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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

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Growing the Future with Precision Ag

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

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Creating a Legacy

page 24

VOL. 10 • ISSUE 3

Polk County Cattlemen’s Association P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03 Bartow, FL. 33831-9005

cover photo by Melissa Nichols

Contents DECEMBER 2016 Master Gardener

Page 10

Florida Endive

Page 31

Fishing Hot Spots

Page 14

Warner University

Page 34

Allyson Polston

Page 16

John Dicks

Page 36

Taylor Ladd

Page 20

Rocking Chair Chatter

Page 22

Literary Time Machine

Page 26

Endangered Species

Page 28

Jack Payne

Page 30

Recipes

Page 38 Chris B Treats

Page 40

Polk County Sheriff

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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

Moby Persing 3380 Sam Keen Rd Lake Wales, FL 33853 (863) 528-4567

A Closer Look

Dave Tomkow 3305 US Highway 92 E Lakeland, FL 33801 (863) 665-5088 cattlemenslivestock@ earthlink.net

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December 2016

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

Activity

Page 45 4

President – Ray Clark 4484 Swindell Road Lakeland, FL 33810 (863) 640-0719 rclark@tampabay.rr.com

Warner University – Dalton Bush 17 Skidmore Rd. Winter Haven, FL 33880 (863) 585-9530 Dalton.bush@warner.edu

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

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Letter from the Editor

STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry

“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.” — Norman Vincent Peale It doesn’t matter what part of the country you live in, Christmas is still a softer, more beautiful time. Maybe you dream of a white Christmas, or perhaps a white sand Christmas, whatever your location, one thing is certain, Christmas is a time for families to gather and create new memories and reminisce about the past, all things we hold near and dear to our hearts.

Christmas is a time of faith, hope, and love. Faith, as we read in John 3:16, For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Love in the gathering of family and good friends to prepare meals and make memories. Hope of a great today and the tomorrows still to come. The greatest gifts aren’t wrapped in brightly colored paper adorned with ribbons. The greatest gifts are those of faith, hope and love.

While you are making memories, opening gifts, gathering around the tables to dine on Fresh From Florida foods, singing Christmas carols, and other holiday traditions, don’t forget the true reason for the season. We are celebrating the birth of Christ.

We, at In The Field, hope you have a truly Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Until Next Month

Sarah The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25

Hey Readers!

Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below

InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner!

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Sales Manager Danny Crampton Sales Al Berry Tina Richmond Danny Crampton Melissa Nichols Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Al Berry Stephanie Humphrey Melissa Nichols Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Melissa Nichols Leslie Buchanon Contributing Writers Woody Gore

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Polk County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association.

Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 335630042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813759-6909 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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It’s hard to believe its the end of the year already. We have had a very exciting year with many activities going on. We started the year off with the Polk County Youth Fair, then our Ranch Rodeo and Trade Show. Our State Cattlemen’s Convention was held over at Champions Gate, where one of our local Cattlemen, Ned Waters, was elected to State President. That was followed by our Annual Summer Dinner and meeting. We held our State Quarterly meeting at Warner University and a wonderful steak cook out at Bud Greenwoods. Also, we just had our State Ranch Rodeo Finals over at Kissimmee with a lot of good cowboys, food and fellowship. Next we had our, Fall dinner and meeting, where we had many wonderful door prizes given out and the sale of a Black Hereford bull donated to our county association by Crooked Lake Ranch, with all proceeds going to our association. These are just a few of the many activities we have been a part of this past year.

I want to thank, Ronnie Durrance for his bid of $5000.00 for our bull that was donated by Crooked Lake Ranch and also those who bid against Mr.Durrance. I hope everyone had a great time at our Fall dinner meeting, the steaks were great along with all the trimmings. Also I want to thank all the directors for getting the wonderful door prizes. On a sad note, Charles Clark is stepping down from the board. He has done a wonderful job over the years as our President and Treasurer and active director. The remainder of the board will stay the same, with the addition of Donald Conroy. I also want to

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thank Laura Slocumb for being our Cattlewomen’s President this past year.

We have our Farm Bureau Legislative Appreciation luncheon January 4th, at the Stuart Center. I hope every one is having a great holiday season, wishing all of you a Merry Christmas and May God Bless all of us during our change of leadership of our Great Nation. Also this will be my last article till next year so Happy New Year to all.

I want to thank all my Directors and Cattlewomen and all our members for a great year. It looks like it may be a long dry winter, already had a frost in some areas, with cattle prices still on the decline, so keep all our Farmers and Ranchers in your prayers.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year May our Trails cross soon

Ray Clark

Ray Clark Polk County Cattlemen’s Association President

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• According to the Guinness world records, the tallest Christmas tree ever cut was a 221-foot Douglas fir that was displayed in 1950 at the Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.

• The largest Christmas stocking measured 51 m 35 cm (168 ft 5.65 in) in length and 21 m 63 cm (70 ft 11.57 in) in width (heel to toe) and was produced by the volunteer emergency services organisation Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni (Italy) in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy, on 5 January 2011.

• Each year there are approximately 20,000 “rent-a-Santas” across the United States. “Rent-a-Santas” usually undergo seasonal training on how to maintain a jolly attitude under pressure from the public. They also receive practical advice, such as not accepting money from parents while children are looking and avoiding garlic, onions, or beans for lunch.

• Christmas wasn’t declared an official holiday in the United States until June 26, 1870.

• In 1962, the first Christmas postage stamp was issued in the United States.

• Approximately 25-30 million real (living) Christmas trees are sold each year in the U.S.

Cultivating the land is

Tom Pospichal Mosaic Agricultural Operations, Florida

As the global population increases, so does the demand for affordable food. Essential crop nutrients, like phosphate produced in Florida, help farmers put more food on the table using less land. Our connection to agriculture is rooted here, too. Our team manages thousands of acres of post-mined land for sod and tree farms, citrus, cattle grazing and row crops. We are honored to be stewards of our agricultural lands in Florida and proud that our fellow employees produce crop nutrients for farmers all over the world.

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We help the world grow the food it needs.

mosaicco.com/florida

© 2016 The Mosaic Company

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Zesty Zinnias

Florida Master Gardener

By Debra Howell, Florida Master Gardener UF/IFAS Extension Polk County If you are looking for a hardy bloomer for your central Florida garden, then give some thought to the cultivation of Zinnias.

These low-maintenance beauties are usually available at your favorite nursery or garden center, or you may elect to start them from seeds. Should you decide to use seeds, you will have a wide variety of plant colors, forms and sizes to choose from.

Zinnias originated in Mexico and Central America, where they grew as wildflowers. They relish a warm climate, which makes them very well suited for our Florida weather. The name Zinnia comes from the surname of German botanist, Johann Gottfried Zinn.

This plant has enjoyed lasting popularity since the 18th Century. Its low maintenance and ability to survive hot conditions has contributed greatly to its popular reputation.

The Chicago Botanic Garden calls the Zinnia “the hardestworking flower in the garden.”

Zinnias like full sun and grow in soil pH values of 5.5-6.5.

They like rich, well-drained soils, which may be amended with compost. These plants grow in a very wide number of hardiness zones. Actually, the hardiness zone map indicates every state except Minnesota and parts of North Dakota and Montana. They can be found in a wide variety of colors and heights making them perfect candidates for borders, mass plantings, edging, containers and window boxes. They grow from dwarf sizes of six inches up to three feet tall. Their colors include rose, pink, red, yellow, white, orange, lavender and multi-colored hues.

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According to the UF/IFAS Extension fact sheet FPS-623, Zinnia spp. Zinnia, Zinnias should be spaced eight to twelve inches apart, according to the mature size listed on the seed package. They prefer to be planted in full sun and do not like “wet feet.” Wait until all chance of frost has passed to plant them in the spring. Normally, the seeds are sown directly into the garden and not germinated first in other medium. The seeds germinate in one to two weeks at temperatures between 70-80 degrees F. Although Zinnias are somewhat drought tolerant, they benefit from regular watering. Make sure your planting medium drains easily to avoid root rot of your plants. Try to ensure that the leaves of your Zinnias remain dry. Wet leaves may result in issues such as bacterial leaf spot. Try not to spray your plants, but use either a soaker hose or micro-irrigation to put the water where it is needed - on the roots. Most Zinnia cultivars can be susceptible to powdery mildew, so dry foliage is important to Zinnias. Zinnias also can get a few fungal diseases, especially if the leaves remain wet overnight. Proper air circulation will help to prevent these issues.

Zinnias are wonderful cut flowers with long-lasting blooms.

When clipping Zinnias for your vase, if you will leave plenty of stem with the leaves, presently another bud will appear on your plant. You may pinch them back to promote new growth, and dead-head to remove the spent blooms.

Other pests and diseases to which Zinnias are prone are the dreaded and pervasive aphids, which suck plant juices WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

and coat the leaves with their excrement called honeydew.

Mites may appear causing foliage to become stippled and lose their green color. The four-lined plant bug may get on Zinnias and cause brown, rounded sunken leaf spots. When infected with powdery mildew, a white or grayish powdery growth will appear. Zinnias that are infected with blight have reddish brown spots with gray centers. Another disease, which Zinnias may suffer from, is Alternaria leaf spot, which appears as dark brown cankers and causes the flowers to be spotted. For information on control of these various plant issues, contact your local UF/IFAS County Extension office.

Be sure to remember that if a pesticide is recommended for you to use, always use it according to the package directions.

You may want to attempt to introduce these classy flowers into your garden, if for no other reason than their capacity to encourage pollinators such as butterflies and skippers.

Butterflies and skippers are readily attracted to their bright colors and accessible blooms. These flowers seem to become WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

brighter with each year that the seed voluntarily comes back up in your garden.

These beautiful flowers are old-time heirlooms which I remember from my childhood. My mother, Velma Howell, who passed away in August at the age of 104, not only recalled them from her Alabama homestead, but recreated them in a large oil painting which she painted in 1968 of her old Alabama home place.

Try using these treasures in your landscape and get hooked on the beautiful heirloom remembrances of days past.

If you have questions regarding your landscape, you may call your local Extension Service office for help 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.

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Our produce stand is now open at a new location.

Stop by and pick up some delicious strawberries.We’re sure they’ll make any occasion Berry Special!

Southeast corner of 5215 Drane Field Rd. and County Line Rd. | 813.478.3486 or 813.754.4852 | FancyFarms.com

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Fishing Tampa Bay December 2016 Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)

Snook: Moving water and a livewell full of

pilchards and pinfish will work, but don’t be surprised if you don’t drag a redfish or gator trout off the same broken bottom grass flat. However, if you’re looking to snag that snook of a lifetime, with the heart stopping action of a topwater lure, just tie on MirrOlure Top Dog Jr. and walk-thedog, letting that signature rattling action do its thing across that same broken flat. Soon you’ll witness the most incredible heart stopping strike as a giant snook crashes your lure.

Always remember those big snook are females and probably full of eggs; so handle with care. Snap a quick photo, get her back in the water, or better yet never lift her out, revive her slowly for an in-water release.

Spanish mackerel: For those who love the drag

screaming action of mackerel fishing, this is the time of year. Or if kingfish are your thing, hit the beaches and hard-bottoms close to shore for action that is sure to pick up as water temps come down.

Anchor up, chum, or slow troll live baits or spoons.

There are resident fish, but most of the giants are pelagic and follow the baitfish schools north in spring and south in fall. However, thanks to the gill net ban and commercial harvest regulations, there are more big mackerel around Tampa Bay now than there have been many years.

These fish are enormous for their species, fish three to five pounds, and when they get to this size, they have tremendous speed, power and endurance almost like small kings.

Finding them is fairly simple, just locate a spoil bar or inshore reef within five to eight feet of the surface, surrounded by deeper open water of 10 to

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20 feet. These are natural feeding areas that attract mackerel. Once you’re anchored up-tide from the reef or bar start pitching a few cut greenbacks into the water. If they are close by it won’t take long before the feeding frenzy begins.

Now put a live smaller greenback, nose hooked on a 2/0 Daiichi long-shank hook on a 50# hard Seaguar leader tied to your 15# braid of your Penn rod and spinning reel.

Mackerel are respectable table fare. For those you keep, bleed them promptly and get them on ice quickly. I put mine in a large heavy duty trash bag before putting them in my cooler; it helps keeps the cooler clean. At the cleaning table, fillet them and remove the skin or fillet them and leave the skin on for smoking.

Redfish: Redfish and oversized redfish are ev-

erywhere in the bay. But if you’re having difficulty finding them, I tell you once again, simply locate a school of big mullet and fish the school of mullet.

The redfish bite for the last two months remains one of the best I have seen in three years. Every part of the Tampa Bay seems to hold multiple schools. Live greenbacks and of course cut baits and a circle hook seem to be the bait of choice: threadfin herring, cut large greenbacks, cut pinfish, cut ladyfish, and cut mullet.

Spotted Sea Trout: The big trout have started to show up on our flats along with plenty of slot fish. I like to find a good grass flat with plenty of potholes. Start by working the edges and as many potholes as possible, you’re sure to find some worthwhile fish. Trout are a good species to work on your artificial bait skills, because they are not too picky when it comes to food. One good artificial is a Gulp shrimp under a popping cork; hook

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“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”

813-477-3814

the shrimp just like you would a live one, which is through the carapace or head. Just cast out and pop the cork. The popping sound will draw the trout’s attention for a sure hook up. Trout no longer have a closed season. So, only take what you plan on eating for supper as they do not freeze well. Remember, they are a fragile species and have a delicate slime coat, so please use a dehooker and not your hand or net for the ones you release.

Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories.

Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.

Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814

Pompano: The pompano are starting to show up along sandy bottoms and around the sandy bottoms of the bridges throughout the bay.

Shrimp and sand fleas are always good baits of choice. But for me you can’t beat a Doc’s Goofy Jig w/ a feather teaser.

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“Build to SUCCEED” What do you think of when you hear the slogan “Build to Succeed?” I am one to always set goals to help succeed in whatever I am

by Allyson Polston doing. When becoming a board member for the Brangus breed I realized I had found an interest in promoting and marking. It was from there on that I was fascinated with how we can make our breed/industry the best it can be. I learned about how the past has brought us to where we are now, how social media has helped promote the breed/industry, and discussing how a breeder can do our part in building the breed with knowing simple information on what we produce in the pasture. When I hear different slogans, I love to think what the idea of the slogan is and what potential it has. I’m thankful for having the opportunity to help create a brighter future for the industry and developing it to its BEST potential. Two crucial components of making this breed bigger and better is using marketing and promoting to its advantages. My family has been in the Brangus breed for 13 years now and throughout the years I have seen so many ways to market and promote this amazing breed and industry.

As a junior board director, I have attended many different events and shows. I have had the personal opportunity to get to know breeders and learn their involvement in not only building their ranch but also by building the breed/herd they have worked so hard to own. What I wish I could do is go back in time and see how these wonderful breeds and industries became what they are today. One thing that has helped in the breeds/herds promotion and marketing is watching the genetics that has walked through the barns. Because of the success of some of the different cattlemen in the past, it makes it easier for us to promote such an awesome industry.

The support of the agricultural industry and other breeders has helped pave a successful path to the promotion of the industry. This support has brought research and knowledge that has help developed a better market for promoting the cattle industry. As in any other industry, having a great team 16 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE December 2016

of leaders is vital to some of the promoting and marketing success.

Research shows that 61 percent of global internet users research products online. With this growing statistic it’s only a matter of time before cattle buyers increase their purchases from the internet and breeders increase their sales from the internet. In the past five years social media has expanded the industry by promoting and marketing internationally through websites such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. Ad space is now opening up on many different websites to promote products and brands. For example, when you visit MSN.com the first thing you see are different ads for different products.

In the future more websites will offer ads like these. The industry has the potential to show up on feed stores or your local cattleman’s website. While bidding in an auction, a sale can happen online rather than being there in person. When having a cattle sale online it gives others the opportunity to bid or look at the high quality of cattle you have raised and bred. When selling cattle online you are promoting not only your name/ranch but you are also promoting the breed and industry as a whole. We want to promote the best so we can be the best! Lastly another good way to promote and market the cattle industry is with smartphones. Research shows that eighty percent of internet users own a smartphone. So basically the world is at our finger tips. By this it makes it easier for breeders to get in touch and promote the breed/industry.

Why not take advantage of this part of technology and run with it.

We have learned from the past and have paved a road for the future, for the future of this amazing industry. As a junior on a board I’m thrilled to see what the future of the cattle industry brings to us. I believe that technology will lead the way to building a better future for not only the different breeds but for the industry as a whole. Also this will give us many exciting new opportunities for the industry. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for this industry! I hope everyone continues to build to SUCCEED! WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

Smart Farmers & Country Home Owners Who borrowed from Farm Credit received a personal visit from a United States President!

Farm Credit of Central Florida puts its profits in its Member/Borrowers’ pockets in the form of a patronage refund payment which can significantly lower the cost of funds to the member.

A $100,000 loan

at a 4.5% interest rate receiving a12% patronage would reduce the rate of interest to 3.96%.

Ask your Farm Credit loan officer about the details of a patronage refund and our diverse loan products.

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JOIN!

FRESH FROM

FLORIDA “Fresh From Florida” is a program administered by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

It is designed to connect distributors and retail buyers with Florida growers to increase sales of Florida products.

Visit FreshFromFlorida.com/Join or call 850-617-7399

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Taylor Ladd Hey Polk County, my name is Taylor Ladd and I am so honored to be serving as your 2016-2017 Polk County Federation President, as well as your District VIII President. I am currently a senior at Auburndale High School where I server as the Vice President. As well as serving the county I compete in multiple career development events such as extemporaneous public speaking, forestry evaluation and livestock judging just to name a few. I show market swine, market steers and commercial heifers.

Being fortunate enough to grow up in an agricultural environment I have had many opportunities to figure out just which way I want to go in life. I will be running for State Office this coming year, which I’m beyond excited about. But if that isn’t God’s plan for me I will be attending Mississippi State University or Auburn where I will major in agriculture business policy and law and a minor in Agriculture Communications.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” This year, I have been so incredibly blessed with the opportunity to serve as the Polk County FFA Federation President and the District VIII FFA President, but to understand why I had the idea of hosting the ESE and Special needs contests I really have to take you back to last year. While serving as the Polk County FFA Federation Secretary, as well as the 20

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District VIII FFA Secretary, I was given the opportunity to travel around Polk County. Upon entering this position I had very limited knowledge about the four ESE and Special needs schools and their FFA contests. I was advised that every year these schools hold four FFA contests, and last year I was able to attend two of the four. There I got to interact with these special FFA members, every interaction I had with these students made me appreciate life just that much more and I was beyond grateful for every minute. After questioning as to why the ESE and Special needs contests were hosted at their own schools, and questioning the fact that they have no actual interaction between the traditional FFA members, made me realize how blessed I felt to be a part of their day, and to see how they felt with every minute of interaction we had together. Their smiles, laughter and, most of all their conversations, meant so much to me. I had the idea of hosting the ESE and special needs FFA contests at traditional high schools. I feel like we all wear that blue corduroy jacket, we are all FFA members, and we all live by the FFA Motto and that is “Learning To Do, Doing To Learn, Earning To Live, Living To Serve.” At first this was just an idea. There were so many doubts that came along with this idea and many more questions. As Federation Officers it was suppose to be our job to unite the county, and if that was the case we were lacking in that area. Then I had the idea to host the first ESE and Special needs FFA contest at my high school (Auburndale High School) just to see how everything would work out. I presented the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

idea to Mr. Webb, my Polk County FFA Federation Advisor, and the ESE and Special needs teachers and they all loved it. I knew then I had to present the idea to my Ag Advisor, Mrs. Kimberly Shaske, and my Principal, Mr. John Hill, to see if we could host the contest at our school. Not only did my Principal love the idea but he strongly encouraged it. After staying in close contact with the ESE teachers we had everything planned out. The night before the first contest was extremely nerve wracking for me.

I’m not too sure if it was my self-conscious because I was set on making sure this went perfect for everyone or the fact that everything that could possibly go wrong was shooting through my mind like fireworks on the Fourth of July. The pure fact that we had so many extraordinary FFA members that came to participate in this event, we were beyond excited. As the contests began our FFA members were paired up with one of the special needs FFA members, at which time they walked with them and assisted them through the contest by giving them instructions and recording their answers. During this period of time the students were paired up, they got to step out of their comfort zones, share some laughs and really build some connections with each other. It wasn’t until one of the parents approached me and started to tear up while thanking me, that I realized it was a complete success. Every single person left with a smile on their face, and I am pleased

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to say we had 78 students and staff members from the four ESE and Special needs schools attend our first ESE FFA Contest. Now comes the part to encourage other chapters to jump in and host one of these amazing FFA contest. I have been so blessed in the support of this idea I can’t wait to see how it grows and prospers. Because I know the difference it can make. It has made a huge impact on my life, and it is something I will always cherish.

We have also been keeping up with our Chapter Programs. We have successfully been to and presented a chapter program to nine schools all over the county.

We absolutely love doing his program and can’t wait to do many more. If you haven’t scheduled one yet please do so by contacting Mr.Webb.

If I can give any advice to anyone it would be, if you have an idea no matter how simple or small it may be to you, it can have an amazing impact on someone else. Pursue all your helpful ideas and don’t stop until you’ve made the difference you wish to see.

I look forward to seeing how we as a County unite to make Polk County the best County!

Taylor Ladd

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We all know there are four seasons. Summer, spring, fall and winter. But for the farmer there are only three seasons: Before harvest, harvest and after harvest. Farmers have “stay power!” They stay with it year after year of losing money. They say once farming gets into your blood, you’re hooked.

They have things to keep them amused and help forget about staying up all night and watering the berries to keep them from freezing when the cold front moves through. Ronnie Lott says you know you’re a farmer when on laundry day you go to your tractor to get your dirty clothes.

Farmers have a unique way of saying things, too. While driving on a back road in Blairsville, Georgia I saw a sign along side the road that read “Used Cows for Sale.” I love the bumper stickers farmers put on their pickup trucks.

The most popular one in east Hillsborough County is “No Farmers No Food.” These are available free at the In The Field Office in Plant City.

There’s the story of Fred the Farmer. He had so many children that he ran out of names. So he started calling his kids after something around his farm. It was the first day of school and the teacher asked each child their name. When he got to one of the farmer George’s sons, the boy replied, ‘Wagon Wheel.’ The teacher said, ‘I need your real name boy, to which the lad replied, ‘It’s Wagon Wheel, sir...Really.’ The teacher, rather annoyed rejoined, ‘All right young man, take yourself right down to the principal’s office this minute.’ The youngster pushed himself out of his chair, turned to his sister and said, ‘C’mon, ‘Chicken Feed’, he ain’t gonna believe you, either.’

Speaking southern is universal in the south, and it’s apparent each state thinks pretty much alike. For ex22

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ample: In Louisiana a senior citizen was overheard saying, “When the end of the world comes, I hope to be in Louisiana.” When asked why, he replied, “I’d rather be in Louisiana ‘cause everything happens in Louisiana 20 years later than in the rest of the world. MISSISSIPPI: The young man from Mississippi came running into the store and said to his buddy, “Bubba, somebody just stole your pickup truck from the parking lot!” Bubba replied, “Did y’all see who it was?” The young man answered, “I couldn’t tell, but I got the license number.” TENNESSEE: A Tennessee State Trooper pulled over a pickup on I-65. The Trooper asked, “Got any ID?” The driver replied, “Bout whut?” ALABAMA: The Sheriff pulled up next to the guy unloading garbage out of his pick-up truck into the ditch. The Sheriff asked, “Why are you dumping garbage in the ditch? Don’t you see that sign right over your head?”

“Yep,” he replied. “That’s why I’m dumpin’ it here, ‘cause it says: ‘Fine For Dumping Garbage.’ ” Here’s a little exercise for you farmers during off-season.

Begin by standing on a comfortable surface where you have plenty of room at each side. With a 5-lb potato bag in each hand, extend your arms straight out from your sides and hold them there as long as you can. Try to reach a full minute, and then relax. Each day you’ll find that you can hold this position for just a bit longer.

After a couple of weeks, move up to 10-lb potato bags, then try 50-lb potato bags and eventually try to get to where you can lift a 100-lb potato bag in each hand and hold your arms straight for more than a full minute.

After you feel confident at that level, put a potato in each bag.

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

23

Creating a Legacy

By Leslie Buchanon

Over the past few years there has been a surge in the number of urban families becoming actively involved in the agriculture industry. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, in 2008 the world’s urban population exceeded the rural population for the first time ever. That said, the location of a family’s home isn’t always a determining factor when it comes to their involvement in the agricultural industry. School land labs and leased, rented, or donated facilities are just a few of the alternatives parents and students can embrace to

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increase the opportunities for young people to participate in livestock projects. Just as the words “urban” and “ranching” don’t usually share the same sentence, this month we introduce you to a family that isn’t your typical family, the Polston family. From the outside looking in, one might consider the Polstons to be an ordinary urban family. However, it would only take a few minutes for the stereotype to be shattered, and a new appreciation to develop. You see, the Polston family, consisting of Rick and Debbie Polston of Lakeland and their three daughters,

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Brittany, Allyson, and Cassidy, raise purebred registered Brangus cattle and have been quite successful in the show circuits, to say the least. Their ranch, the family owned and operated Rocking 3P Ranch, is an extension of their family and pays tribute to their three daughters.

Rick is a graduate of Kathleen High School where he was active in his FFA chapter participating on the Beef Judging team, and Horticulture, Poultry, and Rabbit teams, as well. Debbie is a graduate of Winter Haven High School and has been the leader of the Polk City 4-H for the past seven years. While neither Rick nor Debbie had experience raising cattle, an influential hand stepped in and forever changed the course of their family.

Rick and Debbie’s oldest daughter Brittany began attending Lakeland High School (LHS) in 2004, taking veterinarian classes in hopes of one day becoming a veterinarian technician. Over the next few years, through her involvement in the Lakeland High School FFA Chapter under the leadership of Donna Oliver, Brittany soon discovered a passion and love for cattle. As a freshman at LHS Brittany persuaded her father to purchase a Brangus heifer for her to exhibit at local fairs. They purchased the heifer from North Lakeland cattle producer Bobby Walker. Brittany was able to house her heifer at the land lab at LHS where she continued to show Brangus cattle throughout her four years of high school. Brittany exhibited Brangus cattle at the Polk County Youth Fair, Florida State Fair, and Florida Strawberry Festival throughout her high school career.

She was extremely proud to win Grand Champion with her first show heifer at the Florida State Fair. As Brittany was preparing for her junior year of high school she had a change of heart and decided to change her career path from veterinarian technician to agriculture educator. She graduated high school in 2008 and began attending the University of Florida to pursue a career in agriculture education. Unfortunately, after her high school graduation Brittany was forced to take her heifer from the school and the family was forced to find an alternate location for her to graze. The Polstons were able to lease acreage close to their home to begin their herd.

As fate would have it, Brittany didn’t leave all of her expeWWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

riences at high school. Through keeping her heifer at the school land lab she met Brian Thornton, who happened to work for the City of Lakeland. Brian and Brittany had a common interest and love for cattle, as Brian had owned and shown cattle while in school. Their friendship blossomed into a relationship that would lead them to marriage in 2012. After completing her education at UF, Brittany received her first position as an agriculture educator at Dundee Ridge Middle. While continuing to live in Lakeland, Brittany found the drive to Dundee each day to be treacherous and the following year she accepted a position at Lakeland High School, the same school and FFA chapter that had ignited her passions. After three years at LHS, this school year Brittany decided to accept a position at Bartow Middle School. Throughout her years teaching, Brian and Brittany expanded their family when their daughter Annabelle was born in 2014. Brian and Brittany are actively involved in the Rocking 3P Ranch and promoting purebred registered Brangus cattle. Brittany states, “Brian has always been very involved in the operation. Whether it’s hauling, helping at shows, or breaking that really stubborn calf, he’s done a lot, as well.”

Allyson Polston, middle daughter of Rick and Debbie Polston, began showing purebred registered Brangus cattle after her older sister Brittany graduated from high school. Allyson was a member of 4-H during her middle and high school years, and graduated from Families of Faith Christian Academy in 2014. Using the leased property, the Polston family was able to purchase purebred registered Brangus show heifers for younger sisters Allyson and Cassidy to exhibit. In 2013 Allyson and Cassidy began exhibiting purebred registered Brangus cattle the Polston’s had bred and owned. This an achievement the family is proud to share, with their ultimate goal to have their entire show string of cattle to be purebred registered bred and owned Brangus. While they are close to achieving this goal, they have a new crop of cattle they will exhibit this year that will help promote their ranch and allow them to continue the learning process of being cattle producers.

Allyson has had much success following the purebred registered Brangus Continued on Pg. 32 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Ornamental Gardening in Florida

By Ginny Mink

Wow! Can you believe we have been on this literary journey for more than two years now? That’s a long time to read a book and the truth is, we are probably only about a half of the way through. We wonder if you will look forward to the next two years on our Literary Time Machine. Apparently, we could have gone to and returned from The International Space Station during that time frame. We, however, much prefer to keep our feet on earth, so we’ll just keep trucking along in Mr. Simpson’s 90-year-old book.

This month, we are pleased to announce, that we’ll be learning about something Floridians should probably understand well, aquatic and lowland plants. Some of us live in the swamp and the plants we have discovered there are completely different than those we frequently saw in the subdivision where we previously resided. Others of us are more familiar with aquatic plants because we like to buy them for our fish tanks and ponds. Whatever the case may be, rest assured, Mr. Simpson will know a lot more about them than we do.

Come explore with us!

He first mentions the aletris or colic root. All we could think about was our children hacking (you know, colic…). Anyway, he says, “There are five species of these interesting and attractive plants found growing in Florida all having erect flower stems and a spike of curious blossoms and all should be hardy throughout the state. The leaves are mostly basal in a dense rosette. They generally grow in lowland.”¹ Because we were unfamiliar with the aletris, we decided to look it up. Believe it or not, the root of the aletris is used to make medicine! And guess what is listed on its potential uses…colic. Apparently, it can also be utilized for upset stomachs, gas, diarrhea, constipation, and even infertility! However, according to WebMD, side effects include colic, confusion, 26

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Part 27

and dizziness. So, like with all medications, it is important to weigh the side effects with the treatment benefits.² We continued in Mr. Simpson’s book to discover he discusses some ornamental bamboo, something he calls, Southern Cane, which grows wild in the Florida wetlands. But, that wasn’t nearly as interesting as his section on what he calls, fish grass. He writes, “A strictly aquatic plant allied to the water lilies but differing from them greatly in appearance it has two kinds of leaves, one much dissected and submerged, the other narrow and floating.”¹ Fish grass, hmmm?

We tried to look up fish grass, but all we could find was information about how to fish for bass in the grass. And while fishing is an exciting and rewarding endeavor, it is not the focus of this piece. So, we had to resort to using the scientific name, Cabomba caroliniana. Imagine our surprise when we landed on the State of Washington’s Department of Ecology website and it revealed the other name as, fanwort. In fact, it claimed this plant is non-native and is invasive as well (though that may just be to Washington). They claim it can clog canals and streams. However, they also note that it makes a great addition to aquariums.³ And for the record, we like the name fish grass better than fanwort. What about you?

The next flower Mr. Simpson added was kind of shocking to us because we are doing a piece on aquatic and lowland plants. So, when he included hibiscus that just seemed odd.

But, he writes that they are, “A large genus containing many species with handsome flowers and well represented in the swamps and lowlands of Florida. H. aculetus grows five or six feet high and bears great yellowish flowers with a dark center.

H. grandifloras, H. moscheutos and H. incanus are strong, tall growers with splendid large flowers of rose to yellowish or white with a dark base and somewhat alike. H. militaris is a rather vigorous species with small leaves and pink flowers with WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

a dark eye. In H. integrifolius the leaves are round or ovate and the blossoms crimson, while H. coccineus has very large red to crimson flowers. Taken together they make a magnificent group of ornamentals and all or nearly all have been cultivated.”¹ We like hibiscus flowers and surely you know of some of their benefits. But if somehow you have missed out, we would like to share some of them with you now. If you’ve been reading this series for any length of time you are probably aware of our fondness for the Eat the Weeds website. Green Deane, the author there, is a plethora of plant eating knowledge. So of course we looked to his site first. Although we didn’t find the answers we were looking for, we did learn something about hibiscus, they are part of the mallow family and people have been using them for a very long time. And, one specific hibiscus, H. syriacus is actually known as The Rose of Sharon, as in from the Bible. How cool is that?

But, back to the benefits of hibiscus before we close out this month’s voyage. According to the Bold Sky website, hibiscus can be made into an extract. Supposedly, taking hibiscus extract can fight cancer (thanks to the antioxidants in it), cure colds (because it’s rich in vitamin C), boost energy, calm hot flashes, cure acne, slow aging, maintain fluid balances, boost immune health, stop hair loss and even increase metabolism. If all these are true, we’d recommend doing some further research on how to include hibiscus extract into your dietary regimen.

Join us next month as we learn about additional aquatic and lowland plants. When we meet again it will be a new year, and we’ll be voyaging through a book that is one year closer to being a 100 years old! Imagine that!

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. 119-122). ²WebMD - http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ ingredientmono-605-ALETRIS.aspx?activeIngredientId=605& activeIngredientName=ALETRIS ³State of Washington Department of Ecology - http://www.ecy. wa.gov/programs/wq/plants/weeds/aqua006.html ⁴Eat the Weeds- http://www.eattheweeds.com/mallow-madness-the-false-roselle/ ⁵Bold Sky- http://www.boldsky.com/health/wellness/2013/thirteen-health-benefits-of-hibiscus-flower-034606.html WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

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This Herb is a Fighter:

Scrub Lupine

By Ginny Mink We do a lot of birds and amphibians, and various other animals in this segment of the magazine. This month though, we are going to take a different course and look at a rather intriguing short-lived perennial that is only found in Florida. Seriously, we are the only people with access to this plant and that’s part of what puts it on the endangered list. Because there’s not a lot of access to it, even in Florida.

we talk about here, people are the problem. Off road vehicles, soil scraping, land clearing, land development, pasture expansion, and road construction appear to have a significantly negative impact on the scrub lupine’s environment. Interestingly enough so do pedestrians and horses. So, basically, agricultural and urban expansion are at the forefront of the destruction of the scrub lupine.²

Let us introduce you to the scrub lupine. It only grows in Polk, Osceola, and Orange counties. This is definitely a Central Florida resident. And, as far as we can tell, there are only ten populations left in Florida. That means there are literally only 10 populations left in the whole world! That puts this wee plant in some serious danger and necessitates our attempts at education and hopefully, even assistance.¹

Because the reproduction season for the scrub lupines ranges from March to May, it is probably a good idea to keep a look out for their presence (especially if you live in the northern parts of Polk County) during that time. Blooms always make it significantly easier to identify woody stalks sticking out of the ground. No doubt it is easy to view these plants as a weed that is pretty ugly, except when it’s blooming. The seeds will mature by June and have been known to stay dormant for quite some time in a long-lived seed bank near the mother plant.²

So let’s talk about the scrub lupine, shall we? Believe it or not, the lupinus aridorum is actually an herb. It is classified as a woody herb with long stems that measure up to 3.3 feet in length. Perhaps it’s not as “wee” as we initially thought. Its leaves are an average of 2 inches long and an inch wide. We suspect that’s where the “wee” assumption must have come in. And, if you are looking for these, please note that leaves are rounded with a sharp point on the end.² The flowers are a pale-fleshy pink with the upper petal displaying a black center outlined in maroon. There can be 5-25 flowers on a raceme². Don’t worry, we didn’t know what this word meant either.

It’s a flower cluster where each flower has an equally short individual stalk³. And, actually, they don’t usually have more than 14 flowers, but there are some that produce the maximum 25. The fruit that is produced is also woody, and pointy at the end.² This species was first documented in 1900, but didn’t achieve its specific name until 1982. The first collection was made in Orange County, Florida. But it took another 28 years before it was seen and collected again, this time in Polk County. Then in 1937 a third round of collections occurred, also in Polk County. More than 30 years passed before people decided in might be a good idea to begin studying this incredibly rare plant.² It likes dry sandy soil with very little organic matter. These sands are mostly white and have been well known for their abilities to support sand pine scrubs. But, they are incredibly acidic with a pH of 4-4.5.

Sand pine and rosemary scrub seem to be the scrub lupine’s natural habitat. It is believed that they probably were quite fond of sunny patches. Unfortunately, excessive shading has all but eliminated those sunny spaces.²

Studies seem to suggest, though, that the plants will only bloom one to three times over the course of their lives. And, from what researchers can tell, the first year of blooming produces very few seeds. Sadly, no one appears to know what insects assist in the pollination of the plants. Naturally, we would assume bees help sustain the lives of these plants, but since research can’t document it, that will have to remain a mystery, especially if these herbs become extinct.² Scientists are hopeful that the seed banks scattered throughout the scrub lupines initial habitat will eventually choose to take root and grow. Apparently, when the soil gets disturbed in spaces in which these seed banks reside, the scrub lupine is known to come back aggressively. It’s good to know that this herb is a fighter! Sadly, it is hard to locate the seeds even during vegetative surveys. We will probably just have to keep hoping that man will stir up those seed banks well enough to allow some fresh, open, sunny sand, to produce the scrub lupines just waiting to grow there!² Resources: ¹Unique to Florida: https://www.fws.gov/endangered/map/state/ FL.html ²Fish and Wildlife Service: https://www.fws.gov/verobeach/MSRPPDFs/ScrubLupine.PDF ³Oxford Dictionaries: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ raceme Photo Credits: Ridgeboy (2008) - Lupine - https://flic.kr/p/4nMPBE Florida Fish and Wildlife (2010) - Bee Approaches Endangered Plant - https://flic.kr/p/ebDdmW B A Bowen Photography (2010) – Lupine (not in bloom) - https:// flic.kr/p/7DYH1f

As is generally the case with the endangered and threatened species 28

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Advance Tickets On Sale Now! • FLstrawberryfestival.com

March 2 –12, 2017 • Plant City, FL Artists Appearing on the

Soundstage:

Drifters, Platters & Cornell Gunter’s Coasters

for KING & COUNTRY

Thu. Mar. 2, 3:30 $15 & $20

Willie Nelson and Family

Kip Moore

Fri. Mar. 3, 7:30 $35 Fri. Mar. 3, 3:30 $40

Kane Brown

Sat. Mar. 4, 3:30 $25

Thu. Mar. 2, 7:30 $25

3 Doors Down

Little Big Town

Clare Bowen/Charles Esten

Sat. Mar. 4, 7:30 $35

Sun. Mar. 5, 7:30 $45

Sun. Mar. 5, 3:30 $25

#berryfest17

The Bellamy Brothers Mon. Mar. 6, 3:30 $15 & $20

Jennifer Nettles Mon. Mar. 6, 7:30 $35

The Oak Ridge Boys Thu. Mar. 9, 3:30 $15 & $20

Patti LaBelle

Sat. Mar. 11, 7:30 $40

Joe Nichols

Sun. Mar. 12, 3:30 $20

Brenda Lee

NEEDTOBREATHE

Tues. Mar. 7, 3:30 $15 & $20

The Blues Brothers Thu. Mar. 9, 7:30 $35

Tues. Mar. 7, 7:30 $25 & $30

Tracy Byrd

Wed. Mar. 8, 3:30 $15 & $20

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers

Rascal Flatts “RHYTHM & ROOTS” Tour

Fri. Mar. 10, 3:30 $15 & $20

Scotty McCreery Wed. Mar. 8, 7:30 $25 & $30

Elle King

Fri. Mar. 10, 7:30 $20

Visit FLstrawberryfestival.com or call 813-754-1996 and get your tickets for the best seats available!

Sun. Mar. 12, 7:30 $50

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Sat. Mar. 11, 3:30 $25

Free Grandstand

3:30 & 7:30pm Seating is on a first come, first seated basis.

Concert dates and times are subject to change

•Candyland Warehouse•Stingray Chevrolet•Mosaic•Alessi Bakery•AMSCOT•Astin Farms•DIRECTV•Verizon Wireless•Florida Blue • Wyndham Vacation Resorts•Netterfield’s Concessions•Southern Ford Dealers•Global Frequency Technology•Images Everywhere!

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

29

By Jack Payne

Above Photo Left to right: Jack Payne speaks with Saqib Mukhtar, UF/IFAS Associate Dean for Extension, and Francisco P. Rivera, the new small farms agent for UF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension, at the Florida Ag Expo at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.

A Science Extravaganza A decade ago, tomato grower Tony DiMare suggested that the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) put on a science extravaganza. The Florida Ag Expo seems to have grown every year since.

The Expo is a model for how the Gulf Coast REC and the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences serve growers and invests in their future.

That’s why I brought my entire administrative team from across the state to the Expo this year. It included the other 11 research and education center directors who are the counterparts of GCREC Director Jack Rechcigl, academic department heads from Gainesville, and the deans.

Investing in growers’ future is why we built GCREC. It’s why we cut the ribbon on an expansion at last year’s Expo. It’s why Vance Whitaker is now getting four new greenhouses for his strawberry breeding program.

It’s why, in just over a decade, the GCREC has grown from a staff of 75 to a team of 160 people.

It’s why we have even more agricultural agents in our Extension service than we did when the center opened in Wimauma. It’s why we moved fast to hire new lecturers this fall in Plant City when we lost our previous instructors to retirement and other opportunities.

It’s why we’re bringing on an Extension scientist specializing in blueberries. That expert will be based at GCREC! Our Horticultural Sciences Chair, Kevin Folta, will be providing significant support for this new position. It’s Kevin’s vision to build the same capacity in blueberries that we now have in strawberries – a complete team of entomologists, pathologists, Exten-

sion specialists, postharvest experts, breeders, molecular biologists, and genomics experts.

And our commitment to growers is why our research and Extension faculty are testing a phone app to help you decide when to water berries in a commercial field setting – and when not to.

This area is one of those special places where we see the battle for the future of agriculture in Florida playing out.

And that’s why we keep bringing in new expertise. Why we are investing in GCREC. Why we invest in the search for solutions to growers’ challenges.

It’s why UF/IFAS and GCREC have recently made Dr. Seonghee Lee a permanent member of our faculty. Kenneth Parker and the Florida Strawberry Growers Association had paid for us to bring him on board temporarily. He’ll use genomics to help Vance accelerate the search for the best berries.

Imagine if Florida growers had strawberry varieties with the flavor of Sweet Sensation but twice the early yield when growers are making $20 a flat, not $5 a flat.

And Vance’s new greenhouses should be ready by the time this goes to press. Again, thanks to Kenneth and the Florida Strawberry Growers Association for their support in helping us fund their construction.

And how about Shinsuke Agehara? I think we should call him “Dr. Plan B.” Already he’s developed locally grown hops that are being used by 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Pete.

And Shinsuke is working on pomegranates, artichokes, and blackberries, too.

Agehara, Hutton, Whitaker, and the two Lees. This is some of what I see as I decide where to invest IFAS resources. GCREC continues to get strong support from IFAS because it serves its stakeholders so effectively.

Whatever the future of production agriculture is here, it will have to involve science.

That’s why together we continue to invest in scientific research, Extension and teaching.

And that’s why we need your continued support. Please tell your legislators how important IFAS research and Extension is to your farms, and to your future.

That future might mean better varieties. It might mean GMOs. It might mean having a better handle on your consumers. It might mean growing stuff you haven’t grown before.

One thing we know about the future is IFAS will continue investing in you, serving you.

You can expect great things from IFAS!

We just hired a second Dr. Lee – Tong Geon Lee -- to help Sam Hutton speed his development of a tomato that can be mechanically harvested. This Dr. Lee specializes in the genomics and bioinformatics of the tomato.

The DiMares and the Florida Tomato Committee have been great partners in supporting Sam’s work, too.

Jack Jack Payne Payneisis the the senior senior vice vice president president of of agriculture agriculture and and natural natural resources resources at at the the University University of Florida’s Florida’sInstitute Instituteof ofFood Foodand andAgricultural AgriculturalSciences.

Sciences.jackpayne@ufl.edu jackpayne@ufl.edu••@JackPayneIFAS @JackPayneIFAS 30

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Florida

Endive

By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science As the weather cools down in Florida, more leafy greens are coming into season. The endive is like a sophisticated lettuce, which adds flavor and texture to any salad. Unlike lettuce, endive does not form a head and is far more flavorful. Endive grows only in cool weather and its peak season is December through March. Some types have broad leaves, called escarole, while other types have narrow, ruffled leaves that are referred to as frisee. Chicory is another common name for this vegetable that is popular in the Mediterranean. The names are interchangeable in different parts of the world, but generally refer to this class of hearty, flavorful salad greens. Florida endive is different from Belgian endive, which is actually the young blanched sprout of the chicory plant.

NUTRITION

Calorie for calorie, endive is one of the most nutrient foods that exists. For very few calories, the green leafy vegetable is packed with a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. According to the USDA database, a 3.5 oz serving (100g, or roughly 2 cups) of raw endive leaves contains 17 calories, 3.4 grams of carbohydrates, 3.1 grams of fiber, 1.3 grams of protein, and 0.2 grams of fat. Additionally, a single serving contains 289% of your daily requirements for vitamin K, 43% for vitamin A, 36% for folate, 20% for manganese, and a significant amount of zinc, vitamin C, potassium, thiamin, calcium, magnesium, and iron. This means that for less than 20 calories and a delicious addition to your salad, you can go a long way meeting your vitamin and mineral requirements for the whole day.

VITAMIN K

Vitamin K is best known for its role in helping blood clot properly, known as coagulation. A vitamin K deficiency can lead to excessive bleeding. Additionally, this vitamin plays an important role in bone health. Vitamin K is associated with greater bone density, while lower levels are associated with osteoporosis and bone fractures. A single serving of fresh Florida endive provides almost 300% of your daily vitamin K needs!

MANGANESE

This mineral is present in small amounts in the body but is necessary for a variety of different functions. It helps the body form bones, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

blood clotting factors, connective tissue, and sex hormones. Manganese is necessary for nerve function. Additionally, this mineral is involved in fat and carbohydrate metabolism and regulation of blood sugar. Manganese is found in leafy green vegetables like endive, as well as whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

POTASSIUM

Potassium is both a mineral and electrolyte that is necessary for proper function of all cells, tissues, and organs in the human body.

As an electrolyte, along with sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium, potassium is crucial to heart function and conducting electrical impulses in the heart and throughout the body. It plays a key role in skeletal and smooth muscle contraction, which in turn, makes it important for normal digestive and muscular function. Higher potassium intake from fruits and vegetables has been linked with lower blood pressure, better heart health, and stronger bones.

HOW TO SELECT & STORE

Choose fresh Florida endive with crisp, perky leaves that are free of wet or yellow spots. Avoid any with wilted leaves. Fresh endive can be stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag for up to one week.

HOW TO ENJOY

The crisp, refreshing leaves of the endive are best enjoyed raw in a salad. It’s bold, slightly bitter flavor complements sweet lettuces and dressing. The leaves can also be lightly blanched or sautéed in olive oil for a delicious side dish. Other ways to enjoy endive include: • Brush leaves with oil and grill • Add to soups and stews • Lightly braise sauté with garlic and balsamic vinegar • Use to top sandwiches instead of lettuce • Mix into a salad with nuts and fruit, such as apples, pears, or persimmons Enjoy fresh Florida endive in its peak season today!

REFERENCES

http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/ https://www.uaex.edu/publications/ http://www.umm.edu INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

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Continued from Pg. 25

point shows sponsored by the Florida Cattlemen’s Association. In 2014 she received the Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s Premier Brangus Female award. Additionally, at the National Jr. Brangus show in Bryan, Texas, Allyson won Grand Champion Female and placed sixth in Senior Showmanship. These are two amazing feats for a senior to accomplish at the national level. Allyson has exhibited her purebred registered Brangus cattle across the United States, including Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, and Mississippi. The opportunities Allyson has had to exhibit cattle across the United States led her to participate as a member on the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association (IJBBA) Board of Directors. Allyson has held many leadership positions in the organization such as Secretary and Vice-President. This year Allyson is proud to serve as the IBBA Queen and Source of Champion (SOC) Chairwoman. As part of the International Junior Brangus Breeders Association Board, Allyson is able to travel with other board members, network with other producers and breeders, assist with and run point shows, along with marketing the Brangus breed of cattle. Another responsibility of IJBBA members is to plan and run the Legacy of Leadership Conference, and the National Jr. Brangus Show for youth cattle exhibitors. Allyson is currently completing her final semester at Hillsborough Community College and will transfer to the University of Florida’s Plant City campus in January where she plans to complete a degree

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in Agriculture Education/Communication & Leadership Development. She is engaged to John Sapp, who is also an active participant in promoting the Rocking 3P Ranch and purebred registered Brangus cattle.

Youngest daughter of Rick and Debbie, Cassidy, has had the opportunity to watch and learn from her older sisters.

Cassidy is a senior at Families of Faith Christian Academy and will graduate in the spring. Cassidy began showing cattle at a young age and has also been a member of 4-H for many years. She has had many successes throughout her show career and has also exhibited her cattle across the United States. Just this past show season Cassidy was awarded Supreme Bull at the Florida Strawberry Festival, 2016 Florida Cattlemen’s Association’s Premier Brangus Bull, and Reserve Grand Champion Bull at the National Jr. Brangus Show. Cassidy and her award winning bull also graced the cover of the September 2016 Florida Cattlemen’s Livestock Journal, along with the year’s other Premier Brangus award winners. Cassidy is in her first year serving on the IJBBA Board of Directors and is an active participant in their activities. After graduation Cassidy plans to attend Hillsborough Community College to earn an Associate’s degree, then transfer to the University of Florida’s Plant City campus to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness & Marketing. Cassidy explains, “The reason we still are able to do what we love is because of God.

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We have had a little rough time trying to find our own place, but what has really kept us going is having faith in God and knowing that everything is going to be okay. On our Rocking 3P t-shirts we have ‘Let Your Faith in God Be Bigger than Your Fears’ and that is something that we have learned and are still learning. But we owe all of our success to God.” As the Polston family looks to the future, they plan to one day leave urban living behind and purchase property to house the family and their herd. The Polston family has already established the knowledge, experience, and understanding of the cattle producers’ way of life, despite the challenges they faced. Through successfully raising many premier purebred registered Brangus cattle, the Polston family looks forward to creating a legacy that can be carried down through the next generation, and those that follow.

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NEWS FROM WARNER UNIVERSITY New President, Ag Studies Progress

By Jim Frankowiak

Dr. David Hoag became the third president at Warner University, a 48-year-old institution, during his inauguration in early November that was attended by more than 1,000 students, faculty, staff and dignitaries.

Keynote speaker at the celebration was University of Florida President Dr. Kent Fuchs. “The University has indeed chosen the right man for the future; he indeed is a servant and he indeed leads,” said Dr. Fuchs about Dr. Hoag. He was selected by an eight-member committee aided by an executive search firm at the end of a two-year search.

“Dr. David Hoag embodies what the Warner University community desires and deserves in a President,” said Robert Quam, the Chairman of Warner’s Board of Trustees. “His spiritual leadership, strong moral character, quality family life, depth of experience in higher education and calm temperament are a perfect fit for the ethos of our campus community. Dr. Hoag is poised to build on a foundation laid by our two previous presidents.”

“I pledge to you the best years before me as the third president of Warner University and I will commit to you that I will build on the foundation of the others who have gone before me,” said Dr. Hoag in his inaugural remarks. “To God be the Glory, through Faith and Faithfulness!”

His fun personality was reflected as he said, “After being blessed so much today, I don’t know what else to say except my name is David Hoag and I approve that message.”

Dr. Hoag came to Warner from Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois where he had held the position of Senior Vice Presi34

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dent, University Advancement. He holds a doctorate in Higher Education from St. Louis University, a Master of Science from the University of Kentucky and a Bachelor of Science from Asbury University, as well as Certificate of Achievement from Indiana University Center on Philanthropy Fundraising School.

Dr. Hoag is married to Joanna, whom he met in college, and they have been married for 30 years. They have two daughters: Jamie Sanfilippo (Ryan) and Joni Stanick (Scott), who are both married.

This fall Warner’s Agricultural Studies program began its fifth year with 65 students from across Florida and continues to grow and diversify. The program is predominantly male with men representing 70 percent of its enrollment. Students originate primarily from Polk, Highlands, Hillsborough and Hardee counties with several also from north and south Florida.

Last April, nine seniors graduated from the Ag Studies program and they represented the first official, four-year students to graduate from the program. There are 15 program graduates in all and each is either working in the agriculture industry in production or sales while several have gone on to graduate school at Auburn University and University of Florida.

The Warner Ag Studies program has benefitted substantially from several grants. A gift from Homer and Annette Thompson permitted the University to fully fund three events: participation in the National FFA Convention, a Secondary Ag Teacher In-Service Day and a 2017 Summer Ag Camp. Those grants also included travel costs.

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travel and trade show expenses at the National FFA Conventions, giving students a unique experience and raising awareness of Warner and its Ag Studies program among the thousands of FFA members who attend the convention. Five Warner students who attended the convention at Indianapolis received their American FFA degree, the highest honor bestowed on an FFA member. The five are: Krystal Dombroski, Moriah McCullers, Maegan Meredith, Keri Greenwood and Cole Newman.

The Produce Marketing Association’s Career Pathways Program enabled five Warner students to attend the Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association Convention where they were given the opportunity to learn more about the fresh produce industry.

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In addition to a Collegiate FFA Chapter, Warner now offers membership in a Collegiate Farm Bureau Chapter and a Collegiate Cattlemen’s Association.

Founded in 1968 by the Southeastern Association of the Church of God, Warner University is a co-educational, Christian university in the liberal arts tradition. The campus is located five miles south of Lake Wales, Florida. The university has as its mission “to graduate individuals who exemplify academic excellence and Christian character, who are prepared to lead and committed to serve.”

More information about Warner University is available by visiting: www.warner.edu.

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Farming in Antarctica?

Farming in Antarctica? Well, no, not really. It’s way too cold and frozen for that.

It’s an amazing place, though, unlike any other on the planet.

Not merely frozen water, it’s land mass is so large it alone comprises the Earth’s 7th continent which made it a destination long ago when we decided to visit them all.

Just getting there can be a difficult journey. It starts with an all night flight to Buenos Aires, Argentina. Then there’s the half day plane ride to the very tip end of South America and the historic place of Ushuaia, which bills itself as the “End of the World.”

Ushuaia is where expeditions were organized and headed to the South Pole. It was also frequented by Charles Darwin on his way to the Galapagos where he postulated evolution. The body of water through which expeditions sail from Ushuaia is named after Darwin’s own ship, the HMS Beagle.

To get to Antarctica from Ushuaia, we boarded the Ocean Endeavour along with 196 passengers and followed the same route through the Beagle Channel, south by Cape Horn and into the crazy waters of the Drake Passage and the Southern Ocean, which separates Antarctica from the rest of the world.

The Drake Passage has a notorious reputation for being ridiculously rough. The oceans of the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern all collide with each other and the seas have been known to toss boats about in waters reaching waves cresting at 60 feet!

It’s a two day passage each way, both going and returning home. We were lucky with waves that swelled only to a height of 20-25 feet, still more than enough to toss around people and things all over the boat.

The best spot for refuge was in bed, hoping to sleep, but settling with an attempt simply to read.

Finally the seas began to smooth and we knew we had arrived when we saw the first of many icebergs floating gently by. Onward we sailed through ice choked passages since it was land that we were determined to set foot on.

Actually getting to shore involved still another mode of transportation. After all, in this uninhabited land there are no piers for our ship to dock. Anchored in a bay of seemingly more ice than water, we eagerly climbed into rubberized zodiacs and sped to the shore, which was a mix of rocks and yet even more ice.

by John Dicks

give it a taste.

It’s salty, of course, but astonishingly pure once the first lick of sea water is gone and the clean, clear ice is savored. Members of the crew snagged larger chunks, carrying them back to the boat to be later served with beverages.

Finally ashore the only transportation available was of the human kind and we trudged along.

Hiking through frozenness with the goal of a hill to crest revealed a startling view of the void of life. In all directions there is nothing before you but snow and ice and mountains.

The beauty comes strangely into focus with the strikingly stark realization that you are staring at millions of acres, which have never felt the presence of another human being.

It’s strange to visit a land where there are no people. Granted there are a few hearty folks based in research stations scattered around the continent, but nobody really lives there.

There are no indigenous people. Even polar bears never made it a home. They’re only in the Arctic, near Santa and the North Pole.

The home of the South Pole is greatly different.

The awesome land mass that is the Antarctic is home to few species.

Sea lions seem to like it. So do whales, particularly killer whales, who enjoy the sea lions.

Mostly though the main inhabitants are penguins. There are millions of them. One island we visited had a colony of an estimated 250,000!

International guidelines, which we happily followed, suggest that you stay at least 15 feet away. Penguins, though, have no such restrictions and seem even more curious than humans. Constantly one or two would waddle up to inspect us, stare and squawk, more out of greeting than of fright.

Penguins are loud and smelly. They’re busy, too, this time of year. It’s springtime in Antarctica, which naturally brings courting and mating and new born chicks to the colonies. Hang around them long enough and you’ll wonder where is that perfect whiteness and pristine air first noted.

Fortunately Antarctica is so vast even millions of penguins can’t spoil the beauty and purity of the place. Somehow that seems as though it should be.

Of course zodiacs don’t actually land, which means the last few steps involved a few feet of water, estimated at about 29 degrees since sea water doesn’t freeze until it sinks to 28! The claim of waterproof boots lived up to its reputation, but regardless, you still get wet.

It’s a wicked wet, too, and more than just chilly! It’s stinging cold, though once felt it emboldens you to splash a bit and grab a small slab of floating ice to

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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See Our Reviews on

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Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Chef Justin Timineri

Coconut Snapper with Spinach Endive Sauté

DIRECTIONS 1. Season fillets with salt and pepper.

2. In large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.

3. Cook fillets 3 to 4 minutes per side until cooked through.

4. Remove fish from skillet and keep warm.

5. For coconut sauce, return pan to heat and cook garlic, ginger and 1/4 cup onion until tender.

6. Add coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, hot sauce and bring to a boil.

7. Lower heat and add cilantro; simmer for 5 minutes.

INGREDIENTS 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 4 (6-ounce) snapper filets 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1/2 cup diced onion, divided 1 cup canned coconut milk

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 1 head Belgian endive, thin sliced 1 (10-ounce) bag spinach, washed

8. In a separate, large skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat.

9. Sauté remaining 1/4 cup onion, endive and spinach until greens are just wilted.

10. Serve fillets with sauce over sautéed vegetables.

Strawberry Pops Ingredients • 12 Florida strawberries • 12 (4-inch) lollipop sticks or popsicle sticks or 6-inch bamboo skewers • 1 cup lightly crushed whole grain cereal • ½ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt

DIRECTIONS 1. Rinse strawberries and remove leaves.

2. Dip berry in yogurt, then in the cereal.

3. Insert sticks into the narrow end of the strawberry.

4. Serve immediately.

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Gourmet Twist On A Childhood Favorite With Chris B Treats

By Sherri Robinson

Good ideas can come from anywhere. When followed through, they become great ideas that turn into inspired work. Inspiration came for Chris Bailey a few years ago in the form of a childhood memory and comfort food. Chris B Treats was born and created a flourishing krispy rice treat and marshmallow business.

Krispy rice treats are a favorite for many of us, even as adults. Remember the first time you had one? Maybe it was with a special person making them together in the kitchen or it could have been at a church or school event. Whatever it was for you, the memory is a warm and fuzzy one and has stuck with you for years. I am no different. As I got older I enjoyed jazzing the recipe up to make more fun combinations. My favorite one was adding Reese’s Pieces to the mixture to make a pea-nutty goodness that just made my knees weak.

When working on his new idea, Chris thought, “What would make someone buy from him instead of making it themselves?” He came up with the idea to make his own marshmallows and add flavors such as Blue Cheese Buffalo to Key Lime Pie to create a unique product, the latter being one of his favorite flavors. Each batch is a “blank canvas” to which he can create a delicious masterpiece. He has approximately 25 flavors. Some are seasonal such as the Key Lime Pie. He uses the limes from his very own tree in his backyard. No need to worry about what’s in any of the treats. Only natural ingredients are used in both the crispy rice treats and marshmallows. Besides the best ingredients, it's filled with lots of love and pure enjoyment for your taste buds. For those non marshmallow lovers Chris assures that it’s worth trying his. They taste nothing like store bought and are much different than you would expect. Many of his customers are converted non marshmallow foodies. He understands that some people are not fond of the marshmallow texture so the crispy rice treats are a delicious option.

With so many flavors there is sure to be one you will love.

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Thanks to changes in legislation and the Cottage Food Law Chris is able to make his treats from home. It lessens the cost of running the business by eliminating the need to rent a store front and making modifications to accommodate baking requirements. He stated that if he had started his business any sooner working from home would not have been possible. There are still some limitations, such as not being able to sell his goods to others for resale at fundraisers.

He wishes that would change. He really likes helping people. Chris appreciates the flexibility of his business, which allows him to hold a full time job at Disney. Making treats on his own time prevents stressful pressure for year round sales. It increases the ability to create small orders as they come. He likes to make his treats right before the orders go out to give his customers maximum quality and freshness, which is very important to him. His wife samples the batches before they go out the door. If she’s happy then they are good to go.

Continued freshness is always a concern with food goods. Chris says if kept well sealed marshmallows can last up to about two months but could still be good beyond that depending on how you like it. He leaves that up to the customers. Some like it best a little bit “stale” and that’s OK too.

Hot chocolate bars are very popular at weddings and are just one example of a perfect time to order marshmallows. Chris can make one flavor in bulk and delivered in a gallon size bag that equals two to three batches (60 – 70 marshmallows). He can match the colors of the bride and groom’s clothing, too. Of course he can make several smaller batches so more color options would be available. Home parties, baby showers and practically any event would be amazing with handmade marshmallows and crispy rice treats.

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For the kid in all of us, Chris makes yummy individually wrapped crispy rice pops. Pumpkin Pie, Key Lime Pie and Chocolate Peanut Butter are a few of the pallet pleasing gourmet flavors.

To make an order contact Chris B Treats on Facebook at facebook. com\chrisbtreats. Check out the About section of his page for more info. He also posts some great photos of his work and events he has attended. Please make orders one week in advance. When placing an order, please let them know the number and flavors of the treats you would like.

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By Grady Judd, Polk County Sheriff

Be On The Alert For Rental Scams

Did you ever notice someone moving in next door, and wonder who they are?

This year so far, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has received eight (8) reports of people in the Poinciana area unlawfully entering homes and posing as “renters.” We sometimes use the word “squatters” to describe them.

The squatters change the locks, obtain utilities in their names, and if asked, are able to produce a fraudulent lease application. These squatters take possession of vacant homes, move furniture in, and are oftentimes accompanied by other family members. Thus making everything appear very legitimate. However, this is a scam! And we rely on you – our eyes and ears in the community – to alert us if you think someone is being scammed.

Typically, it takes months for the homeowner or property manager to discover someone is living in the home without his or her knowledge before it is reported to law enforcement. When questioned by law enforcement, the “renters” claim they are the victims. They tell our deputies they met the “landlord” online and paid cash for their “rental” payment. Yet, they are unable to provide us with contact information for the “landlord” to verify their story.

Though several arrests have been made, PCSO Detectives continue to investigate these types of cases. You can prevent this scam from occurring in your neighborhood by following these tips.

If you are a homeowner, be vigilant.

• When leaving your residence vacant for a long period of time, contact your utility company so they can flag the address to prevent oth42

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ers from hooking up water or electric to your property.

• Ensure doors and windows are securely locked.

• Install a security alarm system that is monitored 24/7. o If the alarm is activated, law enforcement will be notified and can respond quickly to investigate suspicious activity.

• Have a trusted neighbor or local family member check on your home and provide you with a status update regularly. o Encourage them to report suspicious activity and persons at the home to law enforcement immediately and then, notify you as well. o Be sure to provide them with your emergency contact information.

If searching for a rental property online, do your homework first.

• If possible, visit the property in person. o Check for rental or sale signs in the front yard.

• Conduct additional searches online by entering the property’s address to determine if it is listed as a rental property on other websites.

• Ask for the landlord’s identification – document their full name, home address, email address, and phone number. o Verify the landlord works for a legitimate management company, they own the property, or they represent the owner of the house.

• Pay with a cashier’s check or money order. o Avoid paying with cash or pre-paid credit cards. o Always get a receipt.

If you suspect a squatter is moving into a vacant home or already resides in your neighborhood, please do not attempt to make contact with them. Instead, contact local law enforcement immediately to report your suspicions. With your help, we can eliminate scams in your community.

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Naturally A Closer Look Amazing Activities

by Sean Green

Glass Rock Candle Holder If you are anything like me, you have a small collection of jars that no longer have a lid. Jars such as these are often repurposed for holding pens and pencils, flower petals, and tiny knick knacks that have no other home. This month’s project is simple enough for children (supervised), and results in a beautiful candle holder that would make a great handmade gift or unique decoration for the home. The example we have provided uses only one color of glass rocks, but experimenting with multiple colors is encouraged. In addition to using a variety of colors, why not combine this project with the concepts in last month’s Petroglyph project and carve a design in the glass rocks for surprisingly endless possibilities.

Materials:

Glass Jar (2 ½ - 3” diameter or larger) Glass Rock (or anything translucent) Hot Glue Gun (high temperature glue sticks) Tea light Candle Rotary Cutter (if carving rocks) Clean the jar well with dishwashing detergent and dry thoroughly.

Put a small dab of hot glue no bigger than a small raindrop (1mm or 2 mm). Press the glass stone onto the jar to cover as much of the jar as possible using either a random or symmetrical pattern.

Caution:

Low temperature glue guns heat to about 248 °F to melt the glue.

High temperature glue guns range between 350-400 °F Low temperature glue is commonly used for this project without a problem so long as the diameter of the glass jar is large enough to prevent the candle from heating the glass jar too much. We suggest using high temperature glue if possible; not only as an added safety precaution, but the high temperature glue has a stronger bond.

813-767-4703 301 South Collins Street, Suite 101, Plant City, Florida 33563

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P ortrait Ph o tograp h er Spe c ializ ing in H igh Sc hool Se niors

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A Closer Look

by Sean Green

Imperial Moths (Eacles imperialis)

For many of us there are certain animals and insects that are associated with prominent experiences that become lifetime memories.

Our graphic artist found a small treasure among the falling leaves in the crisp mountains of North Georgia last month. The find appears to be the pupa of a species of moth in the Saturniidae family, which include the largest moths in the world. The pupa itself measures no more than 6 or 7 mm but the moth curled inside will eventually emerge to unfold its glorious wings to over 150mm. Although these moths are common in North America, they can only be found in very specific environments and circumstances. Let’s take a closer look at what this funny looking pupa is all about! I hope you too will become as fascinated with this tiny natural treasure that symbolizes transformation into new beginnings that we can all embrace as the new year approaches.

The Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis) can be found throughout the Southeast, westward to Nebraska and parts of Texas and northward to New England. Northern populations are diminishing with the wide spread use of insecticides and the introduction of insect parasitoids and predators that were intended to eradicate the Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar). For most of North America, the Imperial Moth produces only one generation of offspring per year. In the Northern states, adults fly from June to August. In Florida and some neighboring southern states however, adult Imperial Moths are reported to emerge in both the springtime and late summer months and are common from April to as late as October. Caterpillars are active in the southern states as early as July and continue through October to pupate as late as November and December.

The Imperial Moth goes through five instars (stages) before pupating and dramatic changes in physical appearance are notable with each instar. After hatching from an egg, the first instar caterpillar are colored bright red and are adorned with long black fleshy protrusions tipped with a thin white hair. These protrusions, called scoli are an example of Batesian mimicry, in which the harmless Imperial Moth caterpillar imitates or mimics the warning colors or characteristics of a harmful species, bright contrasting colors like red and black are common warning colors of harmful insects. The second and third WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM

instar of the Imperial Moth are characterized by a darkening of coloration from a bright red to shades of darker brown that help the caterpillar camouflage against the bark of a host tree, of which it has many, but predominately conifers and deciduous trees. By the forth instar, the scoli that were prominent at birth appear as lumps of flesh with a much smaller protrusion covered in tiny hairs, color variations begin to occur and range in shades of brown, burgundy, and green.

Studies of Northern reared specimens suggest that the color variation is dependent on the maturity of the caterpillar and the selection of a host plant. The fifth and final instar is the most spectacularly colored and the caterpillar’s appetite becomes seemingly insatiable as it stores fat for pupation.

When it’s time for the Imperial Moth to pupate, the mature caterpillar strays from the host plant to find a patch of loose soil to burrow into for pupation. Regardless of the coloration of the caterpillar, the pupa will be dark brown with a rough texture. The rear end will become the moth’s abdomen and has a pointy tip that helps the pupa dig back up through the soil after overwintering to complete its metamorphosis into an adult moth ready to emerge. If the pupa is disturbed during this stage it becomes very active and thrashes its rear end around in a defensive motion though it has no real means of attacking a predator. These small treasures of the forest bring back fond memories for me. I was fascinated with the way they wiggled the first time I found one. This species is a terrific specimen for a classroom project, the pupa will have no need for food during the metamorphosis process and with careful planning the process of metamorphosis can be recorded or perhaps observed. In the wild, adults emerge before sunrise and mate after midnight the following day. Adult Imperial Moths are one of North America’s largest moths and are noted as having the greatest color variation of any other species. The color variation helps the moth camouflage with patterns that may resemble fallen leaves or tree bark. If you take a closer look around the trees this month, you may find an adult resting among the fallen leaves or on the bark of a tree. You may be surprised at how often these treasures are overlooked in plain sight.

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ANIMALS & NEEDS ANIMAL & BIRDCAGES

Equipment serving the fur bearing animal & exotic bird industry! Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot. (813) 752-2230. Call Don Ammerman. www.ammermans.com July 17, 2016, Nov. 27, 2016

1739EHL Tractor w/ loader. 138 hours, 4x4, 39hp, hst. Warranty!! $18,250 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

NEW HOLLAND TC40D

2004 4X4 40hp. HST Transmission. $8,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

FMC 352

Air Blast Sprayer. Good condition. $3,500.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available IMMEDIATELY! Call Tim Ford (863) 439-3232

DELIVERY DRIVER NEEDED

For tractors and agriculture equipment.

CDL class “A” license required. Pay based on skill and experience. Call Alvie @ Grove Equipment. 813-759-8722

LAWN EQUIPMENT/ SUPPLIES BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR

Zero Turn Mower 52” cut, 23hp. Kohler engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

7X15 LAWN TRAILER

CATTLE FOR SALE

26 producing Angus/SimAngus cows / exposed to bulls. 2 Angus bulls / SS Objective sire. 16 ft WW Gooseneck stock trailer. Losing lease / Must Move. Make offer on group.

863-667-4828

ROUND BALES

Pangola Hay Call Dale 863-229-9876 or John 407-448-5608

Used Lawn Trailer with aluminum plate tool BRAND NEW HUSTLER X1 box. 5ft tongue & heavy duty gate. $1,650 Call 60” cut price was $10,356 buy now for $8,800. Call Alvie 813-759-8722 Alvie 813-759-8722

2015 MAHINDRA EMAX TRACTOR 4wd with 60” mid mount mower. 39 hours, warranty. $9,950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

FOR RENT

BUILDING SUPPLIES METAL ROOFING

Thousands of 8ft. & 10ft. sheets. In Stock.

Prices from $6 and up. Custom lengths available. 813-752-7088 ask for Ferris.

Millcreek Pine Bark Row Mullcher.

For blueberry farms, six yard, PTO drive need at least a 30hp tractor. Call 863-604-2526 for rental details.

PRODUCE

FRESH PRODUCE

Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17.

Come out and see us!

REAL ESTATE METAL WAREHOUSE

3200 sq. ft. Metal warehouse for lease.

Located in E. Bartow off of highway 60.

For more information call 863-221-0986

ALUMINUM

We have all your aluminum needs!

Screen Room, carports & awnings.

Call Blake (813) 752-3378

WINDOW SCREENS

We make window screens of all sizes available in different frame colors.

Call Ted(813) 752-3378

HESSTON 3710 TEDDER

Priced to sale. Call Alvie 813-759-8722

CABINETS

ROSSI CADDY 8 HAY RAKE Call Alvie 813-759-8722

T-111

KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES

All wood kitchen cabinets. All wood vanities.

Granite counter tops. Custom made to your size.

Call Blake 813-752-3378

Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG Box STORES! Call Today!

Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378

4X8 sheets 4” on center. $26.95 Call Blake 813-752-3378

MOBILE HOME TUBS

Metal brand new in bo 54” Mobile Home Tubs Call Ted (813) 752-3378 $199.00

CALL FOR A WINDOW QUOTE. We are a Simonton/MI Windows dealer. Our windows are energy star, lifetime warranty.

Call Broke & Poor 813-752-3378

FARM EQUIPMENT TAYLOR WAY TILLER DISC Plow - good condition. $1750.00 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MITSUBISHI MT3501D

Tractor w/ loader, 4x4, 35hp. $3,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MAHINDRA 2015

Tractor w/ Loader, 4' rotary cutter, 4x4, 20hp. $8,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

FOR SALE

DOORS & WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & Mobile Home.

Many standard sizes in stock.

Ask for Blake. (813) 752-3378

FOR SALE

17 acre blueberry farm, turn-key operation.

Located near hwy 98 & 54. Polk & Pasco line. Over 24,000 plants, 12” well. equipment, everything you need. $285,000 Call 863-604-2526 or 863-689-5458

SERVICES CALLER ON HOLD

A low cost service that enables you to communicate important information about your business to customers while they are on hold. No monthly payments or annual payments. Call today and ask for Al (813) 763-2220

MISC.

JOBS GROVE EQUIPMENT SERVICE

is looking for agriculture/tractor mechanics at both the Bartow & Plant City locations. Having own tools is a plus. Pay based on skill and experience. Call Bartow at 863-537-1345 or Plant City at 813-759-8722

Now Hiring Experienced Barn Builders” 813-754-1766 HAVE SOMETHING TO SELL?

Call us today! 813-759-6909 or email us: info@inthefieldmagazine.com Let us help you get rid of it!

December 2016

FREE

Wooden Shipping Pallets All sizes! Call Alvie 813-759-8722

RUBBER MULCH

All Colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted (813) 752-3378

Plant City U-Pick Citrus

Sugarbells + Tangelo Oranges Fri & Sat. After 4pm 210 Knights Griffin Rd. 33565 (813)967-3170

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE

December 2016

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