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14th Annual Florida FFA Foundation Beast Feast & Auction By Melissa Nichols
The Florida FFA Foundation hosted the 14th Annual Florida FFA Foundation Beast Feast & Auction on Saturday March 25 at the Leadership Training Center in Haines City. This year’s occasion lived up to the events history as a family fun filled activity that just about everyone can enjoy. The food line up included everything from quail, venison, gator tail, swamp cabbage, and fried okra, to chicken tenders and bbq pork, not to mention the impressive lineup of desserts including homemade ice cream and strawberry shortcake. The vendors of the food are FFA Chapters from around the state of Florida who show up, grill, cook and bake to make the food of their selection for Beast Feast visitors to eat. All you can eat food until it runs out is included in the admission ticket to the event. This year a new event was added to the lineup, the Future Farmer Classic Shoot, a clay shoot competition hosting youth and adult teams from around the state to compete to win the title of Top Shooter. For a first year event it was quite successful for the shooting competition and something that the Florida FFA Association plans to host in the future. On top of the shooting sports and variety of foods, the event hosted a
The live auction is always held indoors at the education center at LTC, this one kicked off with lots of familiar faces such as Mr. Ray Clark, who emceed the event, Cracker Johnson, who was the auctioneer for the event, Mike Lopez, Ron Wetherington and Dusty Holley, who were calling out bidders, and the entire Florida FFA State Officer team, who walked around handing out door prizes and the live auction items. At the end of the day, everyone left happy, with full bellies and many with exciting prizes/auction items for a fraction of the retail cost. The big ticket items such as hunts, vacations packages, and the John Deere Gator donated by Everglades Farm Equipment, all had multiple bidders and all items raised a tremendous amount of money for the Florida FFA Foundation. These funds will be used to support the program, promote agriculture, and the future leaders. If you have never attended before, please keep an eye out for the ticket sale next year. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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live band, cow chip bingo, a silent auction, 50/50 and various other raffle ticket opportunities all leading up to the big event, the live auction.
CONTENTS
April 2017 VOL. 12 • ISSUE 6
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association
24 MEGAN ATKINSON
Holding the highest leadership position in the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association (PCCW) PAGE 3 FFA Beast, Feast & Auction
PAGE 31 Florida Leeks
PAGE 10 Master Gardener
PAGE 34 Meet the Minks
PAGE 14 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 36 Farm-ettes Growing In Popularity
PAGE 16 Florida Mineral Salt & AG
PAGE 40 Strawberry Festival Results
PAGE 18 Jack Payne
PAGE 42 PCSO
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter
PAGE 43 Polk County Cattle Women
PAGE 26 Literary Time Machine
PAGE 44 Activity
PAGE 28 Endangered Species
PAGE 45 A Closer Look
PAGE 30 Writer Bio - Jim Frankowiak
Hey Readers!
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!
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P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005 President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com
J. B. Wynn PO Box 197 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 581-3255 jbwynn29@gmail.com
Vice President – Carlton Taylor 9875 Hancock Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 858-1771 L2brangus@aol.com
Alternate – Scott Shoupe 6130 Allen Lane Lakeland, FL 33811 (863) 581-7593 Scott_shoupe@hotmail. com
Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Standing Committee Bunch Chairs: PO Box 849 Highland City, FL 33846 Membership- J.B. Wynn (863) 425-1121 Events- Kevin Fussell jbunch@agriumretail.com Trade Show- Bridget Stice State Director – David McCullers 1000 Hwy 630 W Frostproof, FL 33843 (863) 635-3821 crookedlakeranch@verizon. net
Rodeo- Fred Waters PO Box 463 Alturas, FL 33820 (863) 559-7808
Website – Adam Norman 2115 West Pipkin Rd Donald Conroy Lakeland, FL 33811 3882 Lake Buffum Rd East (863) 944-9293 Fort Meade, FL 33841 Adamnorman1977@gmail. (863) 412-0790 com risingc@verizon.net Cattlewomen – President, Mike Facente Megan Atkinson 4465 Poyner Oaks Rd N. 3970 Gerber Dairy Rd Polk City, FL 33868 Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 697-9419 (863) 559-1228 Megamess007@yahoo. L.B. Flanders, DVM com 944 Wedgewood Lane Lakeland, FL 33813 Extension – Bridget Stice (863) 644-5974 PO Box 9005, Drawer HS03 Kevin Fussell Bartow, FL 33831 4523 Fussell Rd (863) 519-1048 Polk City, FL 33868 bccarlis@ufl.edu (863) 412-5876 Sheriff’s Dept. – Sgt. Paul Mike Fussell Wright 4520 Barush Rd 1891 Jim Keen Blvd. Bartow, FL 33830 Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 698-8314 (863) 557-1741 fussell.flafarm@gmail.com pw5281@polksheriff.org Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 33853 (863) 528-4567 Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 665-5088 cattlemenslivestock@ earthlink.net
Warner University – Dalton Bush 17 Skidmore Rd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 585-9530 Dalton.bush@warner.edu
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry Sales Manager Danny Crampton Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez
Letter from the Editor The reasons to plant a garden of your own are varied. You can, if you are very industrious and have room for a larger garden, lower your grocery bill. How cool would that be!? Not only are you putting a dent in the old food budget, but you are including food that you grew, nurturing it to maturity, and adding it to your family meal. If that’s not enough, it improves your health. Fruits and vegetables are good for you! You also get exposed to fresh air and sunshine while toiling away in your garden. And, even better, you can teach your children about nature and healthy foods. That could be the best reason of all. We need to instill healthy habits in children that will follow them to adulthood. Why am I talking about gardening? Because April is National Garden Month! So get out and get your hands dirty. You are helping make our country a little greener. Mark your calendars for Ag Literacy Day. This year it is scheduled for May 2. 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 http://faitc.org/aglitday/. As always, remember to buy Fresh From Florida food. You will be assured of fresh, wholesome, delicious food from local people that you can trust. Thank you to our Advertisers! You allow us to continue to cover what is growing. Be sure to let our advertisers know you appreciate them.
Sarah Holt PAGE
The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
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Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Melissa Nichols Leslie Buchanon Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Nick Chapman Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc. Published by Berry Publications, Inc. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Spring is here, but we had some of the coldest weather we’ve had all winter just a few days ago. Heavy frost all the way down into Hardee County, as well as some of the driest weather we have had in a long time. The weather has stayed cool and dry, so our grass is struggling to grow, although there is always light at the end of the tunnel. We should be getting some rain and warmer weather here in a few days. So keep praying for good weather and green grass. I want to thank Moriah McCullers for representing the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association as our Sweetheart this past year. She did a wonderful job and attended many agriculture functions through out the year. It is now my pleasure to introduce to you our Cattlemen’s Sweetheart for the up coming year and that is Rebekah Combee. Rebekah is the daughter of Lyle and Debbie Combee. The Combee family is a pioneer cattle producing family from our area. I want to wish her the best at our State Convention during the Sweetheart competition.
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Speaking of our State Convention, the date is June 2021-22, 2017, to be held at the Buena Vista Palace, Lake Buena Vista,FL. Ned Waters, one of our own ,will be presiding over the convention as our State President this year. May I remind you that if you register before June 2nd there is a cheaper registration rate than on site registration. To register ahead, call 407-846-6221 and ask for Dusty, Mary Anne or Jim or e-mail: DUSTY@ FLORIDACATTLEMEN.ORG. They will get you all the information. If you get a chance to go there is a large trade show that has many products that cattlemen can
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use on their ranch. It is a short drive from anywhere in Polk County if you can’t stay at the convention site. Hope to see you there. Some other activities are coming up that you may want to mark on your calendar. July 6th will be our annual Summer dinner meeting at the Stuart Center. Greg Woodard has offered to help sponsor this meal, so be sure to keep this date open for a great steak dinner and many other activities going on at the meeting. I will have more details in our June article. Also our Polk County Youth Fair will be having their commercial steer selection in June. More details on that also coming up, the exact date, time and location. In closing let me say we are at the Easter season. Be sure to remember our God and all the Blessings we all receive everyday of our life from him. Also, keep our government leaders in your prayers. There are so many policies that are being looked at and talked about in Washington and Tallahassee that could change our life structure at any time. Get to know your government leaders better and speak up for Agriculture. I wish all of you a wonderful Easter and spend time with your families and enjoy life on the ranch or farm. May God continue to bless all of us and cattle prices keep going up. May our trails cross soon,
Ray Clark
Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President
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Masterpiece of Floral Architecture
By Debra Howell, Florida Master Gardener UF/IFAS Extension Polk County When you just cannot get enough of the genteel, oldtime beauty of camellias and azaleas, then the red hills of Tallahassee at Maclay Gardens State park is the place to go, from late fall to early spring. There is no way you could have missed the display of both azaleas and camellias in Central Florida this year. What distinguishes these acid-loving plants grown in North Florida from those grown in the Central Florida area? In the case of Maclay Gardens, the land is situated on Lake Hall and Lake Overstreet and has experienced continuous use for thousands of years. The use began with the Native Americans and then Marquis de Lafayette by land grant in 1825. In the late 1800’s, an African-American community of plantation employees and farmers raised crops on the land. By the 1900’s a quail plantation was added to the mix, and in 1923, a Scotsman and New York financier, Alfred Barmore Maclay, purchased the parcel to create a southern retreat among the rolling hills. The original name, Killearn Plantation and Gardens, was so dubbed after their Scottish ancestral home. The state of Florida acquired the site in 1994, and it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Killearn Plantation Archaeological and Historic District in 2002. The agricultural history of Maclay Gardens State Park, along with factors such as topography, climate, proper drainage and soil pH pretty much insures the success of the treasure trove of acid-loving azaleas and camellias present there.
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In order to successfully cultivate both camellias and azaleas, you must supply well-drained soils with an acidic pH. If the pH values available in your home landscape are above 7.0, then you will need to amend the soil in the areas where you intend to plant azaleas and camellias or find another location for the plants, following the Right Plant, Right Place principle of Florida-Friendly Landscaping™.
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Camellias are long-lived and the ones in my landscape are around 60 years old. From time to time they experience dieback, usually caused by root issues. When this occurs, the dead branches are removed, and then hypothetically, the plant gets fertilizer and sufficient water. After a rough couple of years, my camellias had their best flowering season in a long time, attributed to receiving better care. Azaleas, conversely, are sometimes considered by growers to be annuals. Even if you have had your azaleas for years, you will find it necessary to replace some plants occasionally. All of the azaleas planted in front of my porch perished over a span of about three years. When I dug up the dead plants, root decline and deformities were to blame in each case. Most azaleas do best when protected from the afternoon sun, especially in North Florida. Our western summer sun can be formidable, so they like dappled shade. However, if you plant azaleas in dense shade, you may experience a reduction in flowering or even growth in general. Azaleas will prosper in USDA hardiness zones 8a-9. According to the UF/IFAS fact sheet ENH37, Azaleas at a Glance, azaleas are “not adapted to the warm winters and soil conditions of most of South Florida.” It may be noted that azaleas appropriate for Florida require 4-8 weeks of temperatures below 50° F to excel in our area. These plants are not drought tolerant, and irrigation or hand watering is essential to insure proper growth. Regular watering during the establishment phase is of utmost importance. But remember, they relish well-drained soils with a pH of 4.5-6.0, along with iron and micronutrients. The simplest way to tend to their acid-hungry needs is by using an acidifying fertilizer, or a product tagged as “azalea and camellia” fertilizer. The caveat for the latter fertilizer is that in the case of use on your camellias, it should only be used on plants already established in the landscape. If the azalea and camellia WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
fertilizer is unavailable, you may use a product with 12-4-12 or 15-5-15 designated on the bag. Other soil amendments are ammonium sulfate, iron sulfate and aluminum sulfate may be used to lower soil pH. For azaleas, pruning just following flowering is needed in order to have a fuller plant, but pruning should be curtailed in midsummer. Do not prune your azaleas in the fall or you will cut off most of your blooms for the spring. Azalea issues include lace bugs, spider mites, leaf miners, leaf rollers, azalea caterpillars, leaf and flower galls, various declines and mushroom root rot. Like the azalea, camellia plants like fertile, well-drained soils high in organic matter with a pH of 5.0-6.5. From a cultural standpoint, camellias share some of the same requirements as azaleas. According to UF/IFAS fact sheet, CIR461, Camellias at a Glance, camellias were first brought to America in 1797 and cultivated in greenhouses in New England. Due to its reputation as a low-maintenance plant, the camellia continues to be a dependable landscape plant of Central Florida yards. There are two main species that are common in our area: japonica and sasanqua. The japonica blooms in winter and early spring, and has large leaves and flowers. Sasanqua has smaller, darker leaves, as well as more diminutive blossoms. The sasanquas are fall bloomers. If you are thinking of installing these stately beauties in your landscape, remember succession planting. Multi-season color may be achieved by planting more than one species.
When you keep in mind that your acid-loving plants need special soil amendments, perhaps your camellias and azaleas will provide the satisfaction gained by Alfred B. Maclay as he looked out across his beloved rolling hills and the “masterpiece of floral architecture” which he cultivated there. If you have questions regarding your landscape, you may call your local Extension Service office for help to find the answer. You can reach the UF/IFAS Extension Polk County Plant Clinic at 863-519-1041 or online at http://polkextension.com. The Plant Clinic is open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The Florida Master Gardener Program is a volunteer-driven program that benefits UF/IFAS Extension and the citizens of Florida. The program extends the vision of the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, all the while protecting and sustaining natural resources and environmental systems, enhancing the development of human resources, and improving the quality of human life through the development of knowledge in agricultural, human and natural resources and making that knowledge accessible. It is an equal opportunity institution. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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There are actually hundreds of species of camellias, but you might need to venture out of the area to procure them. One species that I might attempt to grow is Camellia sinensis. This species is the plant that produces the leaves which yields one of the world’s most consumed beverages – tea. To learn more about this esteemed plant, you may go to the website http:// edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs308, Tea Growing in the Florida Landscape. Camellias may be used as accent plants, background groupings, hedges or screens. Azaleas make fine understory plantings in conjunction with your camellias, as they enjoy the same general cultural practices.
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TAMPA BAY FISHING REPORT APRIL 2017 by Capt. Woody Gore
Snook We’re definitely catching some nice fish with even a few lunkers mixed in with the juveniles. Good tidal grass flats, passes or cuts from upper Tampa Bay all the way to Tarpon Key should prove productive. Anglers using and chumming with greenbacks usually produce plenty of action, but use caution when tossing out chum baits. Spotted Sea Trout should continue improving especially as the bait moves onto the grass flats. Look for broken bottom grass flats with sandy potholes or hard rocky bottoms. These areas produce some good size fish. You can also expect plenty of action on artificial lures by jigging the bottom using soft plastics or an artificial shrimp under a popping cork. If live bait is your thing, small greenbacks or shrimp free-lined are good alternatives, but remember a juicy medium shrimp under a popping cork always produces fish. The trout bite has been excellent on the south end of Tampa Bay on the grass flats.
Redfish should pick up this month using live and dead baits or
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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artificial lures. Although it seems they’ve had lock-jaw, recently we’ve been getting some to eat using live or dead baits, but you’ve got to be patient. Check your favorite oyster bars, cuts and broken bottom grass flats on the last of an outgoing tide and the first of an incoming. Do not forget, redfish often feed with large schools of mullet as they stir up the bottom. WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM WWW.
Spanish Mackerel/Bluefish: As the massive schools of
threadfin herring invade Tampa Bay the Spanish mackerel and bluefish bite goes crazy. It’s not unusual to limit out in a couple of hours on moving water using live threadfins and greenbacks and have a blast doing it. I’ve been using 60 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader, shiny long shank 2/0 hooks and # 2 or 3 split shots with good success. If live bait is not your repartee then tie a silver spoon onto an 18” small wire leader and catch all you want.
and guiding the direction the fish is travelling should help get more fish to the boat. Remember, once the fish is hooked you’re in control not the fish. The most important part of boating any fish is making sure you release it with as little damage as possible. Practice responsible catch and release.
Tarpon should begin showing up around the Skyway and along the beaches. They also begin moving inside around deeper flats and hard bottom or artificial reefs holding baitfish. Expect plenty of activity throughout the summer using free-lined threadfins, pass crabs and greenbacks.
LEARNING ABOUT FISHING
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he Every angler’s watched in amazement as bass profession- offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. als set the hook. Well it’s a matter of experience that’s taught them how hard to pull and when the line reaches its maxi- Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experimum stretch potential. Maximum stretch is a characteristic of ence and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. monofilament lines as opposed to the new super braids. Just tell him what you need and it’s done. Many saltwater anglers are, or have already, switched to super braid lines and afterwards seldom, if ever, return to monoVisit his website at: filament.
Light Tackle Hook-Sets
WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM
So what’s this got to do with a hook-set? Primarily because there’s no stretch or memory with braid, it requires less effort for a hook set. When a fish grabs the bait and swims away, the hook basically sets itself. Saltwater anglers targeting snook, redfish, trout and other inshore species also favor other characteristics of braid like casting distance, resistance to the sun’s ultra violet rays and less water drag.
send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
How hard should you pull when setting a hook depends on a few additional issues more than brute strength. Other things entering into the equation are species, fishing line, rod and reel combinations, depth of water, type of bait and most important, the hook, are determining factors when it comes to how hard. Conventional J-hooks are a mainstay in fishing. When used properly there is an excellent hook-up percentage, however, you must pay attention to what’s going on with your bait, so you can quickly detect all strikes. Otherwise, it’s inevitable the fish is going to swallow the bait and become hooked in the throat or worse. This usually results in a mortality factor for unwanted fish. You never know what’s on the other end of you line when setting the hook. Suppose it’s that world class trophy you’ve been waiting for all your life. Well if you’re not careful the old classic paradox “What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object” might come into play. You’ve got to remember, large fish present considerably more resistance to movement when setting the hook, especially when using braided line. Therefore if you use the legendary “Bill Dance monofilament line” hook set on a large snook or redfish you can bet something is going to break. Learn good hook setting techniques, then during those critical moments after a fish grabs your bait or the bobber goes under, think to yourself about the force required. Learning to use more controlled pressure, keeping the fishing rod bent IN NTHE HEFIELD IELD MAGAZINE AGAZINE
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FLORIDA MINERAL SALT & AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS – Getting Better with Age By Jim Frankowiak
Just like a fine wine, Florida Mineral Salt & Agricultural Products, LLC keeps getting better with age. Florida Mineral manufactures high quality vitamin, mineral and protein supplementation products for beef, dairy, equine and other livestock species. It is Florida’s only manufacturer of pressed protein blocks and poured molasses blocks. In addition to blocks, FMS offers its products in bulk, bagged or liquid form via their own brand or private labeling to customers throughout Florida and the Southeast, as well as Puerto Rico. The business is owned by the Clark brothers, Mike, Steve and Greg, and each is actively involved in the company, which was formed in 1991. Mike serves as Florida Mineral president and operations manager, while Steve is general manager and treasurer and Greg is sales manager and vice president. The Clark brothers have first-hand knowledge of the commitment their customers have to agriculture and the challenges it represents. “We grew up working on the farms of our grandparents,” said Mike. Prior to forming their own company, the Clark brothers were each involved in allied mineral businesses. North American Salt decided to leave the minerals business and focus on their water softener and grocery salt business. The Clarks purchased the Huco Mineral business from NAS Tampa operation and that marked the beginning of Florida Mineral. Additionally, the purchase brought an existing customer base, as well. “When we were considering the purchase, our father was instrumental in pointing out that he thought the non-complete feed side of the business offered a better long-term opportunity for us, and he was right,” noted Mike. Florida Mineral is located on the corner of MLK Boulevard and North 40th Street on Tampa’s east side. It occupies a three-acre site conveniently located near I- 4, I-275 and Highway 60. Since Florida Mineral was formed, the brother’s hard work and commitment to customer service and quality products has brought continuous growth. “We are highly sensitive to our customers’ needs and continue to enhance our products to meet those needs while seeking ways to make it easier for them to do business with us.”
continues to grow, a challenge our customers face into the future,” said Mike. “We are committed to continued analysis of ways to nutritionally enhance our existing products and offer new ones that will help our customers meet increasing demand for beef and dairy products.” Giving back to the community and to agriculture has long been a tradition of Florida Mineral and the Clarks. “We continue our active involvement in the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Hillsborough Cattlemen’s Association, Florida Feed Association, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the American Feed Industry Association. We also support the students at the Florida State Fair, Hillsborough County Fair, Florida Strawberry Festival, 4-H, FFA, campus ministries and other mission organizations.” They also maintain their association with Nutra-Blend’s Drive to Feed Kids program. Nutra-Blend is a key Florida Mineral supplier. “I am pleased that Metropolitan Ministries in Tampa is benefitting from our participation in that program,” said Mike. Going forward, the Clark brothers will continue to seek ways to help their customers through enhancements and additions to their product line as well as customer service initiatives. “Providing food for the world population that is anticipated to reach nine billion by the middle of this century places a high level of importance on companies such as ours and the products we produce to help agriculture meet the growing need for food. We accept that role and responsibility, and will work hard to meet those demands. “We sincerely want to thank all of our customers and our employees over the last 25 years. We would not be here without the continued support of all of our customers, and the hard work of all of our employees.” For more information about Florida Mineral, visit: https://floridamineral.com.
Among those new products is SUPER-MIN ™ mineral fortified with Intellibond® Hydroxy Trace Minerals. This product addresses the variance of mineral needs of livestock, not only with the type and quality of the available feedstuffs, but also with the species of livestock, stage of growth and production requirements. The new product line is available in bags, blocks and bulk, guaranteeing an adequate supply of minerals for all types of livestock.
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“Considerations such as using vitamin and mineral products that are more bio available and economical are becoming more important as the demand for beef and dairy products
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There’s a minor miracle going on in Florida.
Drew Carlton, a senior in the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, presented his idea of developing mountaintop microfiber nets connected to pipes as a water purification system at One World 2017. The UF/IFAS CALS event featured six students proposing solutions to the challenge of feeding and caring for a projected global population of 10 billion by 2050. UF/IFAS CALS enrollment is at an all-time high. Photo by Camila Guillen, UF/IFAS.
Marcela Mulholland won the $1,500 grand prize at the recent One World 2017 event, which showcased student speakers from UF. Mulholland proposed integrating mindfulness into test taking, discipline and morning announcements to reduce anxiety and build resiliency in elementary and middle schoolers. Photo by Camila Guillen, UF/ IFAS. Also in the photo are event organizers Corina McBride and Matt Sowcik, and Dan Bailey, former director of sales for USA and Canada for HM.CLAUSE.
By Jack Payne
More than 1,000 people a day are moving here, and we pave over many farms to make way for their subdivisions. Yet the new supermarkets that pop up to feed these newcomers all contain aisle upon aisle of Florida-produced food. Yes, that’s more food from less land. That productivity boost relies on a thriving innovation economy and a network of field-to-fork industries that make the Sunshine State one of the world’s leading agricultural hubs. This success story is led by a strong commissioner of agriculture, with science and innovation provided by the state’s land-grant university and a supportive collection of commodity and stakeholder groups. In addition to keeping you very well fed, it’s an economic boon for your community. We can start with the 2.2 million jobs linked to Florida agriculture, nearly a fifth of all the jobs in the state. Unless we stop eating, Florida agriculture has no choice but to grow. The state’s population is expected to increase by nearly 14 million by 2070.
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At the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), we’ve long seen challenges to food production, such as the disease that threatens our iconic citrus industry. We also see tremendous opportunity to meet those challenges through teaching, research, and outreach via Extension.
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Young people are beginning to see it too, and a new generation of idealists fills our colleges and universities. They aspire to feed the world through careers in science and technology. They see careers in biology, genetics, engineering, computer science, and many other scientific and technological fields as the way to contribute to solutions. We have an all-time high enrollment at the UF/IFAS College of Agricultural and Life Sciences this year. Food security is a global issue. Thousands of students see the grand challenge of feeding a projected 10 billion people on the planet in 2050 as an opportunity to do good while doing well. That challenge offers the potential for an even greater economic future for Florida. Why shouldn’t we have the agricultural equivalent of Silicon Valley? Who better than us to create a concentration of start-ups, laboratories, and research centers to innovate better ways to produce food? Florida agriculture, natural resources, and food industries already drive $59 billion in exports. They have a total state economic impact of $127 billion, more than 14 percent of our state economic output. These numbers consider the ag and food system as a whole. A tomato in the field is nothing without a distributor and grocer. A plant in the greenhouse will languish without a landscaper or garden center. The meat from a healthy cow is wasted without a burger joint. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Field and greenhouse agriculture is a small proportion of the whole, but it is the base of the ag and food system pyramid. The entire food system collapses without agriculture.
our tree farmers harvest. It grows on the bottom of the sea where our clam farmers produce some of the most delicious seafood you’ll ever taste.
There are lots of ways to harvest statistics, of course, but there’s no denying that our state’s 47,000 farms are already vital economic engines that help you in ways that go beyond putting food on your plate.
Our fields of green – tomatoes, watermelon, peanuts, and yes, oranges – put green in the wallets of millions of Floridians.
They keep your tractor sales force in business. They keep a whole array of juicing, canning, and other processing plants running. They fill trucks to ship produce but they also fill them before a seed is even in the ground, bringing in the supplies and equipment necessary to grow thousands of acres of food at a time. There are some communities where agriculture is such a large part of the tax base that failed farms could very well translate into the layoffs of librarians, teachers, and cops.
There are indeed serious challenges to food production here. I just don’t believe the story that says Florida agriculture is in decline. I see the story on your supermarket shelves, on your restaurant menus, and in your farmers’ markets. I see it in farmers using technology to produce more food than ever. I see it in students preparing to dedicate the next 40 years to food production. That story is that growing food in Florida means growing prosperity.
Agriculture’s resiliency makes it a mainstay of our economy. When money gets tight, fewer people book hotel rooms or buy theme park tickets. They don’t stop eating. The latest challenges do not spell doom for the Florida farmer. They’re calls for us to lead the way in sustainable agriculture. Money may not grow on trees. But it grows in the forests that Jack Payne is the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. jackpayne@ufl.edu • @JackPayneIFAS
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• One pound of wool can make 10 miles of yarn. There are 150 yards (450 feet) of wool yarn in a baseball. • There are 350 squirts in a gallon of milk. Elevators in the Statue of Liberty use a soybean-based hydraulic fluid. • The chicken is the closest living relative to the T-Rex. • Cows can sense a storm coming and will lie down. • George Washington liked ice cream so much he reportedly had a bill for $200 for ice cream one summer. • Onions contain a mild antibiotic that fights infections, soothes burns, tames bee stings and relieves the itch of athletes foot. • Americans eat about 125 pounds of potatoes a year, about half from fresh potatoes and half in processed foods.
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Dead Deer
This past winter during the holiday season we spent a few days at our cottage in the mountains near Blairsville, Georgia. One morning I got up early and went in to town to eat breakfast around the square in downtown Blairsville across from the old courthouse at The Hole In The Wall restaurant. All the “old timers” were already there around the table in the back of the restaurant. They invited me to sit with them. This turned out to be the best source for new Rock’n Chair Chatter material. Bruce came in, sat down, ordered his coffee, and said, “Where’s Charlie? I followed him into town but stopped by Ware Chevrolet to get an estimate on repairing a hole in the roof of my cab. I figured he would already have been here.” They all started laughing, and Fred said, “You just missed all the excitement, the Game Warden hauled him off to jail for killing a deer out of season.” “What happened? You know Charlie doesn’t have a gun,” Bruce said. “Well, the Game Warden pulled in next to Charlie’s pickup out front a few minutes ago and saw a dead deer in the bed of his truck.” “Oh my goodness, Charlie didn’t shoot that deer! When we were coming in town about five miles out on highway 129 a deer ran in front of my truck, hit the grill, came over my hood, broke my windshield and flew over the top of my truck. When I hit the brakes my 30-06 rifle went off, and blew a hole in the roof of the truck about the time the deer sailed over the cab. I’ll bet that deer landed in the bed of Charlie’s truck. He was following pretty close to me at the time.” Bruce took off to the police station. When he pulled in the Game Warden was just getting into his truck, and a tow truck had started to haul off Charlie’s pickup. I hollered, “Hold everything officer, there’s been a big mistake. Charlie didn’t shoot that deer, let me explain.” Bruce told the story how the deer his truck, and when it went over his truck his rifle went off and blew a hole in the roof of his cab hitting the deer.
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The officer laughingly said, well I have heard a lot of stories but this one tops it off. “Do you expect me to believe a cock and bull story like that”? After Bruce showed him the hole in the roof of his truck, and they looked over the dead deer, and saw where the deer had been shot in the top of his spine, the officer said,
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“Well, I guess you’re telling the truth, he would have had to be in an airplane to shoot the deer in the back! Come on lets go back to the jail and let old Charlie out.” Then there’s the story of two guys are out hunting deer. The first guy says, “Did you see that?” “No,” the second guy says. “Well, a bald eagle just flew overhead,” the first guy, says. “Oh,” says the second guy. A couple of minutes later, the first guy says, “Did you see that?” “See what?” the second guy asks. “Are you blind? There was a big, black bear walking on that hill, over there.” A few minutes later the first guy says: “Did you see that?” By now, the second guy is getting aggravated, so he says, “Yes, I did!” And the first guy says: “Then why did you step in it?” Two new deer hunters that decided to separate to increases their chances. “What if we get lost?” says one of them. “Fire three shots up in the air, every hour on the hour,” says the other. “I saw it on TV.” Sure enough, one of the hunters gets lost, so he fires three shots up into the air every hour on the hour. The next day the other hunter finds his friend with the help of the Forest Ranger. “Did you do what I said?” asked the hunter. “Yes, I fired three shots up into the air every hour on the hour, until I ran out of arrows.” Then there’s the story of two lawyers who were out hunting when they came upon a pair of tracks. They stopped and examined the tracks closely. The first lawyer said, “Those are deer tracks. It’s deer season, so we should follow the tracks and find our prey.” The second lawyer responded, “Those are clearly elk tracks, and elk are out of season. If we follow your advice, we’ll waste the day.” Each attorney believed himself to be the superior woodsman, and they both bitterly stuck to their guns. They were still arguing when the train hit them. One night during the local deer-hunting season a police officer was staking out a particularly rowdy country bar for possible DUI violations. At closing time, he saw a deer hunter tumble out of the bar, trip on the curb, then try his keys in five different cars before he found his. He sat in the front seat fumbling around with his keys for several minutes. All the other deer hunters left the bar and drove off. Finally he started his engine and began to pull away. The police officer was waiting for him. He stopped the driver, read him his rights and administered the Breathalyzer test. The results showed a reading of 0.00. The puzzle officer demanded to know how that could be. The deer hunter replied, “Tonight I’m the designated decoy.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
WE’RE PUTTING SCIENCE TO WORK FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.
Every day, Mosaic puts science to work right here in our community. Our reclamation team and ecologists use the latest technology and scientific methods to reclaim formerly mined lands, creating natural corridors for native wildlife and even reviving streams that haven’t existed for over a century. As a global leader in reclamation ecology, Mosaic is pioneering new environmental approaches to create vital habitats and land uses for future generations — both ours and nature’s. Mosaic ecologists Laura and Michelle work to reclaim land like the perennial stream at Maron Run that provides habitat and food supplies © 2017 The Mosaic Company
for a diverse group of water-dependent species. To learn more about Mosaic’s leadership in reclamation ecology, visit MosaicCo.com/Florida.
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Megan Atkinson By Leslie Buchanon
Women have always played an integral, but sometimes unrecognized, part in the agriculture industry. Women have farmed alongside their families and husbands since people started farming land centuries ago. The National FFA Organization is an aspect of agriculture that has seen a tremendous increase in the involvement of young ladies, and their involvement has continued to increase since girls were allowed to join in 1969. The FFA has provided a platform for young women interested in agriculture to learn about agriculture and serve in leadership positions. Megan Atkinson is one such young lady who held leadership positions in the FFA throughout high school, and is now holding the highest leadership position in the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association (PCCW).
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Polk County native Megan Adams Atkinson is the daughter of David Adams of Fort Meade and Susan Adams of Auburndale. She is also the granddaughter of Spencer and Frances Adams of Fort Meade, and Ralph and Robbie Harper of Auburndale. Throughout her elementary, middle, and high school years Megan was an active member of the Fort Meade Community 4-H Club and the Fort Meade Middle/Senior FFA Chapters. During her time in FFA, Megan held many officer positions, including Reporter, Student Advisor, and Vice-President. During her senior year of high school Megan served as President of her FFA chapter, along with Student Advisor for the Polk FFA Federation. Megan participated in every Career Development Event (CDE) offered through her FFA chapter, such as Dairy Evaluation, Forestry Judging, Citrus Judging, Rabbit Evaluation, Livestock Evaluation, Horse Judging, Poultry Evaluation, and Horticulture Judging. Megan is proud that her Livestock Evaluation team qualified for the state contest one of the years she was a member. During her freshman year of high school, Megan won the Florida Farm Bureau Youth Speaking Contest. She had the privilege of attending the Florida FFA Convention four years and the National FFA Convention in two different locations, Louisville and Indianapolis.
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From the time Megan was a young child, she had an interest in agriculture, partly due to her father’s profession as a Commercial Beekeeper who also owns Adams Honey and Pollination. Megan believes her interest in agriculture came from a love of animals, taught by her family. Before becoming interested in exhibiting cattle, Megan exhibited horses during her years in 4-H. Once she entered 9th grade Megan began exhibiting a purebred Brahman bull named Humphrey she purchased from Marcus Shackelford of the Rocking S Ranch in Wauchula. She exhibited Humphrey at the Polk County Youth Fair and was proud to follow in her father’s footsteps, as he also exhibited at the Polk County Youth Fair. During this first year exhibiting cattle, Megan also won the Herdsman award for the Beef Breeding Division at the Polk County Youth Fair. Humphrey didn’t walk away without accolades, as he was awarded Grand Champion Brahman Bull. Megan went on to exhibit market hogs, and a purebred Angus bull named Johnnie her junior and senior years. Megan would go on to exhibit Johnnie at the Polk County Youth Fair and the Florida State Fair. During her years in 4-H and FFA Megan’s father purchased a small “hobby” herd of cattle. It was the experiences she had with the cattle that initially sparked her interest in exhibiting cattle, and the cattle industry as a whole. As she continued exhibiting livestock she was able to purchase a few more head of registered cattle to add to the herd. Through a mutual friend she made through her membership in FFA, Megan was introduced to Trevor Atkinson of Auburndale. This introduction would later turn into marriage. Trevor is a Crime Scene Investigator for the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and is also a member of the United States Coast Guard Reserves. In his spare time, which there isn’t much of, Trevor also works at Florida Sandhill Ranch in Haines City. After marriage, Megan and Trevor were able to purchase part of the herd of cattle from her father and take over operations. Megan and TrevWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
or currently raise Angus cross cattle on the property in Fort Meade. Megan is currently a teacher at Jere L. Stambaugh Middle School in Auburndale, however she hopes to become an agriculture teacher in the future. In 2007 Megan won the academic scholarship offered by the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association. This was an introduction to an organization she didn’t know existed. She was intrigued by an organization made up of women whose common goal was to promote the beef cattle industry. She knew this was an organization she wanted to be a part of, and she felt she had a lot of offer to the organization. While working as a Dispatcher and Training Officer for Communications, training new 911 dispatchers with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Megan and Trevor continued to raise cattle while Megan completed her education. Soon after, Megan saw an advertisement for the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association, which contained previous President Marjorie Wood’s contact information. Megan contacted Marjorie to obtain membership information, which was quickly followed by attending her first meeting and joining the Association. Megan instantly became interested in the leadership aspect of PCCW and would later become Membership Chairman of the Membership Committee. Megan was responsible for creating and maintaining the roster and current membership information for the organization, which is reported to the state and national organizations. Megan went on to hold this role for a year and a half. At that time PCCW had an officer position that had been vacant for a few months, Vice-President. Megan inquired about the position and was quickly voted into the office by the membership. At the end of last year, as Megan’s time as Vice-President came to an end, she had the privilege of succeeding Laura Slocumb as President of the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association in January 2017. Throughout her time as a PCCW member Megan has participated in Beef In-Store Demos, the Ranch Rodeo Concession Stand, and many community events, such as the
Megan has a few goals she would like to accomplish during her time as PCCW President. Top on her list is to make sure women know about the organization, its mission and vision, and how to become a member. Megan explains, “Right now people find out about us by word of mouth. I would like to see more, not necessarily events, but more fellowship among the membership. This allows members to realize we all have the same background and that’s what makes us unique.” She also plans to continue to educate the public about the benefits of including beef in a healthy diet, along with the ecological and economic benefits of the cattle industry. Maintaining and even increasing the PCCW membership is a high priority of Megan’s, too. The Polk County CattleWomen’s Association has consistently had the largest county affiliate membership in the state for many years. With the development and increasing number of womenfocused agricultural organizations, women interested in agriculture are being provided a voice in agricultural policy, education and leadership. The Rural Minnesota Journal states, “The FFA on both the state and national level has certainly accomplished its mission for the youth in its program, but perhaps more than any other agricultural organization, it has provided a venue for females interested in agriculture to learn about agriculture and to exercise their interests, as well as serve as leaders, alongside their male peers. The high rate of female involvement indicates that young women are being encouraged to pursue agriculture.” Megan hopes to serve as a role model for young girls to show them that they can, and should, be leaders in agricultural organizations, both womenfocused and mixed gender. If you would like to learn more about the Polk County CattleWomen’s Association, attend an upcoming meeting, or invite the CattleWomen to host an educational event, please contact Megan at 863-559-1228 or email megamess007@yahoo.com.
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Good Ole’ Days Festival.
Ornamental Gardening in Florida By Ginny Mink Hop aboard our Literary Time Machine as we travel back to 1926, where Mr. Charles Torrey-Simpson penned his intriguing and informative piece: Ornamental Gardening in Florida. This month we will continue learning all about exotic ornamental plants, specifically palms. We feel that Mr. Simpson is a foremost expert on the subject and are thrilled to see what we may glean from his experience this month. Join us! On page 128, he starts off discussing a slender palm from Fiji, which he says will do well in the shade. This is the Balaka seemani. Then he moves on to some “Oriental”¹ palms, Calamus, or Rattan, that he assures readers will do well in lower parts of the state where there are hammocks. But by the third paragraph on the page, we find a palm that he is particularly interested in. He writes about fish tail palms, “A genus of striking palms with twice pinnate leaves and wedge-shaped, irregularly truncate leaflets, the whole plant being wonderfully graceful. When they reach maturity the great tassels of bloom are sent out from among the upper leaves, these often being alternately male and female. Other spadices follow, each lower down the trunk and when the last, which comes out near the ground, has bloomed and fruited the whole tree generally dies. They often do well in Lower Florida but prefer rich soil as they are likely to be sickly in the pineland.”¹ Fish tail palms are pretty cool looking, we have to admit. However, as we continued reading, we determined that gracefulness was a big attraction for him among the exotic palms he chose to discuss. He mentions the Chamaedorea, describing them as, “Graceful, generally small palms with slender trunks and often sending up many stems, all from the American tropics.” And then he elaborates on Chrysallidocarpus lutescens stating it, “…is one of the most exquisitely graceful palms in cultivation… crowned with elegant arching, green rich leaves...”¹
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Herein we arrive at his discussion on what he calls the Cocos. These palms come from as far south as Argentina all the way up to what he calls the American tropics. Some of the varying subspecies are from Central Brazil and were apparently well
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planted throughout South Florida. Of course, we find it most interesting when he references someone else. He writes, “Mr. John Schnabel, of Gainesville, states that it does well at his place when grown in a sheltered situation…A good many years ago I discovered a rather slender palm whose trunk was covered with the bases of the leaf stalks in Cuba at the edge of the great Cienaga swamp and this is growing and has bloomed and seeded for me. Mr. O.F. Cook, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture believes it to be a new species.” With two names to go on, we began a search. The first thing we found about a John Schnabel referenced someone on a TV show that died last year at the age of 96. But then, we found a publication entitled: Organization Lists of the Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in the United States (published in December of 1912) where Mr. Schnabel was listed as an Assistant Horticulturist in Gainesville.² We feel pretty certain that this is who Mr. Simpson was speaking of. Further research brought us nearly to a dead end until we located a publication by the United States Department of Agriculture that referenced a piece O.F. Cook had written. It was entitled: Cotton communities growing one variety only are increasing. That was published in 1928. Then another piece, also about cotton, published in 1930. In fact, he wrote and published four pieces about cotton between 1926 and 1930.³ But, what about Mr. Simpson’s “new” species? That question brought in the mother-load! There is an 87 page document entitled: History of the Coconut Palm in America. And, guess what? It’s penned by a Mr. O.F. Cook! He writes, “A coconut industry has been established in southern Florida, and is now beginning to attain considerable portions. One of the Florida coconut planters is recently reported to have sold the crop of a single season for $15,000.”⁴ We assume that was a lot of money back when he wrote the piece. Unfortunately, we don’t have time to read the whole thing, but there’s a link in the resources section if you are interested. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The next palm we’d like to mention is what Mr. Simpson calls, D. major. We think that sounds like a musical reference, but he writes, “It has slender stems and long pinnate leaves, the outer pinnae being metamorphosed into strong hooks which catch on to branches and aid the plant in ascending trees. For several years I have had a specimen in my hammock which grows well to about a certain height and then dies back to come up from the ground again.¹ Maybe it’s been listening to Wake Up by Rage Against the Machine (that’s a song played in D Major).
Diogomrj. Caryota mitis ‘Variegata’. (Fish tail palm in pot). Flickrhttps://flic.kr/p/9m7vrV Mauroguanandi. Palmeira rabo-de-peixe (Caryota urens) flowers South Asia native. (Fish tail palm blooms). Flickr- https://flic. kr/p/6i2RFw Javier Ignacio Acuña Ditzle. Ciénaga de Zapata I. (Picture of flamingos in the Cienaga swamp). Flickr- https://flic.kr/p/CBYDPM
Mr. Simpson’s list of exotic ornamental palms goes on. It’s a good reason for us to return to the Literary Time Machine next month. So until then, feel free to explore your own yards and investigate what palm trees might call your property home. Are they native or exotic? Perhaps you know a little more about them now. If not, you will definitely gain additional information on our next voyage. Until then! Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 128-129). ²True, A.C. (1912). Organization Lists of the Agricultural Colleges and Experiment Stations in the United States. Washington. Government Printing Office. https://books.google.com/ books?id=NdBLAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA18&lpg=PA18&dq=john+schnable+gainesville&source=bl&ots=4mDVXv-kP3&sig=fDKP09dgCG-YS6tK7sCZ6oU044&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiTsYLDfvSAhXJNiYKHb5RAVsQ6AEIUzAJ#v=onepage&q=john%20 schnable%20gainesville&f=false ³Hunt. M.G. List of Publications of the United States Department of Agriculture From January, 1926 to Decemeber, 1930, Inclusive. https://books.google.com/books?id=i6woAAAAYAAJ&pg =PA22&dq=O.F.+Cook+U.S.+Department+of+Agriculture&hl=en&s a=X&ved=0ahUKEwjhjvPG-_vSAhVFLSYKHZ6rDo8Q6AEIMzAE #v=onepage&q=O.F.%20Cook%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20 Agriculture&f=false ⁴Cook, O.F. History of the Coconut Palm in America. https://repository.si.edu/bitstream/handle/10088/26936/usnh_0014.02. pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y Photo Credits: Cyril Nelson. Chamaedorea seifrizii Burret. (Up close of small trunk, many leaves, and red/orange growth). Flickr- https://flic. kr/p/y3C4Xj INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Quit Eating the Caviar: The South Atlantic Sturgeon By Ginny Mink It’s definitely time for fishing. The weather is perfect outside, and it is almost still okay to be outside without mosquito repellant. No doubt you are noticing more and more pictures on Facebook of people holding bass and other large fish. Generally, we don’t think about fish being endangered. After all, the rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans appear replete with them. However, the South Atlantic Sturgeon is a species in peril. February 6, 2012 marks a significant date in sturgeon history. That is when the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) offered these fish protection under the Endangered Species Act. This protection has provided increased funding from Maine to Florida for the purpose of researching and rescuing these fish via the mitigation of human-caused deaths.¹ These are remarkable fish both in design and longevity. They can reach 14 feet in length and are capable of weighing more than 800 lbs. The idea of catching something that large awes us. Perhaps the most astonishing fact about these creatures, however, is the fact that they are strong enough to leap nine feet into the air. Though they are extraordinarily strong, they are relatively docile fish, existing off food from the water’s bottom.² Sturgeon are considered prehistoric fish. Researchers say they date as far back as the dinosaurs. Their design is a lot like that of sharks, with a cartilaginous skeleton and spiral valve stomach. We had no idea what a spiral valve stomach was, so we looked it up. Apparently, it is created to “increase the surface area for digestion and absorption of food, while also conserving space in the body cavity…”³ Unlike sharks, though, they have scutes. According to our research, these are large, hard body plates. They look a lot like armor. Also, unlike sharks, South Atlantic Sturgeon don’t have teeth. Instead they are equipped with barbels and a suction like mouth.² The design of their mouths is quite appropriate given the fact that the bottoms of waterways are their dinner tables. They especially enjoy crabs, shrimp, brachiopods, marine worms, and lancets. They eat a lot of food between the fall and spring because this is the time they spend in salt and brackish water. However, when they move into the freshwater areas they seem to go on a fast.² Perhaps the inhabitants of freshwater are not nearly as appetizing for them. They live in the ocean but they spend their first years of life in freshwater. And frequently venture between the two habitats. The females are not able to spawn until they have reached 16 years of age and then they can only reproduce every three to five years. That means it is hard for them to replenish their depleted population.¹
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When they lay eggs, there is a sticky substance that lasts for about half an hour so that the eggs can adhere to something.
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Unfortunately, the substrate that they need to adhere to is being damaged and dirtied by the silt from watersheds. Of course, there’s also the issue of boats, which frequently have propellers capable of cutting these fish in half.¹ It would appear that the biggest threat to the Atlantic sturgeon are the dams located on rivers in the Atlantic Seaboard. These dams are making it impossible for the sturgeon to return to their historic spawning grounds. Since sturgeon generally return to the place they were born in order to spawn, this is a very serious problem. The less they spawn, the slower their resurgence will be.² Dredging is also causing significant problems. They live in the rivers that are frequently dredged. Unfortunately, this process suffocates and destroys the sturgeons’ eggs which are located on the bottom parts of the river. Water quality is an additional problem, and that is intensified by pollution and water withdrawals.² Because the South Atlantic Sturgeon is a protected endangered species, based on federal and state designations, harvesting of this fish has been banned until 2038.² Historically, the sturgeon has been the primary fish for the collection of caviar. That has no doubt deeply affected their ability to procreate and increase their numbers in beneficial ways. So, the best advice to us, besides the elimination of pollution and dams, is to quit eating the caviar. Don’t forget, too, that fishing for sturgeon along the Atlantic Seaboard is illegal. Their habitat falls under the protection of the Federal Clean Water Act. It is important that we support the government entities designated to protect and monitor the progress of the South Atlantic Sturgeon. These fish are most well-known in Florida for the time they spend in the St. Johns River. Please be mindful of their presence whenever you are in that area. Resources: ¹Williams, T. (2015). Atlantic Sturgeon: An Ancient Fish Struggles Against the Flow. Yale Environment 360. http://e360.yale. edu/features/atlantic_sturgeon_an_ancient_fish_struggles_ against_the_flow ²Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Atlantic Sturgeon: Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus. http://myfwc.com/ wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/fish/atlantic-sturgeon/ ³Marine Biodiversity. Internal Anatomy. http://www.marinebiodiversity.ca/skatesandrays/internal%20anatomy.htm Photos Credits: Virginia State Parks. Sturgeon in tank. Making a comeback. Flickr- https://flic.kr/p/dAjm7u Biodiversity Heritage Library. Illustration. Flickr- https://flic. kr/p/a9FFEv WWW. INIT FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM WWW. NHE THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM
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WRITERS BIO
Jim Frankowiak Jim Frankowiak has been writing for IN THE FIELD Magazine since the Fall of 2007. He and his family moved to “northeast suburban Plant City” in 2000. They live on a small horse farm where Jim serves as the unpaid hand. A journalism alumnus of Marquette University, Jim was a full-time correspondent in the Milwaukee bureau of United Press International his last two years of college, involved in all phases of news writing. He moved on to work for his alma mater in the alumni office before beginning his career in public relations with the General Electric Company. His next step was the agency side of public relations, initially in Chicago then here in Florida in 1979. He continues his public relations activities along with his monthly contributions to IN THE FIELD. Jim is also a member of the board of directors of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and has been recognized by the federation both locally and statewide for his contributions to agriculture through his articles. Jim and his wife Jann have been married since 1968. They have two daughters and four grandchildren. “Writing for IN THE FIELD has given me a much
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“Writing for In The Field has given me a much better understanding of agriculture and its importance to all of us.” 30
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better understanding of agriculture and its importance to all of us. It has also given me the opportunity to meet the hardworking, honest and highly committed men and women who produce what we eat every day, plus many of their children who plan to carry on their family legacies. I am honored to have been given this opportunity.”
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Florida
Leeks By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Fresh Florida leeks are a sweet, flavorful springtime treat. Leeks play a starring role in potato leek soup, quiche, egg dishes, and braised leeks. A member of the Allium family along with garlic and onions, leeks look like giant scallions with thick, juicy green stems and no bulb. Their flavor resembles onions, but sweeter and milder. Leeks are delicious steamed or braised, oven-roasted, or added to eggs or stews. Young ones can be enjoyed raw, as you would eat scallions. Leeks are tolerant to frost and grow well throughout the winter in Florida until they are harvested in the springtime. These alliums can be harvested from the ground at any time.
Nutrition Leeks are full of many of the same health benefits as its cousins, onions and garlic. They are a great source of many vitamins, minerals, and disease-fighting antioxidants. According to the USDA, one cup of cooked leeks (104 grams) contains 32 calories, 0.84 grams of protein, 7.9 grams of carbohydrate, 1.0 grams of fiber, and 0.21 grams of fat. A one cup serving also contains 29% of your daily requirements for potassium, 13% for manganese, 7% for copper, 6% for folate, vitamin C, and iron, 5% for vitamin A and B6, and plentiful amounts of dietary fiber, magnesium, calcium, vitamin E, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Antioxidants Leeks are high in several different types of antioxidants, nutrients that help protect our bodies from oxidative damage from free radicals. Among these are flavonoids and polyphenols, both of which directly protect blood vessels from damage. The antioxidants in leeks also provide protection from chronic inflammatory conditions including atherosclerosis, type 2 diabetes, and several types of cancers, including colorectal.
Folate Leeks are high in folate, a water-soluble B vitamin. Folate is present throughout the entire plant and is considered a heart-healthy vitamin because it balances out homocysteine. Excess homocysteine is linked to cardiovascular disease. Adequate folate intake is especially important in pregnancy, and folate is well-known in its role in preventing neural tube defects in the fetus. Additionally, high dietary intake of this B vitamin has been associated with lower risk of certain types of cancer, including pancreatic, colon, breast, cervical, and stomach.
Magnesium plays a variety of important roles in the body. This mineral is involved in transporting calcium and potassium across cell membranes, which is important to proper nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and maintaining normal heart rhythm. Magnesium also acts as a cofactor for hundreds of enzyme reactions in the body, including those for blood sugar control, blood pressure regulation, energy production, and protein synthesis.
How to Select and Store Choose leeks that are firm and straight with dark green leaves and white necks. Avoid any with yellow or wilted leaves. Smaller leeks tend to be more tender in texture. Store fresh leeks loosely wrapped in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Immediately before using, wash thoroughly, then remove tough outer leaves and the green tops. These parts can be discarded or can be used to flavor soup or stock. Leeks can also be frozen for up to three months. Wash well, slice, and blanch for two to three minutes in boiling water before freezing. The frozen leeks can be added directly to soups and stews.
How to Enjoy Fresh, young leeks can be eaten raw and used as you would raw scallions. More mature and larger leeks should be cooked to soften their fibrous texture. Ways to enjoy leeks include: • Chop finely and add to egg omelets or frittatas • Chop into large pieces, boil in chicken broth, then puree for a creamy soup • Slice and stir fry with other vegetables • Slice into long strips, toss with olive oil, and roast in the oven for a sweet, silky side dish • Slice young leeks into thin rings and add to a salad Enjoy fresh Florida leeks in peak season today. Full of nutrients with a mellow onion flavor, leeks add a healthy, delicious punch to any dish.
Selected References http://www.whfoods.com http://www.edas.ufl.edu
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Magnesium
Y U THE DIFFERENCE IS...
What are BMPs? BMPs are practical, cost-effective actions designed by UF/ IFAS to benefit water quality and water conservation while maintaining or even enhancing agricultural production throughout different types of operations.
Call FDACS today to enroll: (850) 617-1727 • THISFARMCARES.org SPONSORED BY
As our favorite season ends, we would like to thank those who have supported our industry.
Our stand is now closed, but will reopen this summer when our vegetable crops are ready for harvest. Check back between late May and early June and order your black eyes, conks, zippers and okra. Thank you! Carl, Dee Dee and Dustin Grooms
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NEW STAND LOCATION: 5212 Drane Field Rd. | 813.478.3486 or 813.754.4852 | FancyFarms.com
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Septic
The Neighbor’s Nursery
By Ginny Mink
I’ve been contemplating how to start this piece off, but the best I can do is simply state, “My neighbor is better than yours!” Now, imagine me saying that with a school kid taunting voice, and you’ll get the tone of the statement. Of course, I don’t know your neighbor, but still, I think mine’s pretty amazing. I say that because in a last minute request for access to the neighbor’s nursery, she said, “Sure!” I hope that you know that the Minks are big fans of people who have little farms and personal produce patches. We think that the desire to return to our “collective roots” via the utilization of our land for the provision of our families is quite impressive. In fact, if you recall, we had hopes of building a chicken coop, but since the kids don’t really like eggs, that idea got canned. So, when I realized that my neighbor was building a greenhouse/shade house a few months ago, I inquired about her plans. She had learned that she could grow some produce from the remnants of those she purchased at the store. She was particularly excited about the potential to plant a leftover stalk of celery and watch it take root and produce. At that time we discussed letting the kids see what she was doing, but she wasn’t quite prepared.
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Thankfully, she was ready on Monday, the day before this article was due. I told you my neighbor is great! Anyway, on our way home from school and work, I told the kids we would be doing our Meet the Minks’ piece. As you know, I don’t tell them what we are doing. So, as we got closer and closer to our home, the kids (namely Hazel and Zeke) got less and less enthusiastic. “We’re going home?” They whined and questioned simultaneously.
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I was on the phone with a friend, and they were complaining incessantly as we got closer and closer to our road. As we pulled into the driveway Jaidyn (J), the eldest, informed them that Meet the Minks was at the house. Hazel and Zeke both groaned. “We don’t do Meet the Minks at our house!” Zeke squealed in his most annoying whiny child voice. And Hazel, “Hrmph-ed,” crossing her arms across her chest and pouting. “Yes we do,” J told them, “It’s in Hazel’s room.” “What?” They questioned in unison. “Yeah, there’s mold in Hazel’s room. That’s the Meet the Minks.” He said this with complete seriousness. His ability to utilize dry humor, sarcasm, and a straight face is truly uncanny. So much so, that I had to interrupt my phone call to assure them that there was no mold in Hazel’s room. But, unbeknownst to me at that time, they still thought that Hazel’s room was the site. So, when I let them in, but stayed outside to finish the conversation, Hazel and Zeke made a beeline to Hazel’s room where she climbed to the top bunk to await the Meet the Minks. I’m glad they weren’t disappointed when I eventually informed them that Hazel’s room was not the locale. Instead we all walked over to the neighbor’s house and into her backyard. She pinched off some mint that she was growing and she instructed Hazel to rub it between her fingers in order to smell it. Hazel did so, but Zeke wanted nothing to do with smelling the plant. I convinced J to take a whiff, but then he didn’t want to participate in a photo of him doing so. My neighbor, Shannon, explained to the kids that the mint was the same stuff that flavored the gum Zeke was carrying around in his little hands. But, that did nothing to persuade WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
him to give it a chance. Hazel, I think, was a little more impressed with the concept. She chose to take her own piece of mint from the little cluster and she let me smell it, too. That was kind of cool. From the mint patch we entered the shade house. Shannon talked to the kids about the palms she had growing and how their leaves could be removed to use the stems for roasting marshmallows. Of course that got Zeke all wide eyed. Then we moved to the aloe. She broke off a piece and explained the different benefits of aloe plants. She convinced my squeamish girly-girl Hazel to touch the inside of the aloe plant even though it totally looked like snot. We tried to get Zeke to try it but he flat out refused. “I’m not touching that, it’s gross!” Hazel wanted to have access to the “beautiful flowers” that were in the next row. So, we walked over and Shannon explained that she’d gotten a Gerber daisy plant and used cuttings to make new ones. She cut each of the kids a flower. Her own daughters, Solara and Savannah, were just as thrilled with theirs as mine were. J kind of stood in the background with his sullen, “I’m a teenager having to hang out with little kids,” face. I suppose I can’t blame him, but he is part of the family. That means he’s kind of stuck with the situation. I do keep telling him that he only has five more years, though now it’s a lot closer to four. Shannon informed them that she needed to do some trans-
planting and then asked if they wanted to get dirty. “YEAH!” Zeke yelled with the deepest voice he could muster. It’s always amusing when he tries to sound like his big brother. J just shook his head and rolled his eyes and Hazel shrugged her shoulders. But when Shannon got the pots and brought them over to her soil spot, Hazel and Zeke were happy to dig in. Of course, Zeke got a little hand shovel from Solara, and when Hazel realized he wasn’t getting his hands dirty like she was, there was some serious irritation and arguing going on. They survived though. And, Hazel successfully transplanted the plant she’d been given. Zeke, on the other hand, stuck his cut flower into the dirt. “Look at my flower! I planted my flower!” He announced with great enthusiasm and pride. But when we told him that wasn’t the plan, he wanted nothing to do with us. He wanted his flower in that pot and we were not going to change his mind. All in all, though, I’d say they had a good time. They got to see the tomatoes Shannon grew from some left over slices in her house. Plus there was a giant celery plant. Shannon showed them her compost bucket and let them stir it. “Eww!” Hazel squealed when she smelled it. But, truly, this was quite the learning experience. And, Shannon is going to be able to build an additional very small shade house with the trampoline screen we gave her. She is quite innovative and all about the “reduce, reuse, recycle” motto. So, like I said, my neighbor’s better than yours!
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Farm-ettes Growing In Popularity
by John Dicks
There’s a growing trend of popularity blooming across the land. Particularly amongst the millennial generation, people are gaining an interest in “Farm-ettes.” Admittedly, the term Farmette is something that I just made up and named the new craze garnering this much new attention. I even applied early last month to grab the website name of farmette.com, thinking that there might be some value to owning it. Surprisingly, someone had already beaten me to it. There’s nothing really on the webpage, but it’s nonetheless telling that this is a trend waiting to gain traction. The farmette idea is an outbreak of the popular “farm to table” concept that has been so in vogue for the last several years. People have a sincere interest in knowing where and by whom their food is grown. Partiality seems also to be shown to the “closer the better” and people have been seeking to buy locally grown food. Naturally, then, folks have started looking at their own yards and landscapes and wondering whether, with a few packs of seeds, they could return to their roots with their own producing garden much like they’ve heard that Grandma used to do. Communities throughout Florida (and no doubt the rest of the nation) are witnessing neighborhood associations requesting changes in zoning to allow for front yard landscapes to be ripped of their grass and cultivated with a cornucopia of carrots, cabbage and even corn. Enthusiasts of the idea are proud to remark that they’d prefer to eat their lawns rather than mow them! Like any good new craze, the idea is catching on to the point of having people wanting to profit from it. Such is the case of one organization (amongst others) that bills itself as Fleet Farming (along with its charming website fleetfarming.org). The Fleet Farming folks are located in Orlando, where no doubt they early on likely learned innovative ag concepts at the ever popular Epcot Land Pavilion. The Fleet Farmers contract with homeowners to convert their front yards into producing fields. More than just a garden, the goal is to grow enough to harvest and sell at the local Farmers’ Market. The organization maintains the homegrown fields, commuting by bicycle from home to home and allows the homeowners to harvest some of the bounty, though the amount al-
lowed is a bit vague. Closer to the Tampa Bay area is the urban farming sprouting in the neighborhoods of New Port Richey. Not yet nearly as well organized as what’s happening in Orlando, but the practice is beginning to get recognized by the locals and being referred to as the “Garden District.” Even the New Port Richey local library is getting into the act by being the first in Florida to house a seed library and is hosting weekly events called Tasty Tuesdays where the front yard food can be marketed. Of course those who live in condos or in neighborhoods not allowing front yard farmettes have to search for places to propagate into producing plots. That’s given rise to CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) and community gardens. CSA’s are gaining such momentum that the Florida Department of Agriculture has begun maintaining on its website a list of CSA’s in Florida. I’m wondering, though, how current it’s kept by the Department’s webmaster since it lists none in Hillsborough County even though there’s a rather popular one in Tampa (yes, Tampa!). It’s an organic farm just west of Tampa International Airport (really!) and you can check out its website at sweetwater-organic.org. Like many, if not most CSA’s, the one in Tampa offers memberships in the farm. Starting at $850 a year, a full membership gets you a weekly “share” throughout the season of the farm’s harvested produce. Members are also asked to volunteer at the farm for at least four hours per season. Likewise, community gardens are sprouting up throughout the state, including in Plant City. For the past several years, the organization called “Plant City Commons Community Garden” has grown from a collection of small plots in a designated area near downtown to a more structured setup on the grounds of Hillsborough Community College. Membership in the Community Garden will set you back as little as $35 a year. That gets you a “Down & Dirty Annual Membership” which lets you enjoy access to your own individual garden plot to grow your own organic food. Mulch and soil are even provided. You can find information on the Community Garden at www. plantcitycommunitygarden.com. The basic membership does require a minimum 20 hours of gardening plus project participation each season, but for fledgling farmers, particularly those wanting to grow what they eat and from their farm to their table, it’s a wonderful way to get started.
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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.
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Cattle • Truck Farming • Citrus • Game Hunting
1401 Sam Keen Road Lake, Wales, FL 33853 863.692.1013 We Support Agriculture.
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Florida Blueberry Breakfast Casserole
Chef Justin Timineri
DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut bread into 1-inch cubes. Cut cream cheese into small cubes. Lightly spray a 9x9x2-inch baking dish. Place half of the bread cubes in the dish. Evenly place the cream cheese cubes and 1 cup of the blueberries over the bread. Add the remaining bread cubes and blueberries to the top of the casserole. In a medium-sized bowl, combine eggs, milk, maple syrup and butter. Slowly pour egg mixture over bread. Cover casserole with foil and bake for approximately 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the casserole; when it comes out clean, remove the foil so the casserole can brown on top. Let cool slightly and serve warm with extra maple syrup on the side.
INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh Florida blueberries, rinsed and dried 1 loaf bread (your favorite kind) 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese (cold so it can be cubed) 8 large eggs, beaten 1 ½ cups low-fat milk 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/4 cup butter, melted Nonstick cooking spray
q
Florida Squash and Tomato Gratin q Ingredients 2 medium Florida yellow squash, thinly sliced lengthwise 2 medium Florida zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise 3 medium Florida tomatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise 2 garlic cloves, chopped 2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, or 1 teaspoon dried 2 tablespoons fresh-grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs Olive oil for drizzling Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking dish. Evenly spread the garlic, shallots, and basil in the bottom of the prepared dish. Season with salt and pepper. Angle the yellow squash, zucchini and tomatoes in upright alternating layers (like shingles on a roof ), repeating until all the vegetables are used in the casserole. Sprinkle the top with the cheese, then the breadcrumbs. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
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2017 Florida Strawberry Festival Beef Breed Show Results Grimes Family Agricultural Center
All Breeds Champion Heifer – Blair Norman Buchanon Reserve Grand Champion Brahman All Breeds Reserve Grand Champion Bull - Morgan Lightsey Heifer – Madi Conrad Grand Champion Brangus Heifer All Breeds Grand Champion Bull Kade Bradbury Makayla Williamson Reserve Grand Champion Brangus All Breeds Reserve Grand Champion Heifer - Elijah Lasseter Bull - Julia Norman Grand Champion Brangus Bull Grand Champion Bred and Owned Makayla Williamson Heifer - Madi Conrad Reserve Grand Champion Brangus Reserve Grand Champion Bred and Bull - Cassidy Polston Owned Heifer - Hunter Dupre Grand Champion Other Breeds Heifer Grand Champion Bred and Owned Bull Madi Conrad - Morgan Lightsey Reserve Grand Champion Other Reserve Grand Champion Bred and Breeds Heifer - Shalee Conrad Owned Bull - Kendall Locke Grand Champion Commercial English Grand Champion Angus Heifer - Blair Heifer - Hunter Dupre Buchanon Reserve Grand Champion English Reserve Grand Champion Angus Heifer - Tucker Conrad Heifer - Jayce Ware Grand Champion Commercial BrahGrand Champion Angus Bull - Jessie man Heifer - Tyler Bazemore Bennett Reserve Grand Champion Brahman Reserve Grand Champion Angus Bull Heifer - Keith Bennett Kendall Locke Senior Showmanship PRINT Ag Tag ad In the Field -Mag Glades 1st School.pdf 1 9/25/14 Grand Champion Brahman Heifer Place - Madi Conrad 4:33 PM Bailey Lightsey 2nd Place - Blair Buchanon Grand Champion Brahman Bull - Julia 3rd Place - Kaylee Lloyd
Intermediate Showmanship 1st Place - Jessie Bennett 2nd Place - Harlie Rayborn 3rd Place - Payge Dupre Junior Showmanship 1st Place - Shalee Conrad 2nd Place - Tucker Conrad 3rd Place - Hattie Lightsey Senior Herdsman 1st Place – Hunter Dupre 2nd Place Wyatt Hinton Intermediate Herdsman 1st Place - David Hill 2nd Place - Trevor Hinton Junior Herdsman 1st Place - Kyleigh Crisswell 2nd Place - Hattie Lightsey Greenhand Award - Makayla Williamson Bill McClelland Scholarship - Cassidy Polston Jim Thompson Senior Award - Amanda Rockefeller Justin Gill Memorial Scholarship - Hannah Scionti
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PCSO’s newest dynamic duo
By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff
Dasha and Dave
Join us in welcoming our newest K9 Dasha, who joined the PCSO K9 unit on February 27th, and is led by Dave Butler, who is one of our newest canine deputies. Dasha comes to us from Slovakia, by way of Missouri, and is our first Hanoverian hound, and our only female dog. Dasha is replacing one of our retiring bloodhounds, Diego. Back in 2015, Dundee Elementary Academy had a “Pennies for Paws” drive to help us purchase Diego’s replacement. We are so grateful to the DEA Owls- thank you! Dasha is 20 months old and we met her for the first time in January, at Boulder Creek Performance K9 in St. James, Missouri. Boulder Creek Performance K9 specializes in high drive, social, ‘never give up’ working dogs. Our K9 Sergeant, Kenny Hill, and one of our K9 trainers went to Missouri to meet Dasha, and then sent Deputy Butler for 4-weeks of training. Her main role at PCSO is to find missing or endangered persons.
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Only six days after starting to work, she had her first find! Lakeland Police Department called us to assist with finding a missing teenager who was in danger and had been missing for two hours. Dasha took one whiff of the girl’s sweatshirt, and went to work. She followed her nose down a couple of roads and then looked up- the girl had climbed up high on something (8 feet in the air) and Dasha found her. The girl wouldn’t come down when Deputy Butler asked her to. Then
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she saw Dasha looking up at her. The girl became excited and immediately asked if she could pet Dasha. Of course the answer was yes. She climbed down, and they bonded. She was reunited with her family. The Hanoverian Hound breed is bred from the Bavarian Mountain Hound (BMH), a dog that is not common in the United States. The BMH breed is generally healthy and used for hunting. BMH and the Hanoverian Hound dogs have an amazing nose for trailing, just like a blood hound. Obedient, affectionate, and good companions, Hanoverian hounds are also remarkable trackers, have a strong drive, and are very determined on the trail. Their smaller sizes makes them perfect for working in environments that large sporting breeds have a hard time fitting. Additionally, their smaller size and their optimal health will allow them to work at a higher pace for longer periods of time, and to work for a longer period of time. The Hanoverian hound is a rare breed and there are only about 45 Hanoverian hounds in North America- and we have one of them! We are so excited to have Dasha and Deputy Butler join our K9 Unit team, and are so grateful to have found her. Thank you so much to our good friends at DEA – this is a match made in heaven. Dasha will be back to visit again soon – she’ll just follow her nose! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Polk County Cattle Women Greetings, We have made it, spring has officially begun. Although our winter was relatively mild in comparison to many parts of the country. It’s nice to start to see the trees greening up and flowers coming into bloom. Hopefully there will be some April showers in the forecast to combat the drought we’ve been seeing and bring back greener pasture grass. My thoughts and prayers go out to our fellow cattle producers in the plains states. I cannot imagine dealing with the devastation and loss many of them are facing after wildfires engulfed vast portions of their land. The Florida Cattlemen’s Foundation has set up a relief fund for donations to aid ranchers in Kansas and Oklahoma. All donations are tax deductible. If you are interested in making a donation, more information can be found online at http://www.floridacattlemen.org/foundation/ donate. The beginning of spring has proved to keep the Cattle Women busy. Several of our members attended the Legislative Quarterly in Tallahassee. They had the opportunity to meet our state legislators and discuss key issues our industry faces. The Kathleen Heritage Festival was a successful event for our organization. Members Bernice and Blair Buchanon provided whip popping demonstration. Ellen Bryan entertained and educated children with our interactive display, affectionately
As the end of the school year is fast approaching, the deadline for Polk County high school seniors to submit applications for our Academic Scholarship is April 15, 2017. For information regarding eligibility requirements, students should contact their 4-H Leader, FFA Advisor or Homeschool Director. Applications must be postmarked by the 15th to be eligible. Please mail all applications to P.O. Box 1212 Bartow, FL 33831. The scholarship committee will make their selection in May and notify the recipient soon after. Good luck to all! If you are interested in joining us, our next meeting is Tuesday May 2nd at 6:30 p.m. We will meet in the Clover Room at the Polk County Agriculture Complex 1702 US Hwy 17 S, Bartow. I hope to see you there! Be good and do good deeds,
Megan Atkinson
Polk County Cattle Women President
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known as “Ivan” the bull. Wanda Middlebrook also educated the public about the beef industry while promoting some of our Ways and Means merchandise.
A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green
before
after
Bamboo Trellis
Bamboo is not only beautifully exotic, but is one of the easiest woods to work with. This month we will use bamboo to make an attractive trellis for any vining plant. Arundinaria is the only bamboo (cane) native to the United States and North America. Prior to European colonization of the Americas, cane was a vital resource for indigenous Native Americans. River cane (Arundinaria) was used to make houses, weapons, jewelry, medicines, fuel, and food. Early explorers in the U.S. described vast stands of River cane called canebrakes in river lowlands that provided ideal land for crops, habitat for wild game, and year-round forage for livestock. After colonization, cane lost its importance due to the destruction and decline of canebrakes, forced relocation of indigenous people, and the availability of superior technology from abroad. Today, Asian species of bamboo have become a popular ornamental in the United States but can quickly become invasive, many scientific articles on bamboo claim it can grow up to two feet a day. I mention this because many unwary homeowners have a stand of invasive Asian bamboo that has grown out of control and would probably welcome an offer to harvest some of it. Out of control bamboo stands are a free source of bamboo if you are willing to cut the stalks yourself.
Materials:
• Bamboo • Wood planks (2 x 4 for support) • Saw • Power Drill • Forstner Drill Bits • Dremel Tool • Dremel Cutting Bit • Wood glue
Cut the support structure
• Determine the dimensions of your trellis • Cut two thick pieces of bamboo to the height of your trellis • Cut a wood plank (2x4) about 6 inches wider than your trellis (3 inch allowance on each side) • With a power drill and forstner bit, drill two opposing holes the approximate diameter of the outer bamboo support pieces. For a tight fit, drill smaller than needed and shave the diameter of the bamboo with dremel and cutting bit.
Fit the vertical support structure
Fit the thicker outer bamboo poles into the holes in the wooden support plank. * bamboo may need to be shaved for a tight fit. Glue optional
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Fit the horizontal lattice Bamboo does not grow in a perfectly straight line, though the
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outer pieces may appear parallel, there will be variation in the width of the trellis; for this reason, it is suggested that each horizontal lattice is cut to fit while assembling rather than to a consistent size before assembling. • With a power drill and forstner bit, drill holes in the outer support pieces at a slightly smaller diameter than that of the bamboo that will be inserted to create the horizontal lattice. Shave the bamboo end at a slight bevel to create a fit that tightens as it is forced into the hole in the outer support pieces . • Insert the horizontal lattice piece into one side of the outer support pieces. • Measure the length of the lattice piece to reach about half way into the outer support pieces. • Cut to length, and then insert both ends of the horizontal lattice piece to span the outer support pieces. Glue optional WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
A Closer Look A Closer Look
by Sean Green
Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae) Lycosidae by April Green
wolf spider babies by Noppadol Paothong The wolf spider (Lycosidae) is a family of large ground spiders that hunt their prey by stalking or ambush. The scientific name Lycosidae stems from lúkos the Ancient Greek word for wolf. In Greek Mythology it was Lycaon, king of Arcadia, whom Zeus turned into a wolf. Some sources claim these spiders are so named because they were once thought to hunt in packs. We know now that these spiders do not hunt in groups but they are known to live in dense populations. The Wolf Spider (Lycosidae) is one of the most abundant spiders in the world, it is estimated that there are over 2000 described species worldwide ranging from the Arctic to the subtropics and 250 species in the continental United States. The wolf spider (Lycosidae) is regarded as a beneficial insect both in the field and in the home. With a closer look at this remarkable spider you can decide for yourself the extent of which you will welcome this species into your home or garden. Wolf spiders are opportunistic hunters that feed on anything they can capture or subdue. They are nocturnal hunters and typically prey on other spiders, crickets, grasshoppers, roaches, and many insects that are considered agricultural pests; for this reason, wolf spiders are considered beneficial. One of the most fascinating characteristics of the Wolf spider is that they will prey on animals much larger than it, such as frogs, lizards, mice and even small birds. They are able to do so because the wolf spider has a flexible abdomen that can expand to accommodate a large meal when the opportunity presents itself. When feeding opportunities are scarce, the wolf spider can slow its metabolism to conserve energy until the food supply provides more opportunity to feed. The wolf spider has a bit of an advantage over other spiders in finding food. Web building spiders, such as the Orb Weavers, are nearly blind and at best can detect simple changes in light and dark. For the most part, they rely on a sense of touch, vibration or chemical cues to find their prey. Hunting spiders, like the wolf spider, on the other hand, build traps in the ground, construct nets, or actively stalk to capture their prey, pouncing on them when they get close enough. Hunting spiders have amazing visual characteristics such as detecting polarized and ultraviolet light, and most have binocular vision. Most wolf spiders (Lycosidae) hunt at night and their eyes are specialized to enable them to do so very well. Like other nocturnal
animals, especially carnivores, the wolf spider has a well developed tapeta; a reflective layer of tissue behind the retina that amplifies the light reaching the photoreceptors. The wolf spiders eyes are among the best in the animal kingdom, second only to the jumping spiders (Salticidae). The sensitivity to light in the eyes of these spiders can be compared to that of a camera lens with an aperture of about (f/0.58). The light sensitivity of this spider is more efficient than a cat (f/0.90), an owl (f/1.10) and the human eye (f/2.10). Animals that have this tapeta layer have eyes that seem to glow when a light is shined into their eyes at night. A simple flashlight is all that’s needed for spotlighting; a technique used by hunters and naturalists to search for animals at night. The wolf spiders eyes reflect a silvery eyeshine that can be seen with a standard flashlight. When shined into a field of grass, what looks like tiny droplets of dew is actually the glistening eyes of the hundreds of spiders dispersed in the grass looking back at you. I love demonstrating this characteristic on night hikes and camping trips. If you get close enough, Lycosidae can be recognized by their unique eye arrangement. There is a row of four small anterior (front) eyes, two large forward facing posterior median eyes (PME) set further back on the head, and two large posterior lateral(side) eyes (PLE) facing sideways or backwards. The eye arrangement of Lycosidae enable these spiders to see in a 360° view. You may also notice that they have fangs that appose each other and cross in a pinching action; this is characteristic of what scientists call araneomorph spiders. If you are lucky enough to find a female with young, you will notice one of the characteristics of this spider that sets it apart from most other spiders. Wolf spiders are actually very nurturing toward their young. The female spider will carry her egg sack with her, securing it in her fangs, she protects her clutch of eggs until they hatch. Once her eggs hatch, the spiderlings crawl on to the top of her abdomen and are protected through their first instars. Until 1990, wolf spiders were thought to be dangerous and bites from this spider were treated with an antivenin. The practice of using antivenin for Lycosidae was stopped when a study showed these spiders were not venomous enough to inflict serious damage to human beings. These spiders are abundant, beneficial, and safe, and are fascinating creatures if you take a closer look. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
April 2017
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Wolf Spider Eyeshine by Jim Frazer
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