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Hogtown Brewers annual celebration - May 4

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CONTENTS SPRING 2013 • VOL. 04 ISSUE 01 >> SOWING THE SEEDS

Home

Cody Yelton pulls radishes and carrots from her winter garden. To see if the carrots are ready to be pulled, Yelton will stick a finger down in the dirt to check the carrot’s size.

Grown

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“A lot of it is just getting your hands in the dirt,” Yelton said.

These small insights are what turn a beginner into a pro; a novice

greener.

As a recent graduate of the Florida Master Gardener Program,

his fall, Cody Yelton’s thumbs got a little bit

During the three-month-long series of classes, Yelton learned about topics such as “Florida-

into a master.

Yelton has expanded the garden in her front yard that began awhile

friendly gardening,” the proper way to water, and the amount of sunlight each plant should get.

Along the way, Yelton began to change the way she had been gardening at home.

“I learned all the things I was doing wrong,” she said.

She used to water her plants in the evening, she recalled. The Master Gardener Program taught her that this could lead to disease because of the moisture left on the leaves overnight. Instead, she should water in the morning — underneath the leaves.

back. She now has thick beds of kale, flowering broccoli and a butterfly area. She likes to snack while she works, picking off bits of cauliflower or dill leaves.

In fact, one of Yelton’s main inspirations in becoming a Master Gardener was a desire to grow her own food. Yelton said she tries to eat from her garden raw as much as possible but will also make stir fries, smoothies and big kale salads.

“It seems like a shame to cook the food and lose all the nutrients I’m working so hard for,” she said.

She has used her gardening

28 | Spring 2013

By Courtney Lindwall

Master Gardener

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY COURTNEY LINDWALL

Yelton now has a wealth of horticultural knowledge to share with the community – and, of course, her own garden back home.

The Master Gardener Program is a nationwide organization that gives horticultural training to participants, who then volunteer locally to teach others. The organization calls it a “learn and return” model, championed by the original Master Gardener Program in the early ‘70s.

The model seems to be working.

In 2012, there were roughly 13,000 volunteer hours by Alachua County Master Gardeners alone.

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Spring 2013 | 29

Meet Master Gardener Cody Yelton and learn about the Master Gardener Program, a three-month-long series of classes offering topics such as “Florida-friendly gardening,” the proper way to water, and more. This nation-wide organization provides horticultural training to participants, who then volunteer their time to teach others.

>> DAY TRIPPER

European Celebration

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Head Downtown March 23rd to Immerse Yourself in European Culture

Come experience a day’s worth of European culture in downtown Gainesville this March. VIVA EUROPE! is a one-day festival held to promote awareness of the European culture, including food, music, dance, art and languages. The event offers hands-on activities and the opportunity to enjoy live bands and dance groups.

BY CASSIE GANTER

I

magine experiencing bits and pieces of what Europe has to offer just for the day.

Tastes, sights, sounds and smells spanning from European countries — Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain and Turkey — are engaging, entertaining, easily accessible and, best of all, free.

Experiencing everything from crafts to food tasting to learning

dances and listening to music from cultures all over Europe is at your fingertips.

A man, dressed in lederhosen prances through the streets, drawing people to the town center simply by charming the public with his accordion music.

For Ron Schmidt, this is a reality every year at Gainesville’s Viva Europe Festival. This is his second year acting as the lederhosen-clad accordion player. Having taught food science at the University of Florida for 40 years, the now retired 70-year-old gets the chance to

Day Tripper

exercise the accordion skills he acquired back in 8th grade.

“I love playing accordion at this festival,” he said. “Even though showing my legs in that lederhosen can be embarrassing, the culture immersion that the community gets involved in when we turn the town center into Europe is always fun and interesting to experience.

You have art festivals and events like that around Gainesville, but bringing Europe to Gainesville for a day is quite the experience.”

With the Viva Europe Festival coming to downtown Gainesville’s

PHOTO BY OSMAN SAHIN

Flamenco dancing, called Baile Flamenco in Spain, is one of three parts to the Flamenco art. With the other two parts, flamenco guitar and flamenco song, the folk art and culture is native to the region of Andalusia in Spain.

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By Cassie Ganter

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2013 | 101

>> MAESTRO

138

Johannes Brahms’

A German Requiem

Gainesville Civic Chorus

Gainesville Chorus Sings About Hope and Comfort in Times of Death

BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS

rehearsing for one of their biggest

Symphony and Chorus, and has

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concerts of the year, Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem.”

been recognized as the community’s best organization in the performing

fingers, then silence.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Silence.

Imagine the tapping of feet, the

The chorus and philharmonic orchestra are performing the concert with the University of Florida Choral Union on April 20 at 7:30

arts by the City Commission and the Alachua County Commission, according to its website.

The chorus’ 2012-2013 season

keeping of the beat, then silence.

As the silence fades away and

p.m. UF graduate and Metropolitan Opera singer Nicholas Pallesen will

began in December with its annual Sounds of the Season concert with

the sounds of the Gainesville Civic Chorus rehearsing fill the room, it is easy to hear what is not there but what easily could be — the tolling of

return to sing the baritone solos.

Created in 1976 under the direction of Elwood Keister, the Gainesville Civic Chorus and

the UF Choral Union, followed

by Handel’s Messiah less than a week later. Between January and April, the chorus rehearses weekly.

church bells — and what is there — the warm and holy voices that make

Philharmonic Orchestra is now in its 37th concert season. Over

After Brahms’ requiem, the group performs its 7th Annual Spirit of

up the chorus. This is the Gainesville Civic Chorus, and its members are

time, the chorus has performed at Carnegie Hall, with the Jacksonville

America concert on May 25, dedicated to veterans in the community.

magine the snapping of

PHOTOS BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS

During a pause in rehearsal, Kesling joked with chorus members and said, “I want you to sound like a Russian potato peasant.”

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By Katherine Kallergis

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2013 | 139

The GCC has performed at Carnegie Hall and has been recognized as the community’s best organization in the performing arts by both the City and the County Commission. Now in its 37th concert season, the GCC and Philharmonic Orchestra will perform with the University of Florida Choral Union in April.

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY for LOTUS STUDIOS

ON THE COVER

60 >> FEATURES 20

Cheers!

The Hogtown Brewers Celebrates its Second Craft Beer Festival

BY JEWEL MIDELIS

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Collective Creativity Primavera Florida 2013

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

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Farmville Tips for Gardening Locally, in Large and Small Spaces

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

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UF Women’s Tennis Coach Roland Thornqvist: Furthering the Dynasty by Creating His Own

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

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First Serve Discover Gainesville Tennis Facilities

BY JENNIFER RIEK

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Text Later Alligator Dangers of Texting and Driving

BY CASSIE GANTER

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Experience India!

The 14th Annual India Fest

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

Roland Thornqvist, head coach of the Florida Gators Women’s Tennis Team, found time to talk with Our Town magazine about his highly successful career.

Thornqvist entered his 12th year as head coach of the Gators. Last season he earned the program’s sixth national championship and the first time the team has won back-to-back titles — only the second team in NCAA Women’s Tennis history to do so.

COLUMNISTS 26

Crystal Henry NAKED SALSA 82 Albert Isaac DIFFERENT NOTE 160 Brian “Krash” Kruger GATE CRASHING 164 Janice C. Kaplan ADVENTURES IN APPETITE

INFORMATION 110 Taste of the Town 114 Community Calendar 168 Advertiser Index

The articles printed in Our Town Magazine™ do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Tower Publications, Inc. or their editorial staff. Our Town Magazine endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we can not be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Our Town Magazine reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. All rights reserved. © 2013 Tower Publications, Inc.

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Published quarterly by Tower Publications, Inc. www.towerpublications.com

PUBLISHER Charlie Delatorre charlie@towerpublications.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Albert Isaac editor@towerpublications.com fax: 352-416-0175 OFFICE MANAGER Bonita Delatorre bonita@towerpublications.com ART DIRECTOR Hank McAfee hank@towerpublications.com GRAPHIC DESIGN Neil McKinney neil@towerpublications.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Cassie Ganter Crystal Henry Katherine Kallergis Janice C. Kaplan Courtney Lindwall Jewel Midelis Jennifer Riek Amanda Williamson

146

INTERN Sarah Brand Kyra Love Courtney Lindwall Kelsey Grentzer

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY

Musician Cathy DeWitt sings, writes, and plays guitar, bowed psaltery and harp. Here she performs with her group MoonDancer, with Rob Rothschild on drums and David Ottenberg on bass.

ADVERTISING SALES 352-215-2833 Nancy Short nancy@towerpublications.com Helen Stalnaker 352-416-0209 helen@towerpublications.com

>> FEATURES 104 Family Day UF Dairy Farm’s Annual Open House

BY JENNIFER RIEK

146 Interview: Cathy DeWitt Local Artist has Music in Her Blood

Jenni Bennett 352-416-0210 jenni@towerpublications.com Pam Sapp 352-416-0213 pam@towerpublications.com Annie Waite 352-416-0204 annie@towerpublications.com

BY ALBERT ISAAC

156 Greening the City Porters Community Farm Works to Provide Fresh Food to Local Charities

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

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SPECIAL >> NATIONAL RECOGNITION

Congrats, Kailyn Allen!

PK Yonge High School student Kailyn Allen has reason to smile; she was selected to be a delegate to the 51st Annual United States Senate Youth Program. Kailyn graduates in May and is dual-enrolled at the University of Florida. She and Amy Sapp of Cantonment are the two students chosen from across the state to be part a group of 104 student delegates to travel to Washington, D.C. for an intensive weeklong study of the federal government.

Kailyn got the good news in December.

“I screamed,” she said. “I stay up late and I got the email at midnight and I started screaming.”

The process included, among other things, completing applications, “writing lots of essays” about her future goals and a Skype interview.

“This is the first time they used Skype. They usually do it in person,” she said. “I was just so nervous. First my Skype kept

14 | Spring 2013

messing up and I could only hear half the question. I would have to ask them to repeat the question.”

Kailyn said she has been a student government officer since the 6th grade and serves as Senior Class President. Additionally, she founded the Alachua County Teenage Republicans, an effort she began several years ago.

“I started to do it in the 8th grade but the school was not receptive until last year,” she said. “My group was able to meet with Mitt Romney and Marco Rubio and we appeared on CNN.” In an interesting twist, Kailyn said she knows the other Florida delegate, Amy Sapp, having met at the Hugh O’Brian Leadership Conference. She has high praise for her and the other delegates.

“It’s great to be with these incredible individuals,” she said.

“There’s a Facebook group and I get to meet them and it’s interesting to

see what they’ve accomplished.”

During her all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C. in March, she will be meeting with President Obama, a supreme court justice, a United States ambassador, cabinet leaders, senators, and other national and world leaders.

“I’ll be meeting with people I staunchly disagree with, however I feel that I can learn a lot from them about life and leadership skills and compromise. I’m interested in learning their perspectives.”

In addition to the program week, The Hearst Foundations provide each delegate with a $5,000 undergraduate college scholarship with encouragement to continue coursework in government, history and public affairs.

Her future goals?

“I hope to one day run for public office,” she said. “To be the Governor of the State of Florida is one of my dreams.” s

MESSAGE >> FROM THE EDITOR

Spring has Sprung Wow, that was some winter. I’m being sarcastic. We had it pretty easy this year. I know that those poor souls up north certainly saw (and are still seeing) some cold temperatures, but here in Hogtown it has been pretty mild. As I type these words the redbuds, azaleas and camellias are blooming.

Now, as the days are getting longer and warmer, it is time for some of us to think about starting that spring garden. Last year our garden sat fallow. Weeds invaded. The only things populating our patch were those tall scraggily weeds that leave a gazillion hitchhikers clinging to your clothing when you walk by them. What an eyesore. Even my garden box has been left unattended. Weeds have erupted among the strawberry and spearmint.

But this year will be different (I tell myself). After reading all of the gardening stories in this edition of Our Town, I’m excited about starting a new garden.

I broke all the rules last time I planted. I used an old packet of Silver Queen corn seed and I hastily poked the seed into the ground as night fell. I didn’t fertilize or in any way amend the soil. I didn’t water. No surprise that not one of those seeds germinated.

I tell myself that this time I’m going to do my research, buy the right seeds for the right season, cultivate the soil, maybe even make raised beds, and lastly I’ll be sure to water regularly.

I have to admit, however, I’m no Mister Green Jeans.

When it’s 90 degrees outside I enjoy sitting in the air-conditioned comfort of my home. So you’ll have to check back with me in a few months when the summer edition comes out to see how I did.

For now, sit back and enjoy the many gardening stories we have to offer, from the traditional ways to some alternative methods of making your garden grow.

We also bring you a story about Coach Roland Thornqvist and the Florida Gator Women’s Tennis team, which has won back-to-back National Championships and is working toward a three-peat.

Lastly, we offer some articles about some of the spring happenings in Gainesville, from concerts and family dairy days to European, Indian and craft beer festivals.

I hope you all have a spectacular spring season! s

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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STAFF >> CONTRIBUTORS Amanda Williamson

Jewel Midelis

is a recent graduate of UF’s College of Journalism and Communications. She has been writing for as long as she can remember. She enjoys spending time with her friends, family and animals.

is a freelance writer and a student at UF’s College of Journalism. In her spare time, she enjoys going to the beach, camping at state parks and playing with her puppies. jmidelis91@yahoo.com

awilliamson@ufl.edu

Courtney Lindwall

Jennifer Riek

is a Florida native, now studying journalism at UF. She loves telling and hearing good stories. In her little bit of free time, she enjoys hiking, camping and eating delicious food.

is a freelance writer and a student at UF’s College of Journalism. She was born and raised in Seattle, and delights in all things classy or humorous. Needless to say, she would die in the wild.

c.lindwall@ufl.edu

screaminnocence@gmail.com

Katherine Kallergis

Janice Kaplan

is a junior majoring in journalism and minoring in Spanish at the University of Florida. She loves to cook, read and spend time with her family. She has been a freelance writer since 2011.

has been a freelance writer since 2005. In her spare time Janice loves cooking, Gator sports, Jimmy Buffett anything and spending time with her husband and kids. kaplan_ janice@yahoo.com

kkallergis@gmail.com

Cassie Ganter

Crystal Henry

is a freelance writer and a senior at UF majoring in journalism. A South Florida girl at heart, she enjoys relaxing days spent on the beach when she is not busy writing feature stories.

is a freelance writer and columnist born and raised in West Texas. She received her B.S. in Journalism in 2006 from the University of Florida. She is in love with the Florida landscape.

clganter@ufl.edu

ces03k@gmail.com

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>> KISS OF THE HOPS

Cheers!

The Hogtown Brewers Celebrates its Second Craft Beer Festival

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEWEL MIDELIS he bees will not be the only creatures buzzing at the gardens this spring.

On May 4, nearly 1,500 attendees will gather with about 250 volunteers at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, all in the name of beer.

The Craft Beer Festival is back for its second year to celebrate the crafting of beer.

Mark Tumarkin, an event organizer, said the festival is intended to highlight Florida brewers, but there will also be regional and national brewers.

“We’re not going to be limited to Florida brewers, but we want to get as many of them as possible,” he said.

Tumarkin said the event was created and organized by The Hogtown Brewers, which is a

T

20 | Spring 2013

sanctioned, nonprofit homebrew club in Ganesville.

The Hogtown Brewers has been promoting “the art of brewing” and craft beer for 28 years, according to the club’s webpage.

Craig Birkmaier, head brewer at Swamp Head, said people sampled more than 130 different beers from 40 breweries at last year’s festival.

This year he hopes visitors will be able to choose from about 150

“This is a unique venue. It’s hard to find a place to have a beer festival as beautiful as this. We’re going to have a lot of great beer and great food.”

More than 100 types of beer will be sipped and swallowed at the festival from such local vendors as Swamp Head Brewery and Alligator Brewing Co., to more distant brewers such as Cigar City from Tampa.

different types of beer.

“We want to educate the public about the growth of craft beer in Florida and make a wide variety of products available to them,” he said. “And we want them to enjoy

www.VisitOurTowns.com

Spring 2013 | 21

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the pleasures of pairing food and beer together.”

Tumarkin said everyone receives a small glass and food ticket upon arrival. Then, festivalgoers can meander throughout the gardens as they sample the beers, which range from 3 to 11 percent alcohol by volume.

“Some beer will be quite high in alcoholic percentage,” Tumarkin said, “but the majority of people that come to this festival enjoy craft beer and know it has more

22 | Spring 2013

flavor and more alcohol.”

Birkmaier said this year’s tickets will be more expensive at $50 a piece, but the price increase means everyone attending will get the beer and food pairing package.

Some of the possible vendors for this year’s pairing are Texas Road House, Dragonfly, Stubbies and Steins and The Top, among others.

For those who are driving or do not wish to drink, a discounted designated drivers pass is also available.

Unlike last year’s festival where

all of the beer and food were in one location, Birkmaier said they want to set up like “Epcot,” where vendors are grouped by brewing regions throughout the gardens.

“It’s going to make the event a lot more open,” he said. “People there will be free to wander nearly anywhere.”

At press time, the hours for the event were not officially established, Birkmaier said the event will either be from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Beer, beer and more beer! This year’s craft beer festival will feature more than 150 types of beer from over 40 local, state and regional brewers. Each beer can range from 3 to 11 percent alcohol by volume.

More than 1,000 people tried about 130 different beers at last year’s craft beer festival at the Kanapaha Botanical Gardens.

RIGHT: Justin Zito and Lauren Mullins share a kiss at last year’s festival. Mullins said she attended because she wanted to explore a variety of Florida breweries. Her favorite? Stumpknocker Pale Ale, crafted by Gainesville’s own Swamp Head Brewery.

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125-Year Brewery Count

2,011

(June 2012)

1,179

1,500 1,000

2,126

(1887-June 2012)

2,000

703

(1887)

Number of U.S. Breweries

2,500

500

89 (Prohibition)

0

1890

1900

1910

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1920

1930

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980

1990

2000

2010

Year

The rise in craft beer THE CRAFT BREWER RETAIL DOLLAR VALUE IN 2011 WAS AN ESTIMATED $8.7 BILLION, UP FROM $7.6 BILLION IN 2010.

• According to the Brewers Association website, craft brewers sold an estimated 11,468,152 barrels* of beer in 2011, up from 10,133,571 in 2010.

• The majority of Americans live within 10 miles of a craft brewer. There were only 8 craft brewers in the US in 1980. That number jumped to 537 in 1994 and again to more than 1,600 in 2010.

He also said the event coordinators would like to expand the music during the festival as well and have more live entertainment.

And like last year, Birkmaier

hopes for there to be another brewing demonstration so the people can have an opportunity to see what the brewing process is like.

Gainesville resident Lauren

This is the table at Hoggetowne Ale Works where they offered a brewing demonstration last year. The clear cups have all different types of hops in it, which gives beer that “bitter” taste.

Many bars and restaurants in Gianesville have craft beers available.

Here’s a few places to find a variety of craft beers: • Gainesville House of Beer • Stubbies & Steins • Tall Paul’s Brew House • Wetlands • Tipple’s Brews

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Mullins said she had a great time attending last year’s craft beer festival with her boyfriend, Justin Zito, and friends.

“I was able to explore the variety of breweries that Florida has to offer, while being surrounding by charming, outdoor scenery,” she said. “The combination of beer and the Kanapaha Gardens was very appealing.”

Mullins said she loved sampling the varieties of beer, but her favorites were from Gainesville.

“I enjoyed most of the beers I sampled, but my favorite was from our local Gainesville brewery, Swamp Head’s Stumpknocker Pale Ale,” she said. “I would absolutely go again.”

Tumarkin said he hopes this event will make good memories and bring joy to attendees.

“This is a unique venue,” he said, “and it’s hard to find a place to have a beer festival as beautiful as this.

We’re going to have a lot of great beer and great food.” s The Craft Beer Festival will be held on May 4, 2013. For more information, visit hogtownbeerfest.com/beerfest

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HOME IS WHERE THE CRUMBS ARE >> CRYSTAL HENRY

Naked Salsa Since we were in college, my husband and I knew we wanted to live in the South, but all his prospective jobs led us to the great white north. sucked it up pretty good when we moved to Indiana.

OK, I went kicking and screaming and vowed never to love anything or anyone that side of the Mason-Dixon Line. After all how could a place so far away from everything and everyone I knew and loved ever feel like home?

The year I moved to Gainesville from Tallahassee I made a similar vow. I could never learn to love Gator Country after being so happy in the land of the Seminoles. But four years after I moved in with tears in my eyes, I moved away with them streaming down my face. And now four years after we moved to Indiana, we got the job offer that will lead us back down south. Back home.

The Hubs has applied at this company plenty of times before, but never got a bite. I was ready to write them off this time too, until the offer came through.

I

I’ve imagined that moment for four years. I thought I’d shriek with joy, call my mom, text my friends and alert the presses that we were finally going home. But when the moment came, my husband and I rationally talked out the logistics and I looked around at the catastrophe that was my house.

The new company wanted us there in just a few weeks so we had to get the house on the market, I had two kids with pneumonia and I needed to pack for us to be gone for two weeks.

And I had five days to get it all done. I started to panic a little as I watched Sunny leave a trail of cracker crumbs down the hall.

The next day I flew into packing mode. I started boxing up everything that we wouldn’t need to try and clear the clutter and get the house “show ready.� I was supposed to be excited and ready to get back to the

I remember being so nervous as I dropped her off on the very ďŹ rst day at that school, and then watching my little girl march into Miss Gayle’s class like she owned the joint.

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warm sunshine of the south, but with each box a little piece of my heart was broken.

As I packed Sunny’s room I couldn’t figure out where I was going to keep all the artwork she made in preschool. The same preschool where she gets to see all her friends, and the one she begs to go to when we’re on vacation or summer break. I remember being so nervous as I dropped her off on the very first day at that school, and then watching my little girl march into Miss Gayle’s class like she owned the joint.

I decided to take a break from packing and flopped down in a chair in the hearth room. The same chair I labored in when I was pregnant with Violet. The same chair she would have been born in if the Hubs hadn’t casually suggested we might want to get to the hospital. The same chair that was her favorite to nurse in during those long sleepless newborn nights.

The creak of the floorboard under that chair put her to sleep every time like a trusty lullaby.

But there was no time for sentiment, it was time to get this house ready for market. When the realtor came to assess it, she brought comps and talked numbers, but when it came to putting a price on our house I just didn’t know how. She talked square footage and bonus space, but this place is full of memories that are stitches in the fabric of our family.

When we moved from our house in Gainesville it was just Cary and me. It was our first house as a married couple, so I thought it would be the most special house we ever left. But now as this house is being emptied of our worldly possessions it’s easier to see the ghosts of the life we’ve built here. This was our first house as a family. Our children were born here, we had our first Christmas as a complete foursome, my little dog Cuddles is buried in the backyard, and we’ve made true friends we’ll cherish our whole lives long.

So as we leave here, I make a new vow. I will leave my heart open to our new home in the South. I will not vow against loving it nor will I swear against making new friends. But I know now that each new place our life takes us, we will leave a little trail of crumbs from our hearts. s

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>> SOWING THE SEEDS

Home

Grown

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY COURTNEY LINDWALL his fall, Cody Yelton’s thumbs got a little bit greener.

As a recent graduate of the Florida Master Gardener Program, Yelton now has a wealth of horticultural knowledge to share with the community – and, of course, her own garden back home.

The Master Gardener Program is a nationwide organization that gives horticultural training to participants, who then volunteer locally to teach others. The organization calls it a “learn and return” model, championed by the original Master Gardener Program in the early ‘70s.

The model seems to be working.

In 2012, there were roughly 13,000 volunteer hours by Alachua County Master Gardeners alone.

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28 | Spring 2013

“A lot of it is just getting your hands in the dirt,” Yelton said.

During the three-month-long series of classes, Yelton learned about topics such as “Floridafriendly gardening,” the proper way to water, and the amount of sunlight each plant should get.

Along the way, Yelton began to change the way she had been gardening at home.

“I learned all the things I was doing wrong,” she said.

She used to water her plants in the evening, she recalled. The Master Gardener Program taught her that this could lead to disease because of the moisture left on the leaves overnight. Instead, she should water in the morning — underneath the leaves.

These small insights are what turn a beginner into a pro; a novice into a master.

Yelton has expanded the garden in her front yard that began awhile back. She now has thick beds of kale, flowering broccoli and a butterfly area. She likes to snack while she works, picking off bits of cauliflower or dill leaves.

In fact, one of Yelton’s main inspirations in becoming a Master Gardener was a desire to grow her own food. Yelton said she tries to eat from her garden raw as much as possible but will also make stir fries, smoothies and big kale salads.

“It seems like a shame to cook the food and lose all the nutrients I’m working so hard for,” she said.

She has used her gardening

Cody Yelton pulls radishes and carrots from her winter garden. To see if the carrots are ready to be pulled, Yelton will stick a ďŹ nger down in the dirt to check the carrot’s size.

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Different varieties of thick kale fill one of Cody’s largest garden beds, which she began to expand and remodel after graduating from the Master Gardener program.

education to create a more natural ecosystem in her yard, creating compost boxes of dead leaves, making her own 55-gallon water tanks that store run-off from the gutters and lining her garden beds with logs. Her beginning butterfly garden is bringing in pollinators, as well.

The Master Gardener classes have taught her how to be in sync with plant needs, such as knowing the correct growing season or planting in an area with the right amount of sun.

“Each plant has its place,” she said.

Of course, Yelton said there is still a lot of learning left to do.

Part of that learning experience happens during the Master Gardener Program’s volunteer hours. In the first year after graduation from the classes, participants are required to complete 75 hours of horticultural community service to maintain their “master” status.

In subsequent years, the gardeners must complete 35 hours.

So far, Yelton has helped out by going to the Alachua County Master Gardener extension office and working the phone. Gardeners from all over the county call in with questions about why their roses will not grow or why their leaves have brown spots.

She lends an experienced hand.

Often, she is working with callers to help figure out the answer; it can be a learning experience for everyone, she said.

Wendy Wilber, Alachua County’s director of Master Gardeners, said that the program has a two-part mission: to promote Floridafriendly landscaping and to teach others in the community about sustainable gardening practices.

“We’re getting people in the area involved and tapped into different resources,” said in a

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recent telephone interview. There are a lot of novices in the area, including many recent college graduates who are just starting to get their hands dirty.

An inspiring moment for Yelton was having neighborhood children ask her about the different plants in her garden, even daring to taste some of her kale. This is how the skills and the interest in

32 | Spring 2013

gardening expand outward – from the Master Gardener classes to the community outside.

The classes touch on Florida resource protection, water conservation, pesticide-free growing and home-food production, Wilber said.

Farmers markets, community gardens and areas reserved for “green space” are evidence of Alachua County’s increasing commitment to

a more sustainable future.

The Master Gardener Program is playing a role in this shift.

There are roughly 140 Master Gardeners currently engaged in the community in Alachua County, Wilber said. In 2012, the county branch made more than 20,000 contacts in the community. Some volunteers even logged 1,000 hours a year on their own — far past the

OPPOSITE: Pink-stemmed rhubarb flourishes in Cody Yelton’s backyard, bringing color to beds of green.

Red cabbage has 10 times more vitamin A than green cabbage.

Yelton also grows broccoli, cauliflower, radishes and dill.

35-hour requirement.

Yelton, 33, does not have quite that much time. She is a younger Master Gardener among many retirees, and she is also busy running her own massage business.

But she wanted to take the classes now to learn so she had longer to improve and enjoy her skills, Yelton said. Others used the Master Gardener classes to hone their existing skills, although one can be a beginner to apply for the program.

Participants must first apply through Alachua County’s extension office, and only some will be chosen for the three months of classes that begin in the fall, usually meeting two days a week.

Each year’s class has about 24 participants, although as many as 60 sometimes apply, Wilber said.

The program is specifically looking for those with the drive to give back to the community, she said.

“We’re looking for volunteers to make Alachua County a better place,” she said.

In 2012, Alachua County Master Gardeners won an award for doing just that.

They created the Honor Center Gardens – a green space for homeless and transitional veterans at the Gainesville VA Domiciliary, which can provide shelter and services to 45 local men and women at a time.

The garden provides “passive and active interaction” with nature, bringing physical, emotional and perhaps spiritual comfort to those at the center. The veterans are able to grow their own food, help prepare plant beds and cultivate a calming area within the center.

Within the application for the “special audiences award,” Master

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Gardeners asked some of the veterans to talk with them about the impact of the gardens.

“It is quiet and peaceful watching things grow,” one veteran said.

And when asked what other plants he would like to grow at the Honor Center Gardens, one veteran responded, “I like it the way it is, like one of my own.”

The Master Gardeners overcame the lack of funding by collecting donations and getting the word out themselves about the project, which began in 2009 with the initial help of Alee Karpf and Leah Diehl.

Projects such as this bring focus back to the intended mission of the Master Gardener program, an American tradition dating back 40 years. It is not about being an expert; it is just about a willingness to learn and to teach.

“You don’t have to have a perfectly green thumb,” Wilber said, “but we like people who aren’t afraid to get outdoors with the earthworms and bugs.” s

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>> CULTURE

Collective Creativity Primavera Florida 2013

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN

Individually, we are one drop.

Together, we are an ocean.

— RYUNOSUKE SATORO

here were many positives to come out of last year’s inaugural Primavera festival in and around Gainesville – greater than 200 events at more than 60 venues participated in the month-long cultural festival, attracting local residents and tourists alike. But perhaps the most notable achievement was the unity among the arts community that prevailed.

“It was the first time that the heads of our arts organizations worked together in talking about

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their venue,” said Michelle Hinson, coordinator of Primavera Florida 2013. “We had the Hippodrome present, Santa Fe Performing Arts, and the executive directors of arts organizations in Gainesville tell their stories. It was really the first time in Gainesville that the community was together and working as an arts and cultural community.”

Primavera is an annual festival celebrating the arts, culture and natural resources that make North Central Florida such a unique place.

Running from March 20 through April 22 (coinciding with the March equinox and Earth Day), events include performances in dance, song and theater, art viewings, interactive exhibits about Florida’s environment and more.

The concept was born out of talks between Florida’s Eden and area arts organizations regarding the need for a collective marketing tool to promote Gainesville’s cultural community. With so many groups large and small, the city regularly had several events happening on any given weekend — but no single way for them to be effectively promoted. This especially affected smaller organizations such as galleries and newer theater groups that do not have the

PHOTO BY MICHAEL A. EADDY/HIPPODROME THEATER

Last year’s Primavera festival featured the Hippodrome’s production of Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” which was attended by eighth grade students from PK Yonge Laboratory School.

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Street painter and chalk artist Carolyn Schultz created her sidewalk art at the Thornebrook Village Chalk Festival as part of Primavera 2012.

Hot air balloons and other chalk art could be found at last year’s event. (photo by Stewart Thomas)

budget to publicize events to the community at large.

With grants from the Tourism and Development Council and Visit Gainesville, the idea quickly gained traction and the arts community’s response was swift and enthusiastic.

“Primavera is a brilliant concept,” said Jessica Hurov, Director of Marketing at the Hippodrome State Theater. “We were very happy when they approached us to come onboard. Last year as it went along, more and more organizations joined [the festival]. I think it’s a fantastic way to showcase the enormous cultural offerings that Gainesville and all of Alachua County have.”

36 | Spring 2013

So far, Primavera Gainesville 2013 participants include the Hippodrome, Dance Alive, the Gainesville Chamber Orchestra, the Gainesville Civic Chorus and the performing arts schools at the University of Florida and Santa Fe College.

Additionally, this year the minds behind Primavera have added a new aspect to the festival: the Creative Spaces component. Hinson has called upon Gainesville’s entrepreneurial and innovation community to open

their facilities to festivalgoers like never before. For example, Blue Oven Kitchens will welcome those interested in marketing a recipe or culinary business idea, showing guests the available equipment and leading them through the entire process from creating a recipe or product to taking it to market. Thornebrook Gallery plans a seminar to demonstrate framing techniques, such as pairing a piece of art with the best frame or matte to bring out its beauty.

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PHOTO BY JESSICA HUROV

PHOTO BY MICHAEL A. EADDY/ HIPPODROME THEATER

Last year’s event included “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” costarring Cameron Francis (top left and right) and Mark Woollett (top right). This year, the Hippodrome’s offerings revolve around a familyfriendly production of “Robin Hood.”

Participants will have a chance to go behind the scenes at rehearsals and production meetings and attend a Q&A with the cast and director. The play observership meets for five sessions from March 15 through April 10.

Hinson hopes area residents also come away from the festival with a new appreciation for the city in which they live, and the creative minds that make it so interesting. process, so we really want to get the community to go to these venues and to look at them,” Hinson said. “We’re going to have artists open up their studios. If you’re interested in throwing glass or pottery, or otherwise creating art, you’ll be able to go in for a couple of hours and check it out. So it’s not a big commitment of time and money, and it’s a way to introduce

38 | Spring 2013

yourself to it and express your artistic side.”

The benefits of Primavera are not just a matter of making local residents aware of the city’s cultural offerings. Hinson and other organizers want people across the state — and even across the country — to know about the art and innovation hub that Gainesville has become, because

it encourages both tourism and economic development. Efforts have long been underway to further the city’s cause as a tourism destination.

With the recent trend of businesses considering Gainesville for expansions or relocations, however, the promotion of the arts, recreation and natural resources becomes more important than ever to the area’s economic health.

“When you think about what’s driving a lot of the growth, we have the innovation at UF and we have such vibrant arts organizations that companies can see,” Hurov said. “This is a place that has an extremely high quality of life.

If I want to set up my company here, there will be so much for the

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PHOTOS BY KEN MCMURRY

TOP: Participants pose for a photo op at the Downtown ArtWalk during Gainesville Fashion Week in 2012.

ABOVE: Live music on the street during a recent Gainesville ArtWalk. (photo by Ken McMurray) Artist Aliye Cullu paints at a recent plein air event held at the Thomas Center in Gainesville. This traditional outdoor painting style is just one of many examples of Primavera’s celebration of the arts, culture, and North Florida’s natural resources. (photo courtesy of Hoggtowne Painters)

employees to be attracted to when living and working in Gainesville.

It all ties in; we have the Chamber attracting the best employers, we have the Innovation Hub, and then we have a lot of these arts organizations. Primavera has scooped them up into one big net to say, ‘Wow! Look at how we can shine!’”

Because of the contribution the arts can make to tourism and development, this year Primavera has joined Florida Eden in another way — the development of GainesvilleConnect.com. Launched this past December, the website is a portal where people can find everything going on in Gainesville — the “front door” to the city, in a sense. Sponsored by partners such as Charles Perry Partners, Inc.,

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Florida Works, the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art and others, the site makes it easier for people to seek out events instead of having to jump from website to website. All Primavera events will be listed on GainesvilleConnect.com.

Primavera Florida 2013 has the potential to reach people far beyond the city borders and further dispel the notion that Gainesville is nothing more than a place to stop on the way to somewhere else.

Hinson emphasized the importance of promoting how much there is to do on any given day.

“It’s not just about attending a play at the Hippodrome; come spend the day. Go to Devil’s Milhopper, eat lunch at Civilization, go to a play at the Hippodrome and

then have coffee at Maude’s,” she said. “It’s putting together ideas for people to spend the day here.”

But Hinson hopes area residents also come away from the festival with a new appreciation for the city in which they live, and the creative minds that make it so interesting.

“A lot of locals don’t know that half of this stuff exists,” Hinson said. “I hope that they recognize the wealth of talents that we have in this town, and the passion that our local artists and our cultural performers feel for what they do. There is awesome talent in this town, and we really should get out there and support our artists. Primavera is a good opportunity for our community to come together and to share what we’re all doing.” s

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A Passion for Building William Weseman Construction, Inc.

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illiam Weseman has always loved building things, and he knew from an early age that he would have a career in construction.

“When I was little, I was always playing with Lincoln Logs,” said Weseman, son of local builder Gary Weseman. “My dad always told me, ‘Find something you always enjoy doing, so you can do it for a long time.’”

And so he has. For the last six years, William Weseman Construction Inc. has been building new homes and remodeling existing ones. Whether you know exactly what you want in a new home or you have a vague idea for your dream bathroom, Weseman will create a design that suits both your needs and your budget.

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had already graduated from the building construction program at Santa Fe College and received his contracting license.

Weseman’s complete dedication to his customers is evident from the first estimate to the finished product. “I back everything I do,” he said. “I can’t sleep at night unless it’s right. That sounds cliché, but it really bothers me. I build a house that will last longer than I’m going to live. That’s what I really try to do.”

Weseman lives in Alachua with his wife, Ashley, and his four-year-old son, Andrew – who, like his father at that age, loves to play with Lincoln Logs.

Perhaps a third generation of family builders has already taken root; until then, however, Weseman will continue the work that has come so naturally to him nearly all of his life.

“I just really enjoy what I do,” he said. “It’s not work to me, it’s really not. When you enjoy what you do, work is not that difficult.”

Contact William Weseman Construction, Inc. at 352-449-9892 or visit the company’s website at www.williamwesemanconstruction.com.

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>> GREEN THUMB

Farmville Understanding Local Gardening – in Large and Small Spaces

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON ardening just isn’t what it used to be.

With technological advancements, farmers and home gardeners have developed new methods for growing plants — by either returning to the traditional roots or morphing into an entirely new form.

People have begun to understand what the harmful chemicals sprayed on America’s food does to the body, and they are calling for a revolution.

Food production — at home and in the large-scale fields — must change to fit the growing needs.

Populations are rising, but so is the demand for a healthier alternative.

G

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Raised beds provide many benefits, including control of soil content, better drainage, easy maintenance and water conservation.

And now, many people are deciding to grow their own.

While gardening, especially organically, may seem daunting to those who have never picked up a seed, it does not require a green thumb. Plants do not need much, only nutrients, water, six hours of sunshine and a little TLC. Here are a few tips and ideas for gardening around town:

ORGANIC GARDENING Nestled in the countryside surrounding Gainesville, Swallowtail Farm grows vegetables and fruits the traditional way — by leaving the pesticides and man-made fertilizers on the shelves.

“What’s sad is that what has become conventional farming is not traditional at all,” said Noah Shitama, farmer at Swallowtail Farm.

Cymple Gardens, a local garden store, provides examples of raised beds in front of its building. According to the UF IFAS Department, raised beds make your garden more accessible, easier to manage and produce higher yields.

Gardeners can construct their own bed out of bricks, concrete blocks, recycled plastic or wood.

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Spring 2013 | 47

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Beneficial Insects for Your Garden APHID MIDGE – Its larvae feed on more than 60 different species of aphids. Plant pollen-producing plants to encourage the aphid midge to your garden.

Mariana Riehm kneels among the strawberries, plucking the rampant arugula and weeds growing among the crop. In an organic garden, weeds are usually pulled by hand instead of killed by chemicals. “There’s more labor that goes into producing food,” Riehm said about organic gardening.

“There’s always something to do. We could work all day, all night.”

BRACONID WASP – After the adult female lays its eggs inside its target, the larvae feed on the host. Braconid wasps attack aphids and moth and beetle larvae. Grow nectar plants with small flowers, such as dill parsley and wild carrots, to attract them to your yard.

DAMSEL BUGS – Damsel bugs feed on small caterpillars, leafhoppers and thrips. Collect these bugs from alfalfa feeds using a net and release them in your garden.

GROUND BEETLE – The ground beetle preys on slugs, snails, cutworms and maggots. To provide a stable habitat for these insects, plant perennials among garden plants or white clover for ground cover.

48 | Spring 2013

Chemicals invaded the agriculture process after World War II, when biological warfare gave rise to synthetic pesticides. Shitama said farmers gain an increased yield from using the fossil fuel-based fertilizers, but the products poison the soil and deplete it of natural nutrients.

Swallowtail gardeners have chosen to discard the unnecessary chemicals. They, like many others around the nation, are returning to the type of farming our ancestors practiced.

Organic gardening, whether in the backyard or large-scale, require the gardener to place organic matter into the soil. Shitama suggests two ways to add these nutrients to the soil: compost and “green manure.”

Green manure consists of plants, such as legumes, that are grown as cover and then plowed under

the soil before they seed. As the plants die and decompose, they add nutrients and organic matter to the soil. Be aware that if the plants are allowed to seed, they could sprout alongside the present crops.

To remain sustainable, Swallowtail houses chickens, which eat the vegetables produced on the farm. In return, they provide manure for fertilizer.

For those unwilling to take the next step in the sustainable cycle by purchasing farm animals, organic manure can be found at the local hardware store.

Organic gardeners use integrated pest management, or IPM, to control unwanted bugs. IPM includes diversifying the crop and manually plucking the bugs from the vegetables. Gardening within the correct season helps to reduce plant loss, as does learning to identify beneficial insects.

Many pesticides wipe out beneficial insects, so the University of Florida IFAS department provides

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Beneficial Insects for Your Garden

LACEWINGS – Both the adults and their larvae consume aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs and whiteflies. Angelica, coreopsis, cosmos, and sweet alyssum will bring lacewings to your garden.

LADY BUGS - They eat aphids, mites and mealybugs, while their larvae feed on an even larger array of garden pests.

Plant angelica, coreopsis, dill, fennel, and yarrow to attract them.

MINUTE PIRATE BUGS – Pirate bugs will attack almost any insect.

To bring them to your garden, plant goldenrods, daises and yarrow.

TACHINID FLIES – A natural enemy of the caterpillar, this fly is attracted by dill, parsley, sweet clover and other herbs.

SOLDIER BEETLES – The soldier beetle munches on harmful and beneficial insects, including aphids and caterpillars.

Planting catnip, goldenrods and hydrangeas will bring this flying insect to your yard.

INFORMATION FROM ORGRANICGARDENING.COM, WEBSITE FOR RODALE INC.’S ORGANIC GARDENING MAGAZINE.

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“I personally don’t want to be anywhere I can’t pick the berry of the plant and eat it,” said Mariana Riehm, a farmer at Swallowtail Farm. After working at a farm that used chemicals to control weed growth and pests, Riehm moved to Swallowtail to continue practicing organic gardening. To her, the benefits of gardening organically outweigh the extra work. “You know what you’re putting into your body, you know what you’re consuming.”

tips for taking back the garden: remove affected leaves or plant parts, pick insects off by hand, look for beneficial natural enemies and start with low-impact techniques.

“Always try the safest alternatives first,” states the online UF Handbook to organic gardening. “If pesticide use does become necessary, choose products that are the least harmful to people, pets and wildlife.”

Swallowtail’s farmers use companion planting to create diversity.

By filling spaces left over from dead crops, companion planting keeps production high. Available space does not remain empty for long.

“Some plants grow really well together,” Shitama said, “and they create a symbiotic relationship just by growing together.”

Strawberries and spinach, and lettuce and carrots work well in companion beds. Currently, the raised beds at Swallowtail contain strawberries and onions, filling the spaces where the strawberry plants died.

“I personally don’t want to be anywhere I can’t pick the berry right off the plant and eat it,” said Swallowtail farmer Mariana

Riehm. “There are a lot of benefits to gardening this way. You know what’s going into the ground. You know what you’re putting into your body, and you know what you’re consuming. There’s no mystery. It’s a very direct relationship.”

It takes time to be organic, and many people are opting into just being pesticide-free instead of entirely organic, said Wendy Wilbur, a University of Florida IFAS extensions agent.

“I think organic farming is more than just a trend,” she said. “I think it is how we are more sustainable in this country or in this state — conserving water, taking your own bags to the grocery store, biking to work. I think gardening is just the next step for that.”

URBAN GARDENING Fighting against cramped apartment patios and surrounded by concrete, Gainesville urbanites can add green to their space through the use of hydroponics, container gardening, square foot gardening and raised bed gardening.

Container gardening works

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Hydroponics implies growing plants in a soilless mixture containing dissolved nutrients. While there are start-up systems, such as the one displayed here at Cymple Gardens, many types of containers can be used for “soilless” gardening, such as cement troughs, glass jars, earthenware crocks, metal containers or fiberglass tanks. They must be painted dark on the outside to keep the sunlight from altering the chemical composition of the water, states the UF IFAS Department.

well for a wide range of locations, from small apartments to wide, rolling backyards. Collard greens, spinach, tomatoes and herbs grow well in containers.

“Florida’s soil is inherently infertile,” Wilbur said.

With container gardening, gardeners control what goes into the mixture. Wilbur suggests using

a 20-gallon pot or bucket, fill with potting soil and plant the seeds or plants best acclimated for the season. For the soil type, gardeners can remain organic by selecting one of the various organic sellers in the area and adding composted matter instead of man-made fertilizers. To keep the container light, UF IFAS department suggests

using lightweight filler, such as packing peanuts, lava rock or empty plastic bottles.

Regardless of the container, Riehm said there must be adequate drainage. Planter pots from the store already have holes on the bottom, but she said gardeners should drill holes in any container that does not already have openings.

A risk with container gardening is that the plant may lose moisture quickly, especially in dry, hot weather.

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“Water frequently to replenish soil moisture, usually at least three times a week,” stated a UF IFAS guide on container gardening. “Remember that plant water requirements will change with season, rainfall, stage of growth and plant size.”

Because there are no specific rules for watering a container garden, be sure to understand the requirements of the plants.

HYDROPONICS For anyone who has ever ferried through the Epcot ride, “Living with the Land,” hydroponic gardening is familiar. As the boat winds its way past different environments, it eventually enters a large greenhouse. Tubes and gutter-like containers stretch across the open space, each holding a variety of fruits and vegetables.

As an exhibit inside the Disney Park, the hydroponic method may seem farfetched or overkill for the

local, small-scale gardener, but Gainesville shops sell kits for all experience levels.

Formerly Gardener’s Edge, Cymple Gardens sells hydroponic equipment in the Gainesville area.

“It’s become more mainstream, more accessible to homeowners,” said Crystal Taylor, manager of the store. She has noticed a movement within recent years toward the hydroponic method.

Hydroponics methods provide higher yields in a smaller space, as well as allow the gardener to overcome native soil issues, she said. For instance, in the local Cabot-Koppers Superfund site, homeowners are not allowed to grow vegetables intended for human consumption.

“To have a garden in that area, you have to do something that doesn’t use the native soil,” Taylor said. “Hydroponics is great for that.”

She suggests people start with a smaller system and experiment.

Monitoring the pH is the most important part of hydroponic

gardening, she said. When the pH level varies, plants lose the ability to absorb different nutrients.

Hydroponics simply means “working water.” Hydroponic systems grow plants without soil, instead using a pump to push a balanced pH-adjusted solution over the exposed roots. This allows the plants to absorb their food with little effort, unlike plants placed in soil, which must seek out the nutrients.

Hydroponic gardening requires a growing medium, such as Rockwool, perlite or coconut fiber, to support the roots. All nutrients come from the solution provided by the gardener, allowing the nutrient levels to be controlled.

The average home hydroponic system usually consists of a growing tray, a reservoir, a submersible pump to water the plants, a timer, an air pump and an air stone to oxygenate the nutrient solution.

Jayne Orr, a local representative for Tower Gardens, said hydroponic and aeroponic gardening reduces

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What to Compost?

PRODUCE SCRAPS — fruits, vegetables, peels, cores, seeds, overripe or moldy produce, corncobs, husks, pulp. If working with worm bins, be careful adding citrus foods.

BREADS AND GRAINS — anything made with flour, stale bread and crackers, leftover pasta, donuts, cookies.

BEVERAGE WASTE — coffee grounds, paper coffee filters, tealeaves, tea bags, but not the staples!

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Dairy products, oils, meat, fish and bones.

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pests, labor and waste. The Tower Garden extends five feet into the air and holds 20 plants. A pump placed in the water basin sends the water up a central tube, creating a shower that soaks the roots as it trickles back down to the basin.

The pump uses approximately $7 in electricity per year, Orr said.

She believes the system is ideal for urban dwellers because it requires little space, but provides fresh vegetables at a low cost.

“I go out and cut exactly what I want to eat for the day,” she said.

“That way I have absolutely no waste. You know how you buy a head of lettuce from the store and use half of it? When I cut from the Tower Garden, the plant keeps growing.”

Created by Tim Blank, the greenhouse manager for Epcot until 2005, Tower Garden uses aeroponics — a technological leap forward from hydroponics — to produce better tasting, nutritious food. Aeroponics is considered a type of hydroponics,

54 | Spring 2013

Square foot gardening is an easy method for beginners, states Floyd’s Organic Soil handbook on gardening.

A type of raised bed, the square foot garden usually consists of at least one four foot by four foot planting box with a grid layout that divides the area. Plant crops closer together in raised beds to increase yield and enhance weed control, states the UF IFAS Department.

according to the Tower Garden website, but aeroponics has no growing medium.

Hydroponic gardening can be costly to set up, but once the system is in place it becomes cheaper than conventional gardening. According to NASA research, plants take half the time to reach maturity in a hydroponic or an aeroponic system compared to growing in the soil.

SQUARE FOOT & RAISED BED GARDENING Stop trying to squeeze rows of vegetables into a small backyard.

Square foot gardening divides a bed into one-foot squares to create small, but intensively planted, gardens.

Gardeners create a grid on top of a raised bed by hammering nails as one-foot intervals. Attach a string or twine on each nail and make a straight line to the nail across from it. Other dividing methods can be used if the gardener desires.

Depending on the size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9 or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot, states the handbook for Alachuabased Floyd’s Organic Soil.

Square foot gardening usually incorporates raised beds, where the soil is raised above the surrounding soil by approximately 6-inches or several feet. Frames made of wood, rock or concrete blocks can enclose the bed.

Raised beds provide many benefits, including control of soil content, better drainage, easy maintenance and water conservation.

When starting a raised bed, UF IFAS department suggests lining the bottom with landscape fabric or newspaper, then adding a mixture of good quality potting soil and compost.

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Raised beds and square foot gardens create ideal spaces for beginners, elderly individuals and urbanites to grow food in their own backyard.

Because raised beds have increased drainage, the beds need to be watered in the morning to prevent evaporation.

Bob Watson of the High Springs Lion’s Club said raised beds do not require gardeners to bend over or kneel on the ground. He intends to incorporate raised bed gardens and square foot gardens on the Lion’s Club grounds.

Gardening continues to adapt to the changing environment. With less

space, urban gardeners are forced to find ways to create food in the area provided. Soil issues, reduced space and an ever-increasing population inspired Epcot engineers to develop systems that would eliminate the need for soil altogether. These hydroponic systems produce yields far higher than traditional farming, and have been incorporated into businesses around the globe.

Epcot uses its harvest to supply fruit and vegetables to the rest-

aurants inside the Magic Kingdom.

The Chicago O’Hare airport installed 26 towers in between terminals 2 and 4, creating an urban garden. The vegetables harvested from the indoor systems are served at airport restaurants. Increasing demand for food across the globe has forced businesses and highpopulation countries to incorporate alternative gardening methods into their crop production.

Raised beds and square foot gardens create ideal spaces for beginners, elderly individuals and urbanites to grow food in their own backyard.

“The reason we are growing our own produce is because we want healthy, pesticide-free food,” Wilbur said. “But we aren’t recreating gardening, just the way you do it.” s

Tips for Creating a Compost Bin ACROSS THE BOARD, COMPOST HAS BEEN THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR MAKING A HOME GARDEN.

C

omposting provides a soil conditioner, helps recycle kitchen waste, introduces beneficial organisms to the soil and reduces landfill waste. It is also good for the environment because it is a natural alternative to chemicals.

Chris Cano, owner of Gainesville Compost, said he tends to use heat-treated shipping pallets to construct his bins. Watch out for chemically treated wood, as it can be an unhealthy and unintended addition to the food.

Cylinders of chicken wire can be used, as well or the compost can simply be piled in a safe place on the ground. The barrier normally acts as a shield against scavenging animals, such as raccoons.

A worm compost bin is another option, and these can be constructed inside any container.

When starting a compost bin, Cano suggests adding in pre-made compost or a healthy soil.

These additions act as a start point to get the culture going. Start the compost on bare earth, which allows worms to aerate the materials.

Carbon and nitrogen elements form the key to a good compost bin, Cano said, as they create the environment for the bacteria that decomposes the material. Nitrogen comes from daily kitchen scraps, such as empty eggshells and tealeaves.

Dried leaves, wood ash, pine needles and newspaper can provide the carbon element.

The mixture should be two parts vegetables and kitchen scraps and one part carbon, Cano said. Add them in layers, alternating dry and moist additions. Dry materials include straw and leaves.

Remember to turn the compost pile to distribute oxygen. Add small amounts of water, just enough to keep the pile damp.

When adding new material, such as leftover food, bury it under the carbon matter to keep down odors and reduce flies, Cano said.

For more information, subscribe to the newsletter provided at Gainesvillecompost.com.

56 | Spring 2013

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>> WINNING TRADITION

Roland Thornqvist Head Coach for the University of Florida Women’s Tennis Team

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN n coaching circles the old saying goes, “You don’t want to follow the legend.

You want to follow the guy who follows the legend.”

Thankfully, Roland Thornqvist doesn’t listen to old sayings.

By the time Andy Brandi stepped down as head coach of the University of Florida women’s tennis team in May of 2001, he had built the Gators into a national powerhouse. With a .915 winning percentage, 14 SEC championships and three national titles over 17 seasons with the program, Brandi was a formidable act to follow.

And yet, Thornqvist called athletic director Jeremy Foley to express his

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interest in the vacancy.

“I think I was too young to really see the trap, honestly,” Thornqvist said. “I always thought that Florida was ‘the’ place to coach.

anyone. I really was too naïve to see the danger of following Andy.”

His naïveté was UF’s gain. Since his arrival 12 years ago Thornqvist has not only maintained the status

“A physically and mentally tough team. That’s what we talk about every day from opening day practice in August. How do we achieve that?”

The recruiting pool in the state of Florida is excellent. The facilities here, the support from Jeremy and the staff, are second to none. And Andy built a program that allows you to knock on anybody’s door; you have a chance to recruit just about

quo, but he has also become a legend in his own right. He has compiled a 276-31 record as the women’s tennis head coach — including three additional national championships for the program and a 107-game home win streak

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY

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that still stood going into this season. He has been named the SEC coach of the year three times (2004, 2006 and 2010), the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Southeast Region Coach of the Year (2010 and 2012) and the ITA National Coach of the Year (2011).

But coaching was not his first ambition; for that matter, neither was tennis. Thornqvist started out playing soccer and hockey at age 7 in his native Sweden. After rising

62 | Spring 2013

to elite levels in the former, he felt burnt out at age 14 and lost his passion for the game. That is when he started hitting tennis balls with his father on a whim and fell in love with the sport.

Thornqvist’s enthusiasm led to a dedicated daily practice schedule that made up for his relatively late start in tennis. At age 19 he came to the United States to play at Elon College before transferring to the University of North Carolina,

where he became a three-time first-team All-American and won ACC Player of the Year honors in 1993. After his eligibility ran out, he played professional tennis for a year before returning to UNC to complete his education.

It was then that coaching first entered the picture. Thornqvist had gotten married and his wife, Nan, was in graduate school and could not travel with him on tour. So he started thinking about what he

PHOTOS BY KATHY CAFAZZO ZO AND BILL KALLENBERG

ABOVE: On May 22, 2012, the UF Women’s Tennis won the NCAA Championships at Athens,, Ga. ws TOP RIGHT: The team shows its spirit after winning the 2011 p, 4-3, NCAA Team Championship, against Stanford.

RIGHT: Gator Coaches ave Roland Thornqvist and Dave Balogh at the 2012 NCAA Championships Final.

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PHOTOS BY JACK LEWIS AND KATHY CAFAZZO

Caroline Hitimana and Alexandra Cercone share a light moment with Coach Thornqvist.

Olivia Janowicz and Thornqvist strategize at the 2012 NCAA Championships Final.

wanted for his professional future.

At the same time, UNC men’s tennis coach Sam Paul was looking for an assistant. Thornqvist took the job while finishing his degree and discovered yet another new passion.

“I really loved it. I hadn’t planned on going into coaching after I finished playing,” he said. “But as soon as I started I knew that this was something I was fairly good at and I really enjoyed it.”

He served in that position from 1994-1996 before accepting his first head coaching job at Kansas University. In his two years there

he took the women’s team to the NCAA tournament, finishing in the second round and then the round of 16, before his alma mater came calling to offer the women’s head coach position.

At UNC he took over a team that had had a losing record the year before his arrival. In his first year the Tar Heels went 16-9 and made their first ever NCAA tournament appearance, lasting until the second round. He would have two more years of success before moving on to his history-making tenure at Florida.

As Thornqvist will tell you, the key to such success lies not only with the coach. It also lies with

64 | Spring 2013

athletes who can meet the high bar he has set. He searches for players who are “used to winning” to help maintain the dynasty at Florida. Athleticism and technique are also of great importance, as is

the selflessness required to start at the bottom of the lineup and work hard to move up. But if he were to describe a “Thornqvist team,” his answer is simple.

“A physically and mentally tough

GIF T CA RD

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PHOTO BY DON FERIA

Coach Thornqvist with Lauren Embree, who rallied from a 4-0 deficit in the third set to earn a victory and help Florida win the 2011 NCAA Championship at Stanford University.

team,” he said. “That’s what we talk about every day from opening day practice in August. How do we achieve that? Well, you practice a lot. You run. You’re fit. We always say there’s a direct correlation between physical fitness and mental toughness. So all of our teams are fit, and I think that helps you be mentally strong.”

These mentally and physically

strong athletes include Lauren Embree, a senior ranked fifth in the ITA national rankings at the beginning of 2013. Although this year’s squad is stacked with seasoned returnees and raw freshman talent, Thornqvist will be looking to her as a leader, saying that, “This is her team.”

Embree’s career at Florida has included countless awards, top-10

rankings, and the Most Outstanding Player award at last year’s NCAA tournament. She credits Thornqvist and his supportive ways for much of her incredible Gator career.

“He was a big part of why I came here. Not only has my game improved, but I think I’ve become a more mature player,” Embree said in a recent phone interview. “In my sophomore year I had a couple of surgeries and I was out for a little bit. He said to me, ‘Whenever you need more practice, I’ll come out at six in the morning if that’s what it takes.’ Anything I needed, he would help. He was really positive with me because I was kind of down about my injuries.”

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While Thornqvist is known for demanding hard work and dedication from his players, he also has a more relaxed and friendly side.

“He’s actually hilarious when you get to know him more. He’s close to every one of us. He treats us almost like we’re his daughters,” Embree said. “He just cares so much about us.”

This laid-back demeanor served him well when adjusting to the Florida lifestyle — something that was not hard for him to do.

“I love fishing. Cedar Key — love it,” he said, a smile quickly forming at the mere thought of it. “Any off day I have a chance to go out there, I’m fishing. Cell phone doesn’t work out there. A day on the water, that’s my favorite way of relaxing.”

Thornqvist, his wife and two daughters (MacLaine, 13, and Whitney, 12) enjoy an active life in Gainesville.

He appreciates much about North Central Florida — the fishing, the combination of palm and hardwood trees, the nearly year-round beautiful weather that is perfect for tennis and recruiting. But he is quick to answer when asked for his favorite thing about the area: “The people,” he said. “Well educated, smart people.

We’ve got great friends. All the families that we’re surrounded by have children who are hardworking with good attitudes.

“I just love the people of Gainesville.

They are phenomenal.” s

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Favorite restaurant in Gainesville: That would have to be Dragonfly.

Favorite Music: I am a Pearl Jam fan. I have that almost exclusively on my Sirius radio in the car – that and CNBC. Favorite thing to do?

Watch my two girls play soccer, even if it’s just practice. I still love a game of soccer. As a matter of fact, I watch [Gator head coach] Becky [Burleigh]’s teams as much as I can because they’re so entertaining to watch.

Best way to relax?

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>> GOT GAME?

First Serve Discover Gainesville’s Tennis Courts

BY JENNIFER RIEK

The thing that’s depressing about tennis is, no matter how good I get, I’ll never be as good as a wall.

— MITCH HEDBERG

ainesville offers athletic outlets for a variety of players. Professionals train uncatchable track stars and agile soccer champions. Our Gators stomp across the South with determination and strength.

But hidden in Hogtown is a slightly less-known sport. Spread all across the city, 10 facilities provide opportunities to learn tennis from some of the very best. From country clubs to open

G

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courts, novices and experts alike can participate in a growing sport alongside those who have trained world-renowned players.

Jonesville Tennis Center 14080 NW 32nd Ave. (public) As with the start of almost any great change, Jonesville Tennis Center was born through the realization of a need. In 2010, four residents surveyed the area and

noticed a lack of tennis facilities available to interested players. A majority of the courts were not open to the public and though some did exist, the few were not enough.

In the words of current director Dave Porter, JTC was a labor of love from the very beginning. It grew from the minds of tennis players Christine Shurtleff and Anne Koterba, as well as architect Roy Crib and Porter himself. The center was built through a public and private partnership with Alachua County in the style of a recreational fund.

When the team produced a collective $600,000, Shurtliff said, the county donated the remainder. Porter took ownership of the building upon completion, and JTC opened its doors to area tennis players.

PHOTOS BY ANN KOTERBA

TOP: Coach Ed Schmidt explains an activity to young players at a free community tennis event.

ABOVE: Local tennis legend Christine Shurtleff demonstrates a move at the Jonesville Tennis Center’s free quickstart carnival for young players.

Tennis student Austin Jones breaks into a wide smile at the sight of his ďŹ rst broken strings. The triumph occurred during a practice with his coach, Tony Louthan.

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Three years later, the facility hosts a variety of tennis programs for all ages and levels of experience.

One such program is the Jonesville Elite Tennis Academy. JETA aims to encourage students to compete on collegiate and professional teams.

Players can begin as cautious children and rise through the ranks to the prestigious status of state ranking, which many JETA students can claim. The center offers adult leagues, junior leagues, private lessons, leagues through the United States Tennis Association, 10 & Under clinics, an adult cardio tennis class and more. An on-site pro shop services all players’ needs.

A signature feature of JTC is the rare addition of a beach court, which uses a sand base. The result resembles a mix of badminton and

72 | Spring 2013

tennis. Combined with the center’s other 13 courts, JTC has been named the largest public clay court facility in North Central Florida. It was marked as the USTA Member Organization of the Year in 2010 and the USTA National Featured Facility of the Year in 2011, Porter said.

This year, the center holds the honor of being only one of 22 facilities in Florida with the right to host 10 & Under and ROGY events. ROGY stands for the age groups competing in organized matches across the state — red represents ages 5 to 7, orange ages 8 to 9, green ages 9 to 10, and yellow ages 10 to 16, according to the ROGY Tour 2012 website.

10 & Under grants young students the ability to learn the basics of tennis without the stress and effort more arduous training.

JTC’s active participation with the Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association helps to promote the growth and development of youth tennis programs in the county. The center collaborates with local high schools and lends free space for matches, practices, district tournaments and regional matches.

“It’s a true training center,” Crib said. “[It’s available] to hone the players who have the ability to get better.”

In October 2012, JTC hosted one of its largest events yet, its first USTA Women’s Professional Tennis Tournament. Its second event will take place the week of March 3 through 10 when players will compete for a grand prize of $10,000.

Athletes from all levels of ability are encouraged to experience one of Gainesville’s most recognized

PHOTOS BY MIKE ORANSKY

OPPOSITE: Members of the Westside Park Junior Development Program hoist their racquets in preparation for the day’s practice.

LEFT: A young tennis player rears back for a hit in a game called King of the Court.

The game serves to loosen up limbs and to get the students’ blood pumping before a match.

facilities and to see for themselves what JTC offers.

IF YOU GO… Open 7 days a week, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Court reservations can be made 24 hours in advance. $4 per player 1 and 1/2 hours of walk-on singles and doubles $6 per player for advanced reservations Ball machine rentals can be made, $8 per 1/2 hour rental and $12 per hour rental.

Westside Park Tennis Center OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 1001 NW 35th St. With large foam balls and miniature racquets and attention spans as short as their arms, rookie tennis superstars as young as 3 stand before Mike Oransky with big eyes and bigger dreams. The Westside Park Tennis Center director has been taking players under his wing for the past 32 years. Since October 13, 1981, he has coached and mentored, educated and cheered, coaxing from Gainesville children and adults athletic prowess they did not know they possessed.

Westside Tennis is one of the city’s quieter facilities, tucked into the side of NW 34th Street like a trail to a favorite picnicking spot. With eight hard courts and a small pro shop, it is neither a

luxury country club nor an upscale private facility. Instead, Westside is the embodiment of comfort.

As Oransky crosses from the pro shop to the chain-link walls of the courts, he is greeted by familiar faces. He says hello to senior citizens he has instructed as well as adults who hit in the facility’s leagues. He waves to children who have biked over from nearby Westwood Middle School and Littlewood Elementary, eager to practice and play.

Many of the children began with Oransky through Pee Wee Tennis between ages 3 and 5. The program makes the sport less about rules and mechanics and more about lessons through games. Little players can learn their skills through activities such as “Basketball Dribble” or “Walk the Dog,” or even a round of “Toilet Bowl Washer.” Westside instructors teach children how to hit the ball over the net by proposing the ultimate challenge — if your ball makes it, congratulations, you’re President! If it misses, you’re cleaning toilets, again.

Once the children have exited this stage, they can move on to the program of 10 & Under tennis. They begin on a court that is 60-feet long (a typical court is 78-feet long and often too much for young players to run). Gradually, students move up to the level of juniors, where groups begin to play against other clubs.

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“Tennis is very individualized,” Oransky said. “We make it more team-oriented.”

In the early 1970s, a great tennis boom overtook the nation with a total of more than 21 million players. As the decade progressed and moved into the ‘80s, around nine million people moved on to soccer, baseball and other high-energy sports. In the last 20 years, tennis has made a comeback and now carries a following of more than 30 million players. Westside currently sees about 20,000 participants a year, with 35 to 40 high school students ranked at the state level, Oransky said.

The facility offers any service an athlete could ask for — racquet stringing, ball machine rentals, racquetball courts, junior programs, adult programs, walk-in clinics, private lessons, group lessons and cardio lessons for an intense, fast-paced workout. It provides an intimate, knowledgeable atmosphere and, as Oransky said, “without a doubt, one of the best hitting walls in the country.”

Oransky’s pride and joy is a former student named John Ross, who began training at Westside when he was 12 years old. Ross went on to become the no. 1 junior in the United States and one of the top 100 in the world. He always visits his coach when he comes to town.

“He was a once-in-a-lifetime

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DB RACQUET CLUB

ABOVE: Roughly 350 people gather each year to play on DB tennis courts, and another 100 turn out to smack the ball on an indoor racquetball court, a feature no one else in the city has said co-owner Don Blair.

PHOTOS BY SHANE BUTCHER

RIGHT: Members Sara Muniz (left) and Aase Thompson (right) stand with club pro Ken Ouellette. Muniz and Thompson are members of the club’s 3.0 day league.

Club member Aase Thompson in the 300 Club’s pro-shop, which provides a variety of accessories to members including clothes, shoes and racquet stringing.

kid,” Oransky said with a laugh and a glance at the busy cluster of courts. “My favorite part is when they make something of their lives.”

IF YOU GO… $2 per person, first come first serve Open 7 days a week during daylight

DB Racquet Club MEMBERS ONLY 5100 NW 53rd Ave. The word ‘private’ brings to mind a cold sense of exclusion, a world lurks behind walls and doors to hide from prying eyes.

DB Racquet Club, though private, is as far from this image as it is from the center of town, located by Devil’s Millhopper on NW 53rd Ave. The club is owned and operated by brothers Don and Dave Blair, who bought the facility 19 years ago.

Formally Woodside Racquet Club, it lacked the features that exude an air of victory, power and success.

More than $300,000 of the brothers’

74 | Spring 2013

funds poured into the club, now complete with nine tennis courts, a swimming pool and a gym.

Don Blair, the adult coordinator, spoke of his facility with welldeserved pride. DB Racquet specializes in advanced players and demands the utmost energy with rigorous practice regiments.

The energy put forth does not go unrewarded as the club has won in total more than 15 state championships in the past 20 years and a national championship in 2002. An adult team has gone to the national level the last five years in a row; a feat that Blair said is “just unheard of.”

Such achievements stem from practice, and from those with personal experience. Blair’s brother, Dave, played All-American for four years at UF and was Pro Tour for about three years. He now acts as the coordinator for the juniors; many are now playing college tennis, Blair said.

“To teach someone, you can’t just read books,” he said. “It takes

life experience to take students to the next level. It’s like teaching someone how to go to war but not knowing what to do yourself.”

The brothers share their wisdom through programs such as the Big Shots Intermediate Program, Advanced Junior Academy, summer camps, men’s doubles, member clinics and more. Seven day leagues go head-to-head against other clubs for glory. Players can enjoy 10 lighted courts. Five well-trained pros instruct the athletes.

When members of DB Racquet play, they are on the court to win.

Off the court, one of the club’s biggest draws, in Blair’s opinion, is the social atmosphere they foster.

The owner calls DB Racquet a “true tennis club,” where members can play tennis, then swim, then barbecue. After playing a match, oftentimes 15 plus people will gather on the back porch of the pro shop and eat grapes and cheese while watching others play.

“The thing about this place is, it’s about family,” said Anthony

PHOTO BY AMANDA HILL

ABOVE: Players sweat in the afternoon heat as they strike the ball back and forth during a double’s match at Gainesville Country Club.

Director of Tennis Patrick Jenkins (far right), tennis instructor Jacob Birk (far left) and the Ladies’ 3.0 tennis team.

Brown, the club’s pro shop attendant. “It’s family run, and kids stay here from three to four years all the way up to high school. Everyone’s friends here.”

IF YOU GO… Courts are available 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. for members only.

The 300 Club MEMBERS ONLY 3715 NW 12th Ave. Tennis director Ken Ouellette describes the 300 Club as having a “state-park like atmosphere,” a 7-acre tract of land in the woods of Northwest Gainesville. It is a place of knowledge and history. The 300 Club has been operating for more than 50 years, longer than its public neighbor of Westside Park Tennis Center. It is a club for members, by members, with no money removed by outside sources. A one-time $300 equity fee per member trickles back into the club like rivers feeding back into the free-flowing ocean.

The payments fund the heated six-lane pool and the strengthtraining machines in the fitness room. It keeps the tennis pro shop stocked with supplies and snacks for members.

It is what provides for the club’s five USTA leagues and the junior “hotshot” clinics and the intermediate/advanced. Ouellette conducts private lessons and clinics with both adults and children year round, impressing upon them the same personal touch that led his son, Greg, to the title of No. 350 in the world. Ouellette has taught many world-class players and molds his training to each individual player.

Seven Har-Tru courts and two clay courts are available for members to practice their skills. Courts are open daily, allowing ample time for participation in activities such as Men’s and Women’s Challenge Ladders. Players face each other in singles matches to determine who will rise in the inner-club ranking. Men’s singles currently maintains 23 challengers. Women’s singles will soon begin with about

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14 competitors, Ouellette said. The ladders, which operate in a tournament style to determine the best of the best, are for members only.

To become a member, a person must log onto the club’s website and submit an application. The board will then review and approve it, thus welcoming a new swimmer, a new exercise partner, a new opponent on the court.

“It’s not a social club,” said club manager Pam Bourg, “but we’re very friendly. We’re in a very good location with great courts close to the UF campus, and we have some of, if not [all of] the best courts, depending on who you’re talking to.”

IF YOU GO… 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day

Gainesville Country Club MEMBERS ONLY 7300 SW 35th Way Upon entering the subdivision, one would not expect to find anything exceptional at the end of the one-mile road leading to the Gainesville Country Club. Ornate

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PHOTOS USED BY PERMISSION

Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club is home to five HydroCourt clay courts and three hard courts. Haile provides more than a dozen varieties of tennis activities.

houses line the streets — mansions and ramblers, Tudors and moderns. Even a returning player may be surprised when cresting the final hill. The lavish interior of the clubhouse and impressive condition of the golf course in front suggests from the very start that the Club’s website claim could be true: “Gainesville Country Club is one of the top all-around tennis experiences in the region.”

Assistant tennis pro Jacob Birk has no argument.

“We offer the full country club experience that you might not get from places that are just tennis,” he said. “It’s more personalized. You have swimming, golf, the restaurants — and it overlooks Paynes Prairie, which doesn’t hurt.”

Birk has been a proud employee of GCC for the past three years. In that time, he has learned what sets the facility apart.

Beside six clay HydroCourts, towels are always set out to cleanse the sweating faces of members hard at play. The club hosts tennis socials with themes such as Mexican fiestas. On Friday nights, husbands and wives can drop their children off at kids’ night and participate in popular mixed

76 | Spring 2013

doubles. While children play games, watch movies, and cannon ball into the Olympic-sized swimming pool, parents can showcase their skills under the stark white lights on the after-hours courts.

The pinnacle of luxurious lifestyles, practice at the club is training in style. Director Patrick Jenkins is certified by both the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR).

He teaches with more than 22 years of experience and has sent no less than 200 players on to college with scholarships. Aided by Birk, who is also certified by PTR, the two pros oversee an Adult’s Women’s Day League, a Quickstart 10 & Under program and more, including cardio, an intense combination of tennis and aerobics.

All programs are exclusive to club members except one-on-one doubles and weekly clinics, which are open to the general community.

Guests are permitted to accompany a member for $5 per play, at a maximum of three times a month.

The Club also offers an expansive pro shop and fine cuisine.

“We provide full service,” Birk said. “People always comment that

our courts are the nicest in town.

You get what you pay for.”

IF YOU GO… Wednesday 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday mixed doubles 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Members only except on Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.

Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club MEMBERS ONLY 2550 SW 91st St (clay courts) 9905 SW 44th Ave (hard courts) If Gainesville Country Club is king of the city, then Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club shares the throne as queen.

The facility is home to five HydroCourt clay courts, their smooth, bright surfaces carefully regulated by the complex system beneath. It also offers three hard courts — once four, but recent remodeling has instead provided a convenient restaurant and bar.

Jeremy Beach joined the staff as head pro only a year and a half ago, but has risen to the challenge faced by any director of a capable tennis program.

Beach is in charge of programming and scheduling day-to-day

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business. Haile provides more than a dozen varieties of tennis activities, including but not limited to USTA Adult Leagues, USTA Junior Team Tennis, round-robin events, weekly men’s double, weekly morning women’s mixer, tournaments, summer mini-camps and a National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) clinic.

In Beach’s words, their strongest program is their adult. This past year saw a first-time victory for the club’s level 3-5 day league, the Haile Raisers, when the team rose to the status of first place in all of Gainesville. Their level 3-0 team, the Haile’s Angels, ranked fourth in the city.

“The best thing about [us] is the people and the staff,” Beach said.

“We’re a young club but the staff is smart and motivated. We’re different than directors or pros that have been at other clubs for 20 years.”

Skilled and capable, friendly and personable, Beach and his co-workers add the personal touch that can never be substituted.

“It’s a people business,” Beach said, “and we’re every part of it.”

IF YOU GO… Members are free, guests are $5

Tennis Terms Clay courts: red courts made up crushed shale, stone or brick.

Har-Tru courts: “American clay.” Green clay courts made of metabasalt stone. It is extremely hard and angular which provides a firmer playing surface.

Hydro-water clay courts: clay courts under which thick pipes run. These pipes are connected to six individually controlled cells, monitoring the water level needed to keep the courts at optimum moisture. As the water level in the control box rises, so does the water level beneath the court. *If you don’t water clay courts, they become light colored and grey, and when the wind comes by, it kicks up like dust.

When courts are wellwatered, they’re bright.

Tennis Terminology Backswing: Part of a swing when the racquet is swung backwards in preparation for the forward motion to strike the ball.

Change-over: Rest time between games when the players change ends of the court.

Game point: Situation in which the server is leading and needs one more point to win.

PUBLIC TENNIS COURTS WITH NO FEES OR SCHEDULE T.B. McPherson Complex 1717 SE 15th Street 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week

Jamming: Serving or returning directly home into the opponent’s body.

Mixed doubles: Match played by four players, two male, two female, one of each sex per side of the court.

400 NE 16th Ave 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week

Rally: Following the serve of a tennis ball, a series of return hits that ends when one or other player fails to return the ball within the court boundary or fails to return a ball that falls within the play area.

Northside Park

Stroke: Striking of the ball.

NW 34th St 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 7 days a week

Treeing: Someone who is playing much better than normal.

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78 | Spring 2013

Volley: A shot hit by a player before it bounces on his own side of the court.

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IT’S LIKE PULLING TEETH >> ALBERT ISAAC

Different Note “When I was a little boy,” is how I begin all my stories I tell my youngest son. elling stories to him at bedtime has helped me to recall a variety of tales — some too humiliating to mention here. These stories would have otherwise fallen into the deep dark nether regions of my brain never to have seen the light of day.

Here’s one: When I was a little boy, my younger brother had a loose tooth. And, of course, we needed money (some things never change). So we decided we would pull his tooth and then collect coinage from the illustrious bearer of great wealth, the Tooth Fairy. Back in those days we could earn as much as a quarter for prime enamel, which could buy 1-1/2 cans of soda or 25 pieces of bubble gum. We decided the tooth had to go.

I’m here to tell you that despite what my dentist has to say pulling teeth is not that easy; that tooth was slippery and not budging.

T

So we decided maybe we should concentrate our efforts on a baby tooth instead.

I am KIDDING. This was a baby tooth, and some baby teeth are well rooted, it would seem.

But we were not stupid kids. We watched TV. And we had seen people on TV tie one end of a string to a tooth and the other end to a doorknob. Close the door and pop! The money was as good as ours.

I helped my brother tie the string to his tooth, wrapping it good and tight around that tiny pearly white. We tied the other end to the doorknob of our bedroom door. For this to work it seemed only logical to slam the door as hard as possible. My brother braced himself as I readied the door.

One! He clenched his fists.

Two! He closed his eyes.

Three! I slammed the door shut with a bang.

But we didn’t measure the string. It was too long.

The string didn’t pull the tooth but instead drooped from the knob to his gaping mouth.

Then fate moved its heavy hand. There was a card table propped against the wall behind the door. It toppled down upon my brother throwing him forward and knocking him senseless. His tooth flew from its socket with the greatest of ease and dangled from the string in all its tiny bloody glory.

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Now we had enough capital to supply the whole neighborhood with bubble gum. However, I’m certain my brother kept it for himself. And I can hardly blame him.

Fast forward a few decades. My kids are not always as adventurous or industrious as my brother and I (for which I am most grateful). Indeed, my wife on more than one occasion has had to yank the teeth from their bellowing mouths. You’d think she was killing them the way they scream. But once the tooth is out they’re like, “That wasn’t so bad!”

They would then dutifully place their tooth under the pillow and go to sleep with a smile on their faces. They’d wake up bright and early the following morning to discover, more often than not, that the Tooth Fairy, having had a couple of adult beverages the night before, had fallen asleep early and had neglected to pay them a visit. No money under the pillow, only a dry, bloody tooth.

“Tooth Fairies are very busy this time of year,” I would say, as if teeth, like crops, are seasonal.

Our oldest son became so accustomed to having to wait for his money that it did not faze him in the least when the fairy forgot him, sometimes for days on end.

Our youngest, however, expects more. In fact, since his teeth are not falling out as rapidly as he would like, he has become industrious. No, he didn’t get a string and tie his tooth to a doorknob. He pulled one out of a possum skull and stuck that under his pillow. He didn’t tell me about his little ruse until the following morning when, lo and behold, the marsupial’s molar was still there.

“Oh, Da-ad,” he said with a mischievous grin, lifting the pillow to reveal the possum tooth. “I tried to trick the Tooth Fairy.”

“Didn’t work, did it?” I contemplated removing his sheet and pillowcase.

“She probably knew they were rotten and dirty,” he said.

“And not even human,” I added. “Now go brush your teeth.” s

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hen building or renovating a home, doors with mini-blinds inside the glass. One room is full of new wood cabinets and another your first thought might be to shop at big stores for the best deals. is filled with lights and electrical fixtures.

Outside there are brick pavers, roofing products But John Burrill, co-owner of ReUser Building Products, Inc., challenges you to think otherwise. and windows. Everything is priced to sell.

Burrill is a savvy buyer of goods from a “You have another way to buy building variety of sources. The quality of new products materials,” said Burrill. “Many people just go matches that of major retailers. He buys from directly to the big box stores, but we provide wholesalers, surplus dealers, contractors and another option.” homeowners. Prices are lower than the big Located in Gainesville’s south downtown stores, which Burrill credits to low overhead and district, ReUser carries a wide stock of new the deals he finds through his many contacts in and used building materials. Cabinets and the business. countertops, ReUser is open doors, windows, six days a week to flooring, apartment renters, railroad ties and homeowners, wood fencing contractors, are just some realtors, flippers of what can be and property found in and management around their companies who warehouse. are looking for Burrill’s economical partner in building supplies. the business, Staple products contractor Gary such as cabinetry, Anglin, opened One of ReUser’s many beautiful display kitchens. doors and floors are ReUser 15 yrs stocked year round, but some items come and ago. At the time, the store only carried used go. Whatever the time of year, however, there’s materials. Burrill, who joined Anglin in 2005, a little bit of everything for everyone at ReUser. has followed customer demand and expanded the inventory.

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>> ARRIVE ALIVE

Text Later, Alligator Dangers of Texting and Driving

BY CASSIE GANTER t all started innocently enough.

Two teenage girls get into their girlfriend’s car. Like many girls their age, the excitement of attention from a boy overcomes them. As the driver composes a text message to send to James, the object of affection for one of the girls, she allows her concentration to shift to the text.

The text reads: “James, my mate fancies u.”

Within a matter of seconds, the vehicle drifts into the next lane and crashes head-on with another car.

The windshields shatter; the tires screech to a halt, and the noise of crushing metal nearly drowns out the sound of their screams.

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Their bodies thrash about, as the impact of their heads break the windows. Just as the car stops spinning the passenger glances at the driver one last time before another car broadsides them, killing both passengers upon impact.

But not the driver.

This scene, as depicted in a BBC short film, is part of a texting and driving awareness campaign spearheaded by 16-year-old high school juniors Natalie Nolan and Emmalee May. When the girls present their Text Later Alligator program to peers and members of the Gainesville community, they utilize this video as a teaching tool.

“The BBC video is really good to use in the presentation because even though it is really graphic and

gory, it is a realistic portrayal of what can possibly happen to you if you choose to text and drive,” Nolan said in a recent phone interview.

Nolan and May have transformed a school project into a communitywide awareness campaign.

Originating as a school project for F.W. Buchholz High School’s DECA program (a business-marketing student organization), the goal for “Text Later Alligator” is to raise awareness about the dangers of texting while driving, starting with the city of Gainesville.

“Since the awareness for this cause is uprising, we hope to take this to a more nation-wide level,” Nolan said. “Emmalee and I will both be seniors next year and as a result of the popularity of

PHOTO BY NATE REINER

LEFT: Police Sergeant Joseph Raulerson, an endorser of Text Later Alligator, supports Natalie Nolan (left) and Emmalee May by extending the campaign’s efforts throughout the community. Distracted driving has become the number one killer of American teens.

PHOTO BY MICKI NOLAN

BELOW: In addition to signs and advertisements, the girls have made more personal Text Later Alligator awareness objects. In the hopes of acting as a constant reminder to put the cell phone down while driving, Nolan and May made and distributed UF colored wristbands to peers and members of the community.

our program, we hope to expand and pass it on to younger DECA students so that they can continue to keep the community informed.”

Inspired by the “Stop the Texts.

Stop the Wrecks.” website, Nolan and May also incorporate statistics concerning texting while driving into their lessons. According to the website, a driver engaged in texting is 23 times more likely to cause an accident than a non-texting driver.

Additionally, the use of a cell phone while driving, regardless of whether the device is hands-free, hinders the drivers’ reactions as much as driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08.

Furthermore, while texting and driving is gaining more national attention as a growing concern

among the teenage and young adult age groups, the issue is becoming a concern among adults as well. Approximately half of young adult drivers ages 16 to 24, and 22 percent of drivers ages 35 to 44 admit to texting while driving.

“It gets really hard to stay off your phone while driving when all your peers are doing it or when you’re really busy and you need your phone to contact people or make plans,” Nolan said. “We realize that it’s easier said than done, but if more people start to make an effort to end distracted driving, less people will be tempted to be on their phones while driving.”

For any concerned driver or parents of a teenage driver, there are ways to avoid this temptation to

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text and drive. Apart from watching videos of texting-related accidents and reading statistics, Nolan and May suggest hiding the phone in an unreachable place in the car while driving, or downloading a smartphone app. These apps work in various ways to either completely

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PHOTO BY NATALIE NOLAN

LEFT: As the Text Later Alligator project began as an awareness campaign at Buccholz High School, Natalie Nolan and Emmalee May have reached out to peers and community members alike. Starting with making posters for their school, their campaign has progressed to a community-wide effort.

PHOTO BY EMMALEE MAY

INSET: By gaining attention from role models and people in the public eye, the girls’ campaign has continued to grow. With UF basketball coach Billy Donovan “tweeting” at Text Later Alligator on Twitter, he is able to endorse their efforts as well as reach out to his own twitter followers.

disable texting while driving, or provide alternatives to doing so.

One app for the Android, Textecution, disables the texting feature of the device if it senses movement faster than 10 mph.

A passenger can only override the use of the device if the administrator of the app allows it. Available for a variety of smartphones, tXtBlocker allows phone users to customize routine locations and times for the phone to disable both calls and texts. Compatible with the AT&T BlackBerry, iPhone and Android, AT&T DriveMode is a manually enabled app that blocks web browsing, incoming and outgoing calls and sends a customized auto-reply to texts.

“If people take these small steps toward getting off the phone while driving, starting with the Gainesville community, a change can definitely be made, which is what we’re seeing through the attention Text Later Alligator is getting,” Nolan said.

Judging by the progress of the Text Later Alligator campaign, more widespread change is in the near future. Beginning with a meeting at the UF public relations department, the girls are on their way to taking

88 | Spring 2013

the school project to another level.

After the meeting with the PR department, the girls were featured on local radio broadcasts, and banners and ads on community websites. They also distributed wristbands for peers to wear as a

constant reminder not to text and drive, Nolan said.

With a band member from Sister Hazel wearing the wristband and Twitter re-tweets from influential people like basketball

coach Billy Donovan and hip-hop artist Hoodie Allen, Text Later Alligator is on its way to gaining national attention.

Nolan and May realized the success of the campaign when their peers started coming to them, vowing that they would stop texting and driving because of what they learned from the presentations.

“After all, no one wants to end up like the driver in the video,” Nolan said.

At the end of the BBC video, the driver’s distraction is the cause of not only the two deaths in her own car, but also two deaths in an involved vehicle, orphaning a toddleraged girl and a baby. Within the few second timespan it took to text one message, four people’s lives were taken and all victim’s lives were changed forever.

“Because of such dangers, we are striving to put a complete end to texting while driving, one day at a time” Nolan said.

“Emmalee and I have learned so much about hard work through this project. It just goes to show that if you really put your heart into something and work hard towards it, you can start to make a big change in peoples’ lives.” s

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Welcome Home The Atrium at Gainesville gives seniors a place to call home

M

retirement communities often make their money from services. In the end, this provides residents with little choice on services or options when disagreements arise.

“It is a difficult subject, so a lot of times, people put it off. But there are a lot of misconceptions because they have not done their research,” Prem Paul Murrhee, director of sales and marketing at The Atrium, said.

On the other hand, retirement communities using the housing model offer all of the same services, with one key difference: choice. The Atrium at Gainesville is based on the housing model and features a wide array of services and businesses available on-site, such as a pharmacy, rehabilitation, home health care, chiropractors, a salon, etc. But the community does not directly make money from them nor are the residents forced to use them. In fact, with many more practices and services within a quarter mile of the community, The Atrium is in a unique location to offer competitive options.

oving from the comfort of a familiar home to a retirement community or nursing home is often a frightening step; however, it is never a step that should be taken lightly. With as many misconceptions about retirement homes as there are types of resident services, those considering retirement living should explore their choices.

As a Holiday Retirement senior independent living community, The Atrium at Gainesville regularly clarifies the many misconceptions and concerns from prospective residents, families and the community. By addressing these issues at the start, The Atrium strives to make residents feel at ease and at home before they even move.

In addition, The Atrium provides husband and wife teams who not only act as managers, but neighbors and residents.

One of the biggest differences between retirement communities is whether they are based on the medical model or the housing model, Murrhee said.

With a medical model, which is what most people are familiar with, a person moves from one stage in retirement living (i.e. independent living, assisted living, medical care) to another as needed. However, such progression is usually decided through community assessments and not by the resident. In addition, medical model

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“When you have 237 residents concentrated in one area, you have a lot of business willing to go the extra mile,” Murrhee said.

“As a resident, they have the freedom of choice to use those services or choose someone close by.”

In reality, choice is the core misconception concerning retirement homes and the basis for The Atrium’s success. One of the most common misconceptions Murrhee hears from prospective residents is concern over losing their routine: Can they eat when they want? How long can their grandchildren stay? Is the community too active and noisy for an afternoon nap?

“It is not us dictating to the residents what we want them to do. It is the resident telling us what they want to do,” Murrhee said.

Although The Atrium provides three meals a day

for its residents in a dining room with servers, it doesn’t stop residents from taking food to go or having it delivered to their room. In between meals, The Atrium provides a coffee bar with refreshments and snacks. In one case, Murrhee recalls a resident who always had coffee and a muffin for breakfast at 10 a.m. As a resident at The Atrium, he still has this option, as well as other breakfast choices.

Built for seniors from the beginning, residency includes transportation, cleaning services and utilities. The Atrium also provides many safety features, such as concrete walls, floors and ceilings.

The construction even acts as a noise barrier, allowing for those afternoon naps.

may be interested in. From the start, The Atrium promotes a close knit community inside and out.

The community does not require a buy-in or a lease, it is month-to-month, yet many residents have chosen to live here for over 20 years. The Atrium’s methods work.

“The social connections and family feel at the Atrium is what sets us apart, it is why our residents stay with us for decades,” Murrhee said. “Let’s face it. You can hire a chauffeur, hire a chef and hire a maid, but you can never hire friends.”

In addition, The Atrium provides husband and wife teams who not only act as managers, but neighbors and residents. Fostering such relationships provides a friendly environment for residents from the start, and a familiar face to help during emergencies.

The Atrium encourages visits from family and friends from the start by allowing them to eat for free at the community during the first month of a new resident’s stay. Grandchildren are also welcome to visit and stay at the community. In one case, Murrhee remembers a resident hosting his great grandchild for a month--playing in the pool, doing crafts and spending quality time together.

The retirement community also hosts a welcome party in the community and invites other residents, as well as clubs and organizations the new resident

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>> FESTIVAL

Experience:

India The 14th Annual India Fest

BY JANICE C. KAPLAN ilting sitar music, brilliant saris and jewels, and the aroma of curry and samosas wafting through the air. No, this is not India — it is India Fest.

A yearly fundraiser held by the Indian Cultural and Education Center (ICEC), India Fest features music, food and merchandise from the region and a health fair.

The India Fest attracts anywhere from 2,000-4,000 visitors of all backgrounds that are curious to see and try Indian dances, sample authentic cuisine or purchase items from merchants and artisans from all over the United States.

“I think the cultural program is one that people enjoy because

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they have all kinds of dances from all different parts of India,” said Dr. Shaheda Qaiyumi in a recent phone interview. Qaiyumi is a local physician and a coordinator of the festival. “And shopping also; people like the clothing and the jewelry.

And the food! A lot of people come just for the food. Indian food has become really popular in this town.”

The festival kicks off with a health fair in the Santa Fe College gymnasium from 9:00 am until noon. Physicians from a variety of specialties volunteer to give advice and perform free screenings for high blood pressure, hypertension and more. At 11:00 the outdoor festivities begin with music and dancing in a variety of Indian styles.

Food is also served, with the many

regions of India well represented.

“India has a vast variety of languages and cultures,” said Ravi Bhosale in a recent phone interview.

Bhosale has been a member of the ICEC since 2005 and serves on the festival board. “Favorite foods would be samosas, chicken curry or tandoori. And there are some south Indian dishes. If you go south in India there is a whole different [cuisine]. There are some south Indian dishes that are very popular.”

Some of the money raised supports the ICEC, which was founded in 1992 after a troubling time in the area’s Indian community. In early 1989 three students of Indian

PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIA CULTURE AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER

Traditional dances are performed in brilliant Indian dress. “I think the cultural program is one that people enjoy because they have all kinds of dances from all different parts of India,” said Dr. Shaheda Qaiyumi, a coordinator of the festival.

heritage committed suicide, and some speculated that a lack of support while attending school in a new country was at least partially to blame. The ICEC was formed a few years later to provide students with a home away from home.

Tragedy struck again a few years later, however, when a 16-year-old in the community also committed suicide. This prompted the ICEC to further expand its efforts and start a youth group.

“We are from India, and our children are born here and exposed to American culture. So there were a lot of [cultural elements] which were clashing. Children were kind of confused about where to go and what to do,” Qaiyumi said. “So we decided that we should have a group of children who could talk to each other, and the parents who could talk to each other. So we started the youth group.”

Today the ICEC provides

www.VisitOurTowns.com

opportunities for Indian students of all ages to congregate, network and otherwise receive support. The center offers academic support, volunteer opportunities, and emergency financial assistance including scholarships and zero-interest loans. The youth group takes teens on field trips and engages them in volunteer work for such organizations as Keep Alachua Beautiful and Hope for The Holidays.

“For my family, this is the place

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where I get a chance to talk to and meet various community members which otherwise I would not meet without any special occasion, Bhosale said. “We meet regularly; we celebrate various functions. It gives you a social circle.”

The ICEC also holds dear a mission to promote Indo-US interaction by organizing and participating in cultural and educational programs such as the India Fest, which has been an annual tradition since 1999 when the first festival was held in the Littlewood Elementary School parking lot. For the past several years the organization has joined forces with Eastside High School’s Institute for Culinary Arts to provide the festival’s food offerings. In the week leading up to India Fest, Chef Billie DeNunzio dedicates the curriculum to Indian cuisine and members of the community help teach the students about the various ingredients and cooking methods.

The students provide crucial help in making India Fest a success; in turn, the ICEC donates some of the festival’s proceeds to the culinary program. The organization is also committed to other area groups in need, making contributions to the Red Cross and adopting a family from Peaceful Paths for the holiday season.

India Fest provides an ideal way for anyone to enjoy a trip to India without the airfare. “There’s a whole day of entertainment,” Bhosale said.

“If you enjoy great food, if you enjoy cultural activities like dance, music and karaoke, and if you like to see various cultures and dresses of India, this is the place.” s

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PHOTOS COURTESY OF INDIA CULTURE AND EDUCATIONAL CENTER

TOP LEFT: Children are active participants in the festival, performing music and dances vital to Indian culture.

TOP RIGHT: Members of the ICEC team up with students in Eastside High School’s Institute for Culinary Arts to provide food for sale at the festival.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Jewelry is one of the most popular items sold at India Fest every year. Gifts can be found for just about every budget.

IndiaFest

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>> DAY TRIPPER

European Celebration Head Downtown March 23rd to Immerse Yourself in European Culture

BY CASSIE GANTER magine experiencing bits and pieces of what Europe has to offer just for the day.

Tastes, sights, sounds and smells spanning from European countries — Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain and Turkey — are engaging, entertaining, easily accessible and, best of all, free.

Experiencing everything from crafts to food tasting to learning

I

dances and listening to music from cultures all over Europe is at your fingertips.

A man, dressed in lederhosen prances through the streets, drawing people to the town center simply by charming the public with his accordion music.

For Ron Schmidt, this is a reality every year at Gainesville’s Viva Europe Festival. This is his second year acting as the lederhosen-clad accordion player. Having taught food science at the University of Florida for 40 years, the now retired 70-year-old gets the chance to

exercise the accordion skills he acquired back in 8th grade.

“I love playing accordion at this festival,” he said. “Even though showing my legs in that lederhosen can be embarrassing, the culture immersion that the community gets involved in when we turn the town center into Europe is always fun and interesting to experience.

You have art festivals and events like that around Gainesville, but bringing Europe to Gainesville for a day is quite the experience.”

With the Viva Europe Festival coming to downtown Gainesville’s

PHOTO BY OSMAN SAHIN

Flamenco dancing, called Baile Flamenco in Spain, is one of three parts to the Flamenco art. With the other two parts, flamenco guitar and flamenco song, the folk art and culture is native to the region of Andalusia in Spain.

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www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS BY HUGUETTE PEREZ AND MEGAN CROWLEY

The kid-friendly festival involves children in everything from playing dress up to learning phrases in several different languages.

In addition to other hands-on activities, festivalgoers have the option to learn to play bocce ball. The game, which is one of the oldest in human history, is commonly played in Italy and France.

OPPOSITE: Retired UF food science professor Ron Schmidt will don his lederhosen and strap on his accordion to perform for his second year at the upcoming Viva Europe Festival.

Bo Diddley plaza on March 23 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., experiencing a day’s worth of European culture is a possibility. For the festival director Gail Keeler, this event marks the first year it will be open and accessible to the entire Gainesville community. Also the University of Florida outreach coordinator for the center for European studies, Keeler believes that this festival will become an annual event that community members will plan for and look forward to. She expects approximately 2,000 people to attend this year’s festival.

“This year’s theme for our Viva Europe festival is ‘Get Your Hands on Europe,’” she said. “We are really focused on teaching all aspects of European culture to the Gainesville community through interactive, hands-on activities.”

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Inspired by the concept of cultural outreach, the Viva Europe Festival was founded last year on the university campus in an attempt to bring Europe to the UF community in a unique way.

People typically experience Europe — in terms of its cultures, food, style and music — in a classroom, and the goal for the festival from the start is for people to have the opportunity to learn about foreign customs by immersion, even if just for a day, Keeler said.

For those not interested in hands-on activities, there is also a chance to kick back and watch the live bands and dance groups.

Schmidt’s affection for Viva Europe lies with the culturally diverse musical aspect.

“Last year Gail brought in some really talented people to showcase

whichever song or dance was characteristic of their particular European country,” he said. “The headlining musical talent truly engaged the attendees and put everyone in a good mood.”

Last year’s headliners, a band from the Catalan region of Spain called the Cancun Rumba, was one of the highlights of the festival for Keeler as well, along with a soft pretzel-eating contest with the backdrop of an entire day of musical and dancing performances.

This year’s festival, like the last, will include folk singing, Greek dance lessons, a station to learn to write one’s name in 10 different languages, a henna tattoo station, a fortune telling station and a bocce ball playing lesson, along with several activities for children.

“I want people to know that the

festival is just as entertaining and enriching for children as well,” Keeler said. “We will have a poster contest for kids aged 12 to 14 with the theme ‘My European Family,’ and for kids of all ages, we will have a place for them to play dress up, sing traditional European songs, and art lessons.”

Something to look forward to for all ages is the variety of food, Keeler said. Ice cream, crepes, pierogies, sausages, kielbasa, pizza, a variety of Spanish foods and more can be savored, tasted and enjoyed this year.

For a town like Gainesville, the cultural outreach brings sights, sounds and tastes of Europe to a community that may not otherwise experience it.

“In addition to all the first-hand cultural experiences of Europe, the Viva Europe festival brings a sense of community to Gainesville,” Schmidt said. “People in this area who maybe haven’t had a chance to travel to Europe yet or may not have had the opportunity to be exposed

to such a variety of cultures can have to chance to do so.”

In addition to the off-campus location, another characteristic of this year’s Viva Europe is the European marketplace. Complete with handmade items including jewelry, crafts, cookbooks, t-shirts and treats from Turkey, Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic and Hungary, the marketplace is a way for a festivalgoer to purchase and bring home a piece off Europe and the festival with them.

Holding this year’s festival in a centralized location makes Europe accessible for people of all backgrounds and ages and teaches the customs in perhaps a more exciting g way, rather than strictly academically. And this feature of the festival al is what Keeler hopes will continue to bring people back in the future, to experience a daylong taste of European culture and activities.

“My hope for this event is for the festival to really open peoples eyes about how close our ties are to o

Europe, not only culturally, but also in terms of our own heritage,” she said. “Viva Europe may even inspire someone to learn more about their own heritage, customs and culture and adopt that into their own day-to-day lives. This enrichment is what I like most about cultural outreach like the festival.” s

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>> MILK IT

Family Farm Day UF Dairy Farm’s Annual Open House

BY JENNIFER RIEK bout 10 miles north of Gainesville, 500 bovines brace for the cue. They crowd like vultures, swaying, waiting, calling out to their brethren.

The metal gate jolts sideways. One by one, 24 cows file in, and the gate rolls back. Then, engorged udders meet the mouths of machines and the dairy farm begins its day.

The University of Florida Dairy

A

Unit is a world away from the refrigerated section of your local grocery store. Every day, the farm’s neighbors hear the dull lowing of the cattle but do not necessarily connect it to their milk, butter and cheese. Two years ago, the dairy unit’s management decided to do away with the mystery and invited the neighbors to tour the facility.

The positive reaction led to more tours, more knowledge, and the next year the dairy unit opened its

doors to all.

Thus Family Day at the UF Dairy Farm began.

“In many ways, what we do here represents what farmers do in the state of Florida,” said Albert De Vries, associate professor of animal sciences at UF. “It’s part of our outreach mission that we show people what’s going on at UF, what UF does for dairy science, and also just to see a commercial dairy farm.”

On March 16 from 9 a.m. to 2

PHOTOS BY TYLER JONES

TOP: People often attempt to make their own homemade butter, said UF Dairy Science Club president Lauren Mayo, but fail due to a lack of the secret ingredient: heavy whipping cream. Visitors shake condiment-sized cups to see a separation of milk fats from the rest of the cream.

BOTTOM: The Holsteins are fed a mixture of corn, soy, hay and minerals every day. Dairy farmers monitor food consumption and compare it to milk production.

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www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTOS BY TYLER JONES

Young calves are available for one-on-one interaction at a petting station near the front of the event.

p.m., children and adults alike will turn out to meet the source of their dairy products. Walking the farm, guided by trails of orange tape, attendees can visit the many stations assembled by the staff to educate and entertain. Volunteers will instruct about the calving process. UF Dairy Science members will sell cheese. Children can shake condiment-sized cups of heavy whipping cream and in eight to 10 minutes eat homemade butter on crackers. Calves can be petted.

Misconceptions can be fixed.

After passing the initial area, visitors are led to the milking station, where two rows of 12 Holsteins stand as machines gently tug the milk from their udders. The females are milked twice a day for about 15 minutes as one attendant oversees.

The processes typically occur at 6 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to midnight, but will be rescheduled on the day of the event so that visitors can see the gathering in action.

When their udders are empty, the cows file out. Family Day is not an adventure for the animals that are eager to return to their beds and their feed.

At another station further down,

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visitors will learn about the barn itself, where piebald bovines shuffle and moo for the majority of their day. The sloping angle of the floor allows for excrement to be washed away from beds of sand. The cows dip their mouths in cool troughs to drink and nudge their heads through gates for food. They will live in these barns for the three years they are producing before a new generation of cows is introduced and the elders move on to their second purpose.

“Every time we try to breed for cows that are healthier, produce more milk, get pregnant easier,” De Vries said. “Our new stock is typically a little better than our current cows. It’s like updating a car with a newer model. There’s nothing wrong with our cows, but these are better.”

De Vries is involved with a team of researchers who utilize the farm to learn. Their current interests focus on nutrition and reproduction. Nutrition is very tricky, he said, because it requires supplementing cows, inspecting fatty acids in the milk and observing the individual feeding. With 1,000 subjects — 500 in the barn and 500 in the pasture — De Vries

and his team have many variables to consider.

In terms of reproduction, researchers are interested in the cows’ biology. The team’s current goal is to synchronize ovulation cycles. Cows naturally go into heat every three weeks, but males are not always available to breed. By changing the hormones, the team can inseminate the cows without waiting for the week of estrus.

“That’s common practice on a lot of dairy farms,” De Vries said, “but UF has always been strong in figuring out the biology and aligning the synchronization programs.”

The bovines are impregnated through two methods, one of which is in vitro fertilization. Ovaries are collected when the cows are brought to slaughter and introduced to a supply of sperm in the sterile confines of a lab. The other method is classic artificial insemination of frozen semen from four specialized companies. Half of the unit’s stock is pregnant at a time while the other half provides consistent milk.

Visitors can learn more about the research as they wander past the rows of curious eyes. A

INFO Family Day at the UF Dairy Farm March 16 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

13200 NW 59th Drive, Alachua Event is free to all Bring closed-toe shoes No pets Directions — US Highway 441 to County Road 237.

Look for the “Hague” sign. Go north on 237 half a mile. Look for the blue and white UF sign on the right.

PHOTOS BY TYLER JONES

ABOVE: Cows ease the weight of their engorged udders at the milk parlor twice a day, at 6 a.m. to noon and 6 p.m. to midnight. Each cycle takes 15 minutes and relieves 24 cows at a time.

RIGHT: Visitors don complimentary rubber booties to protect their feet from mud and water. The booties also help the farm environment avoid outside contamination.

volunteer will point to the free stalls that are unique to the dairy unit. Inside, cows can be individually fed to track the quantity a single cow eats. About 50 pounds of feed will be given to a cow. The remainder will be measured. She can also portray the effects of different diets, to demonstrate correlations between milk production, milk components, proteins and fats.

A single cow can eat up to 45 pounds of dry feed per day. The 1,000 Holsteins produce what De Vries estimates to be 22,000 pounds per cow per year, or 22,000,000 pounds for the farm. Farms never use the measurement of gallons, De Vries said, only pounds. At 8.6 pounds to the gallon, this totals to 189,200,000 gallons of milk per year. One farm,

one operation, one small trickle of the flow people need for cookies and cereal and tall glasses with dinner.

Family Day owes its initial creation to its quiet beginnings at the UF Dairy Science Club several years ago. Originally, said club president Lauren Mayo, the event was called Dairy Days, with the goal of teaching first through fifth graders how a dairy farm operates. The children were brought to the dairy farm on the university’s campus. They visited the seven or eight stations the club had set up, such as calf petting or the process of milking.

Mayo, a senior majoring in animal sciences, describes Family Day as more in depth than the early Dairy Days. The first event in 2012 brought in nearly 1,000 people,

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plodding across the slick mud and grass, their mandatory closed-toe shoes protected by blue plastic booties. This year the team expects closer to 2,000.

“Lots of people come out,” Mayo said. “People who are interested in the positive side of [the dairy farm.]

We’re changing perceptions and allowing people to connect better with their food.”

The spring event will be a chance for more visitors — vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike — to understand exactly what it takes to bring their dairy products to a store nearby.

“The bottom line is,” Mayo said, “we’re teaching them milk doesn’t come from grocery stores. There’s a lot involved.” s

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Named One of “Florida’s Best Places To Dine”

The Great Outdoors It is their dedication to quality that has helped The Great Outdoors earn the Golden Spoon award from Florida Trend magazine for the third consecutive year, with a designation of being named one of the best places in Florida to dine. With only two restaurants awarded in the entire North Central Florida Region, this distinguished culinary award identifies only the best in culinary excellence, ambiance and outstanding service.

The Great Outdoors has also been honored as Best New Restaurant and Outstanding Business of the year by the State of Florida Main Street program.

“When we opened this restaurant, we knew we had something special – a place that our guests can call a second home,” said Karen Bentz, who co-owns the restaurant with her husband, Bob. “We fell in love with the area, the springs, and the wonderful people here in High Springs.”

The Great Outdoors offers four distinct venues. The elegant upstairs Opera House ballroom gleams with 110-year-old heart of pine floors, chandeliers, a backlit onyx bar and a full audio/visual setup. The dining room features pecky cypress finishes and photos of the local springs and rivers. The Springhouse Tavern is a

cozy full service bar. The outdoor patio and bar includes covered seating and features live bands five nights a week.

The casual yet elegant ambience makes The Great Outdoors the perfect place to enjoy a meal or drink, regardless of what your day entails.

“Our restaurant is a great place for your wedding, your birthday, a celebration with your office staff, something that’s really special in your life,” said Carol Doherty, the restaurant’s general manager. “At the same time, we are also the perfect place to go after you’ve paddled the river and you’ve got your flip flops and shorts on, and you just want to have a beer on the patio and listen to the bands. It goes in both directions and we’re very proud of that.”

The food at The Great Outdoors is innovative, fresh and creative. Doherty was formally trained in Europe and previously opened 31 restaurants along the east coast with a large corporation. Ready for something a little more personal and creative, she came to High Springs and teamed with the Bentzes to open The Great Outdoors. Together they created a menu that is cutting edge with fresh, local and sustainable ingredients.

Highlights of the superb menu

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include the restaurant’s signature rosemary garlic encrusted prime rib, carved to order on the bone with a piping hot au jus and hearty side vegetables; juicy hamburgers named for the local springs; fall-offthe-bone ribs; fresh entree salads; native fish cooked to order over a bed of fresh salad greens; and Prince Edward Island Mussels served with a choice of three homemade sauces.

The restaurant has daily and weekly specials, which gives Doherty and her staff the freedom to be creative with fresh local ingredients.

“Earning Florida Trends ‘Golden Spoon - Best Places to Dine Award’ means so much to us, and as thirdtime recipients, we are truly honored,” said Bentz. “It’s wonderful to be recognized for the culinary excellence and exceptional guest service that we strive so hard to achieve.”

The Great Outdoors Restaurant is located at 65 North Main Street in High Springs and is open from 11 am – 9 pm on Sundays, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; and from 11 am – 10 pm Friday and Saturday. (Closed on Monday.) Live bands perform Wednesday through Sunday. For specific hours, band schedule or other information, call The Great Outdoors at 386-454-1288 or visit us at www.greatoutdoorsdining.com.

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Taste of the Town

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL 352.372-5468 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION.

Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza (Archer Road) 5757 SW 75th St. — 352-371-8646 (Millhopper Road) 5200 NW 43rd St. — 352-371-7437 Mon-Thurs: 11am-10pm Fri-Sat: 11am-11pm Sun: 11am-10pm

www.piesanostogo.com Piesanos family friendly restaurant is proud to use only the finest ingredients available, including Grande® brand premium mozzarella, provolone & romano cheeses. Dough is made fresh daily & all pizzas are baked in our unique Granite Stone Fired Pizza Oven. Specialty pizzas, calzones, and fresh salads complete a large selection of Italian cuisine. An excellent choice for lunch, specials start at only $7.49.

Their full service bar compliments any meal. Call ahead for pick-up for those busy nights. Delivery is available through doorstepdelivery.com Full menu online at www.piesanostogo.com. Like us on Facebook.

Adam’s Rib Co. 211 NW 13th Street, Gainesville, Florida 32609 1515 SW 13th Street Gainesville, Florida 32608 Monday - Saturday: 7am to 9pm Sunday: 9am to 9pm

352-373-8882NW 352-727-4005SW AdamsRibCo.com BARBECUE — Looking for the best BBQ in Gainesville? Then look no further than Adam’s Rib Company. Adam’s Rib is North Florida’s Premier Barbecue restaurant, serving North Florida’s finest beef brisket, pulled pork, bbq spare ribs and slow smoked chicken and turkey. Choose from over 20 sauces – from honey sweet to habanero hot – and everything in between. Don’t forget dessert, like their scrumptious “Banana Pudding” and their famous Peach Cobbler. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Adam’s can cater any event locally. Give Adam a call for your next tailgate party 352-514-8692!

Ballyhoo Grill 3700 Newberry Road, Gainesville Mon-Thu: 10am to 10pm • Fri & Sat: 10am to 11pm Sun 10am to 10pm

352-373-0059 Looking for the freshest seafood? — The Ballyhoo Grill is the place for you! With fresh seafood arriving daily, Try the amazing North Atlantic Cedar Plank Salmon, grilled on a cedar plank for a rich, smoky flavor. Other great eats include fresh sushi and hand-cut choice steaks. We’re serving up everything from salads and pastas to delicious burgers and sandwiches. make sure you try the incredible Bananas Fosters. Dine in or outdoors on their patio.

Happy hour is 2-7pm daily with extended happy hour until 10pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

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y

Gator Tales Sports Bar 5112 NW 34th Street (across from the YMCA) Sunday - Tuesday 10:30am - Midnight Wed, Thurs, Fri and Sat 10:30am - 2am

(352)-376-9500

www.gator-tales.com

BAR & GRILL — GATOR TALES Sports Bar features 3 large separate entertainment areas! You can relax at our Tiki bar in a large covered outdoor patio with tropical tunes enjoying 3 large screen TV’s and a full outdoor liquor bar. If you prefer to be inside, visit the sports bar, where you can find large TV’s, a performance stage with nightly entertainment including karaoke, live bands and acoustical sets. We have a separate pool hall and offer two happy hours every day. Gator Tales has a variety of domestic and import beers including a local favorite Swamphead Stompknocker. Our menu has a lot to choose from, appetizers, black angus burgers, gator tail, and salads.

Dos Mamas 2017 NE 27th Ave. Gainesville, Florida 32609 Monday - Thursday 6am – 4pm Friday 6am - 11pm • Saturday 8am - 2pm

352-505-0369

www.dosmamascatering.com

HOME STYLE — New to the North East part of Gainesville, Dos Mama’s has fast become a great local establishment. No they are not a Mexican joint. Just a down-home restaurant serving up Mama’s finger licking home-style cookin’. Terra and Rosa, your new mama’s, have over 40 years of combined experience in the Food and Beverage industry to make sure you get what you expect. Customer Service is NUMBER ONE to these Mama’s. Live entertainment is also on the menu at Dos Mama’s, with local bands ranging from Blues to Jazz to Rock and Roll. With Little Jake Mitchell and the Soul Searchers, Anna Marie and Friends and Little Mike and the Tornados all sharing Friday nights and putting on a great show.

Dave’s New York Deli 12921 SW 1st Road, Tioga Town Center Monday - Friday: 9:30am - 8:00pm • Saturday: 8am - 8pm Sunday 10:00am - 3:00pm

352-333-0291

www.DavesNYDeli.com

AUTHENTIC DELI — Dave’s Deli has moved to its new location in Tioga Town Center. The reviews are in and here is what customers are saying about Dave’s! “Best Reuben, Best Pastrami, Best Philly, Best Salads!” Dave’s NY Deli is quickly establishing itself as “The Real Deal” when it comes to NY deli food. Owner Dave Anders says he knew from the start that he wanted to serve only the best, so he has all of his pastrami, corned beef, and cheesecake shipped in from New York’s Carnegie Deli. Dave’s offers Nathan’s hotdogs, real NY kettle-boiled bagels, nova, knishes, cannolis, authentic Philly cheesesteaks, Cubans, subs, kids menu, and more.

NOW SERVING BEER AND WINE. - VISIT US TODAY.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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Taste of the Town

SPECIAL RESTAURANT ADVERTISING SECTION. CALL 352.372-5468 FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION.

Mark’s Prime Steakhouse & Seafood 201 SE 2nd Avenue, Gainesville, FL (Historic Downtown) Monday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm • Tues-Sat: 5:00pm to 10:00pm Happy Hour: 5:00pm - 7:00pm

352-336-0077

marksprimesteakhouse.com

STEAK & SEAFOOD — Mark’s Prime Steakhouse and Seafood has a goal to create a unique dining experience that will please the palate and soothe the soul. We serve the finest beef, the freshest seafood, and naturally fresh vegetables. Recipient of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence 2004-2011. Join us for Primetime Happy Hour featuring drink and appetizer specials Monday thru Saturday 5-7 pm. We are pleased to feature our full service, private dining facilities. It would be our pleasure to help plan your next reception, banquet, business meeting, or social gathering. Complimentary valet service.

Napolatanos 606 NW 75th Street Gainesville, FL Monday - Thursday & Sunday 4:00pm-10:00pm Friday 4:00pm-2:00am • Saturday 4:00pm-11:00pm

352-332-6671

www.napolatanos.com

ITALIAN — Napolatanos is the longest original owner operated restaurant in Gainesville. Nappys, the name the locals have given Napolatanos has the most extensive menu. Whether you choose pizza, calzones, salad, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, seafood, steak dinners or the best chicken wings in town, Nappy’s uses only the freshest ingredients. Visit on Tuesday & Wednesday for half price appetizers. Save up to $4 on pizza on Thursday and $5 off bottles of win on Saturday. Nappy’s also has 3 private rooms, outside dining and their newest addition is an event garden.

Southern Soul 15 NE 2nd Ave, High Springs, FL Mon 11:00am - 11:00pm •Thu 11:00am - 11:00pm Fri - Sat 11:00am - 12:00am • Sun 11:00am - 4:00pm

386-454-0429 SOUL FOOD — If you are looking for a true taste of down-home, comfort food then you will love Southern Soul Restaurant & Lounge now open in High Springs and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. All of our recipes are homemade and made from scratch. Rise and shine and stop in for one of our breakfast platters including flapjacks, pork chops, biscuits and gravy, or French toast, to name a few. For lunch and dinner our headliners include oxtails and yellow rice, pork chops, fried chicken, fresh mullet, catfish, and shrimp. Our sidelines are collard greens, mac and cheese, grits, mashed potatoes and many more! To top it all off, try our homemade desserts! Join us for live Jazz Friday and Saturday nights and live Blue’s every Thursday.

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The Red Onion 39th Ave & 24th Blvd, Gainesville (Uptown Village Apartments) Monday – Thursday: 11am-10pm Fri & Sat: 11am-11pm Sunday: 10am to 9pm Brunch: Sat and Sun: 11am-2pm

352-505-0088

www.TheRedOnionGainesville.com

NEIGHBORHOOD GRILL — Locally owned and managed restaurant offering casual dining in an intimate, warm atmosphere. Featuring Harris Ranch All Natural Prime Steaks & All Natural Chicken (no antibiotics, no steroids) and local produce. Join us for the love of Fine Spirits, Food and Music! Live Music Wed., Fri., Sat.! Come listen to the area’s best Jazz and Blues bands every Saturday for “Music & Martinis”! We muddle, pour, mix & stir! So join us for Happy Hour at our bar – big enough to bring all your friends! Our casual cuisine is perfect for lunch in a rush. Private Dining Room available for rental, perfect for your next rehearsal dinner, bridal shower, baby shower, birthday party, corporate luncheon, etc. Check out our menus on our website!

Saboré 13005 SW 1st Road, Tioga, FL 32669 (Tioga Town Center) Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday: 11am – 10pm Fri. & Sat.: 11am – 11pm • Open Mondays for special events only

352-332-2727

www.saborerestaurant.com

FUSION — Saboré [sa-bohr-ay] is a world-fusion restaurant featuring a variety of European, South American, Mediterranean and Asian inspired tastes. Saboré’s namesake is from the word “sabor,” meaning “flavor.” Saboré’s menu features mouth-watering dishes that takes guests on a trip around the world, highlighting exotic flavors and ingredients from countries such as Argentina, Japan, Spain and Italy.

Be sure to try the custom plates, desserts and signature cocktails you won’t find anywhere else in Gainesville.

Northwest Grille 5115 Northwest 39th Ave., Gainesville 32606 Open 7 Days: 11am to 10pm (Friday open until 11pm) Saturday & Sunday: Serving brunch 10am to 3pm

352-376-0500

www.northwestgrillegainesville.com

SEAFOOD — Locally owned and operated, Northwest Grille has been providing the finest quality fish and seafood entrees in a friendly atmosphere since 1996. Whether it’s their fresh, local seafood and fish, or handcrafted sauces and specialty desserts, Northwest Grille has something to please your palate. Meat lovers will enjoy the hand-cut steaks and vegetarians will love the wide range of vegetarian options.

Serving lunch and dinner daily, Northwest Grille, offers an extensive brunch menu on Saturdays and Sundays from 10am-3pm. Northwest Grille also features a full liquor bar with nightly drink specials. Happy hour is served daily from 3pm-7pm and all day on Wednesday – offering a wide assortment of craft beer, wine and $5 martinis.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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CALENDAR If you would like to have an event considered for publication in this calendar, please submit information directly. post 4400 NW 36th Ave., Gainesville, FL 32606 | e-mail editor@towerpublications.com | fax 352-373-9178

WINTER FINE ART FAIR Feb. 15 - Feb. 17 Times Vary JONESVILLE - Tioga Town Center, 105 SW 128th St., Suite 200. This is a great opportunity for the artists who participate, and fun for all those who visit. Only nighttime art fair on Feb. 15, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Regular hours are Feb. 16-17, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. helenwheels0506@

yahoo.com. tiogawinterartfair.org.

MOVIE SCREENING Saturday, Feb. 16 2:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY 401 E. University Ave. “That Movie About Julia Child and Julie Powell.”

A screening of the popular movie starring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams, based on the best-selling book by Julie Powell. Free. 352334-3939. www.aclib.us.

LIVE AT BIRDLAND Saturday, Feb. 16 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - Under the direction of world-renowned drummer Tommy Igoe, this show recreates the ambience and experience of a night at Birdland Jazz Club. The Birdland Big Band — a dynamic new ensemble featuring some of New York City’s finest musicians — provides an unforgettable musical event. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

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SPRINGS SAVER LANDSCAPING WORKSHOP Saturday, Feb. 16 9:00am - 4:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - Poe Springs Park, CR 340. Space is limited, so sign up right away. This is a free workshop that includes hands-on activity and presentations about springs, rain gardens, low impact design and development, water conservation and springs, landscape planting for dry areas, and water conservation.

Lunch will be provided.

352-264-6827. tinyurl.com/

agz9gx8.

HEART BALL Saturday, Feb. 16 6:30pm

traditional instruments, most notably the rare and beautiful hammer dulcimer. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

SPECTICAST: GIUSEPPE VERDI’S ATTILA Sunday, Feb. 17 3:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Filmed at the famed Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, the Kirov Opera performance features Grammywinning Russian bass Ildar Abdrazakov in the title role. Celebrated conductor Valery Gergiev brings forth a richly realized performance from the outstanding ensemble.

English subtitles.

352-392-ARTS.

UF HILTON - 1715 SW 34th St. The American Heart Association’s Heart Ball generates funds to support education, research and awareness to prevent heart disease and stroke. The gala will feature live music, a silent auction, a cocktail hour, food from delicious food stations, a live auction, the Open Your Heart mission appeal, and dancing. 800-257-6941, ext. 8024. Alachua@heart.org.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

www.heart.org.

bobgrahamcenter.ufl.edu.

JOHN MCCUTCHEON

DANCE THEATER

Sunday, Feb. 17 2:00pm

Tuesday, Feb. 19 7:30pm

SQUITIERI STUDIO THEATRE, UF - Renowned folk singer John McCutcheon is a master of a dozen different

PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - Let Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s gorgeous dancers lift spirits as they perform

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT Monday, Feb. 18 6:00pm PUGH HALL-BOB GRAHAM CENTER, UF - A panel of medical professionals will be providing a unique and insider perspective in discussing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. 352-846-1575.

thrilling premieres and new productions plus beloved classics such as Revelations. The New York Times called Ailey, “possibly the most successful modern dance company on the planet.” 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

SHARON DRAPER Tuesday, Feb. 19 6:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY 401 E. University Ave. Dr. Sharon Draper is a professional educator as well as an accomplished writer. She has been honored as the National Teacher of the Year, is a five-time winner of the Coretta Scot King Literary Award, and is a New York Times bestselling author. 352334-3941. www.aclib.us.

SPRING EDUCATOR WORKSHOP Wednesday, Feb. 20 1:30pm - 4:30pm HARN MUSEUM Educators may learn about the exhibition and receive new resources for their classroom.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required. Registration is limited to 30.

Registration may occur through the Alachua County School professional development website or, if not with ACS, contact Lisa Stevens at 352-3929826, ext. 2112. lstevens@

harn.ufl.edu. www.harn.ufl.edu.

names in bluegrass entertainment. 1,500 attendees expected.

386-325-5646.

festivalnet.com.

DARK STAR ORCHESTRA Friday, Feb. 22 7:30pm - 10:00pm

44th Annual Gatornationals March 14 - March 17 Times Vary GAINESVILLE RACEWAY - 11211 N. County Road 225. The traditional East Coast opener of the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series, with the 44th running of the NHRA Gatornationals. Tickets are available via www.nhratix.com or by calling 1-800-884-6472. Event information, area accommodations, directions to the track, RV parking information, and other details can be found on www.autoplusraceway.com.

HARN EMINENT SCHOLAR LECTURE Wednesday, Feb. 20 6:00pm HARN MUSEUM - Gauvin Bailey, Queens University, Ontario, Canada, “The Spiritual Rococo: Decor and Divinity from the Salons of Paris to the Missions of Patagonia.” Free.

352-392-9826, ext. 2116.

www.harn.ufl.edu.

COMMODITIES TO CAFES: FRENCH AGRICULTURE AND FOOD Wednesday, Feb. 20 7:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY 401 E. University Ave. James Sterns of the University of Florida Food Resource and Economics Department will explore the route taken by the humble

building blocks of foodstuffs as they are transformed into haute cuisine. Find out what makes French food so fresh and delicious.

352-334-3941. www.aclib.us.

WILL MUSCHAMP GOLF SCRAMBLE FOR KIDS February 21 - 23 Times Vary MARK BOSTICK GOLF COURSE, UF - 2800 SW 2nd Ave. Event benefits Children’s Home Society of Florida, Boys and Girls Club of Alachua County and Girls Place.

352-384-3205.

beginning or improving their vegetable production. Free. Preregister by Feb. 20 by calling 352-337-6209.

alachua.ifas.ufl.edu.

ARTWALK GAINESVILLE Friday, Feb. 22 7:00pm DOWNTOWN - Free monthly self-guided tour combining exciting visual arts, live performances and events. Held every last Friday of each month with typically a dozen galleries and venues.

artwalk.ning.com.

GROWING VEGETABLES

PALATKA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Thursday, Feb. 21 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Feb. 21 - Feb. 23 Times Vary

ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE - 2800 NE 39th Ave. Class for those interested in

PALATKA - Rodeheaver Boys’ Ranch, 380 Boys Ranch Road. Three-day event features top

www.VisitOurTowns.com

PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Dark Star Orchestra performs Grateful Dead classics in the same way that an orchestra interprets music of classical composers.

Touring nationwide for 12 years to the tune of nearly 2,000 shows, the band’s determined commitment to “raising the Dead” has drawn national media attention. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

BACK TO THE FUTURE GALA Friday, Feb. 22 7:00pm MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - Sponsorships and tickets available.

Turn time circuits on and travel Back to the Future with the Florida Museum. Show up in the best 1950s or 1980s threads and have a blast. Transport back to Powell Hall at the Florida Museum of Natural History. 352846-2000. www.flmnh.ufl.

edu/passport.

SHOWCASING STUDENT ART Feb. 22 - March 30 Times Vary THOMAS CENTER - 302 NE Sixth Ave. Reception is on Feb. 28, from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Artworks by Alachua County Public Schools’ Secondary School students will be showcased and celebrated on the walls of the Historic Thomas Center. Free 352-334-ARTS.

www.gvlculturalaffairs.org.

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which will be for sale at the event. Free. 352334-3939. www.aclib.us.

CREOLE CHOIR OF CUBA Tuesday, Feb. 26 7:30pm

MiXt Wednesday, Feb. 27

7:30pm

SQUITIERI STUDIO THEATRE, UF - Clarinetist José Franch-Ballester, violinist Bella Hristova and pianist Ran Dank form MiXt, a chamber group created in 2011 comprised of the brightest talent on the Young Concert Artists’ roster. 352-392-ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

ARCADIA Saturday, Feb. 23 7:30pm THE DORIS BARDON COMMUNITY CULTURAL CENTER - 716 N. Main Street. UF English Professor Sid Homan will direct a company of actors that will perform scenes from Tom Stoppard’s 1993 play, Arcadia, a play cited by many critics as the finest play from one of the most significant contemporary playwrights in the English language, a “comic genius of the modern theatre.” In addition to the play, the newly formed Much Ado About Doris Improv Company will open the evening with a half-hour of improv fun. $10 - $20 donation at the door. 352-505-5061.

PITTSBURGH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Sunday, Feb. 24 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF For more than 115

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years, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has been a key component of the city’s cultural landscape.

The PSO, known for its artistic excellence, is credited with a rich history of the world’s finest conductors and musicians, and a strong commitment to the Pittsburgh region and its citizens. Cost is $10-$50. 352-392-1900.

performingarts.ufl.edu

SUNDAY AT THE POPS Sunday, Feb. 24 2:00pm SANTA FE COLLEGE FINE ARTS HALL - 3000 NW 83rd St. Gainesville Community Band presents a concert playing music from the big band era, classic jazz and pop era favorites. Guest artist is Bill Prince. Ticket donation at the door.

SF Box Office: 352395-4181. Gainesville Community Band: 352472-7224. www.gnvband.org.

PHILLIPS CENTER, UF This 10-member choir from Camagüey was founded in 1994, when the Cuban economy was in peril, food was short, and homes and workplaces often lacked electricity.

Led by their director Emilia Díaz Chávez, the Creole Choir of Cuba nurtured the music passed down in their families since the early 19th century, gradually adding modern Haitian sounds and reviving old songs. 352-392-ARTS.

GALLERY TALK: KATHERINE TUBB

performingarts.ufl.edu.

Sunday, Feb. 24 3:00pm

Thursday, Feb. 28 7:30pm

HARN MUSEUM - “Surreal, Sexy, Sinister: The Photographs of Marta Astfalck-Vietz.”

Katherine Tubb, department of history of art, University of Glasgow. Dr. Tubb will discuss the risqué, macabre, surreal and lyrical contributions made by German photographer Marta Astfalck-Vietz, both before and behind the lens. Free. 352-3929826, ext. 2116.

PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - Derived from the Japanese word meaning “heartbeat,” Kodo explores the limitless possibilities of the taiko (Japanese drum). The group strives to both preserve and reinterpret traditional Japanese performing arts. 352392-ARTS.

www.harn.ufl.edu.

Thursday, Feb. 28 6:00pm - 8:30pm

TED GELTNER

HARN MUSEUM - Become a member and enjoy a pARTy celebrating the opening. There will be an opportunity to join at the door. Visit the membership section of the Harn’s website at

Monday, Feb. 25 7:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY 401 E. University Ave. Ted Geltner will read from his new book, “Last King of the Sports Page,” a trip through 20th century sports journalism and history.

Geltner will be signing copies of his book,

KODO

performingarts.ufl.edu.

MEMBER PARTY

www.harn.ufl.edu/membership for a list of benefits and information about joining. 352-392-9826.

harn.ufl.edu.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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“American Dream” kept him blind to the people who truly loved him. 386-454-3525.

highspringscommunitytheater.com.

KING O’ THE MOON Through March 17 Times Vary

Fairytale Wedding Show Sunday, Feb. 24 2:00pm UNIVERSITY AIR CENTER - North Side of Gainesville Regional Airport. Introducing a casual evening soiree where modern Cinderellas and their Prince Charmings can mingle with the best of the best in the wedding industry. The Fairytale Wedding Show will bring together venues, photographers, florists, cake designers, DJs and more from all over the region. www. eventbrite.com/event/4807462249.

GROWING TOMATOES Thursday, Feb. 28 6:30pm - 7:30pm ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE 2800 NE 39th Ave. Class covers growing tomatoes in the garden and containers, and the basics of how to grow tomatoes in Florida’s challenging environment. Tomato pest control options, including non-chemical choices of combating the scores of tomato insect and disease problems will also be

118 | Spring 2013

covered. Pre-register at 352-337-6209. alachua.

ifas.ufl.edu.

DEATH OF A SALESMAN Through March 3 Times Vary HIGH SPRINGS - High Springs Community Theater, 130 NE First Ave. Through a series of tragic soul-searching revelations of the life Willy Loman has lived with his wife, his sons and his business associates, the audience discovers how his quest for the

THE HIPPODROME - 25 SE 2nd Place. It’s 1968 in Buffalo, NY, and the Pazinski family gathers to honor their late father’s memory.

They quickly become entangled in each others’ problems — Rudy is re-thinking the priesthood, Eddie is preparing for fatherhood and Vietnam, Annie is contemplating divorce, and their mother Ellen considers a new romance. There’s rarely a quiet moment in the Pazinski household as they hurtle towards the next decade. 352-3754477. thehipp.org.

PRINTMAKING IN THE AGE OF REMBRANDT

exhibits and the work of Gainesville’s leading artists will tell the story of the 156-year-old, 53-acre Evergreen Cemetery, one of Gainesville’s most historic and beautiful sites. Sponsored by LocalEdge, a Hearst Media Services Company. 352-334ARTS. gvlculturalaffairs.org.

LÚNASA Friday, March 1 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - Since their debut release in 1997, the Ireland-based quintet, Lúnasa, has earned critical acclaim for their blend of acoustic and improvisational music forms to create breathtaking arrangements.

Comprised of some of the finest musicians in Ireland, Lúnasa’s members use distinctive wind and string instruments to expose the intricate rhythms of the Irish, jazz and bluegrass genres. 352-392-ARTS.

Through April 28 Times Vary

performingarts.ufl.edu.

HARN MUSEUM - Exhibit features more than 70 prints by Dutch master Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669) and 20 of his contemporaries created between the 16th and 17th centuries.

Among the highlights of the exhibition are etchings by Rembrandt.

352-392-9826. www.harn.

RACE THE TORTOISE 5K

ufl.edu.

THIS WONDROUS PLACE Through March 23 Times Vary THOMAS CENTER 302 NE Sixth Ave. Gainesville’s Historic Evergreen Cemetery: Rare photographs, documents, multi-media

Saturday, March 2 8:00am HIGH SPRINGS - O’Leno State Park, Southeast O’Leno Park Road. This is a certified out and back race for runners and walkers along the park’s scenic, paved main road. It starts and finishes near the main parking area, which is about 1.5 miles past the Ranger Station at the park’s entrance. This race is limited to the first 300 registrants.

There will be prize money and awards! Age groups will be from 9 and under to 75-plus.

386-454-0723. www.

floridastateparks.org.

LEAVE IT

TO THE PRO’S It may look easy, but why take the chance? Let the experts at Archer Electric Company help you with any home improvement Project. It will cost less than you think and it’s guaranteed to be done right!

ARCHER ELECTRIC SERVICE 352.371.2580 ArcherElectricService.com NO JOB IS TO SMALL Install Fans • Replace Lighting Fixtures • Network or Telephone Wiring • External Lighting • Motion Detection Floods • Dimmers • Light Switches Complete Home Wiring • And Much More

24HOUR EMERGENCY

SERVICE

MENTION THIS AD & RECEIVE 10% OFF YOUR SERVICE www.VisitOurTowns.com

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APOLLO’S FIRE Sunday, March 3 2:00pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Apollo’s Fire presents Come to the River, a musical voyage from the spiritual heights of an old American revival, to the driving rhythms of New England barn dances. Performed by four singer-actors, a hotshot hammered dulcimer player, wooden flutes and a handful of early music artists, conductor Jeannette Sorrell and her crossover performers bring the rich tradition of sharp-note singing and southern harmony to life. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

ARCHAEOLOGY OF TRAVELERS Sunday, March 3 2:00pm MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - March is Florida Archaeology Month! Join the museum for a celebration of Florida Archaeology with a presentation

by Neill Wallis, Ph.D., assistant curator of archaeology. 352-8462000. www.flmnh.ufl.edu.

INTERPRETI VENEZIANI Tuesday, March 5 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Specializing in Baroque music, the Italian string ensemble plays on original instruments, and their expertise as soloist and ensemble musicians has earned them an impeccable reputation around the world. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

CULINARY HERBS & SPICES Wednesday, March 6 6:30pm - 7:30pm ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE - 2800 NE 39th Ave. Growing herbs is a great way to save money and add

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Harlem Globe Trotters Thursday, March 7 7:30pm - 10:00pm O’CONNELL CENTER - The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. This event is perfect for the whole family. Come enjoy a night full of fun and laughter! www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu.

spice to life. This class will cover growing the traditional herbs such as parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme and venture into a few more exotic types like lemon grass and kaffir lime.

Pre-register at 352-3376209. alachua.ifas.ufl.edu.

YOUTH FAIR & LIVESTOCK SHOW Thursday, March 7 9:00am ALACHUA COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS - 2900 NE 39th Ave. The Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show Association is a nonprofit organization that conducts and operates public fairs and

expositions pertaining to agricultural matters and more particularly to the exhibitions of livestock, poultry, crafts, youth projects, and farm products. The fair is an educational platform for the youth in Alachua County who are interested in agriculture. 352-9552402. alachua.ifas.ufl.edu.

EPILEPSY WALK-A-THON Saturday, March 9 8:00am - 11:00am WEST SIDE PARK - 101 NW 34th St. Annual Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders Walkathon Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders are very common but people

just do not talk about it. Help break the stigma and raise awareness of this condition that affects 375,000 Floridians.

No registration fee.

Participants are asked to raise $50 for commemorative T-shirt.

352-378-4324. Register or donate at www.

EpilepsyFLA.org

GENEALOGY TECH TIPS Saturday, March 9 2:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY 401 E. University Ave. An overview of online genealogical resources the library offers. 352334-3939. www.aclib.us.

SPECTICAST: GEORGES BIZET’S CARMEN Sunday, March 10 3:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Stage director Martin Ku?ej conceived this powerful, contemporary vision of the Bizet classic with conductor Daniel Barenboim for the Staatsoper Berlin.

Mezzo-soprano Marina Domasheko plays the title role, singing famed arias that remain central to opera repertoire. English subtitles. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

FILM SCREENING Monday, March 11 5:30pm - 7:30pm SMATHERS LIBRARY Behind Closed Doors: The Dark Legacy of the Johns Committee.

This documentary film screening and following panel and audience discussion will examine the legacy of the Florida Legislative Investigation Committee, known as the Johns Committee (1956-1965), in current social and political debates concerning public higher education in Florida nearly half a century later. Free. www.

humanities.ufl.edu.

LAW IN THE LIBRARY Monday, March 11 6:00pm HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY - 401 E. University Ave. The Alachua County Library District partners with the Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association to present the “Law in Library Series.” In this session Meshon Rawls, Esq., will discuss Restoration of Civil Rights and Expungement. This presentation will provide free legal information

and suggestions for additional resources.

Free. 352-334-3909.

www.aclib.us.

ACADEMY OF ST. MARTIN IN THE FIELDS Wednesday, March 13 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Regarded as one of the finest chamber orchestras in the world, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields is known for its polished and refined sound, rooted in outstanding musicianship. Formed in 1958, the Academy now performs some 100 concerts each year and is the first and only orchestra to be honored with the Queen’s Award for Export. 352-392-ARTS.

C oin &

Jewelry

gallery since 1981

TODAY’S NEWS GOLD IS NEAR

1,700 BUYING $

GOLD COINS

performingarts.ufl.edu.

GROWING BLUEBERRIES Wednesday, March 13 3:00pm - 4:00pm ALACHUA COUNTRY EXTENSION OFFICE - 2800 NE 39th Ave. Alachua County is one of the top blueberry producing counties in the state.

People can easily grow rabbit eye blueberries in their landscape. This class covers planting, fertilizing and pruning.

Free. Pre-register at 352-337-6209.

alachua.ifas.ufl.edu.

EAGLES, MAPLES, KRUGERRANDS, DS, PRE-1933 U.S. GOLD -

U.S. SILVER DOLLARS 10¢ - 50¢ • CARSON CITY $1S U.S. PAPER MONEY .999 FINE SILVER, STERLING & PLATINUM AND OTHER ITEMS OF VALUE!

Visit Your

LOCAL COIN DEALER MILLHOPPER SHOPPING CENTER

2007 NW 43rd Street, Gainesville

352.378.3983 coinandjewelrygallery.com

MUSEUM NIGHTS Thursday, March 14 6:00pm - 9:00pm HARN MUSEUM - This Museum Nights evening is a joint collaboration between the Harn Museum and the UF Center for European Studies. Performances, art activities and tours centered around the exhibition will be offered. 352-392-9826.

FRESH MARKET 23RD AVE.

COIN & JEWELRY GALLERY

16TH AVE.

PUBLIX

1-75 NEWBERRY RD. Member ANA FUN Authorized NGC Submission Site

www.harn.ufl.edu/museumnights. www.VisitOurTowns.com

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SPLENDOR IN THE SPRING

INDIA FEST & HEALTH FAIR

CARILLON RECITAL

Friday, March 15 6:00pm

Saturday, March 16 9:00am - 6:00pm

Sunday, March 17 3:00pm

NADINE MCGUIRE THEATRE AND DANCE PAVILION - UF Friends of Music and Friends of Theatre + Dance are teaming up to host the annual benefit. Guests receive V.I.P. treatment including hors d’ oeuvres, dinner, drinks and entertainment.

Proceeds benefit the UF School of Music and the UF School of Theatre + Dance and will help provide program support and scholarships to students. 352-846-1218.

SANTA FE COLLEGE GYMNASIUM - 3000 NW 83rd St. India Cultural & Education Center (ICEC) would like to invite all to its biggest annual cultural event, showcasing the diverse culture and traditions of India. Music, dance, sale of exquisite Indian jewelry, crafts, ethnic attire and mouthwatering food. Cost is $5. 352-378-7112.

CENTURY TOWER, UF Members of the UF Carillon Studio perform on the 61-bell carillon housed in Century Tower on the University of Florida campus.

Bring a blanket or lawn chair to enjoy this free concert! 352-273-3181.

gvilleinternet.com/icec

ANTIQUE TRACTOR AND CAR DAY

www.arts.ufl.edu/welcome/td/.

RUN FOR HAVEN

Saturday, March 16 9:00am - 2:00pm

Saturday, March 16 4:30pm JONESVILLE - Tioga Town Center, 105 SW 128th St. Registration fee includes the chip-timed run, a pre-run warm up, a postrun party, live music by Dottie South and the Slackers, and food and drinks! Not a runner but still want to join the fun? Purchase a PostParty Only ticket. All proceeds will benefit the thousands of patients and families served by Haven Hospice. $35 until March 15, $45 for day-of registration for all; PostParty tickets cost $15 per person. 352-271-4665.

NEWBERRY - Dudley Farm Historic State Park, 18730 W. Newberry Road. The Friends of Dudley Farm CSO invite people to learn about its rich heritage as members of the North Florida Antique agriculture. They will plow a sugar cane field on a variety of vintage machines, dating from the 1930s. The local Antique Automobile Club of America will also display their cars. $5 per car, with up to 8 occupants. 352-4721142. friendsofdudleyfarm.org.

www.arts.ufl.edu/carillon.

LEIPZIG STRING QUARTET Sunday, March 17 2:00pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - For more than two decades, the Leipzig String Quartet has garnered the attention of international critics and audiences with its distinctly dark timbre and meticulously sculpted interpretations of a widely varied repertoire. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

through the halls and sampling a wide array of appetizers, desserts, and Irish coffees from Gainesville’s finest restaurants. All proceeds benefit Children’s Home Society of Florida’s child abuse and neglect prevention, intervention and adoption services.

352-334-0955 or 866427-5451. www.chsfl.org.

CHICK COREA AND BÉLA FLECK Wed, March 20 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Chick Corea and Béla Fleck — two master songwriters, musicians and band leaders — meet in a historic duet of piano and banjo.

The Grammy-winning duet will combine Corea and Fleck’s most recognizable tunes with the music from their Latin Grammywinning album, “The Enchantment!” 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

GROUND COVERS & TURF ALTERNATIVES

PUTTING ON THE RITZ Sunday, March 17 6:00pm - 10:30pm SANTA FE COLLEGE FINE ARTS HALL - 3000 NW 83rd St. An evening of music and dancing, special performances and a large silent auction. Guests can enjoy “Lucky-tinis” and Irish beers at the open bar while strolling

Thursday, March 21 3:00pm - 4:00pm ALACHUA COUNTY EXTENSION OFFICE - 2800 NE 39th Ave. If grass is failing, the homeowner may not be putting the right plant in the right place. Learn about groundcover plants that will grow in the

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shade or full sun. Free.

Pre-register at 352-3376209. alachua.ifas.ufl.edu.

DAVID HOLT AND JOSH GOFORTH Thursday, March 21 7:30pm SQUITIERI THEATRE, UF - Four-time Grammy winner David Holt and acoustic musician Josh Goforth team up to share folklore stories and music. The duo utilizes multiple instruments — combining the rich sounds of banjo, mandolin and slide guitar along with unusual rhythm makers, including spoons, a jaw harp and even a paper bag. 352-392-ARTS.

9 TO 5 March 22 - April 14 Times Vary GAINESVILLE COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE - 4039 NW 16th Blvd. Based on the movie with Dolly Parton, Jane Fonda and Lilly Tomlin, and nominated for five Tony Awards, 9 TO 5 tells the story of three unlikely friends who conspire to take control of their company and learn there’s nothing they can’t do — even in a man’s world.

Outrageous, thoughtprovoking and even a little romantic, 9 TO 5 is about teaming up and taking care of business, getting credit and getting even. 352-3764949. www.gcplayhouse.org.

SPRING GARDEN FESTIVAL Saturday, March 23 9:00am - 5:00pm KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS - 4700 SW 58th Drive. This is Gainesville’s premier horticultural event. The Spring Garden Festival features about 200 booths offering plants, landscape displays, garden accessories, arts and crafts, educational exhibits and, of course, foods. Also featured are a walk-through butterfly conservatory, children’s activities area, live entertainment and live auctions. Parking is free. $8 for adults, $5 children. 352-372-4981.

www.kanapaha.org.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

SPRINGS CELEBRATION & CHILI COOK OFF

MARK MORRIS DANCE GROUP Friday, March 22 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Founded in 1980, this group is one of the world’s leading dance companies, and the only one performing exclusively with live music across the US and at major international festivals.

In the late ’80s, MMDG became the national dance company of Belgium, and spent three years in residence at the Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels.

352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

Saturday, March 23 11:00am - 3:00pm HIGH SPRINGS - O’Leno State Park, 410 SE O’Leno Park Road.

There is free admission to the park with a canned food donation.

There will be live music, entertainment, children’s activities, informational exhibits and CHILI! This is a great event along the banks of the Santa Fe River. If interested in participating in the Chili Cook Off details and rules can be found at www.friendsofoleno.com.

386-454-1853.

BEETHOVEN ORCHESTRA BONN Saturday, March 23 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Founded more than a century ago, Beethoven Orchestra Bonn has evolved into one of the best ensembles of its kind in Germany and has become a pillar of cultural life in Bonn and the surrounding region.

The orchestra has completed successful tour dates and guest performances in some of the world’s greatest concert venues, from Carnegie Hall in New York to Suntory Hall in Tokyo. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

VIVA EUROPE! Saturday, March 23 11:00am - 4:00pm

HORSE SHOW

BO DIDDLEY COMMUNITY PLAZA - 111 E. University Ave. Learn to speak six phrases in Polish, write your name in Bulgarian, step some Greek dance steps, hear a saz. “Get your Hands on Europe” at VIVA EUROPE by the UF Center for European Studies and others.

The marketplace will have handmade and traditional jewelry, pillows, chocolates, ornaments, and accessories from Europe. Free.

352-294-7142.

March 23 - March 24 8:30am - 4:00pm NEWBERRY - Canterbury Equestrian Showplace, 23100 W. Newberry Road. Come out and enjoy watching three arenas of beautiful horses jumping and competing both Saturday and Sunday.

Opportunities to meet local area trainers and competitors and see the horses and ponies “up close” in a variety of competitions all day.

Free. 321-693-5551.

horseshowsinthepark.com.

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Mark Your Calendar The Gainesville Civic Chorus & UF Choral Union Dr. Will Kesling Music Director & Conductor PR E SE N T

Johanness Brahms’

German Requiem Saturday, April 20, 2013 Phillips Center For The Performing Arts This promises to be an amazing evening. Get your tickets early!

Tickets are available from Ticket Master & the PCPA box office. www.GCChorus.org

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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JOHN WILLIAMS AND JOHN ETHERIDGE

Run Amuck with the Duck 5K

Sunday, March 24 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Legendary guitarists John Williams and John Etheridge go back more than a decade to the formation of The Magic Box, which toured for three years.

Williams and Etheridge eventually became a duo, first recording Live in Dublin for Sony Records and eventually touring the world in esteemed venues, including Carnegie Hall, Chicago Symphony Hall, Sydney Opera House and Hamer Hall. 352-392-ARTS.

Saturday, March 9 9:00am NFRMC - 6500 Newberry Road. Fourth Annual Run Amuck with the Duck 5K walk/run organized by survivors Caren Gorenberg, Sandy Solomon and Crackers the Duck, MD. Preregistration is $25, students/ youths/seniors are $15, day of registration is $30. runamuck2013.kintera.org.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

FILM SCREENING Thursday, March 28 6:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - The film “The Last Flight of Petr Ginz,” tells the story of Petr Ginz, a child from Prague who perished during the Holocaust. The film opens a window into Petr’s life through his artwork, novels, short stories and magazine articles, and the journey he made from child to young adult, from innocence to the painful awareness of inhumanity. Free. 352846-1575. bobgrahamcenter.

ufl.edu.

FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH March 29 - June 22 Times Vary THOMAS CENTER - 302 NE 6th Ave. The Quest for the Fountain of Youth in Florida, Mythology and Art commemorates the 500th anniversary Ponce de Leon’s Landing in Florida with more than 30 original art works by contemporary

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Florida artists that will document the history of the Fountain story in Florida and explore interpretations of the significance of the story in their own lives and in the life of the community. Free.

352-334-ARTS. www.

cityofgainesville.org.

ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN Saturday, March 30 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER - Prepare for a nostalgic return to Queen’s heyday as this phenomenal spectacle rock-n-roll show, equipped with dynamic lighting and special effects, pays tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time. More than a tribute band, The Works — led by Gary Mullen — delivers the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of the group responsible for timeless anthems. 352392-ARTS. performingarts.

ufl.edu.

PAUL HUANG, VIOLIN Wednesday, April 3 7:30pm SQUITIERI THEATRE, UF Violinist Paul Huang is quickly establishing a reputation for his eloquent interpretations and commanding stage presence. The young virtuoso is the recipient of the Helen Armstrong violin fellowship of Young Concert Artists, and was the first prizewinner of the 2011 YCA International Auditions and 2009 International Violin Competition. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

SIMONE DINNERSTEIN & TIFT MERRITT Friday, April 5 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM - “Night” is a unique collaboration between classical pianist Simone Dinnerstein and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter

Tift Merritt. The two musicians unite the classical, folk and rock worlds, exploring common terrain and uncovering new musical landscapes. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

SPRING ARTS FESTIVAL Saturday, April 6 10:00am DOWNTOWN - Fine arts and fine crafts festival.

Local entertainment on two stages, food vendors, Kids’ art jungle, more than $20,000 in artist awards and $10,000 in purchase awards, Friday evening set-up, Saturday evening dinner, booth sitters. 110,000 attendees expected.

VIVA! 2013 Saturday, April 6 5:30pm ALACHUA - Rembert Farm, Northwest 172 Avenue. Annual fundraising event to benefit Haven Hospice.

www.VisitOurTowns.com

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It will be an evening of delicious food, live auction, silent auction, entertainment and games. Haven Hospice will continue this year with the carnival theme.

Cost: $150. 352-2714665. www.havenhospice.org.

This tour reflects Monterey’s “traditionaluntraditionalist” attitude, jazz-with-a-purpose exuberance and joyful fun that is the hallmark of the festival. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

ROBIN HOOD

SPRING PARADE OF HOMES

April 10 - May 5 Times Vary THE HIPPODROME - 25 SE 2nd Place. Robin Hood comes alive with sword fighting, archery and hijinks as the Prince of Thieves and his merry men do all the wrong things for all the right reasons. Fast-action, sword fighting, trickery, and comedy make this a fun-filled adventure for all ages! 352-3754477. thehipp.org.

VOCA PEOPLE Thursday, April 11 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - The VOCA PEOPLE have taken the world by storm with an original, thrilling musical and comedic adventure.

This ensemble of eight musical aliens delivers an out-of-this world experience, combining amazing a cappella vocals with the art of the modern beat box, which imitates drums, trumpets and guitars without instruments or sound effects. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

MONTEREY JAZZ FESTIVAL ON TOUR: 55TH ANNIVERSARY Friday, April 12 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - This exclusive presentation celebrates the Monterey Jazz Festival’s legacy by expanding the boundaries of live jazz performance.

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Saturday, April 13 1:00pm - 6:00pm BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA - 2217 NW 66th Court. The parade showcases the latest in home design and décor with the most up-todate energy saving construction techniques and the newest in land development.

Each Parade Home is a collective effort of numerous people who combine their talents and resources to show the public the newest ideas in the housing industry. Free. 352-3725649. www.bancf.com.

ALISON BALSOM & SCOTTISH ENSEMBLE Saturday, April 13 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Two-time Classic BRITs’ female artist of the year Alison Balsom partners with the Scottish Ensemble, the U.K.’s only professional string orchestra. As an acclaimed trumpeter, Balsom headlined The Last Night of the BBC Proms with an audience viewership of roughly 200 million and has also been seen on The Late Show with David Letterman. She pairs with the Glasgow-based ensemble, featuring 12 players who frequently perform at world-class festivals around the world. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

SPECTICAST: MIKHAIL GLINKA’S RUSLAN AND LYUDMILA Sunday, April 14 3:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - Produced by the Kirov Opera from the Mariinsky Theatre and conducted by Valéry Gergiev, this magnificent production offers a rare glimpse of Glinka’s masterpiece in its entirety. The artist roster features some of the great talents of Russian opera, including Galina Gorchakova and Larissa Diadkova. English subtitles. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

ONE-MAN STAR WARS TRILOGY April 16 - April 20 Times Vary SQUITIERI THEATRE, UF - In this high-energy 75-minute solo piece, writer/performer Charles Ross plays all the characters, recreates the effects, sings the songs, flies the ships and fights both sides of the battles from the original Star Wars trilogy. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION & BUTTERFLY PLANT SALE Friday, April 19 10:00am - 5:00pm MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - The Museum’s Earth Day celebration features a large plant sale with more than 120 species of difficultto-find and butterflyfriendly plants. Accent, host, native and nectar plants are available for purchase, with proceeds benefiting the Museum’s Butterfly Rainforest and Museum events

like Earth Day and ButterflyFest. 352-8462000. www.flmnh.ufl.edu.

FAMILY DAY Saturday, April 20 1:00pm - 4:00pm HARN MUSEUM - Celebrate Earth Day at the Harn.

Take a family friendly tour of “Printmaking in the Age of Rembrandt” and then make a print of foliage arrangements that were created by adults in a morning class at the museum.

A donation of $5 per family or $2 per child is requested if participating in the art activity. Admission, the exhibition tour and parking are free. 352392-9826. www.harn.ufl.edu/

museumnights.

AL STEWART Saturday, April 20 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM A key figure in British music, Al Stewart’s career spans four decades and is still going strong. His signature sound and thought-provoking lyrics propelled him to the top of the U.S. charts in the late ’70s. The title tracks to Stewart’s platinum albums Time Passages and Year of the Cat broke into the Top 10 on the Billboard charts. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

BIOBILTZ Saturday, April 20 10:00am - 3:00pm MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - Explore the wonders of life on Earth. Participate in a BioBlitz in the adjacent UF Natural Area Teaching Laboratory and see diverse specimens from the museum’s vast collections. 352-8462000. www.flmnh.ufl.edu.

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STOP! CHILDREN’S CANCER Saturday, April 20 7:00pm - 11:30pm O’CONNELL CENTER, UF STOP! Children’s Cancer is a local non-profit 501(c) (3) organization committed to the prevention, control and cure of cancer in children. Since its founding in 1981 by the Freeman family, it has been locally managed and dedicated to raising funds for basic research, research scholars and research equipment. Cost is $150. 352-392-5500.

Hair Monday, April 8 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF The Public Theater’s new Tony-winning production of HAIR is an electric celebration on stage. This exuberant musical about a group of young Americans searching for peace and love in a turbulent time has struck a resonant chord with audiences young and old. 352-392-ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu.

BRAHMS’ REQUIEM Saturday, April 20 7:00pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF - The Gainesville Civic Chorus and UF Choral Union present Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem and Tragic Overture. 352-392ARTS. performingarts.ufl.edu.

ARRANGEMENTS FROM FOLIAGE IN THE YARD Saturday, April 20 11:00am - 1:00pm HARN MUSEUM - In connection with the landscape prints on view in the exhibition, the Harn Museum and the Gainesville Garden Club are offering an adult class to learn foliage arrangement techniques. There is limited seating and registration is required.

Class fee is $18 per person and includes vase and greenery. To register or for more information call 352392-9826, ext. 2112. www.

harn.ufl.edu.

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ROSE SHOW Saturday, April 27 1:00pm - 5:00pm KANAPAHA BOTANICAL GARDENS - 47000 SW 58th Drive. Expect several hundred horticultural and arrangement exhibits to be entered into the competition.

Judged exhibits will be open to the public.

In addition to the judged exhibits, the show features hourly door prize drawings, free information and literature on rose culture, and the sale of cut flowers and potted roses. $7 for adults, free for members. 352-3724981. www.kanapaha.org.

NINETY MILES Saturday, April 27 7:30pm UNIVERSITY AUDITORIUM Critically acclaimed jazz vibraphonist Stefon Harris, saxophonist David Sánchez and trumpeter Nicholas Payton have teamed to create a distinctly unique collection of songs, Ninety Miles. The

result is a true CubanAmerican musical collaboration that defies political borders.

For this performance, Harris, Sánchez and Payton recreate the music made during this journey. 352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

HOGTOWN CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL Saturday, May 4 Times Vary KANAPAHA GARDENS Join the Hogtown Brewers and others at the Hogtown Craft Beer Festival where you can enjoy great beer and food, and learn more about the amazing diversity of beer produced at the local and regional level. www.

hogtownbeerfest.com.

GAINESVILLE CHAMBER ORCHESTRA Friday, May 10 7:30pm PHILLIPS CENTER, UF Everyone’s favorite Disney–with movie clips

and much more!

352-392-ARTS.

performingarts.ufl.edu.

WINDSOR ZUCCHINI FESTIVAL Sunday, May 12 10:00am FIRE STATION 19 - 4501 SW 20th Ave. Familyoriented festival. Arts and crafts show, live music, kids’ rides/ games, chicken barbecue meal, a variety of contests, and zucchini prepared many ways, including ice cream. 3,000 attendees expected.

CARILLON RECITAL Sunday, May 12 3:00pm CENTURY TOWER, UF Members of the UF Carillon Studio perform on the 61-bell carillon housed in Century Tower on the UF campus. Bring a blanket or lawn chair for this free concert! 352-2733181. arts.ufl.edu/carillon. s

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A healthy diet and lifestyle are the best weapons you have to fight heart disease. It is important to remember that it is the overall pattern of the choices you make that counts. As you make daily food choices, read nutrition labels and base your eating pattern on these recommendations: • Choose lean meats and poultry and prepare them without added fat.

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program. Patients are provided with the highest level of care both while health professionals are in the home and in between visits utilizing Telemonitoring and Telehealth. Home monitoring signals the onset of potential adverse events – alerting us to the need for intervention, ideally, preventing the need for emergency room visits and hospital readmissions.

Our Telehealth program supports active involvement of patients with their own care through education and responding to early signs and symptoms. Every day, patients enrolled in the program may take one or more of their own vital measurements – weight, blood pressure, pulse, oxygen saturation, or glucose levels using a wireless device in their homes. These measurements are automatically transferred to a computer monitored by a dedicated nurse who will assess the survey questions and make a decision on whether the patient needs to be seen immediately by a member of our clinical team. All care decisions are made in conjunction with and under the supervision of your individual physician.

The Telehealth program is for any patients who have: • Congestive Heart Failure • Heart Failure • Coronary Artery Disease • Atrial Fibrillation • Hypertension • Diabetes Mellitus Call Caretenders today if you or someone you love could benefit from this high touch, high tech program. We would love to provide you with better health and peace of mind!

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Community Spotlight…

Representing Gainesville at the National Level In 2005, Janet Larson had been a member of SunState Federal Credit Union for more than 20 years when a SunState loan officer suggested that she run for a spot on the Board of Directors.

“I just wanted to do something to give back to the community,” she said. “Credit union boards of directors are volunteers, so the money [made from members] goes back to the members in low interest loans [instead of paying board members]. Serving the credit union members is the same as serving my community.”

She was elected to the board that year, and in 2006 she became Chairman of the Board, a post she held until the end of 2012. She enjoyed the work so much that in 2010, she applied to serve with the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU) in Washington, D.C. The president and CEO of the organization, Fred Becker, was so impressed with her paperwork that he offered her a spot on any number of NAFCU committees. Larson, being a state health inspector for the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, chose to join the regulatory committee.

“Janet is a volunteer, but a lot of the people who serve on this committee are CEOs,” said SunState president and CEO Jim Woodward. “The technical information is part of our job. We read it, and we have to understand it, and we have staff in charge of it. But she’s taken it on and spends many late nights making sure she’s prepared when they have their monthly meeting. Fred Becker personally contacted her and said that he wanted her on the committee again because she does such a good job.”

Larson was a Gainesville Police Department officer for 22 years; she was the first woman to serve on patrol for

the city. Since her retirement from the force in 1994, she has started her health inspector career and volunteered in many ways – among other positions, she is the Secretary/Treasurer of Gainesville Police Retiree’s Association and is on the board of directors for Peaceful Janet Larson Paths. She also enjoys a happy home life with husband James “Swede” Larson (the man she calls “the love of my life”) and their two-year-old Shih Tzu dogs, Princess Jane and Cuddle Bug. Her next goal: a spot on NAFCU’s Board of Directors to better serve the organization that has so impressed her.

“NAFCU is the nuts and bolts of the credit union movement,” said Larson. “They have an awesome code of ethics, and they work for federal credit unions throughout the world. The knowledge and professionalism that NAFCU brings to the credit union community is absolutely terrific.”

It is an aspiration that came as no surprise to Woodward.

“She’s very forward-thinking, and she’s always on the move,” he said. “She’s not one to take something halfheartedly. She does her homework, she’s prepared and she understands.

“We are very, very blessed to have her at SunState, and I’m blessed to know her as a friend.”

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>> MAESTRO

Johannes Brahms’

A German Requiem

Gainesville Chorus Sings About Hope and Comfort in Times of Death

BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS magine the snapping of fingers, then silence.

One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. Silence.

Imagine the tapping of feet, the keeping of the beat, then silence.

As the silence fades away and the sounds of the Gainesville Civic Chorus rehearsing fill the room, it is easy to hear what is not there but what easily could be — the tolling of church bells — and what is there — the warm and holy voices that make up the chorus. This is the Gainesville Civic Chorus, and its members are

I

rehearsing for one of their biggest concerts of the year, Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem.”

The chorus and philharmonic orchestra are performing the concert with the University of Florida Choral Union on April 20 at 7:30 p.m. UF graduate and Metropolitan Opera singer Nicholas Pallesen will return to sing the baritone solos.

Created in 1976 under the direction of Elwood Keister, the Gainesville Civic Chorus and Philharmonic Orchestra is now in its 37th concert season. Over time, the chorus has performed at Carnegie Hall, with the Jacksonville

Symphony and Chorus, and has been recognized as the community’s best organization in the performing arts by the City Commission and the Alachua County Commission, according to its website.

The chorus’ 2012-2013 season began in December with its annual Sounds of the Season concert with the UF Choral Union, followed

by Handel’s Messiah less than a week later. Between January and April, the chorus rehearses weekly.

After Brahms’ requiem, the group performs its 7th Annual Spirit of America concert on May 25, dedicated to veterans in the community.

PHOTOS BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS

During a pause in rehearsal, Kesling joked with chorus members and said, “I want you to sound like a Russian potato peasant.”

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The Gainesville Civic Chorus & Philharmonic Orchestra with the

University of Florida Choral Union presents Johannes Brahms’ “A German Requiem and Tragic Overture” Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m.

Phillips Center for Performing Arts, 315 Hull Road Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster. Visit www.gcchorus.org or the GCC Facebook page for updates.

Music conductor and director Will Kesling began working with the Gainesville Civic Chorus eight years ago and has been the director of choral activities at UF for ten years.

Before that, he was with the Utah State University Chamber Choir.

“When I put that civic chorus and that university choir together, it’s as good as anybody’s,” Kesling said.

Brahms’ “A German Requiem” is

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unlike most in that it is sacred but non-liturgical.

“When we think of a requiem, we think of a Catholic rite [of death],” Kesling said. “The text is not Catholic, and it’s not in Roman.”

The text is in German and from the Luther Bible. Brahms chose a set of seven texts from various locations in the Bible and set it to music, which are referred to as the

seven movements. The requiem is meant to be a work that comforts the living of the dead.

Brahms was inspired by the death of his close friend Robert Schumann. After witnessing Schumann’s wife suffer, he created the requiem with six movements.

He added the seventh movement when his mother died a year later.

Kesling has performed the masterwork many times, but he has never performed it with Nicholas Pallesen, a world-class baritone and one of Kesling’s former students.

The two of them met in 2000, and have remained close ever since.

“He walked into my office one cold January and said that he wasn’t sure why he was there, but that he thought he was supposed to be a singer,” Kesling said.

PHOTOS BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS

ABOVE: The conductor uses his arms as the music becomes more uplifting.

LEFT: “Breathe all of the punctuation marks as if you were reading them,” Will Kesling said.

RIGHT: The chorus is made up of a variety of members of the community, and they perform together at least four times a year.

Pallesen started singing professionally at 17 years of age but studied under Kesling to become a conductor.

“I went to UF specifically to conduct like him.” But, he said, “my singing voice was my primary instrument. Eventually, I had to settle on something.”

Pallesen sang in the chamber and university choirs while studying conducting. He graduated

from UF in 2005.

After winning the district level of the Metropolitan Opera competition every year that he was at UF, he decided to strike while the iron was hot. Pallesen, now 34, is on the roster of the Metropolitan Opera and is making his official debut during the spring of 2014. He is returning to sing under Kesling for “A German Requiem” in April. Since he graduated from UF, Pallesen has attended

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and graduated from the Juilliard Opera Center, he has performed at the Los Angeles Opera and the New York City Opera, and he recently made his Carnegie Hall debut.

“The morning of [my debut], we had a dress rehearsal. I walked out on stage and just had an ‘Oh my God’ moment,” Pallesen said. He will be performing at Carnegie Hall again in March before returning to Gainesville for the concert in April.

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PHOTO BY KATHERINE KALLERGIS

The pianist for the Gainesville Civic Chorus follows Kesling’s instructions, repeating measures so that chorus members understand which notes should be stressed.

“Overall, the Brahms’ requiem is my favorite requiem because I think that the music is just gorgeous,” he said. “Very often the Brahms’ requiem gets subtitled as a human requiem,” focusing on death and peace and hope in troubled times.

Out of the work’s seven movements, Pallesen will be performing the baritone solos in the third and sixth movements. In the third movement, the baritone soloist is realizing that his days are numbered and he is coming to terms with death. He is praying to God for a sense of understanding and comfort, Pallesen said, asking, “Where is my comfort?”

The sixth movement uses scriptures about death and the moment when Christ returns. The baritone

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sings those phrases with the choir.

It is the most exciting, Pallesen said.

“It definitely gets your blood going.”

In addition to rehearsing on his own and with coaches, Pallesen will return the week of the concert to rehearse with Kesling, who tries to bring him back as a guest alumni soloist when he can.

Both of them have talked about performing this masterwork for years. Pallesen said that it is easy to rehearse with him because they are always on the same page, both literally and metaphorically.

“I know him really well. I know his standards, and I know his expectations,” Pallesen said. “It makes rehearsal a lot smoother.”

During rehearsal, Kesling

maintains the group’s morale while being meticulous. At one point, he joked that “This might be easier to do in German.”

It is Kesling’s attention to detail that has struck Pallesen the most.

“It’s formed how I work,” he said. “It’s the key to excellence.

It’s not just learning things on the surface level, but it’s also digging deep. The more richness, vividness, honesty and truth you can give to a performance, the better.”

Pallesen called Kesling one of his dearest and most special mentors in his life. Both said that their relationship is much like that of a father and son.

“Coming back to UF has always felt like coming home,” Pallesen said. s

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>> INTERVIEW

Cathy DeWitt Singer, Songwriter, Musician and Writer

BY ALBERT ISAAC

OCCUPATION: PROFESSIONAL MUSICIAN HOMETOWN: ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA MOVED TO GAINESVILLE: 30+ YEARS AGO HUSBAND: ROB ROTHSCHILD SON: JACKSON DEWITT

146 | Spring 2013

athy DeWitt’s smile is infectious as she plays a Celtic harp on the corner of Southeast 2nd Place and 1st Street — a recent gig for a downtown art walk. A young man approaches, curious about the instrument. He plays the banjo, he says. Cathy asks if he’d like to try the harp. She begins plucking the lower strings and he improvises a melody on the upper strings, clearly intrigued by the instrument.

Cathy’s curriculum vitae is too lengthy to include in this story. Suffice it to say she has shared the stage and/or the airwaves with Tom Paxton, Pete Seeger, Garrison Keillor,

C

Florida folk legend Will McLean, jazz pianist Rob Bargad, and others. She is a published writer, a concert producer, and bandleader for the jazz quartet “MoonDancer,” as well as the all-woman folk/bluegrass band “Patchwork.”

Also, for many years she hosted and produced a folk music radio show, “Across the Prairie,” on WUFT. I recently caught up with Cathy at a downtown coffee shop to learn more.

What brought you to Gainesville?

UF. I’m one of those people who came and never left — although I did leave periodically for short periods of time. But this is my home base.

What did you study?

I have a journalism degree.

I had some jobs working for media marketing at a little old advertising company in the ‘80s — maybe earlier than that. I worked at various advertising agencies and I wrote for several publications. I wrote for “New Look” magazine back in the ‘70s.

I even wrote some articles for The Scene. And I put out this women’s journal.

When did first become interested in writing?

When I was a kid I wrote short stories. I never did reportorial writing. Now that I’m older and I’ve had this degree, I didn’t really continue writing stories. I kept thinking I’d

PHOTOS BY TJ MORRISSEY

Cathy DeWitt with other members of MoonDancer, Rob Rothschild on drums and David Ottenberg on bass, during a recent Red Onion gig. MoonDancer is just one of many eclectic musical groups in which DeWitt is involved. Others include Patchwork, Trio Fantastique -- featuring French utist Christine Alicot, Mark Billman on cello and DeWitt on piano -- and the occasional romp with The Relics.

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Tell me about your radio show.

I had the radio show “Across the Prairie” on WUFT, for 15 or 16 years before they basically shut down all the music.

It kind of started in the ‘90s. People still come up to me and recognize my voice if they don’t know me. It was really fun. In a way it was kind of like Marian McPartland’s Piano Jazz show but we did it with folk music.

I had people on the air with me and I’d interview people and sometimes we’d play together or sing together. It would be local people and sometimes there’d be regional people passing through. I had the opportunity to interview some out in the field, like Pete Seeger, Arlo Guthrie and Garrison Keillor.

What was your first instrument?

The piano. We always had a piano in the house.

I’ve read that your father led his own band in New Orleans, opening for Louis Armstrong at Pete Fountain’s place. Did he give you lessons?

No, by the time I came along in the family my mom made him get a real job, so I really didn’t get to hear him play that much. I was the youngest. But my brother, who was a prodigy classical pianist, I heard him a lot.

And we’re really close. We both do music as a career.

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So music has always been a part of your life?

PHOTO BY TJ MORRISSEY

write a novel; I’m such a big fiction reader. But I only write interviews. I love interviewing people.

Oh yeah. I would just listen to songs on the radio and pick them out on the piano and play by ear. It was hard for me to learn to read music because it was easier for me to just remember something and then do it. I took some lessons but I play mostly by ear.

In general, music is a different part of the brain than language, which is why music can be used to reconnect people who have lost language but can still sing the words to their favorite songs.

How many instruments do you play?

I play piano, but voice is really my main instrument. I’m a singer. I play guitar, Celtic harp, bowed psaltery. Sometimes I play some drums as an accompaniment with singing.

Did you often perform with your family when you were a child?

When we were all kids we did some little church talent shows and goofy stuff some times. When my brother and I get together, sometimes we’ll play and sing. If I have a gig he’ll sit in. We played at our parents’ memorials.

That must have been difficult.

I do memorials a lot. I play at the hospital so I’m tuned in to that world. I like it. I like playing for people’s personal events — weddings and memorials. Adding the right note

of music makes it more meaningful. I like bringing comfort to people.

Tell us about your most recent album?

“The Traveler” — my new album — is about a year old. And that was an interesting project.

Because of Unity, the church that I play at, the poet laureate of Unity is named James Dillett Freeman and he’s had two different poems taken to the moon by two different astronauts. And one is the “Prayer for Protection,” and the other one is “I am There.” I’ve always had a bond with his poetry. I put a melody to his “Prayer for Protection” back in the ‘80s. And beginning about 2010 I started making music to his words. And

that’s how this album came about. And most of the time the music would just come through, sitting at the piano, looking at his words.

How do you find inspiration for your songwriting?

It kind of varies. Generally things come to me. I’m not like a working songwriter who picks a time of day to sit down and write stuff. I’m generally inspired by something.

My song “Arm’s are for Hugging,” which is sung every year at the Vets for Peace Concert for 20 years, that was inspired by a bumper sticker.

Some songs are inspired by dreams.

Usually they come partially done and I

have to finish them.

Sometimes I ask other people to help me finish it. Or like when I was standing in the waves at Flagler Beach where [folk singer] Gamble Rogers drowned. This pattern of music came to me, which was kind of related to the waves. I didn’t have an instrument with me so I had to go home and create it on the piano.

Oh, and the birth of my son, which inspired “Everybody’s Somebody’s Child,” which has really been one of my most successful songs; it won several awards and is the one people always seem to love the most.

When did you first start playing in front of others?

All through high school I was in music groups where we sang, like the madrigal singers and the little choral ensembles and stuff like

jobs, working as a camp counselor, and I’d always wind up putting together a singing group. When I was a kid I would have talent shows and go around the neighborhood and collect people to become part of a show. I’d write up little newsletters on notebook paper — I was combining my journalism and music career.

Tell me about Patchwork and other bands.

I was doing coffee shops, and doing dinner music gigs playing piano, and then after college I met Janet Rucker because she was singing at Skeeters and I’d get up and sing harmonies with her. And she took me dragging and screaming into this band called the Rhythm and Blues Revue, a 12-piece band, with three horns, three girls dancing and the Blue’s Brothers. It

“Whether it’s a wedding or a celebration of some kind, or a passage, music is such a valuable component to add to any experience.” that. Music has been my constant companion; it was never something I necessarily thought of as a career, because my brother was this genius classical prodigy — which is another reason I didn’t go that far with piano lessons because he had that covered! I would go to summer camp

started out as a lark but then she dragged me into the band because the keyboard player hurt his back and couldn’t play anymore. I was just going to be a temporary fill-in.

And out of that band — which mainly had its heyday in the ‘80s — I met Rob who was the drummer. Now

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PHOTOS BY ALBERT ISAAC

Cathy DeWitt tunes a Celtic harp and then performs for passersby during a recent downtown Gainesville gig for an art exhibit.

our jazz and variety band — MoonDancer — is the rhythm section of the Rhythm and Blues Revue.

And out of that band also grew Patchwork; Jolene, Janet and I. We just started doing Patchwork on the side for fun because we liked doing acoustic music with harmonies. Patchwork kind of outlived Rhythm and Blues Revue.

Tell us about The Relics and the Woodstock show on the Bo Diddley Plaza.

It was the 40th anniversary of Woodstock.

Bob McPeek started calling his friends and he formed this group — first called the Psychedelic Relics. The band was put together to do that gig. It was such a special night.

That was the biggest crowd they ever had. It was like a love fest. It was like a mini-Woodstock, it had that vibe, you know.

Everybody loved it so much. Bob said, “Man that was fun. We should do it ore often.” This is a group of basically nine to 12 people. Bob doesn’t always make it a Woodstock thing. The last time he had Gregg Jones doing Mick Jagger.

It’s almost reminiscent of the Rhythm and Blues Revue, which was so much fun. People are just dancing and the energy is so up and high and you feel like you’re riding this train.

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Do you have any hobbies?

We like outdoors stuff.

We do hiking and sailing and biking. I like going to the beach — St. Augustine.

I like photography, too but I haven’t done it in a long time. Now that we take pictures with our phones it’s just not as interesting as when I had a Yashica-D and I could do double exposures and actually go into a darkroom. The one year I took photojournalism class I got so into the darkroom that I would skip all my other classes so I could stay in there and watch the picture appear like magic on the white sheet of paper that was soaking in these horrid chemicals that we later learned were really bad for you. I miss hard copy pictures.

When did you get involved with the Shands Arts in Medicine program?

Since the early ‘90s. It began a little over 20 years ago. And I came in about two or three years after it started. When it started there were two people, and by the time I started there were probably eight people. And now we have almost 20 people, counting artists and staff.

How did you become involved?

I thought this was a great program, I’d heard about it. I was on the

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Cultural Affairs board, and I thought we should bring in John GrahamPole — he’s at Shands @ UF and started Arts in Medicine. I thought he should come and speak to the Cultural Affairs board.

I was into connecting people. I’ve always been a good networker, but I didn’t think I’d be the one to do it. I was always that one who would faint when they would prick my finger to take blood.

I never expected to be in a hospital setting. They lured me in. They were doing an evening program for pediatrics and they asked me to do a concert series for pediatric oncology. So I got my friend Janet, who is in Patchwork with me, and she came and played banjo and it was amazing. We did a lot kids’ programs at the time, so we knew a lot of kids’ songs. We had some magical experiences, and I thought, “Oh, wow. I can do this.”

Do any experiences stand out?

Well, when she brought the banjo into the activities room — where families could gather and there would be some fun activities for everyone — we’d have maybe 15 people in that room, counting kids, their siblings and their parents. There was a little girl who said, “Oh, my sister is going to come and hear the music.” And the woman who brought me into this situation said she’d already talked to her and she wasn’t feeling well. So they went down the hall while we were still playing. The little girl

told her mom, “She’s gotta come, she’s gotta come.

Put her in the wagon!”

The patient was curled up in the bed in a fetal position and didn’t want to do anything. But they put her in the wagon and they start bringing her down the hall and she gets closer to the room and she starts sitting up, kind of bobbing her head. And she comes in the room, and she’s dancing in the wagon and smiling. And the little sister who wanted her to come is saying, “See! Listen to the music. Listen to the music!” The kids were dancing around with their IV poles and families are all smiling.

It made their day, didn’t it?

And MINE. I get to have experiences like that now, all the time. It’s pretty amazing. Even when people are dying, it’s such an honor to be there.

That’s why I don’t mind doing memorial services.

I feel like it’s a privilege to be able to be in these moments in peoples’ lives. Whether it’s a wedding or a celebration of some kind, or a passage, music is such a valuable component to add to any experience. I try to make it my mission to bring it to every experience I have. Sometimes when I’m really thinking about it, I’ll just go somewhere and start singing. And people start singing with me, like the Hollywood musicals, breaking into song. It really happens.

I think it’s really my gift, my mission that I’m able to spread joy through music. s

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>> DIG IT

Greening the City Porters Community Farm works to provide fresh food to local charities

BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON ibrant bursts of mustard greens peek out from the dirt across the street from Gainesville’s Porters Community Center. Swiss Chard, kale, carrots and broccoli line the nearby rows, providing a dash of green inside the area riddled with houses, businesses and paved roads.

Situated on the corner lot at SW Third Street and Fifth Avenue, these vegetable rows form the beginnings of Gainesville’s first urban farm.

Labor began on the farm in fall of 2012, after Florida Organic Growers Inc. (FOG) raised $12,000 through its online Indiegogo fundraiser. After the start-up expenses, Travis Mitchell, community food

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project coordinator for FOG, said the remainder of the money will fund the farm’s upkeep for the rest of the year.

While community members are welcome to harvest the crops, most of the food was planted with a specific goal in mind. FOG hopes to provide nearby charities, such as the St. Francis House and Gainesville Community Ministries, with fresh food for local residents in need.

Food banks usually work with highly processed foods, Mitchell said. He hopes to counter the steady stream of unhealthy products donated to the charities by contributing nutritious, fresh vegetables and fruit.

January 2013 brought the farm’s first harvest. As soon as vegetables

were gathered, Porters Community Farm volunteers delivered them to the St. Francis House, where the greens will help feed over 200 people a day. According to the St. Francis House website, they provided 74,000 meals in 2010.

Lee Smith, operations director for the St. Francis House, said it is rare for an organization to donate such a steady stream of fresh food.

The charity receives 70 percent of its donations from the community, such as restaurants, community members and leftovers from catering events.

“The emphasis is on us,” he said. “It brings a greater sense of community and connects on a personal level.”

Porters Community Farm creates more than just a resource for

PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

Travis Mitchell, the community food project coordinator at FOG, separates the irrigation hoses in preparation for sowing a new bed of root crops, including turnips and carrots. The entire farm is connected by a system of hoses that provide micro-irrigation and drip irrigation. The system keeps the plants from being overwatered, which drowns the plants and leeches out the soil’s nutrients. The system reduces water waste.

fresh food — it provides neighborhood beautification and education for the locals.

“If you had to pick a site, you wouldn’t pick a better one,” Mitchell said. Porters sits inside a lowincome neighborhood, just blocks from the charities it delivers to.

Many problems associated with poverty are food-related, such as hunger, malnutrition and foodrelated diseases. But low-income neighborhoods fight other shackles of poverty, such as high unemployment and crime.

“It’s creating a constructive, positive space,” Mitchell said. “That may be the greatest benefit of these urban farms — kind of the broken window effect. If there’s less broken windows, there’s less crime.”

The farm is an indication that people care, said Sean McLendon, the Alachua County sustainability manager. If the neighborhood is deteriorating, it looks like no one cares enough to do something positive.

“But the minute you start fixing the window, cleaning up the graffiti, you can say, ‘no, people live here,’”

www.VisitOurTowns.com

he said. “A farm — a piece of welltended, well-cared-for land — adds to the people’s positive perception of the community.”

Much like a farmers market or nearby park, the farm provides a healthy “green” space within a community. Prior to the 1970s, urban planning shied away from ecology.

But as the 1980s approached, “urban planners noted the importance of nature in the city and recognized that it had powerful implications…” states “Cities of the World: World Regional

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PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON PH

AB ABOVE: January brought the first harvest of the new newly established farm. After gathering the greens, Po Porters delivered them to the local St. Francis House, wh which uses the fresh food to help with the 200 meals the they provide daily.

LE LEFT: Chris Cano said the perfect compost pile should be two parts vegetables and one part carbon. The two ele elements are required to create the perfect habitat for bac bacteria, and can be found in kitchen scraps, eggshells, dea dead leaves, newspaper and more.

Urban Development,” edited by Stanley D. Brunn.

“There are numerous examples of ways that cities have begun to reconnect to the natural world within the urban landscape.

Greening the city can involve tree-planting programs, heritage preservation, smart buildings, urban farms, urban forests, ecosystem restoration, bicycle-friendly programs, improved recycling programs, restricted use of cars, and expansion of green spaces.”

The land provides another benefit to the local residents: education and training.

While Porters is not certified organic, most of the techniques used on the farm are organic methods. The farmers and their volunteers do not use chemicals on the plants. All techniques practiced on the farm are hopefully going to leave the land and soil healthier than when FOG found it, Mitchell said. The organization hopes to reduce the use of vehicles for farmrelated errands. Already, Mitchell

158 | Spring 2013

said the deliveries to nearby charities are made by bicycle.

Working with Gainesville Compost to create an organic fertilizer, Mitchell places the “black gold” in the ground where he intends to plant his crops. Compost returns organic matter back to the soil.

Along with the compost, he intends to use organic pesticides, such as a hot pepper and garlic spray to deter insects from the plants. Porters Farm inadvertently practices integrated pest management, or the control of unwanted bugs by natural means. Ladybugs, a beneficial insect, scour the farm’s greens. The bright red bug is a voracious predator of the smaller aphid.

“Organic gardening is using the natural systems to our advantage,” Mitchell said. “If we keep a balance, we will never have swarms destroying our crops. Hopefully,” he added with a laugh.

Hoses, a system of micro-irrigation and drip irrigation, crisscross the entire plot. They extend down the length of the beds, and on a

timed schedule provide a continuous flow of water droplets. Mitchell said this happens in five-minute bursts from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.

The intervals keeps the plants from being over-watered, in which case nutrients can leach into the soil.

Drip irrigation is water-efficient.

With the hose so close to the soil, it reduces water waste usually seen with a sprinkler system.

Sheila Payne, a volunteer, knelt among the vibrant bursts of mustard greens, carefully skimming over the leaves and plucking the fullest pieces. Occasionally a red fleck of a ladybug peeked out from inside the patches, and Payne simply brushed the insect from one plant to the next.

Some days, community members joined her, slicing their own vegetables from the bountiful crop, she said, running her fingers over the cut stem of a mustard green plant — evidence of how the community near Porters has begun to accept the little farm that sprouted up in the middle of their neighborhood. s

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COLUMN >> BRIAN “KRASH” KRUGER

Gate Crashing On Deck: Habits, Leela and the Rams, Color TV, Black Box Jungle DATE: SATURDAY, JANUARY 5 VENUE: HIGH DIVE reetings, live music aficionados! This issue finds us at the High Dive (formerly Double Down Live), in the downtown “entertainment district,” a club which has a long and storied history on the local scene, including its incarnations as the Covered Dish and Common Grounds (shuttered in 2011).

This evening I decided to go a little outside my comfort zone and see some bands that I knew virtually nothing about. In fact, I don’t believe I’d even heard of these bands except for the closers. I was treated to a very cool evening with a somewhat diverse bill.

Openers Habits is a five-piece with two guitarists, bass, drums, and keyboards. The two guitarists did the singing, with more of the lead singing by the one playing a PRS SE Custom Semi-hollow, and more of the backing and shouty bits being done by the Telecaster player. The bassist played busy climbing runs on his black Schecter, and the drum kit, adorned with a picture of the Florida state flag (represent!),

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was used for some interesting offbeat playing and time signature changes. The keyboardist most often played a full-size Casio (a mini-Korg was also present) in a sort of Mellotron voicing, often doing single-note melodies or countermelodies, as opposed to more traditional left hand chording and right hand melody.

One song began with a kind of football-chant vocal that they all sang, with the keyboardist pounding a beat on a floor tom.

Habits’ Facebook page describes them as “Progressive/ Experimental/ Post-Rock,” which indeed they are. But that might lead one to think that Habits’ music is not very accessible, which is not at all the case. This was a fun set and featured music that sounded much more mature and polished than one would expect from a band playing within a month of its first gig.

Next up was Leela and the Rams, whose compliment varied from a quartet in the standard rock format of two guitars, bass and drums, up to a seven-piece, with a two-piece horn section (trumpet and saxophone) and additional backing singer. Like the openers, this band had its first show in the latter half of last year, but

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again a very professional set was presented. It’s always refreshing to see women onstage, and this outfit featured same in three roles: as lead singer, backing singer, and saxophonist/backing singer.

As with most bands with “and the” in their band name, the intended focus here is the lead singer and presumed lyricist. For most of the set she chorded on a big jazzbox-style guitar played clean (meaning no distortion), switching to keyboards on the closer, while the guy guitarist playing a sunburst Stratocaster handled the leads. It was immediately evident that Leela is a classically trained vocalist, which served the band well during its set of mellow jazz-tinged pop.

The overall effect was not too far afield from Nora Jones with a bit more vocal range, or Sade with a bit less samba and bit more adrenaline. Perhaps throw in a pinch of Mazzy Star too.

The penultimate band, Color TV, was a quartet playing a man down, with acoustic guitar, drums and bass. As with most such trios, the guitarist was the lead vocalist, although both the other members sang backing and did some really tight harmonies. The lead singer’s voice was a little reminiscent of early Bob Dylan, when Dylan actually sang as opposed to talking his way through songs. With the most stripped-down instrumental attack of the evening, the lyrics took center stage during Color TV’s set, which lyrics were clever and often humorous.

Think Jonathon Richman meets Violent Femmes, with a bit of the smart lyrical approach of Mister T Experience’s Doctor Frank, and you’ll be in the ballpark of Color TV’s set. One offering was called “The Pussy Song,” comparing men to dogs and women to cats, and another worked in lyrical references to as many well-known persons called “Bruce” as could possibly be fit. Now that there is some fine lyric writing, son.

Closing was Black Box Jungle. Although (judging from Facebook photos) some of their previous shows have also featured multiple keyboards onstage, tonight the group was a four-piece with guitarist (an Epiphone SG, for those of you scoring at home), bassist (playing an unusual and somewhat rare Rickenbacker, not one of the iconic 4000 series that one thinks of when one hears “Ric bass”), and drums (the drummer also provided backing vox), completed by a totally manic lead singer, who ran and paced so much that it was often difficult to get a photo with him in frame with the rest of the band.

Their Facebook page lists their genre as “indescribable,” and they are that. Still, I’m getting the big bucks to give you the what-what, so I’ll have to be a bit more specific than that. Maybe quasi-experimental post-hardcore. Or chaotic loudness with a touch of screamo. And I mean that in a good way. Oh, and there were balloons. And a large onstage statue of a hand “giving the finger.” Good times.

Now, go see some bands. s

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REVIEW: TUPELO >> JANICE C. KAPLAN

Adventures in Appetite In a southern town like Gainesville, barbecue joints are as common as mosquitoes on an August evening. o what sets Tupelo BBQ Bar and Grill apart from others? On a recent afternoon, a friend and I decided to find out.

Tupelo BBQ is located at 4401 NW 25 Place in Gainesville, in the space formerly occupied by Las Margaritas. Opened in April of 2012, the restaurant has developed a following for its southern-style barbecue with a few twists added. Nearly all items on the menu, from sauces to desserts, are handmade on the premises.

Upon our arrival for lunch we were greeted warmly and seated in a booth by the window. Not much has changed inside the restaurant; patrons of the former tenant will quickly recognize the wood-paneled bar and the tile tabletops. However, the Mexcian details have been replaced with natural photography by Tom Tibbitts, and the walls are painted with subtle earth tones. While the décor seemed a bit unfinished and bare (there is unexplained empty space in the middle of the dining room), the atmosphere was terrific for any kind of group, be it a family, a couple or a gathering of friends.

When perusing the menu we immediately noticed not only the usual items to be expected at a barbecue place, but some different takes on the genre as well.

For example, while I decided on a basic pulled pork sandwich served with coleslaw, my companion chose the Tupelo Tacos — pulled pork (chicken is also available), seasoned cabbage, radishes, pico de gallo and

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guacamole, all tucked into three soft taco shells. Both dishes are served with one side item, so I chose the sweet potato fries while my friend had the red quinoa.

Shortly before our food arrived, we discovered yet another unique aspect of Tupelo when our friendly and knowledgeable server, Brett, brought us a bucket with five bottles of homemade sauce. There was a vinegarbased house barbecue, sweet barbecue made with bourbon, hot barbecue, Carolina mustard and ketchup.

Brett explained that while the meat in many of Tupelo’s dishes is seasoned with a dry rub, it is often served without sauce. He suggested we use our bread plates as palettes to taste and mix the sauces in the bucket to find the combinations we like best for our dishes. The concept essentially makes many meals at Tupelo customizable; you can order the same item several times but literally have a different meal on each occasion.

Truthfully, I could have eaten my pulled pork sandwich exactly as it was served. The dry rub added a subtle yet delicious flavor, the pork was tender and juicy and the bun was lightly toasted. But after a little trial and error I found a combination of the sweet barbecue and Carolina mustard, and the result was divine. The coleslaw was creamy, and the sweet potato fries were crispy without a hint of grease.

My friend’s tacos also had a good tangy flavor on their own without being overwhelming. As with my pork sandwich, she could add any sauce and create a whole new taco with each one; the sweet barbecue was her favorite. Her side dish, a cup of red quinoa, was perfectly seasoned and tasty.

Feeling a little indulgent, we decided to top off our meal with dessert. While the fried Key lime pie sounded intriguing (a regular version is also available), we shared Tupelo’s pecan bourbon pie — a rich confection with just the right amount of sweetness and a flaky crust, topped with homemade whipped cream.

“The simply prepared meat and variety of sauces made for a unique and delicious way to enjoy barbecue”

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Dining at Tupelo is affordable for most budgets, with prices ranging from $6.99 for some sandwiches to $18.49 for the duck breast in port wine and cherry glaze. Our lunch — consisting of two entrees, two soft drinks, dessert and coffee — was under $30, including tax (but before the tip).

My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Tupelo BBQ Bar and Grill. The simply prepared meat and variety of sauces made for a unique and delicious way to enjoy barbecue, and we finished every last bite of all of our selections. The service was friendly and swift without being rushed, and our server was well-versed in every aspect of the food. I have already returned once with my husband, who was also impressed with every aspect of our meal. Perhaps next time I’ll take advantage of Tupelo’s Sunday brunch or enjoy dinner with my whole family. s

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ADVERTISER INDEX 4400 NW 36th Avenue • Gainesville, FL 32606 352-372-5468 352-373-9178 fax AUTOMOTIVE Maaco Collision Repair ..........................89 Park Place Car Wash & Detail .............89 Southeast Car Agency ............................. 169 Terry’s Automotive & Qwik Lube .......160

REAL ESTATE Atrium ......................................................... 94 The Village .................................................59

FINANCIAL / LAW A+ Tax & Bookkeeping ............................. 166 ABC LLC Easy Tax & Accounting.........124 Edward Jones - Ed Potts.........................144 Morgan Stanley - Banks / Carroll .......... 25 ProActive Tax & Accounting.......................6 Sunshine State Insurance ................... 149 SunState Federal Credit Union .............................137, 151, 172

FITNESS and BEAUTY Charisma for Hair .....................................16 Emerge..............................................................129 LAE Beauty ......................................................92 Massage Envy Spa........................................65 Spa Royale........................................................ 32 Sun Station Tanning ............................. 134 Zoetic Designs, LLC ................................13 34th Street Salon ........................................... 91

PETS and VETS Bed & Biscuit Inn ................................... 162 Bob’s Compassionate Pet Sitting ....... 163 Dancin’ Dogs Boarding .............................163 Daytime Dogs & Friends ........................... 79 Dream Dogz ............................................ 162 Eager Pup ......................................... 83, 163 Earth Pets Organic ................................ 80 Gainesville Pet Sitter.................................... 27 Invisible Fence ................................................99 Vacation Station Pet Resort ...................162 Wild Birds Unlimited ............................ 163

MEDICAL / HEALTH 1st Choice Immediate Care ..................58 1st Choice Weight Loss .........................58 Affordable Dentures ............................. 80 Altschuler Periodontic ........................ 103 Caretenders ............................................. 132 Clear Sound Audiology............................... 17 Cohen & Montini Orthodontics ............... 41 Douglas M. Adel, DDS............................92 Gainesville Dermatology ...........................93 Gentle Dental Care ..........................................2 The Oaks Family Dentistry .......................66 Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery ...........45 Samant Dental Group ............................ 37

SERVICE Alachua County Big Blue ......................91 Alachua Co. Waste Management ...... 57 Alpha Bytes Computers ............................. 91 Archer Electric Service...............................119 A&K Outdoor Services ...............................99 The Best Restoration................................... 55 BBI Construction Management..........99 Chimney Sweeps of America..................99 COX Business............................................ 57 COX Communications ...........................69 Creekside Outdoor ........................ 68, 108 Gainesville Regional Airport ............. 125 Grease Busters ..............................................124 The Grounds Guys ........................................26 GRU......................................................................49 GRU Natural Gas ................................... 15, 123 Infinity Dish .....................................................167 Lotus Studios Photography .................18 Mini Maid .....................................................51 The Net Group................................................ 67

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AHA Water ..........................................................3 Fences & Gates by IMI ......................... 149 Greater Good Construction ....................152 Griffis Lumber................................................123 H2Oasis Custom Pool & Spa ................... 52 Jane’s Tower Garden ................................. 145 Overhead Door ........................................ 77 ReUser Building Products.........................84 Red Barn Home Center.............................153 Rosenboom Construction ...................... 166 Thurston Garden Design .........................144 Tower Garden................................................108 United Rent-All..........................................81 Whitfield Window & Door.................. 142 William Weseman Construction ............42

Alachua Learning Center .............................9 Dragon Rises College..................................80 Gainesville Country Day School .......... 4 Kids on Wheels .............................................159 Millhopper Montessori School ...............159

American Diversified Publications .......92 Cash for Cars .............................................81 Holy Trinity Episcopal Church ............83

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MISCELLANEOUS

RETAIL / RECREATION Alachua Pawn & Jewelry ..................... 90 Alachua Spring Festival ........................... 145 Alley Gatorz Bowling ..................................44 A-1 Sewing Machine & Vacuum ............ 134 A Green Rose ................................................ 145 Backyard Market & Gifts ..........................144 Beacher’s Lodge.................................... 122 Blue Springs ............................................ 154 City of Gainesville ........................................125 Coin & Jewelry Gallery ......................... 121 Colleen’s Kloset........................................ 27 Cootie Coo Creations .......................... 154 Crevasses Florist.......................................... 134 Dance Alive............................................... 117 Dirty Bar ................................................... 136 Gainesville Civic Chorus............................125 Garden Gallery .............................................144 Gator Spirits & Fine Wines .......................39 Hippodrome ...................................................127 Hurlburt’s Stride Rite ...................................131 Jewelry Designs by Donna..................... 154 Klaus Fine Jewelry ............................8, 135 Lentz House of Time ............................ 122 Liquor & Wine Shoppe ...............................39 Music Junction.............................................. 145 Paddywhack............................................. 131 Pawn Pro .................................................. 155 Pioneer Days Festival ................................ 154 Scentsy Candles ...........................................159 Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Ctr. .........123 Sweetwater Picture Framing................... 25 Swim America ...............................................159 Tina’s Bling Boutique .................................. 79 Thornebrook Gallery ..................................135 Thornebrook Village .................................. 134 Valerie’s Loft Consignment ........ 25, 145

RESTAURANT / CUISINE Adam’s Rib Co. ..................................... 110, 155 Ballyhoo Grill............................................ 110 The Bob of Jonesville Bar & Grille ...........7 Conestoga’s Restaurant........................... 145 Dave’s NY Deli .................................................111 Dos Mamas................................................44, 111 El Toro..........................................................82 Embers Wood Grill ......................................129 Gator Tails Sports Bar ..................................111 Great Outdoors Restaurant ........... 109, 171 Hungry Howies Pizza ............................... 5 Main St. Pie Co..............................................144 Mark’s Prime Steak & Seafood .......... 112 Napolatanos Italian ......................................112 Northwest Grille .............................................113 Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza ..................... 110 The Red Onion ...............................................113 Saboré ........................................................ 113 Southern Soul .................................................112 TCBY.................................................................. 136 Thornebrook Chocolates ........................ 136

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SALES DEPARTMENT p: 352.377.4373 f: 352.373.3830 Southeastcars@bellsouth.net

t of: pien Reci hics in ” “Et Award ess Busin FIADA Year” & f the ler o “Dea

HOURS OF OPERATION M - F: 9am-7pm Sat: 9am-5pm Sun: Closed

Family owned and operated for over 30 years.

www.secars.com • 310 10 NE 39th, Gainesville FL 32609 www.VisitOurTowns.com

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PHOTO BY AMANDA WILLIAMSON

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46 >> GROW DIFFERENT

Swallowtail’s strawberries sit inside raised rows, which are similar to raised bed gardening. In raised beds, the farmer builds the rows or the bed above the surrounding area. “In raised beds, you have a deeper bed,” said Mariana Riehm, a farmer at Swallowtail Farm. “It makes it easier for the roots to grow and penetrate the soil.”

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