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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
April 2015
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JOIN THE “FRESH
FROM FLORIDA”
PROGRAM “Fresh From Florida” is a program administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. It is designed to connect distributors and retail buyers with Florida growers to increase sales of Florida products. To learn more about the program benefits, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/Join or call 850-617-7399.
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Strengthening Florida’s Livestock Industry
By Adam H. Putnam
Florida’s farmers and ranchers face a variety of threats, including pests, disease and market changes. The success – and in some cases the survival - of Florida’s 500-yearold agriculture industry depends on its ability to prevent, diagnose and respond to crises. Florida’s livestock industry is all too familiar with national threats that have the potential to cripple the multibillion-dollar industry, especially with recent challenges like tuberculosis, bovine spongiform encephalitis and equine West Nile Virus. One way the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services works with Florida’s cattlemen, horse enthusiasts and other livestock producers is to provide disease detection services via our Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory. Originally built in 1957, this lab helps protect Florida from animal pests and diseases that could have major economic and public health consequences. The lab can conduct an array of tests and diagnose infectious diseases in animals. The lab also offers livestock postmortem examinations to identify the cause of death. After more than 50 years of helping Florida’s livestock industry overcome a number of devastating diseases and pests, the lab is outdated and needs to be modernized. Our department recently conducted a comprehensive review of the lab to evaluate the facility, equipment and processes. Based on the findings of the review, we developed a strategic plan to enhance the facility and equipment, and strengthen the customer service. We’re already working to implement the plan to improve our customer service and increase efficiency in our proWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
cesses. We’re hiring strong individuals to assume new positions, and we’re increasing coordination and communication among staff. Laboratory software program upgrades are also in progress. But to enhance the facility and equipment, we need funding from the Florida Legislature. That’s why I’ve requested $3.5 million from the Florida Legislature. The general laboratory building was constructed in 1957 and requires multiple upgrades to maintain current laboratory accreditation. Most of the funding I’ve requested from the Legislature will go toward improving the existing facility and planning for a future building to ensure our lab can meet the needs of the industry for years to come. In addition, the funding will support equipment upgrades, which will improve testing efficiency and accuracy. In a time of crisis, these efficiencies become all the more important. For nearly five centuries, livestock has played a key role in Florida’s economy and culture. From beef cattle and horses, to poultry and dairy herds, the state’s livestock industry generates billions of dollars in economic impact annually. With improvements to the Bronson Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, and its ability to respond to animal health crises, we can help ensure livestock remain a part of Florida’s economy and culture for generations to come.
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April 2015
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POLK COU NTY
®
Contents
CATTLEMEN’S ASSOCIATION
V O L . 7 • IS S U E 7
Contents
VOL. 8 • ISSUE 8
F eature S tory
Rob Krieger Page 34 Honey Page
24
Cover Photo By: Melissa Nichols
Strengthening Livestock Industry
Page 3
Rocking Chair Chatter
Page 22
Animal Cruelty
Fishing Hot Spots
Endangered Species
Smartphone Apps
Peaches
Page 10
Page 28 Page 30
Page 18
Page 39
Literary Time Machine
Activity
Page 18
Page 42
Beast Feast
A Closer Look
Page 20
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President – J. B. Wynn OFFICERS 581-3255 OF DIRECTORS Dave Tomkow &(863) B OARD jbwynn29@gmail.com (863) 665-5088 cattlemenslivestock@ P resident - C harles C lark ( 863) 528-8537earthlink.net Vice President – David McCullerscclark@ expoco.com (863) 635-2821crookedlaMike Facente V ice P resident - Dave Tomkow keranch@verizon.net (863) 697-9419 ( 863) 6 6 5-50 88 cattlemanslivetock@ earthlink.net
Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Standing Committee Chairs: S ecretary/ Treasurer - J ustin B unch Bunch ( 863) 4 25-1121 (863) 425-1121jbunch@ agriumretail.com Membership- J.B. Wynn A l B ellotto - ( 863) 581-5515 jbunch@agriumretail.com R ay C lark - ( 863) 6 83-819 6Events- Kevin Fussell State Director – Ray Clark (863) 412-5876 rclark@ tampabay.rr.com 640-0719 L .B .(863) F landers, DV M - ( 863) 6 4 4 -5974 Trade Showrclark@tampabay.rr.com Dewey F ussell - ( 863) 9 84 -3782
Master Gardener
Page 14
P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS0 3 Bartow, FL 33831 -9005
Page 43
April 2015
MikeCarlton F ussell - ( 863) 69 8-8314 Rodeo- Fred Waters Taylor fussell.flafarm@ verizon.net
(863) 559-7808 863-781-1146 David McC ullers - ( 863) 528-1195 Carlton.Taylor@boehringeringelheim.com Website Moby Persing - ( 863) 528-4 379 – Adam Norman Ned W aters - ( 863) 69 8-1597863-944-9293 Adam.norman@gmfind. Charlesdoacs.state.fl.us Clark watersn@ com J .B . W ynn - ( 863) 581-3255 (863) 528-8537 jbwynn29 @ gmail.com cclarkc4@yahoo.com Cattlewomen – Vice PresiA lternate - Mike Facente - ( 863) 697-9419 dent, Laura Slocumb 660-7000 L.B. Flanders, DVM C ommittee(863) S tanding C hairs: laura@higgenbotham.com (863) 644-5974 Membership - J .B . W ynn E vents - KFussell evin F ussell ( 863) 4 12-5876 Extension – Bridget Carlisle Dewey R odeo F red W aters ( 863) 559 -780Drawer 8 PO Box 9005, HS03 (863)- 984-3782 watersf@ doacs.state.fl.us Bartow, FL 33831 Website (863) 519-1048 Mike- Chris FussellNelson C attlewomen - P resident bccarlis@ufl.edu (863) 698-8314 fussell.flafarm@verizon.net Marjorie W ood ( 863) 6 6 0 -4 137 Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. onnie397@ aol.com Tommy519 Dixon Moby Persing E xtension - B ridget C arlisle ( 863) -8677 863-528-4567 (863) 534-7205 bccarlis@ ufl.edu tdixon@polksheriff.org S heriff’s Dept. - S gt. Tommy Dixon
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April 2015
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Letter from the Editor Publisher/Photography Karen Berry April is National Gardening Month! Once again it is time to get outside and get your hands dirty. It’s good for your health, nutrition and helps make our country a little “greener.”
Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt
What? You don’t have land available to garden? Never fear! You can use a multitude of containers for your garden and have it as part of your yard, porch or balcony. Many containers are ideal for growing flowers, vegetable crops and herbs. All you need is a spot and a little sun. The reward? Fresh vegetables or herbs to add to your meals!
Editor-In-Chief Al Berry
And if you are growing flowers, pick some for your mother and give them to her on Mother’s Day, May 10. On this day we honor our mothers with flowers, breakfast in bed and great dinners (that she did not have to prepare). We should celebrate our mothers every day, but especially on Mother’s Day. Don’t forget, Ag Literacy Day is April 21. Those involved in the agriculture industry are encouraged to read Florida Agriculture in the Classroom’s newest book to elementary students. For more information on the event visit www.agtag.org. It seems that we always involve food in celebrations. Remember when shopping for your table to buy Fresh From Florida. You will be buying fresh, wholesome, delicious food from local people that you can trust. As always, a big Thank You to our advertisers. You allow us to continue to cover what is growing. When you are out shopping for Mother’s Day, or any day, let our advertisers know you appreciate them. Until Next Month
Sarah The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
Alan’s Air Conditioning..................47 Broke & Poor..................................29 Brownlee Garden Center...............15 Cattleman’s Livestock Auction....27 Cecil Breeding Farm........................7 Country Village...............................41 Denim & Diamonds........................31 Ellison RBM Inc................................37 Everglades Farm Equipment........48 Exo Creative...................................31
Office Manager Bob Hughens
Fancy Farms....................................23 Farm Credit.....................................45 Fl Ag in the classroom..................26
Sales Manager Danny Crampton Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Creative Director/Illustrator
Juan Alvarez
Fl Dpt of Ag & Consumer Svcs.....2 Florida Fence Post...........................9 Fountain Farm Services................41 Fran Haasch......................................13 Fred’s Market Restaurant..............23 Grove Equipment Servicez..26 & 45 Gulf Coast Tractor.........................32 Jason Grimes Contracting.............5 Jeans & Jacket..............................33 Kelley Buick.....................................33
Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Melissa Nichols
Key Plex...........................................40 Lightsey Cattle Co.........................37 McDowell Cattle Co........................17 Mosaic.................................................9 MST Sod..........................................35 Pathway Biologic..............................5 Polk County Cattlemen’s Association...................4 Seedway...........................................37 Southeastern Septic......................44 Southwestern Produce..................45 Stephanie Humphrey.....................42 The Bug Man..................................37 The Southern Barn.......................36
Contributing Writers Woody Gore
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Tradewinds......................................23
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Spring calves are hitting the ground right now and there is plenty of green grass to greet them. Rainfall has slacked up and we’re getting the perfect amount of rain now. Hopefully this will continue on into the spring. Now is a good time to keep as many good replacement heifers as possible, as the market doesn’t look to be heading south any time soon. According to the USDA’s Cattle Inventory report, as of January 1, there were 89.8 million head of cattle and calves on U.S. farms. This is the first increase in U.S. herd inventory since 2007 with a 1 percent increase from last year. Other key findings in the report were: There are 29.7 million beef cows in the United States as of January 1, 2015. This is up 2 percent from last year. The number of milk cows in the United States increased to 9.3 million. U.S. calf crop was estimated at 33.9 million head, up 1 percent from 2013. Of the 89.8 million cattle and calves, 39.0 million were all cows and heifers that have calved. All cattle on feed increased to 13.1 million, up 1 percent from 2014. We are experiencing record feeder and calf prices due to the tight cattle supply and increase in the demand for beef exports. Where 300 lb. calves have been selling for around $3.60/lb. today, just six years ago were selling for $1.15/lb. It’s an important time to take care of your cattle as they are an investment, just like any other. The Cattlemen’s Legislative Quarterly took place in Tallahassee last month on the 11th and 12th. Cattlemen throughout the state traveled to the Capitol and discussed the important topics facing our indus-
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try. One of the hot topics up for debate this year is the Florida Beef Checkoff. This producer-funded marketing program will add an additional $1 per head sold above the current $1 per head nationally. These funds go towards the promotion of Florida beef, but are not mandatory. Another major topic is opening up state lands for cattle grazing. If you haven’t reached out to your representative yet, now is the time. The Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Days also took place last month on the 17th and 18th in Tallahassee. They lobbied for many issues including the Ag sales tax exemption and comprehensive water policy. Don’t forget to thank your representatives and senators for supporting Florida’s agriculture! Next on the calendar is Agri-Fest in Bartow from April 6-10 and 1317. Fourth graders from around the county are treated to a day of Ag learning, from timber and aquaculture to phosphate and blueberries. Contact Carole McKenzie at the Polk County Farm Bureau if you can help out with this educational project. Ag Literacy Day on April 21st. This annual reading event is when folks from the Ag industry read to students in the classroom a book about agriculture. This year’s book is titled Drive Through Florida: Livestock and Poultry. Sign up to read to a class from kindergarten to fifth grade here: http://faitc.org/aglitday/. What a great example of Polk County people doing their part to make sure kids are raised with a better understanding of Ag.
JB Wynn
JB Wynn Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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Blueberries are among the highest anti-oxidant value fruits. The ORAC value of 100 g fresh blueberry is 5562 TE (Trolex equivalents). Their antioxidant value largely derived from poly-phenolic anthocyanidin compounds such as chlorogenic acid, tannins, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol. Antioxidants give blueberries their deep blue-purple color and help protect you from getting sick. Eating blueberries can improve your memory and your sense of balance! North American Indians traditionally used blueberries for food, medicine, and dye for baskets. Research studies suggest that chlorogenic acid in these berries help lower blood sugar levels and control blood-glucose levels in type-II diabetes mellitus condition. Blueberries grow in clusters on bushes but don’t ripen at the same time. Blueberries don’t ripen after they have been picked. Blueberries are one of the only natural foods that are truly blue in color. Blueberries rank as the second most important commercial berry crop in the U.S.
The work we do at Mosaic is critical to helping feed the world. We provide farmers with phosphate crop nutrients that enable them to produce more food on less land.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITH HALF AS MUCH FOOD. Without crop nutrients, that would be our reality.
Essential crop nutrients — like phosphate mined and manufactured in Florida — are responsible for 40-60 percent of the crop yields farmers produce worldwide.* That translates into more abundant and affordable food here at home. As our world keeps growing, Mosaic keeps working to help put food on the table, for all of us.
We help the world grow the food it needs. ®
mosaicco.com/florida *
Source: Agronomy Journal
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April 2015
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M ASTER G A R D EN ER
Flowering Trees for Food
By Debra Howell
Want to add a pretty flowering tree to your landscape that offers added benefits? Try selecting a flowering tree which not only affords a dazzling bloom display, but provides a healthy, tasty fruit, as well. Where space allows, there is a nice selection of fruiting trees which fare well in our Central Florida climate. Among these are avocado, banana, guava, loquat, mango, papaya, peach, nectarine and even apple. Many fruit-bearing trees are tropical or sub-tropical and hail from regions with climates similar to those in peninsular Florida. In addition, these plants thrive in soils with pH values from 5.5 to 7.0 which are the norm in Central Florida.
of avocado flowers will produce fruit. Grafted trees will begin to set fruit after three or four years, whereas a seedling will take seven to ten years. Remember, most avocado cultivars will not produce the same variety if grown from seed. The avocado fruit is deemed to be a “berry” with a large seed enclosed by yummy, buttery pulp containing between 3 – 15% oil. Avocados are regularly used as guacamole and in salads, dips and appetizers. They are a nutritious way to obtain potassium and vitamin A. If you want your avocado to fruit regularly and put on new growth, you should water and fertilize it regularly and inspect for diseases and pests.
To achieve the best fruit and growth production, trees such as the avocado should be planted in full sun on well-drained soil. In the Sunshine State, avocados are commercially produced in Collier and Miami-Dade Counties. In warm areas around Florida, they are grown as a dooryard fruit. As a fruit of major importance, the avocado is farmed commercially in Brazil, Australia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Chile, Spain, Africa and Indonesia. In the United States, they are produced in Texas, California, Hawaii and Puerto Rico, as well as Florida.
Another good fruit tree to plant is the guava. Guavas belong to the family, Myrtaceae, which includes Surinam cherry and jaboticaba. They are indigenous to the American tropics and are grown commercially in Florida, Hawaii and Puerto Rico.
These trees, which are classified as evergreen, are lushly vegetative but possess limbs which may be broken in strong winds or as a result of a heavy crop of avocados. As with many fruit types, less than 1%
Two basic types of guavas are grown in Florida. They are either white pulp, which are often consumed when non-ripe or pink and red pulp types, which are consumed ripe. Guava fruit is picked based on the
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The fruit, which is called a berry, comes in a wide range of flavors which vary from sweet to highly acid. The peeling color ranges anywhere from green to yellow to pink, with aromas from smelling pleasant to being penetrating.
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intended results of their use. They may be used in pies and cobblers, pastes, jellies, jams, eaten raw or added to desserts like popsicles and ice creams. Cultivars are commercially propagated vegetatively by budding, grafting, air layering and stem cuttings. Guava trees may grow to 20 feet tall and should be planted in full sun for best growth. They may be pruned to contain their height. Temperatures below 60 degrees may cause slowing or cessation of growth, as will drought conditions. Perfect temperatures for guava production and growth range from 73 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
times used to indicate sugar levels. Loquats may be eaten fresh without the peeling, used for pie filling, mixed into fruit salad, made into gelatin desserts, sauces, jams, jellies and syrup. They are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals. Globally, the mango is another fruit tree deemed to be a fine and important one to include in your landscape. The mango has become more readily available and has consequently becomes more popular. Florida plays host to commercial operations in Palm Beach, Dade and Lee Counties. Mangos are kin, believe it or not, to cashews and pistachios. They were imported here to Cape Sable in 1833. Mango fruit are classified as “drupes” and vary depending on the variety in color, shape and size.
Loquat, also known as Japanese plum, is another nice flowering fruit tree. They belong to the family, Rosaceae, which also includes peaches, pears, apples and nectarines. Loquats are native to Central and Southeast China. These trees have been cultivated in Asia for 1,000 years and entered the United States prior to 1879. The fruit is grown commercially in the Mediterranean and subtropical regions, and sometimes in California. Loquats are evergreens which may reach 35 feet in height. Since loquat trees may become fairly large if their size is not contained, select your site accordingly ensuring that the area will not be a wet area. Loquats respond well to a balanced fertilizer such as 6-6-6, which also contains micronutrients like zinc, boron, manganese and molybdenum. They have beautiful dark green foliage which is glossy on top and rusty underneath. The fruit, which are called pomes, are smooth to downy in texture. The pulp rates 6.7 to 17 brix. Brix is a term someWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
In Florida, mangos are pollinated from December to April by flies, thrips and honey bees. The number of flowers on a tree far surpasses the amount of fruit which will set. If you choose not to limit the height of your mango, you will require a long pole with a nylon or canvas bag on it with a cutting blade attached. The fruit is used in many of the same ways as the loquat and is a good source of vitamins A, C, B-6 and E. The University of Florida bulletin HS2, “Mango Growing in the Florida Home Landscape”, offers 27 mango varieties for Florida. Like the mango, papaya, is another important commercial crop continued on pg. 16 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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4Rs OF NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP Economically, Environmentally & Socially Sustainable Crop Nutrition
4R NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP
NUTRIENT STEWARDSHIP for
CLEAR H 2
Right Source
Right Rate
© International Produce Training
Right Place
© Florida Cracker Cattle Association
The Nature Conservancy is taking a new and key role in promoting the 4R Nutrient Stewardship Program, teaming with the Florida agriculture industry to increase farmer profitability and reduce nutrient loss and run off to the State’s waters. 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a new and innovative approach for fertilizer best management practices adopted by the world’s fertilizer industry. The approach considers economic, social and environmental dimensions of nutrient management and is essential to the sustainability of both agricultural land and natural systems. The concept is simple – apply the right source of nutrient, at the right rate, at the right time and in the right place – but the implementation is knowledge- intensive and site specific.
Improve the Productivity
deficient, but most of all to make sure the pH is in the right range for the crop. If the pH is not correct, then the fertilizers will not be absorbed by the plant’s roots at the optimal level. In soil sampling, the field needs to be divided up into grids and different patterns used depending on the crop. Also if there are different soils types present within the field, then separate soil samples need to be taken in each of these areas to provide accurate information for deciding on fertilizer needs. During the growing season, leaf tissues samples also need to be taken to determine what the crops’ needs are and make fertilizer adjustments accordingly. nature.org
The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program was developed by The Fertilizer Institute, International Plant Nutrition Institute and the Canadian Fertilizer Institute and these practices are being promoted around the world. By the middle of the 21st century, there will be an additional two billion people added to the world population, so more food will need to be grown and on less land. Such circumstances make the adoption and implementation of the 4R program imperative for the economic and environmental sustainability of our world. The challenge of increasing food production in an economically viable way while retaining the ecological integrity of food and natural systems is the underlying aim of sustainable agriculture. For fertilizer management to be considered “right,” it must support stakeholdercentric goals for performance and production. However, it is the farmer, as the manager of the land, that is the final decision-maker in selecting the practices—suited to local site-specific soil, weather, and crop production conditions, and local regulations—that have the highest probability of meeting the goals of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program. The sciences of physics, chemistry, and biology provide fundamental principles for the mineral nutrition of plants growing in soils. The application of these sciences to practical management of plant nutrition has led to the development of the scientific disciplines of soil fertility and plant nutrition. The management components source, rate, time, and place each have unique research behind them that describe the processes important to plant nutrition. The principles are the same globally, but how they are put into practice locally, such as in west-central Florida where The Nature Conservancy is focusing our initial 4R nutrient stewardship efforts, varies depending on specific soil, crop, climate, weather, economic, and social conditions. Farmers and crop advisers make sure the practices they select and apply locally are in accord with these principles. For example, for specialty crops like strawberries, tomatoes and blueberries along with citrus, the producer must assess all the factors that will affect the growth of the crop in the season ahead. The approach that The Nature Conservancy is taking is to work directly with farmers, ranchers and land owners to help determine the best methods and practices available to improve the water quality leaving their property. The farmers of today are very creative and innovative in their practices and want to be the best stewards of the land possible. With fuel and fertilizer cost high, every innovation or advancement that a producer can implement is important to their economic bottom line. For example, farming on plastic with drip irrigation for distributing both water and fertilizer, has drastically reduced the amounts used and saves the producer money while also helping improve water quality and the environment.
The formula of fertilizer that is used needs to be what that crop requires at the right time and at the correct rate so it is not going to be wasted and run off the property. Making fertilizer available in the right place around the root/soil interface, so that the roots can optimally absorb the nutrients is a major factor in providing for the plants growth and in producing high crop yields. Taken together with other agronomic Best Management Practices – of which the 4R Nutrient Stewardship is now a part – the 4R methods and practices will produce greater profitability, be better for the environment and help provide sustainability for Florida’s agricultural industry. At this time the Nature Conservancy is focusing on a five county region that includes Desoto, Hardee, Polk, Manatee and Hillsborough counties. The Nature Conservancy is initially building a base in these counties that will hopefully allow us to implement the program on a statewide basis. Because of the importance of improving water quality to all Floridians, the Conservancy is part of a team effort to implement the 4R’s program that includes Mosaic Company, the University of Florida IFAS, the Florida Farm Bureau CARES program, the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services and the Florida Fertilizer and Agrichemical Association. Having the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program placed in the Florida BMP Manuals, will provide another tool for the farmer, rancher and land owner to help improve the water quality and better protect the environment while increasing productivity and profitability. For more information visit: wwwnutrientstewardship.com
Every farm is different, so the 4R’s have to be adjusted to the individual farm. One of the key steps in implementing the 4 R’s is taking soil samples at least a month before planting to see what the nutrients are
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Right Time
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Tampa Bay Fishing Report April 2015 Florida… what a great place to live, especially in the winter! All winter, if you can call it that, we’ve had comfortable fishing days. The bite’s been strong with the fish shutting down only for the occasional cold front. Seems like fish instinctively know when the weather is changing and hesitantly feel something is different, which often changes their feeding cycles. It’s probably like us on our moody days when we just don’t feel right. I’ve about come to the same conclusion, if the weathers bad you’re probably better off getting out the list. You know… the list of things to do around the house. Yup, that’s the one… it’s the same one your wife keeps placing on your dresser. Getting a few of the more important things done goes a long way to some carefree days on the water. Just knock out a few on the list and it’s off to the lake or bay. Now you can spend the entire day without worrying about explaining why you went fishing instead of cleaning the gutters or mowing the lawn. Spring is here! The water is moving into the seventies and the fish will be coming out with the gloves off. They’ll be eating anything that looks like food, so be ready. Get out the tackle and give it the once over. If you’re not mechanically inclined take it to Vince at Southeastern Liquidators or Keith at Minnow and Monsters, they’ll have it cleaned, oiled and spooled with new line. Don’t forget to check out your boat and repair the little things, remember little things always become big things later. If it’s been awhile since you serviced your engine take it to Bruce at Power Source Marine or Kenyon Boat & Motor Superstore for a tune-up. Be pro-active now and you’ll be ahead of the game and ready for some trouble free days of catching. 14
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Fishing Tampa Bay – Capt. Woody Gore Inshore: April fishing is hot and the fishing should
be off the wall. The weather will be cooperating and we’re anticipating a good bite to kick off the summer. The bait is already at the Skyway and soon will move up the bay around markers and then onto the flats.
Snook - Depending on tides and lunar phases, snook
fishing is going gangbusters with nice fish caught on both live and dead bait as well as artificial lures, which should continue through the summer. Hopefully, the greenbacks will move onto the grass flats, which make them easier to find and net.
Redfish - Redfish are found almost everywhere in the
bay area. Begin your search around oyster bars and early grass morning flats. Expect good early morning topwater action on the flats and along mangrove shores. Work both incoming and outgoing tides. If you find a school, chumming with live greenbacks usually holds them for a while depending on fishing pressure and the number of boats moving in on you. Redfish also eat cut bait like pinfish and ladyfish. Toss out a chunk of bait and put the rod in the rod holder and leave it until the rod bends.
Spotted Sea Trout - Trout fishing has been
exceptional in Tampa Bay and unless something drastic happens we can expect it to continue all summer. Look for really WWW. THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM WWW. ININ THE FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM
nice sized trout on the Bay grass flats, especially deeper edges on incoming and outgoing tides. Greenbacks and shrimp free lined or under a popping cork usually do the trick. If the shrimp or sardine keeps coming to the top and the terns are continually eating your bait try putting a small split shot, only big enough to keep the bait down.
Cobia - Cobia should start traveling the flats and open
water, sometimes as singles or groups and normally behind large rays. Keep your eyes peeled, toss your pinfish or greenback close and the battle begins. You should always keep a larger artificial eel rigged on a good sized rod and reel combination so it’s ready to toss at a passing cobia. Cobia love eels.
Tarpon
- Tarpon anglers should check the beaches and bridges. Threadfins, crabs and larger sardines should do nicely. Toss them directly into the path of rolling tarpon and hang on. Bridge Tarpon are always fun. Be ready to cast off your anchor line and buoy and give chase. If you’re using cut threadfins under the bridge don’t be surprised to hook up a nice sized mangrove snapper or gag grouper, they’re always hanging around the pilings.
Mackerel & Bluefish - If you are looking for
some great light-tackle action, look no further than Tampa Bay. As the water warms up the threadfins show up and that means mackerel and Bluefish. Drift the bait schools or anchor around markers, toss out a handful of greenbacks or threadfins, put one on a hook and hang on. Shinny artificial spoons and topwater lures also work.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” – 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore has been guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; his level of customer service, experience and attention to detail allows him to offer world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give him a call at 813-477-3814 WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
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Continued from pg 11
Flowering Trees for Food
grown in areas which are subtropical and tropical. They are also widely exported to areas where production is not possible. Papaya is classified as a giant treelike plant capable of reaching 33 feet in height. It originated in Central America, southern Mexico and possibly the Caribbean. In general, papaya is considered a short-lived plant with usually a single trunk. These popular plants are cross pollinated by wind or insects like honey bees, midges, surphid flies, wasps, thrips and butterflies. The papaya fruit is called a berry and has a thin, smooth peeling with thick, fleshy mesocarp which surrounds an open cavity containing many small seeds. The versatile papaya can be picked green and used as a vegetable, or used ripe as fresh fruit in fruit salads, desserts and drinks when full color appears on the peeling. It may also be candied, used as jams and jellies or dried. Did you know peaches and nectarines are the same species? The difference lies in the fuzz—peach fuzz, that is. The nectarine is clean shaven whereas the peach is covered with fuzz. According to the University of Florida bulletin, Cir1159, “Florida Peach and Nectarine Varieties”, there are quite a few peach and nectarine cultivars bred by the University of Florida, which comply with the criteria of “chill units” needed to produce both nectarines and peaches in Florida. The photos alone in this circular are reason to procure the colorful bulletin. Peaches are called a climacteric fruit, capable of continuing the ripening process after harvesting. This bulletin also explains the terms clingstone and freestone, as well as melting and non-melting fruit. 16
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These low chilling cultivars ripen in April and May providing an early market window before these fruits ripen in California and other Southeastern states. Last but not least is the banana plant. A surprising fact about bananas is their family tree. They are members of the order, Zingiberales, and are related to such ornamentals as heliconia, ginger, traveler’s palm and bird-of-paradise. Though Florida is deemed as a marginal area for producing bananas commercially, partly due to freezes, many people enjoy bananas in their landscape for a tasty tropical treat. A native of Southeast Asia, they were introduced to Florida in the 16th Century. The banana plant, which is called a mat, consists of one or more trunk-like structures with tightly packed layers of leaf sheaths. It has a fibrous root system and an underground stem or rhizome called a corm. The banana cluster called “hands” is harvested when they are plump, but before they turn yellow. Banana plants do not tolerate flood prone areas, so if you have concerns about the area you have in mind, then you might consider planting them on a mound. Under normal conditions, plant bananas on flat, well-drained soils with a pH of 5.5 – 7.0 and amend the soil with organic matter. Should you choose to use mulch, use a sustainable product that will retain soil moisture, keep weeds to a minimum and generally improve the soil. Can you think of a better way to secure your important daily allowance of fresh fruit than to grow it yourself? Plus, you get the added benefits of enjoying the sights and scents that accompany a Florida fruit tree. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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The Top Ten Smartphone Apps for Farmers by John Dicks
It is no exaggeration to suggest that smartphones have revolutionized our lives. They let us stay in constant communication with business associates, friends and loved ones and provide a source of instant information to help us look like absolute wizards at trivia contests. Surprising to some are that of the million or so apps available for download, several have now been written specifically with the farmer in mind. Many more can be used creatively for all kinds of agricultural needs. The value of using a smartphone in farming first came to my attention several years ago when we were setting out a new section of blueberries on the farm. Wanting, of course, to make the rows as straight and parallel as possible, all while skipping the skills of a surveyor, we turned to my iPhone to see what tools might be available to help. There in the Apple App Store was something called Theodolite. A theodolite is a precision instrument used for measuring angles and generally helping a surveyor shoot his needed invisible straight lines. It’s a valuable and expensive tool, and yet here was a free iPhone app offering up it’s services suggesting that it could do the same thing! Just consider the first few lines of its official description … it is “a multi-function viewfinder that combines a compass, two-axis inclinometer, rangefinder, GPS, map, nav, calculator, tracker, and geo-tag photo/movie camera into one indispensable app.” A surveyor that I showed it to laughed heartedly, until I showed him how I could use it to find where a survey stake should be hammered. It was an amazing little tool to guide us in laying out the rows just right. Even more amazing was that it was free, though now the company charges $3.99 for this magical application. It was a good lesson to learn and ever since, when a task comes up, I check to see how my iPhone might help. A simple example is when, like some other agricultural operations, we starting tracking things using Julian dates. Rather than searching through charts everyday, my iPhone spits it out quickly using the free app called J2D. There are plenty of other programs that farmers find useful. Here are a few that might pique your interest.
Map, like all my favorites, is also free. A simple but useful app is called Farm Log. This freebie helps you keep organized by letting you record your tasks and times while on the run and later refer back to them to see when you did what in a logical calendar format. Another helpful app is TractorPal. It lets you keep an inventory and info on your vehicles and equipment such as serial numbers and maintenance logs. It’s a lot simpler than keeping hand written notes stashed away in file folders. And the important information is always right at hand, sitting in your pocket. Several of other free utilities that farmers may find useful have names that are self descriptive. One is Tank Mix Calculator, which will help you calculate the ingredients for spraying chores as well as keep a log and store your records as you work in the field. Another is ID Weeds, which will help you identify those noxious things so that you can best determine how to eradicate them. Both of the apps are free. One final free app to mention, which frankly I find rather amazing is called iTranslate. Provided that you have a data connection (and, of course, most smartphones do), with this app you simply type in an English phrase or sentence that you’d like to communicate and nearly instantly it will display the words in any number of different languages. If you get the premium version of the app by paying $4.99, you can speak your words rather than type them and the program will speak back the translation. There is a similar program from the folks at Google called Google Translate, which is completely free. It really is an exciting world that we live in when your smartphone can essentially make you fluent in a multiple of languages!
First are the weather programs. There are many of them. Even UF’s IFAS program has gotten into the action by developing its own My Florida Farm Weather app. It’s a good start, but it has far to go to measure up with some of the better known ones. One weather app that I particularly like is WunderMap. It has great animated graphics and, unlike most other weather apps, it gives you real time reads of many local personal weather stations. They refer to this as making it hyper-local since you can get a good handle on whether the weather next door is starting to freeze as opposed to what may be happening many miles away at the official station located near the airport. Wunder18
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and a Farmer. He and his family own a Blueberry Farm and have Agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!” John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his Law Degree from Florida State University. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three years as Mayor. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida
Part 7
This voyage on our Literary Time Machine will take us back to a period when Florida was considered, “a new country…geologically.”¹ Torrey-Simpson’s description of the state’s newness is quite amusing as it’s a Biblical reference. He says, “…throughout a large part of the state there is a sort of unfinished appearance, as if its creation had been begun late in the week and Saturday night had come before it was quite done.”¹ In case you’re wondering, this chapter in the book is focused on soil and fertilizers. If you happen upon the endangered species article this month, the one about the flatwoods salamander, perhaps you’ll be as moved by the following statement as we were. Torrey-Simpson tells his 1926 readership, “…a recent soil map issued by the State Geological Survey shows that the greater part of the area consists of piney flatwoods though some of it has no forest and is therefore low prairie.”¹ That same piney flatwoods has diminished so painfully there are a number of species today that are nearing extinction! Specifically, the reticulated flatwoods salamander. He speaks then about the Everglades, another area that has seen much decline and deforestation. Here he tells us, “…in the southern end is a great area mostly composed of muck and rock and known as The Everglades, a tract of country about the size of the State of Connecticut.”¹ Since we do find this literary time machine endeavor intriguing, we wondered if his calculations were still even remotely accurate. So, we looked up the size of the Everglades and the size of Connecticut. In truth, we were appalled at our discovery. Connecticut is 5,543 square miles, but the Everglades (by today’s calculations) is only 734 square miles! It is apparent that we do not realize the amount of devastation we create. To continue, he discusses the problems with the soil, how it “lacks potash and phosphoric acid…”¹ Yet, ever the defender of his home state, he brings the positive to light once again. He assures his readers, “…the producing capacity of our lands in general is fully equal to that of any state in the union not even excepting the prairies of the middle west. The reason for this lies largely in the wonderful climate. Here in this favored region winter is only a passing shadow even in its northern part and at the southern end there is nothing that can be called by that name.”¹ This he says allows for a nearly endless growing season allowing people the ability to raise, “…two or more crops on the same land in the long season.”¹ As we’ve seen on previous visits, Torrey-Simpson gets a little ruffled and agitated. He declares that the main soil problem in Florida is its lack of humus. This, he adds, can be readily resolved by adding WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
every scrap that can decay, or create mold to the land. He is adamant about it and declares, “I consider it nothing short of a crime against one’s ground and plants to burn or throw away any trash, dead limbs, leaves, wood, grass or weeds. If one objects to putting such things around the trees and shrubs then he can make a compost heap, which, when well decayed, will form an admirable dressing for the land…”¹ Amazing that finally people are starting to grasp the necessity for composting and humus making! We can only hope it isn’t too late. In case his readers are uncertain about how to make this compost heap, he gives definitive directions. These might actually be useful to those of us seeking to rectify some of the damage humanity has done to this planet, and to Florida in general. He recommends, “This heap may be six feet wide and twice as long… and it will be well to surround it with a tight board fence say three feet high… Leave a place on one side… to go through with a wheelbarrow and into it put all the cleanings of the place if you are fastidious about having it littered up. After making a layer…a foot deep it will be well to cover it with a thin coating of kainite, wood ashes, cottonseed meal or ground bone. Scatter in unleached ashes, peat or muck, scrapings from roads, leaves and rubbish from the forest, seaweed or any plants growing in water, anything that will decay and make mold…Do not let it dry out or the contents will be injured and if it ferments turn it over. It must be thoroughly watered or better wetted with liquid manure from a cesspool and when it is completely rotted and mixed it is fit for use.”¹ We love the use of the word fastidious here and we told you his directions were exact! He goes on to recommend using dead animals and fish as well as moderate usage of palmettos and pine straw. He tells his readers, “The Chinese have never used commercial fertilizers though they have cultivated their lands for ages but they keep them in a high state of fertility by putting back on them every bit of waste and rubbish attainable. We in the United States with a wonderfully fertile soil have in a little over a century so exhausted much of our land that it will scarcely produce anything.”¹ We are amazed by the comparison to China as that seems significant today, too. However, the sadness of this statement resounds as we realize that Torrey-Simpson made this observation about our country, and our lands, nearly 100 years ago! Let that sink in a while. 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. 31-33).
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The 12th Annual FFA Beast Feast & Auction The 12th Annual FFA Beast Feast & Auction was held Saturday, March 21 at the Florida FFA Leadership Training Center near Haines City.
The fun was endless with a great selection of food prepared by Florida FFA Chapters, including venison, pork, gator, swamp cabbage and much more! A silent auction was held that morning, along with raffles, a dunk tank and other fun.
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Once everyone had their fill of food, guests headed to the Education Building to prepare to bid on items in the live auction. If you missed this year’s event, make plans now to attend next year. You will have a great time!
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Flying I still say the safest mode of travel is flying. Over the years my wife and I have made many trips, including one to Amsterdam, Holland. We went with Ron and Faye Wetherington of Dover. What a great time we all had. It started the moment we got on the plane when the stewardess got on the intercom and started her welcome announcement and instructions on how to fasten our seat belt. She hit the nail on the head when she said, “Welcome aboard American Airline to Amsterdam. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt, and, if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.” A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport. After it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the Captain made an announcement over the intercom: “Ladies and gentlemen, this is your Captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax. OH, MY GOD!” Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the Captain came back on the intercom and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the Flight Attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!” A passenger in Coach yelled: “That’s nothing. You should see the back of mine!” An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a “Thanks for flying our airline.” He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said: “Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?” “Why, no, Ma’am,” said the pilot. “What is it?” The little old lady said, “Did we land, or were we shot down?” After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with: “Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt 22
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against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we’ll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.” The next story happened at a New York Airport. This is hilarious and funny. I wish I had the guts of this girl. An award should go to the United Airlines gate agent in New York for being smart and funny, while making her point, when confronted with a passenger who probably deserved to fly as cargo. For all of you out there who have had to deal with an irate customer, this one is for you. A crowded United Airlines flight was canceled. A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travelers. Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, “I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS.” The agent replied, “I’m sorry, sir. I’ll be happy to try to help you, but I’ve got to help these folks first, and then I’m sure we’ll be able to work something out.” The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?” Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone. “May I have your attention, please?” she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. “We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him with his identity, please come to Gate 14.” Now here is something I did not know, but it makes sense. The drinking water used for making coffee and tea on an airplane should NEVER be consumed. The holding tanks in these sometimes 60-year-old planes are never cleaned. They have accumulated so much greenish grime on the walls that in some places it can be inches thick. Ashtrays in the lavatories are mandatory equipment even though the FAA banned smoking on flights years ago. The reasoning is that if people do decide to smoke, they want them to have a place other than the trash can to throw the butt. And one final note, if a plane is being hijacked when the pilot lands they will leave the wing flaps up that slow the plane down, this is to signal the airport that there is something happening in the plane. Did you know the two pilots on a plane are served different meals and cannot share. This is done in case of food poisoning. Stealing food, even if they are going to throw it out can get you fired instantly. They don’t want people messing with it. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
As our favorite season comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to thank those who have supported our industry, this season and every season, for the last 40 years. This season has been another memorable addition to the Farm’s history.
Thank you! Carl and Dee Dee Grooms
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By Melissa Nichols
In 1974 with two young boys, Stoney Sadler had a vision, he knew the values of bees and what they meant to the agriculture industry as a whole. Stoney captured a swarm, grew the swarm and that was the beginning of the Sadler Family Honey Dynasty. Last year was 40 years since he captured that swarm and what began with one swarm of bees has grown to over 2000 hives of bees with not only his wife Donna and both of his boys, Mike and Chris being involved in the industry he loved, but also every single one of his grandchildren. This is a story of dedication, hard work and one that many of us would consider a scary industry to be involved in. I am the first to admit if it is buzzing and coming towards me, I am screaming and swatting it, but after visiting the Sadler family and seeing the benefits of bees, honey and pollinating first hand, from now on I will stop and look before I swat. 24
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When Stoney captured a swarm in 1974, he didn’t know all aspects of beekeeping, in fact he just wanted some bees to help pollinate his garden. Donna recalls her late husband telling her about growing up in Perry, Florida and how his dad kept bees as part of his gentlemen farm. Stoney continued to grow his “collection” of bees. He, along with his brother Hubert, worked at Publix full time as a truck driver and raised bees on the side. As honey production increased, SS & Sons Apiaries was formed. Donna recalls the boys being little, she said, “Many late nights and weekends were spent in the honey house, extracting honey and caring for the hives. It truly was a family affair.” SS & Sons continued to grow and in 1996 when Stoney retired from Publix he turned his sideline business into commercial beekeeping. Stoney quickly expanded his number of hives and equipment until he fell ill in 2002, at which time his oldest son Mike resigned from Publix and took over the family beekeepWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
ing, naming it Bee-Haven Honey Farm, Inc. Hubert still keeps bees today and is a ‘go to’ for advice and information. Mike, his wife Tammy and their sons Colby and Clay were all very familiar with beekeeping so the fit was just natural. The boys would go to school, come home and help the rest of the day with the family beekeeping. Tammy does not go out in the field to assist with all aspects of beekeeping, but she has been instrumental in the bookkeeping side of the business, as well as extracting and bottling of the honey. Although honey production is their main focus, Bee-Haven does provide a few select pollination services. Mike said “there are many different aspects to beekeeping. There is pollination service, honey production, nuc production, and queen rearing, just to name a few.” The bees are moved to various locations throughout the state to produce desirable honey crops. From the citrus ridge of Florida, they produce a Florida treasure, orange blossom honey, then it’s on to the gallberry honey produced in North Florida. In the summer, the Sadler’s bring their bees back home and Mike said, “They make increases and replace losses. On average we suffer a 30 percent loss ratio of bees per year, and keeping the numbers up is crucial to survival in this business.” The process of getting honey from bees is much different from watching a cartoon and I was able to learn that first
hand. When the hives are placed in boxes within the desired locations, they are left there for a designated time. At the end of that time, those boxes are brought back to the farm where they extract the honey from the frames, and store it in stainless steel containers. The newest edition to Bee-Haven is the bottling facility, which has been a dream come true for Tammy and Clay. Clay, the younger of their two boys, is a junior at the University of Florida Plant City campus and is pursuing a degree in Ag Business, with plans to take over the bottling business. At the bottling facility the honey is taken from the stainless steel containers, is lightly filtered and bottled, having handled it as little as possible and delivering “raw” honey, the most desired honey on the market. Clay, Tammy, Kaitlyn and Lacey all help with the process of bottling. For Lacey, the daughter of Chris and Katie Sadler, honey production has been her first job as she is a senior in high school and does bottling and other bee-related work as part of her OJT (on the job training credit). Bee-Haven Honey is able to be purchased on their website www.beehavenfl.com or at many local events such as the Florida Strawberry Festival, PigFest, Sun ‘n Fun, and many local produce stands and small retailers in the area. A list of those retailers can be found on their website. Colby graduated with his degree in General Engineering. Although Colby earned his degree, he always knew he wanted to be a beekeeper, so the family beekeeping dynasty continues. Each family member has their own
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UF/IFAS researchers build searchable database of non-native plants By Kimberly Moore Wilmoth Ever wonder what that plant is in your yard that seems to be taking over? The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has a new website designed to help you figure it out. Researchers with UF/IFAS’ Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants spent more than a year developing a searchable website and database to help Floridians assess problem— or just plain puzzling —non-native plants. Plants that come into the United States from abroad can choke out crops, native plants and gardens or cause algae blooms that kill fish, and can even poison animals. Invasive species threaten Florida’s environment, economy and health and cost the United States an estimated $120 billion a year. The Assessment of Nonnative Plants in Florida’s Natural Areas website and database is at http://assessment.ifas.ufl.edu/. The site helps predict the invasion risk of non-native species in the state, as well as species proposed for introduction. “One of our immediate goals was to take our existing database of non-native plant species and make it more readily available to both UF faculty/staff and the general public on a user friendly, easily searched website,” said Deah Lieurance, coordinator of the UF/IFAS Assessment. “We improved from the previous website by making the database accessible with search
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and filtering options. We also added more than 1,500 photos, links to distribution maps, information on where the plant is native, and growth forms —trees, vines, herbs or shrubs.” The website features more than 800 species, easily searchable by common or scientific name, and results can be filtered. For example, results can be narrowed to vines that are safe to plant in North Florida. Scrolling through all the photos only takes a few minutes. The website shows a “caution” in some cases, “invasive not recommended,” in others and “prohibited” for species that pose the greatest ecological threats. About 70 percent of the species in the database are not a problem, and in some cases may even be beneficial. A simple search will tell you when and where it’s safe to use plants such as Japanese holly and canna lily. Luke Flory, an assistant professor in ecology with UF/IFAS, provides oversight of the assessment program and said everyone from weekend gardeners to professional landscapers to UF faculty and staff rely on the recommendations of the UF/IFAS assessment team when considering the use of nonnative plants. “The new IFAS Assessment web site provides one more tool for Floridians to manage and conserve our valuable natural resources by help- The air potato vine is an invasive speing to prevent further non-native plant invacies prohibited by the state. sions,” Flory said.
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Animal Cruelty by Sheriff Grady Judd
April is Animal Cruelty Prevention month, and a great opportunity to remind pet owners about the responsibilities associated with the care and safety of their animals. Some would think it’s unnecessary to remind anyone to take care of their pets, but sadly, cruelty and neglect are more common than you might think. In 2014, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office worked 444 criminal cases of animal cruelty, and conducted 2,409 neglect and abandonment investigations. One cruelty case in particular, while extreme, reflects the callousness of some suspects. On March 4, 2015, Polk County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested a 29-year-old Davenport man charging him with one count Felony Animal Cruelty. Deputies learned the man asked neighbors if he could borrow a gun to shoot his dog, an approximately 18 month old pit bull, “for making a mess in the trailer.” The neighbors declined, but later saw the dog hanging with a rope around its neck from a tree in the yard. The dog was deceased. Thankfully, residents spoke up and reported this crime, and the suspect was booked into the Polk County Jail. Working together, to protect people and pets, we try to act quickly to address cases like the one described above. This suspect had been arrested numerous times before, including a 2005 arrest by Orlando P.D. for Battery Domestic 28
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Violence; a 2006 arrest by Lake County S.O. for Carrying Concealed Weapon; a 2007 arrest by Orlando P.D. for Battery Domestic Violence; a 2007 arrest by Lake County S.O. for VOP; a 2008 arrest by PCSO for Burglary and Larceny, for which he was sentenced to five years in state prison. He was released from prison in March 2013. And while this case was extreme, some investigations don’t have witnesses who come forward. But residents can always help. There are a few indicators residents should be wary of in possible cruelty or neglect cases. • A collar so tight it has caused a neck wound or has become embedded in the pet’s neck • Open wounds, signs of multiple healed wounds or an ongoing injury • Extreme thinness or emaciation – bones may be visible • Fur infested with fleas, ticks or other parasites • Weakness, limping or the inability to stand or walk normally • An owner striking or otherwise physically abusing an animal If you witness any of these situations, please report it to law enforcement. The Polk County Animal Control Shelter works around the clock to educate the community about current pet laws and county ordinances pertaining to the care of domestic animals. For example, Polk County Ordinance 10-0001 details the requirement WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
of annual vaccinations. It outlines the requirement for all dogs and cats to wear a collar with a valid license tag. Dogs are not allowed to be “at-large” and must always be leashed or properly confined on your property. Cats are only allowed to be “at-large” if the cat has been sterilized and has current vaccinations. Pet owners must also provide proper shelter to protect their animals from inclement weather. These simple requirements aid in the safety and security of your pet, but also the safety of the community. To be a responsible pet owner is easy. Find the pet best suited for your family. A number of well deserving pets can be found at the PCSO Animal Control Shelter. Staff will assist you in selecting the perfect pet for your lifestyle.
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And remember, there are responsibilities that accompany a new pet. A responsible pet owner should: • Ensure the pet has ample food, fresh water and shelter. • Ensure the pet has been properly vaccinated. • Ensure the pet has valid Rabies license. • Ensure pets have an RFID microchip which is registered with Animal Control. • Ensure the pet has a collar and identification tag. For more information about responsible pet ownership, or pet adoptions, please visit the PCSO Animal Control webpage at http://bit. ly/1y1JRZL, or by phone at 863.499.2600.
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Endangered Species
Flatwoods Salamanders: Worth Saving
By Ginny Mink |All pictures provided by Pierson Hill
Initially labeled threatened in 1999, the last 16 years have been quite eventful for the flatwoods salamander: Ambystoma bishopi (or reticulated) and Ambystoma cingulatum (or frosted). The first thing to note here is the fact that originally there was no distinction between the two flatwoods salamanders. Things changed though and the species got divided. These things are far too cerebral for this writer’s comprehension and thusly it seemed prudent to seek out some experts in the field of federally listed flatwoods salamanders. What we found will leave a significant impact on our memory. If you’re a regular reader, you know that this series is generally based on personal research. Rarely are experts made available and thereby quoted. This piece breaks that mold to infinite pieces. In seeking out pictures of the fondly labeled, flatwoods salamanders, we contacted two men: Danté Fenolio and Pierson Hill. The goal was simple, get permission to use their pictures. What we got was four interviews! We spoke with Danté and Pierson, along with Harold Mitchell and Tom Gorman. These are four huge names when it comes to studying flatwoods salamanders. The information we got could fill a small eBook! However, we can only share a wee bit with you here, so enjoy! Tom Gorman, a Principal Investigator and research scientist based out of Virginia Tech explained, “In 1999, they were first listed as threatened. In 2006, they split the species. Some geneticists wrote a paper and split it. Formally, they weren’t split until 2009, by US Fish and Wildlife Service. That’s when the reticulated was relisted as endangered. At the same time they designated critical habitat, that gives additional protections to specific habitats and it kind of lays the ground work for areas to be recovered.” This split was based on genetic and morphological differences, but once the split occurred the flatwoods salamander was really brought to the forefront of research and study. Having only seen pictures, we asked Pierson (a field biologist with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission) to describe them to us. He told us, “Flatwoods salamander adults get about four inches long, max. The females get a good bit bigger than the males. They’re kind of a dark, purply-brown color and they often have silver, or white, net-like (or frosting) patterns on their back. They’re kind of a long skinny animal for a mole salamander. They have 30
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small heads and long thick tails to allow them to kind of wriggle like snakes almost, through dense grass.” In fact, Pierson shared a number of other oddities with us. However, we wondered what was really going on with these amphibians and Danté (the Director of Conservation and Research, for San Antonio Zoo) shared, “They are down to a handful of percent of their original range and original known sites that they used to be found in. The concern in the biological community was that these things were disappearing so fast that they weren’t necessarily going to receive protection in time so the feds, as in US Fish and Wildlife, stepped up in a big way. Of all of the possible options on the table, just one of them is to establish captive colonies and see if we can learn how to breed them in captivity. One of the big problems with this species is that it has not ever been successfully maintained, or bred, in captive circumstances. So, we’re kind of starting from scratch and we’re starting late in the game.” Currently, Eglin Air Force Base has the most successful wild population known and that’s where Tom and his team focus their research. From that population, Harold Mitchell, Recovery Coordinator and Species Lead for US Fish and Wildlife Service, shared, “I sent some specimens that we salvaged. We had a pond that had a bunch of eggs in it but the pond dried up. As it was drying up, we could either just let them die, or I could authorize them to collect the eggs and try to save them and raise them in captivity. That’s what we’re trying to do right now. I can’t remember the exact numbers, but I think it’s like 30 percent of them are still alive, which is far higher than I would have expected with the shape of the eggs that we got in. To have those to work on the husbandry techniques, is sort of like a little bit of a bonus, even though I would have much rather had them in the wild! What we’re learning from them is far more than what we would have learned from them if they had just died out in the field when it dried up. That number is an estimate on my part, it’s a wild guess, but Dante does an excellent job and they couldn’t be in better hands over there. We’ve got a real good group working on it.” The people involved with this animal are dedicated, for certain. Danté revealed that there have been some serious challenges in this captivity attempt. He shared, “Nobody’s kept these things before and WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
We Help Your Business they’re tricky. I’ll be honest with you, I’ve worked with dozens of species of salamanders in captivity, and I have not come up against any that are nearly this complicated. Right after they hatch they start eating each other and they can, ironically, be finicky about other foods. So, if they’re not eating each other, a lot of times they’ll turn down other foods that you offer them. Fortunately, we were able to iron out diet. Once you get them through their larval period, and they’re ready to change into normal salamanders, it can be tricky. At metamorphosis, they drown really easily.” We gasped and he chuckled, “I know that sounds funny for an amphibian, but these guys are not good about staying out of the water and when they fall in the water, once they’ve changed, they can drown. So we had a lot to work out … Now, we’re dealing with something that I believe is probably a vitamin deficiency. We have a whole group here that we’re hoping will not have the issues that past groups have had. In the past, the juveniles, or sub-adults, have all suffered from some sort of disorder that we think is tied into a vitamin deficiency. They start to get dull in color, their silver patterns turn gray, and ultimately, they die. We’re dealing with that now.” They are using white worms full of added vitamins to counteract this issue but won’t know if the effort is successful for another eight months. So, really, what’ so cool about these salamanders that makes them worth saving? Pierson’s enthusiasm shines through, “I think they’re beautiful and really interesting! Basically, they do everything different than other mole salamanders. They break all the rules when it comes to their habitat, their breeding behavior and how they reproduce. They’re just kind of an oddball among mole salamanders. They live in one of the coolest habitats!” He’s spent thousands of personal hours observing them so, he would know!
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He continued, “A major difference that we just recently realized, in the last few years, is that both adult and young flatwoods salamanders climb up in grass. Why they are doing this, we’re not a hundred percent sure. My guess is they’re climbing above the thick grass they live in to look for visual cues to help orient themselves on the landscape for migration. I think they’re trying to look for the shape of the cypress dome in the night sky to orient either towards, or away from, it.” As mole salamanders, they spend 95 percent of their lives underground, and Pierson told us that time is generally spent in crayfish burrows, but they lay their eggs in dome swamps. There truly is so much more to tell you but suffice it to say, these animals breed in dry ponds in hopes of rain. Yet, without natural fire occurrences, the shrubbery takes over and destroys their natural habitats and reproduction hopes. Harold told us, in reference to informing the public, “Here I come with a little tiny, slimy salamander and everybody’s like, “This isn’t a wolf, or a bear, or something we can get behind; this is a salamander. But, this is worth saving. It’s part of our natural world and here for a reason.” Additionally, Pierson asked that we reiterate, “This species is rapidly declining even in these protected areas. We’re doing the best we can but it is a huge battle getting their habitat back to a condition they can use reliably.” Tom agreed, “It’s alarming how challenging recovery of them is going to be.” Ultimately, Harold would like us to, “Bring the awareness that there’s a lot of endangered things out there that aren’t things you would hear in the news because they’re not the charismatic mega-fauna. It’s a lot easier for folks to get behind the needs of an eagle than it is the needs of a salamander just simply because people look at them differently. Trying to change that perception would probably be the biggest thing that could happen for these guys.” May your perception be changed here on! For additional information, check out this recent development (we told you this was an incredible story!): http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2015/flatwoods-salamanders-03-26-2015. html WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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area of beekeeping, and own business. Colby, the oldest son of Mike and Tammy along with his wife Kaitlyn, have started Sadler Honey Farms. Their business also focuses on honey production, but in light of Florida’s current problem with citrus greening, Colby has diversified into some pollination as well. Their biggest service of pollinating is shipping his hives out to California to pollinate Almond trees. Each year 1.5 million hives are sent to California by truck to pollinate the almond capital of the world, a $9 billion a year industry. Sadler Honey Farm sends one to two semi-truck loads to California each year from right here in Polk County. If you had told the younger of the Sadler sons that in 20 years after graduating high school he would be beekeeping he would have told you “no way.” Donna Sadler said she, “always knew Mike was fond of beekeeping, Chris on the other hand, he had more of a love-hate relationship with his dad’s beekeeping.” It wasn’t until Chris and Katie’s son CJ started college that Chris decided he would start his own division of commercial beekeeping. Chris works full-time as a Pipefitter Foreman for the City of Lakeland. But, In 2013 Chris, and CJ began C&C Apiaries where they are in nuc production, a 34
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nuc is a starter hive for someone just starting out. Their most common customers are gentlemen farmers and commercial farmers who want to pollinate blueberries, watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberries. Chris and CJ also rent hives for the use of pollination to local farmers, but they serve only Central Florida at the present time. The duo have grown their numbers to nearly 120 hives and growing. Chris said, “It will take them about five more years to build up the business to make it actually profitable.” CJ said, “There are a lot of expensive aspects of beekeeping people do not realize from the fuel to equipment, everything costs money, and lots of it.” CJ is pursuing a business degree at Polk State College after transferring from Florida Institute of Technology, where he attended two years and played DII college football. From the time CJ transferred back home to Polk County he has worked solely at building C&C Apiaries. It is CJ’s goal that he too will one day become a full-time commercial beekeeper. Lacey, as told earlier, works for Bee-Haven and is an active part of C&C Apiaries. She plans to attend Hillsborough Community College upon high school graduation this year. She hopes to one day graft and raise queen bees, which is an industry within beekeeping itself and very essential to the future of the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
bee populations. I personally learned a lot of interesting fact about bees while working on this article. An average hive has 60,000 bees in it. Bees are the number one pollinators in the world, responsible for pollinating 90 percent of crops that require pollination. I learned that beekeepers are facing many issues here in the US, from loss of natural habitat and farm land to the Varroa mite, which is a parasite that attacks honey bees and weakens them, eventually killing them. I quickly realized that much of what we eat is a product of pollination, and that beekeeping or apiculture is farming, because without it, many crops would no longer exist. I learned about the many interesting medicinal values of raw honey in our everyday
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lives. Finally, I learned that the Sadler family truly have a “dynasty� when it comes to commercial beekeeping, and one to be very proud of. In closing although I never met Stoney Sadler, it is quite evident, that he was one amazing man, who instilled hard work, dedication and to live your dreams into both of his boys, daughter in laws and all four of his grandchildren. I know that he would be so very proud to see how far his family has come in this business, following a dream, and a legacy, that started with him so many years ago. Check them out on Facebook: Bee-Haven Honey Farm, Sadler Honey Farm and C&C Apiaries.
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Recipes
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Swordfish Steaks DIRECTIONS with Arugula and Peach Salsa
In a small mixing bowl, combine diced peaches, lime juice, diced red onion, cilantro and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Stir ingredients to combine. Taste salsa and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until use. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the sauté pan. Lightly season both sides of the swordfish steaks with salt and pepper.
INGREDIENTS 4 (6-ounce) swordfish steaks 10 ounces arugula 2 large peaches, pit removed and diced small 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped 1 lime, juiced 1/2 red onion, diced small 1 lemon, juiced 2 tablespoons olive oil sea salt to taste fresh ground pepper to taste
Carefully add the seasoned swordfish steaks to the sauté pan and cook for about 3 minutes on each side or until swordfish is cooked throughout. Remove swordfish from pan and let drain on a paper towel. In a medium-sized mixing bowl add the arugula, lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Toss the arugula to coat and season lightly with salt and pepper. To serve, place an even amount of arugula on each of the four plates. Place a swordfish steak on top of the arugula on each plate. Top the swordfish steaks with an even amount of peach salsa. Serve immediately.
Ingredients 4 large peaches 4 tablespoons olive oil 1 lemon, juiced 2 tablespoons flavored vinegar kosher salt to taste freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon unsalted butter 1/2 cup pecans, chopped 1 tablespoon natural sugar 1 pinch cayenne pepper 2 heads romaine lettuce
DIRECTIONS Preheat grill or a grill pan over medium-high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cut peaches into six slices each; discard pits. Cook peach slices until grill marks appear (no need to completely cook peaches). Remove from grill and let cool at room temperature. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Heat a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat.
Add butter, pecans, sugar and cayenne pepper. Cook while stirring constantly until sugar dissolves and turns golden brown. Remove pecans from heat and cool to room temperature. Slice both heads of romaine into six sections. Place lettuce and peaches on plate and top with dressing and candied pecans. Serve immediately.
Grilled Florida Peach Salad with Candied Pecans 38 38
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PEACHES
rida
By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science
Mild winters and early spring in Florida mean a quicker arrival of delicious stone fruit. Fresh Florida peaches are in season earlier than in other states, from April-June. Also unique to Florida peaches are its low-chill varieties, developed by the University of Florida. Lowchill peach trees don’t require as many cold days to produce fruit. Peaches have two different flesh types. Melting-flesh peaches soften rapidly as the fruits ripen, while non-melting types have a firm flesh that softens slowly. Peaches have either a yellow or white flesh and vary in levels of acidity. Inside is a dark brown, inedible pit. Ripe fruit is juicy, sweet, and soft and covered by an edible nutritious peel with its characteristic peach “fuzz.” NUTRITIONAL PROFILE This sweet, fragrant fruit is an excellent nutritional source of dietary fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants, and is naturally fat and cholesterol free. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one medium fresh peach (150 g) contains 59 calories, 1.4 g of protein, 0.4 g of fat, 14 g of carbohydrate, and 2.3 g of fiber. It also provides 16% of the Daily Recommended Value (% DV) for vitamin C, 9% for vitamin A, 8% for potassium, 3% for magnesium, and 2% for iron. Peaches contain a broad range of vitamins and minerals, and also have significant amounts of the B vitamins, including niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, folate, and vitamin B12, as well as calcium, zinc, vitamin E, and vitamin K. VITAMIN C: FOR A STRONG IMMUNE SYSTEM Vitamin C is an important antioxidant, supporting the body’s immune system in its ability to fight infections and viruses. Additionally, this vitamin is involved in keeping capillaries, gums, and skin healthy and supple. The vitamin C in peaches also enhances iron absorption from other foods, which reduces the risk of iron-deficiency anemia. VITAMIN A: FOR GOOD EYESIGHT Vitamin A is essential for optimal eye health and can help prevent night-blindness. It also plays a role in immunity by supporting the white blood cells in fighting infections. This vitamin is also involved in hearing, taste, and normal fetal development. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
POTASSIUM: FOR BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL Peaches are high in potassium, an electrolyte that promotes healthy heart functioning and protects against high blood pressure. Potassium helps regulate fluids and mineral balance, aids in muscle contraction, and helps transmit nerve impulses. People with low potassium levels are more prone to muscle cramps. Fortunately vegetables and fruits, such as peaches, are rich sources of potassium. HOW TO SELECT AND STORE For optimal taste, choose a ripe peach that yields slightly to the touch and has a fragrant smell. Look for smooth, taut skin that is free of cuts and blemishes. Peaches continue to ripen even after picking, if stored at room temperature. The ripening process can also be accelerated by placing the fruit in a paper bag overnight. Ripe peaches can be refrigerated for up to 3-5 days. Rinse under cool running water before eating or preparing. HOW TO ENJOY Sweet, ripe Florida peaches are delicious eaten just the way they are! Other ways to enjoy peaches include: • Dice it and mix with other fruits and vegetables into a salsa • Blend with other fruits into a smoothie • Mash and freeze to make a refreshing sorbet • Mash pieces of peach to use as a topping for pancakes, waffles, or ice cream • Crush peaches and add to water, tea, or juice • Slice and bake with cinnamon and honey for a healthy dessert • Mix diced peaches into yogurt, oatmeal, or cereal Enjoy this beautiful, fragrant fruit during Florida’s peak peach season today. Eat it out of hand and enjoy every drop of sweetness and great nutrition. SELECTED REFERENCES http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg374 http://www.medicalnewstoday.comA
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Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green
Aerial Net Collecting insects is an exciting and educational hobby. One of the most basic tools for the budding entomologist is a simple net used to capture and examine an insect without harming it. Nets can fall into one of three categories; Aerial nets for catching flying insects, sweep nets for capturing insects that fly up from grasslands and prairies, and aquatic nets for capturing creatures from the water. Because it’s warming up, the opportunity to catch a larger variety of flying insects in Florida will grow. Our project for this month is a simple aerial net inspired by Purdue University extension services that can be used to capture any flying insect without harming it.
Suggested Material:
Netting (Nylon Mosquito Netting or Marquisette) Net Handle: ( ¾ inch wooden dowel 3 or 4 feet long) Net Loop: (1/8 inch durable steel wire (preferably piano wire) 3 or 4 feet long Reinforcement Band: (Muslin, denim, or canvas 5 x 44 inches.) Ferrule: (Leather cord, Natural Twine, Wire, Metal Sleeve) Step 1 cut out a piece of net material the size and shape shown Step 2 Attach the net material to the loop. The bag may be placed on the wire loop before it is attached to the handle, or it may be sewn to the loop after it is attached. Step 3 Sew a reinforcement band over the loop to increase the durability of the net. Fold a strip (5 x 44 in.) of heavy material lengthwise around the loop and sandwiching the top of the net at least ½ inch to form a hem at the mouth of the net. (see Figure 3). Step 4 Prepare the handle:
Cut two grooves the depth of the loop wire along the sides of the top of the handle (as shown in Figure 4.) Make one groove about an inch longer than the other. Drill a small hole at the end of each grove to anchor the wire loop.
Step 5 Make the net loop:
Bend the net loop into a hoop with short arms at each end as shown in Figure 5. Make sure the arms and the little hooks at their ends fit along the grooves and into the holes in the handle.
Step 6 Strengthen the loop end:
With the net attached to the hoop, and the hoop attached to the handle Wrap the joint tightly with ferrule material or a fitted metal sleeve. (Figure 4),
To use the net, gently sweep the net in a letter “J” motion, then twist the handle so the net loops over the rim to prevent the insect from escaping.
813-767-4703 301 South Collins Street, Suite 101, Plant City, Florida 33563
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A Closer Look
By Sean Green
Photo credit: Chelyapin Dmitry
The Northern Migration of the Monarch (Danaus plexippus)
Tagging Monarch butterflies to track their migration Credit: USDA
Credit: Barbara Becker
Spring remigration of the monarch Map of Journey North roost sightings from all years butterfly Credit: Dr. Lincoln P. Brower combined (2005–2007). Credit: Journey North
This year, Easter was celebrated in April. As many of you know, the true meaning of Easter is to recognize and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Although our traditional Easter celebrations have ended, the ancient concept of resurrection lives on in a yearly parade that fills the skies with wondrous beauty and mystery. The parade referenced here is the annual northern reproductive migration of the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus), from its overwintering sites in Mexico. Ancient Egyptians practiced mummification of their dead and established the similarity of the cloth wrapping of the mummy and the silken cocoon of the butterfly and often put butterflies on their tombs and sarcophagi. Similarly, the ancient Greeks used the word psyche interchangeably as a reference to butterfly and soul and often placed golden butterflies in their tombs. The ancient Aztecs of Mexico believed that butterflies were the returned souls of warriors and sacrificial victims. It is in the lands of the ancient Aztecs that the Monarch hibernates, and from it begins its reproductive journey through North America. Florida has a unique affiliation with the Monarch migration that has inspired scientist to take a closer look and ask citizens to participate in the research necessary to understand and protect the declining Monarch populations.
ter blooms. The Monarchs will remain in their winter roosts until the weather warms enough for milkweed to be available again. Milkweed (Asclepias) is the food plant for monarch caterpillars. When the monarch caterpillar eats milkweed, it ingests the milkweeds toxins and in doing so, makes itself toxic to predators that would otherwise eat them. The bright colors of the monarch caterpillar warn predators of its toxic nature. The Monarch migration is one of the world’s most fascinating natural phenomena and one that we should all aspire to see at least once in our lifetime. The population of adult monarchs that migrated south to Mexico at the onset of winter will use the last of their energy to breed a new generation. After mating, female adults lay their eggs on Milkweed (Asclepias), the host for the caterpillars that will emerge from the eggs. When the caterpillars emerge, they will grow through five stages (instars) before pupating into a chrysalis. The adult Monarch emerges from the chrysalis and migrates a little farther north in search of new milkweed growth. Once found, the cycle repeats itself over several generations until the migration is complete in the northern states and parts of Canada.
The Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is one of the best known butterflies in North America and is often used in the classroom to demonstrate the process of metamorphosis. Another notable characteristic of the Monarch is its annual migration. Monarch butterflies cannot survive the cold northern winters and have evolved to migrate thousands of miles to a warmer climate as many migratory birds do. The monarch is the only known butterfly to engage this behavior as an evolutionary strategy. Most butterflies overwinter as larvae, pupa, or adults in the environments they are born into. The Monarch senses environmental changes that trigger genetic cues to travel south for the winter. When the weather begins to cool in September and October, the generation of caterpillars that hatch will develop into their adult stages as usual, but instead of maturing to mate right away, they migrate to roosting sites in Mexico and parts of California for a winter hibernation.
Our understanding of monarch migration patterns and the factors that influence them is still relatively new and much more research is needed, especially in Florida. Citizen Science is scientific research conducted in whole or in part by amateur scientists and has a tremendous role in the study of Monarch butterflies. Florida’s tropical climate provides a habitat for year-round Monarch populations that could include not only coastal overwintering, but also winter breeding of Monarchs. It is still unclear what happens when (or if) migrating monarchs reach Florida. Furthermore, there is not much data to clarify if any Monarchs leave Mexico and end up breeding in Florida. For those of you interested in participating, (and we hope you are) this month is the month to begin monitoring Monarchs. Here are a few organizations that can help you get your feet wet in citizen science.
Roosting sites are characterized by thick tree canopies that keep the temperature and humidity of the roost site moderate. Many of the known roost sites are used year after year and are composed of specific trees such as Eucalyptus, Monterey Pine and Monterey Cypress along the California coast and the Oyamel Fir, native to central and southern Mexico. This small population of trees is the only natural habitat from which migrating Monarchs of North America can rely on for warmth, protection from rain, and nectar to feed on from win-
Monarch Larva Monitoring Project (MLMP) (monitor larva and habitat conditions) http://www.mlmp.org/
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Journey North, Monarch Butterfly (track Monarch Migration) http://www.learner.org/jnorth/tm/monarch/SpringWatch.html
Project Monarch Health ( free monarch parasite research kit) http://www.monarchparasites.org/ INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the HOME FOR SALE BIG Box STORES! Call Today! 808 W. Risk St. Plant City. 3/2 Bungalow, Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 recently updated and ready for occupancy. DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER $115,000 mlsT2728687Call for showing ALUMINUM 813-967-0168. No upcharge. House & Mobile Home. We have all your aluminum needs! Many standard sizes in stock. Screen Room, carports & awnings. FOR SALE - 45 ACRES VACAT LAND Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378 Call Blake (813) 752-3378 (Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid WINDOW SCREENS ground, A great setting for residential develHarmar RPL400 We make window screens of all sizes available opment. To the east of the property is a 60 porch lift for in different frame colors. acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds signifiwheelchairs. It is in Call Ted(813) 752-3378 cant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. excellent condition. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Call Heidi $3000 OBO it can lift CABINETS Cecil for more information (863) 899-9620 up to 48” and has a All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities. weight capacity of Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size. LOOKING TO LEASE 400 lbs.727-504-1391 Call Blake 813-752-3378 10 Plus acres prefer North Lakeland for cattle. Will maintain fences and mowing. SIDING Call Reggie 863-698-2967 Ext. Siding 4’X7’ sheets stucco JOBS texture & 12” on center. $18.95 DOVER FARM Call Blake 813-752-3378 CONTRIBUTING WRITER 11plus acres with 3 bedroom/3 bath home, Write about events in your community. MOBILE HOME TUBS immediate openings in Hillsborough and Polk wells, irrigation. Possible owner finance. Metal brand new in bo 54” Mobile Home Tubs Counties. Paid per article. Responsibilities $279,900. Call Karon Corner Broker Call Ted (813) 752-3378 $185.00 include covering community events and taking 813-716-1127 pictures. Email your resume to SERVICES FARM EQUIPMENT sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock. Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.
2010 MASSEY FERUSON
GC2410 Tractor Loader Backhoe. 22 hp diesel hst Trans. 4X4 60” mid mount mower. 207 hours, $13,500 Call Alvie @ 813-759-8722
BUSH HOG 3209
9’ Offset mower $3,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
7X15 LAWN TRAILER
Used Lawn Trailer with aluminum plate tool box. 5ft tongue & heavy duty gate. $1,650 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR
Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kawasaki engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
CALLER ON HOLD
A low cost service that enables you to communicate important information about your business to customers while they are on hold. No monthly payments or annual payments. Call today and ask for Al (813) 763-2220
MISC.
RUBBER MULCH
All Colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted (813) 752-3378
FREE REDMAX
RedMax 28 hand held blower with purchase of NEW zero turn mower with select brand & models of select inventory while supplies last. Prices start at $2,599. 813-759-8722, 908 E. Baker Street Plant City.
April 2015
JEWELERY
Diamond setting & jewelry repair. All done on premises! Crescent Jewelers 813-752-2413
HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL?
Call us today! 813-759-6909 or email us: info@inthefieldmagazine.com Let us help you get rid of it!
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
April 2015
47
John Deere Quality your wallet will find them irresistible...
5075M Tractor
Serving our customers with 12 Locations At Everglades Farm Equipment we take pride in working with those who work with the land. With superior customer support through leasing, rentals, in-field service support, technology, the best parts availability, and loyalty programs just to name a few, we’re ready to be your equipment partner for the long haul.
Plant City
2805 SR. 60 West Plant City, FL 33567
Leesburg
1800 US HWY. 441 Leesburg, FL 34748
813-737-1660
352-315-1016
Odessa
2240 Success Drive Odessa, FL 33556
Okeechobee
727-842-8618
820 US Hwy. 98, North Okeechobee, FL 34972
Clearwater
863-763-1921
5090 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL 33760
727-828-8200
Fort Pierce
6150 Orange Ave. Ft. Pierce, FL 34947
Palmetto
772-461-5568
906 US HWY 301 North Palmetto, FL 34221
941-722-3281
Loxahatchee
13295 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470
Fort Myers
Give us a call today.
561-784-4000
9501 State Road 82 Fort Myers, FL 33905
239-332-5045
Belle Glade
Corporate Headquarters
Immokalee
775 E. Main St. Immokalee , FL 34142
239-657-4413
2017 N. W. 16TH Belle Glade, FL 33430
Naples
561-996-6531
1945 Pine Ridge Road Naples , FL 34109
239-260-8800
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www.EvergladesFarmEquipment.com
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
April 2015
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