in the field magazine hillsborough edition

2 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 W 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 MAY 2013 WWW. INTHEF I E LDMAGAZ INE .COM

FeatureFSGA Ambassador

ProgramPPaaggee

5544Cover photo: Stephanie Humpfrey

VOL. 9 • ISSUE 7

Seed By The Scoop

Page 10

Great Florida Bulbs

Page 14

Tampa Bay

Fishing Report

Page 18

Rocking Chair

Chatter

Page 22

Florida Figs

Page 33

Bobby Coleman

Page 39

Earth Day 2013

3

Seeds of Faith

Page 44

Recipes

Page 50

Bringing the

Community to the

Dinner Table

Page 52

Stephen Gran

Page 58

Clay For Kids

Page 65

If You Like to Eat....

Page 70

Evirothon

Page 76

2013 Ag Awards

Banquet

Page 81

Mistaken Identities

Page 89

Dennie Ross

Page 92

®

Danny Aprile ..............................PresidentBill Burnett ..........................VicePresidentJemy Hinton ..............................Treasurer

Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy,Jim Dyer, James Frankowiak,

Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman,Kenneth Parker, Jake Raburn,

Alex Ritzheimer, Marty Tanner, James Tew,Patrick Thomas, Ron Wetherington, Michelle Williamson, Will Womack,

Ray Wood

DIRECTORS FOR 2012-2013

OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Judi Whitson, Executive Director813.685.9121

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 5W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

From the Editor Index of Advertisers�ITFM Staff


Engaging and supporting out youth in agriculture endeavorsis critical. Ag topics should be introduced to students andmaintained throughout their education. This is important not onlyfor those students who will remain involved in agriculture in theiradult lives, but to those students who will make a living in otheravenues. Why? Because all consumers are involved in agriculture.Having an informed consumer, who reads labels, buys local andsupports the local economy, is of the utmost importance at thisjuncture.

We need young people to take over the often times under appreci-ated business of growing our nations food. So when you see localFFA and 4H students working on projects in the community, taketime to let them know how much you appreciate them and theirhard work and dedication. They are our future. Being involved inthese organizations also teaches leadership and speaking skills forfuture career endeavors both in and outside of the agriculturearena.

Help us to continue to spread the word about agriculture bypatronizing our advertisers. They allow us to continue to coverwhat is growing each month.

Until Next Month,

Sarah

Dad’s Towing....................................................................85Deliguori Estate Sale........................................................87DiscountMetals...............................................................26Dr. Barry GaffneyO.D. PA.............................................84Driscoll’s............................................................................57EcoWater...........................................................................45Eshenbaugh Land Company..........................................50Farm Bureau Insurance...................................................77Farm Bureau Insurance/Jeff Sumner..............................86FarmCredit.........................................................................9Felton’s ..............................................................................51Fischbach Land Company..............................................72Fishhawk Sporting Clays ................................................65Florida Dept. of Agriculture............................................37Florida Strawberry Festival.............................................71Florida Strawberry Growers Assoc................................74Forbes Road Produce......................................................12Fred’sMarket.................................................................. 26Gator Ford........................................................................12Gladstone............................................................................7Grimes Hardware Center ...............................................25Grove Equipment Service ..............................61, 63& 67Halfacre Construction Company...................................64Harold’s Feed& Pet Supply .............................................3Harrell’s Nursery, Inc.......................................................90Haught Funeral Home.........................................48& 49Helena Chemical-Tampa ................................................17Hillsboro State Bank........................................................73Hillsborough County Farm Bureau....................36& 80Hinton Farms Produce, Inc.............................................17HuffMuffler.....................................................................41I-4 Power Equipment ......................................................34Jane Baer Realty...............................................................94Jarrett-Scott Ford................................................................2Johnson’s Barbeque..........................................................90Jon&Rosie’s Tree Farm...................................................9Ken’sWell Drilling& Pump Service, Inc.......................15Key Plex............................................................................21Loetscher Auto Parts .......................................................86Malissa Crawford............................................................57Mark Smith Excavating..................................................26Meryman Environmental, Inc........................................69Mid Florida American Pit Bull Terrier Assoc................53MikeMilliron...................................................................92Mosaic...............................................................................35Myers Cleaners.................................................................40O’Connor .........................................................................11ParkesdaleMarket...........................................................20Pathway BioLogic............................................................38Plant City Homestyle Buffet..............................................5Plant City Tire&Auto Service, Inc...............................26Platinum Bank..................................................................46Railroad Credit Union.....................................................93Savich&Lee / Stalnaker.................................................29Seedway...............................................................................7Shrimp&Co Express.....................................................86Southside Farm&Pet Supply .............................30& 31South Florida Baptist Hospital .......................................88Southwestern Produce Company...................................27Squeal Deal.......................................................................92StephanineHumphrey.....................................................90Stingray Chevrolet............................................................95Super Service Tire&Auto..............................................69TheHayDepot................................................................75Timberlane Pet Hospital &Resort................................68Trinkle, Redman, Swanson, Coton,Davis& Smith .................................................................93Turkey Creek Animal Hospital......................................75Vertigro .............................................................................64Walden Lake CarWash..................................................24Waller’s Lawn Equipment...............................................13WellsMemorial................................................................75Willie’s ...............................................................................19Woodside Dental..............................................................71

ABCPizza................................................................90Ag Technologies......................................................62Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers .............................25Alto Recycling, LLC...............................................28Antioch Feed and Farm Supply.................78&79AquariusWater Refining.......................................80Astin Strawberry Exchange...................................76B Powerful Promos...................................................9Badcock....................................................................23Bill’s Transmissions.................................................32Bingham...................................................................42BrandonAuto Services, Inc. ..................................90BrandonRegionalHospital...................................66Brewington’s............................................................32Broke&Poor..........................................................40Brownlee Citrus&GardenCenter......................80Cameron Financial .................................................23Cecil Breeding Farm...............................................60Center State Bank..................................................87CF Industries..........................................................56Choo Choo Lawn Equipment.............................96Chuck’s Tire&Automotive ................................36Crescent Jewelers.................................................. 41

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 RichmondDanny CramptonMelissa Nichols

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Mona Jackson

PHOTOGRAPHY

Karen BerryAl Berry

Stephanie Humphrey

STAFF WRITERS

Al BerrySandy Kaster

James FrankowiakSean GreenGinny Mink

Libby HopkinsLindsey EnglishMelissa Nichols

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Woody GoreLes McDowell

In The Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local HillsboroughCounty businesses, restaurants, and many local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail toa target market, which includes all of the Greenbelt Property owners, members of theHillsborough County Farm Bureau and Strawberry Grower’s Association.

Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042or you are welcome to email them to: iinnffoo@@iinntthheeffiieellddmmaaggaazziinnee..ccoomm 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 face shine upon you andbe gracious to you.–Numbers 6:25

Index of Advertisers

“Letʼs show-off and roll in the mud for the new FFA students!”

You Too, CanBe A WinnerHey Readers, hidden somewhere inthe magazine is a No Farmers, NoFood logo. Hunt for the logo and onceyou find the hidden logo you will be eli-gible for a drawing to win a FREE NoFarmers No Food Sticker. Send usyour business card or an index cardwith your name and telephone number,the number of the page which youfound the logo and where on that pageyou located the logo to:

InTheField® MagazineP.O. Box 5377

Plant City, FL 33566-0042Winners will be notified by phone.

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



Dear Readers:

I hope you all read the article, “You Don’tHave to be a Farmer or Rancher to Join FarmBureau,” published in this edition of IN THEFIELD Magazine. It sheds some needed light onthe misconception that you have to be either afarmer or rancher to become a member ofFarm Bureau. That is not true. Honestly, if youappreciate the abundance of choice and value ofall that is available at your favorite supermarket,that is reason enough to join.

Membership in Farm Bureau does manythings. For one, it helps assure that our plentifuland diverse food supplies will continue to beavailable. And there are other aspects of our livesthat Farm Bureau works hard to protect. Pleaseread this article and learn why some non-farmersand ranchers belong to Farm Bureau.

Additionally, there are many different benefitsthat members enjoy and among them: $500 offGM vehicles, premium insurance products,a full line of banking products and some prettysignificant discounts on hotels, prescriptions,car rentals, propane, Grainger products, themepark tickets and more. Right now, and for alimited time, there are some really greatdiscounts available to Farm Bureau membersfrom Universal of Orlando. The special is a

“buy one” and get a “2nd day free” for a limitedtime only. To find out more about this specialand some others, visit www.ticketsatwork.comand enter the company code “FFBC” to takeadvantage. Read the fine print, too.

When you get right down to the heart of thematter, it doesn’t cost – it pays to be a FarmBureau member. For more information, visit ourwebsite: wwwwww..hhccffbb..oorrgg or call 813/685-9121. We would be very happy to have your familyjoin us.

Thank you,

DannyDanny AprilePresident

A CLOSER LOOK AT FARM BUREAU MEMBERSAnd, Some Special Member Benefits

100 South Mulrennan Road • Valrico, FL 33594 • 813-685-9121

Board of DirectorsDanny Aprile, President; Bill Burnett, Vice-President; Jemy Hinton

Member-at-large; Amanda Collins, Roy Davis, David Drawdy, Jim Dyer, Jim Frankowiak, Stefan Katzaras, Greg Lehman, Kenneth Parker,Jake Raburn, Alex Ritzheimer, Marty Tanner, James Tew, Patrick Thomas, Ron Wetherington,

Michelle Williamson, Will Womack and Ray Wood, Judi Whitson, Executive Director


• In 1961, Fidel Castro closed Cuban schools for a year so studentsfrom the 6th grade up could teach other Cubans how to read andit was successful. The countryʼs illiteracy level came down from38% to 3.9% in just 8 months.

• In eastern Africa you can buy beer brewed from bananas.• A giraffe can clean its ears with its 21-inch tongue.• The Grand Canyon can hold around 900 trillion footballs.• All the blinking in one day equates to having your eyes closed for

30 minutes.• 1 nautical knot equates to 1.852 kph (1.150 mph).• A sponge will hold more cold water than hot.• Lightning strikes the Earth 6,000 times every minute.• Cats have over 100 vocal chords.• Camelʼs milk doesnʼt curdle.• Macadamia nuts are toxic to dogs.• Elvis Presleyʼs middle name was Aron.• The least used letter in the alphabet is Q.• The average speed of a skydiver is 124 mph.• The only continent with no active volcanoes is Australia.• You burn more calories eating celery than it contains.• Tennessee is bordered by eight states. Can you name them?


Modern day times are uncertainand challenging at best. Peopleare struggling to make it each

and every day. Those whom have spenttheir whole lives in one industry arediscovering that they need to broaden theirhorizons and enlarge their scopes ofexpertise. Such was the case for theBrownlee’s. After many, many years in thecitrus trade they discovered that in orderto continue in a profitable manner theywould need to expand their focus.

Patti Brownlee is co-owner of BrownleeGarden Center with her husband, Ray. Shesays, “My husband is a third generation inthe citrus business. His father and grandfa-ther, that’s what they did. So he wasbrought up doing the same thing but in thelast two or three years, the citrus inHillsborough County, with the greeningand other diseases that are attacking thecitrus trees, there’s just not an abundancein Hillsborough County anymore so thatled us to look for something else to do.”

Patti continues, “When Gro-Mor decidedthey were going to go out of business wedecided we would take up where they leftoff and that’s kind of where it started.Gro-Mor was a vegetable seed, vegetableplant, fertilizer company downtown. Wejust decided there was a need for that so

we just kind of took up where they left off.We do the vegetable seeds, vegetableplants, we’ve gotten into flowers, plants,we do fertilize, we do chemicals, and we’veeven opened up a little antique shop inthe back where we are now. Well, we’ll hitthe customers somewhere.” She chucklesat the thought of such an eclectic set-up.It’s obvious that this is not your averagenursery.

Patti and Ray are not newcomers to PlantCity. Though Patti was born in Gainesvilleshe reveals, “My granddaddy had a drugstore in Plant City so we moved back andmy dad went in with him so I was raisedhere and Ray was born and raised here.We have two daughters and one of themworks for us, her name’s Rebecca. Ray andI started liking each other when I wastwelve, so I’ve basically been brought uparound everything he was doing and thenwhen we got married I started working inthe office for my in-laws.”

Returning to conversations about the nurs-ery Patti explains, “When customers comein the front, that’s where we have ourflowers, our plants, we have vegetableplants, blueberry plants, then when youcome in the front door that’s where thevegetable seed and the chemicals are andwe have fertilize outside. Then like I said,

we have the antique shop in the back. Wehave downsized in our house and so a lotof the antiques were ours that I had to takeout of storage, and then I have a couple ofvendors.”

Patti reveals that she and Ray have 32years in the citrus industry but they arelearning the vegetable seeds and vegetableplants as those are new things for them.When asked about their motivation to getinvolved in the nursery business, Patti says,“There was a need, people plant gardens,so we knew there was a need for it so wethought we would add that to what wehave. This is the first year in the 32 yearsthat Ray and I have been in the businessthat we have not picked. There’s just notthe volume.”

Patti discusses the joys and challengesabout having made the transition from asolely citrus focused orientation to thisbroader landscape. She expounds, “Thecustomers now, a lot of them are backyardvegetable growers, you know, they come inand get their seeds and thank us for beinghere so I guess that’s the best part about it.I guess the challenge was moving from alocation we’d been in for 27 years, ‘causewe’ve only been opened on 39 since thefirst part of February, so I guess thedifficulty has been getting the word out

Business Up Front

NO FRUIT BY THE FOOT, BUT SEED BY THE SCOOP

BROWNLEE GARDEN CENTER

By Ginny Mink


that we have moved and letting peopleknow where we are. We’ve been with thevegetable seeds and everything probablythree years.” In case you are wondering,they are in the old Gramling Nurserylocation just past Southside on the waytoward Highway 60.

Vegetable seeds and plants aren’t the onlythings provided by Brownlee GardenCenter. Patti has a cousin in St. Cloud whohas a nursery and so a lot of the flowersthey provide are from him and then she hasanother cousin in Lakeland who ownsHarrell’s Fertilizer and thusly she’s glad toprovide his products to her customers. Asof yet, the Brownlee’s have not venturedinto the realm of onsite propagation,though it is part of their future plans.However, she says that in the next severalweeks they do hope to open up a fruitstand. The fruit will come from localpeople. She adds, “A lot of the people thatwe sell seeds to end up having an abun-dance of vegetables and you know you canonly give it to your neighbors so manytimes, so they are looking for a place to puttheir stuff – so that’s a possibility.”

According to Patti, the best seller in theirnursery is the green beans. However sheadds that black-eyed peas, corn and squashare also quick movers. Given a menuof supplies, Patti says, “We have every-thing from beans and corn and peas tolettuces, tomatoes, squash, beets, radish,cucumbers, carrots. Just about any of yourvegetables, we have the seeds for, webasically do what this area can grow. Mostof our plants are tomatoes and cabbageand collards, peppers, lettuce, stuff likethat. Hybrid seeds are a little bit moreexpensive. Just as an example, a Gentrysquash is a hybrid, the squash seed we sell

by the scoop, and so it would be a dollarmore a scoop than the regular. A four packof tomato plants is $2.50-$3.50. A lot ofpeople are doing earth boxes, containergardens so that works out good becausethey aren’t real big plants so they can put alot of plants in a small space.”

In closing, the newest addition to theBrownlee Garden Center is somethingcalled a pink lemonade blueberry bush.When questioned about it she explainedthat it is a blueberry plant whose fruit issupposed to taste like pink lemonade.However, she hasn’t harvested them yet tocheck it out for herself. If you’re feeling alittle bit bold though, feel free to get a onegallon bush for $12.95. If you’d ratherstart your garden from scratch make sureto check out their seed by the scoop, youcan actually buy seed by the pound thoughmost are sold in one to two ounce scoops!Apparently a local Ag teacher bought tenpounds of seed for her half acre campusplot. So, whether you’re looking for newfruit ventures, beautiful flowers, or a scoopof seed, make sure to visit BrownleeGarden Center. •


We live in an amazing state, warm climate, and greatopportunities to plant bulbs! Having lived most of mylife in the Midwest, I wanted to continue growing

tulips and hyacinths after relocating to Florida. I did some minorresearch and discovered that we can grow a vast amount of bulbsright here. The bulbs featured in this article can be grown innorth, central and south Florida.

GGLLOORRIIOOSSAA LLIILLYY (Gloriosa spp.) – oneof my favorites! This is a fast growingperennial that can reach a height andspread of two to eight feet. It prefersslightly acid to slightly alkaline soilpH, 6.0-7.2, and sandy/clay soil. Soilmoisture needs to be well drained. Ithas medium drought tolerance, per-forming best in partial shade and well

in full shade. Gloriosa Lily sports crimson/yellow-orange flowersfrom spring through summer and grows well on trellises.

BBLLOOOODD LLIILLYY (Haemanthus multiflorus)– This is a slow growing perennialthat can reach a height of one and ahalf feet and a spread of one foot. Itprefers soil pH that is slightly acidto slightly alkaline, 6.0-7.2, andsandy/loam soil texture. Soil moistureneeded is well to medium drained.Blood Lily has medium drought toler-

ance and performs best in partial shade. Its summer flowers aregorgeous red puffballs.

DDAAYYLLIILLYY (Hemerocallis spp.) – This isa fast growing plant that can reach aheight of one to three feet and spreadof one to two feet. It prefers acid toslightly alkaline soil pH, 4.5-7.2. Anysoil texture is acceptable and welldrained soil moisture is needed. It hasmedium drought and high salt toler-ance, performs best in full sun and

well in partial shade. Daylily produces flowers in the summer andattracts butterflies and hummingbirds, two more great reasons tohave many!

HHYYBBRRIIDDSS AAMMAARRYYLLLLIISS (Hippeastrum spp.)– This perennial can reach a heightand spread of one to three feet. Itprefers slightly acid to slightly alka-line soil pH, 6.0-7.2, and any type soilis fine. Amaryllis need well drainedsoil moisture. It has medium droughtand low to no salt tolerance. It preferspartial shade and does well in full

sun. Amaryllis produce large spring flowers in clusters of two tofive and is semi-evergreen.

SSPPIIDDEERR LLIILLYY (Hymenocallis spp.) –This is a fast growing perennial thatcan reach a height of one to three feetand spread of three to five feet. Itprefers acid to slightly alkaline soilpH of 4.5-7.2 and any type of soiltexture is fine. Spider Lily needs welldrained soil moisture and has highdrought and salt tolerance. It per-

forms best in partial shade and well in full sun. Select species thatadapt best to your area of the state. This plant products white-yel-low flowers from spring through fall.

RRAAIINN LLIILLYY//ZZEEPPHHYYRR LLIILLYY (Zephyranthesspp.) – This fast growing perennial canreach a height and spread of one halfto one foot. It prefers soil pH that isacid to slightly alkaline, 4.5-7.2, andany soil type is fine. Well drained soilmoisture is needed. Rain Lily hasmedium drought and salt tolerance. Itperforms best in full sun and well in

partial shade. The flowers can be white, yellow, pink or red fromspring through fall.

By Lynn Barber, Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM AgentHillsborough County and UF/IFAS Extension

Great Florida Bulbs

CCRRIINNUUMM LLIILLYY (Crinum spp.) – Thisperennial can reach a height and spreadof three to six feet. It prefers soil pHthat is slightly acid to slightly alkaline,6.0-7.2. Any soil texture is fine. Soilmoisture should be well drained.Crinum Lily has medium drought andsalt tolerance. It performs best in fullsun and does well in partial shade. The

flowers have a spidery look, are fragrant and some varieties bloomyear-round. This plant is poisonous.

CCAANNNNAA LLIILLYY (Canna spp.) – This is a fastgrowing perennial that can reach aheight of two to six feet and spread ofone to three feet. It prefers soil pH thatis acid to slightly alkaline, 4.5-7.2. Anysoil texture is fine. Soil moisture shouldbe medium drained to wet. This planthas medium drought and low to no salttolerance. It performs best in full sun

and does well in partial shade. The foliage is very attractive, and theflowers attract butterflies.

AAZZTTEECC LLIILLYY,, SSTT.. JJAAMMEESS LLIILLYY,, JJAACCOOBBEEAANN

LLIILLYY (Sprekelia formosissima) – Thisfast growing perennial can reach aheight and spread of one to two feet.It prefers soil pH that is slightly acidto slightly alkaline, 6.0-7.2 andsandy/loam soil. Well drained soil mois-ture is needed. It has low drought andmedium salt tolerance. It performs best

in full sun and well in partial shade. Aztec Lily produces red flow-ers from spring through summer.

dFor more information on bulbs, please see the following

University of Florida publications: “Zephyranthes spp. Rain Lily” by Edward F. Gilman,

hhttttpp::// // eeddiiss..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//ppddffffiilleess//FFPP//FFPP6622110000..ppddff, “Rainlily, Zephyranthes and Habranthus spp.: Low Maintenance

Flowering Bulbs for Florida Gardens” by Gary W. Knox,hhttttpp::// // eeddiiss..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//ppddffffiilleess//EEPP//EEPP4411220000..ppddff; and “Daylilies for Florida” by Sydney Park Brown and

Robert J. Black, hhttttpp::// // eeddiiss..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//ppddffffiilleess//EEPP//EEPP0000660000..ppddff.

For assistance with horticultural questions, call 813-744-5519 or visit us at the

Hillsborough County Extension Service, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner. More gardening information is

available at: hhttttpp::// //hhiillllssbboorroouugghh..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu andhhttttpp::// // eeddiiss..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu.

Remember to reuse, reduce and recycle.



Plant City is not unlike cities throughout the county, country andworld. Each was impacted by the downturn in the economy, and allcoped as best possible. “Plant City was fortunate in that it had and

continues to have a very strong financial base,” said Mayor MichaelSparkman. “We have always been conservative and focused on providingour residents with public safety, water and sewer services and good trans-portation, closely following our responsibilities mandated by state law.Accomplishing all of that to the satisfaction of our residents during thepast few years has by no means been easy, but I believe we have respond-ed well and hope the turnaround signs we are seeing will continue.”

The challenges of the last few years were manifest in a number of waysfor Plant City government. “We experienced a drop in our General Fundfrom $32 million in 2006 to $24 million last fiscal year. Our workforcewas reduced by 12 percent from 450 at peak of the economic boomto 400,” noted City Manager Greg Horwedel. “Those were painfulreductions that had to be done. Our City Commission emphasizes frugal-ity in everything we do and challenged us to find ways to continue toprovide the level of services our residents have come to expect amid theeconomic realities we faced.”

“We based our fiscal decisions on the basis of necessity and cost-effective-ness,” said Sparkman. “Our commissioners are private businessmen, aswell as elected officials,” said Horwedel, “and they approached thisongoing challenge with the same philosophy they follow in their businessdecision-making. There are signs we have successfully accomplishedthat. For one, our population remained constant at approximately35,000. While we did lose private sector jobs, we also saw new compa-nies come to Plant City and help regain jobs,” said Horwedel. “The mostsignificant loss was the closing of the Smithfield facility and those 800jobs. The 2200 jobs lost over the last five years have been mitigated to adegree by 1,000 new jobs with companies such as Gordon Food Service,Highlands Packaging Solutions, Toufayan Bakeries, Plasti-Pak, EvergreenPackaging and others.”

“City government structure also underwent change,” saidSparkman. “Bill McDaniel became Assistant City Manager and PublicSafety Director with responsibility for overseeing our fire and policedepartments, as well as code enforcement. That helped us save budgetdollars while utilizing Bill’s management expertise to a greaterextent. Most people don’t realize that the monies we receive from prop-

erty taxes, which is approximately $7 million, pays for the services of ourpolice department and other revenue sources must cover the balance ofservices we provide. We continue to look for ways to provide services atlower costs.”

“Plant City is often considered a sleepy little town in easternHillsborough County, but that is hardly the case anymore,” saidHorwedel. “Despite the economic challenges we have and continue toface, there are more capital projects underway in Plant City than at anyother municipality in Hillsborough County. In addition, we are investorsand an active participant in the Tampa Hillsborough EconomicDevelopment Corporation whose mission is focused entirely on retaininghigh-wage jobs and capital investment in Hillsborough County andthe cities of Tampa, Plant City and Temple Terrace.” The EDC wasestablished in 2009 as a partnership between the public sector andprivate corporate investors. It is the lead economic development agencyfor the county and the official local representative of EnterpriseFlorida. Jake Austin, a staff member of the EDC, is officed at the GreaterPlant City Chamber of Commerce.

The EDC staff works with CEO’s, site selection consultants, corporatereal estate brokers and other influential decision-makers providing cus-tomized, confidential relocation services to domestic and internationalcompanies interested in growing their companies. Locally, the EDC helpsexisting businesses access the tools they need to expand their operations,and ensure they have the resources to succeed today and into the future.

“Our economic development efforts have four primary targets,” saidHorwedel, “and they are agribusiness, food packaging and preparation,manufacturing and nutraceuticals.” Nutraceuticals are products derivedfrom food sources that provide extra health benefits, in addition to thebasic nutritional value foods, such as preventing chronic diseases,improving health, delaying the aging process, increasing life expectancyor supporting the structure of function of the body. They are popular out-side of the U.S. and the worldwide market for nutraceuticals is expectedto reach $250 billion by 2018.

“We see that as a significant opportunity for our economic developmentefforts and hope to be in the forefront as a location for the production ofthose products. We currently have land parcels totaling 4,000 acres inand around Plant City that we can show to site selection consultantsinterested in finding new locations for their client facilities,” saidHorwedel.

Sparkman and Horwedel noted the realignment of Wheeler Street as thenext step in the development of the Midtown project. “That work willstraighten Wheeler and open up additional acreage for the Midtown proj-ect,” said Horwedel. The project is planned to include a park area plusdevelopment that includes both residential and commercial. “Othercommunities envy what we have in downtown Plant City and try to imi-tate what we enjoy every day. The Midtown project will sustain and helpgrow our downtown.”

“We have something very special here in Plant City. It is a communitywhere people can work, live and play,” said Sparkman. “That is why wehave so many generations of families here, why our young people returnafter receiving their educations or working elsewhere and why existingbusinesses expand and new ones relocate. I share that belief and messagewhenever I have an opportunity to tell people about our community.”

For information about the community of Plant City, visit:wwwwww..ppllaannttcciittyyggoovv..ccoomm

PLANT CITY IS A “COMMUNITY”WELL-POISED FOR THE FUTUREBY JIM FRANKOWIAK


BIRDS NEST, OR WHATEVER YOU

WANT TO CALL THEM….

Usually, an angler’s worst nightmare,they often show up at the mostinopportune time possible. If

you’ve ever spent much time behind thereel I’m certain you’ve wondered why yourfishing reels get backlashes. As for me,I thought if you fished it was somethingyou simply had to endure because youwere an angler.

However, as you gain fishing experienceand begin to understand more about theequipment you’re using and the theorybehind this hair pulling aggravation calleda backlash, they are actually really fairlysimple to avoid. Saying this brings us toanother source of understanding sincethere are several different models of fishingreels on the market and each one has itsown idiosyncrasies to master. Bait castersfor example, are probably the worst,especially older models.

With a BBaaiitt CCaasstteerr the whole thing startsduring a cast and ends when the spool overruns the line. In other words, when castingbait or lure, its weight, plus the forwardmotion of the cast, causes the spool to spinforward. As line is pulled off the spool itovercomes its stationary position andbegins accelerating the speed of the spool.

Then as the lure or bait slows or lands inthe water, the natural inertia of the spoolcontinues spinning at an accelerated speed.It’s for this reason, some type of control isneeded to first slow and then stop thespool. If this control is not exercisedprecisely at this critical point, the line

continues unraveling on top of the spool,causing loops and twists and there it is ourgood old “backlash.”

The control needed to overcome the spin-ning spool can be anything from yourthumb on older models to the latest tech-nology which involves integrated brakingsystems or adjustable mechanical devicesthat enable the user to set and controlspool speed.

Some even go so far as to manufacturereels with miniature computer boards thatautomatically control the spool. This newtechnology doesn’t mean reels do every-thing for you. Even with the new controlscompensating for spool speed, it’s still amechanical device requiring human input.

A good starting point, when adjusting baitcasters, is to begin with a completelyrigged rod, reel and the lure you’ll be cast-ing. Here is the basic setup for spooladjustment:

1. Gently tighten the adjustment control knob until the spool does not turn when the release is pushed.

2. Holding the lure off the ground, at approximately 45 degrees, loosen the adjustment control until the lure startsto drop.

3. Finally, adjust the control knob to stop the spool the moment the lure hits the ground.

While this is a good starting point, everyangler has their own preference dependingon their experience. These adjustments aidin preventing backlashes but remember -nothing works like practice.

OOppeenn FFaaccee SSppiinnnniinngg RReeeellss are relativelyeasier. However, backlashes do occur, espe-cially using the newer braided lines. Notthe over-running spool scenario we’reaccustomed to on bait casters, it’s more aseries of twist and loops associated with“loose wraps” on the spool. Avoiding this,especially when using braid, is a fairlystraightforward procedure and followingthe steps below will give you a definiteheads up on avoiding spinning reel linefouling.

Following these few steps should help:

1. When making your cast, stop the line just as the bait hits the water.

2. An easy way to do this is placing yourindex finger on the spool. (takes a littlepractice, but once you get used to it you’ll find you use it to stop your line in all casting scenarios)

3. Once the bait or lure is in the water, close the bail manually, making certainthe line is in the line roller.

4. Finally, always lift the rod to take up any slack before starting to reel.

by Captain Woody Gore


Using these suggestions should improveyour anti-backlash ratio. However, sooneror later you’re going to encounter thatdreaded backlash, or bird nest as it is oftenreferred. To get them out, start by gentlypulling on the loops. You’re looking forthat specific one that caused this disaster.Continue lightly pulling and untwistingthe loops and you’ll soon begin separatingand untangling the line. It takes patience,but given the cost of braided line a littlepatience is worth it. Your worst casescenario means cutting the line. However,a simple double Uni-knot gets you backfishing in no time.

Accurate casting, using either a bait casteror open face spinning reel, comes withpractice and no one likes to do it.However, becoming proficient and consis-tently placing a lure or bait in an area thesize of a basketball takes some effort anddoesn’t happen overnight.

Well that’s about it for backlashes, hope-fully this gives some insight into whatcauses them and what you can do tocorrect them.

““LLEETT’’SS GGOO FFIISSHHIINNGG””TTAAMMPPAA BBAAYY FFIISSHHIINNGG RREEPPOORRTT -- MMAAYY 22001133As the waters warm, bait shows up on theflats, winds lighten and if recent trips areany indication, it is good fishing ahead.

SSNNOOOOKK season is officially closed.However, we’re definitely catching somenice fish with even a few lunker’s mixed inwith the juveniles. We’re even beginning tocatch a few on artificials around the man-groves and docks. Good tidal grass flats,passes or cuts from upper Tampa Bay allthe way to Sarasota should prove produc-tive. Anglers using and chumming withgreenbacks usually produce plenty ofaction, but use caution when tossing outchum baits, too many and you’ll fill em’ up.

RREEDDFFIISSHH should pick up this month usinglive and dead baits or artificial lures.Although it seems they’ve had lock jaw,recently we’ve been getting some to eatusing live or dead baits; but you’ve got tobe patient. Check your favorite oysterbars, cuts and broken bottom grass flatson the last of an outgoing tide and the firstof an incoming. Do not forget, redfishoften feed with large schools of mullet asthey stir up the bottom.

SSPPAANNIISSHH MMAACCKKEERREELL//BBLLUUEEFFIISSHH:: As the mas-sive schools of threadfin herring invadeTampa Bay the Spanish mackerel and blue-fish bite goes crazy. It’s not unusual tolimit out in a couple of hours on movingwater using live threadfins and greenbacksand have a blast doing it. I’ve been using60 pound Seaguar fluorocarbon leader,shiny long shank 2/0 hooks and # 2 or 3split shots with good success. If live bait isnot your repartee then tie a silver spoononto an 18” small wire leader and catchall you want. A word of caution aboutmackerel, they have razor sharp teeth andplenty of them, so be careful whenhandling them because they can inflict anasty and often infectious bite.

KKIINNGGFFIISSHH action should be good on anynear shore hard bottom holding bait. Theyoften move into Egmont channel andlower Tampa Bay as the water tempera-

tures reach the 70s. Rig up and experiencesome awesome action on this speedyaction fish.

TTAARRPPOONN should begin showing up aroundthe Skyway and along the beaches. Theyalso begin moving inside around deeperflats and hard bottom or artificial reefsholding baitfish. Expect plenty of activitythroughout the summer using free-linedthreadfins, pass crabs and greenbacks.

“Give Me a Call & Let’s Go Fishing” –813-477-3814 Captain Woody Gore is thearea’s top outdoor fishing guide. Guidingand fishing the Tampa, Clearwater, St.Petersburg, Tarpon Springs, Bradenton,and Sarasota areas for over fifty years; heoffers world class fishing adventures and alifetime of memories.

Single or Multi-boat Group Charters areall the same. With years of organizationalexperience and access to the areas most

experienced captains, Woody can arrangeand coordinate any outing or

tournament. Just tell him what you need and it’s done. Visit his website at:

WWWWWW..CCAAPPTTAAIINNWWOOOODDYYGGOORREE..CCOOMM,send an email to wwggoorree@@iixx..nneettccoomm..ccoomm

or give him a call at 813-477-3814.

If you like smoked fish give this a try, it’s delicious and simple to do. Simply fillet, remove rib bones, leave skin on,sprinkle with Lawry’s Garlic Salt andsmoke until done. It usually only takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on howmuch heat you use with your smoke.What you don’t eat, remove from

the skin, vacuum seal, and freeze for fish spread later.

2200 IINNTTHHEEFFIIEELLDD MMAAGGAAZZIINNEE MMAAYY 22001133 WW WW WW.. II NNTT HH EEFF II EE LL DD MMAA GG AA ZZ II NN EE ..CC OO MM


Iremember when I was in junior high school I would ride mybike about two miles every Saturday to downtown Plant Cityto see a double feature at the Capitol Theatre. For a dime

I could see a double feature and get a bag of popcorn. The cityprovided a parking area for your bike. You didn’t have to put alock and chain on it, as nobody would steal it back then. It wasjust south of City Hall and the fire station.

What I remember most is, the bicycles we rode back then had onespeed and a chain guard to keep your britches from getting caughtin the chain. One speed was all we had. To go up hill you justpeddled harder.

Bicycles have really gone the next level in the past few years. In2009 Lance Armstrong rode a bike that used real butterfly wingsin its ornate décor. The bike recently sold for $500,000.

Our youngest daughter, Karen, who is the publisher of thismagazine, and her side-kick Sarah Holt, associate publisher, havetaken on bike riding, which of course requires new bikes with allthe fancy attachments.

Recently both girls bought new bikes from Cycle Sport Conceptsin Tampa. I don’t know what they paid, but I heard they took outa first mortgage on their homes. Karen said it was a good deal,‘cause it came with a “fit to you” package. To get the bike“fitted” they had to take their bikes to Cycle Sports and gothrough all sorts of workouts.

Now get this! They have special shoes that clip to the pedals.Before you stop you have to release the shoes from the pedals.Sarah said, “It takes time to get use to doing this. I have failed torelease my shoes and ended up on the ground with the bike on topof me.”

The girl’s bike riding has caught on with all the staff of “In TheField.” Danny Crampton, general sales manager, and BobHughens, office manager, have jumped on board, too. Bob said hehas to have a three-wheeler and all rides must be downhill. Hewent on to comment, “To me the hardest part of learning to ridea bike was the road.”

When Bob Hughens was working for Focus magazine he alsoworked part time driving a stretch limousine for Mike Floyd.Now this was before he learned to ride a bicycle. Bob tells thestory of a passenger in a hired limousine that leaned over to askthe driver for the time and gently tapped him on the shoulder toget his attention. The driver screamed to the top of his voice, lostcontrol of the limo, nearly hit a car, drove up over the curb andstopped just inches from a plate glass window. For a few momentseverything was silent in the limousine. Then the still shakingdriver said, “Are you OK? I am so sorry, but you scared the day-lights out of me.” The badly shaken passenger apologized to thedriver and said he didn’t realize that a mere tap on the shoulderwould startle him so badly.

The driver replied, “No, no. I’m the one who is sorry. It is entirelymy fault. Today is my first day driving a limo. I’ve been driving ahearse for the past 25 years.”

Years ago, right out of high school, I was attending college atTexas Western College in El Paso. My uncle was a customs inspec-tor on the border and helped me get a part time-job collecting tollfrom those crossing the bridge into Juarez, Mexico. Sometimes wewould be on the same shift.

Just as regular as a heart beat a very old native Mexican wouldcross at 7 p.m. on Friday pushing a bicycle loaded with eggs. Myuncle suspected he was smuggling something and would checkevery carton of eggs only to find nothing. A few days later whilehaving Sunday dinner I asked him if he ever caught the old fellawith the bike and eggs. He said, “Sure did! He was smugglingbicycles.”

Later I moved up to a Cushman Motor scooter. Karen, my daugh-ter, owned a Harley motorcycle for a few years, but has stayedwith cycling.

Speaking of motorcycles, I am reminded of the story of a mechanicthat was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harleymotorcycle when he spotted a well-know cardiologist in his shop.

The cardiologist was there waiting for the service manager to cometake a look at his bike when the mechanic shouted across the garage“Hey Doc, want to take a look at this?” Being a bit surprised, thecardiologist, walked over to where the mechanic was working onthe motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands ona rag and said, “So Doc, look at this engine. I opened its heart,took the valves out, repaired the damage, and then put them backin, and when I finished, it works just like new.”

“How come I make about $40,000 a year, and you get the reallybig bucks when you’re doing basically the same work?”

The cardiologist paused, smiled and leaned over, then whisperedinto the mechanics ear, and said, “Try doing it with the enginerunning.”

Al Berryʼs

I’ll close with the story of the preacher who was out riding his bikein the country when he came upon a farmer working in his field.Needing a rest the preacher stopped and said to the man, “Are youlaboring in the vineyard of the Lord my good man?”

Not even looking at the preacher and continuing his work thefarmer replied, “Naw, these are blackeyed peas.”

“You don’t understand,” said the preacher as he leaned his bike ona fence post and walked over to the farmer. “Are you a Christian?”

“Nope, my name is Smith. You must be looking for Jim Christian.He lives about a mile from here.”

The preacher tried again. “Sir, are you lost?”

“Naw, I’ve lived here all my life,” he replied.

“Are you prepared for the resurrection?” the frustrated preacherasked.

The farmer perked up and asked, “When is it gonna be?”

Thinking he had accomplished something the young preacherreplied, “It could be today, tomorrow, or the next day.”

The old farmer pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket andwiping his brow the farmer remarked, “Well, don’t mention it tomy wife. She don’t get out much and she’ll wanna go all threedays.” •



Plant City High School’s agriculture department is happyto welcome a new member to its pasture. Upon his birth,the newborn donkey, Si, has became a local celebrity on

Facebook and among PCHS faculty and students practicallyover night.

Si was born on April 16 early in the morning. No one expectedhim to be born for another two months, as the school’s agricul-ture teachers estimated that the mother would give birth overthe summer. It was a huge surprise for the teachers and studentsto walk out to the land lab that morning and find Si alreadywalking around.

One of Si’s most noticeable qualities is his already lengthybeard. It is quite comical to see male students compare theirown beards to Si’s impressive facial hair. Much to their dismay,Si wins every time.

The mother of Si was donated to the agricultural departmentfrom Tanah Tyoe, an agriculture student at Plant City. Si’smother is named “Donkey” (with a Shrek inflection, of course).Both Donkey and Si are Bethlehem donkeys, named for thecrosses on their backs and the Bible story of the donkeycarrying Mary to the town of Bethlehem to give birth to Jesus.

Si joins three sheep, three lambs, several cows and four minihorses in the school’s land lab, some of which have a very closebond. Chances are Si will develop his mother’s habit of “hee-hawing” when taken away from the mini horses. The reason forthis behavior is the pack instinct of the donkey. They feel alonewhen not with other animals.

Si will possibly stay at the agriculture department and be usedin teaching, but that has yet to be decided. If he is not kept hewill be sold. I hope that Si is here to stay because he has broughtso many smiles to Plant City’s students and teachers. Hopefully,he can be used to educate students for years to come. •

Plenty of Bar-B-Que, roasted corn, baked beans,rolls and dessert. Help yourself.

To show his appreciation to all his customers, Marc Waller held a“Customer Appreciation Luncheon” on Friday, April 26 in theI-4 Power equipment showroom. In addition to the Bar-B-Quemeal cooked up by “Kountry Boyz” catering, numerous Sthilbattery operated lawn equipment and other items were given awayas door prizes. •

Babydonkey,

“Si”Bornat Plant CityHigh School

I-4 Power EquipmentHolds Luncheon

By R.J. Moore, Plant City High School agriculturalcommunications student

(L-R) Robert Fenner, Marci Waller, Charlotte Waller, Marc Waller

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White Corn.........................................$14Yellow Corn........................................$14Cream White Corn 4#........................$6Cream Yellow Corn 4#.......................$6Collard Greens...................................$13Mustard Greens..................................$13Turnip Greens ....................................$13Spinach ...............................................$13

Cut Okra .............................................$13Breaded Okra.....................................$13Whole Okra ........................................$13Sliced Yellow Squash........................$13Sliced Zucchini ..................................$13Brussel Sprouts .................................$14Baby Carrots......................................$14Broccoli ..............................................$14Cauliflower .........................................$14Mixed Vegetables..............................$14Soup Blend.........................................$14

Blueberries 5# ...................................$15Blackberries 5# .................................$15Raspberries 5# ..................................$15Dark Sweet Cherries 5# ...................$18Mango Chunks 5# .............................$15Pineapple Chunks 5#........................$15Whole Strawberries 5# ....................$15Peaches...............................................$15

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Dry CreekDry Creek

I'm sitting on the Dry Creek set looking at the simplicity of a timeremembered. I see the wooden buildings and occasional hand pumpplaced at different places and think how simple life was. Long

before bottled water that we have to pay for, it was free. A few pumpsfrom the squeaky handle and cool clean water appeared.

I guess I'm simplifying things. But then again maybe I'm not. Seemssince we've gotten so fancy with conveniences we've missed the simplethings in life. A simple walk, laugh, visit, embracing quiet times so wecan hear ourselves think. In that quietness thoughts seem to bubble upthrough the confusion from living in such a fast paced world.Common sense, answers to problems, gut feelings seem to bubble tothe surface in those quiet times.

The other day we had a family visit the Dry Creek set. The little girl,about 5, looked at the 1880s buildings with her mouth open. She said,"It's all wood?" She was used to concrete and plastic. Once again sim-ple. Her mother said the little girl didn't spend much time outdoors.Her play world was in front of a TV or computer screen. But not thisday. The little girl and her brother had to be coaxed from the teeter-totter in front of the Dry Creek School house. Their day was completeafter they each got a jawbreaker from the Dry Creek General Store. AsI sat and watched them I got to thinking, it's really the simple thingsthat can put a smile on our faces.

That's what Dry Creek the TV show is really all about. Letting thosesimple things in our life come into focus. We travel past them so quick-ly that they become a blur. Little things like watching a dragon flyperched on your bobber as the sun shines off the water, a child's facebreaking out in honest laughter, the coolness of grass between yourtoes on a warm summer day. The smell of fresh cut grass or just asimple thing as a cool drink of water.

Life is full of simple things and from my view from the saddle... thoseare the things that put the life in life.

Tune into Dry Creek and experience the Simple Things with us.“Everybody Knows where Dry Creek is... cause its inside of each andevery one of us.”

Watch Dry Creek on BlueHighwaysTV, Channel 246on Verizon Sat nites at 7:30. Go to DDrryyCCrreeeekkTTVV..CCoommfor more information. Check us out at ddrryyccrreeeekkttvv..ccoomm

Simple ThingsBy Les McDowellPhotos Courtesy of Linda Constant


Fresh Florida figs are in their peakseason during the summer months.A member of the mulberry family, figs

are intensely sweet with a flavor that is likea combination of dates, strawberries, andpeaches. Three main varieties of figs includecommon, Smyrna, and San Pedro, and arecategorized by pollination requirements.

Common types of figs found in Florida areBrown Turkey, Celeste, Green Ischia, andMission. Dried or candied figs are availableyear-round. The “eye” of a fig refers to thesmall opening on the rounded bottom of thefruit where the skin attaches. Different typesof figs can have either a closed or an openeye. Fresh figs are delicate and difficult totransport, so the vast majority of figs pro-duced in the U.S. are processed into driedfigs, fig paste, preserves, or powder. The skinof the fig is entirely edible, as are fig leaves,which are often grown as an ornamental.

NUTRITIONAL PROFILEFigs are as nutritious as they are delicious.Rich in magnesium, potassium, and fiber, figspack a hearty nutrition punch in a smallpackage. According to the United StatesDepartment of Agriculture (USDA) NationalNutrient Database for Standard Reference,one medium fig (50 g) contains 37 calories,0.4 g of protein, 0.1 g of fat, 9.6 g of carbo-hydrate, and 1.5 g of fiber. A single fig pro-vides 5.8% of the Daily Reference Intake fordietary fiber, 3.3% for potassium, 3% formanganese, and vitamin B6, 2% for thiaminand magnesium, and 1.8% for calcium. Figsalso contain notable amounts of vitamin A,vitamin C, copper, riboflavin, niacin, vitaminE, folate, selenium, zinc, and phosphorus.

PROTECT AGAINST

HEART DISEASEEating figs and other foods high in fiber candecrease the risk of coronary heart disease andatherosclerosis. Figs are a great source of fiber,which speeds up transit time through thedigestive tract and prevents constipation.According to the American Institute forCancer Research, a diet high in fiber maydecrease the risk of several types of cancerincluding colon, rectum, breast, and pancreas.Fiber can also help with weight control by pro-viding a sensation of fullness. Many foodshigh in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, arealso very low in calories.

ENJOY BETTER VISIONFigs provide a healthy dose of vitamins Aand C, antioxidants that can promotehealthy eyes. High fruit intake appears to berelated to a lower risk of age-related maculardegeneration. Data from a large study of

over 100,000 men and women indicated thateating three or more servings of fruit per daylowered the risk of age-related maculardegeneration (ARMD) by over one third,compared with people who ate less than1.5 servings of fruit per day. ARMD is theprimary cause of vision loss in older adults.Researchers concluded that the vitamins andcarotenoids in fruit, such as figs, wereresponsible for the protective effect on thedevelopment of ARMD.

HOW TO SELECT AND STORELook for figs that have a deep, rich color,firm, crisp stems, and a rounded, plumpshape. Some varieties, such as Black Missionand Brown Turkey figs will have a dark pur-ple to black skin when ripe, while Calimyrnaand Adriatic types will have a light green skinwhen ripe. Figs should feel soft, but notmushy, and have a sweet, pleasant fragrance.

Ripe figs can be refrigerated for up to two tothree days or frozen for up to several months.Cover or wrap the fruit to prevent them fromdrying out or picking up surrounding odors.Under-ripe figs can be ripened on thecountertop at room temperature. Dried figs,which are available year-round, can be storedin an air-tight bag in the refrigerator or othercool place for several months.

HOW TO ENJOYAside from the ubiquitous Fig Newton, figsare delicious eaten straight out-of-hand andtheir smooth skins are edible. They also canbe sliced and used in fruit or vegetablesalads. Other ways to enjoy them include:

• Combine with milk and frozen yogurt inthe blender for a fig milkshake

• Dice figs and add to oatmeal or cereal

• Use mashed ripe figs in quick bread,cookies, and muffins for naturalsweetness

• Chop and add to bread or rice stuffing

• Boil to make fig jam

• Stuff figs with goat cheese or creamcheese for an easy appetizer

• Poach figs in juice or wine for afast dessert

With so many ways to enjoy this deliciousfruit, enjoy fresh Florida figs today! Theyadd natural sweetness and nutrients to yourdish.

SSeelleecctteedd RReeffeerreenncceesshhttttpp::// //eeddiiss..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu//mmgg221144hhttttpp::// //wwwwww..wwhhffooooddss..ccoomm

By Sandy Kaster, M.S. Clinical Medicine,B.S. Nutrition Science


Floriculture

The Lennard FFA Floriculture teamtraveled to St. Petersburg technicalfacilities (P-tech) to compete in

the State Floriculture CDE. LennardsFloriculture team was represented by:Natalie Hausler, Joy Bordner, AmberBronson, and Roger Smith. These four

individuals were required to identify plantspecies, judge flower arrangements, andsolve business practicums. Participantswere also required to demonstrate flowerarrangement, propagation, and floraldesign skills. The four mentioned individu-als placed among numerous other high

school FFA chapters throughout the Stateof Florida. Joy Bordner tested as highestindividual in the State of Florida and theLennard FFA Floriculture team placedsecond throughout the state of Florida. •


Some schools are blessed withspacious facilities yet find them-selves lacking in the awesome

teacher arena. Other schools discoverthat though they are hindered by lim-ited resources, the devotion and dedi-cation of phenomenal educatorsmakes up for those circumstances agreat deal. Turkey Creek MiddleSchool, on the other hand, has boththe acreage and the teacher, BuddyColeman, necessary to inspire an out-standing Ag department and FFAChapter.

Buddy is no stranger to agriculturehaving grown up on a 13 acre farm.However, he claims he started his agri-cultural career at Turkey Creek in themid 80s. He says, “I was involvedwith the FFA program here consider-ably. I was involved in the competi-tions and that kind of stuff andI became an officer. Then when Imoved to Plant City High School, wasinvolved in agriculture throughout myhigh school career. Once I got out andinto the real world I got married andwe had kids and I was feeling not con-nected with the livestock componentout of school and stuff so we startedworking with the 4H group, AntiochCritters, and then once we had kids Iwas one of the advisors of AntiochCritters with Rhonda Burnett.”

He delves a little deeper into his ownagricultural history and adds, “I raisedcows and pigs so it’s kind of been inmy heritage for a long time, probablythree or four generations anyway. Iknow my great grandfather owned10,000 acres in Georgia. Then mydad’s family moved to Florida andthey did citrus and farmwork and thatkind of stuff. Then when I got mar-ried, my wife’s family owned a berryfarm, so that was something else thatkind of got me. I helped there with hergrandparents because they were kindagettin’ up there. So I helped on thefarm there as well so it’s always beenone of those deals where it’s beenaround and I’ve enjoyed it.”

Buddy didn’t go the traditional educa-tional route, high school then college.Instead he did his share of manuallabor in the landscaping industrywhile his wife, Deborah, worked onher education degree at USF. She con-

vinced him to go back to school tobecome a teacher as well. He explains,“I got my degree in special ed. I was aspecial ed teacher for ten years here atTurkey Creek. I taught math and sci-ence. I always did the Ag spin onmy science with plants and animalswith the special needs kids. Then theopportunity came up when one of theAg teachers decided to retire so I tookthe Ag certification exam, passed thatand became the head Ag teacher hereat Turkey Creek. I started being an Agteacher about three years ago.”

In addition to his Ag teaching experi-ence, Buddy has some interestingextracurriculars under his belt. Hesays, “I was on several committees likethe Hillsborough County Fair HogCommittee, and the Sheep Committeeat the Strawberry Festival and I’m onthe Pasco County Fair SheepCommitte there.” As a side noteBuddy reveals the fact that he’s got amost interesting weekend job. He says,“We have sheep and llamas and minia-ture donkeys and miniature pigs. Ihave all that kind of stuff at home andwe have our own business, a pettingzoo, a mobile petting zoo, that we doon the weekends as a family activitydeal with my kids and my wife. It’scalled Coleman’s Critters. It’s on face-book. We do that because we have allthe animals because the kids showthem. I gave that business to my kidsand it helps offset some of theirexpenses for their animals.”

Buddy and his wife raised their chil-dren on seven acres. He says theystarted a sheep project with his daugh-ter, Brittany, when she was six becausethat’s the age in which kids can startshowing animals. He adds, “We wentfrom there, we showed sheep and pigsand cattle. My son, Jesse, is graduatingthis year, he’s the baby. He’s graduat-ing from Durant High School and thengoing into the military but he showsanimals. He’s actually just finished upwith his last steer at the state fair andthe Strawberry Festival. And mydaughter is going to follow in my foot-seps and be an Ag teacher. She just gotaccepted to UF and is finishing up herdegree there to be an Ag teacher.”

Returning to conversations aboutTurkey Creek, Buddy reveals, “We have

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a strawberry field that we do every year. SamAstin donates the plastic, the strawberriesand we have a two acre strawberry field hereat school that our school kids produce andpack and sell the produce. We also have avegetable garden that’s just winding up. Wehave a plant nursery that we’re starting backup. It was all in disarray when I got here.We’ve got the greenhouse back in workingorder and are starting to propagate plants.We have a hay field that we bale our ownhay at for the animals. We have four com-mercial heifers and they’re producing theirfirst calves this year. We also have a flock ofsheep that the kids show. I went toMassachusetts this past summer and boughtsheep and brought them back. So we have asheep program at the school and cattle thatthe kids get to be involved with.”

Recall that we mentioned the fact thatTurkey Creek has an exceptionally largeamount of resources as compared to othercounty middle school programs. In fact,according to Buddy, they have a ten acrepasture, an eight acre hay field, and thestrawberry and vegetable area is three acres.Given such an expanse, one would expectimpressive competitve results. Buddyexpounds, “We hold our own. This year wewere eighth in the state in livestock judgingand I had the high individual in the state,Tanner Jurnigan, for livestock judging. Wewere second in the state for forestry, wewere ninth place in citrus judging, we wereeleventh place in tool identification, we werenineteenth in the state for horse judging thisyear and some of these contests we’re juststarting so to place in the top twenty, we’redoing pretty good just getting started withthem.”

Buddy has roughly 250 Ag students, butmore impressive is the fact that 150 areactive FFA members. While he definitelytreasures these students, he still has quite aheart for the special needs kids. In fact, hemade a point of ensuring his ability to keepworking with them by requesting an ESE Agclass before he transitioned into his nowfulltime Ag teacher role. He’s so devoted tothose kids that he’s an active participant andplanner of the Ag Abilities day at the statefair in mid-May. It is sponsored by the FarmBureau and specifically designed for ESEkids.

Buddy elaborates, “It’s animal I.D., we teachthe kids how to I.D.different breeds. Wealso do plants, treesand different grassesand like twenty differ-ent fruits vegetablesand nuts. They haveto identify them. Theyget to drive lawnmow-ers. We take our JohnDeere lawnmower andwe have adults sur-round them and kindaput them through alittle obstacle course

and that’s all the way from our higher func-tioning to our profound kids get to drive thelawnmower, a lot of kids don’t get thatexperience. I think the forestry departmentis gonna be there and have a display thisyear.”

It would appear that Turkey Creek hasmuch to look forward to and under thetutelage of Mr. Buddy Coleman there is littledoubt that all the students he comes incontact with will be quite successful in thoseendeavors. We wish them continued agricul-tural achievement and enjoyment. •


...continued from page 39


Earth Day is the biggest and most celebrated international envi-ronmental event on the planet. It helps celebrate Earth’s uniqueplace in the universe. It’s the only place in our solar system

packed with amazing biodiversity. Learning about and protectingthis biodiversity is what Earth Day is all about. People all over theworld celebrate their efforts to protect plants and animals as well ascleaning up the place we call home. So, how did Earth Day get itsstart? Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin founded Earth Day onApril 22, 1970. Across the U.S. 20 million people participated in thefirst Earth Day. The huge turnout for the first Earth Day made it thelargest organized celebration in U. S. history. This groundbreakingevent helped influence the government to create stronger laws toprotect the environment.

Earth Day Tampa Bay 2013 took place on April 20 at the USFBotanical Gardens on the Tampa Campus. It was co-hosted by theUniversity of South Florida’s Patel College of Global Sustainabilitythrough its Office of Sustainability along with the Tampa Bay SierraClub. This year’s theme was “Fresh Food Revolution,” whichpromoted local food growers, producers, distributers, educators andsupporters. The event featured a farmers market, exhibitors, includ-ing local businesses with home and garden products, eco-friendlyarts and crafts, community groups, government and non-profitorganizations. They all came together with one common goal, tohelp Tampa Bay residents create a healthy and sustainable lifestyle.

The Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) fosters sustainableurban communities and environments through collaborativeresearch, education, and community involvement. Its researchgenerates innovations and new knowledge that will help citiesaround the world, including those in developing countries, reducetheir ecological footprint. PCGS does this by improving their formand function to make them healthier, more livable and resilient.Shawna Neckar is the program coordinator for the Office ofSustainability at USF and she was thrilled to see the community come

together to celebrate Earth Day 2013. “We have a lot of partnershipswithin the community and our main goal with this event is to bringenvironmental awareness to the community,” Neckar said. “We tryto promote all local green and environmental businesses.”

Marcia Biggs is the Chair of the Tampa Bay Sierra Club and she isproud of the partnership the Sierra Club has formed with PCGS.“We work on many different issues from clean water to mass tran-sit,” Biggs said. “The main goal of this event is to bring awarenessand educate the pubic about all the issues that are happening withinour state as well as the Bay area.” The Sierra Club was founded in1892 by conservationist John Muir. It’s the largest and most influen-tial grassroots environmental organizations in the country, with 1.4million members and supports. The organization helped to establishand expand national parks like Yosemite and the Grand Canyon.They also pushed to define landmark legislation like the Clean Waterand Endangered Species Acts. Today the club has 63 chapters nation-wide with dozens of active local and national chapters like the onehere in Tampa.

The Earth Day event also gave numerous non-profits and small busi-nesses that support green practices an outlet to let the communityknow they are here and ready to help. Tara LaSalla is an accountmanager with Going Green Tampa (wwwwww..ggooiinnggggrreeeennttaammppaa..ccoomm)and her company was one of the vendors at this year’s Earth Dayevent. “We are an online resource for eco-friendly businesses andevents throughout the Bay area,” LaSalla said. “We also act as aneducational resource for the community.” Going Green Tampa wasestablished in 2010 with a mission to bring awareness to the TampaBay area about eco-friendly businesses, events and sustainable living.They serve as a one-stop online eco-directory full of businesses,events and educational resources that are both sustainable as well aslocal. The company plays an active role in stimulating dialogbetween environmental leaders and business leaders in the area.They will be launching a website sometime in May called Green MeLocally (wwwwww..ggrreeeennmmeellooccaallllyy..ccoomm). It will serve as a nationaldirectory of all eco-friendly and sustainable businesses.

Earth Day has been celebrated for 43 years and from its start, thegoal was to educate people. It reminds us that we all share the sameplanet and this means we need to take responsibility for what we useand how we use it. It’s a day to think of the environmental challengeswe face and how to solve them. Protecting the Earth is everyone’sresponsibility, no matter where we live. If you would like to knowmore about the different programs that are offered through PSGS,you can visit them on the web at wwwwww..ppaatteell..uussff..eedduu.

Earth Day2013By Libby Hopkins


About 19 years ago, God called a group of his followers toBrandon to plant a church. The seed they planted becameBaylife Church and they built the church on a foundation of

authentic community, relevant worship and, most importantly God’s,grace. A little over two years ago, the church started planting again,only this time it wasn’t a building, it was a garden. The Seeds of FaithCommunity Garden at Baylife Church was started in September of2011. The mission of the garden is to help those in need in Brandonand its surrounding communities. The garden was the dream of thechurch’s missions coordinator, Eleanor Saunders. The church had athird of an acre of land behind it that wasn’t being used. Saundersheld a meeting at the church to discuss starting a community garden.She asked Cindy Pauhus to come to the meeting because she is a mas-ter gardener for Hillsborough County through the HillsboroughCounty Extension Office. “Eleanor is very involved with social issuesin the community and she wanted the garden to be a way of helpingthose in our community who are in need,” Pauhus said. “At the meet-ing we figured we were going to plant a few things and maybe someflowers, but God was with us at that meeting because now we have abeautiful garden full of vegetable and herbs.”

The garden has 60 raised vegetable gardens, 48 of the beds are rent-ed out to community growers and the other 12 beds are used to growproduce that is donated to various community organizations to thefeed the homeless and those in need. It costs $50 to rent a bed fromAugust to June and the fee covers the water and soil for the beds.Renters have to supply their own seeds but sometimes seedlings aredonated to the garden and Pauhus and her staff share them with therenters.

Some of the community organizations the garden donates to areMetropolitan Ministries, ECHO (The Emergency Care HelpOrganization) of Brandon, Trinity Café, and The Women’s ResourceCenter of Tampa. ECHO provides immediate relief in the forms offood, clothing and household items to those in need in the communi-ty. Since its start in 1987, ECHO has assisted over 125,000 individu-als in the Brandon area. Their emergency food bank assists an aver-age of about 300 families per month. The organization never donat-ed fresh food to their clients before the garden started at BaylifeChurch. “They now donate fresh produce and they have expanded to

make room for the refrigerators they bought to keep the produce,”Pauhus said. Trinity Café has been a part of the Tampa communitysince 2001. It is housed at the Salvation Army of Tampa Bay. It servesover 200 hot meals every weekday and holidays. Since the café began,it has served over 789,000 meals to the homeless in Tampa. “Everyweek we harvest about 70-80 pounds of collard greens that we taketo Trinity Café,” Pauhus said. The Women’s Resource Center ofTampa is a faith-based non-profit organization that is dedicated toproviding services that encourage, support and assist individuals andfamilies meet their basic needs. Like ECHO, they provide emergencyfood assistance to families and partners with other community organ-izations to assist families in obtaining food. Metropolitan Ministriesis a homeless shelter in Tampa that runs the I Am Hope Café inBrandon. The garden donates collard greens to their organization.“Metropolitan Ministries takes the collards and cooks them and thenbrings them to I Am Hope Café, so our collards come right back toBrandon to feed those in need,” Pauhus said.

Times are hard for many all over our country as economic recoveryhas been a slow process. Unemployment continues to grow and theneed for social service programs is increasing. Churches have steppedup to meet these challenges by taking the ageless tradition of small-scale food production and giving it a ministry twist. “Last year wedonated 17,000 pounds of food and since October, we have alreadydonated 21,000 pounds of food to various community organizations,”Pauhus said. The most common motivation for faith-based communi-ty gardens is the opportunity to help those in need, especially duringdifficult times. Also, a faith-based community garden is not just aplace to grow food, it’s a place where one can express their faith andinteract with God and his creation. “Our hope for the garden is tocontinue to rent the beds to the people in the community that want togarden,” Pauhus said. “We also want to continue our mission ofdonating food to the organizations that help those in need in theBrandon area.” Keeping the food in the community is the most impor-tant thing to Pauhus and the rest of the volunteers at the garden.

For more information on theSeeds of Faith Community Garden at Baylife Church, visit their

Facebook page at wwwwww..ffaacceebbooookk..ccoomm// sseeeeddssooffffaaiitthhggaarrddeennor email Eleanor Saunders at [email protected].

Baylife Church is located at 1017 N. Kingsway in Brandon, Fl.

Seeds of FaithBy Libby Hopkins

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Hillsborough County Extension has announced its 20134-H Summer Day Camps for youth ages 8 – 13. “We arepleased to offer six different, two-day camps with subject

matter ranging from science and nature to space and the solarsystems, as well as robotics, filmmaking and videography,” saidExtension Agent Brent Broaddus, who, along with Agent BrandiYancy, are overseeing the 4-H camps. “Interested boys and girls donot have to belong to 4-H to participate in the camps and all areayouth, not just those residing in Hillsborough County, arewelcomed,” he noted. Most of the camps are two days and the hoursof operation for each are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“Camps are limited to 20 participants, and we must have at least 10registrants to proceed with a camp,” noted Broaddus.

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Cost for each camp is $25 per person and includes twohealthy snacks per day and bottled water. Campers must

bring their own lunch. Registration for all camps is taking place now and may be done online at

wwwwww..hhiillllssbboorroouugghh44hhssuummmmeerrccaammppss..eevveennttbbrriittee..ccoomm. Payment must be made at the time of registration.

All camps will be based at the Extension office, 5339 County Road 579, Seffner, Florida. Additional information is also available by calling Extension,

813-744-5519, and speaking to either Broaddus (Ext. 54132)or Yancy (Ext. 54116).

“4-H members are eligible to apply for camp scholarships,” saidYancy. “Scholarship applications are available by contracting

either Brent or me at the Extension Office.”

Extension Announces 2013

44--HH SSuummmmeerr DDaayyCCaammppssRegistration Now Open for Campers (Ages 8-13)

By Jim Frankowiak

SSuuppeerr SScciieennttiisstt CCaammppJJuunnee 1133--1144

Campers will experience firsthand the wonders

of science through fun, hands-on

(and sometimes messy) experiments.

They will explore basic biology, chemistry and physics.

LLoosstt iinn SSppaaccee CCaammppJJuunnee 2200--2211

Through fun, hands-on activities, campers will explorethe excitement and wonder of space and the solarsystem. After a “space exploration” gone awry, camperswill use GPS and work as a team to find their way homewhile at Hillsborough County Fairgrounds.

JJuunnkk DDrraawweerr RRoobboottiiccss CCaammppJJuullyy 88--1100

Campers will explore the design and function of robotic arms, hands and grippers while building arobotic arm that really moves. They will also design and build machines that roll, slide, draw or move underwater and explore robot mobility, movement,power transfer and locomotion.

HHeeaalltthh RRoocckkss && MMoorree CCaammppJJuullyy 11--22

Campers will “move and groove” to their favorite

music and learn to make healthy snacks. This camp

will cover many health topics, using hands-on

activities campers will enjoy.

FFiillmm MMaakkiinngg CCaammppJJuullyy 1188--1199

Campers will experience film making and

videography, while producing, directing and starring

in their own mini movies

CCrreeeeppyy CCrraawwllyy CCaammppJJuunnee 1177--1188

Campers will experience nature through insects by learning about their characteristics, identification,

mimicry and more. Participants will demonstrate whatthey learn on an insect safari.


In 1916, President Woodrow Wilsonissued a proclamation that officiallyestablished June 14th as Flag Day.

This day commemorates the adoptionof the flag of the United States.

In 1949, National Flag Day wasestablished by an Act of Congress.

The United States Army also celebratesits birthday on this day in June.

According to the U.S. Code, Title 4,Chapter 1 Section 8(j) says “The flag

represents a living country and isitself considered a living thing.”

48 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013

When the honor guard correctly folds theAmerican Flag (as seen at military funerals)13 times, there is a reason for each fold.

1st fold Represents a symbol of life.2nd fold Our belief in eternal life.3rd fold Honor and remembrance of vet4th fold Our weaker nature and trust in God5th fold Tribute to our country6th fold Where our hearts lie7th fold Tribute to our Armed Forces8th fold One who enters into the valley of

shadow of death9th fold Tribute to womanhood and Mothers10th fold Tribute to father11th fold Represents the lower portion of the

seal of King David and KingSolomon, and glorifies the God ofAbraham, Issac and Jacob

12th fold Represents an emblem of eternity andglorifies God the Father, the Son andthe Holy Spirit.

13th fold “In God We Trust.”

After the flag is completely foldedand tucked in, it takes on the appearanceof a cocked hat, reminding us of the

soldiers who served under General GeorgeWashington, and the Sailors and Marineswho served under Captain John Paul Jones,who were followed by their comrades andshipmates in the Armed Forces of the

United States, preserving for us the rights,privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.

The colors of the American Flagalso have meaning...

RED - is for Valor and HardinessWHITE - Innocence and Purity

BLUE - Vigilance, Perseverance and Justice

The FLAG CODE allows any deceasedto be allowed to have the flag adorning acoffin. Veterans are the most common toflag theirs, but anyone is allowed to use

the flag in this manner.

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 49

Zucchini ChipsFeta and Dill Dip

PREPARATIONPreheat oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk together the first five ingredients in amedium bowl. Pour milk into a shallow bowl.Place an ovenproof wire rack coated with cookingspray on a baking sheet. Dip zucchini slices in milk,and dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Put coatedslices directly onto the prepared wire rack.

Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and crisp.Serve immediately with Feta and Dill Dip.

PREPARATIONMix all ingredients and serve.

CHEF TIP – To minimize clean up, putaluminum foil on the baking sheet beforeplacing the wire rack on it

RECIPES

50 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fat-free milk

2 1/2 cups Florida zucchini, sliced ¼-inch thick

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tablespoon fresh Florida dill,

chopped

1 tablespoon crumbled feta cheese

Recipes Courtesy of the Florida Department of Agriculture

Specialty MeatsDucks, Capons, Fresh Ham,

Rabbits, Quail, Fresh &Smoked Turkey Wings

and Drumsticks, Beef andPork Kidneys, Hog Heads,

Hog Maws, Pork Skin,Tripe & Honeycomb Tripe,

and Alligator Meat.

Meet Martha Locklear12 years - cashier at Felton’s

• We Accept TECO Payments• Western Union Money Orders

49¢ each

5511


Christa Leonard was not born with agreen thumb. She got her thumb, aswell as all of her fingers, green by

volunteering at Geraldson CommunityFarm in Bradenton. “I started volunteeringat the farm about a year ago, on my birth-day, while I was working with the TampaJaycees,” Leonard said. “We were doing afarm month where we volunteered at dif-ferent farms.” She visited different farmsbut there was something that kept drawingher back to Geraldson’s. “I went to otherfarms but there was some sort of nostalgiato the farm and I loved the positive energycreated on the farm,” Leonard said.Geraldson Community Farm is aCommunity Supported Agriculture (CSA)Program. CSAs are an innovated way toconnect local consumers with local farm-ers. At the beginning of each season, themembers of the CSA invest financially inthe farm, much like a shareholder of acompany. This investment helps pay forseeds, equipment, labor and compost.During the season, members reap the ben-efits of their investment. Every week, mem-bers can come to the farm or a delivery siteto receive a portion of that week’s harvest.The CSA structure creates a mutually sup-portive relationship where members knowtheir farmers and the growing methods.Members essentially partner with the farm,

sharing in both the abundant harvest andthe risk of crop failure. Little by littleLeonard got more involved with the farmand ended up working there full-time. Sheis CSA manager for the farm and she lovesworking with its members.

Leonard started bringing produce fromGeraldson’s to sell at the Ybor TwilightMarket in Ybor City. The market is heldevery Tuesday night from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m.at The Roosevelt 2.0, which is communityspace that focuses on social change andurban sustainability. Leonard startedconnecting with other vendors at themarket. They would buy produce from herto use in goods they were selling at themarket. This inspired Leonard to do afarm to table event to benefit Geraldson’sbecause the farm is looking to build achicken coop so they can offer eggs to theirCSA members. She called the event, “Beetsand Brews” and it was held at TheRoosevelt 2.0 on April 27. Many of thevendors at the market either contributedfood from their businesses or they madedishes for the dinner. “What was reallyamazing about the whole process was thatit was done on a completely volunteerbasis,” Leonard said.

Tom and Bea Miranda are the ownersof the Sausage Laboratory ((wwwwww.. ssaauussaaggee--

By Libby Hopkins

Christa Leonard is the CSA Manager

for GeraldsonʼsCommunity Farm

llaabboorraattoorryy..ccoomm)) in Wesley Chapel. Theyhave a stand at the Twilight Market wherethey sell artisan sausage and they donatedfive pounds of their sausage to Leonardfor her dinner. They have used some of theproduce Leonard sells at the market tomake their sausage. “When we can, we tryto use local organic products in oursausage,” Tom Miranda said. “Keepingthings local is very important to us.” JillJohnson is the owner of Mangia GourmetCatering ((wwwwww..mmaannggiiaaggoouurrmmeett..ccoomm)) inSt. Petersburg and she too has a stand at themarket. She made borscht and a bloodorange hummus for “Beets and Brew.”“Everything I make is home-made, all natu-ral and gluten-free,” Johnson said. “I like tokeep things fresh and local.”

Cassie Bookamer and her husband Scottare the owners of Cassie’s Cookies((wwwwww..ccaassssiieessppeerrffeeccttccooookkiieess..ccoomm)) and they

also have a stand at the market. TheBookamer’s donated 300 cookies for thedinner. “We started Cassie’s Cookies about

a year ago and we try to incorporate localingredients in all of our cookies,” CassieBookamer said. They used jellies fromGnarly Farms to make some of thecookies they donated. Gnarly Farms((wwwwww..ggnnaarrllyyffaarrmmss..wwoorrddpprreessss..ccoomm)) is one

of the vendors at the Twilight Market, aswell, and they donated pickled beets for thedinner.

Leonard hoped to get more people fromHillsborough County involved withGeraldson’s Farms with the dinner. “Therereally aren’t that many CSA’s inHillsborough County to provide peoplewith the ability to eat local and know wheretheir food comes from or a chance toconnect with the farmer who grew theirfood,” Leonard said. She would love for“Beets and Brews” to be held twice a year,one in the beginning of the farming seasonand one at the end.

For more information on Geraldson’s Community Farms, you can visit them on the web at

wwwwww..ggeerraallddssoonnccoommmmuunniittyyffaarrmm..oorrgg..


The “Ag Issues” debate team from Strawberry Crest HighSchool made a presentation to thePlant City Lions Club on April 30regarding the importing of strawberries from Mexico.

“I’m JustSaying!”

Pictured (l to r): Susan Mayo(Advisor), Levi Mayo, JameeTownsend, Ashley Modrow, Adrian Dyer, Nick Fernandez,Megan Snyder, Essy Barrera, (seated) Karrie Gafford, Pres. PC Lions Club


Education is an important aspect of the overall mission ofthe Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA). Sincethe association was founded in 1982 as the voice for

Florida strawberry growers by “becoming partners in research,promotion and member/community service,” it has awarded morethan 350 scholarships with a total value of several hundred thou-sand dollars through a multi-faceted program with the solepurpose of encouraging young men and women to continue theireducation beyond high school.

One of those is the Strawberry Ambassador Program, which isnow in its 11th year. Through this competitive program, four highschool seniors are selected each year to represent the industryat a range of events, both locally and at Tallahassee duringthe annual Florida legislative session. Ambassadors serve a one-year term.

This year’s FSGA Ambassadors include Miranda Mayo, a seniorat Durant High School and three Strawberry Crest High Schoolseniors: Morgan Boykin, Abigail Jett and Jamee Lynn Townsend.Boykin, daughter of Marty and Jennifer Boykin, plans to contin-ue her education at Polk State University where she seeksto become a respiratory therapist. “It has been fun being anambassador,” said Boykin. “I especially like dealing with the littlekids and teaching them where strawberries come from and howthey are grown.”

Jolee and Mark Jett’s daughter Abigail, is considering pursuing acollege degree in Ag Communications. She, too, has enjoyed herterm as an FSGA Ambassador and felt “the questions posed at theState Fair were very interesting. It was very natural for me to beinterested in becoming an Ambassador since I have always beeninterested in the industry and its importance as an asset to ourcommunity.”

Townsend, who will be attending St. Leo University on a fullvolleyball scholarship, was especially pleased with the chance “totell city kids at the State Fair about the importance of agriculture

and where the food they eat comes from.” The daughter of Roband Cathy Townsend, Jamee Lynn’s educational plans also includea law degree with a focus on environmental law.

“Continuing a family tradition” was the inspiration for Mayo,daughter of Jeff and Tonya, to seek an AmbassadorScholarship. “I liked the chance to meet new people, especiallyin Tallahassee during the Farm Bureau Legislative meet-ing.” Miranda plans on becoming a Registered Nurse and contin-uing “to help people” as her family does through the ownershipand operation of an assisted living facility.

“Scholarship applications are ready to pickup or download fromthe FSGA website beginning in June each year,” said GlendaMcNary, FSGA’s Director Member Services/CommunityRelations. “Completed applications are due in September and thefour Ambassadors are announced in October.” The selection ofAmbassadors is by the FSGA Scholarship Committee, whichconsists of six people, a mix of FSGA board members and othersinvolved in the strawberry industry. The committee makeup iskept confidential. To be eligible, applicants must be high schoolseniors and submit a letter of intent to attend college along withtheir scholarship application.

The four Ambassadors receive $1,000 scholarships and are“expected to attend local events such as helping out at the FSGA’sStrawberry Festival booth for 11 days, helping out at the FloridaState Fair for 12 days, helping with spring and fall Ag-Venture,attending a three-day trip to Tallahassee for participation in theFlorida Farm Bureau legislative reception, making presentationsand demonstrations at events and local schools, helping auctionoff the nine Best Strawberry Flats during the Strawberry Festival,”said McNary. Funds for the Ambassador Scholarship Programcome from the “Best Flats” contest, which is part of the Swine,Plant and Steer sales. This year’s auction raised more than$15,000.

FSGAAMBASSADORPROGRAMA “WIN” FOR PARTICIPANTSAND THE INDUSTRY

By Jim FrankowiakPhotos by Stephanie Humphrey

“We also have a two-day Agri-Tech trade show and educationseminar annually in August and they are expected to help duringthat event plus our annual Jam Banquet in December where theyhelp pass out awards and a host of other communityevents. Scholarship recipients know up front of our expectationsfor them as year-long representatives of our association and indus-try,” McNary said. In addition to the Ambassador Program, FSGAannually awards six special $1,000 scholarships, including theBrenda St. Martin Memorial Scholarship, the Steve DukesMemorial Scholarship, the Marty Sewell Memorial Scholarship,the Rodney Hutto Memorial Scholarship, the Eddie and TrendaJones Memorial Scholarship and the O.M. Griffin MemorialScholarship. FSGA also helps to fund a program with theUniversity of South Florida’s Department of Education to providescholarships to deserving children of migrant workers. The associ-ation also sponsors special awards during the Florida FFAConvention each year.

Congratulations to the FSGA Ambassadors and our appreciationfor their efforts in representing an industry of such importance toour community. For those interested in applying for the variousFSGA scholarships, visit: wwwwww..ffllaassttrraawwbbeerrrryy..ccoomm or call GlendaMcNary at the FSGA office: 813-752-6822.



Interim County Extension Service Director Stephen Gran,leader of a nationally recognized program for maintaining theeconomic sustainability of agriculture in an urbanizing commu-

nity, has accepted the position on a fulltime basis. A HillsboroughCounty employee since 1998, he led the county’s AgricultureIndustry Development Program to a position of national prominenceand also served as Interim Director of the county’s EconomicDevelopment Department. Prior to joining Hillsborough County,Gran was an Extension Agent with Sarasota County. In his new post,he becomes part of the Hillsborough County Public Safety &Community Services leadership team.

Gran has served as Interim Director since last August with responsi-bility for management, supervision, coordination and leadership ofExtension programs. “I was asked to take on this role because of mypast Extension Service experience and my knowledge ofHillsborough County government operations,” he said. In additionto his prior Extension service in Sarasota County, he has been anExtension “cooperator” for 15 years. Gran termed the interimappointment a “homecoming in a way for me given my prior posi-tion and educational background. I like the work of Extension andsee opportunities to bring my educational experiences to the positionand ongoing challenges of meeting the expectations and needs of theresidents of Hillsborough County.”

“While serving as Interim Director, I have successfully managedthe leadership transition within the department, improved workingrelationships with faculty and staff and established effective linkageswith Extension administration, county government, communityleaders and advisory groups. I look forward to moving forward atall levels with particular emphasis on reaching out to residents of thecounty not aware of the broad base of programs Extension hasavailable for them,” he said. “I am pleased that the selection

committee recognized my past experience as being very similar to thework of Extension, as well as the unique challenges a director facesin a large urban county such as ours.”

Commonly referred to as Extension, it is an educational serviceprovided by both the University of Florida and HillsboroughCounty, sharing information with the public through workshops,publications and various media outlets. The entities official name isUF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension Service and it is part of anational network formed in 1914 When the U.S. Congressestablished the Extension Service as a means for spreading research-based information from land-grant universities. The University ofFlorida is the state’s land-grant university and the transfer of knowl-edge from UF to state residents is the work of Extension and itsfaculty in each of the state’s 67 counties. This partnership is at theheart of the Cooperative Extension Service mission and enables theuniversity to extend its knowledge base to every community. Thereis a misconception that Extension focuses exclusively on the needs ofthe agricultural community, but outreach is geared to the needs of allcounty residents. County extension faculty develops educationalprograms based on issues determined by their urban and commercialcustomers or citizens. These priority issues form the basis for majoreducational programs that are conducted across Florida. “The rangeof subject matter is diverse and significant,” said Gran. “Ourblogs, for example, offer subject matter that includes: Parenting4 Tomorrow – Parenting Resources, Commercial Horticulture –Agent’s Update, Personal Financial Management and HomeGardening just to highlight a few areas.”

Gran is confident his knowledge of county government structure andprogram offerings will bode well for future Extension efforts.“I think there is a significant opportunity for Extension to grow itsoutreach to residents by partnering with existing county programs.One area that comes to mind is county social service initiatives.Working cooperatively with those existing programs will enableExtension to reach thousands of Hillsborough County residents thatare not aware of us or how we can be of assistance, and that is justone example,” he said.

Gran’s appointment has the support of a number of county leaders,including Farm Bureau Executive Director Judi Whitson, HughGramling, former head of the Tampa Bay Wholesale GrowersAssociation and Florida Strawberry Growers Association ExecutiveDirector Ted Campbell, who said Gran’s selection “would enhancethe cross involvement and working relationships of both his formerposition and new one – a win for all involved.”

Gran holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Food andResource Economics from the University of Florida. He and his wife,Belinda, an Ag teacher at East Bay High School, have two children.

For more information about the broad Extension programofferings and services, visit: hhttttpp::// // hhiillllssbboorroouugghh..eexxtteennssiinn..uuffll..eedduu,

call 813-744-5519 or visit the Extension office, 5339 South County Road 579, Seffner, Fl 33584.

Stephen GranCommitted to CreatingGreater Program Awarenessand ParticipationBy Jim Frankowiak

Every business is looking for a way to stand out. They spendexorbitant amounts of money on logo design and websitebuilding, as well as your print advertising. Most of them even

come up with catchy phrases or musical jingles to keep them at theforefront of your thought processes. However, very few of them arebetter known for the charities and moral necessities they supportthan for their flashy logos. Esterline Landscape and Construction isone such business, people recognize it for its pink breast cancerawareness trailers.

Dan Esterline and Henry Turner are the owners of this overtly sup-portive business and we had the joy of speaking with Henry about allthey do. Of course, the first questions revolved around the pink trail-ers, as it’s something everyone who sees them wants to know about.Henry elaborated, “We have five trailers in operation that are allpainted pink with breast cancer awareness and our logo in pink. I’ma partner with Dan Esterline and we own Esterline Landscape andConstruction, basically all our trailers are painted pink for breastcancer awareness.”

We asked Henry to explain the motivation for the pink paint. Hesaid, “My mother is cancer free now for three years. She had breastcancer and then our irrigation manager, (his first wife died of breastcancer) and he just recently, probably about eight months ago, foundout that his wife has stage three cancer and she’s been going throughtreatments and is in remission right now, she’s been through a lot. Wegot talking a bit, and I’ve got another employee that works for meand his wife was going through breast cancer, so it kind of hit home.It’s a pretty common thing and the more you talk about it and get toknow people, the more you find out that you’re not the only onegoing through some stuff.” Indeed, most of us have someone withinour spheres of association whom has been touched, or injured, bythis heinous disease.

Even though most of us know a little about the big C, we don’t runout and paint our cars pink. So what’s different about EsterlineLandscape and Construction? Henry continues, “We were having ourmeeting and we wanted to come up with a way to bring awarenessto it. So we had a big 38-foot tree trailer and we decided to paint itpink and we got a lot of really good response out of it, about howthe trailers looked and what it stood for. All our planting pots, werecycle them, so they bring them back to the shop and we have a per-son that comes around and buys all our used flower pots. What wedo is take the money from that and we find organizations that donateto breast cancer. We used to use the money from our pots to do cook-

outs and stuff for our employees but we all decided that it would bea great idea if we took that money and put it into something that wefelt good about and that was breast cancer awareness.”

As if that isn’t impressive enough, Henry adds, “Just recently, as ourcompany’s growing, I bought four more trailers. I asked them if therewas any way we could get them painted pink. They were kind ofshocked about it and I kind of shared with them what we were doingwith our trailers and what it meant to us. So he got with the compa-ny that builds the trailers and they actually were a little nervous sothey wanted at least half of the money down because they werescared that if we backed out what would they do with these pinktrailers? So I went ahead and paid for the trailers and they saw howserious we were about our passion for these pink trailers and itsparked them to get on board with this also and so they wanted toput their logos on our trailers supporting breast cancer awareness. SoCaliper, the company that builds the trailers, now supports breastcancer and for every trailer they’re gonna build they are going todonate a certain percentage for breast cancer. So it actually sparkedsomething pretty good. It’s been a pretty positive thing for us.”

Agreeing to paint your trailers pink, when you’re a landscape andconstruction company takes a lot of confidence and insinuates astrong partnership. So, we asked about how all that came to be.Henry gladly explained, “Dan is a fourth generation nurseryman, hisfather and grandfather owned a nursery up in Indiana. I used to workfor his family and seven years ago we went in business together andwe started Esterline Landscape and Irrigation. Dan already had hisconstruction company. He runs the construction side of it and I actu-ally run the landscape and irrigation side of it. Dan moved down herein ’98 to go to work for his family. His family is some of the ownersof Carlton Arms Apartments. I worked for 16 years for Carlton Arms

By Ginny Mink

...continued on page 61INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 59W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

Esterline Landscape

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Apartments. I was the Grounds Supervisor and I did all the land-scape installs for their new communities and he was the ConstructionProject Manager, he actually builds the apartment complexes.We would build them and turn them over and his family managesthem. After we built Winter Haven we decided to go into businesstogether. We do residential and commercial.”

In closing we asked Henry about the coolest landscaping job he’dhad thus far and after contemplating a moment he excitedly revealed,“Well actually, we just did two shows for Yard Crashers. We did twoshows that should be airing within the next month or two on theDIY Channel. They crash somebody’s yard, it’s a big production.They select people out of all the applicants and they go in and do amakeover of their backyard. We did the landscaping for them. It waspretty cool. It’s on our website; we have little flashers to look for uson Yard Crashers. We have some projects on there. We’ve done theSam’s in St. Pete. We do all of D.R. Horton’s work in their Tampaand Orlando divisions, we probably do eighty communities for themand they’re the largest home builder in America.”

Henry didn’t want to end the interview without giving credit tohis Maker. He said, “I just basically have been blessed. I think Godsurrounded me with the right people. Most of all I just enjoy thefact that God’s blessed me with the opportunity to have seventyemployees and be a part of their lives and financially help them outwith their families and everything like that, it’s been a huge blessing.”We suspect that all Henry and Dan are trying to do beyond thelandscape and construction is a blessing to others.

If you’d like to know more about them or get in touch,please visit their website: wwwwww..eesstteerrlliinneellaannddssccaappee..ccoomm..




Fundraising can be a tricky task for char-ities. They have to be creative in findingways to make the event fun for people

to attend as well as meet their monetarygoals. Some charities hold dinners or golftournaments but those events can get old andboring kind of quick. Charities need to dosomething out of the ordinary to raise moneyfor their cause. David Armstrong is theDirector of the Bill Carey Boys & Girls Clubin Brandon, and he and his board felt theyneeded to do something different to raisemoney for their organization. The Bill CareyBrandon Boys & Girls Club is a child carecenter for 160 children in the Brandon area,which is significantly more than the averagefor a child care center. The board had a brain-storming session and came up with the ideaof doing a clay shoot. They figured theywould have more fun shooting then golfingso they gave the clay shoot idea a try. “Thereare numerous golf tournaments and dinnersgoing on and we were just trying to think ofsomething different that many other organi-zations don’t do,” Armstrong said. The shootis in its third year now and they have mademore than $20,000 for their organization.James Livingston is also on the board ofdirectors with Armstrong. He is a retired FBIagent who is employed by the HillsboroughCounty Sheriff’s Office. He too felt the clayshoot was a great choice for a fundraiser.“We chose sporting clays because it is popu-lar in this area and with the sheriff’s office,”Livingston said, “Other groups have hadgood success in the past using sporting claysas a charitable fundraiser.”

Some of you may be wondering what exactlya clay shoot is and how it works. The sportgot its start in the late 1800s in Europe.According to the World Sporting website(www.worldsporting.net), “From the late1880s until the outbreak of WWI, pheasantand grouse shooting in England enjoyed apopularity level that had never been seen, orrivaled since. The same time period alsomarked a time change with the first clay tar-get, a flat disc, appearing between 1883 and1887. The clay pigeon was then introducedand as a direct result, came the birth anddevelopment of sporting clays. Before claypigeons, the game of ‘glass ball’ shooting

took place in England and become very pop-ular in the United States, which every histori-an credits Charles Portlock of Boston, as theoriginator of the sport in the year 1866. Thefirst competitive shoots began in 1867 in theBoston area. Unfortunately the game did nothave much success, as the traps used at thetime only threw the glass balls straight intothe air. Obviously this was not much of achallenge to a shooter who was used to adarting, fast flying pigeon. In 1877, anAmerican, Adam Bogardu invented the firstcatapult in order to launch these glass balls atshooting shows, and the term ‘ball trap’ wasadopted.” Clay shooting is a discipline thatcan offer so much to so many. It can be purefun; it can be a test of ability or a competitivechallenge.

The organization decided to partner with TheRotary Club of Valrico and FishHawkSporting Clays of Lithia, to host the BillCarey Sporting Clay Tournament. The eventwas held on May 4 and their goal was to raise$15,000 at this year’s event. Chris McGuire isthe president of the Rotary Club of Valricoand he felt that the shoot raised more moneythan past years because the economy is doinga little better. “I’m certain we did better thanlast year and we definitely educated morepeople in the area of what the Boys & Girlsclub has accomplished locally,” McGuiresaid. The funds raised at the shoot are usedfor supplies and reward/incentives for pro-grams that promote academic success,healthy lifestyles and leadership develop-ment. The mission of the organization is toenable all young people, especially those whoare in need, to reach their full potential asproductive, caring, responsible citizens. RyanOdiorne is that past president of the RotaryClub of Valrico as well as a board member ofthe Bill Carey Boy’s & Girl’s Club. He partic-ipated in this year’s clay shoot and he lovedbeing a part of the event. “The feeling I getfrom helping the Bill Carey Boy’s and Girl’sClub is overwhelming when you see the chil-dren and young adults playing together in asafe place, doing school work, and just beingkids,” Ordiorne said. “That is the way itshould be.” FishHawk Sporting Clays islocated at 13505 Hobson Simmons Rd. inLithia. •

Clays for Kids By Libby Hopkins


Dr. Andrew Koeser has joined the faculty of the Gulf CoastResearch and Education Center as Assistant Professor,

Environmental Horticulture. He is part of a state wide team ofresearchers working under the umbrella of the Gainesville-based Centerfor Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE).

“As part of this team, I am charged with finding ways to keep urban anddeveloped landscapes green and healthy without putting any undueburden on Florida’s natural systems,” he said. “To this end, I lookforward to working with growers, landscape managers, educators andthe public to identify ways to increase green industry sustainabili-ty.” Koeser defined sustainable production as the most efficient use ofinputs (water, fertilization, lighting, etc.) to achieve acceptableyield. While in the landscape, Koeser said sustainability means maximiz-ing the functional lifespan of plantings while minimizing their mainte-nance demand. “The trick to doing this correctly is finding a balance ofenvironmental and economic efficiency that is socially acceptable to theindustry and consumers.”

Having just completed his doctorate in Crop Sciences at the University ofIllinois Urbana-Champaign Koeser has “a few studies that will follow medown from Illinois. Namely, I will be wrapping up my dissertation workon plant-based containers in greenhouse ornamental production. In addi-tion, I am working on a carbon footprint of urban forestry/tree care prac-tices to determine when a typical shade tree gains carbon neutrality.Through practitioner surveys and tree inventory data, I hope to identifyfactors that push that break-even point earlier in a tree’s life and increaseoverall tree longevity/benefit. I plan to do a lot of visiting and listening todetermine what is needed by the industries I serve. All of my work to datehas come from or been greatly enhanced by input from engaged greenindustry professionals.” Dr. Koeser’s email address is: [email protected].

The CLCE, which was created by the Florida legislature in 2006 toprotect and conserve Florida’s natural resources through research-basedsustainable urban landscape practices, has as its vision to be the leadingsource of science-based information on horticulture and the urban envi-ronment in the Sunshine State. The interdisciplinary center has facultythroughout the state advancing research, Extension and education effortsin multiple fields. Its website is http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/clce.

Koeser, who also has his Master of Science from the University of Illinoisat Urbana-Champaign, completed his undergraduate studies at theUniversity of Wisconsin-Stevens Point where he majored in forestry withan emphasis in urban forestry. He and his wife, Stephanie, are parents ofthree-year-old Edith and 18-month-old Elizabeth. Baby Evelyn is antici-pated this coming August.

“I originally grew up in Wisconsin on the shores of Lake Michigan,” saidKoeser. “As such, I am extremely happy to be by water once again. Aftergraduating from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point I worked half-time at the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) in the EducationalGoods and Services Department while working toward my MS. I workedtwo more years fulltime as the Science and Research Manager at ISA,putting together their annual conference educational programs, workingon publications and guiding many of the organization’s research initia-tives. While I felt good supporting other researchers in my field, I trulymissed doing the science myself. In 2010, I jumped back into academicsand began pursuit of my doctorate fulltime. I am still quite involved withISA and I am a Board-Certified Master Arborist.

“When I started looking at positions, I knew I would likely be leavingthe Midwest. I was fortunate enough to have a number of face-to-faceinterviews, offering me a chance to meet and interact with research cen-ters/institutes from across North America,” said Koeser. “In doing so,I can say that Hillsborough County is extremely fortunate to have atop-notch facility in the GCREC filled with engaged, productive andremarkably down- to-earth researchers. When Dr. Jack Rechcigl gave mea call, the decision was easy. The location didn’t hurt either.”

As to extracurricular pursuits, Koeser currently finds himself “makingcardboard castles and playing horsey with my kids.” He also enjoysgardening and “I love being on the water in a kayak, canoe, sailboat orwhat have you. I hope to have the time to build my own boat and to getreacquainted with my basset hound, Baxter. He has been spending a lotof time on the couch with Steph, chasing the girls, and me being chainedto my computer writing my dissertation. It really doesn’t look like heminds, but he needs to walk off a few pounds.”

A Florida welcome to Dr. Koeser and his family. •

NEW

ENVIRONMENTAL

HORTICULTURIST

JOINS GCRECFACULTY

BY JIM FRANKOWIAK


There’s a misconception that you have to be a farmer orrancher to become a member of Farm Bureau. “That issimply not the case,” said Hillsborough County

Farm Bureau Board Member and Membership Chair RayWood. “Yes, we have many farm and ranch families among our147,000 family members in Florida, but our membership alsoincludes a growing number of families not directly connected toagriculture.” There are several reasons for that, but first a bit ofhistory.

“Farm Bureau was created within communities, chartered in1941, when farmers came together to discuss issues that affectedtheir lives: business practices, new technology and fair pricing,”said Florida Farm Bureau President John Hoblick. “Now ournumber one goal remains the same – to improve the lives of ourmembers.” That has a strong and direct impact on all of us asfarmers and ranchers who produce all that we eat each day.

“That realization has prompted many to join Farm Bureau and tohelp agriculture progress so it will continue to offer all of us thebroad selection and quantities of food we have available at costsfar below what many pay in other parts of the world. And that iswith neither the comparable selection nor abundance we enjoy,”said Wood. “Some have been attracted by the valuable benefitsafforded Farm Bureau members such as low rates and substantialdiscounts on loans, personal, life and car insurance, merchandise,travel and other services. Ultimately, we are talking about thewell-being of our nation as Farm Bureau advocates educationalimprovement, economic opportunity and social advancement forour farmer and rancher members and their operations. Globalpopulation is growing while lands devoted to farming andranching are diminishing. Thankfully there have been advances in

agriculture leading to higher yields able to meet that growingdemand and we have to maintain that momentum.”

John Hall, an agriculture teacher at Martinez Middle School inLutz, is a Farm Bureau member and active in Farm Bureauactivities such as Ag-Venture since his high school days. He isneither a farmer nor rancher. “I believe it is important for stu-dents, especially those in urban and suburban settings, and thecommunity to understand the importance of agriculture,” saidHall, whose FFA groups have exhibited at the Florida State Fairand at other events in the area. “There are benefits, too,” hesaid. “Farm Bureau offers insurance for livestock projects for FFAchapters that join Farm Bureau. We also have the opportunity tonetwork and keep up-to-date on real world agricultural challengesand programs.”

Tonnya Rawlins joined Farm Bureau 15 years ago in NorthCarolina where she was a licensed general contractor and ownerof an award-winning home building company in the Raleigharea. “Though I’ve never been a farmer or rancher, I do havemany wonderful childhood memories of my grandmother’s NorthCarolina farm,” she said. “I had obtained homeowner’s and autorates from five or so major insurers and Farm Bureau’s quote wasthe best. I rechecked every few years and Farm Bureau continuedto provide the best rates.” After relocating to Florida a year ago,Rawlins became president of Maid in Space, Inc., a residentialmaid service company utilizing NASA advanced home steriliza-tion technology.

“In late December, we purchased a 2013 Chevrolet Sonic for ournew business and when we were finalizing the purchase, we werethrilled to learn yet another advantage of being Farm Bureaumembers – we saved $500 on the final auto price with the FarmBureau member benefit.” Farm Members in good standing for atleast 60 days prior to the delivery date of a GM vehicle are eligi-ble for the GM Private Offer – a $500 manufacturer incentive.

“Farm Bureau staff members I dealt with in North Carolina andhere in Florida are very courteous and dependable,” said Rawlins.“I developed a trusting relationship with them.”

“I have been interested in agriculture since a young age,” saidFarm Bureau member Tiffany Dale. “Although my family is notdirectly involved with agriculture production or an agriculturalbusiness, I decided to pursue an education in agriculture.” Daleholds an undergraduate degree from the University of Florida,

If You Like to Eat,You Ought to Belong!YOU DONʼT HAVE TO BE A FARMER ORRANCHER TO JOIN THE FARM BUREAUBy Jim Frankowiak

majoring in Agricultural Communication with a minor in Ag Law.She also has a Masters in Agribusiness.

“I have been involved with Florida Farm Bureau since 2011 andbecame a member in October of 2012. Farm Bureau, locally andnationally, is a federation that connects agriculturists across thenation. That is a great benefit when telling the story of agricultureand understanding the vastness of the industry. Understanding anational and even global perspective of what goes in to gettingfood to the table allows for a stronger appreciation of theindustry,” she said. “Farm Bureau is beneficial in networking, edu-cation and first hand involvement opportunities in agriculture.”

Dale, who is actively pursuing a fulltime position in agriculture,is a substitute teacher for Hillsborough County Schools and amember of the staff at Cross Creek Ranch in Dover. She is theYoung Farmers and Ranchers chair for Hillsborough County FarmBureau, as well as a participant in many Farm Bureau activitiesand programs throughout the county and state.

“These are just a few of many stories of non-traditional membersof Farm Bureau not just here in Hillsborough County and Florida,but throughout the nation,” said Wood.

“I encourage individuals and families interested in learning moreabout Farm Bureau and the broad benefits of membership to visit:

wwwwww..fflloorriiddaaffaarrmmbbuurreeaauu..oorrggor call our Hillsborough County office at 813-659-9121.”


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The 31st annual Agritech is hosted by the Florida StrawberryGrowers Association. As a vendor you will meet with growersand industry representatives, and enjoy great food. Fifty (50)booths are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. To exhibit,Associate membership is required. Gold Associate members geta free booth. This is one event of the year where we have almost90 percent of the industry in one room!

This year’s theme is Hunting. Ribbons will be given out to thetop three booths that participate in the theme by decoratingtheir booth. New this year is a Clay Shoot and dinner onMonday night. After the exhibitors set up at Agritech, we headto the Fishhawk Sporting Clays in Lithia for a fun event! Agritechguest speakers and sessions are currently being lined up.Topics will include food safety, immigration, fumigant alterna-tives, traceback, and labor issues – along with the latest infor-mation on research and technology.

Included in your Registration: Breakfast and lunch both days fortwo (2) people • 8 ft. x 8 ft. booth • 8 ft. high backdrop & 3 ft.high side drape • 2 side chairs • One 6 ft. table • Electricity:5 AMP 120 volt

Important Dates & Times:• Set-up: Monday, Aug. 12th - Noon to 4 p.m.• Clay Shoot: 5 p.m.• Show Times: Tuesday & Wednesday, Aug. 13th & 14th7:30 a.m. 4 p.m.

• Tear down: Wednesday, Aug. 14th after and not before 1 p.m.

Registration deadline is July 25th, to be listed in event programs.

CompanyAddress:

Phone:Registrants Names:

Sponsor Registration� Clay Shoot Dinner $500� Tues. or Wed. Break $250� Tues. or Wed. Breakfast $500� Tues. or Wed. Lunch $1,000

Registration� Clay Shoot Registration $300

(50 Clays) *Team of 4 Shooters� Membership Registration $35� Non-Membership Registration $50

Exhibitor RegistrationCorporate membership required

� Booth $500 (per booth)� Associate $250� Bronze $500� Silver $1,000� Gold $2,000

Total Due $

Please fill out form completely if you are paying by credit card. If payingby check, please make payable to FSGA.

� Visa � MasterCard

Name on Card:Card Number:Exp. Date: Billing Zip:

* All registrations include meals, breaks & educational materials.Mail registration and/or checks to: 13138 Lewis Gallagher Rd.

Dover, FL 33527

Registration

Agritech 2013 will be held in the John R. Trinkle Buildingand is located at the Plant City Campus of the HillsboroughCommunity College at 1206 N. Park Rd., Plant City, FL 33563

Hotel accommodations can be made at the Holiday InnExpress on Park Rd. For a special rate, mention the FloridaStrawberry Growers Association.

For more information call FSGA at (813)719-3800.

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The Tampa Bay Regional Envirothon, or "EnvironmentalOlympics" allows high school students in Hillsborough andPinellas counties the opportunity to use what they have learned in

the classroom to resolve environmental issues in the field. Both teachersand students enjoy the Envirothon’s in-class learning that combines hands-on outdoor activities. Student teams are exposed to scientists and expertsin the field who coach and guide their learning experience. Teams, consist-ing of five members per team, then compete in local Envirothons and win-ners advance to state/provincial/territorial contests. Top teams head to theNorth American Envirothon, a week-long culminating competition host-ed by one of the states/provinces/territories in North America, where over$100,000 in scholarships and prizes are awarded. Through the program,students develop an understanding of effective teamwork, resource man-agement and ecology. At the same time, they gain valuable exposure to arange of disciplines and possible career paths.

On Monday, March 18, the Hillsborough Soil and Water ConservationDistrict sponsored the 2013 Tampa Bay Regional Envirothon at Nature’sClassroom in Thonotosassa. It was a very pleasant day at Nature’s

Classroom with 21 Hillsborough County schools and 2 Pinellas Countyschools attending. The annual competition focuses on the following fivemain areas of study as developed by its respective professionals, calledResource Specialists: Aquatics – Monica Rivera, P.E., CurrentEnvironmental Issue – Lynn Barber, Florida Yards & NeighborhoodsAgent for the Hillsborough County Extension of University ofFlorida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) and SusanHaddock, Horticulture/Integrated Pest Management & Small FarmsAgent for UF/IFAS, Forestry – Rob Northrop, Extension Forester forUF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension, Soils – Juan Vega, Area SoilScientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural ResourcesConservation Service, and Wildlife – Jeanne Murphy of Sensing Nature,LLC. This year’s Current Environmental Issue is “Sustainable RangelandManagement: Achieving a balance between traditional agricultural useswith non-agricultural uses on Montana rangelands.” At a sixth testingstation, Oral Question, teams were also judged on how well they verbal-ly presented their knowledge of Current Issue topics to ResourceSpecialist Julie Vogel, Environmental Science and Technology Instructorfor St. Petersburg College, Seminole campus.

Teams recognized for academic achievement in those above categories areas follows: Alternate Team 3 – Grasses (combination of students fromvarious schools) received the highest score in Aquatics; TheCoccolithophores (Canterbury School of Florida) received the highestscore in the Current Issue; Gang Green (Brandon Senior High School)received the highest score in Forestry; Spotosols (Spoto High School)received the highest score in Oral Question; Blake High School YellowJackets received the highest score in Soils; and The Coccolithophores(Canterbury) received the highest score in Wildlife. The RegionalWinners are: 1st Place - The Coccolithophores from Canterbury Schoolof Florida, 2nd Place - Newsome Wolfpack from Newsome High School,and 3rd Place - Gang Green from Brandon Senior High School. TheCoccolithophores, representing Pinellas County, and NewsomeWolfpack, representing Hillsborough County, advance to the state-levelto compete at the Florida Envirothon on Saturday, April 27, atHillsborough River State Park.

This event would not have been possible without the assistance of the vol-unteers, Resource Specialists, and Nature’s Classroom, the backing ofHillsborough County Public Schools’ Supervisor of Secondary Science,and the sponsorship received from MOSI, the Florida Aquarium,Southwest Florida Water Management District, Tampa’s Lowry ParkZoo, Tampa Bay Water, Tampa Bay Wholesale Growers, HillsboroughSoil & Water Conservation District’s Board, and CF Industries, Inc.Together, they all provided great support for the participating teams tohave an effective and enjoyable competition. •

HILLSBOROUGH SOIL & WATERCONSERVATION DISTRICT

TAMPA BAY REGIONAL

ENVIROTHON

1st Place - Canterbury

2nd Place - Newsome

3rd Place - Brandon


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12880 E US Highway 92Dover, FL 33527

T he 2013 Florida Strawberry Festival AgAwards Banquet was held in theEvelyn and Batista Madonia Ag

Center, Tuesday, April 9 at 6pm at theFestival grounds in Plant City.

Ray Clark was the MC for the evening to alarge crowd of FFA and 4H participants andtheir parents. Mr. Clark gave special recogni-tion to the major sponsors of this years Ag

competition, which included PattersonCompany, CF Industries, Tractor Supply, TheHay Exchange, Gulf Coast Turf and Tractor,and the Astin and Swindle families.

The steer sale averaged $4.30 per poundtotaling $402,397.15 with add-ons of$60,274.55. The swine sale total was$160,089.76, with the average price perpound of $7.87. The plant sale with add-ons

totaled $32,760.00. The total for all threeevents grossed approximately $665,119.91.This was another record year for all of the Agevents at the Florida Strawberry Festival.

With the help of back-to-back sellout showsof Hunter Hayes and Blake Shelton, theoverall attendance of the 11-day Festivalwas 526,100, a little better than 2012ʼsattendance of 525,300.

Grand Champion Carcass – Morgan Gaudens Steer Carcass – (Standing): Jacob Burnette, MichaelGarrison (Seated): Miranda Lane, Morgan Gaudens, Shelby St.

Amant, Karla Mishler

Gain In WeightBenson Cain, Plant City, FFA

Levi Mayo, Strawberry Crest FFAAnna Conrad, Strawberry Crest FFA

Jessi Varnum, Stampede 4HJustin Jordan, Strawberry Crest FFA

Standing Alan Kicklighter

Grand Champion Steer – Jake Maxwellpresenter John Hammond, CF Industries

Heather Layton Memorial Award – (L-R) TimLopez, Mike Dry, Michaela Dry, Valerie Dry, Mike Lopez


James L. Redman Memorial(L-R) Ruby Jean RedmanWINNER: Sara Kate Snapp

Premier ExhibitorsRed Coat – Jon Poppell, (Left to right) DavidWalden, Darby Hasting, Alexander Fernandez

Producer AwardKen Grimmer & Glen Ford

Reserve Grand Champion SteerJustin Stallard

Roy Parke Memorial(L-R) Helen Parke, WINNER, Jamee Townsend,

Sandee (Parke) Systma

Grand Champion Steer Buyer Awardpresented to Tim Lopezby Natasha McClelland

Reserve Grand Champion Steer Buyer Awardpresented to Kenneth Parker, Chemical Dynamics

by Natasha McClelland and Madilyn Conrad.

Division Reserve & ChampionsPresented by John Hammond, CF Industries

(L-R) – Jake Maxwell, Haley Smith, Mylie Feaster,Justin Stallard, Abigail Jett

Steer HerdsmanSitting: Alyssa Shepherd, Linda Sanchez, Kailee Trainer

Standing: Dusty Cook, Benson Cain, Clint Walden,Zachary Campbell, Nicholas Andrlik, Dalton Davis

Steer Premium AwardsSitting (L-R): Aly Joyner, Raelynn Nichols, ZacharyCampbell, Jerri Rowell Standing: Jake Maxwell,

Zachary Campbell, Justin Stallard

Steer Record BookSeated: Nicholas Fernandez, Jacob Burnette, KristieKettner, Alyssa Shepherd Standing: Justin Jordan,

Dustin McMath, Sadie Carr, Hunter Hampton,Dalton McHenry

Steer Showmanship (Standing): Kyle Lee, JakeMaxwell, Nicholas Andrlik, Justin Stallard (Seated):Morgan Belsley, Meridith Del Castillo, Kacee Lewis,

Cassidy Hasting, Anne Conrad82 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

Swine Champion of Show Award(L-R) Lane Wetherington, Jayce Ware, Country Folkʼs

4-H (Buyer Ramm Transport), Ashlyn Gude, TurkeyCreek FFA (Buyer-Astin Family Farms), Judy Barta

Swine Herdsman Award – Junior Division1st Place – Jayce Ware, Country Folks 4H

Swine Herdsman Award – Junior Division2nd Place – Brodie Brown, Turkey Creek FFA

Swine Herdsman Award – Intermediate Division1st Place – Jacob Sweat

Turkey Creek FFA

Swine Herdsman Award – Senior Division2nd Place – Chesley Campbell

Turkey Creek FFA

Swine Premier Award – Junior DivisionJayce Ware

Country Folks 4H

Swine Premier Award – Intermediate DivisionAaron Bingham, Tomlin FFA

Also pictured, Mike Lopez, Southside Farm Supply

Swine Premium AwardClass 1

Taylor Grimes, Tomlin FFA


Clayton Brock, Tomlin FFA


Madilyn Conrad, Antioch Critters 4H


Jayson Burke, Turkey Creek FFA

Swine Record Book Award – Junior Division3rd Place – Emma McConnellAlso pictured, Vonda Fulwood


Swine Record Book Award –Intermediate Division

1st Place – Connor Watson


2nd Place – Parker Killebrew


3rd Place – Cheyenne Lopez

Swine Showmanship Award – Junior Division1st Place – Marissa Zolna,Young Sprouts 4H2nd Place – Emma Futch, Cork Clover 4H3rd Place – Sarah Carter, Turkey Creek FFA

Also Pictured is Taylor Tyson

Swine Showmanship Award –Intermediate Division

1st Place – Aaron Bingham, Tomlin FFA2nd Place – Madison Simcox, Marshall FFA

3rd Place – Megan Sodders, Antioch Critters 4H

Swine Showmanship AwardSenior Division

2nd Place – Lindsey White, Newsome FFAAlso Pictured is Taylor Tyson

William R. McClelland Memorial Award(L-R) Johanna Wetherington, Natasha

McClelland, Louise McClelland, StephanieConrad (Winner) and Jonathan Swindle.


2013 Scholarship WinnersFront row: Left to right: Staci Gossage, Ashley Gallops, Michaela Dry, Jamee Townsend, Riley Brown, Morgan Boykin, Morgan Belsley

2nd row: Sara Snapp, Haley Smith, Jerri Rowell, Kelsey Newsome, Miranda Mayo, Katelynn Lewis, Abigail Jett3rd row: Paul Davis, Lindsey White, Kyle Lee, Kade Greene, Justin Jordan, Nicholas Fernandez, Jesse Coleman, Shelby St. Amant, Jim Jeffries


Each week, I speak with clients that have questions about theirplants, asking for remedies and cures to problems. Some ofthese problems are not symptoms of disease or insect presence,

but are instead, common “mistaken identities.” These are the best“problems” to encounter, because I can inform the customer no con-trol is warranted and a problem does not exist.

This article will introduce you to a few common mistaken identitiesencountered in the Hillsborough County plant clinic. Test yourknowledge by looking at each photo and thinking “yes” it is a prob-lem or “no” it is not an issue.

Homeowners often fear Spanish moss, Tillandsia usneoides, is para-sitizing their trees. However, Spanish moss is an epiphyte, whichmeans it obtains its nutrients not from a host or tree, but from air andrainwater. “Graybeard” or Spanish moss, is a type of bromeliad, nota true moss, and boasts the greatest geographic range of any bromeli-ad. It has no root system, is capable of making its own food throughphotosynthesis, and has scaly, permeable leaves. Spanish moss onlyuses trees for support and stability. This is an impressive plant,because it is adapted to withstand extreme temperature fluctuationsand drought. Spanish moss is important to Florida’s ethonobotanicalhistory and was used for several purposes including absorbing mois-ture during cooking, medicine for diabetes, insulation, tanning hides,producing dyes, arts and crafts, and in textiles. If you have Spanishmoss on your trees, and your tree is declining, some other cause is thelikely culprit. Look for signs such as soil compaction, poor drainage,stress, irrigation issues, or improper planting. When Spanish mossshades a tree, reducing its photosynthetic abilities, or weighs downbranches, hand removal is appropriate. Today, Spanish moss providesecological benefits such as protection for reptiles, insects, andamphibians, nesting material for songbirds, and a place for bats torest during the day.

A Hillsborough County residentemailed me, expressing concern thatthis organism killed two citrus trees.This organism is a lichen (pronouncedlī-ken), and lichens are often mistakenas disease-causing agents. A lichen is arelationship between an algae and afungus, but the fungi do not existindependently and therefore are notcapable of causing disease. Lichenshave structures called rhizoids, or fun-gal hyphae, and the rhizoids attach torocks, bark, branches, and soil. Aswith Spanish moss, lichens do not par-

asitize the structures they are living on. They obtain minerals fromatmospheric moisture such as rainwater, fog and dew, plant leachates,and organic debris. If your tree appears diseased, consider other con-tributing factors such as stress, drought, disease, insects, and water.Since lichens are not harmful pests, no chemical control is necessary.Lichens are a food source for animals, provide protective camouflage,are used in tanning and dyeing, and are contributors to soil forma-tion. In addition, lichens are associated with good air quality. Theyare at the center of worldwide research linking the effect of air pollu-tants to their growth and reproduction. Instead of looking at lichensas problems, see them for what they are, powerful organisms that arebioindicators of air quality!

This is another interesting problem totalk about because I love the name. Inthe first photo, there is a white, raisedsubstance on the rachis and leaves. Inthe second photo, a black substance isconcentrated around the base of the peti-ole. The young, pygmy date palm,Phoenix roebelenii, in the first photo appears to be covered in scale.Scale insects have piercing-sucking mouthparts that suck the nutrientsfrom plants. The foxtail palm in the second photo, Wodyetia bifurca-ta, appears to have sooty mold. Sooty mold is fungal growth causedby the honeydew secretions of piercing-sucking insects such as aphids,scale, and whiteflies. However, both photos show normal growth onyoung palms called scurf. Scurf may appear to be a leaf or insectproblem, but this natural growth falls off the palms as they age. Nopesticide application or chemical control is necessary.

This last photo is a toughone! This growth appearson citrus leaves, and ismost common during flushand periods of newgrowth. Doesn’t it lookharmful? On the contrary,these are types of friendlyfungus, Aschersonia aley-

By Nicole PinsonUrban Horticulture Agent/Master Gardener CoordinatorUF/IFAS Hillsborough County Extension Service

...continued on page 91INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2013 89W W W. I N T H E F I E L D M AG A Z I N E .C O M

MistakenIdentities

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rodis and A. goldiana. Here, they are attack-ing whitefly larvae. Whiteflies look liketiny moths and have two pairs of wings.Their populations increase in March/April, June/July, and September/October.Whiteflies are piercing-sucking insects thatfeed on plant juices, removing valuablenutrients. They secrete honeydew, whichcauses sooty mold to form. When sootymold covers leaves, photosynthesis decreas-es. These beneficial fungi parasitize whiteflynymphs. Both Aschersonia aleyrodis and A.goldiana attack cloudywinged whitefly.Aschersonia aleyrodis also attacks citruswhitefly. The fungi are a red/pink or yel-low/cream/white raised growth, about 3 mmin size, and they cover the whitefly nymphs.Their color fades with age, and they can befound on the undersides of leaves where thewhitefly nymphs feed. If you’re using copperspray to manage greasy spot, scab, or

melanose, note that the copper spray willalso kill the friendly fungi. Since this is not apest, no chemical control is warranted.

So, how did you do? When you observe aproblem in your garden or landscape, usethis information to rule out a few commonmistaken identities. Think about what otherfactors may be contributing to the problemand be sure to properly identify the organ-ism, pest, or symptom. You are encouragedto visit our office so we can help you findsolutions to your landscape problems.

Happy gardening!

The Hillsborough County ExtensionService is located at 5339 County Road579, Seffner, Florida, 33584. Our office

hours are Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM– 5:00 PM. Contact me by phone at

(813) 744-5519 or by email atppiinnssoonnnn@@hhiillllssbboorroouugghhccoouunnttyy..oorrgg. Look forMaster Gardener plant clinics and UF/IFAS

horticulture information at your localevents and libraries.

References:Allen, Ginger M., Michael D. Bond, and Martin B.

Main. 50 Common Native Plants Important in Florida’sEthnobotanical History. 2002. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL.

Brinen, Gary H. Lichens. Alachua County Extensionhhttttpp::// //aallaacchhuuaa..iiffaass..uuffll..eedduu// llaawwnn__aanndd__ggaarrddeenn// ffaacctt__sshheeeettss

// lliicchheennss..sshhttmmll

Broschat T. K. and M. L. Elliott. Normal “Abnormalities”in Palms. 2007. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL.

Fasulo, T. R. and R. F. Brooks. Whitefly Pests of FloridaCitrus. 2010. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL.

Ferguson, James J. Your Florida Dooryard CitrusGuide- Common Pests, Diseases, and Disorders ofDooryard Citrus. 2001. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL.

Larson, Barbra C., et al. Florida’s Native Bromeliads.2009. UF/IFAS, Gainesville, FL.



Abigail Jett, a 2013 graduate ofStrawberry Crest High FFA, has beenawarded a $1,000 scholarship byJarrett Scott Ford and Ford MotorCompany. Jett’s parents are EdwardJett and Jolee Jett of Dover. Jett plansto study Agricultural Communicationsat Hillsborough Community College.

Lindsey Farkas, a 2013 graduate ofPlant City HS FFA, has been awarded a$1,000 scholarship. Farkas’ parents areLarry and Jamie Farkas of Plant city.She plans to study at HillsboroughCommunity College.

Jerri Rowell, a 2013 graduate of DurantHS FFA, has been awarded a $1,000scholarship. Rowell’s parents are Markand Stacy Rowell of Plant City. Rowellplans to study Animal Nutrition atAbraham Baldwin Agricultural College –University of Georgia.

The Built Ford Tough – FFA ScholarshipProgram is designed to recognized FFAmembers’ talents and accomplishmentswhile encouraging their future academ-ic achievements.

The scholarship is one of 530 scholar-ships awarded by Ford Division, FordMotor Company Fund and Ford Dealers

to FFA members who are high schoolseniors planning to attend college inthe fall of 2013, or current collegiatestudents. This program is a part ofFord’s overall commitment to theNational FFA Foundation.

Additionally, five National $1,000 BFT –FFA Scholarships are being awarded onbehalf of Ford Trucks as a special proj-ect of the National FFA Foundation.

Ford has supported the National FFAFoundation since the first F-Series truckwas introduced in 1948, and has spon-sored the Built Ford Tough collegiatescholarship program since 1997. Todate, the program has awarded$7,645,000 in scholarships to 7,645FFA members throughout the country.Ford knows the value of hard work, andbelieves that hard work should berewarded. Educating aspiring youngpeople to become the leaders oftomorrow is just another way of ensur-ing a successful future.

The National FFA Organization is anational youth organization of 557,318student members as part of 7,498 localFFA chapters in all 50 states, PuertoRico and the Virgin Islands. The FFAmission is to make a positive difference

in the lives of students by developingtheir potential for premier leadership,personal growth and career successthrough agricultural education. TheNational FFA Organization operatesunder a federal charter granted by the81st United States Congress and it is anintegral part of public instruction inagriculture. The U.S. Department ofEducation provides leadership andhelps set direction for FFA as a serviceto state and local agriculture educationprograms.

For more, visit the National FFAOrganization online at wwwwww..FFFFAA..oorrgg,

on Facebook,wwwwww..ffaacceebbooookk..ccoomm//nnaattiioonnaallFFFFAA,

on Twitter, hhttttpp::////ttwwiitttteerr..ccoomm//nnaattiioonnaallFFFFAA,and FFA Nation at

hhttttpp::////FFFFAAnnaattiioonn..FFFFAA..oorrgg.

$1,000 Built Ford Tough – FFA Scholarship Awarded to

Jett, Farkas and Rowell


Rep. Dennis A. Ross of Florida’s 15th Congressional District has beennamed a “Friend of the Farm Bureau” for his efforts and voting recordin support of Florida agriculture during the 112th Congress.

Each year at the end of the Congressional session, American Farm BureauFederation (AFBF) recognizes those members of Congress who werenominated by their respective state Farm Bureaus and approved by theAFBF Board of Directors. His recognition was supported byHillsborough and Polk County Farm Bureaus.

“Dennis worked on Numeric Nutrient Criteria which resulted in a prece-dent-setting agreement between the Florida Department ofEnvironmental Protection and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) regarding the regulation of Florida’s waterways,” notedHillsborough County Farm Bureau Director Michelle Williamson. “Healso championed specialty crop research funding, especially greeningresearch for the hard-hit citrus industry.”

“When I first met Representative Ross when he was running forCongress, all I knew about him was that he had served in the FloridaHouse and was the reason we reformed Florida’s Workman’s Comp law,”said Williamson. “That is why we have seen workman’s comp ratesdecline in Florida over the last eight years. I knew that he cared forFlorida’s business community.”

“When he was running for the 12th Congressional seat, someone hadtold him about EPA reforming regulations for putting out fumigant andhe really wanted to understand what that would mean to agriculture inhis district, so he made time to spend with me and meet with my work-ers to watch us put out fumigation so he would understand the process.

He also met with UF researchers doing work on fumigation. He wantedto understand so he could best represent us, just as he has done with thenumeric nutrient criteria. Congressman Ross will do his homework so heunderstands the issues that affect us and not just know there is an issue.”

Williamson presented the award to Congressman Ross at Plant City Hallprior to a gathering of his Hillsborough County constituents in a publicforum.

Florida Farm Bureau Federation President John Hoblick praisedCongressman Ross as “A tireless leader for his district’s farmers andranchers on issues as varied as taxes, over-regulation by the EPA andlabor. We applaud Congressman Ross for earning this award and thelegislation he has already introduced in the first session of the 113thCongress.”

This recognition is based upon Congressman Ross’ voting records onAFBF’s priority issues established by the Board of Directors, number ofbills that he has sponsored and co-sponsored, specific leadership role forFarm Bureau on priority issues and how accessible and responsive he isto Farm Bureau members and leaders.

Ross, who resides in Lakeland, was first elected to Congress in 2010,representing the then 12th congressional district which was vacated byretiring Congressman Adam Putnam who opted to run for FloridaCommissioner of Agriculture. After redistricting, Ross decided to run inthe newly redrawn 15th congressional district. He won re-election to asecond term in Congress unopposed.

Ross and his wife, Cindy, have two children, Shane and Travis. •

CONGRESSMAN

DENNIS ROSS RECEIVES

“FRIEND OF THE FARM BUREAU”RECOGNITION

Learning How the Issues ImpactHis Constituents

BY JIM FRANKOWIAK

ANIMALS & NEEDS

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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.

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MOBILE HOME TUBSMetal brand new in box 54” Mobile Home Tubs.Call Ted 813-752-3378 $145.00

FARM EQUIPMENT

MAHINDRA 856040 actual hrs., 2wd, diesel, 83hp,shuttle shift, warranty.$22,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

YANMAR 186 TRACTOR2WD, diesel, belly mower.$2,750 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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

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FORD 3400 INDUSTRIAL TRACTORWith loader, skid steer attached.$6,500 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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KUTOTA M1052 wheel drive, cab tractor with a/c,1700 hours. $23,000 call Rodney863-581-9396

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

MASSEY FERGUSON 65Diesel tractor with loader.$3,250 Call Alvie 813-759-8722

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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 yourresume to [email protected]

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PRIVATE INVESTORWill consider any situation. 813-986-9141

REAL ESTATE

LAND WANTED30 to 100 acres, no improvements. Hillsborough,Polk or East Pasco. Call H. Lee 813-986-9141

WALDEN LAKE EASTDesirable Walden Lake home! 3/2, NEW Kitchen all stainless steel appliance’s. Ready to sell. Call Malissa Crawford @ 813-967-0168

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

FOR LEASE24 Acre Farm 5" Well Gulf City & Willis Road.Ruskin FL. Call or email [email protected]

WANTED TO BUYProblem real estate mortgages. Will consider any situation, defaults, delinquencies. Hillsborough,Pasco and Polk County. CASH OUT! Call H. Lee 813-986-9141

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

FOR LEASE15 acre for hay. State Road 70 & Vernon Road.Manatee County. Call or [email protected] 813-355-6274

JANE BAER REALTYLooking for that mountain getaway home?We have what you are looking for. Check out our website at www.janebaerrealty.com or callus toll free 800-820-7829. We are located inBlairsville GA, North Georgia Mountains!

Classifieds Tel: 813.759.6909 [email protected]


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