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Contents
VOL. 10 • ISSUE 9
SOUTHSIDE STORES
Getting Better with Age Page
66
Cover Photo by Stephanie Humphrey
History of Plant City Agriculture Book Project
Page 10
Business Up Front
Page 15
Fishing Hot Spots
Page 18
Rocking Chair Chatter
Page 22
Citrus Greening
Page 24
Disaster Response Mobile Assistance Center Bus
Page 25 Dry Creek
Page 26 Dover Alfalfa
Page 28
Joining Forces to End Hunger
Page 32
Newsome FFA
Page 33
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Florida Spanish Lime
Page 35
Agriculture Breakfast
Page 38
Strawberry monitoring system
Page 42
AGritech 2014
Page 46 Recipes
Page 50 Stable Connections
Page 52
Hillsborough County Fair
Page 53
The Extension Evolution
Page 56
90 Years of Volunteerism
Page 57
Soil and Water Conservation
Fruit & Vegetables Growers at Florida AG Expo
Page 61
Meet the Minks
Page 64
Recycled Yard Art Contest
Page 70
Market Watch - Farmers Wanted
Page 74
Exetension Centennial Celebration zvPage 80 Naturally Amazing: Fungi Carving
Page 84
A Closer look: Zombie Ants
Page 85
Mission Manatee
Page 94
Page 60
September 2014
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Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt Editor-In-Chief Al Berry Editor Patsy Berry This year, 2014, marks the 100th year of the signing of the Smith Lever Act. This established the Cooperative Extension Service, a unique educational partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the nation’s land grant universities that extends research-based knowledge through a state-by-state network of extension educators. When the Cooperative Extension was officially established by the U.S. Congress in 1914, 4-H became an official part of the organization. By the mid 1920s, 4-H was well on its way to becoming a significant program for youth. For those of you who don’t know me, I grew up in rural Kentucky. I went to an elementary school, one room per grade, no changing rooms for classes, eight classrooms for eight grades. My high school was a “county” school, which simply meant that those of us lucky enough to live where we couldn’t see the lights of a town, rode the bus for at least an hour to get to the school. The 4-H program in that area wasn’t as extensive as it is now, but I did speeches and demonstrations for years. And although I was lucky enough to live on a farm, 4-H isn’t just for farm/ranch kids, it is for all youth, including those in suburbs and cities! The variety of projects to participate in is staggering! The 4-H pledge is as follows:
Office Manager Bob Hughens 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 Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Libby Hopkins Contributing Writers Woody Gore Les McDowell
I pledge my head to clearer thinking, My heart to greater loyalty, My hands to larger service, and My health to better living, For my club, my community, my country and my world.
Sarah
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The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. _ Numbers 6:25
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ABC Pizza...................................................91 Acadian Seaplants limited.....................34 Ag Technologies.......................................41 Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers.............44 Alan’s Air Conditioning Service............37 All World Lift Truck Co. LLC................98 Aquarius Water Refining........................83 Arrowhead Archery................................30 Astin Strawberry Exchange...................91 Bankers South Group............................76 Bill’s Transmissions.................................78 Bingham....................................................93 Brandon Auto Services, Inc...................44 Brewington’s Towing & Recovery.........16 Broke & Poor...........................................45 Carl Hinson...............................................86 Cameron Financial Service....................21 Cecil Breeding Farm...............................48 Certis USA................................................99 Chad Jones..............................................29 Choo Choo Lawn Care.........................101 Country Village.......................................40 Cresecent Jewelers................................95
Dad’s Towing.....................................................36 Diamond R Fertilizer.........................................17 Dr. Barry Gaffney, O.D. PA.............................33 Dr. Pat Almerico..................................................11 Drexel Chemical Co.........................................54 East Coast Ag Products, Inc............................81 Everglades Farm Equipment........................104 Exo Creative......................................................44 Farm Bureau Insurance-Valrico....................90 Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner............51 Farm Credit........................................................89 Felton’s.................................................................31 Fischbach Land Co............................................13 Florida Mineral, Salt & Ag Products..............13 Florida Farm Bureau.......................................63 Florida Strawberry Growers Asso.............100 Forbes Road Produce........................................14 Fran Haasch.......................................................75 Fred’s Market Restaurant................................19 Gator Ford.........................................................45 Grass Pro Shops...............................................68 Grove Equipment Service...............................49 Grove Equipment Service...............................92 Grove Equipment Service...............................97 Gulf Coast Tractor............................................73 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply..............................3 Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply............................97 Harrell’s Nursery, Inc........................................91 Haught Funeral Home......................................72 Helena Chemical-Tampa.................................69 Highland Corporation......................................23 Hillsboro Bank...................................................27 Home Protection Pest Control........................89 Hydraulic Hose & Cylinder, Inc.......................16 I-4 Power Equipment.......................................58 International Paper............................................12 Jarrett-Scott Ford..............................................2 Johnson’s Barbeque........................................89 Jon & Rosie’s Tree Farm................................91 Key Plex..............................................................88 Loetscher Auto Parts........................................83 Long Cattle company.......................................34 Malissa Crawford..............................................25 Mark Smith Excavating....................................91 Melissa Polo.......................................................96 Meryman Environmental..................................81 Mosaic..................................................................23 Nicole’s Cleaning Service................................78 Oglesby...............................................................97 Pathway BioLogic..............................................77 Patterson Companies.......................................65 Plant City Awning..............................................91 Plant City Homestyle Buffet.............................5 Plant City Tire & Auto....................................91 Platinum Bank...................................................87 R&O Pest Control...........................................103 Railroad & Industrial Fed Credit..................40 S Bar S...............................................................59 Savich & Lee Wholesale................................20 Seedway.............................................................83 South Fl Baptist Hospital..................................7 Southside Stores LLC............................55 & 79 Southwestern Produce......................................51 Stephanie Humphrey........................................84 StingRay Chevy.................................................62 Sweet Life Farms.............................................65 The Southern Barn...........................................14 Timberlane Pet Hospital & Resort......21 & 39 Trinkle,Redman,Swanson,Coton,...................69 Verti-Gro, Inc....................................................36 Walden Lake Car Wash & Service...............91 Wasabi Japanese Steak House.......................9 Wayback Burgers.............................................95 Wells Memorial..................................................82 Willie’s.................................................................81 WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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301 N. Alexander St. | Plant City
For a physician referral or more information:
(813) 443-2037 or PlantCityEmergency.org
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September 2014
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BC1403144-0614
100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121 100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121 MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Dear Readers:
A BUSY TIME FOR YOUR FARM BUREAU A BUSY TIME FOR YOUR spective backgrounds, answer questions we had received in advance and then to answer questions from the audience. FARM BUREAU
Please join me in wishing our area strawberry growers Dear Readers: the very best this season. We know and appreciate their importance to our local economy in terms of overall economic impact and employment. I sincerely hope this will Dear Readers:honored I amseason both humbled to have been be a great for each and of them. elected president of YOUR Hillsborough County
This was a good way for all in attendance to gain firsthand knowledge of the candidates and their positions on various matters, as well as for each of them to understand our priorities and issues of critical importance. That is an the challenges ourof local industry important aspect Farm Bureaupartners activitiesface thataswill never they strive to produce the high quality products change.
Bureau. All ofsome us owe a and debt of gratitude to beenour markets toursindustry are hardpartners work face as I also Farm ask that you very important upcoming I ammark both humbled honored to have thedemand. challengesThose our local dates outgoing on your calendars. The first is Thursday, October 2. That brings to mind our ongoing offer to meet with any president Danny Aprile for his years of and represent many hours of support from our elected president of YOUR Hillsborough County they strive to produce the high quality products That is the date of our Hillsborough County Farm Bureau group you may belong to for information sharing about service to Farm our organization. I promise to do my industry colleagues. We thank them and those Bureau. All of us owe a debt of gratitude to our markets demand. Those tours are hard work annualbest meeting. Plan the to attend with he your wholeforth. family. our diverseand industry and its impact on the local economy. to continue momentum carried legislators regulators who take the time to outgoing president Danny Aprile for his years of and represent many hours of support from our Each membership receives two free dinners, and additional We have members and who would learn firstseveral hand board about agriculture in volunteers our them area and service to our organization. I you promise to do my industry colleagues. Wejust thank and thoseof dinners are only $5! I look forward to seeing there. be pleased to meet and discuss about any aspect As a sixthbest generation Florida I know the how and why we need their ongoingwho awareness, to continue the farmer, momentum he carried forth. legislators and regulators take the time to agriculture with your group. Contact information is listed many challenges and opportunities all of us have help and support. first about agriculture in our area and Tuesday, November 4, is another date for your calendar. below andlearn thank youhand for your interest. thedate agriculture industry and that is anIfarmer, industry As sixth generation Florida I know how and why we need their ongoing awareness, That’sinthe of aour General Election and want to be the There’s more. ourWhitson, programhas forbeen bringing that is global. Our major challenge is to continue many challenges and opportunities all cast of us have help Ag-Venture, and support. sure that you exercise your Constitutional right and Our Executive Director, Judi nominatthe story of agriculture to children through school to produce the food our growing population must your ballot. In that regard please know thatand your board ed for the Woman of the Year in Agriculture Award of the in the agriculture industry that is anofindustry activities, is goingmore. on of and we will again partici-for bringing havehas while the devoted to farming continue directors been actively involved in this election, just Florida Department Agriculture andbe Consumers SerThere’s Ag-Venture, our program that islands global. Our major challenge is toas continue pating in Farm City Days through which we bring diminish. The good thing is that the market it is intoevery election. We encourage elected officials and vices. I could go on at great length with many reasons why the story of agriculture to children through school to produce the food our growing population must those for seeking public to us so Our we can get tocontinue “Miss Judi” is mostisdeserving, but Iwe won’t. I will be justparticisay the story of agriculture to our living in our products continues towith expand. task activities, going onfriends and will again have office while themeet lands devoted to farming know isthem andtothey can come to understand what is imwe are most fortunate to have her working with us, and I Tampa. to effectively meet those dual challenges while pating in Farm City Days through which we bring diminish. The good thing is that the market portant to us. Supervisor of Elections CraigI am Latimer has encourage you to send emails of support for her nominaprotecting our precious environment. confident the story of agriculture to our friends living in for our products continues to expand. Our task an excellent with any information you may need tion to ifCheryl.Flood@FreshFromFlorida.com. Ms. Flood Lastly, you are not a member of our Farm Bureau we are website upistotothat task and I look forward to helping Tampa. effectively meet those dual challenges while aboutuscandidates, polling locations and other matters. is Director of External Affairs for Commissioner family, please join us. It isn’t necessary that you be aAdam all do our part to our assure that we do so. protecting precious environment. I am confident That site is: http//votehillsborough.org. Putnam and she welcomes expressions of support – the farmer or Lastly, rancherif to join. Please visit you are not a member of our Farm Bureau we are up to that task and I look forward to helping sooner, the better. http:// hcfarmbureau.org Let me also tell you about the other new officers or call 813/685-9121 forthat you be a family, please join us. It isn’t necessary us all do our part to assure we do so. Our board of directors recently met withthat Hillsborough elected by your board last month. They are: more information. farmer rancher toitjoin. visitfor you to County School Superintendent Mary Ellen Elia. I know Lastly, I want to or remind you, isn’t Please necessary President Will Womack, you allVice recognize the importance ofTreasurer education andWood, just be a farmer or rancher to belong to Bureau. In ad-for http:// hcfarmbureau.org Let me also tell you about the Ray other newasofficers or Farm call 813/685-9121 Secretary Michelle and Member-AtI am honored to be yourindustry president andhelping important is theelected ongoing need offer students courses ditionagain, to more supporting our important and byWilliamson yourto board last month. They in are: Once information. Large Bill Burnette. My thanks to each of them and my very best to you and your family. agricultural education. I assure you Ms. Elia appreciates to assure our future, Farm Bureau membership for your Vice President Will Womack, Treasurer Ray Wood, and understands ourtheir position on education and Ag educafamily brings its own rewards. If you haven’t checked outand our boardSecretary for willingness to serve. Michelle Williamson and Member-AtOnce again, I am honored to be your president tion, in particular. the benefits of belonging, please do. The modest fee assoLarge Bill Burnette. My thanks to each of them and my very best to you and your family. ciated with family membership in Farm Bureau is a great As I am sure of you to realize our all board for have their come willingness to serve. And that was time not all. Together with the Florida deal. Toyou, learn more, please visit: http://hcfarmbureau.org vacation is over. We are particularly busyStrawat Thank berry Farm Growers Association, we jointly hosted a forum for or call 813/685-9121 for more information. Bureau. month weyou are have completing As I This amSchool sure allBoard of comethe tothe realize Hillsborough County candidates week third of our legislative during which we take busy at vacation timetours is over. We are particularly before the primary election. This forum, which was held Sincerely, Thank you, elected and appointed officials to several of ourcanFarm This month we are completing the at the Dover offices ofBureau. the association, attracted seven agricultural businesses in this areas theygroup can see third ourdirectors legislative tours during which take Parker - President didates, a number ofofour and asolarge of we Kenneth agriculture at work, some of the best management Ag educators teaching at schools in the county.toThe sevenof our elected and appointed officials several practices been puttointo place and learn of can see candidates hadthat the have opportunity tellin usthis about their reagricultural businesses areas so they Kenneth Parker - President
Kenneth Kenneth
agriculture at work, some of the best management practices that have been put into place and learn of
Board of Directors
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Kenneth Parker, President; Will Womack, Vice-President; Ray Wood, Treasure; Michelle Williamson, Secretary; Member-at-large; Bill Burnette; Board members: Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, of Directors Glenn Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Greg Lehman,Board Erin Nesmith, Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Kenneth Parker, President;Ron Will Wetherington, Womack, Vice-President; Ray Wood, Treasure; Michelle Williamson, Secretary; and Ray Wood, Member-at-large; Bill Burnette; Board Executive members:Director Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Judi Whitson, Glenn Harrell, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Greg Lehman, Erin Nesmith, Jake Raburn, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Ron Wetherington, and Ray Wood, WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM THE FIELD M AGAZINE September 2014 INTIINN HE FIELD AGAZINE 2013 2014 W W W. I N T H EIF IE MA AZINE.COM WWW. NT HELFDIELD MGAGAZINE.COM Judi Whitson, Executive Director THE FIELDMM AGAZINE NOVEMBER September
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HISTORY CENTER BEGINS BOOK PROJECT ON HISTORY OF PLANT CITY AGRICULTURE By Plant City Photo Archives & History Center The Plant City Photo Archives & History Center, at the prompting of historian Al Berry, is undertaking a major project to produce a book about agriculture and the greater Plant City community. It will be a brief outline of the history of Plant City agriculture and include as many descriptive photographs as we can fit in. Let’s stop for a moment and think about what Plant City actually represents to many Plant Citians current and past. It is symbolic of many of the strong traditional family oriented values and a way of life that much of the world has bypassed, with little or no remembrance of what life was like in a time when TIME had a natural rhythm. It was a time of hard work and of embracing the new foal and the first shoots of the new year’s crops. Here is a reflection from the preface to Plant City; Its Origin and History. In his “Preface; An Enchantment Called Time,” John Keasler, a nationally acclaimed journalist and a native of Plant City, wrote this for the Bruton and Bailey book on the history of Plant City: “We are of a place created by a breed of seekers, of explorers, of risktakers. They were the non-timid, those Plant Citians who came here before Plant City and created the spiritual and physical atmosphere to birth Plant City: they were true pioneers. With a wagon, a family, and hope they knew how to lean into adversity, fight back, plow, save, 10
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pray, get by on next to nothing, work, fail, work harder … and in the long run make a crop, and not only survive but prevail.” In the following chapters of the book the authors detail the years of the evolutionary development of the greater Plant City area, and especially its base – agriculture. Today, agriculture is still the mainstay of the east Hillsborough area economy. The pioneers were farmers and ranchers and they were the builders of the community. They built the banks and the schools and the roads, and promoted the markets and local and regional trade. They have a fascinating story. And you have seen some of that story in the pages of In The Field. We need your help. We have some photographs and stories. But we certainly don’t have them all. We need your photos and your stories, the stories of your families and your farms and your farm businesses. Plant City is the story of immigrants, of Southern whites and blacks who moved into the area before the Civil War and after, when the times were tough on the farms and moving on was sometimes the only option. They came from Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas, and farther distant. Some came by boat but most by foot, or by carts or wagons, and later by rail. And later still they came with all their belongings in and on their dusty automobiles and trucks. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Issac Berry; early farmer in the Bealsville area, shown here in 1928
PLANT CITY AGRICULTURE We have photos of the lumber business, and naval stores, of the Warnell Lumber and Veneering Company, of okra and peppers, and cattle. We have stories of Charlie Taylor, and James Evers, of Joe McIntosh and Lew Prosser, of citrus and strawberries. There’s the Howells and Bealsville, the Future Farmers of America and the New Farmers of America, and the Farmers’ Market, and Southland Frozen Foods, and Roy Parke, and Kilgore Seed, Wishnatzki, Futch, Griffin, and many, many more. But there is still much missing. Tell us your story. Bring in or send us your photographs. We need to put this together to tell the story of agriculture and the greater Plant City area, and the people who made it great. Contact the Plant City Photo Archives & History Center, History of Plant City Agriculture Project, 106 South Evers Street, Plant City, FL 33563-5412. Call us at 813-754-1578. Email us at info@plantcityphotoarchives.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Celebrating a most fruitful relationship between Florida Strawberry Growers and International Paper.
1979
Together we’re sure to enjoy many more years of sweet success.
711 E. Lancaster Rd Orlando, FL 32809 (407) 855-2121
1996
2402 Police Center Dr Plant City, FL 33566 (813) 717-9100 6706 N. 53rd St Tampa, FL 33610 (813) 744-2220 Sales: Ray Reteneller (813) 230-4216 or Mike Sanders (813) 240-7316
2001
2003
Present
©2014 International Paper Company. All rights reserved.
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Florida Mineral Salt & Agricultural Products, LLC. Fall is just around the corner. Make sure you are prepared with our Specialty Blocks made for this coming season. Call our office for informaaon on a dealer near you. (813) 623-5449 or Toll Free (800) 741-5450 Fresh from Florida Mineral for your Fall Supplement Needs: Super-Mol 25% Molasses Block or Tub for Cattle Super-Mol 20% All Natural Molasses Block or Tub for Cattle Super-Mol 30-5 30% High Density Cattle Tub for Cattle Super-Mol 16% Molasses Block for Horses Super-Pro 40% Hard Block for Cattle Super-Pro 39% Protein Block for Cattle Super-Pro 30% All Natural Protein Block for Cattle Super-Pro 20% All Natural Sheep and Goat Block Horn-Max 20% Deer Block Horn-Max Deer Block with Corn
Florida Mineral Salt and Agricultural Products SUPER-MIN™ SUPER-MOL™ SUPER-PRO™ LIVESTOCK SUPPLEMENTS www. floridamineralonline.net
FMS is proud to be Florida's only manufacturer of poured molasses blocks, and pressed protein and mineral blocks.
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FLORIDA’S PREMIER BARN WEDDING DESTINATION
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Business Up Front By Jim Frankowiak
City facility is also home to three Diamond R turf and ornamental representatives, Audie Ham, Dyke Holley and Perry Haley. As part of the Diamond Turf Division, they are local to the area and have extensive backgrounds in the turf and ornamental industry. The company, which was founded in 1943 by the Roper family in Winter Garden where they grew citrus and sold fertilizer to other growers, was sold 30 years later, but the new owners with the agreement of the Roper’s, kept the Diamond R name. The new owners also began a diversification effort, which has resulted in a company that produces and markets liquid, dry, and foliar fertilizers and offers the latest technology in crop protection products. “Our company has grown from a sole citrus focus to becoming one of the largest, full service agrichemical dealers in the Florida,” said Chancey. “Plant City covers an area comprised of Brooksville to the north, Apopka and Lake Placid to the east and back west to Bradenton.” Diamond R has six other locations in Florida that include four bulk blending plants and agrichemical storage facilities. The company has been long recognized for its superior customer service, product quality and expert technical support. Diamond R is headquartered at Fort Pierce. “We owe a sincere debt of gratitude to the customers we serve from our Plant City location,” said Drawdy and Chancey. “They are responsible for our need to move to a larger facility. Our new location will also enable us to take advantage of the strong walk-in, retail trade we are experiencing. A growing number of homeowners have come to regard us as a highly cost-effective alternative to many of the big box retailers.” Diamond R offers homeowners a broad selection of commercial grade products. “The quantity of each product, while larger than that typically available at other retailers, is priced the same as those smaller quantities, a distinct economic advantage,” said Chancey. “In other words, they New Location, Continued Growth – Thanks to Customer Support have the opportunity to buy wholesale from us. And, should they have need for technical What began in 2006 with a lady and a truck has grown into a substanadvice, we are happy to put them in contact with one of our consultial regional resource for agriculture, aquaculture, turf and ornamentants.” tal producers. That in short is the story of Diamond R and its Plant City operation, which has just moved to a 14,000-square-foot facility, To celebrate its new location and to express gratitude to an increaslocated at 103 South Alexander Street, across the street from the local ing number of customers Diamond R’s Plant City facility is having a landmark, Johnson’s Barbecue. grand opening event Thursday, September 18, at noon. “Have lunch on us and tour our new facility,” said Chancey. The free lunch is be“Layla Drawdy and her truck have grown into a staff of seven and ing catered by Hardwood BBQ, Inc. that includes crop consultants plus a delivery team,” said the facility’s General Manager Jeremy Chancey. Drawdy calls on a range of growDiamond R Plant City is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday ers covering crops such as strawberries, citrus, blueberries, tropical hours for pick-up only during the October – April strawberry season fish farms, and sod farms. “If it grows, we service it,” said Drawdy, are from 8 a.m. to noon. For more information, call 813/752-8342. whose husband is a third generation tropical fish farmer. The Plant
DIAMOND R IS ON THE MOVE IN PLANT CITY!
Open daily 7:30 am - 5 pm • For more information, call (813) 752-8342 or visit www.diamond-r.com WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Are You Legally Responsible As Master of your vessel what does it mean to say, “Welcome, Come on Aboard” Any boat owner, either recreational or commercial, assumes the duties of Captain or Master as soon as they take command of a vessel. Therefore, whenever a person accepts control they also assume and have a duty to think about the degree of liability associated with operating a safe vessel. They also have an obligation to warn passengers about items that might cause them injury along with other risk factors unrelated to the vessel that may be encountered while underway, at anchor or while conducting business, i.e. a charter for example.
tion on your vessel. Further, you have a responsibility to warn guests about possible risks that are unrelated to your boat, but which are all around you, passing boat wakes, severe weather, tidal changes, etc. And, even if you are unaware of a loose railing, wobbly step, etc. or you don’t see an approaching boat wake, you may still be liable for any injuries that result. So remember, the next time you welcome someone aboard, an injury could result in a lawsuit that, win or lose, could cost you your livelihood. “SAFETY IS AN ECONOMI-
CAL AND EFFECTIVE INSURANCE POLICY.”
When a visitor boards the vessel you’re probably thinking more about having a great fishing trip or enjoyable boat ride than worrying about the legal accountabilities you’re assuming as “Captain.” However, if someone were to trip, stumble or fall and become injured boarding or while onboard, you can bet you would quickly consider what, if anything, could have been done to prevent the injury or whether you might be liable. The question of liability is immersed in maritime legal principles dating back to the Maritime insurance with origins in the Greek and Roman Mediterranean shipping days. Admiralty law starts with the premise that the captain owes his guest a duty to exercise ordinary or reasonable care for their safety. What constitutes reasonable care can be complicated, especially on a boat. It has a lot to do with the experience of the captain and the boating experience of the passengers, or whether the boat captain had or should have known of some dangerous condition. Additionally, it may depend on whether the captain knew or should have known whether his guest was unaware of or unfamiliar with the conditions. The obligation to exercise reasonable care is rooted in the duties of the captain to provide a reasonably safe vessel for the guest. On the other hand, this does not require that the boat be accident proof. Under the regulations, the standard of care requires the captain to provide a boat that is reasonably safe, not one that is absolutely safe. A guest also has self-responsibility, which means they have an obligation to exercise care for their own safety. A guest simply cannot walk blindly around the boat. Then again, reasonable care does mean that a captain, knowing of an unstable condition, may be held accountable for failure to warn his guest of that condition. As the captain you should always remember, as soon as you identify a problem and do not find a solution and make the necessary repairs, it immediately becomes your problem. Therefore, as captain, you have the responsibility to warn an unsuspecting guest when you are aware of a hazardous situa18 18
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September Fishing Report 2014 Tampa Bay Area Promote Catch & Release SNOOK: Snook season opens again September 1st, and for some reason it seems like anglers feel compelled to keep snook as soon as they reach 28 inches. I’m not sure whether it’s a “closed season thing” or what, but it’s certainly not because they taste any better than other fish caught throughout the area. I’ve been eating fish from Tampa Bay and the Gulf for over 65 years and there are other great tasting fish besides snook. Since the 2010 freeze closure, we’ve finally gotten some nice trophy sized fish showing up around the bay area. However, now that the WANTED POSTERS are going up again and this incredible sport fish is back on the take list, everything in the slot is sure to disappear quickly and once again we’ll have nothing worthy of a decent fight. WWW. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
Certainly everyone loves to catch a few snook and that’s a great thing, but given the tremendous fishing pressure we’re experiencing, we should spread our fishing experience to the rest of Tampa Bay. Which, by the way, is Florida’s largest openwater estuary. It has 400 square miles of water and is home to over 200 different species of fish, with many being excellent table fare, not to mention loads of fun on hook and line. LET’S GO SNOOK FISHING: We can expect some decent action, especially as the water cools a bit. The bait should be plentiful around the grass flats and markers and if you like to toss they be Geneartificial’s, Tipton Past Prescan Altidas loads of fun, particularly on early calm mornings. A little searching on your part and you’ll find plenty of larger fish. If you’re so inclined, some well-timed night fishing with free-lined baits like pinfish, greenbacks and jumbo shrimp around docks, bridges, and pilings usually produce. Fish the broken bottom grass flats and mangroves for some exciting action. Again, live bait or artificial lures should do the trick. MANGROVE SNAPPER: If you’re looking for some late summer fun, particularly for the youngsters, take them snapper fishing. Not only are these fish fun to catch, but they are great eating. Small free-lined greenbacks or pieces of fresh shrimp around markers, bridges or rock piles will usually result in a limit of fresh snapper. If the tides are strong add enough weight (1/4 – 3/8 oz.) to your knocker rig to keep the bait down. Here’s a tip: Put them in a cooler on a slushy ice mixture immediately, this make them much easier to clean, because it gels the fat in their stomach, keeping it from sticking to your knife.
grass flats. It takes moving water to get them eating, but when they start… its fish-on. Popping corks with live shrimp and greenbacks will produce a mess of trout. Deeper water rocky bottoms and some markers are producing some really nice catches of larger silver trout. Remember if you run out of live bait artificial’s work just as well, try a DOA or Gulp Shrimp. COBIA, Tripletail are still hanging around the markers, grass flats and cans throughout the Bay if you’re interested in using a lot of fuel chasing around and checking things out. These are a species you’ve got to target and look for and many times you’ll wind up doing more fishing than catching. But when you find them they are a hoot to hook and catch. Not to mention great table fare. Cigars “Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” – 813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years, he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are all the same. With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com
or give him a call at 813-477-3814
MACKEREL AND BLUE FISH: Tampa Bay is still loaded with plenty of threadfins, so if you’re looking for awesome, light tackle action, Mac’s and Blues are excellent targets this month. With baits scattered everywhere, concentrate your efforts around marker cans, range markers or shallow reefs. On a mid-tide current, anchor your boat up current, toss out chum block and a few live chum baits. When the fish start striking cast in that direction and hold onto your rod and reel. Don’t be surprised if you catch some really large ladyfish and yellow tail jacks in the same area. REDFISH: The redfish action should start picking up again this month simply because the water temps will start getting more comfortable for them on the flats. This means they will be steadily moving around the area looking for an easy meal. When they start grouping up always approach carefully, you don’t want to split the school. If you do it’s often difficult to get them back together. Try picking off the fish at the outer edges, never cast into the middle of a school. Reds eat live shrimp, greenbacks, pinfish and crabs, but remember if they’re not looking for something live, cut bait always works. SPOTTED TROUT fishing is always productive around lush WWW. WWW.IIN NTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
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In eastern Africa you can buy beer brewed from bananas. A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue. Australia was originally called New Holland. The sentence “the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” uses every letter in the English alphabet. The Grand Canyon can hold around 900 trillion footballs. All the blinking in one day equates to having your eyes closed for 30 minutes. The average human brain contains around 78% water. Your brain uses between 20 - 25% of the oxygen you breath. 1 nautical knot equates to 1.852 KPH (1.150 mph). If you add up all the numbers from 1 to 100 consecutively (1 + 2 + 3...) it totals 5050. A sponge holds more cold water than hot. Lightning strikes the earth 6,000 times every minute. Fire usually moves faster uphill than downhill. Cats have over 100 vocal chords. Camel’s milk doesn’t curdle. Elephants sleep between 4 - 5 hours in 24 hour period.
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Some things I don’t understand The other day while in the local pharmacy to pick up a prescription, I passed by the area where they sold thermometers. There was one rectal thermometer that caught my eye. In bold print it stated, “PreTested, 99% Accurate.” Now tell me, who in their right mind would buy a pre-tested rectal thermometer? Or better yet, who would take the job to pre-test them?
daughter who then became my stepdaughter. My dad came to visit us, fell in love with my lovely stepdaughter, and then married her. And so my stepdaughter was now my stepmother. Soon, my wife had a son who was, of course, my daddy’s brother-in-law since he is the half-brother of my stepdaughter, who is now, of course, my daddy’s wife.
I was always taught that customer service is first and foremost to make a business successful. If that’s the case then a number of Plant City food chains need to shape up. The other day I stopped in for a bowl of chili and a drink. It was raining and I had to park far from the entrance, as all the parking spaces close to the door were full. When I got inside I noticed I was the only customer in the store. I asked the young lady taking my order whose cars were parked at the entrance. She replied cheerfully, “Oh, those belong to our employees.”
So, as I told you, when my stepdaughter married my daddy, she was at once my stepmother! Now, since my new son is brother to my stepmother, he also became my uncle. As you know, my wife is my stepgrandmother since she is my stepmother’s mother. Don’t forget that my stepmother is my stepdaughter. Remember, too, that I am my wife’s grandson.”
A few days later I had an interesting experience buying some food at a popular fast-food chain. The total came to $10.15. Not wanting a lot of change I gave the cashier a twenty-dollar bill, and a quarter. She looked at the money. Then the cash register, scratched her head, and gave me back a dime. I called her attention to the fact that I had given her a $20.00 bill. She smiled and said, “Sir do you think I owe you more”? “Yes,” I said. “According to your cash register you owe me $10.10.” I took my change, and moved over to pickup my order and the man in back of me just rolled his eyes and shook his head, and said, “I’ve seen it all now!” Life goes on and I still wonder why we say “after dark” when it really is “after light.” Why is the third hand on a watch called the second hand? Why do we wash bath towels? Aren’t we clean when we use them? Why do they call it a TV set when you only have one? Why is it called a “building” when it is already built? And why do they advertise toilet paper? Everybody uses it! I stopped in for the Plant City Chamber of Commerce “Business After Hours” at Tim Lopez’s Southside Farm Supply. They really have a lot to offer, and Tim is as happy as if he just caught his limit of speckle perch at Lake Thonotosassa. Tim said, “Al, I ran across something for your Rock’n Chair Chatter.” I love it when my readers offer suggestions, so I said, “Tell me about it, Tim.” Here is his story: A psychiatrist visited a Georgia mental institution and asked a patient, “Tell me sir, how did you get here? What is your problem?” The old fella replied, “Well, it all started when I got married and I guess I should never had done it. I married a widow with a grown 22
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“Wait just a minute,” he said, “You see, since I’m married to my stepgrandmother, I am not only the wife’s grandson and her hubby, but I am also my own grandfather. Now sir, can you understand how I got put in this place?” Tim told me buying Southside Farm & Pet Supply was the best thing his family has ever done. He said in his construction work he never meets as many people as he does at the store. Those farmers and ranchers always have a tall tale to tell. He recalled a farmer from Turkey Creek that came in the store and shared the story of a talking horse. As he tells it a jogger was running down Mud Lake road and was startled when a horse yells at him, “Hey buddy, come over to the fence, I want to talk with you.” Some what stunned the runner jogs over to the fence and says, “Were you talking to me?” The horse replies, “Yes I was, and man I have a problem. I won the Kentucky Derby a few years ago and this farmer bought me, and now all I do is watch joggers like you run up and down Mud Lake road. I am sick and tired of this daily routine. Why don’t you run up to the house and offer him $4000 to buy me? I promise you I can make you some money because I can still run.” The jogger thought to himself, ‘Good grief, a talking horse.’ Dollar signs started appearing in his head. He jogs over to the house and the old farmer is sitting on he porch. He tells the farmer, “If you’re interested in selling that old nag over by the road, I’ll give you $4000 cash her.” “Son, I go through this every day with that old horse. You can’t believe anything the horse says. She has never ever been to Kentucky.” If you have any good farming stories to tell, drop over and talk with Tim Lopez at Southside Farm & Pet Supply! Who knows, they may end up in this column. In closing, remember that the proper use of toiletries can forestall bathing for several days. However, if you live alone, deodorant is a waste of good money. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The work we do at Mosaic is critical to helping feed the world. We provide farmers with phosphate crop nutrients that enable them to produce more food on less land.
IMAGINE A WORLD WITH HALF AS MUCH FOOD. Without crop nutrients, that would be our reality.
Essential crop nutrients — like phosphate mined and manufactured in Florida — are responsible for 40-60 percent of the crop yields farmers produce worldwide.* That translates into more abundant and affordable food here at home. As our world keeps growing, Mosaic keeps working to help put food on the table, for all of us.
We help the world grow the food it needs. ®
mosaicco.com/florida *
Source: Agronomy Journal
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Citrus Greening
By Jack Payne
Science is the solution, hope is the bridge
Hope is a most unscientific phenomenon. It’s based largely on a desire for what could be, not on what evidence has already proven. Yet there was Dr. Jude Grosser, plant geneticist based in Lake Alfred, in a hotel ballroom this summer pitching hope. Yes, he had the data, the charts, the photos and the bullet points projected on a screen to give his presentation all the trappings of an academic treatise on oranges. The underlying message, though, was not to give up hope on saving Florida’s iconic orange industry from citrus greening. I would argue that the citrus greening epidemic has imposed a natural selection not just on our groves but on our growers as well. The disease may be culling our herd of farmers, leaving the species fortified with the presence of only those with the greatest capacity for hope. But even the stalwarts need to have hope stoked to offset the continuing bad news about the shrinking crop. Citrus growers’ meetings these days have the potential to become survivors’ gatherings, a slog through the litany of challenges instead of a celebration of a way of life and an update on the science that supports it.
Dr. Jude Grosser Grosser’s work for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is one of the most promising bodies of research among the studies funded by tens of millions of dollars from the federal and state governments and the growers themselves. Others have focused their work on fighting the fungus that attacks the trees. Entomologists attempt to control the Asian psyllid that carries that bacterium with it from plant to plant. Grosser sees a possible solution in breeding. By creating new hybrids at the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center, Grosser believes he is getting closer to producing an orange tree that is tolerant or even resistant to greening. He and his colleagues Fred Gmitter and Bill Castle have through breeding experiments identified new 17 rootstock cultivars that show a lower rate of citrus greening infection and fewer symptoms once in24
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fected than in existing trees. In some cases they see their experimental trees with a 10 to 20 percent infection rate growing right alongside commercial varieties that have a 70 percent rate or higher. The growers saw hope on the screen in the form of Grosser trees that are the lone healthy plants on a plot where the other trees are sickened by greening. The contrast documents the devastation, of course, but the growers are already living that. More importantly it delivers a picture of what could be. That is, hope. Grosser is the first to say his results aren’t yet conclusive. The research of Grosser and the cadre of public-spirited scientists dedicating their professional lives to combatting greening will continue to rely on funding beyond their university paychecks to do this important work. We must keep the public and the policy makers aware of the continuing need for resources to save an industry. Greening is pressuring stewards of the land to abandon the utopian vision represented on orange crates and surrender their groves to those who depict their utopian vision on billboards with the smiling families they hope to attract to their subdivisions. The thing is, those families’ smiles are put there by a strong economy, healthy food and a sense that where they live is some place special. All those things grow on disease-free trees in Florida. Grosser staked out science as the source of renewed hope that we can save something that symbolizes Florida as vividly as a rocket or a fantasy kingdom. Jack Payne is the senior vice president of agriculture and natural resources at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
DISASTER RESPONSE MOBILE ASSISTANCE CENTER BUS TOURING HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
Part of Florida SBDC’s “Tool Kit” for Disaster Recovery Aid By Jim Frankowiak One of two Mobile Assistance Centers of the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) will be touring the Tampa Bay area during the next several weeks. The Florida SBDC network, with more than 40 offices across the state, provides tools, strategies and expertise to help small businesses grow and succeed. It is designated “Florida’s provider of small business assistance.” As part of the Florida SBDC Network’s Business Continuation Services, the network has two mobile assistance centers (MACs), 38-foot recreational vehicles equipped as mobile Florida SBDC centers with laptop computers, printers, internet connectivity and more to assist small businesses in times of crisis and to enhance outreach to the more rural areas of Florida. “As a principal responder in the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF) 18 for Business and Industry, the Florida SBDC Network is a key economic development organization that supports disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation,” said Manager, Small Business Development Brenda Eighmey. “In the event of a disaster, the MACs are deployed to the field for on-site disaster recovery assistance where network certified consultants can provide confidential, no-cost consulting to help affected business prepare disaster loan applications and with other post-disaster challenges.”
sasters, the MACs are utilized to bring Florida SBDC services to the more rural areas of Florida. Both MACs feature a conference area and 55-inch television for training and presentations. In addition to disaster response via MACs, network offices around the state offer workshops to help businesses prepare for disasters, as well as respond in the aftermath. Among workshop topics are “Disaster Plan in 90 Minutes – How Bulletproof is your business?” and “Is Your business Disaster-Proof?” “Additionally, the Florida SBDC Network has established formal communication capabilities with the Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) to provide assistance during pre-and-post disaster periods,” said Eighmey. Businesses that provide products or services most needed in response to a disaster can find continuity and contracting educational training through the Florida Business Ready! Contracting program. Vendors within the existing statewide network are also eligible. The MACs and Business Continuation Services are administered through the Florida SBDC Network. The network provides funding annually to make the MACs available across Florida through its 40-plus offices.
The Florida SBDC’s MAC will be making visits to locations throughout the area. To find out where, contact Eighmey at (813) 914-4014 or email her at EighmeyB@HillsboroughCounty.org.
The Florida SBDC Network is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The University of West Florida serves as the Network’s designated lead host institution.
When not engaged in assisting small business owners in the state during di-
For more information on the Florida SBDC, visit: http://floridasbdc.org.
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My dreams were America’s First Frontier
By Les McDowell
Photos by Linda Constant
Even though most of my professional life was in Radio sitting behind a microphone, I always wanted to be in television and the seed for Dry Creek was in my dreams. Being the creator of the TV series Dry Creek has been in the making for a long time.
meet him. James Arness’s son, about my age, was there so I struck up a quick friendship with him off to the side. Later, I did meet Matt Dillion and even got a picture of me sitting on his lap in The Star Free Press newspaper. Life couldn’t have gotten any better!
I was always interested in sets and particularly Western Sets. I guess my interests started at a young age when Dad would take the family to Corriganville Movie Ranch in Chatsworth, California. There a seven-year-old boy could run through the dusty streets where his hero’s rode and walked. Rin Tin Tin, The Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers and so many of the Westerns were filmed there. Heck, I even met Bat Masterson, who was played by Hugh O’Brien there.
Dry Creek the TV series was percolating in my dreams and thoughts, and through the years it just had to bubble to the top and show it’s self as Dry Creek, a family show that the whole family can sit down and view. Today when I walk down the dusty streets of our Dry Creek set I think of that little boy running down the streets of Corriganville Movie Ranch. I remember the teaching of my silver screen hero’s, your word is your bond, live a clean life, be kind to others, feed your animals before you eat. Okay, that was years ago but it still makes sense today. Today these principles are needed more than ever in our crazy world.
I remember dad coming home from work and saying on his way home he saw Wagon Train being filmed out in a field near Thousand Oaks, California or taking the family on a Sunday drive to see where Roy Rogers lived. Then as if the gates of heaven opened and light shined down on that Apple Valley Ranch Driveway.......There he appeared, Roy Rogers driving up to our family Station Wagon. He was on his way to speak at UCLA but told us to drive on down to the barn and look around, his help would show us around. That day I not only met Roy Rogers, but also saw Trigger out in the corral. Life doesn’t get any better for a young boy who loved his hero’s from the Silver Screen. Or does it? My parents took us to a Rodeo at The Ventura County Fair where Matt Dillion (James Arness) was making an appearance. I stood back in awe seeing the outline of my hero atop his Buckskin Steed. The bright sun highlighted him and to this young boy it was if he had a Halo. Everyone was gathered around him so I had to find a way to 26
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I must say it touches my heart to set and watch folks today walk through our Dry Creek set. The older folks eyes turn young again and I can see a twinkle as they remember back to the days of The Silver Screen. The younger kids see a place made of boards, no plastic or concrete. They get a feel for a simpler time where the little things were the most important things. You see, Dry Creek is more than a TV Series. It’s been years and years in the making from the dreams of a young boy. You want to know something? Even though the years have passed and we no longer see guys on white horses wearing white hats we all still dream. That brings us to Dry Creek, America’s First Frontier. Everybody knows where Dry Creek is......cause it’s inside each and everyone of us. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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By Nick Chapman
Hugh MacDonald has a farm. No, this is not a song or a joke, although some may be scratching their heads in disbelief. Because on his Dover farm, MacDonald has alfalfa hay that he grew locally. And he believes if the idea catches on, it could have a huge beneficial impact on local farming. The University of Florida graduate in Agriculture Operations Management, by no means wants to take all the credit for this unusual feat in this part of Florida. He really appreciates land owner Leroy Lariscy for his generosity in making this dream a reality. “I don’t want any kind of recognition, because I could not even be doing this if it wasn’t for people being gracious enough to let me use their land and equipment. I could have done it alone on a scale of about one acre.” But with the help of equipment owners, suppliers and advisers, MacDonald has been able to plant, raise and harvest about 25 acres of high quality alfalfa hay. The idea came to him during the last eight years since he has been growing vegetable crops. He has grown legumes including beans and peas with great success. “Alfalfa is just another legume,” Mac Donald commented, “if we can grow peas and beans as well as we do, why couldn’t we do alfalfa?” So in December 2013, he found an eighteen acre tract of land to 28 28
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lease and planted his first field. He said the heavy rains early this year really helped him out as it spurred on the growth of the crop. He has been able to get three cuttings off the first field, and two cuttings off another seven acre parcel he planted later. He hopes to harvest more this fall as the alfalfa will continue to thrive in lower temperatures. Through the research MacDonald has done, he said the average yield per year for alfalfa is six tons per acre. He does not believe the yields in Florida will be as high, since the local soils have to be supplemented with additional nutrients which cause a drop in plant production as opposed to naturally rich soils. If he can get the additional harvests he hopes for this fall, he believes he will yield between four to five tons per acre. It was tested by UF and the average protein content was 23%, although some tested as high as 26%. Since alfalfa in this part of Florida is a pioneering experiment, MacDonald admits it has been a steep learning curve. “One of the problems is you have to have the right kind of soil. You have to have well-drained soil. And you have to have the pH right, if you do not have it correct it will not take up the nutrients and grow like it is supposed to.” He had a problem with one of the fields not producing, but with a background WWW. THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM WWW. INITNHE FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM
in soil science, he was able to correct the issue. “I did some precision soil tests to find out exactly what all the different nutrients were, and what the shortcomings were, and I found the biggest problems were the pH and a potassium deficiency. Once I modified those two things, it took off like gang busters.” The product he has produced has been well received by local cow and horse farming customers. Joe Bennett raises cattle in Lakeland and he just purchased the last of large round bales from MacDonald’s most recent cutting. Bennett said, “I believe alfalfa is God’s perfect livestock forage.” He has been pleased with the quality and plans to buy more when available. MacDonald said all the horse owners who have tried the square bales have been equally happy. MacDonald hopes the crop will catch on in central Florida, especially as a possible cover crop for the strawberry farmers. His property backs up to a large strawberry field and he has watched the cycle of harvesting, then the planting of a summer cover crop that gets tilled back into the soil. “Other than the gain of putting organic material back into the soil, that crop is a financial loss to the farmer. There is seed, fuel and labor costs involved in the process, and every last bit of it is put back into the soil, which is great. But why not grow a crop that they could recoup some of the money, that would at least pay for your seed and labor costs?” His research has shown that alfalfa can put back up to 100 pounds of nitrogen back into the soil. And if the farmer plants early enough to get a single cutting, he believes they could break even, instead of just having a loss. He also believes cattle ranches could plant some of their pasture land with alfalfa, and rotate their cattle onto the field once a week to help maintain them with quality forage. “I wanted to try something new, not so I could blaze a trail, but so I could do something no one else has done,” MacDonald concludes. “I have accomplished what I set out to do, which was to prove the notion that I thought it could be done, and to answer the question if it could be done economically.” Even though he admits the jury is still out for long-term potential, he believes the short-term gains he has seen this year point to a bright future for alfalfa in Florida. If you would like to contact Hugh MacDonald about his alfalfa operations, email him at hmacdonald111@gmail.com. WWW. THE FIELD AGAZINE.COM WWW. INITNHE FIELD MM AGAZINE.COM
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Joining Forces to End Hunger
By Libby Hopkins
Everyone has some form of insecurity in his or her lives. The one thing no human being should be insecure of is food. Food insecurity is defined as “the state of being without reliable access to a sufficient quantity of affordable, nutritious food.” According to a 2013 report from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), “An estimated 14.5 percent of American households were food insecure at least some time during the year in 2012, meaning they lacked access to enough food for an active, healthy life for all household members. The change from 14.9 percent in 2011 is not considered statistically significant. The prevalence of very low food security was unchanged at 5.7 percent.”
The mission and top priority of TBNEH is to foster collaboration among agencies/organizations and encourage everyone to work together to identify issues related to hunger and help remove barriers to those in need. “What we try to do as a group is ensure that our communities have adequate resources,” Peacock said. “One of the definitions of food insecurity is not knowing where your next meal is going to come from and if we can ensure that there is adequate access to program in each county, along with spreading awareness, then no one will have to worry about how they will feed their families.” TBNEH wants the people they help to be able to focus on more important things in life like employment or spending time with their families.
According to Feeding America Tampa Bay, “Our organization provides emergency food for an estimated 409,700 different people annually. Thirty-seven percent of the members of households served by Feeding America Tampa Bay are children under 18 years old. Twenty-two percent of households include at least one employed adult. Among household with children, 93 percent are food insecure and 58 percent are food insecure with very low food security. Fifty-eight percent of clients served by Feeding America Tampa Bay report having to choose between paying for food and paying for utilities or heating fuel. Thirty-seven percent has to choose between paying for food and paying for medicine or medical care. Thirty six percent of households served by Feeding America Tampa Bay report having at least one household member in poor health.”
TBNEH hosts a yearly conference to raise awareness about their organization and what they do for the people in their communities. They held their third annual conference on September 10 in Largo. The conference featured an interactive experience for all its attendees. “Our vendors provided displays where you could either taste or feel,” Peacock said. “For example, our ‘Taste-It Program,’ which cooks a meal only using ingredients the client would receive from the food pantry and gives the client a sample and recipe card.” The conference also featured breakout sessions on topics that ranged from transportation to healthy eating.
With frightening statics like this, Feeding America Tampa Bay joined forces with Metropolitan Ministries, Meals on Wheels, Tampa Bay Harvest, United Way Tampa Bay, RCS Food Bank, St. Petersburg Free Clinic, Daystar, Pinellas Health Department, along with Hillsborough County and the school board to form the Tampa Bay Network To End Hunger (TBNEH). “The Network started in July 2010 when a small group of lead charities from both sides of the Bay got together to discuss issues on hunger and what they could do to try and solve it as a group,” said Caitlyn Peacock, TBNEH’s Project Coordinator. “The group grew from a small meeting of 10 or so to needing a large conference room to accommodate attendees.” The group now has more than 170 members throughout the tri-county area. The organization developed “work teams” to try and address the issues the group felt important. One of the first work teams was a research group. “They were charged with collecting data to map the supply and demand of hunger by zip code in the tri-county area,” Peacock said. 32
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Will Carey is the Director of Tampa Bay Harvest and he also runs the Sustainable Living Project in Tampa. His organization is one of the founding members of TBNEH and thinks the annual conferences are vital because they get more members from the different communities involved with helping to end food insecurity. “The conference is in its third year now and we keep getting more exposure about what we are doing to help end hunger in our community,” Carey said. “We are looking to expand our network since we recently became a 501(c)3 non-profit.” TBNEH is currently working on getting healthy food into the hands of high school students to help bridge the gap of finding healthy food to eat over the weekends. “We know they receive free breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday but what about the weekends?” Peacock said. “We partnered with Feeding America Tampa Bay, RCS Food Bank and Meals of Hope to provide the students with a farmer’s market type environment where they could choose what type of foods they get and how much.” This is just one example of how TBNEH is trying to remove the barriers and get the food to people who are food insecure. If you would like to learn more about the Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger and the services they offer, you can visit them on the web at www.networktoendhunger.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Newsome FFA recently was selected to compete for national recognition in an FFA Career Development Event at 87th National FFA Convention & Expo held in October. Newsome FFA Chapter, from Lithia, will send members to Louisville, Ky., as they vie for national honors in the area of Meats Evaluation and Technology. National support for the Meats Evaluation and Technology CDE is provided by Kraft Foods - Oscar Mayer Division, Cargill Meat Solutions, Hormel Foods Corporation and Tyson Foods, Inc. Newsome FFA members who will represent the chapter in the event include Alexandra Aponte, Amber English, Emily Benoit, and Nicole Patten. The chapter advisor is Kelley Ware. Newsome FFA is seeking sponsors to help aid in the expenses of the cost of the trip. The trip will cost each of the members approximately $800. Meats evaluation and technology is one of 24 national CDE areas, covering job skills in everything from communications to mechanics. FFA members take a written exam that tests their knowledge of meat selection, storage, cooking, nutrition and safety. Members will identify cuts of beef, pork and lamb by retail trade name and prime cut identification. Participants become not only better agriculturists, but also better consumers. CDEs help students develop the abilities to think critically, communicate clearly and perform effectively in a competitive job market. Newsome FFA team members are working very hard in preparing for the National Meats evaluation event. If you would like to help in defraying some of the cost and expenses for the team, you can send your donations to the following address. Please make checks out to Newsome FFA. Thank you for your support and we appreciate our community that has helped so far.
LOCAL CONTACT Kelley Ware Advisor Newsome High School 16550 Fishhawk Blvd. Lithia, FL 33547 kelley.ware@sdhc.k12.fl.us 813-740-4600 ext. 604 The National FFA Organization is a national youth organization of 579,678 student members as part of 7,570 local FFA chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The FFA mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. The National FFA Organization operates under a federal charter granted by the 81st United States Congress and it is an integral part of public instruction in agriculture. The U.S. Department of Education provides leadership and helps set direction for FFA as a service to state and local agricultural education programs. For more, visit the National FFA Organization online at www.ffa.org, on Facebook, Twitter and the official National FFA Organization blog. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Florida Spanish Limes:
Neither limes nor Spanish By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science Fresh Spanish limes are now in their peak season in Florida, and provide a refreshing, nutritious snack. Available from June to September, Spanish limes are neither Spanish nor limes. Spanish limes are actually part of the soapberry family, which also includes lychees, longans, and rambutan. Like the other members of this family, Spanish limes are surrounded by a thin skin, have a juicy flesh, and contain a hard pit in the middle. Other names for this fruit are genip, ackee, ginep, guenepa, limoncillo, macao, mammon, and mamoncillo. Native to Venezuela, Colombia, the West Indies, and the Bahamas, the Spanish lime thrives in southern areas of Florida, especially in the Florida Keys. Spanish limes are encased in a thin, brittle green shell, which contains a pink or peach colored juicy flesh. The sweet-tart flavor is sometimes described as tasting like sweet, citrusy limes. They are delicious eaten out-of-hand, after cracking the shell and sucking the flesh from the pit. The seeds are also edible and can be roasted and eaten like chestnuts. The hardy Spanish lime tree is grown as both a fruit tree and shade tree, with a tall, sturdy trunk, and is resistant to drought, alkaline soil, and salty conditions. NUTRITIONAL PROFILE Spanish limes boast a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. The fruit is naturally low in calories, fat, cholesterol, and sodium. According to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, a 100g (3.5 ounce) portion of fresh Spanish lime contains approximately 58 calories, 0,5 g protein, 0.1 g fat, 14 g carbohydrate, and 1 g of dietary fiber. It also provides significant amounts of iron, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, calcium, riboflavin, thiamine, niacin, and tryptophan. Vitamin C With less than 60 calories per eight fruits, one serving of Spanish limes can help meet your daily vitamin C requirement. This vitamin is important for a strong immune system, cancer prevention, healthy blood circulation and wound healing. Vitamin C acts as a potent antioxidant in the body, neutralizing harmful free radicals and preventing its damaging effects in cells. By fighting cell and tissue damage, Vitamin C protects against cancer and other diseases, such as the common cold. This vitamin also enhances iron absorption from other foods, which reduces the risk of anemia. Additionally it aids in the development and maintenance of healthy capillaries, gums, and skin, as well as strong bones and teeth. Vitamin C also has anti-inflammatory properties that make them helpful for protecting against conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis, where inflammation plays a big role. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Iron Spanish limes are a good non-meat source of iron, an essential mineral in the body. Iron is important in red blood cell production and in transporting oxygen around the body. Iron is a component of hemoglobin in red blood cells (also called erythrocytes) that binds to oxygen and facilitates its transport from the lungs to the cells throughout the body. Iron also plays an important role in converting blood sugar to usable energy, as well as in the production of enzymes and efficient functioning of the immune system. This mineral is particularly important during periods of rapid growth such as in childhood and during pregnancy. Adequate iron intake is also important for menstruating women, athletes, and those who follow a vegan or vegetarian diet. Riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is a water-soluble vitamin that is not stored in the body, so it needs to be continually replenished through food sources. This vitamin works synergistically with the other B vitamins and is important for body growth and red blood cell production. It also helps the body utilize energy from the carbohydrates consumed in the diet. In addition to Spanish limes, other foods high in riboflavin are green leafy vegetables, legumes, and dairy products. How to Select and Store Choose Spanish limes that are uniformly green and free of any wet or soft spots. They should be harvested when fully ripe, based on fruit size How to Enjoy Fresh Spanish limes are a refreshing warm weather treat when eaten straight out-of-hand. The rind can be torn or cracked open easily, and the pulp is squeezed into the mouth. The pulp can also be scraped away from the seed and used for juice, beverages, jam, jelly, or pie-filling. The seeds are delicious when eaten after roasting. Peeled and pitted fruit can also be enjoyed in the following ways: • Use the juice in a marinade or sauce • Add to fruit salads • Puree for use in sorbet or ice cream • Cook into jam, jelly, or pie filling Savor fresh Florida Spanish limes at their peak season today. This unique sweet-tart fruit is both refreshing and nutritious. SELECTED REFERENCES http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/
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INTHEF AGAZINE NOVEMBERSeptember 2013 INIELD THEFM IELD MAGAZINE 2014
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Plant City Chamber of Commerce Salute to Agriculture Breakfast Presented by Farm Credit of Central Florida Photos by Ron O’Connor – Farm Credit
• Agriculturist of the Year - Dale McClellan • Young Agriculturist of the Year - Marc Sewell and Marshal Sewell • Ag Educator of the Year - Rhonda Burnette • Agri-Business of the Year Highland Packaging Solutions • Supporter of Youth in Agriculture - The Grimes Family Congratulations to the award recipients and a special thank you to the Plant City Chamber of Commerce and Farm Credit of Central Florida.
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100 Florida EXtension A century of serving florida
UF/IFAS study:
Strawberry monitoring system could add $1.7 million over 10 years to some farms Natalia Peres, UF/IFAS associate professor of plant pathology, shows a container of strawberries. A new UF/IFAS study shows growers can use the Strawberry Advisory System, a web-based tool that Peres helped design, to save up to $1.7 million over 10 years in fungicide use. Instead of spraying weekly, growers can use the system to tell them more optimal time to spray their strawberries. Courtesy: UF/IFAS file photo.
A University of Florida-developed web tool can bring growers $1.7 million more in net profits over 10 years than a calendar-based fungicide system because it guides growers to spray their crop at optimal times, a new UF study shows. The Strawberry Advisory System, devised by an Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher, takes data such as temperature and leaf wetness and tells growers when to spray fungicide to ward off diseases. Growers can use the system by logging onto www.agroclimate.org/ tools/strawberry or use the website to sign up for email or text alerts. Before the system was developed, strawberry farmers traditionally sprayed weekly during the November-to-March growing season. Spraying more often than is needed wastes money and can lead to fungicide resistance, said Natalia Peres, associate professor in plant pathology, who led the system’s development. 42
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Not all strawberry growers use the system, but this research might persuade them to do so, said Tatiana Borisova, an assistant professor in UF/ IFAS food and resource economics department. “The study will help additional producers to realize the benefits,” Borisova said. “Increased adoption of this system can increase the profitability of the strawberry industry in Florida, and it will help producers to stay competitive in the market.” Ekaterina Vorotnikova, a doctoral student in food and resource economics, worked on the study to identify how much the web tool could increase profits and yield by reducing spraying for anthracnose and botrytis, two of the crop’s deadliest diseases. Using a 26-acre farm as her average, Vorotnikova took data collected at UF’s Gulf Coast Research WWW. WWW.IN NTHE HEFIELD IELDMAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
and Education Center from 2006-2012 and put it into a 10-year model. She found that using the web tool increased net profit for strawberries with anthracnose by $1.7 million and $890,000 for those with botrytis. The increased profit stemmed mostly from decreased spraying, Borisova said. Florida is the nation’s second-leading strawberry producer, behind California. Florida’s crop brings in $366 million annually, according to the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
anthracnose every three to four years, while 40 percent said they get it every year. Fifty-five percent of respondents said they subscribe to text or e-mail alerts about anthracnose and botrytis risk levels from the system, Borisova said. Traditionally, strawberry growers sprayed their crop with fungicide weekly. But this was not optimal, said John VanSickle, a UF/IFAS food and resource economics professor and a study coauthor.
“Given that world strawberry production was worth about $4.3 billion in 2013, the development and adoption of expert systems for small fruit production operations can benefit millions of farmers worldwide,” Vorotnikova said.
For example, if conditions do not induce diseases, growers sprayed unnecessarily, wasting chemicals and labor and increasing production costs. Second, if weather worsens unexpectedly, farmers might not be able spray. Third, too much fungicide helps build chemical resistance for the disease, VanSickle said.
In 2012 and 2013, a UF/IFAS survey found 96 percent of Florida’s strawberry producers said botrytis attacks their crop. Half said they get
The study, written by Vorotnikova, Borisova and VanSickle, was published online last month in the journal Agricultural Systems.
100 Florida EXtension A century of serving florida
The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension Service, taking the knowledge of our land-grant universities, and converting it into practical knowledge we use every day. Commercial Vegetable/Fruit Production • Ornamental Plant Production • Professional/Residential Horticulture Services • Urban Forestry •
• • • •
Family Life Enhancement Financial Guidance Food & Nutrition 4-H Youth Development
100th Anniversary of Florida Extension Thursday, October 9th, 4pm-7pm • Open House
YOU ARE INVITED! Join us as we celebrate 100 years of Cooperative Extension in Florida with activities, exhibits, garden tours, volunteer recognition, light refreshments and lots of fun!
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For more information contact: HicklandL@hillsboroughcounty.org (813) 744-5519 UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County 5339 CR 579, Seffner, FL 33584
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More info: Jim Dorman at Charlie’s Plant Farm, Inc | (813) 601-2540
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Those fishing for information to tackle this year’s crop attended lectures covering a variety of topics and earned valuable CEU’s.
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Recipes
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Zucchini Chips
Chef Justin Timineri
DIRECTIONS • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. • Whisk together first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. • Pour milk into a shallow bowl. • Place an ovenproof wire rack coated with cooking spray on a baking sheet. • Dip zucchini slices in milk, and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. • Put coated slices directly onto the prepared wire rack. • Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp. • Serve immediately with Feta and Dill Dip.
INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 tablespoons fat-free milk 2 ½ cups Florida zucchini, sliced 1/4-inch thick Cooking spray
DIRECTIONS
Florida Tropical Mango Soup Ingredients 1 large mango, peeled and seeded 1/2 small onion, diced 1/2 cup cold water 1-2 small chili peppers, minced (or to taste) 1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger root, peeled and minced 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt 1/2 teaspoon honey kosher salt to taste
• In a blender or food processor, add mango, onion, water, chili pepper, lime juice and ginger. • Blend ingredients until smooth. • Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. • In a small mixing bowl combine yogurt and honey, stir to combine. • Serve soup chilled and garnished with yogurt mixture.
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Stable
Connections By Nick Chapman
What do a senior high student in Lithia and the Equine Director at the New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding center in Bowling Green, Kentucky have in common? (Spoiler Alert: A love for horses and Newsome High School FFA). This summer Kendall Reed, a senior at Newsome High School, was invited up to Bowling Green, Kentucky for a week-long mini internship at New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding (NBTR). And it all happened because of a love for horses. Kendall explained that Nicole McDorman was down visiting her family’s farm in Lithia during their annual student show. Kendall commented, “I knew that Nicole had been on staff at a dude ranch in Colorado and I asked her about the program.” Nicole told her about the dude ranch work and also explained the therapeutic work she was doing at New Beginnings. “She asked if I would like to come up and see the program, and I said, ‘yes’.” NBTR provides an opportunity for students with disabilities to experience the power of movement in a safe and fun way. Through their training, students gain confidence physically, emotionally and mentally. Both young ladies have known each other for many years, though they are eight years apart in age. Kendall has been riding with Nicole’s mother for many years, and they have watched each other practice and perform on horseback. Nicole is glad she can mentor someone who is sure they want a future with horses, even though it may not be their ultimate profession. “I wanted Kendall to come up to gain experience and see a different kind of horse program in action,” commented Nicole. “It was a great chance for her to expand her horsemanship skills.” Upon arriving in Bowling Green and getting settled in, Nicole took Kendall to NBTR for a quick tour and to introduce her to the other staff members. “I had never witnessed anything like that before,” said Kendall. “It was very organized and safety was first in everything. Even though the horses stay out in the pasture a lot, they get checked out every day. Lots of individual care for all the horses.” Nicole put Kendall to work riding and working the lesson horses, which Kendall said was an interesting challenge. “I had to learn about each horse, which was fun. I just had to figure out their particular personality and how to work it.” Nicole said, “She worked minis, donkeys, Arabians and Appaloosas for me, and provided a good exercise workout that the animals need.” Other than riding, Kendall also helped with a few lessons with the disabled students. Kendall recalled, “I had to help stabilize the riders while they were mounted. We worked in the arena a bit, and then went out on the trail.” She added, “I was impressed by the therapeutic students. I’m not sure I could go 52
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that far out of my shell if I had a disability, and be that brave.” Kendall has been active in agriculture her entire life. She is the daughter of Ronnie and Susan Reed, and the granddaughter of Vernon and Sandy Blackadar, who operated Maiden Hill Dairy in Lithia for several years. She joined 4-H when she was 8 years old and has shown chickens and sheep, and enjoys bow shooting sports. She is an avid cross country runner as well. Upon entering high school, she left 4-H and joined FFA and continues to show her sheep. Kendall has been working and riding horses for several years, and works part time at some local barns tending horses and cleaning stalls. She is training this year in dressage and hopes to perform at several local shows. Nicole graduated from Newsome High School in 2007 after being an active FFA member all four of her high school years. She was raised on a small horse farm, and had a desire to make horses a part of her future, too. She went on to attend Florida College in Temple Terrace to work on her A.A., and while there she applied and was accepted to work a Christian Dude Ranch in Estes Park, Colorado as a horse wrangler for the summer. Nicole believes this was a turning point in her life in finding the confidence in herself and her riding ability. She went on to complete her Bachelor of Science in Animal Studies at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She married her college sweetheart, and they loved the Bowling Green area so much, they decided to make it their home. Nicole soon found New Beginnings and started to volunteer. She became a certified PATH, Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International) instructor. At the beginning of this year, she joined the staff in the capacity of Equine and Facility Director and Head Instructor. “The most rewarding aspect of my work is to see the growth and improvement of our students through the riding program.” Kendall plans on entering the Mechanical Engineering program at the University of South Florida after graduation, and hopes to get involved with the Engineers Without Borders program. But whatever her future path, she always wants to stay involved in horses. The experience Kendall gained at New Beginnings may serve her well, not only with horses, but with everyday life. She recalled, “If these kids with disabilities are capable of getting up on a big horse and do all the things they do, then I’m capable of a lot, too.” To learn more about therapeutic riding visit the PATH International’s website at www.pathintl.org. To see New Beginnings website visit them at www.nbtr-bg.org. There are several therapeutic riding facilities in the central Florida area. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY FAIR: Helping Preserve County Fairs’ Special Place in U. S. History By Jim Frankowiak
BLAST
from the past
January 7, 1955
The history of the United States would not be complete without a chapter on County Fairs. These community-based gatherings first started appearing in the mid-1800’s across the nation as a way of bringing the community together for entertainment, competition and fellowship. In many rural communities the County Fair was and is the largest social event of the year. Hardly a person alive today can’t remember their first taste of cotton candy or that first exhilarating ride on the midway at a County Fair. County Fairs have earned a special place in the panorama of American history. The old-time County Fairs featured competition between farmers, homemakers and youth. Even churches and social organizations would compete to see who could provide the tastiest dinners and goodies on the fairgrounds. The County Fair seemed to take forever to arrive and ended in the blink of an eye. Moms and Grandmas would work all year perfecting their homemade pickles and jams while menfolk fattened up their hogs and cattle to show off at the fair. Boys and girls would work for months on their 4-H projects. Young women learned quickly how to rip out their seams until they got that perfect hem in their skirt or dress. And there was always a young lad who washed and brushed that pet calf until she shined! All this ado over something called the County Fair.
Many of the traditions of yesterday’s County Fair can be found at the 2014 Hillsborough County Fair. “In fact, you can still find blue ribbons on jams and jellies, chickens, rabbits and cattle housed in tents and you can smell and taste the foods found at a fair, just about the same as it was in the good old days,” said Hillsborough County Fair Manager Tom Umiker. Today’s County Fair would not be complete without Racing Pigs. “Robinson’s Racing Pigs hold a special place in Hillsborough County history,” noted Umiker. “They invented the modern craze of “pig racing” right here in Hillsborough County almost 30 years ago. Today almost three generations have watched the thrill of the pigs hamming it up on the fast track and swimming to victory in their pool. The “call to the post” can be heard echoing across the fairgrounds.” The Hillsborough County Fair also features Heidi Harriot’s Family Fun Circus. Action packed and filled with extraordinary skills of animals and performers alike, the Harriot family boasts three generations of animal trainers and circus performers. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
The Firefighter Training Show is not only entertaining but educational as well. Participants are chosen from the audience, donned with firefighter gear, and invited to participate in a “smoke-eater’s” competition. At the conclusion of the show younger members of the audience are given the opportunity to crawl through the firehouse smoke and learn valuable tips on fire safety for the entire family. “We are adding Special Events to the competitions this year at the October fair and they hold promise to entertain and thrill the fairgoers of all ages,” said Umiker. The popular Ranch Rodeo is back in the 1800-seat arena Friday and Saturday nights, Oct. 24 and 25. “Sunday, Oct. 26 at 3 pm we will be introducing the Mexican Bull Riding Rodeo. Friday evening, Oct. 31, features “Bulls & Barrels” with contestants from all across Florida and the southeastern US, featuring the thrill of Rodeo Bull Riding coupled with the speed of the girls Barrel Racing. “Saturday evening, Nov. 1, marks a first for the County Fairgrounds,” said Umiker. “Smoke will be bellowing and dirt will be flying with the first annual Truck and Tractor Pull. Modified tractors and 4 x 4 Trucks will compete for the prizes. The fair concludes Special Events in the Arena with a Demolition Derby on Sunday afternoon, November 2. All local participants crash and smash until the last car moving wins! Demolition Derbies have been a staple for years at Fairs up north. The Hillsborough County Fair is proud to be one of the few fairs in Florida to present this true down home entertainment.” Don’t forget Hayride, Round Bale Decorating, Children’s Pageant, Harvest Awards, Swine Sale, Fine Arts Show, Photography Show, Family Living, Recycled Yard Art Contest, Talent Showcase, Hometown Hillsborough, and fair food - funnel cakes and BBQ, corn dogs and roasted corn, 4-H BBQ, and the Rotary Chili Cook-off, Youth Horse Show, Bay Area Bandits Shooting Match and the Midway Rides complete the full fair venue. Any of the Arena events are $10 at the event. Fairgoers can buy a ticket in advance for $10 and that includes entrance for the Fair that day at no charge, a savings of up to $7. For more information, visit the Hillsborough County Fair’s website: www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com or call: 813/737-3247. You may also send an email to the Fair at: hillsboroughcountyfair@verizon.net. The Fair entrance is located at 215 Sydney Washer Road, Dover, FL 33527. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Captan 4L & Captan 80WDG Captan 4L & Captan 80WDG
provide consistent performance for disease control in strawberries and other fruit crops. Apply alone or in a tank mix. Captan 4L & Captan 80WDG are proven performers you can count on all season long.
• Two premium formulations – Captan 4L & Captan 80WDG • Economical control of Anthracnose, Botrytis and Leaf Spot on Strawberries • Also labeled for other crops such as Blueberries • Goes into spray solution quickly • No known disease resistance • Easy to measure • REI = 24 hr. • PHI = 0
For more information about Captan 4L & Captan 80WDG, contact your local retailer or visit our website, www.DrexChem.com, where you can find labels, SDS and information on all of our products. Drexel Chemical Company P.O. BOX 13327, MEMPHIS, TN 38113-0327 (901)774-4370 • Fax (901)774-4666 E-mail: info@drexchem.com www.DrexChem.com
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THE EXTENSION EVOLUTION FROM STITCHING AND STIRRING TO RAISING KIDS, EATING RIGHT , SPENDING SMART AND LIVING WELL By Jim Frankowiak
One of life’s constants is change. That is especially true at Hillsborough County Extension where change has been and continues to be manifest throughout the organization over the last century. Once noted solely for “stitching and stirring” programs presented typically at rural in-home demonstrations, the Family and Consumer Sciences Department – one of several Extension emphasis areas -- now provides research-based community education to all county residents with respect to family life, financial management, nutrition and health. Subject matter is determined by community needs as ascertained through research conducted at the University of Florida, the state’s land grant college, in each of Florida’s counties. The Morrill Act of 1862, also called the Land Grant Act, gave states thousands of acres of land with the understanding that the proceeds from the sales of these lands were to be invested in an endowment fund. That fund would provide support for colleges of agriculture and mechanical arts in each state, known as land grant colleges. The Smith-Lever Act of 1914 established the Cooperative Extension Service, a partnership between land grant colleges nationally and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in order to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public through educational programs. In Hillsborough County, Extension is a cooperative service of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida and its Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Initially, Extension family focus was on rural areas of the country with emphasis on cooking and sewing. Much of that information was provided by way of in-home demonstrations. Over the years that programming has expanded and educational efforts now include both urban and rural residents. Among Extension Agents engaged in Hillsborough County efforts over the years were Laura Keiser, Helen Webb, Mamie Basset, Mary Ellen Lauder, Caroline Melber and Virginia Coombs, many with decades of service. Multi-faceted Family and Consumer Sciences Departmental programming is currently led by Extension Agents and faculty members Diana Converse, Jackie Hunter, Mary Keith and Lisa Leslie. Converse focuses on parenting, child development, child care training, family/relationships, balancing work and family, communication and grand parenting. 56
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Hunter provides supervision in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). EFNEP focuses on programming to a diverse audience of adults, youth and children with limited financial resources. Participation results in individuals and families experiencing improvements in four core areas: Diet Quality and Physical Activity, Food Resource Management, Food Safety and Food Security. Keith’s educational efforts include diet, ingredients and recipe modifications for health; allergies and foods; supplements; nutrition for Head Start and preschool children, elderly and special needs; nutrition education aids; safe food handling and storage, including home canning; Nutrition Education Training certification for child care providers; ServSafe food safety and sanitation certification; newspaper columns and specialty newsletters and health fairs. Leslie offers personal financial management programs, including development, implementation and teaching in the areas of budgeting, credit, saving, investing and goal planning. She also develops and adapts educational materials and serves as Coordinator of Tampa Bay Saves, as well as the local coordinator for the Florida Master Money Mentor program. Collectively Converse, Hunter, Keith and Leslie bring well over a century of service and expertise to their outreach activities. Each reaches 5,000 – 7,000 county residents each year by way of personal interaction and those efforts are further enhanced through group presentations and seminars held throughout the county, dialogue via the web and initiatives through traditional and social media venues. County residents interested in learning more about any of the areas with the Family and Consumer Sciences Department area encouraged to contact the appropriate agents to schedule a workshop or to request information. Each can be reached via the main Extension telephone number: 813/7445519. Converse is at Extension 54140, Hunter at Extension 54121, Keith – Extension 54136 and Leslie at Extension 54143. Their email addresses are: KeithM@HillsboroughCounty.org, ConverseD@HillsboroughCounty.org, HunterJD@HillsboroughCounty.org and LeslieL@HillsboroughCounty.org. Each is located at Hillsborough County Extension Service, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. Additional information is also available at: http://hillsborough.ifas,ufl.edu/fcs/. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
CELEBRATING
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YEARS OF VOLUNTEERISM
By Jim Frankowiak You would have to search far and wide to find a volunteer organization with a record of service to the community as deep and as rich as the Hillsborough Association for Home & Community Education (HCE). And after your investigation concluded, there’s a good chance your efforts were for naught. President Marci Strom and her colleagues are looking forward to the annual state conference at Altamonte Springs in October and competing with other county organizations from throughout Florida. “We think of ourselves as an extension of Extension,” said Strom, who has been an active member of HCE for nearly four decades. Length of service is substantial for most members of this organization which has as its mission “to strengthen individuals, families and communities through continuing education, developing leadership and community action.”
“We are an education-based volunteer organization,” said Strom. “We have a special connection with the County Extension Agents. As members we receive the newest, unbiased, research based information from the Co-Operative Extension Service and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). We support and strengthen 4-H youth and we comply with Affirmative Action, providing opportunities for a wide range of educational programs through our clubs and councils. “In the early days of our organization, gardening, and then canning your harvest, plus sewing your own clothes from potato sacks or regular cotton materials, were our main activities,” said Strom. Some of the oldest research said Home Demonstrations began in Florida in 1908 in Ocala with a demonstration of “creamed eggs” for the Florida State Federation of Women’s Clubs. The head of the Department of Home Economics at Florida State gave the demonstration. It was such a good one that club women invited and paid expenses for her to give a series of lessons on cooking. Shortly thereafter, the head of Home Economics heard there was developing a kind of Extension work for country girls called “Tomato Clubs.” This opened the way for home demonstrations by volunteer “Tomato Girl” members about 1912. Initially known as Tomato Clubs, the organization has undergone a number of name changes over the last 90 years. It was the National Home Demonstration Council in 1924, the National Extension Homemaker Council in 1964, the National Association for Family & Community Education in 1992 and its present name a decade ago. Mrs. Henry Donaldson of Tampa was the first president in Hillsborough County and that was in 1924.
The group has an impressive listing of accomplishments. Too many to list, but here are several: • In the 1940s the hot school lunch program began with members who prepared one-dish meals and took them to the local WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
classrooms, because they knew children could learn better if nourished. As new schools were built, members lobbied to have kitchens and hot meals for students. • Bookmobiles trace their beginnings to members who took carloads of books into rural communities where the books were exchanged until all were read. The members would then return the read books to the library and bring another load for reading. • In the 1960s, child safety seat laws were the focus of members so children’s lives could be saved when accidents occurred. All 50 states now have that law. • In 1994, the national organization launched a program to rid TV of violence; in Hillsborough County they supported the effort by gathering signatures on petitions in favor of the program. In 2000, Hillsborough County was recognized as the top petition generator among all clubs and councils in the U.S. This campaign went on for 10 years and was instrumental in getting the rating program code on all TV programs. One of the biggest annual events for Hillsborough members started in 1976 when they opened the “Neighborhood Village” at the Florida Strawberry Festival. A few days before the Festival, they accepted entries for judging in baking, food preservation, needlework, sewing, toys and cake decorating. And each year most of their profits from their sales of “Recipes for Sharing” was given to the 4-H for scholarships. Members helped to coordinate Neighborhood Village activities for 26 years. Another outreach for the community was at the Sun ‘N Fun Fly-in in Lakeland, where educational demonstrations in the Ladies Pavilion were given for many years, as well. After the first couple of years, many of the pilots joined in to taste the samples. Members continue to make “Ouch” dolls for distribution to doctors’ offices and clinics for children to have and hold as a distraction when they are receiving shots. They also collect pop-tops for the Ronald McDonald House in Gainesville. State members gathered more than a ton of tabs the first seven months the program was in operation in Florida. Members make quilts for babies with AIDS, crochet caps and bootees, sew sacques and gowns for premature infants and supply books for newborns. “We make bibs for hospice patients and cancer turbans and aps for cancer patients,” said Strom. “We make cosmetic bags with sample toiletries for domestic abuse shelters and save labels for low income schools. “Ours is a wonderful world of learning and then caring enough to share. We welcome new members and meet the first Friday of every month at the Extension Center.” For more information, please contact Strom at 813/704-4276 or Extension: 813/744-5519. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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HILLSBOROUGH
CONSERVATION DISTRICT HOLDS ‘WELL ATTENDED AND PRODUCTIVE’ LOCAL WORKING GROUP SESSION By Jim Frankowiak
Since 1946, the Hillsborough Soil and Water Conservation District (HSWCD) has been serving county agricultural interests by helping to sustain and grow agribusiness through the provision of design, permitting and cost-sharing source assistance to expanding and new operations. The focus of designs is the conservation of soil and water resources. Agribusiness participation is voluntary and not mandated by regulatory agencies. The HSWCD recently held a Local Working Group meeting hosted by the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) at its Dover offices to bring together public and private sector parties to discuss and provide information regarding local priorities for sharing with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Services (NRCS) and its State Technical Committee. “I was gratified with the level of participation from both the public and private sectors and appreciated the positive and productive dialogue that took place,” said HSWCD Chairman Roy G. Davis. “This type of collective engagement helps to identify our local priorities as well as enhancements to the process that potentially benefit all involved parties and the environment.” Davis noted the meeting attracted some 30 attendees, “a marked increase over the number of participants at the last meeting of this type held in 2011.” Local Working Groups, which ideally meet at least annually, are composed of conservation district officials, agricultural producers representing crops, livestock or poultry raised within the local area, non-industrial private forest land owners and other professionals representing relevant agricultural and conservation interests and a variety of disciplines in the soil, water, plant, wetland and wildlife sciences who are familiar with private land agricultural and natural resource issues in the local community. In addition to HSWCD and NRCS representatives, the session included participants representing the Southwest Florida Water Management District, Hillsborough County Extension, FSGA, Hillsborough County Farm Bureau, Hillsborough County Environmental Protection Commission, several professional consultancies and agribusinesses. Discussion topics during the session included designs, permitting, cost-sharing, regulatory compliance and other matters of concern to attendees. “This entire process is dynamic and ever-changing and it is through meetings such as this that all participants can share input leading to even more beneficial outcomes,” said Davis. 60
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Soil and Water Conservation Districts were originally organized within county boundaries by landowner petition based on a need for soil and water conservation and in the interest of public health, safety and welfare. Each district has a board of directors that serve as a local unit of government, prioritizing and assisting in the delivery of services provided locally by the NRCS. The overall mission of the HSWCD is “to promote and encourage the wise use, management and general conservation of soil, water and related natural resources; to connect private landowners with federal and local cost-share programs through best management practices; to reach out to communities and schools to teach the value of natural resources and encourage conservation efforts; to build a local, grassroots movement in support of quality, technical services for soil and water conservation; to provide technical assistance and education related to water supply, water quality, flood control and natural resource protection; and to provide conservation designs and construction assistance to the agricultural community in support of growth and sustainability.” Directors are non-partisan, with district-wide representation and elected in a general election to a four-year term. In addition to District Chairman Davis, the HSWCD directors include Betty Jo Tompkins, vice chair; Hugh Gramling, David Maynard and Treasurer Anita Steward. They receive no monetary compensation for their services. The HSWCD staff is comprised of Engineering Specialist Kim Ford, Environmental Specialist Kristine Stair and Administrative Specialist Tosca Saffold. In addition to design, permitting assistance and help identifying cost-sharing opportunities for 20 farm projects in the past year, the HSWSCD was involved in extensive educational outreach activities, ranging from the annual Environmental Olympics and Land Judging Contest , two events where area middle and high school students have the opportunity to apply classroom skills in the field; to participation in local fairs and expositions to foster natural resource conservation awareness and participation in supportive programs and activities. For information on project assistance or aspects of natural resource conservation, contact the HSWCD by visiting: www.hillsboroughcounty.org/swcd or call 813/752-1474, Ext. 3. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
FRUIT & VEGETABLES GROWERS TO GATHER AT FLORIDA AG EXPO NOVEMBER 5 By Jim Frankowiak
New Production Trends/Techniques/Varieties/Field Trials The 9th annual Florida Ag Expo – the only event of its type geared to the interests of Florida fruit and vegetable growers – is set for Wednesday, November 5, 2014 at the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS) Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Wimauma, Florida. The day long show begins with registration at 7:30 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m.
Pre-emergence herbicides for nutsedge control in strawberries
UF/IFAS, Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association (FFVA), Florida Tomato Committee, Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) and Florida Grower Magazine are event organizers.
Dr. Gary Vallad – Bacterial Spot and Nematode Rescues:
“The Florida Ag Expo continues to be an innovative educational and networking opportunity, with topics of interest to tomato, pepper, cucurbit, berry, peach and emerging crop producers,” said the FFVA’s Sonia Tighe, chair of the Florida Ag Expo Committee. “The grower panel is a highlight which provides growers from very different growing areas and commodities a chance to share their observations with attendees. In addition to the educational sessions, the very popular field tours and walking tour provide opportunities for growers to see new varieties and production practices in the field, and interact directly with the researchers.”
Demonstration of bacterial spot management programs for vegetable production
Ag Expo will include a series of educational sessions. Among them a grower panel discussion on new approaches and opportunities; Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) updates; marketing and the use of social media; peaches, berries and cucurbits; bee health issues; and, nematode management. “Our program includes field tours showing the latest research results in vegetable production,” said GCREC Director Dr. Jack Rechcigl. “Field tour highlights will include fertilization and irrigation, disease management, insect management and soil fumigation.” Field tour leaders and their subject matter: Dr. Hugh Smith – Whitefly and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) Management: Transplant versus at-plant treatment of tomato seedlings for management of silverleaf whitefly and TYLCV Integration of reflective mulch, TYLCV-tolerant varieties, and insecticide programs for managing silverleaf and TYLC Dr. Nathan Boyd – Knocking Nutsedge Down in Vegetables: WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Pre-emergence herbicides for nutsedge control in tomatoes and peppers Paladin and K-Pam combinations for nutsedge control in vegetables
Evaluation of seed and transplant treatments for improved management of bacterial spot
Evaluation of fumigation and nematode programs for vegetable production Dr. Sam Hutton and Dr. Jay Scott – A Look at New Tomato Varieties: Yield evaluation for tomato hybrids and inbreds Demonstration trial of prospective releases from the UF tomato breeding program Special focus tours at Ag Expo will include Dr. Vance Whitaker and A Sneak Preview at Strawberry Breeding Trials; Improvement and Evaluation of New Ornamental Crops with Dr. Zhanao Deng; and Dr. Gurpal Toor on Passive Removal of Nitrogen for On-Site Wastewater (Septic) Systems. “Another highlight of the Ag Expo program will be a grower panel discussion of production, regulatory and labor challenges, plus a presentation on Food Safety Modernization Act water testing and treatment requirements,” noted Tighe. “There will also be indoor and outdoor exhibit areas for personal previews of the latest products, equipment and services available to growers. Ag Expo is a proven opportunity for growers, researchers and suppliers to share ideas and build relationships.” Registration is free for growers, researchers, students and association personnel. Pre-registration prior to October 3 includes a lunch buffet. For reservations made after October 3, there is a $15 per person for the luncheon buffet. For reservations, visit: FloridaAgExpo.com. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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By Ginny Mink
Dairy Drama
We scheduled to attend our newest Meet the Minks adventure on a Monday. Unfortunately, we got a flat tire while doing some shopping and had to reschedule. I can assure you that Hazel was not at all pleased by this occurrence as she had chosen an outfit that she said, “Would be great for Meet the Minks!” Sadly, she had to wear something else on Tuesday when we actually got to go. As per her usual, she questioned me, “Will there be poop?” I laughed and admitted that, “Yes, there will be poop.” She determined to wear what she deems her, “poop shoes.” If you’ve been following this series you know that Hazel’s first tragic poop experience was at a dairy farm in Lakeland, at which point she was wearing her new Dora shoes. She has since relegated them to the category of, “poop shoes,” and never wears them. Dressed and ready to encounter poop, we headed out to Lithia. As is my normal MO, I didn’t tell Hazel where she was going. Jaidyn (J), the eldest, knew and was not as thrilled as I would have liked, but he’s getting to that age in which nothing is thrilling (unless it’s a new tablet or video game). On our way there, Hazel occasionally asked the, “are we there yet,” questions but was mostly quiet. Zeke, the baby, just chilled in his car seat.
We followed Tanya to the pen and when we tried bringing the two younger ones in, you’d have thought they’d been attacked. The sheer terror and screams of utter anguish were mind-boggling. I hate to say it, but apparently, my children are chickens and I think I’ve scarred them both for life! Let me reassure you, the goats were sweet, they didn’t try to munch on my wee-ones (though a couple of the babies truly enjoyed J’s cargo shorts). The kids just got scared, so we went into the inner pen that housed the babies. Hazel did a little better, as she thought it was time to climb on the “playground,” until J informed her there was poop on it. Yes, it’s a goat toy and goats go wherever they want. She quickly got off the slide. Zeke was ok as long as no goats were in his space. If they were far enough away, he was back to all smiles and, “Dog dog!” but the minute they came close, agony! Tanya ran to get some bottles to feed the babies and when she returned, Hazel and J both took turns feeding the babies. How cute they were! I’m not a fan of the big goats, but I like the babies. I guess I feel the same way about Dog dogs, I prefer the puppies. Once the babies were fed, Tanya grabbed a big momma and we headed to the milking area.
We drove down a dead end street in what appeared to be the middle of an orange grove. I pointed out the orange trees to Hazel, something she’s never really been exposed to. Then, in her silly three year old mentality she started naming other trees she’d like to see. This included cucumber and purse trees. She giggled profusely to herself and I just shook my head, smiling.
The goats are so conditioned that the doe went right up on the platform in preparation. Tanya showed J and Hazel how to milk her. J’s face was apprehensive as he told me, “It’s weird touching a boob!” I laughed and informed him that it was an udder and a teat, not a boob. He and Hazel both milked the momma and then Tanya brought us some fresh, cold goat’s milk to try.
The gate was closed when we arrived so J got out to open it. He said, “I forgot how to open a gate,” and as I was explaining to him where the latch was, he just shook his head at me and said, “I’m joking.” He then walked over and opened the gate. His sarcasm is quite irritating, I don’t where he gets it from.
I’m not gonna lie, I waited for Hazel to take the first sip in case it was gross; I’d rather her spit it out than me! She chugged it so I figured it was worth a try. Indeed, it was really good. I took some of mine over to Zeke and his face lit up. He smiled wide and begged for more! Yes, my wee-ones like goat’s milk, who da thunk it?
Anyway, while we were sitting there in the van getting ready to pull in, Zeke started saying, excitedly, “Dog dog!” I turned to see him pointing at a group of Nigerian dwarf dairy goats. Yep, everything’s a dog to him! Almost at the same time, Hazel yelled, “A playground!” She was more interested in all the plastic yard toys inside the goat enclosures. Of course, she was thinking I brought her to a playground, not a goat farm.
The kids also got to brush the goats and trim their hooves. Then they walked them around on leashes. Hazel was fine with the goats, one on one, so long as they didn’t stick their faces in hers. Afterward, she told me her favorite part was brushing and feeding them. I think that’s because Tanya thanked her for doing so. She likes to feel important and useful. Who doesn’t?
We pulled in and I got the kids situated, Zeke in his stroller, Hazel instructed not to run off and J informed that he’d better change his face. Yes, I tell him that frequently as he seems to have a perpetual look of disgust and disinterest (I’m sure my parents have no idea the origin of that face). Our host, Tanya Cook, arrived and we made all the necessary introductions.
All in all, we had a fun time at the farm. Zeke got out at the end and ran around a little bit. I thought he was going to approach the pen of male goats but he backed off before he was close enough for a lick. J played king of the hill on a pile of sand and Hazel didn’t want to leave once she got acclimated to the presence of the goats. However, she later told her babysitter, “They wanted to sniff me and I didn’t like that!”
Tanya is owner of TLC Farms in Lithia. We’ve done some articles on her previously, but I’d never met her. She’s a very sweet woman and handled my children very well. This is important as I am about to tell you what happened when we actually introduced them to the goats. All the while Zeke was pointing every which way squealing with apparent delight, “Dog dog! Dog dog!” Yes, he says it twice, don’t ask me why. He does the same thing when he’s talking about his TMNT ball.
Dairy goats are pretty cool and the milk they produce is really good! If you’d like to experience a dairy goat farm I think Tanya would welcome your visit. She has goats that she shows and is an avid supporter of FFA and 4-H. Check her site out at: http:// tlcfarmsdwarfgoats.com/home.html. You can contact her that way too! Tell her the Minks sent ya! If you’ve got an idea for a Meet the Minks article/adventure please send me an email at: ginnymink@gmail.com. Thanks!
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Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm, Ranch & Pet Supplies
SOUTHSIDE STORES Getting Better with Age Adult beverages are not for sale at Southside Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm & Pet, but like a fine wine, the store and its diverse offerings keep getting better with age. A Plant City icon on James L. Redman Parkway since 1978, the retail establishment was purchased by Tim and Pam Lopez in March of 2013 from its founder and their friend, Dennis Der. “Dennis did a great job with the business, and we have grown and invested substantially in the infrastructure of the store and the lines of boots, clothing, hats, jewelry and more,” said Pam. The 15,000-square-foot front of the store is devoted to apparel and accessories, while the store’s middle section, which is now fully air-conditioned, offers a range of pet and large animal supplies. The rear of the operation continues to house the bagged, bulk and liquid feeds along with gates, panels and posts, all with easy access for drive-up and loading. While the Lopez’s have been pleased with the response of the community and growth of the store, “we continue to aggressively market what we have to offer through a variety of means from outdoor billboards along I-4, radio and print advertising, to community engagement and support,” said Tim. “Facebook has been great for us with over 4200 followers and we are seriously looking at television advertising in the near future.” Also the Southside staff has grown from 11 to 14 employees. 66
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“Despite our continued growth and strong community response, there are still people in our immediate market area that have the mistaken impression we are a dirt floor feed store with some western wear for sale,” said Tim. “Honestly --and this has been proven time and time again -- first time visitors to our store typically become regular customers. They quickly determine that there’s no need to go to any of the local malls since our selection is better and our pricing is the same or better.” One of the new Southside staff additions is Store Manager Michelle Sapp. “We are delighted to have Michelle as part of our team,” said Pam. Michelle’s husband, Richard, is a strawberry farmer and “she shares our commitment to daily handson involvement with the store, providing the best possible customer service and responding to our customers’ needs and the products they want us to carry, which leads to a great experience for them every time they visit our store.” Tim and Pam’s son, Michael, a University of Florida alumnus who majored in Agriculture, manages the Farm and Pet Supply side of the business. “Michael is very passionate with show animals and helping FFA and 4-H folks with their animals in regards to the latest in nutritional feeding,” said Tim. He attends classes annually at the Purina land labs in St. Louis, Missouri to stay on the cutting edge in animal health. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Though not visible to shoppers, the Lopez’s added a large second floor storage area to house the store’s very substantial line of boots. The Boot Saloon carries a variety of fashion, work and western style boots from a number of respected brands such as Ariat, Justin, Corral, Lucchese, Roper, Stetson, Nocona, Durango, Boulet, Old Gringo, Tony Lama, Georgia Boot, Dan Post and Black Jack Custom Boots. “We carry riding boots, cowboy boots, ropers, work boots and fashion boots as well as Minnetonka Moccasins and Columbia water drainer outdoor shoes,” said Tim. “When you are on the hunt for the right boot, you may find it best to consider what you expect functionality-wise from your boots. We have whatever you need from that standpoint. We are the premier store in Florida for Ariat.” Southside carries a broad selection of fine western wear, outdoor apparel and fashion wear that includes some of the most beloved and respected brands in fashion clothing. “Whether you are looking for jeans, shirts, dresses or accessories, we offer full lines from designers such as Miss Me, Grace in LA, Wrangler, Ariat, Cinch, Columbia, Roar and Rock n Roll. We also carry hats by Stetson, Resistol, Charlie 1 Horse and Atwood,” said Pam. “We don’t cherry pick from a brand, we carry the full line so we can meet the most discriminating tastes in fashion wear. Southside has one of the largest selections of Columbia, Miss Me and Grace in LA in Florida.” This is well attested, too, by the breadth of denim styles available at Southside. “From casual to glam, we’ve got it,” added Pam. “Tried and true brands, such as Wrangler and Ariat, have become a fashion staple for many and are known for their excellent quality and comfort. If you are looking for glitz in your jeans, Miss Me jeans and Grace in LA are known for their tailored fit and trendy western-inspired embellishments, which really make them stand out against other jeans.” Roar shirts are also available at Southside. “Roar designs have the wow factor and include casual designs to shirts embellished with beautiful embroidery and crystals,” said Tim. “You will find any Roar shirt to be a fine addition to your wardrobe.” Shoppers at Southside will also find a large selection of jewelry items such as bangles, necklaces and rings from Montana Silversmith and others, which can complement their trendy look, whether casual or dressy. “And, living here in sunny Florida makes it mandatory to have a good pair of sunglasses, and we offer a full line of Costa sunglasses, “said Pam. “When it comes to accessories, we have you covered from hats and sunglasses to jewelry and purses.” Another need here in the Sunshine State for outside activities, both work and play, is the right cooler and Southside has the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
best available with its line of Brute Box Coolers that feature maximum ice retention and extreme durability in an extensive selection of capacities. The Farm and Pet staff at Southside recognizes there is much that goes into taking proper care of pets and livestock from their feeding and grooming needs and beyond. “We offer a variety of supplies for both pets and livestock,” said Michael. “From the family pet to farm animals such as cattle, horses and swine, we can fulfill many of the needs your animal may have for their proper care.” To meet those varied needs, Southside offers a variety of Purina feeds, a known and trusted brand of feeds that provides a proper and balanced diet for both beloved pets and livestock. “That includes Purina feed that has been specifically formulated for show animals,” said Michael. The store also carries food concentrates and supplements used to provide optimal levels of nutrition for pets and livestock. “Our staff has the know-how to help customers determine the best food and supplements to benefit their pets or livestock,” said Michael. Southside’s community engagement includes active memberships in the Greater Plant City Chamber of Commerce, Kiwanis Club of Plant City, FFA and others, as well as a range of continuing sponsorships for various schools and community groups. “Fashion shows for groups such as the Plant City Garden Club, Plant City Strawberry Festival and others really have had an impact on the group members and our store,” said Pam. “For some audience members, they are surprised that our models are showing off clothing and accessories that are available right here in Plant City. It’s great to have them race us back to the store to take a look at what we have to offer and buy those items that appeal to them.” This year, Southside was a major sponsor at the state FFA convention in Orlando. “With the help of Ariat, Southside will be dressing the state FFA officers including boots and clothing items,” noted Tim. Later this month, Southside will participate in Fashion, Feathers and Fur (www.fashionfeathersandfur.com), a fundraising event the evening of September 27 at Winthrop Barn in Riverview, benefitting local animal rescue groups. “This is a great cause and another opportunity to make residents aware of our store and what we have to offer,” said Pam. And both she and Tim urge area residents to mark Saturday, November 8, on their calendars. “That’s the date for our annual Fall Extravaganza including free lunch, hourly giveaways of boots, jeans and shirts and some great deals.” For more information about Southside, visit www.southsidestores.com. The store is located at 3014 James L. Redman Parkway, Plant city, FL 33566. Telephone: 813/752-2379. The store hours are Monday through Saturday 8am to 6pm. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/ IFAS) Extension Hillsborough County, in conjunction with the Hillsborough County Fair, is sponsoring the annual Recycled Yard Art Contest. The County Fair will be held at the Hillsborough County fairgrounds from Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, October 26, 2014, and Thursday, October 30 through Sunday, November 2, 2014. The fairgrounds are located on the east side of Brandon at the intersection of State Road 60 and Sydney Washer Road. The Recycled Yard Art contest is one of many events at the Fair and a great way to combine and share your reduce, reuse, recycle behaviors and artistic talents. Past contest winning entries have included metal sculptures, mosaic shovels, lawnmower blades made into standing flowers, colorful fish tanks and much more! This event is open to all county residents and all age groups. We highly
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encourage schools, students, adults, garden clubs, library groups and all others to participate. It costs nothing to enter except the time it takes you to create the entry and deliver it to the county fairgrounds. Entries must be created mostly with recycled or recyclable materials and should be able to withstand the elements for outdoor display. Contest rules, entry forms and additional information will be posted in the very near future on the UF/ IFAS Extension Hillsborough County website: http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu. In the interim, if you would like an entry form, please email me at barberL@hillsboroughcounty.org and the forms will be emailed to you. I’ve worked the Recycled Yard Art Contest for the past seven plus years since it was created. The quality of the entries is high. Many years I have been able to purchase items that were created and displayed from the people that made them. These recycled yard art items adorn my home landscape, lanai and front porch. They are all great reminders about repurposing items versus throwing them out in the trash. If you like funky, whimsy and recycling, this is a contest for you! We hope to have more entries this year than ever before. For assistance with horticultural questions, call: 813-7445519 or visit us at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. More gardening information is available at: http://hillsborough.ifas.ufl.edu and http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu. Remember to reuse, reduce, recycle and repeat.
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Market Watch: Farmers Wanted by: Libby Hopkins
I started writing this column because I love farmer’s markets and artisan markets. It brings so much joy and happiness to my heart to see a local small business start as a vendor at the market and then make their way to a brick and mortar establishment. This ends up being a huge boost to the local economy and keeping businesses local, which is more things I love. The one thing I’ve notice lately on my visits to these markets is that there aren’t that many “farmers.” I would love to see more farmers at farmer’s markets. I’m not the only one who feels this way. Tiffany Ferrecchia is the Director of Operations for Tampa Bay Markets and she runs the Corey Avenue Sunday Market in St. Petersburg, the Dunedin Downtown Market in Dunedin, the Seminole Heights Market, the Hyde Park Fresh Market and the Carrollwood North Tampa Market as well as the Fresh Market at The Shops at Wiregrass in Pasco County. The woman loves her markets and her venders but she wants more farmers to be a part of her markets. “Traditionally, the market itself comes from the farmer’s market model, but the markets we are operating have so many more products inside, so that’s why we call them ‘fresh markets’ as opposed to ‘farmer’s markets,’” Ferrecchia said. “We struggle with getting farmers to come out to the markets and sell their products.” Farmer’s markets are commonplace all over the world and they reflect their local culture and economy. According to Farmers Market Living (www.farmersmarketliving.com), “The first farmers’ markets originated in Egypt over 5,000 years ago when farmers along the Nile brought their fresh produce to be sold. Today there are farmers’ markets all over the world with the largest in Tokyo, which has over 1,700 stalls.” The website also says, “In America, informal markets have been around since the early settlers in Jamestown. The modern farmers’ markets that have tents lined up in rows with tables and common eating areas started in the 19th century. The popularity of farmers’ markets is on the rise. Demand for local food has reached $7 Billion in 2012, nearly doubling since 2002. Farmers’ markets have a very real place in our lives and our lifestyles.”
provide us with more farmers.” She is driven to please her dedicated customers and connect them to locally grown food. Ferrecchia is now reaching out to all the farmers within a 60-mile radius of Tampa to pack up their fresh produce and sell it at her markets. “We feel that the markets have a strong enough platform and enough traffic flow to make a farmer’s drive and days work worthwhile,” Ferrecchia said. “Each market we operate has a range of 500-1200+ attendees per market date.” Tampa Bay Markets is offering FREE space to farmers at select markets this season in the hopes they will come out and sell their products. “The Carrollwood North Tampa Market, Seminole Heights Market and the Corey Avenue Market are all offering free space to farmers the entire season,” Ferrecchia said. “Due to space constraint, the other markets that are located at Wiregrass, Hyde Park and Dunedin are offering free space to the first three events and then the fee will be discounted to $25 per market date.” Ferrecchia hopes this free offer will entice more farmers to come and join her markets. “I’m hoping farmers will read this article, give us a call and let us know what market they would like to come to and sell their produce,” Ferrecchia said. If you would like to learn more about the different markets Tampa Bay Markets has, you can visit their website at www.tampabaymarkets.com. If you are a famer and would like to take Ferrecchia up on her offer to join one of her markets, you can contact her at 813481-8805 or email her at tiffany.tampabaymarkets@gmail.com and mention this article.
Ferrecchia has started her “Farm to Fresh Market” campaign to get more farmers involved with her markets. “Each market is located in a different area of Tampa Bay that can support our mission of connecting local to you and feature anywhere from 50-100 vendors selling only fresh, local, homemade, handcrafted and eco-friendly products,” Ferrecchia said. “With these offerings, each Fresh Market intends to draw residents and visitors to that area and boost the local economy.” Each of Ferrecchia’s markets already supports vendors who can provide produce, plants, take home foods and hand crafts, but the most common request she gets from her customers each season is “Please 74
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100 Florida EXtension A century of serving florida By Jim Frankowiak
EXTENSION CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OCTOBER 9
You Are Invited!
By Jim Frankowiak
You are cordially invited to attend a very special celebration Thursday, October 9, recognizing the 100th anniversary of Cooperative Extension in Florida. “Our open house event from 4 to 7 p.m. will include activities, exhibits, garden tours, volunteer recognition, light refreshments and lots of fun,” said Hillsborough County Extension Director Stephen Gran.
University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension in Hillsborough County is an educational service provided by both the University of Florida and Hillsborough County. It provides information to the public through workshops, publications and mass media. In 1914 the U.S. Congress established the Extension Service in order to provide a means for disseminating and implementing research-based information from land-grant universities. The University of Florida is the state’s landgrant university. The transfer of knowledge “from UF to people throughout the state is facilitated by Extension faculty located in each of Florida’s 67 counties. This partnership between counties and the university is the heart of the Cooperative Extension Service mission and enables the university to extend its knowledge base to each community,” noted Gran. The mission of extending and implementing research-based information to the people of Florida has not changed, but the information and delivery methods have enormously improved. The driving force for these information delivery methods are the needs of citizens in each county. County extension faculty develop educational programs based on is80 80
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sues determined by their urban and commercial customers or citizens. These priority issues form the basis for major educational programs that are conducted statewide. Information is delivered by satellite courses, computer software, seminars, video presentations, the worldwide web or by the traditional lecture and print medium. Extension “customers” participate in classes statewide and implement new information in their businesses, homes and communities. Hillsborough County Extension faculty, staff and volunteers currently offer county residents information in the following areas:
• • • • • • • •
Commercial Vegetable/Fruit Production Family Life Enhancement Financial Guidance Food & Nutrition 4-H Youth Development Ornamental Plant Production Professional/Residential Horticulture Services Urban Forestry
For more information, contact Extension at 813/7445519 or email: HicklandL@hillsboroughcounty.org. UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County is located at 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. WWW. WWW.IN INTTHE HEFFIELD IELDM MAGAZINE.COM AGAZINE.COM
“Development in Harmony with Nature”
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Brooksville Nature Coast 629 South Broad Street Brooksville, FL 34601 (352) 544-5551 - Phone (352) 544-5529 - Fax
Riverview Corporate Office 10408 Bloomingdale Ave Riverview, FL 33578 (813) 626-9551 - Phone (813) 623-6613 - Fax
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Naturally Amazing Activities
By Sean Green
Fungi Carving Halloween is right around the corner and there are plenty of really cool crafts to choose from. Our theme this month was zombie making fungi, of which the mushroom is the spore bearing fruit. After careful consideration, I thought it would be appropriate to share a mushroom carving craft with our readers. The original author and photographer for this craft seems to be Zachary Kominar of Ontario Canada (2008) but his picture has been widely distributed throughout the Internet without attribution. Standard white mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) are great for skulls because they bruise easily to provide natural variety and texture to the carved skull. Playing off the same theme, the stem from the mushroom can be removed and a small olive added to the center of the mushroom cap would make for terrific eyeballs to add to a soup dish, especially if the mushroom cap is closed enough to keep the olive secure inside. Edible mushrooms come in a variety of textures, colors and shapes, many of which could pass perfectly for zombie parts. There is plenty of time to shop around and find a good source of mushrooms to play with this Halloween, feel free to send in pictures of your creation to share with the rest of us.
Suggested Material:
White Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) – Eyeballs, Skulls Common Morel (Morchella) – Brain Material Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma) – Ears Wood Ear (Auricularia) – Ears
Sculpting tools:
• Sculpting set • Craft knife / Plastic knife • Toothpicks
Carefully carve simple shapes into the mushroom. They are soft, rough shapes can easily be refined without the use of sharp objects. Various mushrooms can be connected together for a more intricate design, for example, white mushrooms for the skull base topped with common morel.
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A Closer Look
Zombie Ants
by Sean Green
via HughesLab/David Hughes
There are ancient foes that lie in wait for the workers of the forest. An unsuspecting carpenter ant forages just outside its nest, perhaps for the last time. If it the worker comes too close, it will endure a mind numbing transformation that will lead to serving its new master even in death. The hostility between these two organisms has persisted for the past 48 million years in a striking example of natural selection. The parasites are neither plant or animal, but rather, fungi that have evolved to control the behavior of their ant host, forcing the ant to help disperse spores and create more servants. This sounds like the makings of a great horror movie or Halloween theme, but taking a closer look may reveal that this scourge happens daily just beneath our sight. Ophiocordyceps is a genus of fungi that include about 140 species known to parasitize ants by altering the ants behavior in ways that allow the fungi to propagate more efficiently. The species was first described by British mycologist (fungi expert) Thomas Petch in 1931. Many subsequent studies included the research of species found in the tropical forests of Thailand (Harmon 2009) and rainforests in Brazil (Hughes 2011). In the beginning of August 2014, a research group published studies of a newly discovered species of Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato that can be found in North America (de Bekker, et al.2014). The new species is a parasite to at least two species of carpenter ants found in Florida. Ophiocordyceps unilateralis sensu lato is a fungus that is a parasite to specific ants and although the fungus can kill similar ant species, researchers have found that the fungus produces a specific mix of compounds as a reaction to the presence of the species specific host brain it has evolved to manipulate, therefore resulting in each ant species having its own species of fungus. The Reddish Carpenter Ant (Camponotus castaneus ), is one of the host species that can be controlled by the fungi and typically nests in rotting logs and soil under rocks and is common throughout Florida. (Camponotus americanus) does not have a common name but is another Florida species that is a preferred host, contrary to its classification as a carpenter ant, this one typically nests in sandy soils at the base of living trees. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Foraging ants brush against fungal spores in the wild, which then penetrate the cuticle and begin to colonize inside the ants body. Once the fungus colony becomes established, it takes over the ants central nervous system and consumes the ant from the inside. Ultimately, the ant is reduced to a zombie like puppet that is exploited by the fungi for its own propagation. With the central nervous system firmly under the control of the fungus, the ant is strategically piloted out of the nest to the underside of nearby vegetation but it’s not just random vegetation. The ant is somehow guided to a location that provides not only the proper temperature and humidity for fungus growth, but also a strategic base from which spores can be launched onto other ants. The infected ant clamps down on the vein of a leaf or other vegetation in a “death grip” that will prevent the ant corpse from falling to the ground during the next stages of assault. The ants jaw becomes locked in a “death grip” on the vein of a leaf or other vegetation. The deterioration of the ants mandible muscles prevent the ant from letting go and it soon dies suspended by its own jaws. Following the ants death, branchlike fungal mycelium grow out of the ants corpse from which new spores are dispersed among other foraging ants for the cycle to continue. It might seem that the fungus has the evolutionary upper hand, however, we cannot discount the ants strategy in this ordeal. Ants are social creatures, and behave in ways that assure the survival of the colony over that of the individual. Watch them for a while and you will see them clean each other up, remove sick and dead ants and keep the colony entrance clean and healthy. Interestingly, the fungus cannot grow inside the nest where the ants abound so efforts to remove infected corpses are just a waste of energy. The fungus targets only foraging ants. Because young carpenter ants remain inside the nest until they near the end of their life cycle it is only the oldest and weakest members of the colony that die from the fungal parasite and extra energy need not be wasted in the removal of corpses that might otherwise litter the colony. The fungi has a renewable host source of older but suitable ants to infect so it can continue to propagate. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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PLATINUM BANK WELCOMES
Tommy Pollock TO THE PLANT CITY TEAM
Platinum Bank is pleased to welcome our new Vice President Commercial Lender, Tommy Pollock. Mr. Pollock, a native of Plant City, has close to ten years of banking experience and a deep desire to be a part of the growth and advancement of the community. With a passion for small business and helping business owners fulfill their goals and dreams, he’ll work with our team of banking experts to grow relationships and serve customers. We welcome Tommy to our team! EMAIL: TPOLLOCK@PLATINUMBANK.COM DIRECT LINE: 813-423-7515 1804 JAMES L REDMAN PKWY PLANT CITY, FL 33563 813-659-1234 PLATINUMBANK.COM
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Mission Manatee: A Species in Danger
By Ginny Mink
They are cute, docile and endangered. People advertise their need for protection on bumper stickers and license plates. I’ve even seen people wearing gold charms, depicting them, around their necks. However, I wonder, just how much do we know about these massive creatures swimming in our waterways? Sure, we’ve all heard people discussing the need to save the manatee, but why? What’s so special about this animal that we should think more intently on its well-being? I suspect that we know very little about the West Indian Manatee. Therefore, it’s important that we learn some things now. First off, let it be noted that people are the manatees’ greatest enemy. We run them over in our boats, choke them out with our litter, destroy their habitats and pollute their water. Yes, we’re the bad guys in their lives! Perhaps we have failed to understand how magnificent these creatures truly are. Perhaps we’ve lost respect for creation. Regardless, there are some pretty interesting facts about the West Indian Manatee we should consider. The first thing is that it takes a female at least five years to reach reproductive maturity. Then, she invests 13 months incubating her weeone which will spend the next two years by her side (literally, as the nipple is located behind her front flipper) thereby preventing siblings. So, when the population deteriorates, and it takes multiple years for them to reproduce, that species is definitely in danger. The babies that arrive do so at 60-70 pounds and are three to four feet long! Shortly after their birth, they are able to eat real food, which mostly consists of sea grasses and other aquatic vegetation. The fibrous material in their herbivore diet grinds their teeth down and so they have moving molars, teeth in the back push forward to replace the dulled fronts. That creates shark imagery for me, but I’ve been near a manatee while out kayaking and I can assure you, I’d never get near a shark. I happened upon one while in an 8 foot, low-to-the-water, plastic craft! Their skin is wrinkly and rough and they have whiskers on their snouts. Interestingly enough, their nearest kin are elephants. Maybe that explains their gray tones and leisurely pace. While under water their lungs (which span 2/3 their body length) can enable them to stay below up to 20 minutes if they’re not being too active. However, if the grass munching is particularly challenging, they might surface every 30 seconds to breathe through nostrils that are capable of sealing off when necessary. These amazing creatures, which can grow to be 13 feet and 3500 pounds, exist in three foot or deeper water. They can be found in fresh, brackish and salt water. However, they only drink fresh and eventually have to return to those sources. So long as the water’s warm, they gladly traverse Florida’s rivers, estuaries and bays. When the water temperature drops below 68, they move to warmer areas, often ending up in natural springs and in the outfall created by power plants and other heat emitting industrial sites. 94
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Lowry Park Zoo has a manatee hospital on its premises and the sights there will be enough to make you want to become an activist. We went there recently, unaware of the manatee part of the zoo. However, when we came upon the tanks and then saw the injured manatee swimming therein, our hearts sank. This gentle creature was scarred from head to back fin. The scarring was horrific and completely recognizable, this sweet creature had been hit, multiple times, by the blade of a boat propeller. There was little more we could do than shake our heads and wipe away the tears that formed. I’m glad we couldn’t hear it talking, because apparently, they do. I bet the sounds they emit are sad. While people are indeed enemy number one, there are other natural factors that plague the manatee’s existence. Manatees are highly susceptible to cold-related illnesses. Thusly, winter temperatures have detrimental effects on their wellbeing. Red tide is also a problem for these sweet, harmless, creatures. So, we’re left wondering, what can be done for them? How can we not only maintain, but increase, their populace? Several organizations, Lowry Park Zoo being one, are working together to Save the Manatee. In fact, that organization is a key contributor to protective actions. The US Fish & Wildlife Services developed The Manatee Recovery Plan which contains the Save the Manatee Club and various other concepts to recover the manatee from its current endangered species status. Specifically, key counties have been asked to institute protective procedures on their waterways. These include speed limit zones, scientific research, management plans, fines for speeders and manatee sanctuaries in strategic locales. We spoke with Carol Knox, Section Leader of the Imperiled Species Management Section for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and she added, “We also review coastal construction permits (marinas and boat ramps). We work on habitat protection and restoration. We try to restore access to springs that provide natural warm water sources for them. We have ongoing educational outreach efforts. We’ve moved into social media to put out information.” Though Hillsborough County has not been considered a target area, it’s important to note we do have manatees in our waters and there are laws to protect them. You’re truly not allowed to mess with them in any way. Leave them alone to live in their peaceful fashion.
If you’d like more information about manatees, here are some great sites to check out: https://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/ fish/southflorida/seagrass/manatee.html http://ecos.fws.gov/speciesProfile/profile/speciesProfile. action?spcode=A007 http://www.savethemanatee.org/manfcts. http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/content/kids/en_US/animals/west-indian-manatee/
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Absolute Real Estate Auction 3/2 HOME ON .52± ACRES
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HUSTLER RAPTOR 42" cut, 21 hp Kawasaki engine. 3 year warranty. $2,799 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
B UILDING S UP P LIES
PINE STRAW FOR SALE Slash and long leaf available. By the bale or truck loads 45’ 48’ 53’ trailers local pickup or delivery. Questions call Clayton Parrish 813-304-3384 RUBBER MULCH All colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE! $8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378
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 Swaps July 13, 2014 and November 30, 2014 CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALE Dry and available immediately! Call Tim Ford or Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232
info @inthe fie ld m a g a z ine .c o m
KITCHEN CABINETS & VANITIES Get quality all wood cabinets for less than the BIG BOX STORES! Call Today! Ask for Blake. 813-752-3378 DOORS AND WINDOWS SPECIAL ORDER No upcharge. House & mobile home. Many standard sizes in stock. Call 813-752-3378 Ask for Blake
J OB S CONTRIBUTING WRITER Write about events in your community. Immediate openings in Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Paid per article. Responsibilities include covering community events and taking pictures. Email your resume to sarah@inthefieldmagazine.com
LAW N EQUIP MENT/ S UP P LIES 2009 DIXIE CHOPPER Xcaliber, 66 inch zero turn mower with yanmar diesel. $5,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722 BRAND NEW HUSTLER RAPTOR Zero Turn Mower. 52" cut, 23 hp. Kawasaki engine, 3 year warranty. $2,999 Call Alvie 813-759-8722
FOR SALE – 45 ACRES VACANT LAND (Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gently rolling hills with big trees & solid ground. A great setting for residential development. To the east of the property is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that adds significant aesthetic value to the 45 acres. Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural) Call Heidi Cecil for more information 863-899-9620 LOOKING TO LEASE 10 Plus acres prefer North Lakeland for cattle. Will maintain fences and mowing. Call Reggie 863-698-2967
S ERVICES 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
P RODUCE FRESH PRODUCE Forbes Road Produce. Open everyday from 7:30am - 8pm. Forbes Rd. & I-4 @ exit 17. Come out and see us!
MIS C. NEW HOLLAND Crop Saver Preservative for hay 2, 50 Gal. Drums. $200 each OBO. 813-620-3006 FOR INFORMATION on the first and only patented organic doctor approved Gentlemen’s Blend coffee contact Al at: 813-763-2220. DOG KENNEL 10x10x6 ft Welded Dog Kennel, 11 1/2 GA Galvanized wire, ALL WELDED, 4 ft door. Heavy Duty Kennel - $295 Savich & Lee/Stalnaker 813-620-3006
HAY Tifton 44. Fertilized and sprayed. Horse quality. $45.00 per roll. Call 863-984-8271
September 2014
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
September 2014
103
#1
Why is the selling brand of chain saw worldwide sold at Everglades Farm Equipment?
Because we know what you expect.
Serving you with 12 locations Since 1963 Serving you with 12 locations New Port Richey
Leesburg
727-842-8618
352-315-1016
6918 US Hwy. 19 New Port Richey, FL 34652
Plant City
2805 SR. 60 West Plant City, FL 33567
1800 US HWY. 441 Leesburg, FL 34748
813-737-1660
Okeechobee
820 US Hwy. 98, North Okeechobee, FL 34972
Clearwater
863-763-1921
5090 Ulmerton Road Clearwater, FL 33760
727-259-7748
Fort Pierce
6150 Orange Ave. Ft. Pierce, FL 34947
Palmetto
772-461-5568
906 US HWY 301 North Palmetto, FL 34221
941-722-3281
Loxahatchee
13295 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470
Fort Myers
561-784-4000
9501 State Road 82 Fort Myers, FL 33905
239-332-5045
Belle Glade
Corporate Headquarters
Immokalee
775 E. Main St. Immokalee , FL 34142
239-657-4413
2017 N. W. 16TH Belle Glade, FL 33430
561-996-6531
Naples
1945 Pine Ridge Road Naples , FL 34109
239-260-8800
At Everglades Farm Equipment we carry the full line of the best hand held equipment on the planet. With the parts and service to keep you up and going, the right choice is STIHL and Everglades Farm Equipment.
104
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Since 1963
Stop in one of our 12 full service locations. We offer fast and expert on-site service. Are you ready for a STIHL?
September 2014
EvergladesFarmEquipment.com
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