In The Field magazine Polk

2 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012 W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012 3W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

Contents

4 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012 WWW. INTHEF I E LDMAGAZ INE .COM

POLK COUNTY

CATTLEMEN’SASSOCIATION

P.O. Box 9005 • Drawer HS03Bartow, FL 33831-9005

OFFICERS& BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President - Charles Clark(863) 528-8537

[email protected]

Vice President - Dave Tomkow(863) 665-5088

[email protected]

Secretary/Treasurer - Justin Bunch(863) 425-1121 [email protected]

Al Bellotto - (863) 581-5515

Ray Clark - (863) [email protected]

L.B. Flanders, DVM - (863) 644-5974

Dewey Fussell - (863) 984-3782

Mike Fussell - (863) [email protected]

David McCullers - (863) 528-1195

Moby Persing - (863) 528-4379

Ned Waters - (863) [email protected]

J.B. Wynn - (863) [email protected]

Alternate - Mike Facente - (863) 697-9419

Standing Committee Chairs:

Membership - J.B. Wynn

Events - Kevin Fussell (863) 412-5876

Rodeo - Fred Waters (863) [email protected]

Cattlewomen - President

Marjorie Wood (863) [email protected]

Extension - Bridget Carlisle (863) [email protected]

Sheriff’s Dept. - Sgt. Howard Martin

Cover StoryFlorida Ranch

Rodeo

Page 34Cover photo by Kathy Gregg

VOL. 7 • ISSUE 2

Master GardenerPage 10Ashley WhitePage 11

PomegranatesPage 12

Tampa Bay’s Fishing ReportPage 14

Seeing The Old FloridaPage 17

Polk County Sheriff’s OfficePage 18

Rocking Chair ChatterPage 22Kelly WhitePage 29Brandon PagePage 37Grub StationPage 40RecipesPage 42

®


From the Editor Index of Advertisers�ITFM Staff


I don’t often get in to discussions regarding politics.We have all heard that friends who want to stay friendsdon’t discuss politics. Sometimes it is essential to discusspolitics, just remember to state the facts and don’t get into heated discussions with those who have completelyopposite opinions. You probably aren’t going to changetheir minds anyway.

I recently found myself in a discussion with a friendregarding politics. We were, thankfully, on the same pagein regards to the candidate we were discussing. Mydecision had long been made in this regard. However, if ithadn’t been, if I had been on the fence, what my friendbrought to my attention would have definitely solidifiedmy vote.

I’m not here to tell you how to vote. But I would encour-age everyone to do their homework. Ask questions. Findout what the candidates can do for you, this great nation,your state, your county, all the way down to the commu-nity in which you live.

Most of all, I encourage you to take the extra step and govote. While this seems a given, many people think thingslike, my one vote won’t count. But if thousands, or evenhundreds feel the same way, it can absolutely make adifference in the outcome. Many men and women havefought and died so that we can live in the land of the free.We have opportunities that many countries don’t have.Exercise one of these and get off the couch and vote. Yourlivelihood could, and probably does depend on it.

Until Next Month,

Sarah

PUBLISHER/PHOTOGRAPHY

Karen Berry

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Al Berry

SENIOR MANAGING EDITOR/ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

Sarah Holt

EDITOR

Patsy Berry

OFFICE MANAGER

Bob Hughens

SALES MANAGER

Danny Crampton

SALES

Al BerryTina Richmond

Danny CramptonCalli Jo Parker

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Mona Jackson

PHOTOGRAPHY

Karen BerryAl Berry

Stephanie Humphrey

STAFF WRITERS

Al BerrySandy Kaster

James FrankwoiakSean GreenGinny Mink

Libby HopkinsCallie Jo ParkerLindsey English

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Woody GoreLes McDowell

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Polk Countybusinesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a targetmarket, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of the Polk CountyCattlemen’s Association & Florida Citrus Mutual.Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042or you are welcome to email them to: [email protected], or call 813-759-6909

Advertisers warrant & represent the descriptions of their products advertised are true in allrespects. In The Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by advertisers. Allviews expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of BerryPublications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in In The Field magazine isprohibited without written consent from Berry Publications, Inc.Published by Berry Publications, Inc.

The Lord make His faceshine upon you andbe gracious to you.–Numbers 6:25

Agro-CultureLiquid Fertilizers ........................44Arrington Body Shop, Inc ..........43Ballclover ...................................19Carlton & Carlton, PA ..............28Cecil Breeding Farms .................30Chemical Containers..................39Chemical Dynamics .....................3Cornfusion.................................21Denise Grimsley .........................19Discount Metals.........................39Ellison RBM Inc. .......................43Farm Credit .................................9Fields Equipment Co. Inc...........43Florida Farm &Ranch Supply.............................43Florida Dept. of Agriculture.......16Florida Mineral & Salt ..............23Fred’s Market.............................19Grove Equipment ...............3 & 15Gulf Coast Turf & Tractor ........48Halfacre Construction Company...7Harold’s Feed & Pet Supply.......23Helena Chemical-Tampa............31Hinton Farms Produce, Inc. .......31International Market World.......28John Hall ...................................25Key Plex.......................................2Kinkaid Auction.........................15Lake Miriam Pawn ....................26Lightsey Cattle Co. ....................11Mosaic .......................................24NCBA ........................................41Oddessa Rodeo & Festival...........5Pathway .....................................20Polk CountyCattlemen’s Association ...............4Polk Equine, PL ...........................7Polk Land Surveying, Inc ...........13Repair Solutions.........................43Ring Power Corporation............36Seedway .....................................36Shoot Straight ............................33Sky Powersports of Lake Wales...36Southeastern Septic, LLC ...........24Southwestern Produce................27Stephanie Humphrey....................9Stingray Chevrolet .....................47The Bug Man...............................7Warner University ......................11

You Too, Can Be A WinnerHey Readers, hidden somewhere in themagazine is a No Farmers, No Food logo.Hunt for the logo and once you find thehidden logo you will be eligible for adrawing to win a FREE No Farmers NoFood Sticker. Send us your business cardor an index card with your name and tele-phone number, the number of the pagewhich you found the logo and where onthat page you located the logo to:

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You Too Can Be A Winner!Search for the logo below and enter now!


You are probably tired of seeing and hearing all the

campaign commercials by now. Most of them are

sound bytes and clips that put a favorable slant on

the candidate it supports or a negative twist on their

opponent. It is hard to sort out who would be the best

person for the job. I urge you to look past these clips

and try to learn as much as you can about the individ-

ual candidates. Inform yourself about their views and

then vote. Even after the election, stay informed and

stay in touch with the governmental officials. They do

listen, when you put forth your opinion in a logical,

respectful, matter of fact dialogue.

Recently, the Stormwater Assessment Fee proposal was

a good example of what this type of dialogue can

achieve. The fee was to begin being collected this fall.

The proposed budget for the county included the

expenditure of those funds. Prior to the preliminary

budget hearing, phone calls were made to county offi-

cials, and a large contingent of property owners spoke

against the item at the hearing. Commissioners voted

unanimously to remove the item from the budget.

While you may not get a favorable result each time

you express your opinion, that is a part of the

American process of give and take and compromise.


Charles ClarkCharles ClarkPolk County Cattlemen’s Association President


• A square piece of dry paper cannot be folded in half morethan 7 times.

• Air becomes liquid at about minus 190 degrees Celsius.• Liquid air looks like water with a bluish tint.• A scientific satellite needs only 250 watts of power, the

equivalent used by two-hour light bulbs, to operate.• The thin line of cloud that forms behind an aircraft at high

altitudes is called a contrail.• The word “biology” was coined in 1805 by

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.• Water expands by about 9% as it freezes.• In a desert, a mirage is caused when air near the ground is

hotter than air higher up. As light from the sun passes fromcooler to warmer air, it speeds up and is refracted upward,creating the image of water.

• The typical bolt of lightning heats the atmosphere to 50,000degrees Fahrenheit.

• Saturday mail delivery in Canada was eliminated byCanada Post on February 1, 1969.

• The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows. It was the fashion inRenaissance Florence to shave them off.


By Debra Howell

F oliage is the colorful calling cardof the popular Caladium. Tropicalby native, these plants grow wild

along Brazilian riverbanks. You can imaginethe spectacle created on Amazonian water-ways by the leaves provided by Caladium.

It’s this impressive display which makes theCaladium a big bedding plant in Texas. Thisplant may be grown in many hardinesszones, including summers in the Ithaca, NewYork.

Commercially, Caladiums are cultivated onmuck soils in rural areas around Lake Placidand Zolfo Springs.

In the early 1940s, Caladiums began to becultivated in the muck soils around LakePlacid. Now, some 14 families, farm about1,200 acres, with much of the average alongthe rich southern shores of Lake Istopoga, aswell as around Wauchula and Zolfo Springs.These fields, spectacular when leaves arepresent, have been compared to the alluvialtulip fields in Holland. The Caladium grow-ers are true agronomists and impassioned fortheir “field of work.”

A Caladium Festival is held annually in LakePlacid, usually during the last week ofAugust and presented by the local Chamberof Commerce.

At a recent Master Gardener meeting, MikeWoods of Classic Caladiums provided tech-nical information on these interesting plants.For instance, they require regular watering,and plants with large leaves need morewater.

In addition, thick leaves will tolerate moresun, whereas thin leaves need filtered sun-light. They are referred to as Fancy Leafwhich has the petiole in the middle of theleaf. The Strap Leaf type has the petiole at theback rim of the leaf. The petiole is the pointat which the stem joins the leaf. Tubers comein 4 sizes: mammoth, jumbo, #1 and #2.

You may plant Caladium tubers the firstweek of March in Central Florida, withnewly germinated seedlings having an

expression of color after 5-10 leaves.

These plants are sensitive below 50 degrees.In northern countries, you’ll need to removefrom the ground to overwinter them.However, this may be avoided by growingthem in a container and simply taking thepot in your garage. Now here’s a super tip:If container planting, you’ll probably wish tode-eye the tubers dominant eye. The floweris borne on the dominant eye, so removingthis with a sharp knife will fence axillarybugs, which will yield more leaves. Rightnow I have a ceramic pot which fairly teemswith red and green Freida Hemple leaves.

To extend your bloom season, try successionplanting by adding more tubers of the samevariety to prolong the leaf season. I tried thattactic this year and have had excellentresults.

Caladiums are great centerpieces or mound-ing plants and occur in sizes 6 to 30 inchestall. Caladiums are terrific for container cul-ture, and some recommended cultivars areCarolyn Wharton, Fire Chief, Lord Derbyand Seagull.

The lovely leaves come in green, red, pink,and white and at certain times during theday appear to be internally lit. I usuallyremove leaves which have fallen to theground, are starting to wither and whichcome away easily.

Bear in mind that Caladium tubers andplants are poisonous, so wear gloves whenhandling them. (I wonder how the maraud-ing squirrels get around that fact?) Theplants will grow year round from centralFlorida south, if you do the succession plant-ing. They may be grown in north Floridaand, in fact throughout America, if you dig,clean and store them in the fall, to bereplanted in the spring for gorgeous summercolor. Soft, spongy tubers usually have beendamaged by the cold.

Caladiums in your yard should be located indirect morning sun for three or four hours aday, or in filtered sunlight. Plant your tubersinto ground beds after all danger of frost ispast. These plants are available as tubers,seedlings and full-sized plants. As I’ve

already stated, do your research to deter-mine mature plant size so your plants won’toutgrow their location or the surroundinglandscape plants. Remember to plant themtwo inches deep, 18 inches apart and withthe growing points facing upward. Theplants grow best in moist, well-drained soils.Commercial growers cultivate in the muckysoils in south central Florida right out in fullsun. This practice causes faded leaf colorsbut is apparently very beneficial to thetubers.

I never find much leaf damage to my plantsexcept that of splashing rainwater or per-haps from the mandibles of the dreadedEastern Lubber Grasshopper. But they mayalso get aphids, thrips, snails and slugs. Ifyou experience these problems, just apply anappropriate insecticide according to packagedirections.

You may use Caladiums in hanging basketswith such plants as Coleus, or you mightwant a mass planting bed with correspond-ingly colored blooming plants, or use themas a very splashy border planting.

Following planting, fertilize with a balancedfertilizer containing micro-nutrients, (iron,boron, manganese, zinc).

Caladiums are pretty thirsty, and will let youknow when they need a drink by wiltingabruptly. And of course, they’ll need morewater if container grown. If you do growthem in a pot, make sure you have goodquality potting soil.

Mulching will allow the Caladiums toremain moist but not damp. It also helps toabate weed growth. Please use mulch from arenewable resource such as pine chips orpine needles, or even the oak leaves fromyour yard.

Caladiums look sensational with Begonias,Flax lilies, Red Sister, Crotons, Geraniums,Impatiens and Pinwheel jasmine.

Caladium hortulanum grower Mike Woodshas a protégé named Dr. Robert Hartman.Dr. Hartman is a Caladium breeder whogrows all University of Florida varieties andtests them. He pollinates these beauties witha paintbrush! What a unique and amazingway to carve out your niche in life.


Agriculture teachers never have the sameday twice. One day they might be in aclassroom and the next they might be

teaching their students about horses, includinghow to ride them. That’s the hope of AshleyWhite, agriculture teacher and FFA leader atMcLaughlin Middle School in Lake Wales. Sheis starting an equestrian program at the middleschool. White grew up around horses, but herbiggest love was agriculture.

“I love horses, grew up on a farm and could-n’t wait to be a part of FFA when I got tohigh school because it wasn’t offered in mid-dle school,” White said. “So I did 4-H from8th grade until high school.” She loved heryears in FFA and the values that she learnedin the program. “The biggest thing for mewas the leadership and public speaking skillsI learned in FFA because before that, I wouldhave never gotten up in front of people andspeak in public,” White said.

The equestrian project is something Whitehas wanted to do for along time. Her grand-

father, Ken Allen, teaches an equestrian pro-gram at Summerland Academy in Bartow.He is donating the horse from his farm, HighGates Farms, in Fort Meade for White to usefor her two-day a week program at the mid-dle school.

“They will start with the basics, how togroom and how to lead the horses,” Whitesaid. “Eventually they will get on and ride.”Some of White’s other students are a littlejealous of the students in her FFA programbecause they will be getting to work with thehorses. “I have six other classes that will bedoing various agriculture projects through-out the year and hopefully once they seewhat the horse class is doing, they will wantto get involved,” White said. Her FFA stu-dents are just as excited about the horse pro-gram as White is and she can’t wait to seehow they do with the horses.

She handpicked the 20 FFA students to beher beginner’s class and hopes that they willbe able to move up to another level by nextyear and eventually be the advanced class.“None of the kids have horse riding experi-ence,” White said. She hopes by the end ofthe school year they will be confidentenough to get on a horse and ride. Whitewants to eventually teach her students howto compete in horse competitions, includingdressage. She believes being a member ofFFA will give them their confidence. Themission of FFA is to making a positive differ-ence in the lives of their students by develop-ing their potential for premier leadership,personal growth and career success throughagriculture educa-tion. The FFA pro-gram also developsinterpersonal skills inteamwork, communi-cations, human rela-tions and social inter-action. White hasseen all of these char-acteristics develop inher FFA students.

“I have seen these kids come out of theirshell and become leaders,” White said. “Theother kids around the school look up tothem.” Her FFA students have become agri-culture role models for the school. Her FFAofficers did a community service projectwhere they filled backpacks with school sup-plies to distribute to other schools in thearea. During the Christmas holidays, they doa canned food drive, as well, for the commu-nity. The school’s administration has White’sFFA students help with school functionsbecause they have set such a good exampleby being part of the program.

White also teaches her agriculture studentsthe importance of keeping business local andgiving back to the community, just like shedoes with her FFA students. In her agricul-ture classes, she begins with an “Intro toAgriculture” unit where she shows howimportant agriculture is to the United States.She then breaks the unit down to how agri-culture is important to the state of Floridaand then how it is important to the economyof Lake Wales. “The kids grow their ownvegetables and they take pride in what theygrow,” White said. She believes that agricul-ture education and FFA prepares studentsfor successful careers and a lifetime ofinformed choices. For more information onthe FFA program at McLaughlin MiddleSchool, you can visit them on the web atwww.polk-fl.net. The school is located at800 S. 4th Street in Lake Wales. •

GettingReady to RideBy Libby Hopkins

Ashley White

s


Through the ages the pomegranate hasbeen referred to as “the fruit of thegods” and thought to have been the

“forbidden” fruit instead of the apple whenEve was tempted in the Garden of Eden. It is asupported belief that the pomegranate wasnative to Iran and the Himalayas in NorthernIndia, then cultivated over the wholeMediterranean region of Asia, Africa andEurope, migrating as far east as China where ithas been nurtured since the pre-Christian era.

Pomegranates have been part of human cul-ture for thousands of years, not only as fruitwith medicinal qualities, but also represent-ed royalty, fertility and a symbol of wealth invarying ancient cultures. The pomegranatehas been idealized in many art forms, fromsilver and goldsmiths creating vases and urnsfor Egyptian pharaohs, to being incorporat-ed into the royal coat of arms at the onset ofthe marriage of England’s King Henry VIIIto Catherine of Aragon, daughter of QueenIsabella and King Ferdinand of Spain. It isalso said that Henry planted the first pome-granate tree in Britain.

The Post-Christian era brought the pome-granate to North America and the firstrecording of planting were by Spanish mis-sionaries IN FLORIDA! The Spanish andother Mediterranean cultures recognized thepomegranate as a versatile and importantfood source, also using the precious fruit formedicinal purposes to fight worms and otherailments. The pomegranate stayed in Floridauntil the late 1800s when a Porterville,California farmer by the name of Bearrsbrought cuttings from Florida to California.This was the first productive cultivar inCalifornia and he named it “Wonderful” forits sweet and juicy arils, and deep rich redcolor.

More than 100 years after the pomegranatewas first propagated in California, today’shealth conscious consumers have rediscov-

ered this ancient fruit as pomegranates havebecome more widely available across theUnited States. Pomegranates are embracedfor their sweet taste, plentiful juice, healthbenefits and culinary versatility. The pome-granate is now making its come back in thestate of Florida. Although primarily an edi-ble landscape planting over the years (in fact,one plant near Marianna, Florida, has beenverified to be more than 100 years old) manycitrus grove owners are planting several dif-ferent varieties of pomegranates as an alter-native crop to citrus.

Dr. William Castle, retired professor emeri-tus from the University of Florida/IFASCitrus Research and Education Center, and ateam of researchers and growers, began thepomegranate project in 2008 for the purposeof evaluating the potential of pomegranatesin Florida at the Citrus Research andEducation Center and at Water Conserv IIlocated in Winter Garden. Since the projectsinception, interest has grown incredibly andthe project has been opened up to homeown-ers and hobbyists since 2010.

A group of small farmers, nursery owners,and citrus grove owners looking for alterna-tive crops, all from different areas aroundthe state, with the help of Dr. Castle, havecreated the Florida PomegranateAssociation. As stated in their recruitmentbrochure, “The Florida PomegranateAssociation was chartered onMarch 1, 2012as a professional organization for the pur-pose of fostering a pomegranate industry. Itsintention is to provide a forum for sharinginformation and experience among mem-bers, to support research and to assist inevaluation and development of cultivars andbest management practices suited forFlorida.”

The rapidly growing Florida PomegranateAssociation held its first annual meeting atthe Ben Hill Griffin Citrus Hall, University

of Florida/IFAS Citrus Research andEducation Center located in Lake Alfred, onSeptember 14, with an attendance ofapproximately 120 interested growers bothlarge and small, commercial to homeowner,from around the state. Excited with theprospect of a new crop for Florida, attendeeswere able to view information on popularvarieties of pomegranates that are producingfrom available nurseries throughout Florida,talk with vendors about supplies, fertilizers,herbicides, etc. and the opportunity to listento researchers and fellow growers’ presenthopeful finding for pomegranate futures inFlorida.

During registration, attendees were able totalk among themselves, make new contactsand see the different consumer products con-taining pomegranates. FPA members provid-ed fresh juices, juice blends, pomegranateflavored waters, Greek yogurt with pome-granate, chocolate covered pomegranatearils (just about the size of a chocolate cov-ered cranberry), gummy pomegranate chil-dren’s snacks, etc.

Cindy Weinstein, President of the FloridaPomegranate Association, welcomed every-one to the first annual meeting of the associ-ation leading the way to the first guestspeaker, Mike Stuart of the Florida Fruit &Vegetable Association. Mr. Stuart’s presenta-tion showed how Florida, through its diver-sity in agricultural crops, is the top third inthe nation in 16 different commodities butnumber one in oranges, tomatoes, sugar-cane, bell peppers, grapefruit, sweet corn,snap beans, watermelons, cucumbers, andsquash. “The future is you,” he stated.

“New, high value crops will lead the way tofuture industry growth and prosperity.Strawberries in the 80s-90s, Blueberries inthe 90s-2000s, and Pomegranates in the2010s-2020s??? IFAS research and exten-sion can lead the way and with the help fromthe Farm Bill, provide potential resources tofuel research agendas in areas like theSpecialty Crop Block Grant Program ($4.4million annually); marketing and promo-tion; pest and disease research; and new andimproved varieties,” stated Mr. Stuart.

Jeff Moersfelder from the USDA NationalClonal Germplasm Repository, gave insightto the Repository and its mission. It is oneof 32 federally funded repositories in theNational Plant Germplasm System (NPGS)with a mission to “Acquire, Conserve,Evaluate and Distribute crop speciesassigned to the NCGR.” Their researchincludes seed vs. clonal, as well as field andcontainerized collections.

An AlternativeCrop for

Florida Farms

Pomegranates

BY KATHY SNYDER

The group broke for lunch provided by alocal catering service, Celebrations by Sheilan.In addition to lunch, attendees were able toparticipate in taste testing varieties grown inFlorida, California and Georgia and leavetheir comments on tablets provided.

Other areas covered in the afternoon sessionincluded presentations on marketing andhealth benefits presented by Dr. Lisa House,

Director, Florida Agriculture MarketResearch Center and Kathleen Bryant, UFCooperative Extension, Volusia County, forboth fresh and processed pomegranate fruitand the specialized fresh market for botharils and juice. “Your niche is a small con-sumer segment with narrowly definedneeds,” stated Dr. House.

House said one of the foundations of a suc-cessful marketing program is having a firmgrip on cost. “You must know your costs tobe better able to control them,” she said. Aswith citrus, there are a number of by-prod-ucts that are used in the making of dyes forfabric and leather, and feed for cattle, thathas the potential to open up additional prod-uct markets.

Kathleen Bryant had more to say about whatthat consumer segment Dr. House spoke of islooking for. Pomegranates have been knownto be rich in antioxidant content for hearthealth, decreasing inflammation and thick-ening of the artery walls, reducing buildup ofplaque, and the reduction in blood choles-terol and blood pressure just to name a fewkey heart issues.

“One medium pomegranatecontains100 calories, 26 gramsof carbohydrate, is an excellent

source of Vitamin C and K, and isa good source of fiber, potassium,thiamin, folate, manganese andcopper. Phytochemicals, whichare produced by the plant, worktogether to protect cells againstaging and inflammation and122 have been identified in the

pomegranate.”

Dr. Mongi Zekri, UF Cooperative Extension,Hendry County, Mickey Page, ResearchFarm Manager, Mid Florida CitrusFoundation, and Dr. Bill Castle, UF/IFASProfessor Emeritus, presented their hands onresearch with numerous varieties of pome-granates in various areas of the state.“Fertilizer requirements for pomegranatetrees are similar to those for citrus,”explained Dr. Zekri, as he showed a photo ofpomegranate trees growing in alternate rowswith citrus.

Dr. Juan Diaz-Perez, Professor, UGA, Tifton,GA and John Tanner, Georgia PomegranateAssociation, were also invited guest speak-ers, sharing their pomegranate research fromsomewhat colder climate.

With great expectations for a future crop,both growers and researchers alike are learn-ing every day how to obtain the best pome-granate crop for market to come from thisstate.

“We are excited about the turnout for ourfirst meeting and the overall interest in grow-ing pomegranates here in our state,” saidCindy Weinstein, president of the FloridaPomegranate Association. Cindy and herhusband, David, are owner/operators ofGreen Sea Farms in Zolfo Springs and pome-granate growers with four acres of the cropplanted in which 75 varieties are being eval-uated.

More information about the FloridaPomegranate Association and nurseries orto purchase pomegranates send an email to

ffllppoommeeggrraannaattee@@ggmmaaiill..ccoomm

To read more about ongoing pomegranate research visit

hhttttpp::// //wwwwww..ccrreecc..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//eexxtteennssiioonn//ppoommeeggrraannaatteess



If we get lucky, we get some nice dryerair this month as fall is just around thecorner. It seems like this is the time of

the year when I have to put a jacket backin the boat for the early morning ride toget bait, especially if the wind is blowing.

The water will start cooling down andthe fish should start getting a little moreexcited about being fish. The bite has beenexceptional during the last weeks ofSeptember and I expect it to continue rightthrough the Fall. You can expect goodcatches using live bait and artificial lures allover Tampa Bay.

If you’re interested in some exciting earlymorning action, tie on a new 16MRMirrOMullet Surface Walker or Top DogJr. from MirrOLure and walk-the-dogacross a calm morning grass flat. The antic-ipation will kill you waiting for the nextexplosive strike of a large Snook or thewater moving swirl of a stalking Redfish. Atopwater lure strike is more than exhilarat-ing… it’ll almost stop you heart.

From other articles, you’ve probablysurmised that when it comes to fishing,artificial lures are close to my heart. Thereis something magical about tricking a fishinto striking something that’s alien lookingat best. I often think the stranger the lurethe better chance of getting a strike. Overthe years I’ve used everything imaginable tocatch fish. Live baits, artificial lures, andplastic straws. I’ve even used a strip of oldwhite tee shirt to catch spotted sea troutand I’ve come to this conclusion… if it hasaction and looks wounded, something’sgoing to try and eat it.

Try your hand at something man-made onyour next fishing trip. You’ll be surprised athow many fish you’ll catch and how muchfun you’ll have doing it.

There are plenty of redfish, and snook areall over the area, hanging around the manylush grass flats and mangrove shorelines.As redfish move back into the Bay it’susually fairly easy to find them schooled upon the many grass flats covering the Bay.It’s also the time of the year when some ofthe big redfish start showing up. You neverknow whether you’re going to a catch onein the slot or one of the giants over 30 inch-es, so be prepared. These big reds often topthe scales at 12 to 14 pounds. The upperBay area is holding good numbers of fish,but you must pick your tide days carefullywhen fishing north of the CourtneyCampbell Causeway, especially by boat.The area gets extremely shallow on lowtide days.

Snook are closed on the Gulf Coast. Mostof the snook we caught average in the 22 to25 inch range. For those who like the nightlife associated with snook fishing, this is agreat time. They’re hanging under residen-tial docks watching the light line for aquick meal. Use a shallow diving artificiallure or free-line a big shrimp. Make sure touse a weighty leader like Seaguar 30-40 lb.,so you don't get cut off on the pilings.

As for the others, expect some good sizedmangrove snapper at the bridges with sometopping out around three pounds. Cobiaare showing up for us. It usually only takesa chum bag over the side to spark their

curiosity. If you hook-up, be ready withanother rod and bait as other cobias will befollowing the action. Mackerel, bluefish,jacks and ladyfish will be feeding on baitschools everywhere. If its glass minnowsthey’re after, try to match the hatch.

Never turn your fishing nose up at ladyfishand jacks, especially when kids areinvolved, they can certainly make or breaka trip. Most children are not interested infishing, however they are interested incatching and they don’t care what it is.When you take kids fishing make sure it’sall about them catching fish. You’ll getyour turn when you and your buds get out.

Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing813-477-3817Captain Woody Gore is the areas top outdoorfishing guide. Guiding and fishing the Tampa,Clearwater, St. Petersburg, Tarpon Springs,and Bradenton for over fifty years; he offersworld class fishing adventures and a lifetimeof memories.

Single or Multi-boat Group Charters are allthe same. With years of organizational experi-ence and access to the areas most experiencedcaptains, Woody can arrange and coordinateany outing or tournament. Just tell him whatyou need and it’s done. Visit his website at:WWWWWW..CCAAPPTTAAIINNWWOOOODDYYGGOORREE..CCOOMM or send an email to [email protected] or give him a call at 813-477-3814.

by Captain Woody Gore

Top Dog Jr.

MirrOMullet



Now is your chance! Warner University, after speaking with lead-ers in the agriculture industry, parents and students, is starting anAgricultural Studies Degree! The program will kick off in the Fallof 2013, but there are already Ag students enrolled, starting outthis year with their general education requirements.

To help with the program, The Brahma Island Family Day,hosted by the Lightsey Cattle Company will be held December 1.But it is so much more than a fundraiser. This is your chance toget an up close and personal tour of Brahma Island, home to 28protected species and a prime example of Florida agriculture’scommitment to sustaining our environment by being part of theconservation easement program.

When people think of Florida they often think of beaches andDisney World. This is your chance to see Florida as it used to be,a place of wild beauty, with a variety of animal species roamingthe land, huge oak trees reach skyward, forming a canopy ofhammocks with welcoming shade from the Florida sun. OldFlorida is palmetto thickets, alligators, bald eagles and snail kits.Old Florida is, simply put, stunning. And Brahma Island is oldFlorida.

Many involved in the agriculture industry are already on boardwith Warner University’s Ag Program. “The Florida SpecialtyCrop Foundation is pleased to participate in the inception of thenew Ag studies program at Warner University. We strive to sup-port young people who are pursuing a career in agriculture, andthis is a promising program to support that. It provides anotheravenue for high school graduates who want to become moreinvolved in agriculture, which is critical to this state and ourorganization. Warner University has done a tremendous job oframping of this program in a very short period of time. And theyfound a wonderful director for the program in Lauren Lewis, whois working so hard to make our industry aware of this program,”said Sonia Tighe, Executive Director of the Florida Specialty CropFoundation.

A prospective student wrote, “I am graduating from Lake PlacidHigh School (Highlands Co.) this coming June 2013. I noticed onyour website your new Ag program and am very interested. I havefriends that graduated from Warner and sing it's praises. I verymuch like the idea of a smaller school and the Christian values.

Also, very interesting to me is the way you plan to have Ag stu-dents involved in their major their freshman year to keep themmotivated through the basics of the first two years.”

During the event, the plans for the Agricultural Studies Programwill be on display, including a model of the facilities designed byarchitect Scott Crews, as well as the degree curriculum. “The sup-port and encouragement from the Florida agriculture industry forthe Agricultural Studies degree program has been humbling andoverwhelming. I have enjoyed meeting with industry leaders whoare dedicated to the future of the agriculture workforce and arewilling to partner with our new program. More so though, I amthrilled to welcome students on campus enrolling in the AgStudies major. The future of the program is promising, and I amblessed to be involved,” said Lauren Lewis, Director ofAgriculture Studies at Warner University.

There will also be children’s activities, live and silent auctions, anda presentation by the Commissioner of Agriculture, AdamPutnam and Carey Lightsey. In addition you will be served a deli-cious lunch!

Tickets can be purchased by contacting Lauren Lewis atllaauurreenn..lleewwiiss@@wwaarrnneerr..eedduu or 863-638-7116, or Doris Gukich, VPof Advancement, at ddoorriiss..gguukkiicchh@@wwaarrnneerr..eedduu or 863-638-7611.

Tickets are $200 per adult and includes admission for accompanied children under the age of 18. Make this a familyevent! It is certain to be educational as well as entertaining.

Seeing The Old FloridaWARNER UNIVERSITY


On Thursday, September 27,2012, Polk County Sheriff’sOffice Agricultural deputies

arrested 51-year-old Chad Hunt ofLake Alfred charging him withCommercial Dumping of tires. Thetires had been dumped in March.

Hunt told deputies hehad been disposing ofwaste tires for approxi-mately 15 years and hasbeen arrested multipletimes for illegal dumpingof waste tires. Hunt iscurrently on probationfor Illegal Dumping.

Illegal dumping is a violation of Florida StateStatute 403.161. Environmental deputiesmade a total of 49 arrests in illegal dumpingcases in the first six months of 2011. In addi-tion, Environmental deputies issued 92 affi-davits charging suspects with illegal dumpingin Polk County.

Illegal dumping isn’t just unsightly, it threat-ens our quality of life. Refuse, which is notproperly disposed, is a hazard to people andanimals. And property values can dramati-cally decrease as a result of illegal dump sites.

Deputies in the PCSO Environmental Unittake these cases seriously, and encourage agri-culture property owners to make frequentchecks of isolated acreage checking for possi-ble dumping. Grove and pasture owners arereminded to call deputies when they find ille-gal dumping on their property beforeattempting to clean up the refuse – deputiescan determine if any of the evidence can leadthem back to the suspect responsible for thedumping.

Hunt has an extensive criminal arrest historyto include 67 prior arrests ranging fromBurglary, Domestic Assault, DUO, PublicIntoxication, Drug Possession, Shopliftingand Illegal Dumping. •

Other PCSOAg NewsThe PCSO SpecialOperations Divisionwelcomes back afamiliar face as thenew Captain, Rob

Oakman. For those of you who may notknow him, Captain Oakman provided afew details about himself.

QQ:: HHooww lloonngg hhaavvee yyoouu bbeeeenn wwiitthh tthhee PPCCSSOO?? AA:: 25 years

QQ:: WWhhaatt eexxppeerriieennccee wwiillll yyoouu bbrriinngg wwiitthh yyoouuttoo tthhee ppoossiittiioonn??AA:: I have worked throughout the agency andmany different capacities, during which time Ispent nearly 15 years of my career in theSpecial Operations Division, which containsthe Agricultural unit. During this time Iworked as an Agricultural Deputy Sheriff, theAgriculture Detective, the AgriculturalSergeant and the Animal Control Lieutenant.Additionally, I have worked as the DistrictCommander for the Southwest District andmost recently the Southeast District, where Iwas responsible for all law enforcement oper-ations, as well as the contract municipalitiesof Frostproof, Eagle Lake, and Dundee.

My previous assignments provide me aunique understanding of the needs of theagricultural community as well as the com-munity as a whole. I hold a Master’s Degreein Management from Warner University andcurrently use my education and experience toteach others as an adjunct faculty at WarnerUniversity.

I will utilize my education, experience andcommunity relationships, which have beenbuilt over the past 25 years, to ensure the

agricultural community is provided with thebest customer service possible. I have highexpectations of myself and those who workwith me. If we are not exceeding othersexpectations then we will continue to workharder and smarter to do so.

QQ:: WWhhaatt AAggrriiccuullttuurraall aaffffiilliiaattiioonnss ddoo yyoouupprreesseennttllyy hhoolldd?? AA:: I am a current member of Florida FarmBureau, and will be joining the FloridaCattleman’s Association shortly.

QQ:: WWhhaatt ddoo yyoouu sseeee aass ccuurrrreenntt cchhaalllleennggeess ffoorroouurr AAggrriiccuullttuurraall ccoommmmuunniittyy??AA:: Challenges for the agricultural communityinclude, thefts, trespassing, and the economy.As the economy continues to struggle, poordecisions are made by some, resulting inmembers of the agricultural communitybecoming victims.

These victimizations are very difficult for members of this community, becauseoften times the crimes are not recognizedimmediately and the damage, or theft inhibits the farmer’s ability to maintain theircommodities, resulting in further damages.Additionally, the deviant acts of othersexpose livestock to our roadways and presenta clear danger to the traveling public.

As the new Commander, I want to pledge toyou, my commitment to a high level of cus-tomer service and an outstanding workingrelationship. Moreover, I want to thank eachof you for your continued support of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office AgriculturalUnit. The men and woman assigned to thisspecialized group strive every day to preventcrime, and when this effort is unsuccessful,they work even harder to bring the cases to a successful resolution. I am very proud to return to a position, wherein I can workmore closely with the Agricultural community. •

Captain Oakman can be reached at 863-298-6302

By Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd

Commercial Dumping Arrest andNew Special Operations Captain

18 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2012 W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M



2211


Iguess I am the oldest board member of the Florida StrawberryFestival in tenure. Over the years I have watched the organiza-tion grow and expand. For the past couple of years, under the

management of Paul Davis, I would say the Festival is running likea fine tuned Ferrari.

Thinking back over the years, I remember Ercelle Smith was thecommittee chair of the Rooster Crowing and Cow Chip throwingcontests. While we no longer have those two events, I think PaulDavis came close in 2012 to replacing them with the appearanceof the actors of the TV reality show “Lizard Lick.” Maybe nextyear he will bring in the “Swamp Boys.”

If it’s the unusual that attracts people, what ever happened to theBearded Lady, the Alligator Man, Mermaid Woman, Violet andJune the Siamese Twins, and Sealo the Sealboy?

Other Fairs around the world find their unusual niche and pack inthe crowds. For instance, there’s the Possum Queen contest andFair in Litchfield, Connecticut, which is nothing more than atongue-in-cheek beauty pageant where beauty and talent havenothing to do with it, it’s all about bribing the judges. Other beau-ty queen contests include Miss Artificial Beauty, Miss Atom, MissMosquito Legs and Miss Dirt Bag Queen in Bozeman, Montana.

In 2007 the LaBron James Bubblicious Ultimate Bubble BlowingLeague Tour made an appearance at the Great Texas MosquitoFestival in Clute, Texas, looking for those that could blow thelargest bubble.

A new speed eating benchmark for eating dumplings in two min-utes was established at a Food Festival in New York. They also setthe dumpling eating Guinness World record. I wonder how muchfun it would be to attend the Dirt Bag Festival!

Now here’s one for you, “The Emma Crawford Coffin Festival”in Manitou Springs, Colorado. I don’t know just how much tobelieve about this Festival, but the story goes that sometime inthe 1800s Emma Crawford moved to Manitou Springs, only tosuccumb to tuberculosis before she could marry the love of her lifeJohn Hildebrand. In honoring her last wish, her fiancé and twelvemen carried Emma in her coffin to the top of Red Mountain, some

7,200 feet above sea level, where she wasburied. According to the town folks they had aheavy summer rain some 20 years later thatwashed her coffin down the mountain and intothe canyon in the middle of town.

In her honor, the weekend before Halloween,the citizens of Manitou Springs host some sortof morbid activity. The main event is an annualcoffin race. Each team enters a homemade cof-fin with four small tires no more than six inch-

es in diameter. Each team has a woman to play the part of“Emma,” while four men push their coffin craft down a 250-yardstretch of main-street. The teams are judged on speed and the cre-ative design of their coffin.

Then there’s the RC Cola and Moon Pie Festival in Bell Buckle,Tennessee. The main dish of the Festival is deep fried Moon Pies.The festivities conclude when the World’s Largest Moon Pie is cutand served by the Festival King and Queen with the assistanceof the Knights of the Moon Pie Round Table. Mmm, can youimagine being crowned the Moon Pie Queen, or RC Cola King?

Over in Monroeville, Alabama they have a Fruitcake Festival inNovember to usher in the fruitcake season. To me the fruitcakeranks number 25 on my top 25 list of cakes and pies. ObviouslyI am one of few, as Paradise Fruit in Plant City is the world’slargest when it comes to producing candied fruit for fruit cakes. Ithink the company makes the candied fruit for the “Claxton FruitCake.” Obviously somebody likes fruitcakes, or Paradise wouldnot be in business. They ship their candied fruit all over the world.

I had better back up! If my memory serves me right, there was onefruitcake that was pretty good. Billy Ray Kirby gave me a fruit-cake heavily submersed in Jamaican rum.

When I called to thank him he was in the kitchen. “Billy Ray,” Isaid, “Thank you for the fruitcake, I didn’t know you were sohandy in the kitchen. You must have a secret recipe!”

“Yep, I do,” he replied. “It’s from my great grand daddy that livedin the hills of north Georgia.”

“Tell me more about it,” I said.

“Well, this is the second batch I’m working on today.” He said,“First thing you add six eggs to the mix’n bowl, then chunk in thecup of dried flut. Mix on the tuner, throw in two quarts of flour.Gradually pour in the cow. Add two dried anything. If the frieddruit gets stuck in beaters, pry it loose with a screwdriver. Samplethe rum for the third time, and check it again for tonsistency.Next, sift two cups of salt, or something….who cares?? Check therum again. Now get the nutmeg and add one table. One morespoon of rum or something, and anything else you find left over.Grease the oven, and turn the crake pan to 350 degrees. Don’t for-

get to beat off the turner.Then you pour the oven intothe batter. Throw the bowlout the window. Lick the rumbottle top and put the screwythingy on top. Next throw thebowl out the window. Lickthe batter off the floor. Bake300 minutes at 40 degrees.Unscrew the top of the rum

bobble and finish it off. Put the top back on and flow to bed.”After that I said, “Thanks for the info, Billy Ray,” and hung up.

I have always said that the fruitcake has many value added usesthat would make it one of the most versatile desserts ever served.Consider the fruitcake as a doorstop, paper- weight, boat anchoror even a weight for workouts.

In addition, the Monroeville Fruitcake Festival it is also known asthe home of the “Fruitcake Lady,” whose real name is MarieRudisill. She became popular when she appeared on the Jay LenoShow on December 14, 2000. You can hear some of her interviewsfrom the Leno show on YouTube. The Fruitcake Lady died inHudson, Florida in 2006, at the age of 95!

Yes, we have a lot of strange fairs throughout the world, and I havementioned only a few. There is nothing strange about the FloridaStrawberry Festival. It is one of the nations best, and always openswith a lot of great entertainment. Keep next years date in mind:FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, February 28 thru March10, 2013. •




Ihope you are all off toa good start in plan-ning an amazing year

for your Chapters! I havehad the opportunity tovisit a few of theChapters in our Area andI can tell you that I amimpressed with what Ihave seen and can’t waitto meet with each of yourChapters personally and hear all about what you have lined up for the com-ing year. Your State Officer Team has some great Programs and activities toshare with you.

Over the past few weeks the Florida FFA State Officers have been able toparticipate in many exciting things. We were given the opportunity to go inthe field and see Florida agriculture up close and personal. The Departmentof Agriculture gave us tours about Aquaculture, Animal Science, all the waythrough Food Safety. This was a great learning experience.

On September 8 and 9 my team and I were able to lead the first Florida FFAConference of the year, the Chapter Presidents Conference in DaytonaBeach, Florida. What an experience! This is a Conference offered toChapter Presidents from all across the State of Florida, and it focused onhelping to train them and prepare them for the coming year. It was at thistime that Florida FFA revealed the theme for the Florida FFA 2012 – 2013year. The theme is: IMAGINE. The driving force behind this theme is thedesire of Florida FFA to bring agriculture back to FFA and back into theclassroom. This is more than just a theme, this is something that can enableus to shape the future of FFA in Florida. Can you imagine where theAmerican family would be without agriculture? Just to scratch the surface,where would we get our food without farmers and ranchers?

The next Conference that we are about to kick off is Chapter OfficerLeadership Training (COLT). This is a training that the whole ChapterOfficer Team can attend and participate in. We are looking forward to shar-ing some idea’s, concepts and skills that will enable you to build thestrongest Officer Team that your School has ever produced. I hope you willall put this on your calendars and plan to attend.

The coming year is just brimming with events and opportunities. In Januaryyour State Officer Team will be taking a trip to Argentina to studyAgriculture internationally. Argentina is currently the third largest beefexporter in the world after Brazil and Australia. Can you believe it??? Theirfarmers and ranchers keep about 50 million head of cattle. WOW, that’s alot of steers!! This is a trip that is offered to State Officers across the US togo outside our country and learn about agriculture. This trip is not fundedby the Florida FFA, so I am looking for any donations or sponsorships thatI can find. Please let me know if you have any ideas for me.

Sincerely,

Katie HutchinsonArea IV State Vice President


Foodhooks.........................................$22Baby Butter Beans............................$14Green Beans.......................................$14Pole Beans .........................................$14Speckled Butter Beans.....................$14Blackeye Peas....................................$14Butter Peas ........................................$14Conk Peas .........................................$22Crowder Peas ....................................$14Pinkeye Peas......................................$14White Acre Peas................................$14Sugar Snap Peas ...............................$15Zipper Peas........................................$14Green Peas .........................................$14

White Corn.........................................$13Yellow Corn ........................................$13Cream White Corn 4#........................$6Cream Yellow Corn 4#.......................$6Collard Greens...................................$13Mustard Greens..................................$13Turnip Greens ....................................$13

Spinach ...............................................$13Cut Okra .............................................$13Breaded Okra.....................................$13Whole Okra ........................................$13Sliced Yellow Squash........................$13Sliced Zucchini ..................................$13Brussel Sprouts..................................$13Baby Carrots ......................................$13Broccoli...............................................$13Cauliflower .........................................$13Mixed Vegetables..............................$13Soup Blend.........................................$13

Blueberries 5# ...................................$15Blackberries 5# .................................$15Dark Sweet Cherries 5# ...................$18Mango Chunks 5# .............................$15Pineapple Chunks 5#........................$15Whole Strawberries 5# ....................$15Rhubarb 5# ........................................$13Peaches...............................................$15Green Peanuts ...................................$15

*** All Items Are 8 lbs. Unless Otherwise Noted.***

WALK-INS WELCOMECall – or go on-line to place your order today and we’ll have it ready for you to pick up!

www.SouthwesternProduce.comINTHEFIELD MAGAZINE OCTOBER 2012 27W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M


OUR SERVICES• Social Security Disability

• Supplemental Security Income:

• Wills • Power of Attorney• Estate Planning • Trusts

• Guardianships • Adoptions

Children and Adults • Initial ApplicationsReconsideration • Hearing with Judge

*The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisments. Before you

decide, ask the lawyer to send you free written informationabout their qualifications and experience.

2310 Lakeland Hills Blvd.Lakeland, FL 33805

TOLL FREE 1. 800.315.4590863. 688.5700

(1 mile south of I-4, Exit 33 Lakeland - across fromDetroit Tigers Baseball Spring Training Stadium)

Charles L. CarltonFlorida NativeB.A. University of South FloridaJ.D. Florida State University Law School

Geraldyne H. CarltonFlorida NativeB.A. Georgia State UniversityJ.D. Florida State University Law School

A.B. Graham started the first 4H club in 1902 in Clark County,Ohio. The idea actually stemmed from farmer reluctance to acceptscientific discoveries as they applied to agriculture. Thusly, itwas noted that young people would more readily accept theseinnovations and so rural clubs were initiated to offer hands-onexperimentation. A.B.’s club has been credited as the birth of the4H program. It was known as the Tomato Club or the CornGrowing Club (www.4-h.org). Fast forward one hundred years,and Kelly White launches the Centennial 4H Club.

Kelly White says, “I’m a fifth generation Floridian. My familycame to Florida from Georgia, many of them settling along theKissimmee River. They were farmers and ranchers, preachers andteachers. Like most kids, I wasn’t aware of my family heritageuntil I became an adult, nevertheless, my exposure to agriculturewas nurtured by my grandparents who always had extensivegardens and a few acres of citrus. As far as raising animals, myexperience was limited to a few head of cattle, which were bredfrom a heifer that my granddaddy gave me from his herd, on myseventh birthday. I have so many good memories and lessonslearned from my grandparents.”

We asked her to elaborate on those memories and lessons, and sheresponded, “I am blessed to have parents and grandparentswho set a Christian example for me. Growing up with my grand-parents, who played a role in my everyday life, was very special.The biggest lesson that I learned from my grandparents is thathard work pays off. My grandmother used to tell me that whileI may not be the most talented at something, I could work hard tomake up for it and the reward for my success would be evensweeter. I have a little sign on my computer that says: Hard workbeats talent, when talent doesn't feel like working hard."

Kelly revealed that she wasn’t involved in 4H as a kid, but that shewas an active member in her school’s FFA. She competed in anumber of arenas but her favorite was public speaking. She wentto college at the University of Florida and had the distinct honorof working under Dr. Larry Jackson in the Fruit CropsDepartment. She adds, “I often feel like I have come full circlesince leaving Gainesville, as I am now employed by the FloridaDepartment of Agriculture’s Division of Fruit and Vegetables, inWinter Haven.”

Kelly’s sons, Ryan and Lee, were both active in 4H and FFA andshe says that they “gained tremendously” from the programs atBartow High School and the Imperial 4H club. She admits shewanted her daughter, Leslie, to have those same opportunities andexperiences, but, she says, “I found that most of the clubs focusedon swine, horses, cattle, etc. So my daughter-in- law, Ashley, whogrew up in 4-H, encouraged me to start a community club thatwould involve members like Leslie who might not necessarily havethe opportunity to own an animal.”

Kelly’s club encompasses a diverse age group ranging from sixyears old all the way to high school. She says that some leadersfind the age gaps difficult but she sees them as opportunitiesfor the younger kids to have mentors while the older kids learnthe valuable lesson of responsibility. They meet on the secondTuesday of every month at the Polk County Extension office inBartow and, according to Kelly, “Our meetings consist of abusiness meeting, an occasional guest speaker, snack andrecreation and demonstrations or illustrated talks. The membersrotate and are asked to speak on a subject of their choice. We havehad members speak on horse grooming, dog training, cakebaking, gun safety and wood working. Basically, our goal is forthe member to choose a subject that he or she is comfortablediscussing. The interests of our members range from homeeconomics and photography to rabbits and horticulture and somuch more.”

Kelly takes this opportunity to brag on her kids and the club. Shesays, “Our club has participated in numerous activities, amongthem: handing out American flags to patrons on 9-11 to com-memorate Patriot Day, assisting club member, John Prescott, withhis community service project “Farmers for Families,” by handingout fruits and vegetables at a free farmer’s market and deliveringfood and Christmas gifts to families in need. In addition, our clubmembers participate in the Polk County Youth Fair, Florida StateFair, as well as, various 4-H sponsored opportunities such as 4-HCongress and 4-H Day at the Capitol. For me, being a 4-H leaderis an incredible opportunity to influence the life of today’s youthand tomorrow’s leaders. Several of our members have wonawards participating in the Polk County Youth Fair as well as theState Fair. To highlight some: Tri-color awards for baking, tablesetting, photography, poultry and rabbits in the Polk CountyYouth Fair, first place for public speaking in the Youth Fair andFlorida State Fair. In addition, our club members have wonnumerous awards in county and state 4-H events. John Prescottwon a $500 grant from Disney's Friends for Change, for his"Farmers for Families" community service project. He used themoney to purchase more fruits and vegetables for a second freefarmer's market.”

Kelly appears to really enjoy 4H and what she feels it offerschildren. In fact she says, “4-H is an invaluable organization foryoung people. It helps members develop skills that they will usetheir whole life: leadership, public speaking, citizenship, responsi-bility, teamwork and I could go on. Our state’s Ag Commissioner,Adam Putnam, credits much of his early leadership and publicspeaking skills to his involvement in 4-H. He has often said, ‘Myexperiences in 4-H shaped my outlook on life and prepared me forthe world way beyond county fairs and livestock shows.’” Herfeelings about agriculture are equally intense. “When most peoplethink of agriculture, their definition is very narrow in comparisonto reality. Just in the state of Florida we have over 300 commodi-ties! Among the first were cattle, timber and citrus. Our farms andranches provide an unparalleled abundance of fresh andhealthy food not only to our great state of Florida but to thewhole country.”

In closing Kelly adds, “Our club is very active outside of our reg-ularly scheduled meetings and I enjoy the help of many wonderfulparents, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my cousinCarolyn Barnett Prescott. Carolyn’s son, John, is a member of ourclub and her enthusiastic weekly phone calls to say, “What are wedoing next?” makes my job as a leader much more fun.” •

4H Still GrowingAfter 100 YearsTheCentennial4H Club’sKelly WhiteBY GINNY MINK


3300 IINNTTHHEEFFIIEELLDD MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE OOCCTTOOBBEERR 22001122 WW WW WW.. II NNTT HH EEFF II EE LL DD MMAA GG AA ZZ II NN EE ..CC OO MM



Butterflies are still abundant here in Florida. If youwill be participating in the monarch tagging pro-gram you will need a butterfly net to safely capturethe monarch you want to tag. This month we willconstruct a butterfly net that can be made frominexpensive materials, some of which you mayalready have around the house.

Materials Needed:• Handle: (mine is 1” diameterwooden dowel)• Net frame (mine is a plastic embroideryhoop, at least 12” diameterrecommended)

• Netting (mine is 1.5 yd of nylon,cotton weave is more durable,need enough for a 24” – 30” deep net)

• Strong Glue (to secure the hoop tothe handle, I used Gorilla Glue)

• Twine (to secure the hoop to the handle)

Naturally Amazing Activities

Butterfly NetBy Sean Green

Step 2Drape the netting over theembroidery hoop outer ringSecure the netting to theembroidery hoop with theinner ring (glue for extrahold)

Step 3Glue the embroideryhoop into the groovethat was cut into thehandle

Step 4Secure the embroidery hoopto the handle with twinewith a figure 8 patternand the net is finished

Step 1Create a notch inthe handle just bigenough to hold theadjustment end ofthe embroidery hoop

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc. is offering $500 schoolgarden mini-grants to teachers in five central Florida counties begin-ning September 1, thanks to a grant from The Mosaic CompanyFoundation.

General education and agri-science teachers in pre-kindergartenthrough 12th grade in DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee andPolk counties are eligible to apply using an online application systemon Florida Agriculture in the Classroom’s website atwwwwww..ffllaaggiinntthheeccllaassssrroooomm..ccoomm.

The funds can be used for new or existing school gardens to pay foritems needed to plant and maintain fruit, vegetable and ornamentalplant gardens. Mosaic’s grant to Florida Agriculture in theClassroom is part of $2.79 million recently donated to 37 non-profitcommunity organizations serving counties in the company’s CentralFlorida operating area. Grants were awarded to organizations implementing initiatives focused on hunger relief, agriculturalresearch and development, water conservation and stewardship, and community enrichment.

“We are pleased to support this hands-on program that enables stu-dents to personally experience and learn about the importance offarming and our food supply,” said Gary N. "Bo" Davis, Mosaic’ssenior vice president of Phosphate Operations and a board memberof The Mosaic Company Foundation.”

Mosaic is committed to investing at least one percent of its annualprofits into its communities globally, making community investments

in several grant rounds each year, Davis said. Over the past yearMosaic and its Foundation have donated more than $8.4 millionto community organizations focused on Central Florida. To readmore about Mosaic’s focus on food, water and local communityinvestments and its online grant system, visit:wwwwww..mmoossaaiiccccoo..ccoomm//ccoommmmuunniittyy//ccoommmmuunniittyy..hhttmm

“Florida Agriculture in the Classroom appreciates the chance towork with a partner like Mosaic to provide teachers with resourcesthey need to educate students about where their food, fiber and fuelcomes from,” said Jennifer Sills, chairwoman of FAITC.

Florida Agriculture in the Classroom is a non-profit organizationbased in Gainesville that educates students about Florida agricultureby providing pre-kindergarten through 12th grade teachers with curricula, materials, grant money and other programs. Its primarysource of funding comes from sales of the agriculture specialtylicense plate called the “Ag Tag.”

About The Mosaic Company and The Mosaic Company FoundationThe Mosaic Company is the world’s leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash, two essential crop nutrients. Driven byits mission to help the world grow the food it needs, Mosaic is committed tostrengthening global food security and protecting critical water resources. The Mosaic Company and The Mosaic Company Foundation make investments in and partner with best-of-class leaders in the focus areas offood, water and local community investments. More information aboutMosaic is available at wwwwww..mmoossaaiiccccoo..ccoomm.

The goal is simply to attach netting to a loop and the loop to ahandle. There are many way to do this depending on the toolsand resources you have available. The following instructions willsuffice for an inexpensive net that is quick and easy to make.

MOSAIC Contribution Funds Mini-Grants for School Gardensin DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee and Polk Counties



THE PLACE TO BE on September 28-29 was the SilverSpurs Arena/Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee. That’swhere the 16 top teams of 64 cowboys and 16 cowgirls

came together for the 5th Ranch Rodeo State Finals and CowboyHeritage Festival.

This annual event is put on by the Florida Cattlemen’sAssociation, Florida CattleWomen, Inc., and the FloridaCattlemen’s Foundation with the support of the Silver SpursRiding Club and several other rodeo organizations and countycattlemen’s associations. It is intended to be a fund-raiser for theFlorida Cattlemen’s Foundation to fund cattle research, educa-tional programs and scholarships to help perpetuate the beef cat-tle industry in the state of Florida.

Friday and Saturday nights saw rodeo action, as the 16 teams,each consisting of four men and one woman, competed in half ofthe events each night. And those events were saddle bronc riding,team roping and branding, the stampede race, team doctoring,double mugging, colt riding, cattle sorting, and wild cow milking.Each night there was a short break in the adult action for the 10-and-under set to participate in the boot scramble. All boots wereclaimed each night, as were all the youngsters, and with prizesawarded to the first four to cross the finish line with both bootson, it was proclaimed a success!

Each team is sponsored by a Florida ranch or business, and iscompeting in these Finals by placing in one of the 16 qualifyingranch rodeos running from February through August of each year.Each qualifier must have a minimum of three of the events thatwill be used at the Finals. And at least three of the team memberscompeting at the Finals must have been on the team at their win-ning qualifier.

From 10 - 5 on Saturday, the Cowboy Heritage Festival was heldat the Osceola Heritage Park, adjacent to the Silver Spurs Arena.

It presents Florida ranching, and our unique Cracker Cowmanway of life to the rest of the world. The various elements ofFlorida ranching that are showcased were leather crafts, whipmaking, cowboy artwork, spur making, and saddle making, witha Cracker cow camp and a Native American encampment, plus atent for storytelling, cowboy poetry and other musical entertain-ment. And not to be overlooked is that wonderful Florida delica-cy – swamp cabbage – cooked in various mouth-watering meth-ods to the delight of the spectators.

Starting work on Friday evening were all the teams competing forthe various cook-off awards as part of the Cowboy HeritageFestival. That competition is as tough as the one going on in theArena, as they vied for four different titles. The People’s Choicewinners were Wilder’s Saddlery – First Place, and ManateeCounty Cattlemen – Second Place (reversing last year’s standings).The Contestant Area winners were Wilder’s Saddlery – First Place,and Smokin’ Pink – Second Place (also reversing last year’s place-ment!). The Showmanship Award went to Smokin’ Pink – FirstPlace, the Barbecue Crew – Second Place, and East River FFA –Third Place. The final category was the brisket cook-off, withManatee County Cattlemen taking those Top Honors, andWilder’s Saddlery bringing home it’s third win in third place.Congratulations to all you hard-working barbecuers, and we canhardly wait for next year’s competition.

The name “Cracker” Cowmen was derived from the sound of thewhips “cracking” in the palmetto hammocks as the cowmen ofour past worked cattle in Florida’s unique landscape. There was awhip-popping contest during the Cowboy Heritage Festival, andthose winners were brought into the Arena on Saturday night toshow off their skills. The sound of those whips cracking in thenight air is music to many old-timer Floridians!

Each night of rodeo began with a Grand Entry of all 16 teams, thevarious flags, carried by Miss Silver Spurs and President of theJunior Cattlemen, then Taylor Bolin, the 2012-2013 FloridaCattlemen’s Sweetheart carrying the red, white and blue, OldGlory – the American flag. This year honored our military, andthe Wounded Warriors Project circled the Arena in a militaryHumVee. It brought tears to this writer’s eyes to see salutes andcheers from the cowboys and cowgirls, as well as a standing ova-tion from the stands. Darin Hughes of Wauchula gave the invoca-tion each night, and the national anthem was sung by youngladies with melodic voices.

Entering the Arena each night was Woody Larson, President ofthe Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Melissa MontsDeOca,President of Florida CattleWomen, Inc. (both from Okeechobee),and Robert G. “Bo” Hobby, Chairman of the Ranch RodeoCommittee. An Honorary Team Captain was appointed eachnight. Friday saw the award being presented to BobbyMontsDeOca. Saturday’s honor was shared by Earli Sullivan andLeonard Storey. These cattlemen have histories of their familiesintertwined with Florida’s cattle industry as far back as the 1930s.Mr. Sullivan’s daughter, grandkids and great-grandkids were allthere to cheer him, with grandsons Dusty and Hunter Holley inthe Arena for the presentation. Together with Hunter’s wife,Jessica, they competed on the Polk County Cattlemen’s team.Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture, Adam Putnam, joinedthem in the Arena on Saturday night to speak on the importanceof the cattle industry to the state of Florida.

FLORIDA RANCH RODEOAT IT’S BEST!!Photos and article by Kathy Gregg

And let’s not forget the many vendors whoset up their temporary stores on the upperlevel and outside, selling everything cow-boy and western. You could find wearableart, western décor, handmade frames, cus-tom-made spurs and leather tack, and allof that beautiful cowgirl bling! This writerhelped support the economy by patroniz-ing several vendors, and found the cigarboxes decoupaged with cowboy and cow-girl vignettes (both modern and old-fash-ioned) to be really unique.

NOW, back to the rodeo action –Friday night’s top bronc score was 60,which just fueled the eight riders onSaturday, which saw every score exceed60. William Perry of Audubon Ranchlanded the hardest of all riders, and had tobe helped out of the Arena, but with nopermanent injury. When all the dust hadsettled, the top score of 67 went to CJCarter of the Schroeder-Manatee Ranchteam, landing him the winner’s belt buck-le. Even the announcer kidded CJ abouthis ponytail, but he lived up to his bio –“He is a lover, a fighter, and a wild broncrider!”

The team roping and branding event sawonly two no-times. The ropers havelearned to bring the calf as close to thebranding circle as possible, with severalfemale team members only having to stepa few feet to put the baby-powder coveredbranding iron onto the calf’s hide. Bravo,cowboys, and congratulations to theInmate Ranch, who won with an awesometime of 28.48 seconds.

Next up was the stampede race. Ladies, wewon’t dwell on this one, but it was won bythe J&J Farms team.

Team doctoring was the next event. Thisdisplays the heading and heeling ropingtalents of the team members, plus muggingthe steer to the ground, so the female teammember can mark it’s head. Only two ofthe eight teams got a time on Friday night,and another three teams on Saturday. Thisevent went to the Audubon Ranch, with anincredible time of 19.91 seconds. That justgoes to show what good roping can do (eh,Matt!).

The double mugging event (this writer’sfavorite) was as WILD as ever – with cow-boys being dragged, and cowgirls diggingin their heels while holding the tail of the600-pound-plus steers. When everyonehad dusted themselves off, Grace Ag tookhome the winner’s buckles with a time of55.54 seconds, with Jenna Adams out-rop-ing the cowboys on her team!

The colt riding is one of two events run intwo heats. Teams bumped into each otherwhile saddling their wild mounts to thenride them across the line, and the FulfordCattle team garnered this win, with riderCole Fulford recently recovered from abroken leg.

Next up was cattle sorting, and the cattleoutsmarted the cowboys on Saturdaynight, with six of the eight teams receivinga no-time. But Grace Ag took it’s secondwin, with a time of 44.06 seconds.

Last was wild cow milking, with fourteams competing simultaneously in twoheats each night. One team tripped as therunner got to the judge, and the bottlesmashed – but they got a time as it wasclear the bottle contained milk as itsplashed out! Congratulations go to theMarkham Cattle team for the winningtime.

While we all waited for the winners to beannounced, Billy Bellamy entertained thecrowd with his well-trained cattle dogsrounding up the wild cows. Billy, togetherwith Ned Waters and Alton Langford,worked the cattle throughout the weekendrodeo.

AND THE WINNER IS – AudubonRanch, with team members Peck Harris,William Perry, Robert Fussell, Matt Smithand Dallas Roberts. BRAG ABOUT ITFOR THE NEXT YEAR, and enjoy thoseengraved saddles.

But not to be overlooked, Second Placewent to Tiger Bay Ranch/DuncanTrucking, consisting of Billy Adams,Marshall Godsey, father and son Carsonand Cody Storey, and Christi Pryor, whoreceived breastcollars. And Third Placewinners were Rafter G Ranch, with CliffLightsey, Juan Alcazar, Dad Paul Grimaldi,son Michael and daughter Kaitlyn, whowon saddle pads.

So until next year – YEEHAW!!



According to IFAS, Florida produces over 80 percent of thecitrus consumed in this great nation. It is the leading pro-ducer of grapefruit in the world and is second only to

Brazil when it comes to oranges. Given the vast importance of thisaspect of Florida agriculture, it is no wonder that governmentalagencies are constantly seeking out new methods of protectingthese crops.

Brandon Page is a new addition to the Citrus Research EducationCenter (CREC) and he shared his experience with us. He says,“I’ve been in Ag all my life. My family’s been growing citrus sincethe 1930’s in the Apopka area. As I went through high schoolI worked in the groves with my dad. I worked the freeze in ’89,but the freezes of ’83 and ’85 I was too young to do anything.”Given his family history it would seem natural that Brandonfollow the citrus tradition. Yet, he took a detour.

He explains, “In college, I got a degree in golf course operationsand turf management. I probably worked in the golf course indus-try since 2000. I got the degree in 2006 and from 2006-2009 I wasa golf course superintendent in the central Florida area. WhileI was doing the superintendent position, I went back to UF andpursued my degree in horticulture and got that in 2010.” It seemsapparent that the putting grounds weren’t his passion. In fact, hespent the rest of 2009 until April of this year, working at the fam-ily farm growing oranges and taking care of the goat herd there.

He says, “I started at the CREC in April of this year and I stillmanage the groves at home along with my father. I’m the CitrusHealth Management Areas (CHMA) Program Assistant. I com-municate with growers and citrus agents throughout the state.I also communicate with the Florida Department of Agriculture.I keep track of the tap samples, and there are 38 CHMAs, and allof them have tap samples being conducted in them by the FloridaDepartment of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) andthe US Department of Agriculture (USDA).”

Perhaps this concept of tap samples is foreign to you. IFAS pro-vides this information on its website: “All that is needed to con-duct a stem-tap sample is a letter size (8.5 x 11 inches) sheet oflaminated white paper or transparent clipboard and a 2 foot stickor PVC pipe. The sheet is held about 1 foot below a leafy branchwhich is struck consecutively three times for each sample, causingpsyllids and other insects to fall onto the sheet. The smoothsurface of the sheet makes it difficult for psyllids to fly, allowingsufficient time to count and record (Qureshi & Stansly 2007). Thestem tap is rapid, works under either dry or wet conditions, andhas proven to be reliable and consistent (Hall et al. 2007, Qureshiet al. 2009, Hall & Hentz 2010)” (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in867).Hopefully that explains to you what exactly Brandon is keepingtrack of.

Certainly the stem-tap samples are a scientific aspect of Brandon’sjob, but the communication between growers and citrus agents isvastly important as well. He says, “I also try to develop resourcesfor the growers to use to see how their management strategies areworking, to help them see how effective their psyllid managementstrategies are. I try to facilitate communication between growersto help coordinate psyllid management strategies.”

When asked about the effectiveness of this program, Brandongladly reports, “Since 2011-2012, we’ve reduced the overall psyl-lid population statewide by 50 percent. I think that’s prettyimpressive after only one year of the program. The growers did it,they coordinated their efforts and knocked the population down,the growers made this happen!” So, what exactly spurred thesecoordinated efforts? Where did the program get its start?

Brandon responds, “Basically, a little history, the concept startedin 2005. Some field trials were done, got the National Academyof Sciences involved; they said the formation of CHMAs wasabsolutely fundamental to managing psyllids. In 2010 there weresome growers that attempted some coordinated sprays. That wasa pretty good year, we got our website up and going:www.flchma.org. Then in 2011, our psyllid monitoring programbegan and the reports of that monitoring became available via ourwebsite. There’s 38 CHMAs throughout the state and each one ofthem has their very own homepage.” Sometimes technology is areally useful tool!

Brandon adds, “There’s over 486,000 acres of commercial citruswithin the borders of the 38 CHMAs and of that, roughly100,000 acres are surveyed every three weeks by FDACS andUSDA. Just because there’s over 486,000 acres within our bound-aries doesn’t mean that every grove is participating in our pro-gram, it just means it’s within the boundary of a CHMA.”Brandon pauses here and then very seriously states, “It is veryimportant to stress here, that there’s no mandate, no regulation orlegislation that says a grower must participate in the CHMA pro-gram. The main driving factor of the CHMA program is thegrower, grower communication; the grower is the key to successhere.”

In closing, we asked Brandon what he liked about his job. Heanswered, “I like that I get to work in the citrus industry again.I’m very happy to be back. My family’s been in it since the ‘30’s.It feels right to be in the industry. I also love working for theUniversity of Florida. I’ve grown up a gator and I think it’s reallyneat working here.” We’re glad he’s back in the family businesstoo, and if you are interested in learning more about CHMA’s,please visit their website: wwwwww..ffllcchhmmaa..oorrgg

From the Golf Green to Citrus Greening

Brandon PageBY GINNY MINK



Crisp, fresh, Florida kohlrabi is nowentering its prime season. Whileavailable year-round, its peak sea-

son is during the cooler months, betweenOctober and April. Also called Germanturnip or cabbage turnip, kohlrabi is actu-ally not a type of turnip or a root veg-etable. Kohlrabi grows above the groundand is a member of the cruciferous familyof vegetables, which also includes broc-coli, cauliflower, collard greens, cabbage,and kale. This highly nutritious vegetabletastes like the broccoli heart but sweeterand juicier. Both the leaves and bulb areedible and can be eaten raw or cooked.Striking in appearance, this vegetable canbe purple, green, or white and has stalksgrowing upwards from the spherical bulb.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILEKohlrabi and the other cruciferous vegeta-bles are well known for being nutritionsuperstars. They contain multiple anti-can-cer, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial com-pounds. Eating more cruciferous vegeta-bles has been associated with a lower inci-dence of a variety of cancers, includingthose of the lung, colon, breast, ovariesand bladder. Current research studies showthat people who eat the most cruciferousvegetables have a lower risk of prostate,colorectal and lung cancers, even whencompared to those who regularly eat othervegetables.

Kohlrabi is bursting with vitamins andminerals while being low in calories.According to the United States Departmentof Agriculture (USDA) National NutrientDatabase for Standard Reference, one cupof raw kohlrabi (135 g) contains 36 calo-ries, 2.3 g protein, 0.14 g fat, 8.37 g carbo-hydrate, and 4.9 g of dietary fiber. It alsoprovides 140% of the Daily RecommendedValue (%DV) for vitamin C, 19% fordietary fiber, 14% for potassium, 10% forvitamin B6, and 9% for both copper andmanganese. Kohlrabi also contains signifi-

cant amounts of phosphorus, magnesium,calcium, iron, niacin, and riboflavin.

VITAMIN CVitamin C is important for a healthyimmune system, cancer prevention, healthyblood circulation and wound healing. Thisvitamin acts as a potent antioxidant in thebody, neutralizing harmful free radicals andpreventing its damaging effects in cells. Byfighting cell and tissue damage, Vitamin Cprotects against cancer and other diseases,such as the common cold. This vitamin alsohelps the body absorb more iron, and aids inthe development of strong bones and teeth.

Current research findings support thatVitamin C’s benefits come from consump-tion of whole fruits and vegetables. A highintake of produce, including cabbage, isassociated with a reduced risk of deathfrom all causes, including heart disease,stroke, and cancer. Taking supplementsdoes not seem to provide the same protec-tive benefits as eating raw or cookedkohlrabi.

FIBERKohlrabi and other cruciferous vegetablescontain a huge amount of dietary fiber. Asingle cup of raw kohlrabi provides over19% of the daily value for fiber. In fact,more than half of the carbohydrate con-tent in this vegetable is comprised of fiber.

Fiber can help lower cholesterol, assistwith digestion, and prevent constipation.It also promotes satiety while consumingfewer calories and can help maintainsteady blood sugar levels. According to theAmerican Institute for Cancer Research, adiet high in fiber may decrease the risk ofseveral types of cancer including colon,rectum, breast, and pancreas.

POTASSIUMOne cup of kohlrabi contains 14% of yourdaily needs for potassium. This mineral isessential for the function of every cell in

the body. As an electrolyte, it plays a keyrole in heart function, as well as in musclecontraction. Potassium is required forprotein and carbohydrate metabolism andis involved in acid-base balance in thebody. Too little potassium can lead to mus-cle cramping, abnormal heart rhythms andfeelings of weakness.

HOW TO SELECT AND STOREChoose the smaller bulbs of kohlrabi thatfeel firm and heavy for its size. The smallerbulbs tend to be sweeter and more flavor-ful than larger bulbs. Look for those withdark green leaves, which are edible as well.

Kohlrabi is best when eaten as fresh aspossible. It can also be stored in the refrig-erator for up to five days. This vegetablecan also be blanced and frozen for up toseveral months.

HOW TO ENJOYFresh Florida kohlrabi is delicious eatenraw or cooked. A very versatile vegetable,it can be enjoyed sliced into a salad orsteamed, boiled, baked, roasted or fried.The leaves can be lightly sautéed or eatenraw. More ways to enjoy kohlrabi include:

• Shredded in a coleslaw or as asandwich topper

• Marinated in oil and vinegar• Stir-fried in a vegetable stir-fry• Roasted in the oven with olive oil,salt and pepper

• Added to soups, stews, or casseroles

Enjoy fresh Florida kohlrabi today. Withits crisp delicious flavor and versatile uses,you can boost your health and expandyour palate by adding kohlrabi to yourplate.

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It’s always a pleasure when you findrestaurant owners previously featured inthe Grub Station who have become high-

ly successful…this is one of those happy inci-dent.

Tim and Tina Calhoon were first discov-ered by me when they were the caterers forKeel & Curly Winery’s new venture“Uncorked After Dark” and I was writinga review published in the January 2011issue of In The Field.

Back then, they were precooking food intheir small Lakeland bakery and then tak-ing it to the winery and finishing the prepa-ration on hot plates. I was amazed by thecreative mind of Chef Tina and how every-thing looked (and tasted) like it was justprepared in a state-of-the-art kitchen.

Their success story is a case of, if you are agood business person and love what youare doing, they will come.

Not only have they come, happy customershave enabled the Calhoun’s to doublethe size of their wonderful bakery toinclude a contemporary bistro with exten-sive international wine and beer listsand a staff of 25.

Although more of a wine aficionado, I dolike to look at a great beer menu just tomarvel over the minds that name some ofthese interesting boutique brews, beers andIndia Pale Ales such as; Smuttynose,Shmaltz Swordswallower, Dogfish Head orWeyerbacher Blithering Idiot Barley Wineand who would have the temerity to drinkanything with one of those names?

But that’s some of the fun and a perfect fitwith Blues, Burgers and Beer nights. Liveblues and jazz entertainment are combinedwith Tina’s special gourmet touch whichextends to the Angus beef burgers likeFresco’s Signature applewood bacon withcrumbled blue cheese topped withcaramelized onions and mushrooms servedon Wednesday to BBB fans.

There are new, not-on-the-menu, specialscreated daily, in addition to the mouth-watering plethora of inventive culinaryadventure. For brunch, try Eggs Benedictwith the perfect Hollandaise sauce servedfour ways…divine with crab cakes,your favorite Cappuccino or a sparklingMimosa.

After more than 30 years in Florida, I amstill enough of a northerner to be astounded

by the popularity of grits. They seem odor-less, colorless and tasteless unless ‘killed’with mounds of cheese, peppers, Tabascoand heaven knows what else. HoweverTina assures me that customers swear byher shrimp and grits as ideal for brunch.

All servings, including appetizers, aregenerous so I found heaven in what theCalhoon’s call “small plates” with tendermeat of your choice glazed and served onskewers with another beautifully plateddish of fruit with a variety of cheeses and awedge of wafer-thin Lavash, a MiddleEastern flat bread seasoned with spices,cheese and garlic.

Fresco’s pastries taste fabulous and looktoo gorgeous to eat. You can view them ontheir Web site but if you can’t wait, justrun, walk or drive on over to their bakerycounter for my favorite strawberries withcrème crèche and topped with real goldleaf.

When asked if Tim is the one who handlesthe front of the house, he laughingly says,“Oh, I handle the Blues, Burgers and Beer,Tina handles everything else.” •

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FRESCO’S BAKERY & BISTROCREATIVE FOOD COMBINATIONSAND GORGEOUS BAKED GOODS


Florida citrus production costs are thehighest in history and could continue toclimb as growers battle exotic diseases.

That was the focus of a presentation by awell-known citrus economist at theInternational Citrus and BeverageConference in Clearwater Beach.

Dr. Ron Muraro of the University ofFlorida Institute of Food and AgriculturalSciences (IFAS) said citrus productioncosts have increased more in the pasteight years than any time period in fourdecades. He reported statewide, growersare spending up to an average of $1,700an acre on disease management, irriga-tion, fertilizer and tree re-plantings. That’s

up from $771 an acre just eight yearsago. In some regions, growers arespending more than $2,100 an acre.

The news came as no surprise to theindustry, which is locked in a battle withseveral diseases including canker, blackspot and HLB.

“We are lucky fruit prices have been firmover the past two seasons because grow-ers are spending more and more to keepthese diseases at bay,” said Michael W.Sparks, executive VP/CEO of FloridaCitrus Mutual. “We are doing a good jobmanaging them however it is expensiveand cuts into a grower’s bottom line.”

The IFAS report blames the increasedcosts in part on world demand forfertilizer and high energy and chemicalcosts. Find the entire presentation athhttttpp::// // ccoonnffeerreennccee..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//cciittrruuss// .

The Florida citrus industry creates a $9billion annual economic impact, employ-ing nearly 76,000 people, and coveringmore than 500,000 acres. Founded in1948 and currently representing nearly8,000 grower members, Florida CitrusMutual is the state’s largest citrus growerorganization.

For more information, visitwwwwww..ffllcciittrruussmmuuttuuaall..ccoomm

Fluffy StuffedStrawberries

Florida Arugula andGoat Cheese Saladwith Citrus and Strawberry

Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agricluture

INGREDIENTS

1 pound strawberries8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened3 ounces low-fat yogurt1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION

Cut stems off the strawberries and carefullyscoop out 2/3 of the inside by using a knife orspoon, creating a “cup.” Be sure not to makeany holes. Cut off a piece off the bottom tip ofthe strawberries to allow them to stand up.

Beat cream cheese and yogurt until fluffy.Fold in vanilla extract. Working in batches,place cheese mixture into pastry bag or azip-lock bag with a small corner cut off.Fill strawberries with cheese mixture.

Garnish with mint and serve.

PREPARATION

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add arugula, lemonjuice and olive oil. Lightly toss the arugula to coatand season lightly with salt and pepper. To servesalad use four chilled plates. Add an even amountof the dressed arugula to the centre of each of thefour plates. Arrange an even amount of citrus andstrawberries in a decorative manor on each plate.Evenly distribute the crumbled goat cheese overthe top of each salad.

Serve arugula salad chilled.

INGREDIENTS

16 ounces arugula, rinsed and drained

1 dozen strawberries, rinsed, hulled and sliced

2 oranges, peeled and segmented

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

1 lemon, juiced

1 tablespoon olive oil

sea salt to taste

fresh ground pepper to taste

RECIPES




Agro-Culture Liquid has demonstrat-ed the advantage of balanced cropnutrition in the challenging condi-

tions of the southeastern U.S. As an indus-try leader in supplying a full range of plantnutrients to its customers, Agro-Liquid hasearned a reputation for being able toaddress nutrient limitations of crops bydrawing from experiences on their exten-sive nutrient research farm to help growersmaximize yield and quality. An importantaspect that sets Agro-Culture Liquid

Fertilizers apart from other fertilizercompanies is a commitment to not onlysupplying a full range of nutrients, but alsoadding in company support to ensuremaximum benefit from the nutrient appli-cations.

Support from Agro-Liquid continues togrow in the southeast. The recent additionof Paulino Gutierrez is a step toward build-ing on momentum that has already beenestablished. Paulino has spent most of hiscareer in the ag industry and can quicklyidentify opportunities, as well as challenges,in an area. His “hands-on” approach tosupporting products with an active presencein the field is an attribute that will increasethe value of Agro-Liquid in his area. Paulinoresides in Sarasota, and as a result is acces-sible to many key crops and areas of thesoutheast. His support of Agro-Liquid’s areasellers will ensure that growers can count onthe company to supply their crop nutritionneeds.

Another addition to the staff in the south-east is Dr. Mike Read. He will provideagronomy support for fruits and vegetables.

Mike has worked with Agro-Culture Liquidproducts in various capacities for severalyears. Over his career, he has lived andworked in several countries with diverse cli-mates and cultural habits. This experiencehas equipped him to be able to adapt theflexibility of Agro-Liquid products to themanagement and available resources of thegrower. He resides in Venice, and, likePaulino, is a quick commute to many areacrops.

Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers is commit-ted to an increasing presence in the south-east. The company philosophy of maximiz-ing production from applied nutrients is agood fit with the challenges in the area. Theclimate and soils of the southeast createsome obstacles for growers that Agro-Liquid is equipped to meet head-on. Thededication to knowledgeable field supportand a complete menu of plant nutritionplaces Agro-Culture Liquid in a position ofgrowth in the area. Be sure to visit the web-site at www.agroliquid.com in order toverify their value to your operation. •

Agro-CultureLiquidFertilizersPicks UpThe Pace

By Galynn Beer


Fall has arrived in Florida. For many,this is the most enjoyable of ourFlorida seasons. Migratory birds have

already begun to nestle in for the winter. Awelcome decline in temperature andhumidity levels remind us that the carefreedays of summertime are winding to an end.Community spirit seems warmer this timeof year as if kindling the upcoming holi-days. Friends relax at local farmers marketsto share fresh food and good conversationand Fall festivals fill the air with live musicand the laughter of children. Of all theexperiences that can be associated withautumn, the migration of the Monarch but-terflies could well be the most memorable,if you’re willing to take a closer look.

The colors black and orange embellishOctober typifying the end of harvest and, inmany world cultures, the hallowing, orhonoring of the dead. These colors areespecially significant when they come onthe wings of a butterfly. Butterflies areancient symbols of death and rebirthbecause of the metamorphosis that charac-terize their lifecycle. The ancient Greekword for butterfly is psyche, which meanssoul, or mind. The Monarch butterfly(Danaus plexippus) in particular is oneof the worlds most revered of all butterflies.Monarch butterflies are the only butterflyin the world that engage in a long distance,round trip, migration to the grand finaleof their life for the welfare of futuregenerations.

As daylight shortens through mid-August,the last of the summer monarch generationenter into a non-reproductive phase knownas diapause and may live seven months ormore. There are three major Monarch popu-lations in North America; the two migratorypopulations are separated by the RockyMountains. Monarchs west of the RockyMountains migrate to the California coastwhile (most) monarchs east of the RockyMountains migrate to pine and oyamel firforests in central Mexico from as far north asCanada. The means by which the Monarchsnavigate the same route and location as theirancestors is not completely understood.Monarchs in northern latitudes begin themigration and more Monarchs join theswarm in the journey south.

With little exception,Monarch butterflies areexpected to migrate, thisbehavior is thought tohave manifest during thelast Pleistocene glacia-tions in North Americawhen Canada and mostof the Northern part ofthe United States wasblanketed with sheets ofice. It was common thenfor animals to migratenorth and south with thepatterns of vegetationzones and the monarchswere no exception. The tropical environ-ment in Florida however accommodatesdifferences in Monarch behavior that hasinspired passionate research to determineFlorida’s role in the migration. We have res-ident Monarchs in Florida that do notmigrate and populations drop significantlywith the addition of migratory birds func-tioning as predators.

Some migratory monarchs are thought tobranch into Florida and reproduce with theresident population.

Monarchs that migrate to Florida, orthrough it, seem to be more active in thewinter months than those that settle inMexico. In Florida, researchers have docu-mented several winter generations thatpeak between February and March and alull at the end of August. Those that settlein Mexico generally do not begin to repro-duce until they leave in February andMarch and lay eggs on early milkweedgrowth before they die along the route backup north. By the middle of this month weshould begin to see resident caterpillars incentral Florida again. At the end of themonth, Monarchs are expected to travelthrough Florida’s gulf coast on their way toMexico. St Marks National Wildlife Refugeis one of the best places to see migratingmonarchs in Florida and will host the 24thAnnual Monarch Butterfly Festival onOctober 27.

We have much to discover about Monarchmigration, researchers know that the sunplays a role in the migration; however, newresearch indicates the Monarch butterflymay use the earth's magnetic field for orien-tation. The antennae contain a protein thatis sensitive to the violet-blue part of thespectrum. In the presence of this spectrum,the protein can function as a chemicalcompass. Dr. Chip Taylor, ProfessorDepartment of Ecology and EvolutionaryBiology, University of Kansas, foundedMonarch watch to encourage education,research and conservation relativeto Monarch butterflies. The MonarchWATCH program provides citizen scienceopportunities for volunteers to help tagMonarch butterflies during the fall migra-tion. Once tagged, scientists and volunteerscan track the Monarch butterfly migration

Florida Tagging and monitoring is appropri-ate in late September and October and is notlimited to known migratory routes, in fact,greater variety in tagging locations is helpful.We have included links to both the MonarchWATCH program and St Marks NationalWildlife Refuge for those interested.

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By Sean GreenPhoto by April WietreckiA Closer Look

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

ANIMALS & NEEDS

ANIMAL & BIRDCAGESAdd living microbes to improve your soil, equip-ment serving the fur-bearing and exotic bird indus-try. Cages built to order. Wire by roll or foot.813-752-2230 • www.ammermans.comSwap July 15, 2012 and Nov. 25, 2012

CHICKEN MANURE FOR SALEDry and available immediately! Call Tim Fordor Danny Thibodeau 863-439-3232

DOVE HUNTSLithia area limited number of membershipsstill available. Call Fish Hawk Sporting Clays.813-689-0490.

BUILDING SUPPLIES

DECKING BRDS. & TILL SIDINGCall Ted 813-752-3378

DOUBLE INSULATED THERMO PANEStarting at $55. Call Ted 813-752-3378

WINDOW SCREENSWe make window screens of all sizes available indifferent frame colors. Call Ted 813-752-3378

TILL 4 X 8 SHEETB-grade $17.95. Call Ted 813-752-3378

NEW DOORS CLOSEOUT SPECIAL!!!$75 to $295. Call Ted today 813-752-3378

MOBILE HOME TUBSMetal brand new in box 54” Mobile Home Tubs.Call Ted 813-752-3378 $135.00

FARM EQUIPMENT

JOHN DEERE 350C BULLDOZER6 way blade, good undercarriage$7500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

FERGUSON T020 TRACTORGas model, Good condition. $2,750Call Alvie 813-759-8722

HEAVY DUTY SHOP BUILT 14FT TRAILERNew tires & wheels$750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MASSSEY HARRIS FERGUSON NO. 16 PACERWith belly mower$1950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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KIOTI LB 19144 x 4$2950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MASSEY FERGUSON 255Grove Tractor with 6’ mower $7,500.Call Alvie 813-759-8722.

KUBOTA L275With shuttle shift. Ready to work!$3,500. Call 813-759-8722

KUBOTA M750072hp on 48 inch centers$5950 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

MASSEY FERGUSONGC2300 4 X 4 hydro stat transmission,2702 hrs. $4,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

2010 MASSEY FERGUSON261540hp, low hours.Only $8900Call 863-409-0349

JOHN DEERE 755Sold as is $2500.Call 863-409-0349

USED EQUIPMENTMowers, disk, box blades & diskplows. Call Alvie TODAY!813-759-8722

DUETZ TRACTORDuetz 30hp tractor withloader $5000.Call 863-409-3349

CUB CADETCub Cadet sold as is.Make and offer.Call 863-409-0349

MILL CREEKSPREADERPTO driven.Call 863-409-0349

SITREX TEDDER RAKE$4500.Call 409-0349

TORO DIESEL72 inch, 500 hours.Call 863-409-0349

2005 CHALLENGER MT655B220hp, tech star cvt transmis-sion, 4473 hrs, dual rears.$80,000Call Travis 863-205-2689

FOR SALE

18KT GOLD TANZANITE RINGBeautiful piece of jewelry. 1.05kt round nice bluegem with diamonds. Would make nice Christmasgift - never been worn. Appraisal papers included.Size 7-1/2 $1,200 Call 863-370-8891

$$HUGE PLANT SALE$$$4.00 and under for all, 3 gallon & 1 galloncontainers. We have a wide selection to choosefrom! Roses, hibiscus, viburnum, crotons, azalea'sjasmine and many more varieties.Call 813-447-6242 or 813-659-2645.

14KT GOLD AMMOLITE RINGMulti-colored fossil gem with unique mounting.Great for gifting. Size 8 $250 or best offer.Call 863-370-8891

JOBS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERWrite about events in your community.Immediate openings in Hillsborough andPolk Counties. Paid per article.Responsibilities include covering communityevents and taking pictures. Email your resumeto [email protected]

INDEPENDENT ACCOUNT MANAGERIn The Field Magazine is looking forindependent account managers to joinour team! Please [email protected] call 813-759-6909.

LAWN EQUIPMENT/SUPPLIES

RUBBER MULCHAll colors, buy 10 bags, get 1 FREE!$8.99 a bag. Call Ted 813-752-3378

TSG50 WOODS3pt. stump grinder. Clearance Sale!$3,381. Call Alvie 813-759-8722

REAL ESTATE

FOR SALE – 45 ACRES VACANT LAND(Pasco County) 45 acres are comprised of gentlyrolling hills with big trees & solid ground. A greatsetting for residential development. To the east of theproperty is a 60 acre parcel (Lake Gilbert) that addssignificant aesthetic value to the 45 acres.Zoning: AR (Agricultural-Rural)Call Heidi Cecil for more information 863-899-9620

2.66 ACRE NURSERY FOR SALE OR LEASEN. Lakeland with 1,000 sq ft frame house,2 sheds, irrigation throughout.Call Bruce 863-698-0019

45 ACRES45 acres mol, former Plant City Nursery, Doverarea. Two M/H hook-up’s. 3, 6 and 8 inch wellswith 4 and 6 inch mainlines through outproperty. Asking $699,500. Call Kilgore RealEstate 813-689-5881

11.7 ACRES11.7 acres WUP approved for blueberries.400’ frontage culvert and fence. Hwy 674Fort Lonesome. 813-728-9132

FOR LEASEEstablished fish camp, mobile home, RV park withfull hookups in eastern Polk County. Located on arenowned bass fishing lake within the KissimmeeChain of Lakes. 14 acres of beautiful oakhammocks with canal and recreation hall.Call 863-692-1013

Classifieds Tel: 813.759.6909 [email protected]



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In The Field magazine Polk