INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
September 2018
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Western & Outdoor Wear, Farm, Ranch & Pet Supplies
3014INS. Jim RedmanSeptember Pkwy. (Hwy. 39 S) Plant City, FL • www.southsidewesternwear.com WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM THEFIELD MAGAZINE 2018
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SEPTEMBER 2018 VOL. 13 • ISSUE 11
CONTENTS WISH FARMS NEW CORPORATE HEADQUATERS
64 PAGE 12 Harvest Queen
PAGE35 Cacao Beans
PAGE 12 Hurricane /Fire Losses
PAGE 36 Jack Payne
PAGE 16 Business Up Front
PAGE 38 Veterans Florida PAGE 46 John Dicks
PAGE 18 Fishing Hot Spots
PAGE 48 Endangered Species
PAGE 22 Rocking Chair Chatter PAGE 28 PCHS AgIssues PAGE 32 Photo Archive
Machine
PAGE 56 Comunnity Water Wise
PAGE 62 Women’s Committee
PAGE 63 Tailgating Tips
OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Kenneth Parker....................President
Dennis Carlton Jr................Vice President
Michelle Williamson..............Treasurer Buddy Coleman..................Secretary DIRECTORS FOR 2017 - 2018
Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Rep. Jake Raburn, Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort, Carl Bauman, Will Womack , Melissa Grimes.
Judi Whitson, Executive Director 813-685-9121
PAGE 50 WeVegan Eats
PAGE 71
Valrico Office 813-685-5673
PAGE 52 Recipes
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A Closer Look
News Briefs
Hey Readers!
InTheField® Magazine P.O. Box 5377 • Plant City, Fl. 33566-0042 *Winners will be notified by phone. You Too Can Be A Winner! PAGE
Insurance Services: 813-685-5673 Member Services: 813-685-9121
Farm Bureau Insurance Special Agents
PAGE 54 Literary Time
INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
Office Hours: Mon. - Fri. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
PAGE 70 Activity
Hidden somewhere in the magazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo. Hunt for the logo and once you find the hidden logo you will be eligible for a drawing to win a FREE No Farmers No Food Sticker and a FREE In The Field T-Shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the number of the page which you found the logo and where on the page you located the logo to the address below
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Hillsborough County Farm Bureau 305 S. Wheeler St. Plant City, FL.
September 2018
100 S. Mulrennan Rd., Valrico, FL. 33594 Tommy Hale, CLU, ChFC, CASL, CPCU Agency Mgr. Juile Carlson, John McGuire
Plant City Office 813.752.5577
305 S. Wheeler St., Plant City, FL 33563 Jeff Summer Bill Williams
Tampa Office 813.933.5440
6535 Gunn Highway, Tampa, FL.33625 Greg Harrell, Sonia Valladares
AGENCY MANAGER Tommy Hale WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
HEF FIELD IELD M MAGAZINE AGAZINE IINNTTHE
September September 2018 2018
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STAFF Publisher/Photography Karen Berry Senior Managing Editor/ Associate Publisher Sarah Holt
Sales Melissa Nichols Karen Berry Sarah Holt
Letter from the Editor In The Field magazine has a brand new look. After nearly 14 full years of covering what is growing, we decided it was time for a fresh new design on our cover. Our goal remains the same. We strive to bring you information on agriculture in our community, from the smallest to the largest, taking you behind the scenes to meet the people who put their blood, sweat and tears into feeding not only our county, but our country. Many times, our youth have no idea of the definition of agriculture. If they aren’t raised on or near a farm, agriculture may very well be a foreign word to them. And it isn’t just our youth; a large portion of the population may know the definition, but don’t truly understand it. For all intents and purposes, agriculture is everything involved with growing plants and animals to be used for something else. There are so many branches of agriculture it would boggle the mind of most people. Farmers and Ranchers care about the environment. They take care of the land that takes care of them, hopefully leaving it in better condition for future generations.
Creative Director/Illustrator Juan Alvarez Photography Karen Berry Staff Writers Al Berry Sandy Kaster James Frankowiak Sean Green Ginny Mink Breanne Williams
Contributing Writers Woody Gore John Dicks
These are the lessons we hope our readers learn as we take you on a monthly tour of the agriculture industry in our area. Let us know how you like the new look. If you have an idea for a story please let us know. Covering what’s growing is important to us.
Until Next Month
Sarah Holt The LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. - Numbers 6:25
In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Hillsborough County businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to: info@inthefieldmagazine.com or call 813-759-6909 Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in all respects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Berry Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In the Field magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.
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Published by Berry Publications, Inc.
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IT’S NOT OVER
HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY
- Kenneth Parker - President
As you all know, we don’t always get what we want. That was evident on two counts last month. The amended North American Free Tree Agreement (NAFTA) between the U.S. and Mexico failed to deliver remedies for specialty growers like we have in the county and state, and Adam Putnam, the gubernatorial candidate that would have been a tremendous asset to agriculture in Florida, was unsuccessful in his bid for the Republican nomination. Both results were disappointing, but it is incumbent upon us to move forward with actions. And by that I mean working hard to assure our government leaders continue to recognize the importance of agriculture – specialty crops in particular – to the families and communities of the Sunshine State and here in the county. It may be some time before NAFTA is again renegotiated, but we cannot stop apprising our elected and appointed leaders of the ways in which our specialty crop growers are being unfairly treated under the current terms of that agreement and through the actions of the Mexican government. Also, our next governor must realize agriculture is very critical to our state’s economy and the economy of Hillsborough County. More than 20 percent of the county’s workforce is engaged in agriculture,
revenue contributions of our industry in this county exceed $22 billion with a “B” and that equals 16 percent of Hillsborough County’s Gross Domestic Product. Those figures are just as impressive statewide and our next governor must recognize that, and we must take whatever steps are appropriate to make sure that understanding is achieved so that actions are taken or not taken accordingly. And add the fact that “No Farmers, No Food” is reality, impacting all of us and not just a catchy phrase -- makes our ongoing educational efforts to our leaders, regulators and the public critical. That is a major and ongoing undertaking, and we would appreciate your help. If your family does not belong to Farm Bureau, please consider joining so you can help make our voice that much louder. Remember you don’t have to be a farmer or rancher to join. For more information, visit: hcfarmbureau.org, call us at 813-685-9121. Thank you.
Kenneth Parker Kenneth Parker - President
305 SOUTH WHEELER STREET • PLANT CITY, FL 33566 • 813-685-9121 Board of Directors
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Kenneth Parker, President; Dennis Carlton, Jr. , Vice-President; Michelle WIlliamson Treasurer; Buddy Coleman, Secretary; Will Womack Member-at-large, Carl Bauman, Jake Cremer, Tiffany Dale, Carson Futch, Melissa Grimes, Jim Frankowiak, Chip Hinton, John Joyner, Tony Lopez, Lawrence McClure, Jake Raburn, Member Emeritus, Sambahv, Marty Tanner, Vincent Tort Judi Whitson, Executive Director
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Fishing Is Not That Difficult or Expensive By Captain Woody Gore
For many years of my life, I fished because I thought it gave some greater significance and importance to the “meaning of life.” Then as I grew older, I discovered it's probably the one thing I do that really doesn't, I just do it because it’s fun. Going fishing does not have to be difficult or expensive, but it should be fun, relaxing and a good time. Folks seem to make it more than it really should be when they would like to begin fishing, or their child says, “Hey, Dad or Hey, Mom can we go fishing sometime?” As a seasoned angler and outdoors person I truly believe introducing a young person to our outdoor recreational world is one of the preeminent things we can do as recreational outdoor enthusiasts. But, as parents what the question comes down to is where do I start? Just remember, fishing doesn’t need to be difficult or expensive. The only real requirement is that it’s enjoyable and fun. Every week millions of viewers watch their favorite TV fishing shows. They watch their favorite anglers fish from the newest fully equipped vendor-sponsored boats catching fish using the latest high-tech vendor-sponsored equipment and tackle. Unfortunately, the high percentage of those viewers quickly realize there is probably no way they can ever afford to take their son or daughter fishing in one of those rigs. Well folks, it’s not about the latest and greatest. Sure it’s nice if you can afford it but the average family can’t afford a $70K or $100K fully rigged fishing boat, motor, and trailer and another $1,000 worth of tackle to catch fish. Don’t use the crutch, I can’t afford it and let it stop you from taking your son, daughter or family fishing; you can go, and catch fish using a $3.00 cane pole, piece of monofilament fishing line, split shot sinker, hook, and a can of wigglers or a $29.95 rod and reel combination.
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Don't let anyone convince you to spend a fortune to go fishing, it can be as simple or difficult as you make it. You can start with the basics, and then after you discover the joy and relaxation from fishing, it's up to you how much you spend on equipment. As your interest grows you can always learn more by attending local fishing seminars, reading a free publication or hiring a full-time professional fishing guide. Hiring the right guide is important. Now you’re at the point where you have a basic understanding and want to improve your skills and knowledge and are willing to pay someone to teach you. Some guides don’t like sharing their knowledge, so be certain you make your intentions clear when hiring someone that you want to learn.
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I’ve been fishing the Tampa Bay area since around age 6 and believe me, I've got a lot of fishing gear, and much of it high tech stuff. Even with the latest and greatest, I know I can still catch fish with only basic stuff and often enjoy using a cane pole to fish for bluegill, shell crackers, and crappie, or as us crackers call them, speckled perch. However, when using my very best high-end rod and reel combination, in my simple mind I pretend it gives me an advantage. Then occasionally, when my confidence level soars to a feeling of superiority over those simple pea brained size adversaries I’m trying to catch and I miss a big strike it quickly settles me back into reality. Never the less, I’ve never gone fishing that I did not return happy, relaxed, and ready to go again. Captain Woody Gore’s Guide Service is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide service. He’s guided and fished the Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton, and Sarasota areas for over fifty years and 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, I can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. With access to a fully staffed guide service we can accommodate any size Group or Tournament; just tell me what you need and it’s done. Visit the Website WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM, Email fishing@captainwoodygore.com or Give Him a Call & Go Fishing Cellular/ Text: 813-477-3814.
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HARVEST QUEEN SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT GETS BETTER AND BETTER WITH AGE By Jim Frankowiak Enhanced Benefits for Entrants and the Community This year will be the 16th anniversary of the Hillsborough County Fair Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant and it will be marked by added opportunities for entrants in both the senior and junior divisions, plus an opportunity for the community to support a very special cause. The Harvest Queens serve as ambassadors of the Hillsborough County Fair, attending special events and participating in community gatherings such as civic club meetings, parades and greeting and escorting guests both at the fair and at other venues where they represent the fair. It is a year- long reign for both winners. The pageant competition has two divisions: Queen – Ages 16 – 19 and Junior Queen for young ladies ages 13-15. This year’s pageant theme is “Believe and you can Achieve.” The pageant crowning ceremony is taking place at the fairgrounds late in the afternoon of September 22. The Queen wins a $1,000 college scholarship, and should she decide to pursue her college education at Florida College in Temple Terrace, her scholarship will be matched with an added $1,000. The Junior Queen wins a $500 college scholarship. Current pageant royalty recognize added benefits. “Being the 2017 Harvest Queen has been a learning experience for sure,” said Olivia Frazier, a student at Seffner Christian Academy. “I had the best time, but I had to learn several life skills that I would not have practiced otherwise. I was able to practice public speaking many times and I learned to have better people skills from meeting all of the fair goers, ranging from toddlers to the elderly. I would do it all over again, even if I knew I would not win. The interview, on stage question and introduction to selected sponsors and thanking them for their support were all significant learning experiences that I am most grateful for.” 2017 Junior Harvest Queen Taryn Storter, a student at Plant City High School, refers to her reign as being “simply incredible. I have had the amazing opportunity to serve the Hillsborough County Fair throughout this entire year,” she said. “I was blessed to be able to meet so many people, experience the livestock show and vendors at the fair, and got to work with the fantastic staff of the fair. I am so thankful for this year and all that the Hillsborough County Fair has done for me.” Among the notables Queens Frazier and Storter met this year were Florida Governor Rick Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam. They also participated in events such as the Plant City Pioneer Heritage Day, Cupcakes and Queens for residents of Consulate Health Care in Brandon and Operation Prom Dress, a program through which underprivileged girls in the foster care system received dresses enabling them to attend their high school prom.
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Pageant Director Kelli Messick and her hard-working com-
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mittee of Jennifer Boykin, Whitney St. Amant, Krissie Dilley, Shelby St. Amant, Morgan Boykin, Reagan Messick and Amber Boykin, are introducing new facets to the competition and added community outreach initiatives. “We also have many additional volunteers who donate their time to help with the pageant, as well,” said Messick. “To honor our Junior Queen Taryn Storter, who lost her father to Leukemia in 2012, we would like to call the community to come out and support not only the contestants in the Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant, but the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, as well,” said Messick. “The committee is asking that those who attend bring a fleece blanket to donate to those who may be fighting cancer. The blankets will be given to patients at Moffitt who are undergoing chemotherapy. In exchange for their donation, they will be given a ticket to the fair in October.” “We feel this will honor the Storter family who has touched our lives and many others in our community and to help bring awareness that cancer affects many families in our community and beyond. This is in memory of James Michael {Mike) Storter and his family, Laura, Taryn and Hope. May the patients we help find comfort in knowing that the Hillsborough County Fair Harvest Queen Scholarship Pageant supports their fight. Stay strong, we believe in you!” Pageant competitors this year will also benefit from two special sessions. One is being offered by University of Tampa student Haley Riley, 2016 Strawberry Festival Queen, who will discuss etiquette. Tani’s for Dessert in Plant City is sponsoring that program. The other is a hair and makeup instructional meeting that will be led by local title holder Faith Behannah in advance of the pageant. The theme of the 2018 Hillsborough County Fair is “Good Times, Country Rhymes.” It will take place October 18 – 21 and October 25-28 on the fairgrounds at 215 Sydney Washer Road, Dover, FL 33527. For more information, visit the fair’s website: www.hillsboroughcountyfair.com. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
USDA OFFERING AG PRODUCERS PAYMENTS FOR HURRICANE/FIRE LOSSES IN 2017 By Jim Frankowiak
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently completed a series of informational meetings throughout Florida regarding the 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes Indemnity Program (WHIP) which provides payments to agricultural producers to offset losses from hurricanes and wildfires during 2017. Funds – up to $2.36 billion – are available through this program. 2017 was a historic year for natural disasters and Congress appropriated more than $3 billion in disaster relief through the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018, which includes WHIP. The USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) determines eligibility for wildfire losses on an individual basis, factoring in the level of insurance coverage purchased by the producer. Wildfire recovery also includes mudslides and heavy smoke. 2017 WHIP for hurricane losses and related conditions, such as excessive rain and flooding, is available for eligible farms in counties that received a qualifying Presidential Emergency Disaster Declaration or Secretarial Disaster designation. Both Hillsborough and Polk counties, as well as 63 other counties in Florida, have been so designated. Citrus growers in Florida are being directly reimbursed for crop production losses in 2018. In addition, USDA is providing a grant to Florida, which is reimbursing citrus producers for the cost of buying and planting replacement trees, including resetting and grove rehabilitation and for repair of damage to irrigation systems. This grant is also providing assistance for losses of citrus production expected during the 2019 and 2020 crop years. WHIP covers both the loss of the crop and of trees, bushes and vines. However, citrus producers will apply under the block grant for losses to trees. The USDA is determining compensation by a producer’s individual losses rather than an average of losses in a given area. Producers are subject to a $125,000 payment limitation. However, a producer can receive a higher payment if three-fourths or more of their income is derived from farming or another agricultural-based business. Producers who derived 75 percent of their income in tax years 2013-2015 are subject to a $900,000 payment ceiling.
Both insured and uninsured producers are eligible to apply for WHIP. However, producers receiving 2017 WHIP payments will be required to purchase risk management coverage, either crop insurance at the 60 percent coverage level or Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) coverage, if crop insurance is not available. The program requires producers to have coverage for the next two crop years. Additionally, producers are required to file acreage reports and report production for the applicable crop years. The USDA is calculating WHIP payments based on the expected value of the lost crop, the value of the crop harvested, insurance coverage and insurance payments received. Producers who have not participated in a USDA program are encouraged to contact their local USDA service center to make an appointment to establish farm records. The establishment of a farm tract number requires: • Proof of identity such as a driver’s license, or Social Security care • Copy of a recorded deed, survey plat, rental or lease agreement of the land (Note: You do NOT have to own property to participate in FSA programs) • Entities must provide corporate, estate or trust documents Once the signup process begins, producers must provide verifiable and reliable production records by crop, type, practice, intended use and acres. If this information is already on file, it does not need to be provided again. Certification of production records for the last five years is requested. If such production records are not available, the USDA will calculate yield based on the county expected yield. WHIP is one of many programs available through the USDA for recovery assistance. To learn more, producers are encouraged to contact their local service center office. In Hillsborough County the USDA Service Center is located at 201 South Collins Street, Suite 201, Plant City, FL 33563. Telephone: 813-752-1474 The Polk County Service Center is located at 1700 Highway 17 South, Bartow, FL 33830. Telephone 863-533-2051. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Business Up Front
Reuse it or lose it by: Breanne Williams
RAMM has always supported its local community. On top of sponsoring a variety of local sports teams and programs, it also continues to utilize other local businesses including: Chuck’s Tire & Automotive, Alert Tire Service, Wetherington Tractor Services, Plant City Hydraulics Hoses & Cylinders, Tractor Supply and more. RAMM Recycling Services, Inc. has extended its family atmosphere to its loyal customers. It’s passionate staff hopes the community knows if you waste it once you pay for it twice. By Breanne Williams RAMM Recycling Services, Inc. is a family owned and operated business. Throughout its three locations, RAMM has made it its mission to ensure customers are treated with the same warmth and goodwill bestowed upon a loved one. The world moves at a fast pace. Matthew Cohen, manager of the Plant City branch, said over the past four years they have worked tirelessly to ensure Plant City has a place where clients can be sure they will always be given fair prices and get unsurpassable customer service. “We like to keep as much stuff out of the landfills as we can,” Matthew Cohen said. “It’s been awesome developing a relationship with so many of our customers. Some literally come every day to drop a few things off. We see a range of people from grandparents with their grandkids dropping off cans to businesses dropping truckloads of items.” He and his sister Alana Cohen both work at the Plant City branch of their father’s, Richard Cohen’s, business. The duo were raised in Lithia and after the family realized there was a need for a scrap yard in the neighborhood they chose to open the Plant City branch and provide the service to the community they had been raised in. Growing up they would often find themselves roaming through scrap yards with their father and learning about how they can protect the environment and reuse so many of the items that much of the world lazily tosses in ever-growing landfills. Though the industry has been around for generations, many still fail to realize how simple and resourceful scrapping is. Separate your metals — copper, steel, aluminum, brass, iron and wires — and bring it to RAMM. From there RAMM offers the market price for all of the material. You leave with a heavier wallet and they begin the process of recycling to ensure the items can go back into the industry.
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Matthew Cohen said customers should always check reviews of scrap yards before they commit to trading in their old treasures. If not separated correctly, some yards will give the
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price for the lowest value metal in the pile rather than paying the true value of each item being exchanged. His family taught them from a young age how to gauge and separate goods appropriately. It’s their mission to pass that knowledge on so their customers can get the best deal. “I’m not going to take advantage of someone just to get one good sale,” Matthew Cohen said. “We want customers to come to us for life. We want them to know that we are treating them right here, that they’re family. Even when I interview potential employees I stress that this is a family environment. A lot of the time when customers are done scrapping they stick around to talk. They don’t feel like they’re a number. They know we care. There are people that have been here since day one.” There are several instances where people finish dropping off their goods and then ask how much they owe RAMM, said Megan Filley, general manager. They are used to dealing with dumps or junkyards where they have to pay to get rid of their stuff. She said it always comes as a pleasant surprise when they realize they are the ones walking away with some extra cash. Alana Cohen, safety coordinator, said they often hear stories of people volunteering to clean up neighbor’s yards or local parks and then bringing the metal to the yard. She said in a way they’re playing a part in helping keep Plant City clean as they continue to encourage others to give a second life to everyday merchandise. RAMM does everything from commercial and industrial rolloff services to taking small bundles of aluminum cans. The electronic scrap is one of the fastest growing services were people can drop off their old computers, cell phones, televisions or servers. They also offer subcontractor services like demolition and emergency cleanup response. Each year the three locations buy an average of 60 million pounds of metal. Despite the large quantity, the scrap yards are intricately organized and kept remarkably clean. Matthew Cohen said the work ethic was passed down by their father, but that they take its underlying warning seriously.
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“You’re not going to drive up to a RAMM site and worry about running over a nail or walking through chaos,” he said. “We keep things very near, very organized. It’s something that’s just important to us.” When the Florida Strawberry Festival set about demolishing its old stadium and constructing the current venue, RAMM was there to take care of the discarded metal. RAMM supports a variety of youth sports teams, local businesses and many extracurricular programs. They love their town and said they hope to continue to be a foundation of the Plant City community. Alana Cohen said her family has always been heavily involved in agriculture. She was once the Florida Angus Queen and was part of Newsome’s FFA. Each year Richard Cohen purchases animals from students at the Strawberry Festival and state and county fairs to not only support local youth, but also give back to his employees. The meat from all of the animals is divided among all who work under RAMM. She joked that as the company continues to grow their steer and swine purchases only continue to escalate. The company also throws holiday parties, gives out turkeys around Christmas and constantly finds new ways to let their staff know they care. It’s not an uncommon site to see Director of Operations Rickie Davis’ Brick House BBQ truck on site providing the team with delicious food. The turnaround is low and some employees have worked with Richard Cohen since Matthew Cohen and Alana Cohen were children. RAMM’s customers are treated to the same level of hospitality. There is hardly ever a moment the company isn’t offering some type of promotion or giveaway. Parents often make a field trip out of the experience, bringing along their kids and showing them how soda cans can be repurposed and you can walk away with some extra cash. The kids rarely walk away without a small science experiment. Filley said she usually offers them RAMM magnets and teaches them how different metals react to the magnetic pull. Boy Scout troops frequent the yard to learn about the recycling process and the benefit for the environment. RAMM’s staff are fluent in both English and Spanish and the yard is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. If anyone is curious about whether they can scrap something they are more than welcome to call in advance. Matt Cohen said he often ends up giving out his cell number so customers can text him photos of the items. It’s little nuances like breaking down those walls between the clients and the staff that set RAMM apart. “RAMM Recycling, it’s a family,” Davis said. “I’ve worked with Richard Cohen for 20 plus years now. Starting a business, it isn’t easy. We worked hard and it was a struggle, but we’ve grown a lot since then. We’ve offered a lot of employment over the years, brought a lot of work to our areas. But we’ve never strayed on our level of customer service. Our business, we’re a helping hand in the community. It’s an important service and we’re here to stay.” Plant City: 705 S Hitchcock St. Plant City, Florida. 813-534-0800 Spring Hill: 15730 County Line Rd Springhill, Florida. 727-856-6681 Zephyrhills: 9113 Wire Road in Zephyrhills, Florida. 813-782-4800 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Tampa Bay Fishing Report- October 2018 Capt. Woody Gore
Hopefully, the shallow inshore flats will begin clearing up after the rains of August and September. If so, the bite should improve; that’s not to say the bites been all that bad. We’ve still been catching fish it’s just a little difficult to see them in the tannin colored waters. They’re eating almost everything offered and we’re certainly doing more catching than fishing. So as late summer and early fall temperatures approach, it’s a great time to fish. Cooler temperatures always make fishing more tolerable. If you want to catch a snook, redfish, trout, mackerel or perhaps a mess of snapper, now is the time.
Redfish are showing up around the grass flats and mangrove shorelines. It’s also the time of the year when some of the big reds show up. You never know whether you’re going to catch one in the slot or one of the giants over 30 inches. As they look for food from area to area you can often find them by simply watching the water. As they move the school humps the shallow water. It can very subtle or very aggressive depending on their speed. One of the biggest mistakes made by anglers is chasing a school of spooked redfish. Instead of chasing, just wait, let them calm down, and return to feeding. However, if you immediately jump on the trolling motor and start chasing that’s all you’re going to be doing for the next hour or so is chasing a school of redfish. We’ve been catching sea trout on deeper hard bottom grass flats. Frequently when you catch one there are others in the same area. We’re having success using greenbacks and small pinfish; but live shrimp always catch trout. I nose hook pinfish and greenback’s; shrimp I hook in the carapace just under the horn. Depending on the water depth a popping cork will sometimes draw attention to the bait.
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Capt. Woody Gore (www.captainwoodygore.com)
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Snook Most of the snook being caught are averaging in the 22 to the 25-inch range. But if you work at it, you could boat one in the slot, especially as fall approaches. We have caught one or two in the 29 to the 35inch range using live greenbacks but released all slot sized fish. For me they are such a great species to catch and release. I personally don’t WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
see a reason to kill them for the table. They taste no better than other fish and are such fun to catch. If you want fish for the table stop by the market and grab a nice piece of grouper or snapper. As for the others, we’ve been catching good sized grey snapper at the bridges, rock piles and on the grass flats with some topping out around three pounds. Remember they are a reef fish and according to the rules you must use circle hooks.
Cobias are showing up on the flats and fish reefs and for us, it usually only takes a chum bag over the side to spark their curiosity. If you hook-up, be ready with another rod and bait as others often follow the action. Mackerel, bluefish, sharks, jacks, and ladyfish are feeding on bait schools everywhere.
“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing”
813-477-3814
Captain Woody Gore is the area’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guiding and fishing the west central Florida areas for over fifty years; he offers world class fishing adventures and a lifetime of memories. Multi-boat Group Charters With years of organizational experience and access to the areas most experienced captains, Captain Woody can arrange and coordinate any outing or tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done.
Visit his website at: WWW.CAPTAINWOODYGORE.COM send an email to wgore@ix.netcom.com or give me a call at 813-477-3814
Local Food, Local Folks www.fredsmarket.com
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• Willard Scott was the first Ronald McDonald, in 1963. • Lt. Thomas Selfridge, 26, was the first person killed in a plane crash (1908). Orville Wright was the pilot. • President Rutherford B. Hayes had the first telephone put in the White House in 1877. It was installed by Alexander Graham Bell. •A trip around the bases on a baseball diamond is the exact same distance as running the length of a football field, including the end zones - 360 feet. • In 1881, the United States had three different presidents: Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield and Chester A. Arthur. • The “real” name of The Riddler in “Batman” is Edward Nigma (E. Nigma, get it?).
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Sponsored by:
HOPEWELL FUNERAL HOME • MEMORIAL GARDENS
www.HopewellFuneraI.com FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1971
Age 65
There are signs that appear once you reach age 65. It takes longer to rest than it did to get tired. Your night out is sitting on the patio. Your back goes out more than you do. I love the story of three elderly sisters, ages 92, 94 and 96, who shared a house together. One evening, the 96year old sister went upstairs to take a bath. As she put her foot into the tub, she paused. Then she yelled down to the other two sisters and asked, “Was I getting in the tub or out?” “You dern fool,” said the 94 year old. “I’ll come up and see.” When she got half way up the stairs she paused. “Was I going up the stairs or down?” The 92-year old sister was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of tea and thought, “I hope I never get that forgetful, knock on wood.” She shook her head and called out, “I’ll be up to help you both as soon as I see who’s at the door.”
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Some 15-year old girls decided to meet for dinner. They discussed where to eat and finally agreed on McDonald’s next to the Sea Side Restaurant because they only had $6.50 between them and Bobby Bruce, the cute boy in science class, lived on that street.Ten years later, the same girls, now 25-year-olds, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because it had free snacks, there was no cover charge, the beer was cheap, the band was good and there were lots of cute guys.
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Ten years later, the same girls, now 35, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the combos were good, it was near the gym and if they went late enough, there wouldn’t be many whiny little kids. Ten years later, the same girls, now 45, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the martinis were big and the waiters wore tight pants and had nice buns. Ten years later, the same girls, now 55-year-olds, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the prices were reasonable, it had windows which opened (in case of hot flashes), the wine list was good and fish was good for their cholesterol. Ten years later, the same girls, now 65-year-olds, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they had an Early Bird Special and the lighting was good. Ten years later, the same girls, now 75-year-olds, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because the food wasn’t too spicy and it was handicapped accessible. Ten years later, the same girlfriends, now 85, discussed where to meet for dinner. Finally they agreed to meet at the Sea Side Restaurant because they’d never been there before. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
At this age we lose words of our youth. How long has it been since you have heard or used the phrase; “Heavens to Murgatroyd?” Words are gone as fast as the buggy ship. It’s really sad! The other day an elderly lady said something to her son about driving a Jalopy, and he looked at her and said, “What the heck is a Jalopy?” Well, I trust that you will be “Hunky Dory” after you read this article. Here are some expressions that have become obsolete because of the fast march of technology. These phrases include: “Don’t touch that dial” “Carbon copy” “You sound like a broken record” “Hung out to dry” Back in the olden days we had a lot of moxie. We’d put on our best bib and tucker to straighten up and fly right. Heavens to Betsy! Gee whillikers! Jumping Jehoshaphat! Holy moly! We were in like Flynn and living the life of Riley, and even a regular guy couldn’t accuse us of being a knucklehead, a nincompoop or a pill. Not for all the tea in China! Back in the olden days, life used to be swell, but when’s the last time anything was swell? Swell has gone the way of pageboys, knickers, fedoras, poodle skirts, saddle shoes and pedal pushers. Oh, my aching back. Kilroy was here, but he isn’t anymore. We wake up from what surely has been just a short nap, and before we can say, well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! or, this is a fine kettle of fish! We discover that the words we grew up with have vanished with scarcely a notice from our tongues and our pens and our keyboards. Poof go the words of our youth, the words we’ve forgotten all left behind. We blink, and they’re gone. Where have all those phrases gone? Long gone: Pshaw, The milkman did it. Hey! It’s your nickel. Don’t forget to pull the chain. Knee high to a grasshopper. Well, Fiddlesticks! I’ll see you in the funny papers, and don’t take any wooden nickels. It turns out there are more of these lost words and expressions than Carter has liver pills. To me this can be disturbing stuff! We of a certain age have been blessed to live in changing times. For a child each new word is like a shiny toy, a toy that has no age. We are at the other end of the page and have the advantage of remembering words that once did not exist and there were words that once were part of our vocabulary, and now are heard no more except in our memory. It’s one of the greatest advantages of aging. See ya’ later, alligator! INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Plant City High School Ag Issues Team Wins State
By Delaney Flowers
“I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to work with this amazing group of girls. They’ve worked so hard to get this far and I’m looking forward to our trip to Indy in October!” ~Julia McConnell This past summer at the 90th annual Florida FFA Convention and Expo the Plant City High School Agricultural Issues team placed first in state. After months of practice and hard work these seven girls took the stage to compete against teams from across Florida. “The Ag issues competition is one of the most fun times I have ever had in my FFA journey! I’m so thankful to have been able to be a part of this team with these amazing girls,” team member Taryn Storter said. The Agricultural Issues career development event is designed to provide an opportunity to expose students to the selection, research, planning, and presentation of an agricultural issue as well as acquire knowledge and skills in community leadership and become knowledgeable of a variety of local, state, national, and international issues facing the agriculture industry. The Plant City team chose the beef industry as their topic of discussion and presented a 15-minute skit to showcase a multitude of views about this controversial issue. After many hours of practice and preparation, as well as support from their advisor Julia McConnell, they were ready to compete.
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The night of awards the girls waited anxiously on stage to discover the results. As the second-place team was announced and the Plant City girls realized they were the winners the excitement was overwhelming and the girls took center stage to celebrate their achievement. “Being on stage for awards was the most nerve-wracking part of the entire contest. Standing up on stage with my teammates knowing we did our best but wondering if it was good enough was extremely stressful. We had been working on this contest for months. When
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they called us for first place we knew that all of our hard work had paid off, and that feeling was exhilarating,” Reagan Brown said. In October the team will travel to Indianapolis, Indiana to compete at the 91st National FFA State Convention and expo. They are thrilled about this opportunity to compete against teams from across the nation. They depart on Tuesday, October 23, compete in the preliminary competition on Wednesday, and hope to take home another victory. “I’m looking forward to getting to tackle a bigger stage with the girls. I know we’re ready for it and I just can’t wait to show the nation what a bunch of Florida girls can do,” Madilyn Conrad, senior at Plant City High School said. Team members include Delaney Flowers, Madilyn Conrad, Kendall Gaudens, Reagan Brown, Lily Batley, Brooke Varn, and Taryn Storter. Their advisors and support system are Principal Susan Sullivan, Michael Paul, Steven Delgado, Cassie Miles and Julia McConnell, who said “I’m so honored to have had the opportunity to work with this amazing group of girls. They’ve worked so hard to get this far and I’m looking forward to our trip to Indy in October!” As the team prepares for their trip to Nationals they are accepting donations to help them on their journey. To offer your support as they represent not only Plant City High School but the state of Florida, please direct any contributions to Raider Champions of Plant City High School. Be sure to specify that your donation is for the FFA Ag issues team. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
10-05 10-19 11-09 11-30
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Mo Brangus/Hines Bull Sale ZWT Angus Bull Sale Meadows Creek Black & White Bull Sale Jorgensen Angus/Weink Charolais Sale
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Hear about specials and deliveries in your area. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
September 2018
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The Southland Frozen Foods Corporation and D. Herman Kennedy Plant City Photo Archives & History Center Special to In The Field magazine
The Plant City Photo Archives and History Center is preparing an exhibition titled Plant City and the Supermarket, Agriculture, and Food Processing Revolution; 1939-1975. It will exhibit displays of the agriculture, food processing, and super market industries and the dramatic changes they developed beginning about 1939 and rapidly producing changes throughout the farm to table chain and the daily lives of Americans. Here is a story about perhaps the leading food processing company in the industry. And it centered in Plant City. A 35-year old, yet young man, walked into Ben Knott's hardware in 1943 and announced that he was Herman Kennedy from Alabama and was setting up a bean plant in Plant City; he said he needed a little credit and a source of getting supplies and equipment. He got it. D. Herman Kennedy was employed by Southland Frozen Foods Corporation to establish the company's vegetable operations in Florida. Southland's Plant City plant began in a wooden building owned by Seaboard Railroad, adjacent to the railroad tracks, and rose to become one of the nation’s leading vegetable processors. Southland began operations in the fledgling Plant City plant in October 1943, in the midst of World War II, and employed 20 women and 5 men. The first woman employee was Alma Barry, who remained with Kennedy for many years. In 1943 the new plant processed approximately 12,000 pounds daily and specialized in beans and strawberries. Kennedy had a fondness for strawberries, but green beans were to remain the foremost product throughout the years. In the early years, Kennedy was “everything” at Southland, said Mrs. Barry. He even brought all the equipment from his Alabama-based machine shop to Plant City. As production increased, new employees were added to the staff – Dr. Gray Singleton, Doyle Tatum, “Bumpsy” Lockhart, Lucian Robinson, Ben Dailey, and many more. He also quickly set up an operation at the Plant City State Farmers Market. To provide storage space for its frozen foods, the company built Plant City Cold Storage in 1946, with Mr. R. E. Roberts as one of the first refrigeration engineers. He had previously become friends with James Porter at the Arctic Ice company in Plant City and leased part of that facility. Kennedy then toured the country visiting processing plants, and in 1949 Southland built a modern processing plant off Laura Street near the Seaboard Railroad tracks, and not far from the downtown business district. The plant was constructed over a well for a continuous supply of water, a necessity in the vegetable processing plant.
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By the time Southland celebrated its tenth anniversary, it had grown to include many new products in addition to green beans and strawberries, and set up operations in Dover, two plants in Tennessee, and two in New York. Kennedy also worked closely with Dr. A. Nelson Brooks, a plant pathologist with the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station in Spring-
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head, in developing the No. “90” Strawberry, which became an important variety for strawberry growers for years. Southland used the No. “90” exclusively for processing. Southland became a major buyer of East Hillsborough’s vegetables and strawberries. The Tampa Daily Times reported on August 15, 1953, the following: “In this plant of Southland Frozen Foods, Inc., at Plant City more than 1200 carloads of vegetables and produce fresh from fields of East Hillsborough County (principally) are processed, packaged and frozen each year to end up finally on America’s dining tables. Southland’s Plant City unit produces more frozen foods than any other plant of its kind in the Nation.” These Southern vegetables include baby okra, collards, mustard, turnip greens, field peas, and baby crook-neck squash. In December 1954 a young employee set fire to the plant and caused over $100,000 in damage. Despite this setback, Southland rebuilt and continued to grow. Kennedy was named corporate Executive Vice President in 1958, with responsibilities over all of Southland’s operations and various plants. Kennedy still found time to research and plan, and in 1960 designed and built the Cluster Cutter machine for the Plant City bean operation and designed and built an Okra Cutter. Southland now operated around the clock and produced 11 million pounds of beans annually – 200,000 to 250,000 pounds daily. Then, in 1962, Phil Rizzuto, corporate president who founded Southland Frozen Food Corporation in 1943, died of cancer. He had earlier named D. Herman Kennedy as his choice to succeed him as president. They had been the closest of friends. By 1962, Southland had become one of the major food-processing companies in the nation and, after Southland’s President, Phil Rizzuto, died, Herm Kennedy was appointed Acting President and later as corporate President. Even with corporate offices in New York, Herm Kennedy continued to live in Plant City. He and Southland were involved in the community, participating in parades, civic organizations, and sponsoring little league teams, and more. Another major step came in 1968, when Southland added a huge 10-million-pound cold storage facility adjacent to its Plant City production operations. It was a one-million-cubic foot building of the latest design. The Plant City facility became one of the most efficient in the nation and produced all of Southland’s Southern vegetables – more than 30 million pounds of frozen vegetables per year. Southland was the pride of Plant City for years to come. The story of Southland Frozen Foods cannot be told separately from the story of D. Herman Kennedy, who served Southland in various capacities for 43 years. Kennedy began working with Philip Rizzuto, the founder of Southland, at the WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Ontario Center, New York, operation in the summer of 1943. Later that year, Rizzuto asked Kennedy to set up a production and bean processing plant in Plant City. He did. Not only was Herman Kennedy in charge of production in both the New York and Florida operations, Charles Rizzuto, Southland President (1983), said that “from then on until the beginning of 1970, Herm almost single handedly designed, built, and ran the production department of Southland Frozen Foods.” Kennedy, Rizzuto continued, “was resourceful and dependable, and no production challenge was too tough for him; Herm had the ability to get things done that nobody at the time thought was possible, and more than once he was called upon to do the impossible.” Within 25 years, Southland had become one of the largest frozen vegetable processors in the nation. Starting with Southland as a maintenance foreman, Kennedy quickly rose to become production manager, Vice President, Executive Vice President, and, after Philip Rizzuto died, he assumed the role of President. In 1970 Herman Kennedy became Chairman of the Board of Southland Frozen Foods, Inc. The corporate headquarters were in New York, first in New York City, then relocated to Great Neck, Long Island. Kennedy rejected the idea of moving to New York and continued to live with his family in Plant City. He would commute on the Silver Meteor train to NYC every other week. The family would summer on Lake Ontario, and he would work from the Barker, NY, plant. As a young man, Herm Kennedy had farmed in Alabama. In Plant City he quickly got to know the area’s growers and worked with them. He persuaded Joe McIntosh to grow vegetables for Southland, and at times Southland bought virtually all of the 180 acres of vegetables McIntosh produced. Kennedy maintained a staff of specialists, including soil chemists and technicians, to work with the farmers to help increase the quality and quantity of their produce, and aiding in seed selection, crop rotation, harvesting and marketing. Herm Kennedy sponsored Little League teams, FFA programs, civic club programs, and participated in civic celebrations, parades, etc. He said, “Southland has become and will remain an integral part, and a loyal member of the Hillsborough community.” And he was a man of his word. That was the way Herm Kennedy was. Friends remember him as a big man with a big smile, who loved his family and worked hard to serve his community. And he loved to fish. Kennedy passed away in 1986. Not long after, Southland was bought out by Stilwell Frozen Foods, and the Plant City operation was closed. Over the years, Kennedy worked with people like Alma Barry, Montel Lester, B. C. Hewitt, John Phillips, James Mortimer, Gerald Herring, Leo Albright, Doyle Tatum, and many more whose families will continue to remember Southland -- and the spirit of Southland - D. Herman Kennedy. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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Florida
Cacao Beans By Sandy Sun, M.S. Clinical Medicines, B.S. Nutrition Science One of the best nutrition pieces to hit the news in the last decade is that chocolate is good for your health! Chocolate, as we know it, is comprised of sugar, vanilla, cocoa butter, and beans from the Theobroma cacao plant that have been dried, fermented, roasted, and ground. Chocolate is part of many popular candies and desserts, including brownies, cookies, pudding, cakes, and candy bars. It is also used in beverages like hot chocolate and chocolate milk. Does chocolate grow on trees? Raw cacao beans grow on Theobroma cacao trees, which are native to the American tropical rainforest. Most of the world’s chocolate is grown in the Western African countries and regions close to the equator. The trees thrive on rainforest conditions with plenty of tropical rains and partial shade. In the United States, cacao is grown in Hawaii and in the southern part of Florida. Cacao seeds grow in pods from the tree. The pods are beautiful and can be striped or solid, white, yellow, green, red or purple in color. Inside the pod is a sweet, slightly tart white fruit pulp that clings tightly to the individual dark brown cacao beans. The fruit pulp is a favorite food among monkeys and can be enjoyed by humans as well. Once the pods are ripe, cacao beans are scooped out of the shells and allowed to ferment for several days. The seeds are then dried in the sun for a week and then roasted in the oven, and ready to be ground for use.
Nutritional Profile Cacao has many health benefits, particularly in its least processed form. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, one ounce (28 g) of unsweetened cocoa powder contains 65 calories, 6 g of protein, 4 g of fat, 16 g of carbohydrate, and 10 g of fiber. It provides 21% of the Daily Reference Intake for iron, 27% for manganese, 16% for magnesium, 18% for dietary fiber, and 10% for potassium, as well as notable amounts of calcium, phosphorus, zinc, folate, and a little bit of caffeine. In recent studies, dark chocolate has also been associated with improved mood, lower blood pressure, better blood vessel function, and improved alertness.
Potassium Cacao is high in potassium, an important electrolyte for heart and bone health. High potassium coupled with low sodium in
Fiber Eating cacao and other foods high in fiber can help decrease the risk of coronary heart disease and help prevent atherosclerosis. Cacao contains insoluble fiber that adds bulk and decreases constipation, as well as soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels.
How to Select and Store Choose the least processed cacao nibs or cacao powder you can find. Less processing means more antioxidants have been preserved. Cacao that has been made into chocolate candy usually contains added sugar and fat, in the form of cocoa butter or vegetable oil. When buying chocolate, choose a dark chocolate with a high percentage of cacao as a healthier choice than milk or white chocolate. High percentages of cacao mean more antioxidants and less added sugar and fat from other sources.
How to Enjoy Cacao can be eaten out-of-hand. The white fruity pulp has a sweet, tart flavor, while the unprocessed beans have a strong, sharp flavor. After fermenting, drying, and roasting, cacao nibs can be used in many delicious ways: • Mix with sugar and milk for a hot or cold beverage • Sprinkle over oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, or ice cream for flavor and crunch • Toss a handful into your favorite trail mix or granola • Bake into cookies or cakes for an intense chocolate flavor • Use a small amount in savory dishes for a unique flavor Enjoy the health benefits and delicious flavor of fresh Florida cacao today.
Selected References https://www.fairchildgarden.org http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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cacao is beneficial for maintaining normal blood pressure and optimal heart function. Several research studies have established the beneficial effects of potassium foods in effectively lowering blood pressure. Additionally, people who ate foods high in fiber and magnesium, as well as foods high in potassium, had a lower risk of stroke. The potassium in cacao can also enhance bone health. Some studies suggest that potassium can counteract some of the effects of high sodium diets and slow the rate of calcium loss from bone.
By Jack Payne
Just by participating in one of our research projects, Farm Bureau members and other growers recently gave the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences the highest compliment I can think of. You trust us. That’s the takeaway from a recent survey done by the UF/ IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources, or PIE Center. We’ve often described ourselves as trustworthy, but to my knowledge we’d never actually measured it. So in a way, the PIE Center’s work was our way of acting on the old Ronald Reagan dictum, “Trust but verify.” We apply it to our science, and we apply it ourselves. The PIE Center’s Ricky Telg asked you to rate the trustworthiness of about 20 sources of information, and UF/IFAS came out on top. Not only that, but our strongest competition for trustworthiness is ourselves. The local UF/IFAS Extension office, UF/IFAS, and the PIE Center are the three highest rated sources. After UF/IFAS comes federal and state agriculture and natural resource organizations and agencies. On the least trustworthy end of the spectrum were various sources of news media and social media. Trust is the gold standard when your mission is to provide information. It’s also key to a strong relationship that helps UF/ IFAS to help Florida’s production agriculture thrive.
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We didn’t do this to produce a feel-good report. We did it be-
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cause trust is an essential element of good science. We need to repeatedly prove we’re trustworthy to get the access we need to do trials on your farms. We need it so you will be candid with our Extension agents and researchers. We need it so you’ll support the research agenda we devise to support you. Our soaring university rankings aren’t in themselves what make us an authority on solutions to your challenges. Trust is. The ratings and rankings are the result of your trust in us, not the cause of it. Of course, the job of earning your trust is never done. Instead of just accepting it as a given that you hold us in high esteem, we used scientific surveying methods to quantify and challenge it. We’ll never stop working to be worthy of the trust you place in us. When you turn to UF/IFAS, what you’ll hear from us is going to be based on data, observation, experimentation, and science – the best tools we have to establish the truth as we know it. It’s been that way since UF/IFAS was established 54 years ago, and it’s not going to change. Trust me. Jack Payne is the University of Florida’s senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources and leader of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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For more information on FSMA and to sign up for an OFRR, visit FreshFromFlorida.com/FSMA or call (863) 578-1900.
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VETERANS FLORIDA SEEKING ‘VASP’ GRANTS MANAGER By Jim Frankowiak
Veterans Florida, a non-profit corporation created by the State of Florida to help veterans transition to civilian life, is seeking applicants to serve on a part-time basis as Grant Manager for the Veteran Agriculture Selection Program (VASP). The position will be based at the Hillsborough County Extension office in Seffner and is budgeted for approximately 24 hours per week at a $20 hourly rate. VASP is a collaborative effort among Veterans Florida, Hillsborough County and several University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Research and Education Centers. The program places eligible veterans into paid internships at research centers and agribusinesses with subsequent placement into permanent employment in the agriculture sector. The VASP Grant Manager will report to the Veterans Florida Career Services Program Manager. The position is expected to be filled within the next 30-45 days. Preferential treatment will be given to veteran applicants.
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The VASP Grant Manager will be responsible for building and managing relationships with IFAS Research and Education Center directors and staff; recruitment of eligible veterans from communities near IFAS Research and Education Centers; assisting with managing applications from veterans and selecting participating interns. Additional duties include the development and management of relationships with agribusinesses interested in employing VASP graduates; ongoing communications with VASP participants to track their program progress; collection of monthly time cards/reports from veteran participants to facilitate monthly stipend payments and the creation and provision of reports on participant outcomes to the grant-making authority.
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UF has Research and Education Centers throughout Florida. VASP has existing programs at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center at Wimauma and the Ona-based Range Cattle Research and Education Center. VASP agreements are pending at several other UF Research and Education Centers and the Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory in Ruskin. Veterans Florida (www.veteransflorida.org) provides tools for veterans to take advantage of the benefits of living and working in Florida. The organization provides a gateway to veteran-friendly educational institutions and programs that can maximize veteran employment opportunities. Through its Career Services Program, veterans are connected with employers hiring veterans for positions that put their particular military skills to use. Veterans Florida assistance also includes help with creating resumes and preparing for interviews. Employers can also apply to Veterans Florida to receive grant funds to hire and train veterans. To encourage veterans to make the move to Florida, Veterans Florida helps them find residences through the services of realtors and lenders who have experience helping servicemen and women relocate to Florida. The organization also operates the Veterans Florida Entrepreneurship Program for veterans who want to start their own business. This range of services reflects the ongoing commitment of Veterans Florida to provide oneon-one support and guidance at all stages of transition. Additional information is available and at: http://www. veteransflorida.org/career-portal/ WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
CROP INSURANCE: IT PAYS TO MANAGE YOUR RISK When you purchase risk management coverage with Farm Credit of Central Florida, we return a portion of our commission as patronage dividends to eligible stockholders. Patronage dividends could help lower the cost of insurance premiums, saving you money as you manage your risk. Farm Credit of Central Florida is glad to discuss how we can save you money on your crop insurance with patronage dividends. Feel free to contact our crop insurance specialist, Regina Thomas, at 407.721.4687 or rthomas@farmcreditcfl.com. Patronage dividend distribution is subject to eligibility. Certain limitations, conditions, and exclusions apply for crop insurance. Please refer to the policy for more details.
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A Good Season For Turtles, Despite The Red Tide! by John Dicks
Floridians have just endured a punishing few months. Mind you, it’s been coming not just from politics and elections, but more particularly in this matter, I’m referring to the notorious red tide that has been souring our waters. The good news, though, is that despite the dreadful effects suffered this summer by Florida’s gulf coast sea life (including humans), it appears that sea turtle hatchings fared just fine. Observing the opening of an overdue loggerhead turtle nest, after it’s been incubating its inhabitants for some 70 days, was a rare invitation that I could hardly resist. So it was that I was recently there, watching and counting the Ping-Pong sized and shaped eggs as they were unearthed along a beach on Anna Maria Island. Mostly all of the more than 100 eggs were already hatched as they were hauled from the nest by the designated and trained volunteers of the Turtle Watch and Shorebird Monitoring organization. But the official “digger” also felt a tingling bit of movement under the sand and gently plucked a two-inch miniature loggerhead from the hole that had been burrowed. It was wriggling and ready to roam the foam and waves of the water. It just needed a slight nudge in right direction and off it went, quickly crawling away and then swimming as if it had been mastering its strokes for years. Fascinating, I thought, while recording with my iPhone the first seconds of life for this little one, that someway, somehow, she was imprinting the exact location of her beach birth and provided that she survived the dangers of life ahead, would some day be returning there to continue her circle of life with a new generation of little loggerheads. The loggerhead turtle is by far the most common sea turtle found in Florida. It’s easily identified with its reddish-brown shell and is aptly named for its large block shaped head. Loggerheads have powerful jaws, which they use to feast on a diet of crabs, mollusks, shrimp and jellyfish It takes nearly 30 years for the turtles to reach adulthood. By that time, the mature ones can weigh upwards to 400 pounds and grow from barely a couple of inches at birth to reach a length of about three feet. The loggerhead turtle is classified as a threatened species, rather than endangered. Florida accounts for about 90 percent of all nesting activity for the world’s largest population of the loggerheads. Lately, their numbers have been climbing. From nearly 29,000 nests observed and logged into the record books in 2007 to some nearly 66,000 nests in 2016.
Of course while more turtles lead to more nests and thus to even more turtles, much of the success is also attributed to increased public awareness and the dedicated efforts of thousands of volunteers who daily walk Florida’s beaches monitoring the nesting and hatching activities. As you would imagine, most of the southwest Florida nesting is done on the beaches directly along the gulf. Hence, last year in 2017, Hillsborough County saw only 112 loggerhead nests. Pinellas logged in with 667, while Manatee marked some 1,053. By far, though, with its long stretch of beaches, the leader along Florida’s southwest gulf coast was Sarasota County with 7,589 loggerhead nests! Early indications thus far are that this year’s results are even greater. Considered one of those miracles of nature, mature females (about 30 years old) return to the beach where they were born every two or three years to lay their eggs. For years scientists have formulated all types of theories on how it’s possible for a turtle to imprint its birth location and travel the sea for thousands of miles only to return several years later to the same beach where it all began. But somehow, it just happens. It’s a busy time, too, when she gets there. Perhaps to increase the chance of survival for her offspring, turtle moms make not just one trip to the beach, but actually venture ashore, digging into the sand, and average laying four clutches of eggs, one about every 14 days. Each nest typically has more than 100 eggs! In Florida, the primary governmental agency tracking all the goings-on of sea turtles is the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Within that organization is the Fish and Wildlife Research Institute (FWRI), which specifically handles the task of coordinating a Statewide Nesting Beach Survey program (SNBS) to document “the total distribution, seasonality and abundance of nesting by sea turtles in Florida.” Southwest Florida sea turtle nesting season is nearing its end for 2018. Each year, from May 1 through October 31, special rules are in place to promote successful nesting and hatching of turtles all along our beaches. All in all, it’s been a good season for the turtles. Let’s hope for another one next year. Only this time, with no Red Tide!
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John Dicks is both a Lawyer and Businessman, including an interest in farming. He and his family have owned a blueberry farm and have agricultural lands which they lease for cattle operations, as John says, “to someone who knows and handles cattle much better than I do!” John is both a Gator, having received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and a Seminole, with his law degree from Florida State University. He and his wife, Sharon, live in Plant City, where he served nine years as City Commissioner, including three terms as Mayor.
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E n d a n g e r e d S p e c i es
Gentle Giants in Danger: Green Sea Turtles
By Ginny Mink If you have been following the news at all, or at the very least your Facebook Feed, then you are aware of the hype surrounding the influx of Red Tide we have been experiencing in our great state. Of course, that and a host of other factors are leading to an increased number of dead sea life being found on our shores. Most bothersome is the amount of sea turtle carcasses that litter the coastlines. This brings to mind the plight of the Green Sea Turtle. Ordinarily, our focus in these articles is on those creatures who have found themselves on the Federally Endangered List. Thankfully, we bring you better news about the Green Sea Turtle than we had initially thought we would be providing. Apparently, in 2016, this gentle giant was moved from the endangered list in Florida to the threatened designation. This is certainly cause for rejoicing, though we do not know what the current status is given the previously mentioned factors occurring at this time.
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The Green Sea Turtle’s scientific name is the Chelonia mydas. It can weigh up to 700 pounds while reaching up to 60 inches in length. That’s longer than many middle school students!¹ In 2015, Animal Planet revealed that there were only 3000-5500 Green Sea Turtles remaining.² As we continue in this research we are hopeful that improved numbers will be revealed!
a good thing since that means it is avoiding eating the poisoned fish swimming around the seas. However, erosion and other negative factors that affect the algae and seagrasses it feeds on could be contributing to its demise.² Recall that we were hoping to get some more updated numbers about the Green Sea Turtle as we proceeded with our research. Well, the numbers we just discovered make us a little confused about Animal Planet’s information. According to the Smithsonian, who announced the downgraded status for the Green Sea Turtle in 2016, there are “600,000 nesting female green sea turtles around the world.”³ That’s considerably more than the numbers supplied by Animal Planet. Strange? Regardless of the accuracy of the numbers, the fact remains that Green Sea Turtles are still in a threatened status. You probably didn’t know this, but people were still eating canned turtle soup here in Florida in the early 70s. It wasn’t until 1978 that the Green Sea Turtle was included on the endangered species list here. So, in the late 70s there was only about a handful of nesting females on our coasts. But, according to the last census, we now are breeding grounds for 2250 females!³
Though you might be inclined to believe that the Green Sea Turtle is so named for the color of its shell, you would be mistaken. The turtle actually gets its name from the color of its skin, according to National Geographic. Their shells range in color from brown to an olive green. There is some debate about whether there are actually two species, one found off of North America and Europe while the other is located in the coastal waters from Chile to Alaska.¹
Our Florida nesting Green Sea Turtles visit us between the months of June and September. The females deposit their eggs on shore at night. It can take them as long as two hours to finish digging and laying their eggs. Amazingly, they will lay between 110 and 115 eggs and are capable of nesting up to seven times a season. Eggs take two months to hatch and then the wee babies will do all they can to reach the sea from their nesting location. Though there may be a lot of them entering the water, they don’t reach sexual maturity until they are between 20 and 50 years old!⁴
While most sea turtles will eat small fish and other creatures, the Green Sea Turtle is strictly an herbivore. This could be
This is why you see so many signs on the beaches during this time of year telling you not to disturb the turtle nests. If you
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have never had the awesome experience of watching a sea turtle dig her nest and lay her eggs, you have missed out on something quite majestic. Though they lumber slowly up the dunes, there is much grace to be seen as they finish their chore and reenter the water. Unfortunately, the water is often unsafe for them thanks to fishing lines and nets that entangle them. Plus, there are some countries that still harvest their meat illegally.⁴ If you would like to learn more about Green Sea Turtles, we have provided a link to observe them nesting in the resources section of this piece. Of course, there are a host of organizations specifically designed to help protect sea turtles and we would love to know that you are participating in one of them. As we tell you every month, these inspiring creatures were put here by God for a purpose and our job is to ensure they remain!
Resources:
¹National Geographic. Green Sea Turtle. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/g/green-sea-turtle/ ²Animal Planet. (2015). Green Turtle. http://www.animalplanet. com/wild-animals/endangered-species/green-turtle/ ³Daley, J. (2016). Green Sea Turtles are no Longer Endangered in Florida and Mexico. Smithsonian. https://www.smithsonianmag. com/smart-news/green-sea-turtles-come-endangered-list-florida-mexico-180958677/ ⁴Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Green Sea Turtle. http://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/imperiled/profiles/ reptiles/green-sea-turtle/ Watch the Turtles: https://www.floridarambler.com/florida-best-beaches/sea-turtle-walks-in-florida/ Photo Credits: Gustafson, A. Green Sea Turtle. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/3b16jc) Kieffer, M. Green Sea Turtle feeding in Marsa Abu Dabbab. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/6xS63E) More, J. Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)_2. Flickr (https://flic. kr/p/AZEQkM)
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Healthy Cookies By Libby Hopkins
“I do not have a culinary background I just had a craving for a good vegan chocolate chip cookie,” ~ Sandra Carson I totally agree with Cookie Monster from Sesame Street, “C is for cookie and cookie is for me!” Especially chocolate chip cookies…I love them, although my waistline doesn’t have the same love affair I do with them, but Sandra Carson of WeVegan Eats may have the solution to helping me find a healthy cookie to save my waistline from increasing in size. “I do not have a culinary background I just had a craving for a good vegan chocolate chip cookie,” Carson said. “I decided to make a lifestyle change and go on a plant-based diet last July and the one thing I found myself craving the most was a chocolate chip cookie,” Carson said. “I could not find a vegan chocolate chip cookie that I really enjoyed that satisfied that cookie I desired.” So, Carson and her boyfriend started experimenting with different recipes until they found one we liked. “We thought the cookie was so good that we decided to sell it at a local market and it was a hit,” Carson said. “Also, kids have been our taste testers along the way and once they approved we knew we had something.” WeVegan Eats was born and this journalist cried happy tears of joy while writing this story. Thank you Sandra for saving my waistline!
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The goal of WeVegan Eats is to provide their vegan baked goods throughout the Tampa Bay Area, but not in just one location. “We intentionally deliver multiple times a week to our stores to make sure the products are as fresh as possible since we do not add preservatives to extend shelf life,” Carson said. “We are very active on social media, every time we
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deliver to our stores we post a snap on Instagram to always keep our followers up to date where to find our freshly baked products.” Eating a vegan diet has been known to help people lose weight. According to the website, Healthline (www.healthline. com) “Vegan diets have a natural tendency to reduce your calorie intake. This makes them effective at promoting weight loss without the need to actively focus on cutting calories. It appears to lower blood sugar levels and improves kidney function. Going vegan may also have benefits for Type-2 diabetes and declining kidney function. Vegans tend to have lower blood sugar levels, higher insulin sensitivity and up to a 50–78 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Vegan diets also reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.” Their customers have given Carson very positive feedback whether they are vegan or not. “They seem to really enjoy that we are able to provide delicious freshly baked cookies along with our breads and muffins,” Carson said. “Our products are located in 12 Kahwa Coffee locations in the Tampa Bay area and local stores including Pure Kitchen, Vegan International Company, Swami Juice Tampa, Raw Smoothie Company, Camp Tampa, Xtreme Juice, Juice Habit, Quality Foods Gourmet Market and The Corner Market on Bayshore Boulevard in Tampa.” WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Carson believes strongly in keeping things local. “It is very important to us,” Carson said. “We have always supported local businesses and now being that we are a part of the industry more than ever we understand the importance of supporting our community. We buy our produce from a local market and hope to utilize that even more as we create new products.” Carson hopes to have a bigger presence in the Tampa Bay area in hopes of having a cafe style bakery one day. “Folks can find us at the Tampa Indie Market every third Sunday of the month and plan on being in more local markets as the holiday’s approach,” Carson said. If you would like to learn more about WeVegan Eats or find out where you can find their delicious cookies at in the Tampa Bay area, you can follow them on their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/weveganeats or on their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/weveganeats.
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s e p i c e R
Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
Chef Justin Timineri
Florida Snap Beans with Red Bell Pepper
DIRECTIONS
q Ingredients q 1 pound snap beans, stems trimmed 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 clove red bell pepper, seeded and julienne 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (if desired) 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 teaspoon sesame oil Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Cut the snap beans into bite size pieces. Bring a medium-sized stock pot that is halfway full of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the snap beans and cook (about 1 to 3 minutes) until they turn bright green and are tender yet still crispy (they will be cooked again). Drain the beans completely, and then dunk them into a bowl of ice water to completely stop the cooking process. After they have cooled off all the way drain them again and set aside for later use. In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Carefully add the bell pepper, cook for about 1 minute. Add the beans and cook for about 1 minute longer. Add the pepper flakes and garlic and continue cooking for another minute or until desired tenderness. Turn off the heat and then drizzle with the sesame oil and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Serve family style.
Florida Zucchini-Ricotta Rollups q Ingredients q
2 large Florida zucchini or yellow squash, sliced thin lengthwise 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded 2 cups marinara sauce (your favorite) 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning mix 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1/4 cup fresh basil, hand torn Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS
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Lay out all the zucchini and yellow squash slices on paper towels. Lightly sprinkle each side of the sliced zucchini and squash with sea salt. Let the salted slices sit for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes use another paper towel to soak up any liquid from the vegetables. In a small bowl combine the egg yolk, mozzarella cheese, ricotta cheese and Italian seasoning. Season cheese mixture lightly with salt and pepper. Spread a
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thin layer of the cheese mixture on one side of each vegetable slice. Roll each slice up carefully and place seam side down in a baking dish. Evenly add marinara sauce to the top of the vegetable rollups. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake in a 375 degree F oven for about 15 minutes. Top with hand torn basil, serve warm.
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Part 48 By Ginny Mink
Ornamental Gardening in Florida September marks four years taking a monthly voyage on the Literary Time Machine as we travel back to 1926 when Mr. Charles Torrey Simpson published his informative book: Ornamental Gardening in Florida. When last we met, our focus was on exotic shrubs. Interestingly enough, he has decided to include bamboo in this category. Let’s see what he has to say on this topic. “It is rather difficult to place the bamboos in any class as they are not trees nor herbaceous plants and they are hardly shrubs. However they send up numerous shoots from the root which are more or less woody and on that account I place them here.”¹ Though he admits that they are not properly placed, he seems at a loss as to where they actually belong. He continues his explanation, “Several genera are recognized but because the species rarely bloom it is impossible to assign many of the forms. Bailey has, very wisely I think, placed them all under the name Bamboo and designated the genera Arundinaria, Bambusa, Dendrocalamus, Phyllostachys, and Thamnocalamus by prefixing the letter with which they begin.”¹ Given this description, you would think we would have a greater understanding of the bamboo of which he speaks. Yet, it leaves us a little confused. So, we read on. He writes, “I am not positive as to the identity of some of the following. B. violescens is a species that sends up a great number of stems but does not form a close clump. It is not an attractive plant with me and spreads until it is a nuisance.”¹ Since we are aware of the fact that some bamboo is currently considered an invasive species we had to wonder if this one falls into that category. According to IFAS there are only three types of native bamboo in the US. Those that fall under the bambusa species are considered non-native and probably invasive. Their website states that “Bamboo can spread quickly by underground rhizomes and may suddenly appear many yards away from the main stand.”² We can, therefore, only assume that what Mr. Simpson describes as a nuisance here insinuates that he understood this bamboo’s propensity to spread and take over in areas he didn’t want it.
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He continues discussing bamboo of different varieties and then makes this interesting observation, “I do not believe that South Florida will ever become a first class bamboo country. Even in wet, rich soil these grasses do not flourish as they do in Japan or along the south slopes of the Himalayas but there are, no doubt, many that will do well here and help to adorn with their wonderful grace and airiness our favored state.”¹ Oh, if he had only known the problem that bamboo would one day become. We wonder if he would be so quick to pronounce them wonderfully graceful now?
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Having summed up his experience and opinion about the bamboo he moved onto other exotic shrubs. One of which, the bouvardia, caught our attention because he writes that it belongs to the coffee family. We love coffee. He describes it as, “A genus of small shrubs…with brilliant heads of flowers and in every way worthy of cultivation but now out of fashion with northern florists.”¹ Wondering what coffee-related plant we might have access to, we did a little research. To our surprise, the shrub he referenced was quite familiar to us. Many people know it as the hummingbird flower. To our surprise, Southern Living has a bit of additional information for those wishing to plant some bouvardia in their yards. According to them, this is a shrub that requires partial shade and each species differs as to the amount of water required. The magazine writes, “These plants are valued for their showy clusters of tubular flowers…One type has fragrant blossoms… The unscented, red-flowered species are hardier and easier to grow.”³ They suggest light pruning after they bloom and state that they are all very heat tolerant. Which means they are great for our Florida gardens! Bring on the hummingbirds. We’ve chosen to close with his description of the Caesalpinia pulcherrina. Apparently this is also known as the Barbados flower fence, which struck us as an odd concept. But he writes that it’s a “…shrub with bipinnate leaves, a few prickles and gorgeous red, variegated flowers at the ends of the growths.”¹ We had to look it up, just to see what the “few prickles” might be. Unfortunately, we didn’t see any prickles in the pictures we located. However, we did find that many people call this a peacock flower. Maybe that will be of use to you? Well, we have exhausted our time this adventure. Sadly, we have still failed to discover something that will grow well in the swamp where we live. But, we are glad to find that even in 1926 Mr. Simpson realized that the bamboo some people were trying to cultivate was a nuisance. Too bad everyone else didn’t have the same revelation and stop while they were ahead! Until next time, happy gardening! Resources: ¹ Simpson, Charles T. (1926). Ornamental Gardening in Florida. Published by the Author; Little River, FL. Printed by J.J. Little and Ives Company, New York. (p. 166-168). ²UF|IFAS. Center for Aquatic and Invasive Plants. Bambusa species. https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/plant-directory/bambusa-species/ ³Southern Living. Bouvardia. https://www.southernliving. com/plants/bouvardia Photo Resources: Tsuji, V. (2009). Bamboo. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/7uGDUf). Forest and Kim Starr. (2008). Bouvardia ternifolia. Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/D22uDx). Bennilover. (2018). Proud as a Peacock Flower. Flickr (https:// flic.kr/p/LnKWLg). WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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2018 Community Water Wise Award Winners Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
Cynthia Glover
unincorporated Hillsborough County
The Community Water Wise Awards, sponsored by Tampa Bay Water, a regional municipal water provider, recognize individuals and businesses committed to conserving our water resources and protecting the environment by using Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) principles. There are nine FFL principles which include: right plant right place, water efficiently, fertilize appropriately, mulch, attract wildlife, manage yard pests responsibly, recycle, reduce stormwater runoff and protect the waterfront. Many of these principles are used as part of the landscape evaluation process for this award program. The retention of existing trees and vegetation is evaluated, as are landscape design and plant selection. Stormwater runoff prevention techniques and use of efficient irrigation techniques are reviewed. Winning landscapes balance attractive design with plants, landscape elements and water efficient irrigation techniques that have a positive impact on our environment. I’m pleased to announce the winners for the 2018 Community Water Wise Award Contest. For unincorporated Hillsborough County, the winner is Cynthia Glover. The City of Tampa winner is Melissa Taylor. There are several elements of these landscapes that were positive examples of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM water wise practices. These include the planting of drought-tolerant trees and plants, self-mulching areas under trees, groundcovers versus turfgrass utilized in all or several areas of the landscapes, plants selected that are appropriate for their site conditions, grouping of plants with similar water and maintenance needs,
organic and alternative mulch was applied, pervious materials were used for paths, walkways and other areas. Both thrive mainly on rainfall with minimal irrigation, were aesthetically pleasing, beautiful and inviting. We were excited about Cynthia’s and Melissa’s commitment to water and environmental conservation, the use of native and non-native adaptive plants and their landscape designs which were completely different and amazing. Our team wants to either move in with them or replicate what they have created in our home landscapes! We think Cynthia and Melissa would prefer the latter! As you can see from the photos, these landscapes are water wise and fascinating. With a dozen plus entries submitted this year, it was difficult selecting the 2018 Community Water Wise Award Winners. We hope each of you reading this article will consider entering the contest which you can do any time at: http://tampabaywaterwise.org. The deadline for entries is June 30 each year, so you can complete an application now, submit it and get a head start on the 2019 contest! For assistance with horticultural questions, call us at 813-744-5519 or visit us at the UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, FL 33584. More gardening information is available at: http://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/hillsborough/ as well as our calendar of events listing all upcoming educational opportunities. You may also want to view our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/HCFFL/. Remember to reduce, reuse, recycle and repeat.
Melissa Taylor
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The City of Tampa
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Buy the AgTag® $20 of your purchase helps educate our kids!
Through your purchase of the Florida Agriculture License Plate, Florida Agriculture In The Classroom is able to provide: • Funds for school gardens • PreK–12 agriculture curriculum • Teacher and volunteer grants • Workshops and farm tours • Florida Agriculture Literacy Day • And much more! Visit www.agtag.org to learn more. INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
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FARM BUREAU WOMEN’S COMMITTEE ANNOUNCES NEW PROJECTS, SEEKS ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS
By Jim Frankowiak
The statewide organization has as its mission, “empowering women to become powerful advocates for agriculture.” By Jim Frankowiak The Women’s Leadership Committee of Hillsborough County Farm Bureau has announced several new programs and hopes to attract added volunteers, thanks to what Chair Michelle Williamson is calling “a rejuvenation.” “We have always been a very active group of ladies, but it’s important from time to time to review where we’ve come from, what we are doing and where we are headed,” said Williamson. That happened earlier this year and was manifest in several different ways. The first was the development of a contemporary Statement of Purpose, which says: “The Purpose of the Hillsborough County Women’s Leadership is to promote agriculture through education, give Farm Bureau women opportunities to network, developing their leadership skills and to provide a positive image of agriculture in the community through community involvement.” Next was the participation of six county Women’s Leadership Committee members in the District V meeting held in June. Florida Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership group has a statewide organization comprised of districts. District V includes committees from Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Lake, Polk, Sumter, Hernando and Citrus counties. The statewide organization has as its mission, “empowering women to become powerful advocates for agriculture.”
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Further evidence was the continuance of the Xtreme Cuisine Cooking School in Hillsborough County through three cooking camps. Organized initially in 2007, these sessions are designed to introduce teens and pre-teens to the world of cooking and good nutrition. “This series of gatherings was organized by Hillsborough County Farm Bureau and conducted by a group of volunteers from our Women’s Leadership Committee,” said Williamson.
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To help fund the committee’s initiatives a “Cake Auction” has been planned for the annual Hillsborough County Farm Bureau annual meeting, which will take place October 11. Among those initiatives is a District V Children’s Book Drive through which “we are seeking the donation of new or gently used books to help local children succeed,” said Williamson. This is a year-long project with all books being donated to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA). RCMA serves nearly 5,000 children ages six weeks to five years. Children in this age group need hard backed books, picture storybooks, participation books, predictable books (books with repetitive phrases or storyline), folktales and fables, nursery thymes, alphabet books and informational books. Donations may be dropped off at the Hillsborough County Farm Bureau office, 305 South Wheeler Street in Plant City or any Farm Bureau office in District V. Another new program of the Women’s Leadership Committee is participation in the Hillsborough County Fair’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Agriculture, Arts and Math Program (STEAM). “We are finalizing the scope of our involvement in STEAM,” said Williamson. STEAM at the fair includes projects, competitions, exhibits and other events. The Hillsborough County Fair is slated for October 18 – 21 and October 25-28. “We encourage interested women to help with your various programs through volunteerism,” said Williamson. “This is truly a win-win since the community benefits as do our volunteers through satisfaction and development of their leadership skills,” she said. For more information and to volunteer, email: women@hcfarmbureau.org. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Healthy Tailgating Tips for the WIN
By Alison Grooms, MPH, CPH, CHES® Nutrition & Health Agent with UF/IFAS Extension Hillsborough County
The month of September is finally here. Many have been waiting with anticipation for this month to arrive. Can you see the lights? Can you hear the crowd cheering? Can you smell the charcoal burning? All of these things can only mean one thing–FOOTBALL SEASON IS HERE! From Friday night lights, college football Saturdays, and NFL Sundays, the weekends in September are filled with football games – and where there’s a game, there’s always a tailgate. For those of us looking to have some fun, but not at the expense of our waistlines, try these tips for a healthy tailgating experience. We have heard the saying, “the best defense is a good offense,” but this saying holds true both on and off the field. The best method to stay on track for eating healthy at a tailgate is to prepare ahead of time and bring healthy alternatives with you. Make your own veggie chips at home to use in place of tortillas for dipping. Or bring some fresh vegetables – like celery, carrots, and cucumbers – that can serve as an even healthier alternative for those salt-laden chips. Try preparing a healthy veggie and bean dip with tomatoes, corn, black beans, cilantro, and a little lime juice, or go for the old traditional choices of salsa or guacamole. These dips are typically not only less caloric than those with mayonnaise or sour cream bases but they are also more nutritious, too. If you want to make a dip that calls for one of these heavier bases, try swapping out the mayonnaise and sour cream for low-fat Greek yogurt instead. You’ll end up with the same creamy consistency but about half the calories. What tailgating experience would be complete without firing up the grill? If you are the denoted “grill master” of your group, score a win with your friends by switching from the traditional hamburgers made with ground beef, to leaner varieties of meat like turkey or bison burgers. Or think outside the box and whip up a batch of black bean burgers, which are not only healthier, but are also sure to make fans out of both the vegetarians and carnivores alike. Kebabs made with fruits and vegetables, (like pineapple, peppers, and onions), in-between slices of lean meat can also serve to be a good choice. The food items I always look forward to are those good ol’
Make sure you have a game plan in place once you arrive to the tailgate to avoid being blind-sided by the dessert table. Fill up your plate with fruits and vegetables first before moving on to the less healthy options. This will help to keep you fuller and satisfied longer, and potentially block any of those diet saboteurs that could ruin your game. Fill up your plate only once and then move away from the food. Hanging out by the food table could lead to grazing throughout the day. If the desserts keep calling out your name, take a small slice of what you want and put it on a small plate but don’t go back for seconds. Also, if you know you don’t want to pass on any of the foods being served at the tailgate then plan ahead the week prior to the event by making healthier choices throughout the week. This way you won’t feel the need to have to recover from splurging on the meal. Finally, if you will be consuming alcohol at your tailgating event, drink at least one to two full glasses of water in between drinks. Since alcohol is dehydrating, the water helps to replenish what alcohol takes away. Alcohol is also known to increase the hunger response, so drinking water will help you feel fuller to keep you from being tempted to eat or drink even more. It also helps to slow down the time between drinks to avoid accidentally overdoing it. Sipping alcohol slowly can also help to dodge this as well. Alcohol, second to fat, contains more calories per gram than protein and carbohydrates, so even a small drink can add up to excess empty calories. The general recommendation is to consume no more than one drink a day for women and no more than two for men. By using the tips above for your next tailgating event, you can avoid a Hail Mary and tackle the healthy diet debacle with a goal you’ll be sure to win.
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chicken wings. The best way to tackle wings from being overloaded with unnecessary calories, is to prepare them without breading and cook them either on the grill or in an oven. You’ll still get the same great wing flavor without compromising on taste.
WISH FARMS NEW CORPORATE HEADQUATERS CONTINUES LEGACY OF THE LAND; BENEFITING THE COMPANY AND COMMUNITY By Jim Frankowiak
Gary Wishnatzki and Joe Kuhn, Jr. Simply put, Misty the Garden Pixie will soon be moving into a new home on a 36-acre parcel of land overlooking Interstate 4. But there’s much more to the story and the two families brought together in the transaction that transferred ownership of the land, while retaining the agricultural ties of the property and its benefits to the industry, community and company. The land, formerly known as the Kuhn Farm, is a significant parcel that abuts the south frontage road of I-4 between North Maryland and Gordon streets, west of Park Road in Plant City. The transaction culminated a two-year search by Wish Farms, a grower of both conventional and organic varieties and year round supplier of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. In 2010, the company launched its consumer brand, Wish Farms, featuring Misty. That led to a significant spike in popularity, eventually developing and driving the need for expanded operations as berry shoppers across the country came to know and seek Wish Farms’ berries year round. “Space has been an issue for us during this growth period,” said Wish Farms’ Chief Operating Officer J.C. Clinard. “The move is going to drastically increase our efficiency and scalability, while positively impacting the local economy.”
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“Visibility was a major factor in the selection of the site, as that falls in line with the strategic vision for our brand,” said Wish Farms Owner Gary Wishnatzki. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) estimates approximately 115,000 vehicles pass by the site daily. The site plan and structures will provide Wish Farms with multiple opportunities to visually communicate with that daily traffic “and we plan to take full advantage of that through a number of ways that will change periodically,” he said.
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The Beck Group will oversee the construction on the 36-acre site, as well as the design-build of the 20,000-square foot, three-story office building. RCS Company of Tampa will construct the 138,000-square foot warehouse that will include blueberry and strawberry processing, pre-cooling, materials storage and cooler space. Wishnatzki noted the new location will more than double operational square-footage and bring all operations into a single location, a consideration that is not the case for Wish Farms currently. The final total project budget has yet to be determined, but it will be a multi-million dollar undertaking. The 36-acre parcel was sold for $1.8 million. The Wish Farms plan for its new location also calls for a treehouse conference space, being designed and built by James “B’fer” Roth from DIY Network’s “The Treehouse Guys”. Other prominent features include an adult-sized indoor slide, a large rooftop deck and an organic blueberry farm. The parcel contains a 4-acre lake and a spring, both of which the company will highlight and preserve as part of the property’s natural beauty. Trees on site that must be removed will be repurposed and used for both functional and design requirements. Groundbreaking is to take place later this year with completion anticipated before the end of 2019. Site plans will also reflect proximity to neighboring residential areas. “We anticipate buffering along edges of our parcel achieved through various landscaping initiatives,” said Wishnatzki, who also anticipates truck traffic will utilize the frontage road and access to I-4 and Park Road. That location is also important to Wishnatzki for another reason. “We want to carry on the nearly 100-year-old tradition between our company and this community, so I’m extremely pleased that we are staying in Plant City,” he said. That tradition goes all the way back to the early 1900s when Harris WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
Wishnatzki immigrated to New York City from Russia. He began selling produce from a pushcart, which soon led to starting a wholesale business in 1922. Eventually the family became involved in produce buying in Central Florida and made their way to Plant City. Innovation and strategic partnerships with growers, as well as the rebranding of the company in 2010 and introduction of Misty, have all fostered continued growth of the company. Joe Kuhn, Jr. like Gary Wishnatzki is a third-generation family member. Their grandfathers immigrated to the United States within a year of each other. Andras Kun, Joe’s grandfather, immigrated from Hungary to the U.S. in 1906. He married Elsie Reva, also an immigrant from Hungary, in 1911 and they had four children. The family name was changed to Kuhn after several years in this country. Andras worked as the abovehead crane operator pouring molten steel at a steel mill in Sharon, Pennsylvania. In 1929, he hitch-hiked from Pennsylvania to Plant City in order to collect funds on a $3,000 predepression loan debt that was repaid to Andras with the acreage ultimately involved in the transaction with Wish Farms. The Kuhn family cleared the land and started with truck farming of green pepper, Hungarian wax peppers, squash, eggplants and others. They also developed Valencia Orange groves and fenced pasture land for cattle along with shrubs for landscaping. The family farmhouse on North Gordon Street was completed in 1931 and continues today with upgrades and expansions over the years. Joe’s father, Joseph, Sr., the youngest of the four Kuhn children, became executor/ caretaker of the family farm in 1964 and did so for the next 37 years. He was also an upholsterer and taught upholstery at Brewster Tech. During that time he was a very active member of the Plant City Strawberry Festival, serving as associate director for 25 years, and an American Legion officer at the local and district levels. Joe, Sr. married Ellouise Simmons in 1942 and they had one son, Joe, Jr., also known as Jody while growing up. Ellouise was born and raised in the Cork area of Hillsborough County where she worked on the family farm and attended “strawberry school.” She, too, was active in the American Legion, serving the Auxiliary in a variety of capacities. Ellouise was also a realtor and in 1962 was named the first recipient of the Business Woman of the Year award of the Plant City Business Women’s Club. After graduating from Plant City High School, Joe, Jr., went to
Joe, Jr., and his late wife, Diane Dossett, who was also raised and worked on her family’s farm in Kentucky, began the process of having the Kuhn Family Farm’s assets passed back to the community that had supported the family over the years. Those assets were placed into The Kuhn Family Charitable Remainder Unitrust with Joe, Jr. as its trustee in September of 2016. Wish Farms purchased the 36-acre Kuhn Farm from that entity in late August. “My wife and I and our families feel a great debt to this country, this community and agriculture,” said Joe, Jr. “We formed the Joe & Ellouise Kuhn Scholarship in honor of my parents more than 10 years ago, awarding 33 recipients at Plant City and Durant High Schools. This will continue and progress as we continue to support agriculture, education and the community.” Giving back is also an important part of the Wish Farms legacy, but the company’s philanthropic efforts go beyond charitable donations. From 2005 through 2013, Wish Farms hosted an annual Pro-Am Tennis Tournament, which raised over $600,000 during that timeframe. Funds from the tournament were donated to two worthy causes: University of South Florida (USF) Wishnatzki Family Migrant Scholarship Fund and Redlands Christian Migrant Association (RCMA). The goal of the scholarship is to help develop leaders and improve educational opportunities for migrant children. The scholarship is awarded to a USF student from a migrant or seasonal farm worker family who is pursuing a graduate degree in education at the USF College of Education. RCMA has as its mission to “open doors to opportunities through quality child care and education from crib to high school and beyond” for rural low-income children. Yes, Misty the Garden Pixie will soon have a new home while the legacy of the Kuhn and Wishnatzki families and their respective ties to agriculture and the Plant City community will continue and grow just like Misty’s Magic – “A little pinch here and a little dash there, Misty’s pixie dust goes everywhere!”
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Florida State University earning an undergraduate degree in Housing and Interior Design and then served as an officer in the U.S. Army. After his military service, he returned to FSU earning a Master of Science in Interior Design and he went on to undertake a broad range of design projects in Florida and other areas of the U.S.
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Small Town
Goodness BIG Town
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Taste
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A Closer LookAmazing Activities Naturally
by Sean Green | Photos by April Green
Bamboo Frog Gig
This month we are featuring a project that can be made very quickly and if used correctly can mean the difference between a miserable night of camping and a great night. Were talking about frog gigging, an activity that dates to the earliest use of tools. A frog gig is a tool used to hunt frogs as a food source. Let’s face it, despite our best effort, there will be days that the fishing is a bust. If you are camping and your family is relying on your skills for a warm and healthy meal, the trusty ole frog gig rarely fails. Frogs are indeed usually easier to catch than fish where populations are abundant, like in Florida. Now you could go out to the local hardware store and for under 20 bucks purchase a set of metal frog gig spikes and a sturdy rod and be ready to go in as long as it takes to hammer the spikes to the top of the rod, but that kind of takes the romance out of the art. The gig we are making this month can be made with stuff you would either already have with you or materials that can be found in the wild. Bamboo is a good choice of wood because it is light weight and naturally more resistant to water than other woods, after all it grows in or very near water. We wrapped ours in leather because, well, I had some laying around and the cats have plenty more to play with. Besides, leather is sturdy and a bit more weather resistant than cloth or twine. I did not have the time to coat the leather, but it can be have been coated in wax or pine resin, by heating the substance up and coating it to provide a water resistant coating that will last years.
Materials:
Natural methods italicized
Staff Cane or Bamboo at least 1” diameter Spacers Cane or Bamboo at about 1/8” diameter Wrap Leather, Twine, plant fibres. Knife Commercial (or chipped from rock if you’re going all out) Coating (Pine Pitch Glue, Hide Glue, Starch Glue, Wax) * natural recipes not included in this tutorial
Directions: Split the bamboo into four equal quadrants with a knife Tap small diameter piece of bamboo in between the tines to spread them apart Weave leather lace through the tines of the bamboo staff and around the spacers to secure them. Wrap an outer layer of leather lace neatly from bottom to top and back for two layers of leather wrap. Tie the wrap off Coat with wax or pitch is desired (waterproofing) Sharpen each twine to a point. (short angles are sturdier)
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This is not a tool that can be used for capturing frogs for observation or pets. One of the values that my family instilled in me from a very young age is “You kill it, You eat it,” maybe that’s why us Cajuns have a reputation of eating anything that does not eat them first, it is a culture and a lifestyle, and one that I hope our readers share. All frogs, (except for Pine Barrens tree-frogs, gopher frogs and Florida bog frogs), may be taken throughout the year by gigs without a bag limit. Take your fill but nothing more.Mold Enjoy! Soak Leather Leather
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Trim Leather
Glue Felt WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
A Closer Look
by Sean Green | Photos by April Green
American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Frogs and children have a long and endearing history together. Games in which our children mimic frogs have endured thousands of years. Classic literature is filled with fantastic stories of stately and magical frogs. For many children, the frog was one of our first pets, welcomed or not. Catching frogs was a natural transition from lizards that preceded snakes. If you were anything like me, you already knew a few of them by name before they offered them up in school biology classes. Now as many of us have gotten older, the fascination with frogs may have turned to their value for fishing, or perhaps an appreciation for the distinct biological characteristics of both native and exotic species. For many of us here in the south, the nighttime song of frogs has a romantic appeal. You may think it sounds funny, but it’s no secret that frog legs make a delicious meal, and if you are lucky enough to find a mate that will go trudging through the swamps at night with you to gather enough frogs for a home cooked meal, well, rest assured, you found the right one. But enough of the details, the point is, frogs are important to all of us in so many ways, it’s time we took a closer look. This month we will feature the classic American Bullfrog, a frog that truly brings “Joy to the World” …. Despite an occasional Three Dog Night. The Latin name Rana catesbeiana has been around for a long time and is what scientist call the American bullfrog. In 2006 it was determined that the genus Rana was a collection of several genera and it was proposed that the American bullfrog be moved into the genus Lithobates, a subgenus of Ranidae, the true frogs. The name proposed is derived from litho(stone) and the Greek bates (to tread), means one who treads on stone. The subdivisions of the Ranidae are still a matter of dispute but gaining acceptance and will remain volatile until the results of more investigation can refine taxonomic description. For most of us, we can get by just calling it a bullfrog and most people understand what we are talking about. The bullfrog is North America’s largest frog and can reach lengths of eight inches and close to two pounds. A frog of this size folks can and HAS been known to eat young snakes, crawfish, other frogs, and even small birds. Although the native range is the eastern United States, there are now thousands of natural occurrences of the bullfrog
If you are adventurous, bullfrogs are abundant, and easy to catch. You will find these beauties in permanent ponds lakes, rivers, ditches, and swamps. They can be found in small quantities during the day, but the bullfrog is a nocturnal species and that is where the fun begins. There are few hiking trips you will ever take that equal the excitement of sloshing through knee high swamp at night with little more than a frog gig and a headlamp. You tolerate the mosquitoes for the adventure and the reward is delicious. Even if you do not eat frog legs, there are ways to capture the frogs without injuring it for an equally satisfying educational experience and release to the wild. Through September will be when metamorphosis can be witnessed in the wild. Those that are in their final stages of metamorphosis are going on two years old and have survived tremendous odds. Regardless of where your interest may lie in your frog adventure, one thing you can honestly say if you do go out looking for frogs is that you spent the night chasing an army through the swamp. A group of frogs is called an “army” of frogs, just some silly trivia fun. Go ahead, take a closer look, and enjoy yourself out there.
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worldwide that continue to spread. Exportation of live frogs began early in the 20th century for their commercial value to biological supply houses, fish bait suppliers, the pet trade, and pond landscapers and even as a human food source. Unfortunately, when introduced to environments outside their natural range, the bullfrog can quickly become invasive, even in North America. In fact, bullfrogs are listed on the IUCN’s list of 100 worst invasive species (Lowe et al. 2000). Consequently, there are no initiatives required to conserve this species; eradication is in now the greater conservation concern. The good news is, these frogs are very good to eat. It may sound cliché, but the texture and flavor of well done frog legs is much like tiny chicken wings of white meat. Considered fine dining in many parts of the world, frog legs are typically associated with French cuisine, but quickly became a southern tradition in North America. If you have never experienced eating frog legs, look for local restaurants that typically serve up southern cuisine and seafood and treat yourself to a meal you will never forget.
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NEWS BRIEFS Compiled by Jim Frankowiak true of a person transporting for sale, selling or offering for sale saw palmetto berries harvested from that person’s property. Non-compliance may result in a misdemeanor charge. Also, the illegally harvested berries will be confiscated and returned to the owner. If the owner cannot be found, the berries will be destroyed.
Tampa Bay Beekeepers Offers Information and Resources The Tampa Bay Beekeepers Association (TBBA), which exists to promote beekeeping, has issued its first newsletter and is encouraging membership for hobbyists, commercial & migratory beekeepers, sideliners and enthusiasts who share a common interest in bees and beekeeping. Visit: http://tampabaybeekeepers.com for more information, including resources and other useful links.
USDA Enhances ‘farmers.gov’ Website
The USDA’s new website, farmers.gov, has updated tools and information to help agricultural producers prepare for and recover from impacts of natural disasters. New additions to the site include a farmers.gov portal for secure business transactions and a disaster assistance discovery tool that walks producers through five questions to help them identify personalized results of what USDA disaster assistance programs meet their needs.
Saw Palmetto Now Part of FDACS’ Commercially Exploited Plant List The saw palmetto has been added to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) commercially exploited plant list. This means if a landowner is harvesting saw palmetto berries for sale, a Native Plant Harvesting Permit must be obtained from FDACS Division of Plant Industry.
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A contract harvester of palmetto berries on public or private land must have written permission of the landowner and a Native Plant Harvesting Permit for which the application must be submitted 14 days prior to the date of harvest. This is also
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FDA Extends FSMA Compliance
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is extending its deadlines and inspection time frames as to when certain-size facilities must come into compliance with the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA). Small-size animal food facilities, firms with less than 500 employees, must comply with hazard analysis and risk-based preventive controls by September 17 with the FDA delaying inspections until the fall of 2019. Compliance for firms with sales totaling less than $2.5 million will not be required until the fall of 2020. WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM
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Jake Fitzpatrick
Photo by Berry Sweet Memories by DeeDee
By Jake Fitzpatrick, Area V Vice President
One of the first responsibilities of any new FFA State Officer team is the selection of the yearly theme, so my team and I met together in mid-July to begin brainstorming potential ideas. It was admittedly a daunting task at first, being that everything we do throughout the year will revolve around the theme we choose, but once the dust had finally settled on a lengthy discussion on our team’s values, goals, and aspirations, one theme idea stuck out far above the rest. On behalf of the rest of my teammates, I am extremely excited to announce that the 2018-2019 Florida FFA theme is “Remarkable.”
year. The four workshops we hosted at the conference included leadership styles, diversity and inclusion, servant leadership, and chapter engagement. Many of my fondest FFA memories took place at the Chapter Presidents Conference over the past years, so having the opportunity to lead that experience for students was one I will treasure for the rest of my life. I was tasked with facilitating the Diversity and Inclusion workshop, and the level of engagement and respect that was displayed by the students I encountered was mind blowing and is really a testament to the caliber of students that come out of the FFA.
To us, “Remarkable” truly captures the essence of the lessons that we can all learn from our time with Florida FFA. The “mark” in “Remarkable” is made to stand out in order to symbolize the potential we all have to leave our mark on the world we live in. Members of the FFA are molded into strong leaders by teaching them lessons in persistence, courage, faith, compassion, and determination, all of which are virtues that are indispensable when making your mark. History is made by individuals like Thomas Edison, who found 10,000 ways to fail at creating a lightbulb but pushed forward until his mark was made by illuminating every room, bedside table, and street corner on the face of the Earth; or like Nathan Hale, a 21 year old schoolteacher and patriot during the revolutionary war who, after being discovered as a spy by the British and sentenced to hang, made his mark on the world by inspiring his fellow patriots with his immortal last words: “My only regret is having but one life to lose for my country.” For some, the mark we leave will be small and go unnoticed, but for many others, it will be nothing short of remarkable.
Also in August was the annual State FFA Alumni and Supporters retreat, where alumni members from around the state come together at the FFA Leadership Training Center in Haines City in order to share ideas, network with other members, and have an amazing time laughing and enjoying the festivities put on by the State Alumni staff. It is somewhat of a misconception that one must have been an FFA member in order to qualify for alumni membership, whereas in reality membership is open to any individual who wishes to support an FFA program. If you are an FFA parent or member of the community who has an interest in supporting youth in agriculture, I strongly encourage you to join a local FFA alumni chapter. Becoming an alumni member gives you the tools necessary to make your mark within the community by aiding students in their journey for the premier leadership, personal growth, and career success that the FFA can provide. Together, lets make this a Remarkable school year.
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The theme was kept extremely classified until it was set to be announced publicly on August 24, at the opening session of the annual Chapter Presidents Conference (also known as CPC). CPC was our biggest duty of the month, as it is a conference consisting of every chapter president and vice president from around the state. Our job as state officers was to facilitate a transformative experience for students and to give them the tools needed to make sure their chapter has a remarkable
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INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE
September 2018
WWW.INTHEFIELDMAGAZINE.COM