whole, wishing them the best of luck. Businesses like Kelley Buick GMC and Kelley Trucks Lakeland are vital for the future of the fair. It is business owners like Derrick that make it worth the time these children spend with their projects, because instead of only buying their existing customer base, Derrick does his best to help everyone. Hats off to you Kelley Buick GMC, Kelley Lakeland, and the Kelley Family with donations totaling $64,000. You are what is right with our community, thank you for going above and beyond!
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Kelley Buick GMC was the event sponsor once again for this year’s Whip Popping Contest, put on by Lightsey Cattle Company. When Derrick heard that these contestants get trophies, cash and whips for winning, not premium dollars, he immediately wanted to do something in addition for every child whether they won or not. The decision was made to give out t-shirts to every contestant. The Ol’ Cracker shirts were designed and handed out to each member who participated in the event.
CONTENTS
February 2018 VOL. 11 • ISSUE 6
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
24 One to Remember Polk County Youth Fair
PAGE 10 Master Gardener
PAGE 36 John Dicks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 38 Recipe
PAGE 16 FL. Jr/ Swine Circuit
PAGE 40 Activity
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 41 A Closer Look
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 42 PCSO
PAGE 28 Endangered Species
PAGE 45 PCCW
PAGE 30 Pineapple
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
InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE
Vice President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com
State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch57@ gmail.com Donald Conroy 3882 Wolfolk Rd Fort Meade, FL 33841 (863) 412-0790 Kevin Fussell 4523 Fussell Rd Polk City, FL 33868-9676 (863) 412-5876 Mike Fussell 4520 Barush Rd Bartow, FL 33830 (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@gmail.com Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 33898 (863) 528-4567
PAGE 32 youth Fair Results
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
President – Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com
Secretary/Treasurer Justin Bunch PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846 (863) 425-1121 justin.bunch@cpsagu.com
Cover Photo by: Melissa Nichols
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P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005
February 2018
Ken Sherrouse 13475 Moore Rd Lakeland, FL 33809 (863) 698-1834 kensherrouse@yahoo.com Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail. com
3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801-9623 (863) 665-5088 J. B. Wynn PO Box 197 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 581-3255 jbwynn29@gmail.com Standing Committee Chairs: Membership- J.B. Wynn Events- Kevin Fussell Trade Show- Bridget Stice Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 559-7808 Website – Adam Norman 2115 West Pipkin Rd Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 944-9293 Adamnorman1977@gmail. com Cattlewomen – President, Megan Atkinson 3970 Gerber Dairy Rd Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 559-1228 Megamess007@yahoo. com Extension – Bridget Stice PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL 33831 (863) 519-1048 bccarlis@ufl.edu Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. Paul Wright 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 557-1741 pw5281@polksheriff.org Warner University – Cameron Cato 13895 Hwy 27 Lake Wales, FL 33859 (352) 561-6459 James.cato@warner.edu
Dave Tomkow WWW. ININTHE FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM WWW. THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM
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February 2018
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry
Letter from the Editor It’s time for the Florida Strawberry Festival. While the history of fairs isn’t completely clear, one thing is certain, they stem from village market days and livestock exhibitions. Today fairs continue the agriculture tradition and are a chance for youth in 4-H and FFA to display their hard work. Events that include 4-H and FFA competitions help educate fairgoers about agriculture and also help build competitor’s skills, self confidence and leadership abilities. They are our next generation of farmers and ranchers. The lessons learned with these projects are many, like problem solving, time management, record keeping, networking, prioritizing and the list goes on. So when visiting the Florida Strawberry Festival, held March 1 – 11, stop by the agriculture exhibits and let the students know how much you appreciate their hard work.
Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Melissa Nichols Taeler Dupre Chandler Workman Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
Congratulations to the winners of the Russell’s Western Wear competition. Check out the ad in this issue. You may be eligible to win a pair of Justin boots and be pictured in our March issue. See you at the Festival!
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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The Polk County Youth Fair just came to a close and it was great to see all of the young cattlemen and cattlewomen showcasing their beef projects. Once again our association is planning to support the children of the PCCA members that exhibited an animal in any Beef Class, Steer, Heifer and Breeding animal at the Polk County Youth Fair. Please provide the following information if you would like your youth exhibitor to be included in the award:
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association Attn: Bridget Carlisle P.O. Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL 33831 BCCarlis@ufl.edu Or Fax: 863-534-0001 (Attn: Bridget)
1. Full name of the exhibitor as entered in the beef exhibit 2. Exhibit Category (commercial heifer, market steer, breeding animal) 3. Mother or Father’s name as registered in the PCCA.
Sincerely,
You may reach me at 863-781-1146 or you may reach out to Bridget at 863-588-2697. We look forward to seeing you soon and enjoy more BEEF!
Carlton Taylor
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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This information may be mailed, emailed or faxed no later than March 1st to:
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is proud to congratulate
Blair Buchanon Blair Buchanon, a senior at Kathleen Sr. High, has spent the last several years serving in nearly every nook and cranny of FFA. An accomplished student with a 4.262 GPA, Buchanon is dual enrolled and in the top 10 students of her class.
She has shown commercial and purebred heifers, market steers and market hogs at the Polk County Youth Fair, Florida State Fair, Florida Strawberry Festival and local jackpot shows.
Her deep-rooted passion for agriculture and FFA is evident in everything she does and her resume only continues to grow as she adds skill after skill to her list.
Her dedication to FFA is only matched by her love for the community. She has chaired a committee that organized a clean-up day at the Florida Baptist Children’s home, helped to organize a Stroke walk in support of Jason Cash and one of her fellow FFA members whose father had passed away due to a stroke and she participates in her school’s Farm Day that hosts 200 first graders from around the county to educate them on agriculture.
Buchanon is the current vice president of her Kathleen’s FFA program and is a state winner in Forestry, Citrus, Environmental Science and Natural Resources, Nursery and Landscape, Aquaculture and Land Career Development Event teams. She was also a State High Individual in Forestry and Citrus. These contests require hundreds of hours of study time outside of her normal class load.
Students awarded a free pair of Justin boots from Russell’s due to their exemplary performance.If you have a Deserving Student, Submit your Recommendation to sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com
Polk’s Agriculture Magazine INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
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Master Gardener
Friend of the Waters By Debra Howell, Florida Master Gardener UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Are you a friend of the waters? The neighborhood in which you reside is inextricably connected to bodies of water. Your yard is connected to rivers, streams, canals and lakes by way of stormwater runoff into ditches and storm drains.
as Dr. Daniel Brinton in 1856, proclaimed Florida’s springs to be “beautiful beyond description” and felt they vied with the Mississippi River and Niagara Falls as “grand hydrographical features of the North American continent.”
It sounds innocent enough, but upon closer inspection, this runoff gathers up pesticides, oils, effluent, fertilizer, animal waste, organic matter and grass clippings. The runoff then continues on its course to streams, lakes, canals, rivers and inevitably into a seaside system such as the Charlotte Harbor Estuary. As stated in the University of Florida IFAS publication AEC552, Strategies to Encourage Adoption of Stormwater, stormwater runoff is now deemed to be the largest contributor to Florida’s degraded water quality. This same runoff can cause excessive nutrients, resulting in fish kills, algae blooms and other environmental imbalances. As a result, the management practices you regularly employ in your landscape matters a lot.
In his book, “The Springs of Florida,” Doug Stamm states, “The many springs that jewel the landscape of Florida are ornate exceptions to an environment so often veiled in obscurity. They are translucent openings into a dominion very rare: a crystalline world of fresh water at the edge of the sea.”
The beautiful state of Florida, which has been my family’s home for at least five generations, is also home to more than 30,000 lakes, on 3 million acres. One of these lakes is Lake Okeechobee, the fourth largest lake in America. Florida also has 11,000 miles of rivers, streams and waterways. It has 1,350 miles of shoreline, outranked only by Alaska, which is all intricately intertwined. Even if you do not own water-front or shore-front property, you are still connected to a waterbody. You are connected and intertwined by streams, rivers, lakes, canals, springs and the Floridan aquifer. Armed with this information, how highly do you regard our water supply?
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Florida is a unique place. Nowhere in the world are there so many large and deep springs as occur in Florida. Florida is well known worldwide for its waters considered by many to be therapeutic with healing properties. These springs were utilized long before European contact, in the 1500s by early Native Americans who found abundant wildlife and clear waters, as well as safe camping havens. Later explorers, such
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Several factors contribute to cause Florida to be known globally, as one of the most prolific areas for spring formations. The creation of Florida’s springs and spring-fed rivers result from our Karst terrain being exposed to conditions such as rainfall, climate, humidity and decaying vegetative matter. These are the same stresses that result in the forming of sinkholes in our Karst (limestone) rock. The springs of Florida are supported by the large underground reservoir we call an aquifer, which stores fresh water. The “overflows” from these underground stores are our plentiful and popular springs. Of the 75 first-magnitude springs in America, Florida lays claim to 27 of them, with a combined flow rate of six billion gallons per day. First magnitude springs are those which meet a criterion of 100 ft3/second or 64.6 million gallons per day. Springs are environments which teem with life, and they are connected to other systems like streams, rivers and lakes, as well as the environments through which they flow. All of these systems together form a watershed. Florida is home to more than 300 known springs, as well as those yet undiscovered or in thick forest. The Floridan aquifer is the source for Florida’s springs located within thousands of feet of limestone rock in a virtual “rabbit’s warren” of rooms beneath the surface of the earth. These springs are both mysterious and ethereal and are part of what makes Florida so popular with our tourists. According to Stamm, “Springs are environments unto themselves, but they WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
have mutual bonds with the environments through which they pass and into which they flow.” Springs and water features are notable contributors to our tourism industry, yielding millions of dollars annually. A fine example of a local water system is the historic Peace River. Peace River is a river in central Florida which originates at the juncture of Saddle Creek and the Peace Creek drainage canal south of Lake Hancock. It flows south through Hardee, DeSoto and Charlotte Counties, emptying into the Gulf of Mexico at the Charlotte Harbor Estuary. Historically, the Peace River floodplain has hosted Creek, Calusa, Caloosahatchee and Seminole cultures. From this riverine environment, they harvested fish, mussels, alligators and snakes, as well as shrimp, crabs, oysters and other sea creatures from the coastal areas. The Peace River is 106 miles long and receives contributions along its flow from streams such as Bowlegs, Whidden, Payne, Charlie, Joshua, Horse, Hawthorne, Prairie and Shell Creeks. At the Charlotte Harbor area, the Peace River yields over six million gallons of drinking water, per day, for use by the residents in that area. According to the Peace River Manasota Regional Water Supply Authority, “The Peace River has provided our region with a high-quality water supply for years. The Peace River Facility provides an alternative to groundwater withdrawals and allows for the transfer of water among Charlotte, DeSota, Manatee and Sarasota Counties, as well as the City of North Port. Maintaining the ecological integrity of the lower Peace River and Charlotte Harbor is an essential requirement for any plan for future withdrawals from the Peace River.” (For more details of this process, contact peaceriver@regionalwater.org.) Peace River’s fresh waters are also crucial to maintaining Charlotte Harbor’s salinity. In addition to providing drinking water, Peace River provides fishing, canoeing, kayaking and fossil hunting. One review read, “Peace River holds extremely rare treasurers.” The Peace River and I have connections that run deep. The river has provided me with hours of recreational pleasure, and sometimes trepidation; and in return I have protected 9,000 feet of Peace River through archaeological registrations in the State Master Site File. So, how highly do you esteem your area waterways? Do you love your surrounding lakes, ponds, streams, rivers, springs,
You may do your part to help protect and preserve Florida’s waterways by practicing conservation efforts, abiding by water restrictions, and avoiding contributing to runoff and practicing the nine Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM principles listed in the University of Florida IFAS publication, AE515, Estimated Water Savings Potential of Florida. These principles are: 1. Right plant, right place 2. Water efficiently 3. Fertilize appropriately 4. Mulch, 5. Attract wildlife 6. Manage yard pests responsibly 7. Recycle, 8. Reduce stormwater runoff 9. Protect the waterfront. Each of these principles are designed to protect and conserve water and natural resources for a sustainable environment. Additional information about the Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM principles can be found at http://fyn.ifas.ufl. edu. At this site, you can download plant lists, landscaping guides and other publications. If you have questions regarding your landscape or becoming a Florida 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. The Florida Master Gardener Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible. An Equal Opportunity Institution. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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coastal areas and aquifer? Do you get your daily requirement of drinking water, take a bath and utilize water in other ways?
“ Environmental stewardship is important to our livelihoods and is why we have implemented Best Management Practices (BMPs) since 1990.
“
Through THIS FARM CARES, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation is proud to honor generations of farm familes who work together to protect our state’s natural resources. To learn more about BMP resources, visit www.thisfarmcares.org. SPONSORED BY
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@THISFARMCARES
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TAMPA BAY FISHING REPORT FEBRUARY 2018 by Capt. Woody Gore
What a great winter to be in Florida. The rest of the country has been freezing, when here in sunny Florida, with the exception of a few weeks, we’re in shorts, flip flops and T-Shirts and catching fish. Fishing around Tampa Bay has been decent for the winter months with plenty of nice catches, including Redfish, Snook and Trout, and some of the biggest ladyfish and yellow tail Jacks. Fishing reports include many fish exceeding 10 pounds. If you’ve never targeted big Jack Crevalles, you’re missing some great light tackle fun. The power of these huge fighters is amazing and guaranteed to make you say uncle. Fishing the area this winter has been fairly pleasant except for a few windy days. Bait was on the flats until a few weeks ago and should be showing up again in the near future. February is always a good time to try your hand at artificial lures. Anglers who never experience the thrill of targeting Snook, Redfish and Trout through artificial lures don’t know what their missing. It’s fun, exciting and helps you develop a skill that is never lost. Die-hard artificial anglers will tell you anyone can catch fish with live bait, but let’s see how good you are with plastic. Once you’re hooked (pardon the pun) you’ll love it. It’s fishing at its best, pitching a lure into that perfect spot, working and watching with heightened anticipation, just knowing something is getting ready to strike. If you’re not sure about artificial’s it gives you something different to attempt. And, like I’ve said many times, always “Leave the live bait at the bait shop.” If you bring a crutch you’ll use it.
Snook
If live bait is your choice, shrimp fished on a free-line or under a popper cork usually entices them to bite. Artificials also work when fished correctly. But remember in the winter and early spring don’t work them too fast. Snook can’t seem to resist a MirrOlure walk-the-dog lure on a calm morning broken bottom grass flat. Sub-surface sinking or suspending lures work exceptionally well in deeper water and of course soft plastics using at least a 1/8 oz. jighead always seem to produce good action during the early spring.
Redfish continue eating live and cut bait tossed in their direction, especially the smaller reds. Grass flats with broken bottoms, submerged oyster bars and mangrove shorelines are good starting points. Again, like snook, artificial’s work for redfish. Cut baits, small pinfish and deadsticking stinky baits usually attract the attention of most passing redfish. Try suspending stinky baits, cut chunks of pinfish or mullet or piece of crab under a popper letting it sit still in the water. You’ll be surprised at the results. Spotted Sea Trout are found around deeper water broken bottom grass flats, especially on strong tides. They eat shrimp, greenbacks, and pinfish. A popper cork proves deadly in catching nice trout when rigged with shrimp, either live or artificial. Another option is bouncing a soft plastic jig off the bottom. But remember, the bite usually comes as the bait falls so don’t be surprised to have a fish on just as the lure starts to sink after it hits the water.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Cobia There is a good chance to see one on the back of large Rays and Manatees, or just cruising around markers and cans. Large shrimp, pinWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
fish, or greenback, normally does the trick. But a large artificial eel rigged on a jighead also works.
Sheepsheads are everywhere right through March. Tough, toothy, boney mouths mean aggressive hook sets. Try fishing for these great fighters around markers, bridge fenders, docks, seawalls, rock piles, oyster bars or practically any type structure. Shrimp and fiddler crabs always produce, but green mussels and oysters also work. I like shrimp and fiddlers the best, when I can get them, and so do Sheepshead.
“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 ININTTHE FFIELD HE IELDM MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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Florida Jr. Swine Circuit
The milk in your glass, the clothes on your back, those sunny side up eggs, that yummy country fried steak are all made possible through agriculture. There are hundreds of agricultural products we use on a daily basis that make our lives more convenient, safer, a little less hungry and a lot less naked. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture, which is published every five years, “During the last 30 years the average age of U.S. farmers has grown by nearly eight years, from 50.5 years to 58.3 years.” That said, it brings to mind the question, where are the future agriculture producers? Fortunately for our future agriculture producers there are adults who commit themselves to serving as mentors, coaches, friends, and cheerleaders to ensure they learn and develop many of the important life skills necessary to continue this way of life. This month we introduce you to a group of individuals, who with a little bit of vision and a lot of hard work, are creating opportunities for swine exhibitors throughout the state of Florida. The Florida Junior Swine Circuit, formed on May 20, 2017, is a newly formed organization in the state of Florida with the purpose of giving swine exhibitors increased opportunities to exhibit their swine projects and network with industry leaders, all while earning prizes. Breanna Lawyer, President of the Florida Junior Swine Circuit, is an Indiana native who moved to Florida approximately a year and a half ago. During this time, she met many agriculture teachers and swine breeders throughout the state. There was a common desire among the group, to create a circuit for swine exhibitors similar to the cattle circuit already in existence. With swine circuits exhibiting a strong presence in Indiana, Breanna networked with the agriculture teachers and swine breeders to turn their idea into a reality by creating the Florida Junior Swine Circuit. According to the Florida Junior Swine Circuit website, “The FJSC was established to give youth the opportunity to show state wide at an organized set of sanctioned shows. We are committed to providing youth the opportunity to develop both in and out of the ring, building on showmanship skills, sportsmanship, and leadership. At the conclusion of the show season, exhibitors will be recognized and awarded for their accomplishments on the circuit.”
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The first show season consisted of five sanctioned shows throughout the state of Florida from mid-November 2017 to January 1, 2018. Exhibitors earned points based on showmanship placement, class placement, division placement and
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By Leslie Buchanon
top five overall placement. Exhibitors also earned additional points for exhibiting and placing with Florida bred swine. To reward exhibitors for their efforts and accomplishments, an end of the year banquet for the first show season was held on February 9 where belt buckles and jackets were awarded to deserving young people. Annual awards presented to students are based on funding each year, with funding coming from member dues and sponsorships. The current officer team and Board of Directors hope to create a Junior Board of Directors in the future as membership in the circuit increases. The members of the Board of Directors are agriculture teachers, industry breeders and industry supporters. Members include President: Breanna Lawyer, Secretary: Ashley Wheeler, Treasurer: Alyssa Fowler and Jessica Nelson, Brett Wheeler, Brett Bradner, Melissa Sampson, Steve Harber, Meagan Winsor, James and Missy Ritenburg, Chy LeClair, Mike McKenzie, Kevin Graham and Kyle Mendes. Board Member Brett Wheeler explains, “The first year of the FJSC has exceeded all of our expectations. We had over 120 members and averaged right at 180 hogs entered per show. Over the next few years we are looking to add more shows and add more divisions such as breeding gilts and showing hogs by breeds.” By participating in livestock shows our young agriculture leaders develop many life skills, such as responsibility, sportsmanship, character, confidence, social relationships and knowledge and care of livestock. Today’s young people depend on leaders within the agriculture commodity markets, agriculture educators, industry leaders and even parents, to empower and support their efforts to nurture and retain their involvement in agriculture. This is the intention of the Florida Junior Swine Circuit. “Our goal is to give kids the opportunity to show on another level outside of their county fair. We find it’s a great opportunity for kids to learn more and meet new people,” said President Breanna Lawyer. Membership in the Florida Junior Swine Circuit is open to young people up to age 21, with no minimum age requirement. Annual membership dues are $30 and payment is required in order to accumulate points. For information about membership or sponsorship opportunities, visit the Florida Junior Swine Circuit website at www.fljsc.org or find them on Facebook. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Charity Events Benefiting the Florida FFA Foundation
SATURDAY • MARCH 24 SECOND ANNUAL
FUTURE FARMER CLASSIC REGISTRATION - 8:00 AM SHOTGUN START - 8:30 AM
$125 PER INDIVIDUAL SHOOTER $450 PER TEAM OF FOUR SHOOTERS 50 Bird Tournament. Carts are $125 each. Limited Quantities Available.
and stick around for the 15TH ANNUAL
BEAST FEAST & AUCTION FOOD & SILENT AUCTION - 11:00 AM LIVE AUCTION - 1:30 PM
Wild Game Dinner to include Gator, Venison, Swamp Cabbage and more! Silent & Live Auctions include Hunting & Fishing Trips, Travel Packages and much more!
$75
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$25
STUDENTS
Florida FFA Leadership Training Center • 5000 Firetower Road Haines City, Florida 33844
For more information, visit FloridaFFA.org • Sponsorship Opportunities are available. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
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• What we call “Cotton Candy” was originally called “Fairy Floss” and was invented in 1897 by candy makers William Morris and John C. Wharton of Nashville, Tennessee. It was introduced at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904. It has also been called “Spun Sugar” and in the United Kingdom it is called “Candy Floss.” • The first state fair was held in Syracuse, NY in September of 1841. • The sequel to Andrew Lloyd Webber, Phantom of the Opera, is called Love Never Dies and is set in a carnival on Coney Island. • The games you play at a fair or carnival also go by the slang name joints • The High Roller in Las Vegas is the World’s tallest Ferris Wheels with 550 feet high
While having lunch at Fred’s Market Restaurant in Plant City, I over heard two ladies talking about men. One said, “Men are just happier people.” The other replied, “What do you expect from such simple creatures?” A few days later I started thing about their conversation, and you know they were right.
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Men are happier and seldom depressed. Our last name stays put. The garage is all ours. Wedding plans take care of themselves without us. Chocolate is just another snack. Car mechanics tell you the truth. The world is your urinal. You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because the one you are in is too dirty. Wrinkles add character. Wedding dress is $5,000.00, Tux rental is $100.00. New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet. Men are normally in the same mood most of the time. Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat. You know stuff about tanks and guns. A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase. You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness. Your underwear is
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$8.95 for a three-pack. Three pair of shoes is more than enough. You almost never have strap problems in public. You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes. The same hairstyle lasts for years. Men only have to shave their neck and face. One wallet and one pair of shoes, and one color for all seasons. You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look. A man can do his nails with a pocketknife. He can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes. Men can be very forgetful. As an example, there’s the story of Bill, Jim and Scott. They were sharing a large suite on the top of a 50-story skyscraper during a convention. After a long day of meetings they were shocked to hear that the elevators in their hotel were broken and they would have to climb stairs to get to their room. Bill said to Jim and Scott, “Let’s break the monotony of this unpleasant task by concentrating on something interesting. I’ll tell jokes for 25 flights, and Jim can sing songs for 25 flights, and Scott can tell sad stories the rest of the way. At the 26th floor Bill stopped WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
telling jokes and Jim began to sing. At the 51st floor Jim stopped singing and Scott began to tell sad stories. “I will tell my saddest story first,” he said. “I left the room key in the car!” In my senior class there was one boy that got 0% on his exam, which actually showed he was light years ahead of the vast majority of humanity. Below shows how he answered the questions on the exam. I would have given him 100
Q1. In which battle did Napoleon die? -“His last battle!” Q2. Where was the declaration of Independence signed - “At the bottom of the page!” Q3. The Ohio River flows in which state? - “Liquid!” Q4. What is the main reason for divorce? - “Marriage!” Q5. What is the main reason for failure? - “Exams!” Q6. What can you never eat for breakfast? - “Lunch & Dinner!” Q7. What looks like half an apple? - “The other half!” Q8. If you throw a stone into the blue sea what will it become? “It will simply become wet!” Q9. How can a man go eight days without sleeping? - “No prob-
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lem, he sleeps at night!” Q10. How can you lift an elephant with one hand? - “You will never find an elephant that has only one hand!” Q11. If you had three apples and four oranges in one hand, what would you have? - “Very large hands!” Q12. If it took eight men to build a wall, how long would it take four men to build it? - “No time at all, the wall is already built!”
One to Remember By Melissa Nichols
The Polk County Youth Fair proved once again to be one for the record books. The fair, the largest of its kind in the southeast, began on Saturday January 20 and wrapped up on Friday January 26. Exhibitors from all over Polk County make their way to the UF-IFAS building in Bartow, bringing along 4-H, FFA and FCCLA projects, from animals to cakes, crafts and quilting, the youth fair hosts it all.
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The kickoff event this year was the horse show, which took place Saturday January 20. Exhibitors displayed their skills in Western and English riding, as well as ranch riding, barrels, poles, costume, horsemanship, showmanship and more. The horse show is always a good time with more than 100 exhibitors.
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Sunday brings the market hog show exhibitors. This year over 310 exhibitors’ hogs made weight, between 240 and 295lbs. Exhibitors were encouraged to walk their hogs to the arena warm up area before the show and an additional set of pens were placed in the arena to hold the class winning hogs. At the end of the division drive a grand and reserve were selected. Amanda Lawson, from Kathleen High School FFA, was selected as the Grand Champion for the 2018 PCYF market hog show with her Hampshire cross gilt from the selection of hogs brought in to George Jenkins High School. Tobey Price, from Bartow Middle School FFA, was named Reserve Champion with his Duroc pig from Burkhalter Show Pigs in Lafayette, Indiana. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The showmanship winners this year were Laney Cash, Junior showmanship winner, Luke Kinard, Intermediate showmanship winner, Dylan Webb, Senior showmanship winner. Laney, Luke and Dylan all displayed their ability to show their way to the top and this also moved them to the top of the sale order, followed by class winners, selling heaviest to lightest. The sale took place on Tuesday where the average sale price was $3.11lbs. The whip-popping contest took place on Monday Jan 22. This event is organized by the Lightsey family and is always one of the most attended events at the Youth Fair. Whip poppers from around the county entertained the crowd with their style of whip popping. At the end of the night Kelley Buick GMC presented the division winners a cash price, trophy and whip. They also give out a spirit award, this award is selected by choosing the participant who had the most fun and “spirit” during the contest. This year the spirit award was given to Hunter Dupre of Kathleen Senior High FFA for his performance with 8-foot whips made by KJ Smith Cowhunter whips. Tuesday night the commercial heifer show took to the arena and exhibitors from around the county brought their best Brahman influenced and European influenced heifers age six months to three years. The judge for the show was Brett Brandner from Deland. The events in the Stuart center took place from Sunday to Friday. One of the highlights of the week was the Chili cookoff. FFA and 4-H teams from around the county came to cook their favorite chili recipe, from venison chili, to taco chili. Another favorite is the table-setting contest, where participants bring their favorite décor and themed items to set a table for two.
Wednesday brought a new addition to the fair, the goat show. Exhibitors brought meat and dairy goats to compete for the Grand Champion in their breed, as well as overall. This contest may be for smaller livestock but it is definitely one that doesn’t lack in competition. Thursday is the Purebred Beef Breed show as well as the steer show. This year the judge for the Purebred show was Rob Sands Jr of Alachua. The exhibitors showed purebred cattle, from Zebu’s to Simmental. The steer show began with the open division showing first this year. Kimberly Harwell of Lake Gibson Middle School was selected as the Grand Champion Open Market Steer and Kagen Long of Farm Fresh 4-H was Reserve. In the Polk Bred Commercial Steer show Bryce Gary of Lake Wales Senior FFA received the Grand Champion smack from Judge Mike Milicevec and Maggie Clark from Kathleen Senior FFA received Reserve. The steer sale took place on Friday night where the average for steers was $3.21 per pound, up from last year’s average of $3.05. Plants were sold on Friday. All plants that are selected as blue ribbons and tricolor winners are able to be auctioned off. Plants serve as a way students can earn extra money for other projects. Prices ranged from $30 to several hundred dollars. At the close of the day Friday, exhausted yet enriched exhibitors, parents, volunteers, committee members, board members and guests closed the record book on one of the most successful youth fairs to date, all thanks to the countless hours spent by the participants, their families, the volunteers, and community supporters. The 2018 fair was definitely one to remember.
© 2018 The Mosaic Company
WE’RE PUTTING SCIENCE TO WORK FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.
At Mosaic, we’re putting science to work right here in the community. From serving as docents at the Coastal Education Center to volunteering in robotics labs, our scientists and engineers work closely with local schools to provide students with innovative learning opportunities in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). We’re dedicated to preparing the next generation for rewarding careers in a 21st-century economy. Subrata, Mosaic’s Senior Engineer Advisor, discusses sustainability practices with students at Florida Polytechnic University. To learn more about Mosaic’s support of STEM education, visit Science.MosaicCo.com.
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By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida We must admit to you that this copy of Ornamental Gardening in Florida has seen better days. We’ve been using it now for almost four years and it’s beginning to really show its age. But, truth be told, a book deserves to be well loved and used. Mr. Torrey Simpson’s book has certainly taken us on some educational adventures upon the Literary Time Machine. We can only hope that it will outlast our voyage here. When last we spoke, Mr. Torrey Simpson was illuminating his views on patriotism via the love of ornamental plants, specifically due to the Royal Poinciana. Now he speaks of another tree with which he is fond. The silk cotton. “E. anfractuosum is a majestic tree reaching a height of a hundred feet with a clean, straight columnar trunk and digitate leaves. I have a fine specimen about fifteen years old that is fully seventy feet high and has a trunk nearly two feet in diameter above the sharp, straight buttresses…This tree has not bloomed but I have reason to believe that the flowers are whitish and in clusters.”¹ We can’t imagine waiting 15 years for a tree to bloom, but when you are as devoted to horticulture as he was, it must be normal. He mentions several other trees but doesn’t seem to get too worked up about any of them and therefore we forged ahead on this journey of discovery until he mentioned the Grevillea robusta. He writes, “A tree from Australia which reaches a large size in the middle of the state but does not do so well here, probably because the climate is too warm for it. At Avon Park I have seen a magnificent tree fifty feet high with a trunk eighteen inches in diameter and loaded with bloom. This is the Silk oak or Fern plant which is largely cultivated in the north for its attractive leaves and growth but it never reaches blooming size there. Here in spring it bears one-sided heads of dull orange flowers. G. hilliana, was offered by Reasoner Brothers and I have two trees of it in my grounds. One of them bears carmine flowers in a dense head from December to May, a very attractive tree, and those of the other are creamy white. Both do well in pineland and I have an idea they will stand some frost.”¹ We had never heard of a silk oak or fern plant and wondered if it was still a popular ornamental tool. You’d never believe where we found some answers. In the Los Angeles Times! Bettijane Levine wrote about the tree in the May 31, 2007 edition. Her article is entitled: Silk oak, a towering beauty that’s a bit of a wallflower. She describes it as having “showy orangegold blooms and fern-like leaves.”² Someone she interviewed revealed, “In China, the leaves are used for treating cuts and scratches. And it has those beautiful, spidery flowers. I love them, and so do orioles and hummingbirds.”² If hummingbirds like them, then perhaps this is a tree worth further investigation as we happen to be big fans of hummingbirds.
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A quick search for purchase options revealed that Lowe’s at least has it listed. And, their write up adds that the tree tolerates poor soils. Plus, they were charging less than $25 for
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a 3.25 gallon tree. Unfortunately, the Lowe’s in our area was not stocking them and it appears delivery isn’t an option either. The trees weren’t available at the Plant City Lowe’s either. We kept searching and found some for sale in Ocala via Eldon Tropicals. Unfortunately, their site reveals that these trees are not good in soggy soil. Living in the swamp puts a damper (pun intended) on many things. But, those of you in Plant City can get your small seedling from that site for $14. In case you’re looking for a way to coax those hummingbirds into your garden. We will close with another interesting sounding tree, the Jacaranda mimosaefolia. Torrey Simpson elaborates, “A splendid large, flowering tree from Brazil which is considerably planted in the southern third of Florida. Its great leaves are decompound, as delicately beautiful as those of any fern and throughout most of the rainy season it bears great panicles of rich blue, trumpet shaped flowers. The botanist Jussieu with fine taste gave the beautiful native name Jacaranda to this genus.”¹ Who’s Jussieu we wondered. We discovered the answer in the Encyclopedia Britannica. He was a French botanist that lived between 1748 and 1836. Supposedly he, “…developed the principles that served as the foundation of a natural system of plant classification.”³ We then wondered why Torrey Simpson was so impressed with the name, Jacaranda. So, we looked it up. Merriam-Webster revealed the definition to be, “any of a genus (Jacaranda) of tropical American trees of the bignonia family with bipinnate leaves and panicles of showy usually blue flowers.”⁴ This word was apparently first used in 1753. Since Jussieu would have only been six at the time, we cannot credit him for its invention. Regardless, Mr. Torrey Simpson was very impressed with the man’s work and probably equally impressed with the tree he named. We’re just sorry that Reasoner Brothers isn’t around anymore to provide us with Silk Oaks. Not that it would matter, they don’t like soggy soil. Ah well. Maybe the next voyage will produce information on another hummingbird attracting option. Until then, happy planting! 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. 151-154). ²Levine, B. (2007). Silk oak, a towering beauty that’s a bit of a wallflower. Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/home/la-hm-silkoak31may31-story.html ³Encyclopedia Britannica. Antoine-Laurent de Jussieu. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Antoine-Laurent-de-Jussieu ⁴Merriam-Webster. Jacaranda. https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/jacaranda Photo Credits: Jim Mullhaupt. 2009. Silk Oak Tree Blooms. Grevillea robusta. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/6cz2o6) Mauroguanandi. 2010. Jacaranda. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/8TzsjH) WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Tree Cleaners: The Stock Island Tree Snail Little known fact: snail collecting is a thing. The only snail collecting I’ve ever been exposed to was after Hurricane Irma. My yard was inundated with those giant water snails (apple snails) and I was busy collecting them from my property to prevent the inevitable stench that would accompany them from too much time out in the sun once the swamp that was my acre dried out. Apparently, though, there are people that collect snails as a sort of hobby. And although the Stock Island Tree Snail isn’t nearly as vibrant, or as radiantly colored, as many others, it has suffered the consequences of this unusual trend. Of course, that’s not why it’s on the federally threatened list. And, it’s not why this snail is considered endangered in Florida,¹ But before we get to that, let’s learn a little about them. The Orthalicus reses, or Stock Island Tree Snail, is arboreal, which simply means it lives in trees. It’s known for living on Stock Island and in Key West. It’s a large snail that can reach up to 2.2 inches in length.² You will find that it has three bands that are poorly developed and there are horizontal stripes in a purple-brown hue. The shell is pretty translucent and rather lightweight. The lightness of its overall color scheme is what differentiates it from others in this genus.¹ These snails like to eat the things that grow on the surface of the trees they inhabit. The fancy word for stuff that grows on the surface of plants is: epiphytic. So, the snail eats epiphytic algae, lichens, and fungi, and, if this doesn’t weird you out, the snails are hermaphrodites. That means they have both genders’ reproductive organs. They will mate in late summer or the early fall and nest at that time as well. This time frame is right at the wettest part of our Florida rainy season.² Nests are made in the humus. Apparently, carbon is very important to them and it is this layer of soil that allows carbon to reach its highest stability. They will then lay 15 eggs in a clutch. The laying process can last anywhere from as short as 24 hours, to as long as 105! When the spring comes, and the rainy season has returned, the eggs hatch.² Once the eggs hatch, the wee baby snails start climbing up trees, since they are only on the ground for the purpose of traveling from one tree to another or nesting. These babies won’t nest until they are two or three years old and can live to be six years old.¹ Their rate of growth is wholly dependent upon how much food is accessible and how quickly it can be replenished. Light intensity and moisture directly affects vregrowth of the epiphytic lichens, algae and fungi. Hammock habitats appear to offer the snails the best food sources. And, their dinner grows on hardwood tree trunks, leaves, and branches. The snails may also eat small mites and mixobacteria, but researchers are not certain of this. They feed throughout the day, but the peak time is between late afternoon and midmorning. Of course, while it’s raining, or right after it finished, seems to be an optimum time as well.¹
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We mentioned that collectors have done some damage to the population of the Stock Island Tree Snail. However, the greatest threat lies in humanity’s desire to modify their natural habitats. Urban development in Southern Florida, particularly the Keys, has created a good deal of trouble. Their habitats are being degraded, fragmented, and destroyed. Additional threats come from pesticides and predation. It would appear that birds, black rats, fire ants, and even raccoons are quite fond of these snails. In fact, the fire ants seem to be one of the most significant contributors to population decline.²
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While there are scientists and researchers who want to create plans to better manage the remaining snail populations found in Florida, there are some problems. Unfortunately, nothing has been published about their life history, and no new information has been gleaned, since a 1987 study. The other issue is that collectors have been moving the snails to areas outside of their original habitats. Although moving them may have rescued them from extinction, it has also made it increasingly difficult to manage and protect them since they are outside their normal location range.¹ As much as we would like to give you some advice as to how to help these snails, we simply don’t know. Attempts to breed them in captivity have largely failed. The best thing we can suggest is that if you happen to hear about someone considering the hobby of snail collecting, advise against it. Let people k n o w that this behavior is endangering Florida’s snail populations. Since they essentially clean the trees they live on, this is a creature that serves a God given purpose and deserves to remain on this planet and specifically in Florida. Resources: ¹ Fish and Wildlife Service. https://www.fws. gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/StockIslandTreeSnail. pdf ²Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/invertebrates/stock-island-tree-snail/ Photo Credits: Judy Gallagher. 2017. Tree Snail. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/RLpEHq)- probably not a Stock Island Tree Snail. Kenneth Cole Schneider. 2017. Florida Tree Snail 2-20170329. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/ ToB9Rn)- probably not a Stock Island Tree Snail. WWW.IIN NT THE HEF FIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
Save $2.00 on Adult & $1.00 on Youth General Admission Tickets at Publix
Building New Memories! Artists Appearing on the
Jimmy Sturr & His Orchestra Thu. Mar. 1, 10:30 FREE
Soundstage:
Fri. Mar. 2, 7:30 $35
Josh Turner
Mon. Mar. 5, 7:30 $25
The Lettermen
Thu. Mar. 8, 10:30 FREE
Gary Allan
Oak Ridge Boys
Thu. Mar. 1, 7:30 $30
Thu. Mar. 1, 3:30 $20
Justin Moore with Dylan Scott
March 1 –11, 2018 Plant City, FL
Cam
Jerry Lee Lewis Fri. Mar. 2, 3:30 $30
Big & Rich featuring Cowboy Troy
Sat. Mar. 3, 3:30 $20
Lee Greenwood
Sat. Mar. 3, 7:30 $30
Casting Crowns
Gaither Vocal Band
Tue. Mar. 6, 7:30 $30
Tue. Mar. 6, 3:30 $25
Drifters, Platters and Cornell Gunter’s Coasters Thu. Mar. 8, 3:30 $20
Featuring Vanilla Ice, Salt-N-Pepa and Tone Loc Thu. Mar. 8, 7:30 $35
REBA McENTIRE
Sun. Mar. 4, 3:30 $20
Sun. Mar. 4, 7:30 $50
Jimmy Fortune Mon. Mar. 5, 3:30 $20
Engelbert Humperdinck Trace Adkins Wed. Mar. 7, 3:30 $30
Charley Pride Fri. Mar. 9, 3:30 $20
Wed. Mar. 7, 7:30 $25
Earth, Wind & Fire Fri. Mar. 9, 7:30 $40
#berryfest18 Sawyer Brown
Sat. Mar. 10, 3:30 $20
Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds & Anthony Hamilton Sat. Mar. 10, 7:30 $35
Chase Bryant
Sun. Mar. 11, 3:30 $20
Brad Paisley
Sun. Mar. 11, 7:30 $50
Visit FLstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets for the best seats available! While online, check out the Free Entertainment and Special Days for Discounts and full Schedule of Festival Events.
Concert dates and times are subject to change
• Florida Dairy Farmers • Netterfield’s Concessions • Verizon Wireless • Images Everywhere! • Circle-K • Candyland Warehouse • AMSCOT • DIRECTV • Stingray Chevrolet • Good Health Saunas • Uncommon USA • Wyndam Vacation Resorts • Local Ford Dealers • TECO • Astin Farms • MetroPCS• Global Frequency Technology • Alessi • O’Reilly Auto Parts • General RV Center • 1-800-411-PAIN • Timeshare Exit Team • Vision Auto Glass INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Pineapple Florida
By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Fresh Florida pineapples are a special tropical springtime treat. They’re juicy, sweet, tart, and taste like the tropics. The pineapple is a traditional symbol of hospitality and a type of bromeliad. Also called ananas, piñas, or nanas, the pineapple gets its name from its resemblance to a pinecone. Florida was once the top producer of pineapple in the late 1800s, but now the country’s largest producer is Hawaii. Pineapples are unique to plant and grow. New fruit can grow from cutting off the crown of the fruit and placing it in soil. It will then flower in five to ten months and fruit in the following year. The two most popular varieties in the U.S. are the Cayenne, the tall, cylindrical type that grows in Hawaii, and the Red Spanish, the shorter, rounder type that grows in Florida. Pineapple ranges in size from two to five pounds. The outer peel changes from green to a golden color and the fruit becomes fragrant when it ripens. Inside, the pulp is yellow, sweet, and delicious. Peak season for fresh Florida pineapples are from late February to early June.
Nutrition This flavorful tropical fruit is also full of health benefits. It’s a great source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and more. One cup of cut fresh pineapple (165g) contains 83 calories, 0.9 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 21.6 g carbohydrate, and 2.3 g of fiber. A single cup serving also contains 105% of your daily requirement for vitamin C, 77% for manganese, 20% for copper, 11% for vitamins B1 and B6, as well as fiber and folate.
Digestive help Fresh pineapples are well known for their benefits in digestion. They contain a compound called bromelain, which is an enzyme used in meat tenderizers, and helps digest the food we eat. Bromelain has other health benefits as well and may play a role in decreasing inflammation.
Immune Support
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Eating more fresh pineapple is a great way to boost your immune system, especially during the active cold and flu season. A single cup of pineapple contains more than your entire daily requirement of vitamin C, which also acts in the body as an antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the body against free radicals that attack and damage normal cells and help decrease inflammation in the body. By doing so, vitamin C and other
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antioxidants can decrease the plaque build-up in arteries in atherosclerosis, decrease joint pain in arthritis, lessen the likelihood of asthmatic attacks and reduce the risk of some types of cancers.
Other Benefits Pineapple is a fantastic source of the trace mineral manganese. This mineral is involved in a number of enzymatic reactions in the body related to energy production and antioxidant defenses. Fresh pineapple is also a good source of thiamin, a B vitamin that is also necessary for enzymatic reactions related to energy production.
How to select and store Choose fresh pineapple that feels heavy for its size, has a golden yellow peel and a fragrant aroma. It should have dark green leaves and be slightly soft to the touch. Avoid any with soft spots or yellow or brown leaves. Ripe fruit can be stored whole in the refrigerator for up to a week. One medium pineapple will yield about three cups of fruit when cut into chunks. Cut pineapple can be refrigerated for up to three to four days.
How to Enjoy Fresh Florida pineapple is delicious eaten fresh, cut up into slices, or as part of a fruit or vegetable salad. The fruit can also be grilled, sauteed, or broiled or used as a garnish. The juice is well known as the main ingredient in cocktails, such as pina coladas. • Combine diced pineapple with chopped chili peppers and onions for a tropical salsa to top off fish or chips. • Drizzle maple syrup on pineapple slices and broil until brown. • Use as a topping for pizza, burgers, or sandwiches. • Mix crushed pineapple into yogurt, desserts or ice cream. • Chop into chunks and add to your favorite stir-fry. Enjoy fresh Florida pineapple in its peak season today. Savor its natural sweetness and reap its many health benefits.
Selected References http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/fruits/ pineapples.html http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu http://www.whfoods.com WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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2018 Polk County Youth Fair Results Alyssa Balliett, Orange Blossom 4-H, Int. Judges’ Choice Tablesetting 1st Place Elise Barfield, Home Grown 4-H, Photography-Special Effects Tri-Color Photography-Single Enlargement TriColor Madison Barnett, Mulberry Sr. FFA, Sr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Bryan Batson, Be A Champ 4-H, Horticulture-Peaches Reserve Grand Champion T.C. Bearden, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Foods-FL Orange Pound Cake Tri-Color Jayden Black, Amigos 4-H, Home Furnishings-Acrylic Pen Tri-Color Home Furnishings-Truck Lamp TriColor Archery Jr. Sighted Compound 1st Place Chili Cook Off People’s Choice 1st Place Champion Commercial Hen 1st Place Breeding Goat-Pygmy Grand Champion Breeding Goat-Pygmy, Reserve Champion Goat Jr. Showmanship 1st Place Julia Black, Polk Centennial 4-H, Jr. Demonstration 1st Place Jr. Illustrated Talk 1st Place Varn Black, Polk Centennial, 4-H, Cake Auction Winner Valerie Bosley, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Max(Jeffery)Boyd, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Preston Brannon, Hoof n’ Horn 4-H, Breeding Goat-Dairy Grand Champion
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Jordan Brantley, New Horizons 4-H, Jr. Best Formal Tablesetting 1st Place
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Jacob Briggs, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Taylor Brown, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Horticulture-Gardenia Tri-Color Blair Buchanon, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Purebred Beef-Angus Female Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Angus Female Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-English Female Grand Champion Purebred Beef-English Female Reserve Champion Beef Breeding-Sr. Showmanship 1st place Hannah Bustamante, Winter Haven Christian FFA, Jr. Horticulture Judging Team 1st Place Makayla Bustamante, Winter Haven Christian FFA Jr. Horticulture Judging Team 1st Place Samantha Carr, Clovers on the Ridge Melanie Carvajal, Haines City Sr. FFA, Purebred Beef-Zebu Female Grand Champion Laney Cash, Lucky A’s 4-H Market Hog Jr. Showmanship Contest 1st Place Jr. Goat Tying Skills 1st Place Meat Goat Grand Champion Market Goat Reserve Champion Gabe Chandley, Lucky A’s 4-H, Int. Livestock Judging 1st Place Peyton Chandley, Lucky A’s 4-H, Photography-Photo Series Tri-Color Purebred Beef-Simmental Female Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Simmental Bull Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Continental Male Grand Champion Timothy Chauncey, Mulberry Sr. FFA, Sr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Purebred Beef-Hereford Bull Reserve Champion Tyler Childs, Amigos 4-H, Chili Cook Off People’s Choice 1st Place
Sara Clanton, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Goat Int. Showmanship 1st Place Maggie Clark, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Commercial Market Steer Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Hereford Female Grand Champion Taylor Clements, Bartow Sr. FFA, Archery Sr. Instinctive Compound 1st Place Annabelle Crandall, Southern Variety 4-H, PJ Pants Sew Off 1st Place Landon David, Lucky A’s 4-H, Meat Goat Reserve Champion Grayson Davis, New Horizons 4-H, Home Furnishings-Recycled Pallet Tri-Color Paige Davis, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Gift Basket for Auction-Picnic Tri-Color Misty Devane, Frostproof FFA, Commercial Heifer-European Yearling Grand Champion Commercial Heifer-Overall European Reserve Champion Gavin Dicks, Lucky A’s 4-H, Food Preservation Tri-Color Mason Dicks, Lucky A’s 4-H, Food Preservation Tri-Color Brynna Dierker, Country Ridge 4-H, Foods-Sesame Seed Bread Tri-Color Home Furnishings-Copper Cross TriColor Gift Basket for Auction-Grill Tri-Color Horticulture-Citrus Grand Champion Int. Illustrated Talk 1st Place Jack Dierker, Country Ridge 4-H, Gift Basket for Auction-Irma Tri-Color Horticulture-Peaches Grand Champion Horticulture-Yucca Tri-Color McKenzie Dipace, Frostproof FFA Landon Donley, Farm Fresh 4-H, Purebred Beef-Zebu Bull Grand Champion WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Katie Harwell, Kathleen Sr FFA Todd Donley, Dundee Ridge FFA, Purebred Beef-Herdsman Award Winner Market Steer Eagle Award Winner Hunter Dupre, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Market Steer Herdsman Winner Payge Dupre, Lake Gibson Middle FFA, Commercial Heifer-Int. Showmanship 1st Place Chase Durden, Winter Haven Christian FFA, Jr. Horticulture Judging Team 1st Place Reagan Durden, Winter Haven Adventurers 4-H, Jr. Best Informal Indoor Tablesetting 1st Place Jr. Storytelling 1st Place Jr. Decorative Centerpiece 1st Place Elizabeth(Lizzy)Durrance, Lucky A’s 4-H Jr. Judges’ Choice Tablesetting 1st Place Kate Durrance, Lucky A’s 4-H, Int. Storytelling 1st Place Autumn Ellis, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Kaleigh Evans, Mulberry Sr. FFA Sr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place William Ferguson, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Caleb Fletcher, Kathleen Middle FFA, Int. Steer Showmanship 1st Place Olivia Foreman, Southern Variety 4-H, Int. Decorative Centerpiece 1st Place Rylee Fountain, Winter Haven Adventurers 4-H, Jr. Best Holiday Tablesetting 1st Place Brittney French, Mulberry Sr. FFA, Sr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Cadence Fussell, Top Notch 4-H, Cake Auction Winner Bryce Gary, Lake Wales Sr. FFA, Commercial Market Steer Grand Champion Ellie Grady, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Int. Sew Off 1st Place Lauren Grady, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Home Furnishings-Table Runner Tri-Color Jr. Sew Off 1st Place Sarah Grady, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Poultry and Egg Judging Sr. 1st Place Megan Handley, Polk Centennial 4-H, Home Furnishings-Zinnia Box Tri-Color Ava Hansel, Rowdy Ropers 4-H, Rabbit Show Best in Show
Brianna Heath, Lake Wales Sr. FFA, Horse Show Sr. English Highpoint Winner Horse Show Overall Highpoint Winner Alyssa Hieronymous, Camo Country 4-H, Home Furnishings-Pillowcase Tri-Color Anya Hockenberry, Home Grown 4-H, Sr. Storytelling 1st Place Sr. Decorative Centerpiece 1st Place Corin Hockenberry, Home Grown 4-H Jace Hohenthaner, Lakeland Sr. FFA, Purebred Beef-Continental Female Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Chianina Female Grand Champion Sr. Steer Showmanship 1st Place
Katelyn McCullough, Winter Haven Christian FFA, Jr. Horticulture Judging Team 1st Place Leanna McDuffie, George Jenkins FFA, Breeding Goat-Boer Reserve Champion Gavin McKenzie, Stambaugh Middle FFA, Dozen Brown Eggs Grand Champion Asher McMahan, Top Notch 4-H, Commercial Heifer-Herdsman Award Winner Autumn McMahan, Top Notch 4-H, Commercial Heifer-Hersdman Award Winner
McKenzie Hollie, Rockin’ Riders 4-H, Horse Show Jr. Speed Highpoint Winner
Kylee McMullen, Lk. Gibson Middle FFA, Purebred Beef-Brahman Bull Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Brahman Breed Male Reserve Champion Beef Breeding-Inter. Showmanship 1st place
Emilie Huggins, Dundee Ridge FFA, Purebred Beef-Herdsman Award Winner Purebred Beef-Zebu Female Reserve Champion
Macey Merritt, Bartow Sr. FFA, Commercial Heifer-Brahman Yearling Grand Champion Commercial Heifer-Overall Brahman Grand Champion
Autumn Jackson, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Horticulture-Copper Plant Tri-Color Sr. Horticulture Judging Team 1st Place
Elizabeth Miller, Winter Haven Adventurers 4-H, Rabbit Jr. Showmanship 1st Place Katie Moore, Bartow Sr. FFA, Market Goat Grand Champion
Nathan Jenkins, Frostproof Middle FFA, Jr. Livestock Judging Team 1st Place Abbegail Jernigan, Home Grown 4-H, Int. Scrap-Off 1st Place Seth Justus, Shooting Sports, Sr. Poultry Showmanship 1st Place Mattisen Keeble, Amigos 4-H, Horticulture-Alocasia Tri-Color Horticulture-Dralena Tri-Color Austin Keen, Ft. Meade FFA, Chili Cook Off Judge’s Choice 1st Place Mia Lackey, Ft. Meade FFA, Chili Cook Off Judge’s Choice 1st Place Faith Lightsey, Clovers on the Ridge 4-H, Home Furnishings-Scrapbook Tri-Color Chris Mango, Kathlenn Sr FFA Douglas Mardavich, Home Grown 4-H, Sr. Most Creative Tablesetting 1st Place Chasey McCrimmon, Top Notch 4-H, Purebred, Beef-Brahman Female Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Brahman Bull Grand
Andrea Moreno, Lake Gibson Sr. FFA, Horticulture--Blueberry Grand Champion Lillie Myers, Independent 4-H, Commercial Heifer-Jr. Showmanship 1st Place Caleb Nelson, Auburndale Sr. FFA, Horticulture-Dish Garden Tri-Color Horticulture-Collard Greens Tri-Color Hannah Ogburn, Frostproof Middle FFA, Int. Best Informal Outdoor Tablesetting 1st Place Jr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Payton Ogburn, Frostproof FFA, Cake Auction Winner Dozen White Eggs Grand Champion Jordan O’Leary, The Squad 4-H, Archery Sr. Instinctive Bow 1st Place Kelsey Orlando, Hoof n’ Horn 4-H, Champion Female Bantam 1st Place Abigail Parmer, Bartow Middle FFA, Rabbit Judging Jr. Team 1st Place INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Kinley Hardee, Hoof n’ Horn 4-H, Horse Show Jr. Western Highpoint Winner Kimberly Harwell, Lake Gibson Middle FFA, Open Market Steer Grand Champion
Champion Purebred Beef-Brahman Breed Female Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Brahman Breed Male Grand Champion Beef Breeding-Jr. Showmanship 1st place
Anna Parmer, Top Notch 4-H, Rabbit Judging Jr. 1st Place Jr. Horticulture Judging 1st Place Chloe Peters, Frostproof MS FFA Kylie Peters, Boot Scootin’ 4-H, Child Development Tri-Color Breeding Goat Int. Herdsman Winner Marissa Peters, Lake Wales Sr. FFA, Child Development Tri-Color Katelyn Pettypiece, Camo Country 4-H, Gift Basket for Auction-Cowgirl Tri-Color Justin Phillips, Bartow Middle FFA, Cake Auction Winner Shelby Pierce, Ft. Meade FFA, Chili Cook Off Judge’s Choice 1st Place Caitlin Pueschell, Be A Champ 4-H, Commercial Heifer-Eagle Award Winner Caleb Ramos, Winter Haven Christian FFA, Foods-Italian Cream Cake TriColor Foods-Fresh Citrus Arrangement TriColor Cake Auction Winner Harlie Rayborn, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Commercial Heifer-Sr. Showmanship 1st Place Commercial Heifer-European 2 yr old Grand Champion Harlie Rayborn, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Commercial Heifer-Overall European Grand Champion Purebred Beef-American Shorthorn Female Reserve Champion Megan Ritter, Hog Wild 4-H, Archery Jr., Instinctive Compound 1st Place Weslie Ritter, Kathleen Sr. FFA, Purebred Beef-Continental Male Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Romagnola Bull Grand Champion Kiersten Robbins, Bartow Sr. FFA, Foods-Buttercake Cakepops Tri-Color Foods-Orange Supreme Cake Tri-Color Foods-Butter Almond Cake Tri-Color Foods-Walnut Choco-chip Cookies Tri-Color Cake Auction Winner Horticulture--Blueberry Tri-Color Maegan Rodden, Polk County Sea Stars 4-H, Rabbit Sr. Showmanship 1st Place Ethan Schmidt, Frostproof Sr. FFA, Sr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Cassidy Sharp, Southern Variety 4-H, Champion Turkey 1st Place
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Carlie Shenefield, Amigos 4-H, Jr. Live-
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stock Judging 1st Place Iolana Siedlecki, Southern Variety 4-H, Archery Int. Sighted Compound 1st Place Britney Smith, Country Ridge 4-H, Purebred Beef-Ultra Black Female Reserve Champion Jason Spurlock, Frostproof Sr. FFA, Rabbit Judging Sr. Team 1st Place Kendalyn Spurlock, Frostproof Sr. FFA, Rabbit Judging Sr. Team 1st Place Emilee Sturgis, Mulberry Sr. FFA, Breeding Goat Sr. Herdsman Winner Saphire Sutton, Lake Gibson Sr. FFA, Horticulture-Ornamental Plant Grand Champion Alyssa Sweat, Dundee Ridge FFA, Purebred Beef-Herdsman Award Winner Woodworking-Wood Cabin Tri-Color Maribel Tarango, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Int. Sew Off 1st Place Jr. Sew Off 1st Place Poultry and Egg Judging Jr. 1st Place Ranch Hand Contest JR. 1st Place Mario Tarango, Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Jr. Sew Off 1st Place Marissa Tarango,Ft. Meade Community 4-H, Gift Basket for Auction-Good Morning Tri-Color Sr. Sew Off 1st Place Breeding Goat-Boer Grand Champion Goat Sr. Showmanship 1st Place Carlee Taylor, Hoof-N-Horn 4-H, Purebred Beef-Brahman Breed Female Reserve Champion Purebred Beef-Ultra Black Female Grand Champion Mollie Tew, Hoof n’ Horn 4-H, Horticulture--Blueberry Reserve Grand Champion Horticulture-Croton Tri-Color Sr. Horticulture Judging 1st Place Kainin Thomas, Crop and Carrot 4-H, Jr. Poultry Showmanship 1st Place Payton Thompson, Lake Gibson FFA Kaylee Tomon, Dundee Ridge FFA, Purebred Beef-Herdsman Award Winner Nicholas Toney, Treasures of Life 4-H, Rabbit Judging Sr. 1st Place
Kyley Tucci, Amigos 4-H Jr. Steer Showmanship 1st Place Kylee Urbina, Mulberry Middle FFA, Breeding Goat Eagle Award Winner Grayson Waldman, Bullseyes 4-H, Archery Sr. Sighted Compound 1st Place Sr. Whip Popping 1st Place Josiah Waldman, Bullseyes 4-H, Archery Sr. Sighted Bow 1st Place Mariah Waldman, Bullseyes 4-H, Archery Int. Sighted Bow 1st Place Int. Whip Popping 1st Place Tristen Walling,George Jenkins Sr. FFA, Purebred Beef-Simmental Female Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Continental Female Grand Champion Kathleen Wann, All Stars 4-H, Dozen Brown Eggs Reserve Champion Logan Waters Dundee Ridge Cornen Way, WHCS McKenzie Webb, New Horizons 4-H Leslie White, Bartow Sr. FFA, Educational Exhibit-Sea Cows Tri-Color Sr. Best Informal Indoor Tablesetting 1st Place Sr. Scrap-Off 1st Place Cake Auction Winner Sr. Illustrated Talk 1st Place Lauryn Williams, Lakeland Sr. FFA, Breeding Goat-Dairy Reserve Champion Makayla Williamson, Frostproof Middle FFA, Purebred Beef-Angus Bull Grand Champion Purebred Beef-Hereford Bull Grand Champion Purebred Beef-English Male Grand Champion Purebred Beef-English Male Reserve Champion Caleb Willis, Bartow Middle FFA, Rabbit Judging Jr. Team 1st Place Sonya Woods, Ft. Meade Sr. FFA, Home Furnishings-Balloon Wreath Tri-Color Alex Young, Ft. Meade Sr. FFA, Sr. Goat Tying Skills 1st Place Food Preservation Tri-Color Foods-Mint Jelly Tri-Color
Brett True, Frostproof Sr. FCCLA, Sr. Best Informal Outdoor Tablesetting 1st Place Sr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place Lindsey True, New Horizons 4-H Tyson True, Frostproof Sr. FFA, Sr. Poultry Judging Team 1st Place WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Frozen Seed Vault Protects Against Disaster
by John Dicks
Frozen seeds. Think of them as our global emergency stash. If something goes really, really wrong, whether it’s war, or a climate calamity or even an alien invasion, if in an instant our food supplies were to disappear, what would we do? Fortunately (though we really hope this idea never has to be truly tested) a consortium of governments, scientists and engineers have been working to solve this nightmare. Way up north on our Globe, some 800 miles north of the arctic circle (but still south of the north pole) is what has been called the world’s most important freezer, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. Opened ten years ago, it is the world’s largest secure seed storage. Developed with the purpose “to provide insurance against both incremental and catastrophic loss of crop diversity” its location was chosen below the permafrost line and built into rock about 400 feet from its entrance. The idea is that seeds preserved there would remain frozen and viable even in the event of a power failure or sudden increase in temperature above ground. The Seed Vault is owned and administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food on behalf of the Kingdom of Norway. It spent $9 million to build the facility, which frankly, considering its location and unique engineering, sounds like a bargain. There are actually three vaults within the facility, each are essentially 30 feet square and 20 feet high. If completely filled, it could store 4.5 million varieties of crops, each containing on average 500 seeds, creating a storage capacity for 2.25 billion seeds! The facility maintains an online database so that anyone (good guy or bad) can see how many seeds have been stored, and by whom. I emphasize whom because the list records some 15 depositors as “unknown.” You can find the database at www.nordgen.org/sgsv Of the 234 “countries” listed on the database, India has stored three times as many seeds as any other country with a deposit of nearly 95 million. The United
States is number four with almost 21 million. Numbers six and eight are listed as “unknown,” the largest with about 17 million in the frozen storage. Interesting is that even Antarctica has gotten into the act by having 400 listed seeds on deposit. You’d think that a polar explorer could just keep some seeds at the South Pole research station; but there was that time, Christmas day, 2011, when the temperature at the South Pole hit a record of nearly 10 degrees! Still frozen, of course, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The temperature at the Seed Vault is kept right at zero degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds are sealed in specially designed 4-ply foil packages and further sealed in boxes stacked on shelves within the vault. The hope is that the frozen temperature, low humidity and total lack of light will keep the seeds viable for decades, centuries or in some cases even thousands of years. Of course, you wonder about security for such a facility. A humanitarian crisis or global famine would likely cause a mad rush to get to the seeds, but the policy, at least, is that only the depositors of the seeds will get access to them. Already, though, some have been withdrawn. I was curious about whether there are any limitations on what type of seeds can be stored. Fruits and vegetables can, but there are prohibitions on certain seeds such as cannabis (marijuana) and poppies. The same is true with genetically modified seeds, which is generally prohibited from import in Norway anyway. It should be noted that many, if not most, countries maintain their own storage of key plant varieties. It’s estimated that worldwide there are more than 1,700 gene banks which hold collections of food crops for safekeeping. However, many of these are deemed to be vulnerable to disasters or other external forces. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault is meant to work as a backup to those back-ups. As such, it holds the most diverse collection of food crop seeds in the world.
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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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THE
Annual Termite & Pest Control
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Strawberry Cupcakes
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven per box instructions. Line a cupcake pan with liners and set aside. Prepare cupcake batter per instructions. Next, fold in the diced strawberries. Evenly divide the batter in the liners, about 2/3 full (do not overfill). Bake per box instructions. Set aside to cool completely. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler on low heat, stirring often. Dip each strawberry in the melted chocolate, 2/3 the way up, allow excess to drip off. Place berries on the baking sheet and refrigerate until chocolate is set.
INGREDIENTS 12 fresh Florida strawberries, whole 1 ½ cups Florida strawberries, rinsed, and diced fine (reserve ½ cup for sauce) 1 teaspoon natural Florida sugar 1 cup dark or milk chocolate chips ½ teaspoon cornstarch 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 1 cake mix, store bought or homemade 12 ounces cream cheese frosting, store bought or homemade
q
In a small pot over medium-low heat combine the reserved ½ cup diced strawberries, cornstarch, lemon juice and sugar. Cook, while stirring, until a sauce has formed, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Once cool, use a blender to create a puree. In a medium-sized bowl add the frosting and the puree. Gently swirl together and do not over mix. Fill a pastry or sandwich bag with the frosting and frost the cupcakes. Top with a chocolate dipped strawberry.
Florida Strawberry Brie
q
Ingredients 1 cup Florida strawberries, chopped 1/2 cup Florida pecans, chopped 3 tablespoons strawberry jam or preserves 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 1 (6-inch) wheel brie cheese 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lime zest 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
DIRECTIONS
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Preheat oven to 275 degrees. In a small sauce pot, cook jam and vinegar over medium heat until bubbly. Place brie on an oven-safe serving platter or dish. Place chopped strawberries and pecans on top of brie wheel. Cover with jam mixture. Bake brie wheel until it is warm and soft, about 15 minutes. Garnish with chopped mint leaves. Serve immediately with crackers or crusty bread.
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Leesburg
Odessa Plant City
Clearwater Palmetto
Ft. Pierce
Okeechobee
Sarasota Belle Glade Loxahatchee
Ft. Myers Naples
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Immokalee
A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
Ottoman Shoe Storage How many times have you come home from work and kicked your shoes off into the middle of the living room, simply because it was easier than walking them to the closet? If you have, you’re not alone. The living room is more convenient, but if the whole family does it, navigating through the array of shoes becomes equally tiresome. There was nifty idea on the internet for a DIY round ottoman made of wood. The inside of the ottoman was fitted with sewn pockets in which shoes could be stored. What a great idea! The trouble is, not many of us have the time and resources to undertake such a project, but, perhaps repurposing and a little bit of adaptive design change might suffice. This month we are repurposing a rectangular storage bin that once stored computer parts to become shoe storage and double as an ottoman. Rather than sew pockets, in this activity, we used scrap pieces of wood and other garage resources to make a useful addition for the living room.
Materials:
• Storage Bin • Peg Board • Pegs (that fit in peg board) • Scrap Wood • Saw • Glue (optional) DIRECTIONS: Cut 3 pegboards to fit the length and height of the storage bin and fit them to the inside of the storage bin, one on each side and one going down the middle.
Cut scrap wood to fit between the pegboards, these “cubby walls” will be adjustable (if no glue is used).
Cut pegs to support “cubby walls”, adjust for the intended shoe.
Storage cubby can be adjusted as needed by moving the pegs to a different hole in the peg board. If you will not need adjustability, gluing the pegs into the pegboard will give more support to the cubby walls.
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The shoe storage can double as an ottoman, video game bench, footstool, and probably a number of other things and no one will be the wiser.
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A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green Photo Credit: April Green
Red and Black Mason Wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis)
Bees and wasps are natures pollinators. Most of us are familiar with the “Honey Bee” which is a generic term for many species in the bee genus (Apis). In the United States, “European” honey bees are the result of several interbreeding subspecies, none of which are indigenous to the Americas. The introduction of these subspecies date to early American settlers in 1622, and the two dozen or so surviving subspecies are now naturalized on all continents except Antarctica. Although the honey bee is the most familiar pollinator in the world, it is by no means the only effective pollinator. There are thousands of solitary bee species, both indigenous and introduced, that are effective pollinators worldwide. While we all want pollinators in our fields and gardens, not all of us necessarily want the aggression that is associated with a nest of honey bees, wasps, or hornets. The term “eusocial” is used in biology to describe the highest known social organization of the animal world. Characteristically this includes overlapping generations, cooperative care of brood, and the division of labor, which for eusocial insects includes protecting the nest. Unlike aggressive eusocial insects, solitary wasps and bees do not have a nest per se, and therefore, lack the nest protecting instinct most of us find objectionable. Solitary wasps are ideal pollinators to attract to your garden or fields because they provide the benefit of pollination without the danger associated with the hive protection instinct of the eusocial wasps. More significant is the solitary wasp’s contribution to a sound integrated management program. Solitary wasps are effective predators of other insects, including caterpillars, spiders, beetles, grubs, and even other wasps or bees. This month we are going to take a closer look at a small wasp, known as the red and black mason wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis). The wasp genus Pachodynerus are a group of wasps within the subfamily Eumeninae, (the potter and mason wasps), so named for the pot shape of their mud nests. Some authorities believe Native American pottery designs were inspired by the nests of these wasps (von Frisch, 1974). There are about 50 species within the Pachodynerus genus throughout the New World and the red and black mason wasp (Pachodynerus erynnis) is the only red-marked species of its genus in the US (Matthews & Gonzalez 2004). This wasp looks like Darth Maul,
The red and black mason wasps create a masonry of regurgitated water and sand, mud or chewed leaves. The masonry is used to seal off a single cell egg chamber selected by the female wasp. Ideal egg chambers are typically the hollow stems of bamboo or reed but can be any pre-existing hole such as those created by woodpeckers or rusted out screws and nails in human structures. It’s not unusual for the red and black mason wasps to reuse structures created by other species, for example, old mud dauber nests are often repurposed by these wasps. When adults find a suitable site for their egg chamber, they begin their hunt for caterpillar; they seem to prefer the larvae of owlet moths (Noctuidae) which includes more than 11,000 species. When a caterpillar is found, the wasps paralyses it with a single sting and flies it to the egg chamber and carefully places it inside, often spending a few minutes positioning it. Once positioned to her satisfaction, she lays a single egg on top of the caterpillar within the chamber and seals the chamber with masonry she creates from her saliva and sand or mud. The wasp larvae feed on the caterpillar for a few weeks before pupating and finally emerging from the egg chamber as adults. Once the adults emerge, some ant species may invade the empty chamber to clean up the remains of the caterpillar, then the cycle continues, often utilizing the same egg chamber over and over again with each generation. The red and black mason wasps are so focused on their own tasks, they rarely react to human presence and are certainly not aggressive unless forced to by someone trying to pick them up or squish them. These wasps are safe pollinators, effective hunters, a true delight to watch. Solitary wasps such as these are integrated pest management at its best. I will encourage our readers to take a closer look at solitary wasps such as the red and black mason wasp as a maintenance free addition to the crops and gardens you want to keep pesticide free. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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the infamous red and black Sith Lord in the Star Wars series. For a prey insect, this wasp is a real-life Darth Maul, equally as cunning and hunts tirelessly for prey to serve up as meals for it’s young. Fortunately, an association with the “dark side” is not required to keep this ally working for us.
By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Eyes in the Field
Over the years, criminals have been able to come up with new ways to carry out their villainous vocation. The trick for not just law enforcement, but the public as well, is to stay ahead of the criminals. It’s the same old crimes, but the crooks are just doing things differently. You, as a property owner, need to protect your property the best you can. Unfortunately, the best protection can often times be rather expensive. Law enforcement’s job is to prevent, displace, fight, investigate, and solve crime. It’s our fundamental public safety responsibility. An important part of what we do is to prevent crime before it happens. In fact, an article such as this is one of the many ways we try to do just that. We work hard to communicate to our citizens how they can be a part of preventing crime in the community. And when the community and Sheriff’s Office works together, great things can happen. If you see something suspicious, let us know immediately. In fact, call us while you’re seeing it happen. If it’s a suspicious person or car, give us the best description that you can. Law enforcement officers are frequently referred to as first responders, but the truth of the matter is, you as a witness to a crime, or suspicious activity, are the real first responder. And the better your response, the greater the likelihood for a good outcome.
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One of the crime-fighting tools that is getting more and more use is the video camera. Cameras do act somewhat as a deterrent to crime, but their primary function is to get a good look at suspects in action. As technology has improved, the
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video quality has gotten better, and the price for the cameras has gotten lower. Wild game cameras have been used with great success, providing the Sheriff’s Office with excellent video and still pictures of criminals in action, enabling us to solve many crimes. When we solve crimes, bad guys go to jail, and when bad guys go to jail, they aren’t committing crimes (preventing even more crime). Game cameras are also great for areas of your property that have no electricity, since they run on batteries. Another option for video security is WiFi-enabled cameras. These devices are amazing with what they can do. The cameras are motion-sensitive, and can alert you via text or email when someone has entered your property. Not only will they record the crime as it is unfolding, but some devices allow you to be able to zoom and pan the camera to keep an eye on the suspect. You can literally describe the suspect while talking to 911, giving real-time descriptions of the suspect and the crime. All of that information is then relayed immediately to deputies who are on their way. Sometimes, video cameras get a bad rap for being an invasion of privacy, but the way we look at it, crooks are invading your privacy when they come onto your property. If you don’t currently have video cameras protecting your property, please consider it. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren’t convinced to get video cameras until AFTER they have been victimized in a crime. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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February 2018
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Polk County Cattle Women It’s hard to believe we are halfway through February already! Seems like it was just New Years. The Florida State Fair kicked off February 8th and runs through February 19th. Our local Cattlewomen have been assisting the Florida Cattlewomen at the Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Showcase serving up tasty beef samples to fair goers on Saturday February 10th and on Tuesday February 13th. This is a really great way for us to connect with the public and promote the beef industry. On Saturday February 17th the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association held their annual Ranch Rodeo and Trade Show at the Polk County Agriculture Complex Arena in Bartow. A variety of vendors were on hand for the trade show showcasing all kinds of local businesses and agricultural products and services. The rodeo did not disappoint either with some tough competition among the teams and great entertainment for the crowd. The Cattlewomen were on hand as well to serve concessions including beef tips and rice, hamburgers and hotdogs, French fries and desserts. All of the proceeds go directly towards our scholarship programs. Thank you so much for all of your support, we couldn’t make our scholarship programs a success without you!
The county’s Agrifest program is fast approaching. The event will run March 12th-16th and March 19th-23rd. If you aren’t familiar, this event is for all fourth grade students across Polk County. Approximately 6,000 students will pass through the Ag Complex in Bartow to learn more about Florida’s agriculture industry and get some hands on experience. Farm Bureau and community partners sponsor the event, if you are able to host a demonstration for the event or would like to be a volunteer please contact Carole McKenzie at 863533-0561 or visit https://polkcountyfarmbureau. wildapricot.org/event-2398672 for more information. If you are interested in joining us, our next meeting is Tuesday March 13th. We will meet in the Valencia Room in the main building at the Polk County Agriculture Complex 1702 US Hwy 17 S, Bartow. The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. I hope to see you there! Be good and do good deeds,
Megan Atkinson
Polk County Cattle Women President
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
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2005 MAHINDRA 6500
4X4, 65 hp with loader. ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES 1,000 hours. $15,900 Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & Call Alvie 813-759-8722 exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire MAHINDRA 4530 by roll or foot. (863)752-2230. Call Don Tractor with loader. 4X4, Ammerman. www.ammermans.com 44hp. $15,000 Call Alvie July 15, 2018, Nov. 25, 2018 813-759-8722
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
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Agricultural equipment. Pay with benefits based on experience. Call David 863-537-1345
ROUND BALES
2015 MASSEY FERGUSON
Now Hiring Experienced Barn Builders 813-754-1766 HIRING
Dry and available IMMEDIATELY! SPREADER TRUCK RUNNING AGAIN! Call Tim Ford (863) 439-3232 4X5 round bales of herbicided and fertilized Pangola Hay. Call Dale 863-229-9876 or John 407-448-5608
Zero turn mowers. Good Condition. Price starts at $1,000. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 1739ELL Tractor w/ loader. 243 hours, 4x4, 39hp, hst. Warranty!! $16,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.
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We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors. Call Ted(813) 752-3378
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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.
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Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
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Many colors and styles to choose from. Ask for Ted. 813-752-3378
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Used Lawn Trailer with aluminum plate tool Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler box. 5ft tongue & heavy duty gate. $1,650 Call engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 Alvie 813-759-8722
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CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE.
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FARM EQUIPMENT TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
NEW MAHINDRA 1538
Tractor cab with a/c. 4X4 with loader. $26,775 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
MASSEY FERFUSON 40
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Late 60’s model industrial diesel grading tractor. $425.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
47
PAGE
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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48
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
February 2018
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM