Heartland Magazine May 2013

A Way of Life.

MA

Y 2

013

COVER STORY:Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Connecting the Pieces

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HEARTLANDA Way of Life.

MAY

201

3

Departments

16 QuickPrimeronFinancialPreparation ByDr.DavidM.Kohl

18 Heartland’sFishingReport ByCapt.MarkKing

20 MayHuntingSpotlight:EastonStorey

24 CitrusUpdate:WateringTreesto Death?ByJustinSmith

26 FloridaFarming ByRonLambert

30 FeaturedArtist:MonicaTurner

32 WomanInAg:KristiePopa ByRobbiSumner

36 Farmer&Rancher:DavidMilburn ByCindyCutright

54 FloridaCattlewomen’sRecipe: BajaSunriseSteak&Eggs

56 InSeasonNow:FloridaWatermelon

68 CrossingtheRedSea ByPfc.LeviLambert

70 ASeriesonFloridaLiterature: St.PeteBookFair,ByBradyVogt

73 AgCalendar

MayFeatures21 Alpha-Gal:AnotherReasontoHateTicks,ByBrendaValentine

22 It’stheChickenandtheEgg,ByDr.MikelleRoeder

38 WohlAwardedAudubonSustainableRancheroftheYearAward

40 FloridaWildlifeCorridorExpedition:ConnectingthePieces ByBrianNorris;CoverPhotoByMacStone

48 RodeoResults

50 ArcadiaAll-FloridaChampionshipRodeo,ByKathyGregg

52 FCANews

60 TheLastRoadsideAttraction:EvergladesWonderGardens ByBradyVogt

62 YouthSpotlight:LacyGreen,ByRobbiSumner

64 YouthSpotlight:SarahHelenDavis,ByRobbiSumner

66 DesotoCountyAgVenture2013

40

LOOK FOR ME NEXT MONTH...You’llfindmeandallmyfriendsintheHeartlandaswecelebrateNationalDairyMonthinJune!Startedin1937,NationalDairyMonthcelebratesthecontributionsthedairyindustryhasmadetotheworld.

MOO!6 Heartland InThe Field Magazine May 2013

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PublisherRhonda [email protected]

Karen [email protected]

Executive EditorMorgan Taylor [email protected]

Business ManagerNadine GlissonLizette Sarria

Art DirectorsCarrie EvansOlivia Fryer

Graphics InternLauren Taylor

Staff WritersCindy CutrightRon LambertBrian NorrisJustin Smith Robbi Sumner

Contributing WritersDr. Mikelle RoederJoanna Glisson LamarraCapt. Mark King, Pfc. Levi LambertDr. David M. KohlRusty HartlineNell McAuleyBrady VogtMatt WarrenLindsey Wiggins

Social Media DirectorBrian Norris

PhotographySharon GlissonKathy GreggRussell HancockNell McAuleyBrian NorrisLauren TaylorHolly Taylor

Heartland in the Field Magazine is published monthly and is available through local businesses, restaurants and other local venues within Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto, Charlotte, Glades, Hendry, Okeechobee, Lee, Manatee and St. Lucie Counties. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to Heartland In the Field Magazine, P.O. Box 3183 Plant City, FL. 33563 or you are welcome to e-mail them to [email protected] or call 813-708-3661.

Advertisers warrant & represent the description of their products advertised are true in all respects. Heartland In the Field Magazine assumes no responsibility for claims made by their advertisers. All views expressed in all articles are those of the authors and not necessarily those of G Five Publications, Inc. Any use or duplication of material used in Heartland In the Field Magazine is prohibited without written consent from Berry Publications and G Five.

All contents Copyright 2013. No part of this work may be copied, transmitted, reproduced or reprinted without the express written consent of the publisher. Annual subscriptions to receive Heartland A Way of Life at your home or business is $25 annually. For advertising, subscriptions or editorial questions please call 813-708-3661 or email [email protected]. Heartland® A Way Of Life In The Field publication has been in print since 2008.

When we were younger, my little sister had a deck of cards that she used to carry around with her everywhere we went. On this deck of cards were pictures of endangered species and even at age 5, Lauren could identify pretty much every animal on those cards. I remember the day Lauren came running into the house and very calmly (because she is the less dramatic sister) told mom, “There is a bob cat in our back yard.” Most 5 year olds would have wanted to play with the ‘kitty,’ but she recognized him from her cards and came inside before something worse could have happened. Fortunately, there’s a happy ending to that story, but that deck of cards and the animals they featured didn’t get off so easily.

When I think of the terms endangered or threatened wildlife, thoughts come to mind of the sandhill crane or Florida Panther, but did you know that there are over 130 species in Florida that are endangered, threatened or of concern? One of the largest blames for this is habitat loss caused by humans. After seeing the effect humans had on one specific black bear, M13, Carlton Ward Jr. decided he wanted to make a difference to protect Florida’s wildlife. One man’s passion to bring awareness through his photography sparked a 100-day, 1,000-mile journey from the Everglades to Okefenokee. Read about the story of how the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition is connecting the pieces for future generations to be able to enjoy the beautiful state and habitats that we call home.

Throughout the expedition, the team stopped through many local farms and ranches, one of them being Babcock Ranch where our featured Farmer and Rancher is the Cattle Manager. David Milburn is a fifth generation Floridian and is very involved in the cattle industry and has served as the President of the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association for the past seven years. You can read more of David’s story on page 36.

Are you a member of the Florida Cattlemen or CattleWomen? Are you ready for the annual convention next month? Get a sneak peek of what to expect from speakers, the silent auction, information on the Bull Sale and even see the Sweetheart Contestants or read Florida CattleWomen’s President Sarabeth Barthle Simmons’ Convention Message on page 54. We hope to see you in Marco!

We love to hear from our readers and if you have a story idea or an event you think we should be covering, please let us know! E-mail me at [email protected] or give me a call 863-381-8014. You can also join in on the conversation at facebook.com/HeartlandMagazine or twitter.com/HeartlandITFMag

This month is Mother’s Day so I would like to say a special thank you to all of our mothers. A thank you though is not enough for the hours you put in washing behind your little boy’s ears after a day in the mud or the number of bows you tied for your little girls; you should be celebrated every day. Have a special Mother’s Day from all of us at Heartland Magazine.

We’ll see y’all In the Field,

Morgan Taylor Norris

Please send any comments or questions to [email protected]

Editor’s Note



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Index of Advertisers


MAY

201

3

29 Agro Culture21 Airboat Wildlife Adventures 31 Arcadia Main St. Watermelon Festival49 Arcadia Stockyard75 Benchrest Shooters Supply57 Big T Tire35 Center State Bank4 Central States Enterprises10 Charlotte/Desoto Farm Bureau3 Creel Tractor77 Daniels Deceivers79 Desoto DCFJ77 DeSoto Machine Shop15 Everglades Farm Equipment17 Farm Credit21 Fields Equipment34 Florida Fence Post9 Florida Department of Ag35 Glade and Grove5 Glisson’s Animal Supply75 Goin Postal63 Griffin’s Carpet Mart63 Half Acre Construction10 Hardee County Farm Bureau47 Hardee Ranch Rodeo25 Helena Chemical72 Hicks Oil 13 Highlands County Farm Bureau78 Kelly Tractor11 KeyPlex

75 Labelle Feed19 Laye’s Tire67 Lee & Associates55 Log Cabin BBQ & Seafood Restaurant10 Manatee County Farm Bureau75 Marlin Marble75 Michael G. Kirsch29 Mosaic39 Newton Crouch2 Pathway24 Peace River Citrus34 River Pasture Metal Art65 Seedway65 Smith Farms77 Spring Lake Hardware20 Spurlows Outdoor75 Superior Muffler39 Taylor Oil77 The Andersons7 Tree T Pee 75 Triangle Hardware77 Trinkle Redman Coton67 Walpole Feed80 Watering Hole59 Wauchula State Bank59 Werts Welding65 Wicks, Brown & Williams CPA75 Winfield Solutions55 YMT Vacations

HigHlands

Morgan Norris [email protected]

Hardee & desoto

Robbi Sumner [email protected]

Manatee


CHarlotte


Ron Brown [email protected]

lee and Hendry

Cindy Cutright [email protected]

okeeCHobee, glades & st. luCie

Robbi Sumner [email protected]

Corporate, polk & HillsborougH

Danny Crampton [email protected]


Rhonda Glisson [email protected]

Sales Team


CHARLOTTE/DESOTO COUNTY FARM BUREAU

1278 SE US HigHway 31 • arcadia, FL 34266

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.Phone: 863.494.3636

Charlotte Line: 941.624.3981 • Fax: 863.494.4332

OFFicErS aNd EXEcUTiVE cOMMiTTEEPresident…………....Jim Selph

Vice President……….Jeffrey AdamsSec./Treasurer......Bryan K. Beswick

dirEcTOrS FOr 2012-2013

Federation Secretary Mary Jo Spicer

FarM BUrEaU iNSUraNcE.SpEciaL agENTSAgency Manager: Cameron N. JollyAgents: Dawn A. Hines, Clint Brown

HARDEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

1017 US HigHway 17 N • waUcHULa, FL. 33873

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Phone: 863. 773. 3117

Fax: 863. 773. 2369

OFFicErS aNd EXEcUTiVE cOMMiTTEEPresident……David B. Royal

Vice President…Greg L. ShackelfordSec./Treasurer……..Bo Rich


Federation SecretaryRhonda Willis

FarM BUrEaU iNSUraNcE.SpEciaL agENTSAgency Manager: N. Jay Bryan

Agents: George L. Wadsworth, Jr.

HIGHLANDS COUNTY FARM BUREAU

6419 US HigHway 27 S. • SEBriNg, FL 33876

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Phone: 863. 385. 5141 • Fax: 863. 385. 5356

Website: www.highlandsfarmbureau.com

OFFicErS aNd EXEcUTiVE cOMMiTTEEPresident………Scott KirouacVice President…Doug Miller

Secretary………..Carey HowertonTreasurer……..Frank Youngman


Federation SecretaryJanet Menges

FarM BUrEaU iNSUraNcE.SpEciaL agENTSAgency Manager: Chad D. McWaters

Agents: Joseph W. Bullington

MANATEE COUNTY FARM BUREAU

5620 Tara BLVd, STE 101 • BradENTON, FL 34203

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Phone: 941-746-6161 • Fax: 941-739-7846Website: www.manateecountyfarmbureau.org

OFFicErS aNd EXEcUTiVE cOMMiTTEEPresident……Gary ReederVice President…Jim ParksSecretary……..Ben King

Treasurer……..Robert Zeliff


Federation SecretaryChristie Hinson

FarM BUrEaU iNSUraNcE.SpEciaL agENTSAgency Manager: Branden Bunch

Agents: Doug Dierdorf, Mike Shannon

Jim BrewerJohn Burtscher

Mike CarterSteve Fussell

Lindsay HarringtonRichard E. Harvin

Ann H. RyalsMac Turner

Matt Harrison Ken Harrison

Joseph B. CherryCorey Lambert Daniel H. Smith

Steve A. Johnson Bill Hodge

David B. Royal

Greg L. ShackelfordBo Rich

Scott Henderson

Carlos BlancoGary Bradshaw

Jerry DakinRalph Garrison

Ken HawkinsAlan JonesVick Keen

Bruce Shackelford

Jim StricklandHugh TaylorDan West

Sam Bronson Steve Farr

Charles Guerndt Charles Lanfier

Mike MilicevicEmma ReynoldsLindsey SebringTrey Whitehurst

Jeff WilliamsMarty Wohl


Please supportthese businesses!

Thank You...To Highlands County Farm Bureu’s

Heritage Sponsors


My calling involves a partnership with you…By Gary Reeder

Benjamin Franklin once wrote that agriculture is an enterprise “wherein a man receives a real increase of the seed thrown into the ground in a kind of continual miracle wrought by the hand of God in his favor.”

I am privileged to live with this miracle every day. I am an American Farmer!

I have been growing various vegetables on Manatee County soil for more than 37 years as a fourth generation grower. My livelihood depends upon the productivity of my farm.

My desire to maintain the farm guides me as I plant, cultivate and harvest a nutritious food. I have a powerful incentive to conserve the natural resources available as a steward of the land. I also preserve green space, fresh water recharge areas and wildlife habitat so that it will remain productive into the next century. I live here. My family and I drink the same water we use on my crops. We eat the same food we ship to you and many other consumers throughout the nation and beyond.

We have a great respect and appreciation for the workers who help us produce food. They contribute to the success of my farm. I make sure our workers have a good wage, above minimum federal requirements. We adhere to the best-known standards for worker health and sanitation. We make available clean drinking water, toilet facilities and hand washing stations in the field. Government agency inspectors who visit my farm verify that we offer such necessary amenities each workday. We do so not just because the law obligates us to take care of the workers; we want good farm workers to return here during future growing seasons.

U.S. Department of Agriculture personnel routinely inspect our tomatoes for quality. They report that tomatoes grown at my farm are safe, nutritious and the best possible quality for all consumers. Our food safety guidelines insure the traceability for our commodities according to COOL (County of Origin Labeling).

In all my years of being involved in agriculture, I truly believe I have worked to protect the viability of agriculture in Manatee County. In 1994, I was elected to the Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District. As a member for 16 years, I served as the chairman for 8 years. In 1996, I was appointed to the Board of Directors, Manatee County Farm Bureau and currently serve as President. I passionately support Farm Bureau’s involvement in our youth programs, such as FFA and 4-H. I also serve as President on the Friends of Extension/IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences). In 2007, Governor Crist appointed me to the Pesticide Review Council. In 2008, I received the honor of being named the Agriculturalist of the Year.

I feel agriculture has unfairly taken the blame for many of our pollution problems in the past. More Americans need to understand that many of the conservation technologies have come from agriculture. Many of the technologies are being utilized in the industry as well as urban projects. Agriculture has led the way in the research and development of these technologies.

The American farmer produces the safest foods in the world. We have the highest worker protection standards in the world. We adhere to the strictest environmental regulations in the world. With approximately 3% of America’s population involved in agriculture, we wonder where we will be in the next few years. The pressures against us are growing steadily.

I am a partner in a lifelong relationship. I produce nutritious food for you and your family. Please support American Agriculture and your local growers.

District 6 UpdateFrom the Desk of Andy Neuhofer

This month I wish to substitute an opinion piece by Mr. Gary Reeder. Mr. Reeder is a tomato grower in Manatee County and is president of the Manatee County Farm Bureau. Thank you to Mr. Reeder for taking the time to write this letter.

aNdy NEUHOFEr • FLOrida FarM BUrEaU diSTricT 6352.318.2506 | [email protected] | www.floridafarmbureau.org


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Immokalee 775 E. Main St. Immokalee , FL 34142239-657-4413

Leesburg1800 US HWY. 441 Leesburg, FL 34748 352-315-1016

Okeechobee 820 US Hwy. 98, North Okeechobee, FL 34972863-763-1921

Fort Pierce6150 Orange Ave. Ft. Pierce, FL 34947772-461-5568

Loxahatchee 13295 Southern Blvd. Loxahatchee, FL 33470561-784-4000

Belle GladeCorporate Headquarters2017 N. W. 16TH Belle Glade, FL 33430561-996-6531

Plant City2805 SR. 60 West Plant City, FL 33567813-737-1660

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HEARTLAND SINGLE PAGE.indd 1 4/17/2013 12:40:11 PM

One of my favorite assignments with Farm Credit is conducting young and beginning producer institutes. I feed off the energy emitted from these optimistic, goal-oriented, lifelong learners who are mapping out their journey in their new agricultural businesses and family lives. The investment made by many associations in these lifelong learners who are attempting to become better managers truly will pay dividends into the future of the agricultural industry.

An individual at a recent event asked me an intriguing question. Could you give us a quick primer on financial preparation for our ag lender? While the following tips were discussed for young producers, they are applicable to mature businesses as well. Here are some pointers to help you build confidence in your business financial decision-making, which can increase your lender’s confidence in loaning you money.

Know Your Credit ScoreIt is important for each producer, their spouse, and business partners to check their credit reports and scores annually. A 700 score will in most cases be seen as a positive attribute, while less than 650 reflects negatively on you. How do you improve your credit score? Pay your bills on time; maintain a balance of no more than 15 to 20 percent of the maximum limit on your credit cards; and have no more than three to five credit cards.

Develop a Balance SheetEach year, develop a balance sheet that reports reasonable values on all assets and liabilities. Your lender can provide guidance on agricultural asset values. Lenders like to see a positive trend in equity on the balance sheet in the form of earned net worth, or retained earnings, rather than inflated asset values. Separate business and personal assets to measure performance accurately for each. Many lenders require a personal and a business balance sheet.

Income Statement Your lender will ask for several years of tax returns to verify revenue, expenses and the legality of your operation. However, tax returns on a cash basis are a poor indicator of business performance because of income and expense manipulation

as a tax minimization strategy. Some studies indicate that there can be up to a 60 percent difference between cash or tax return analysis and accrual-adjusted analysis. Ask your lender to assist you in preparing an accrual-adjusted income statement utilizing the beginning and end of period balance sheets and adjusting for changes in inventory, receivables, prepaid expenses, accounts payable and accrued expenses. Remember that very few farm businesses go broke paying income taxes, but many do go broke trying to minimize income taxes.

Cash FlowYour lender will ask you to submit your best estimates of cash revenue and expenses for the year. Depending on your business enterprise, revenue will be received and expenses paid either monthly, quarterly or annually. Your lender can use a cash flow projection to determine how to best structure an operating line of credit. Putting together a cash flow statement is a good start for your business plan because it requires you to think through your operational plans and numbers.

Scenario PlanningLenders like to see three to five cash flow scenarios based upon adjustments to prices, costs, production and marketing assumptions. The key is to examine the bottom line results and strategize changes that you will make in your business game plan with various outcomes.

Enterprise AnalysisMany operate diversified multiple enterprise operations. Breaking down each enterprise into a separate budget allows one to ascertain which enterprises are making and losing money so resources can be allocated to profitable endeavors.

Resource Documentation and Commitment Many young farmers earn W-2 or Schedule C off-farm income to supplement the agriculture operation in the startup or the growing periods. Be prepared to discuss with your lender how much off-farm income you expect to make and how long this commitment will last, particularly if a spouse or business partner is providing financial, labor and moral support.

Quick Primer on Financial PreparationBy: dr. david M. Kohl


David Kohl received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Agricultural Economics from Cornell University. For 25 years, Kohl was Professor of Agricultural Finance and Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia. He was on

special leave with the Royal Bank of Canada working on advanced initiatives for two years, and also assisted in the launch of the successful entrepreneurship program at Cornell University. Kohl is Professor Emeritus in the AAEC Department at Virginia Tech and has traveled over 8 million miles throughout his professional career; has conducted more than 6,000 workshops and seminars for agricultural groups. He has published four books and over 1,000 articles on financial and business-related topics in journals, extension, and other popular publications. Kohl regularly writes for Ag Lender and Corn and Soybean Digest.

Kohl is currently President of AgriVisions, LLC, a knowledge-based consulting business providing cutting-edge programs to leading agricultural organizations worldwide. He is also a business coach and part owner of Homestead Creamery, a value added dairy business in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

If you would like to keep up with Kohl’s information and perspectives, you can find his weekly columns on the following websites:Ag Globe Trotter: www.farm-credit.com/ and Road Warrior of Agriculture: www.cornandsoybeandigest.com

Business Plan While few lenders say they receive written business plans, if you complete the preceding steps I have outlined, you are about 80 percent of the way to having a business plan. In your business plan, put your short-term and long-term goals in writing and outline production, marketing and financial targets. For ongoing businesses, document and update a list of accomplishments to measure your progress.

Walk the TalkBusiness plan preparation is great, but now you must “walk the talk.” Your ability to follow through and execute the plan with a minimum amount of surprises and open communication with your lender is critical in taking your business to the high-stakes field of domestic and global agricultural economics.

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Roland Martin Marine Center is a full service marina including boat, motor, and tackle sales and boat and motor service by one of the top service crews in South Florida. Are you looking for a new or used Ranger boat or maybe you just need a new outboard to put on a boat you already have well than a new Evinrude E-Tec would put you right back out on the water. They have the hottest tackle on the market in the story with names like Gambler, Reaction Innovation, Charlie’s Worms, Duckett rods, Lews Reels, and Live Target Kopper. They also have all your boating needs from oils to anchors and everything in between. With two full time mechanics and a fully stocked parts room getting your boat back out on the water will be no problem. They also have minnows, worms, crickets, sodas, beer, and ice at all times. If you are looking for a one stop marina than Roland Martin Marine Center is the place to go. They are conveniently located just before the ramp in Clewiston on world famous Lake Okeechobee. Stop in and see my wife Diane in the parts department and she just might give away a few of my fishing spots.

May is here already and the bass fishing on Lake Okeechobee has been really good as we start to head into the summer months. As most know I head to the Florida Keys during the months of May and June to guide for tarpon, but I still spend a few days guiding on Okeechobee as well. As the water starts to really warm up, the bass will start to move out from the shallow water areas toward the main lake stopping on points and outside grass lines to feed on bedding bluegill and shad. The lake level is at 13.55 feet above sea level, which is quite a bit higher than it has been the past few years for this time of the year.

I have been targeting bass in the grass as close as I can get to open water and still have clean enough water to fish. The water doesn’t have to be clear but it does need to have a little visibility; a great place is where the clear and dirty water mix. I have been catching a lot of bass on Gambler Buzz’n Cane Toads early in the morning and then going to a Gambler Ace, pitching it into the peppergrass beds. On windy days when the water is still not too dirty on the outside of the grass to fish, I have been throwing a spinnerbait; my favorite is a Strike Back spinnerbait made by Mega Strike in white with silver blades. Don’t be afraid to throw

the spinnerbait up in the heavier grass and swim it out to open water varying the speed of retrieve.

I have been fishing the East and West Walls, around Ritta Island, and the shoal area. The wind dictates where I fish but as we head into summer the wind should not be a factor, actually we will be wishing for some wind. As the bass move farther out away from the grass, lipless crankbaits will start to be my bait of choice along with swimbaits like the Gambler Big EZ coupled with the all-new EZ Duz It hook with a spinner blade. This should be a deadly combo this summer out on the main lake. The live bait bite with wild shiners should remain good for another couple months, target the

outside grass and reed clumps out from the grass.

If catching a giant tarpon is something you have always wanted to try, give me a call and set up a trip of a lifetime in the Florida Keys. I fish the Bahia Honda area and we get to see tarpon everyday in the months of May and June moving through the bridges. Fishing in the Keys is one of the most beautiful areas in the world to fish with crystal clear water and giant tarpon to catch. I offer half-day, morning and evening trips with everything included, all you need to bring is sunglasses and a smile.

Heartland’sFishiNG rePOrT

Captain Mark King is a full time guide and tournament angler guiding out of the world famous Roland Martin’s Marina and Resort in Clewiston Florida and also in the Florida Keys out of Marathon area. Mark is an IGFA Certified Captain, active member of the Florida Guide Association and the Florida Outdoor Writers Association. Captain Mark is sponsored by Ranger Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Roland Martin’s Marine Center, Power-Pole, Minn Kota trolling motors, Gambler Lures, Okuma Fishing, Mojo Sportsfishing, Smartshield Sun Protection Products, RMR Industries, Fuel Medic Ethanol Treatment, and Yeti coolers.

Mark can be contacted to book a guide trip, seminars, personal appearances, test rides in his Evinrude powered Ranger or to fish a tournament with him at 863-677-0983 or at www.markkingfishing.com and www.tarponinthekeys.com


Okeechobee 4-H Sharp Shooters Club, Lake Okeechobee Airboat Association and Waste Management partnered to clean up the lake.

Okeechobee 4-H Sharp Shooters Club Advisers and Lake Okeechobee Airboat Association President, Jeff Brockway coordinated the first “Lake ‘O’ North Shore clean-up project on April 21, 2013.

Lake Okeechobee Airboat Association provided airboats and transported club members, ages 8-18 out on the lake to collect garbage. Members set out at 8:30 a.m. Four teams of club members competed to collect the most garbage and recyclables.

Club members returned at 11:30 a.m. and a contest was held to award the largest collection. The group lead by Ed Aunspaugh and Josh Jenkins won first place.

“Learning about earth day with our club members and helping our environment at the same time was a very rewarding experience for all,” said Carrie Muldoon. “We are making this an annual event.”

The recyclable materials collected during the project were picked up by Waste Management and taken to the recycle transfer station at Okeechobee Landfill for processing. “Today was an amazing event,” said Waste Management Public Relations Representative Teresa Chandler. “The club members and parents were all participating in a wonderful activity and learning at the same time.”

After the clean up, the audience enjoyed a lunch including hamburgers, hot dogs and chips. Members also enjoyed watermelon and drinks donated by Ferrell’s Market and Okeechobee Shooting Sports. Club members took home a Waste Management goody bag with information on recycling tips, souvenirs and chocolate chip cookies.

For more information on the Okeechobee Lake ‘O’ North Shore Clean-up project or 4-H program, please contact Carrie Muldoon at 863-634-8678 or Okeechobee Extension Office at 863-763-6469

E A R T H D A Y

Lake ‘O’ NOrth ShOre CLeaN Up prOjeCt

OkeechobeeAirboatPresidentJeffBrockway,4-HSharpShooterClubAdvisorCarrieMuldoon,WasteManagementPublicRelationsTeresaChandler,parentsandclubmembers.

BoatCaptainEdAunspaugh,4-HGroupLeaderJoshJenkins,JoshJenkinsJr.,BreckenHoover,BriannaThomas,KatieMuldoonandJonathanBean.


1 East Wall Street Frostproof, FL 33843 [email protected] 863-635-0240 www.spurlows.com

May’s Hunting Spotlight brought to you by

Spurlow’s Outdoor Outfitters

Submit your children’s hunting pictures for the Monthly Hunting Spotlight to [email protected]

Easton got to hang out at the hunting camp with his Dad, Brandon Storey of Storey Hunts in Okeechobee, during opening weekend of Central. Easton’s mom Amy said she thinks he’s going to be a little hunter! He loved listening to the guys make turkey sounds and just kept laughing.

Heartland’s Publisher Rhonda Glisson shows off her Rio Grande turkey she took while hunting in Cherokee, Oklahoma


Galactose-alpha-1, 3-galactose, or alpha-gal for short, is a life changing and possibly a life threatening chain of allergic reactions caused by the bite of a lone star tick. This is not a disease like Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever; it is an allergy. When a person with the alpha-gal antibody eats mammalian meat, the meat triggers the release of histamine, which in turn causes allergic symptoms like itching and hives. Severe reactions lead to anaphylaxis or a sudden weakness, a drop in blood pressure and unconsciousness. These are the symptoms I had during my last attack.

Alpha-gal has been around for a long time, however it was only officially “discovered” in 2009 at the University of Virginia. It is essentially a bunch of sugars stuck together in the blood, which is in the meat of all non-primate mammals, including cows, deer, dogs, horses, goats, etc. This allergy is different from other food allergies in that the response is delayed, often for 4-6 hours. In addition to the afore mentioned symptoms of itching and hives, some patients report abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or swelling of lips and tongue. These are the symptoms I had in the beginning that was always diagnosed as either food poisoning or gall bladder attacks.

Not everyone that is bitten by a tick will develop this allergy. Some people do not have the alpha-gal enzyme that causes their body to react violently to mammalian meats and some people will react to only one or two meats. There are many unanswered questions about this very real threat to anyone that spends time outdoors in tick country. The UVA has ongoing studies about the causes, symptoms and possible treatment of this serious problem. A simple blood test can determine if you have this allergy however since this is a relatively new discovery, many doctors are not acquainted with it yet so it may be best to see an allergist. It took multiple ambulance rides and trips to emergency rooms all over the country before allergy specialist Dr. Keegan Smith at Heritage Medical Center in Nashville, TN correctly diagnosed my problem.

At this time, there is no known treatment except to avoid all mammal meat. Fish and fowl do not have the allergen, plus they offer a healthy source of protein. Avoiding tick bites altogether is always recommended, but for some of us that is impossible. However, I do recommend taking every precaution possible to minimize the number of ticks that latch onto you during the warm weather months ahead. Even though I already have the Alpha-gal allergen, I continue to diligently spray all my hunting clothes including turkey vest and boots liberally with Permethrin and seal them in a garbage bag before and after each hunt. I also spray the ground and tree trunks before I sit down. Additionally, I wear a base layer of Rynoskin under regular hunting clothes to prevent the pests from getting to my skin. I’m hearing good reports of a line of hunting wear called Elimitick which I will be trying this season. The bottom line is that ticks are found almost everywhere and it is nearly impossible to prevent getting bitten. While I can no longer enjoy a juicy hamburger or even bacon with my eggs, I refuse to allow an insect to deny me the pleasure of turkey hunting or enjoying the outdoors.

You can find much more information about Alpha-gal online as well as sources for testing and the most current research findings. Hopefully there will be a cure discovered in the near future. In the meantime, enjoy time outdoors but watch out for ticks!

ALpHA-GAL: Another Reason To Hate TicksBy Brenda Valentine, First Lady of Hunting


Despite its humble origin (and what could be humbler than emerging from the south end of a chicken?), the egg shines as the most perfect source of protein in the world. Protein sources are ranked in order of the completeness of their amino acid profile, relative to the needs of humans, and their digestibility and given a score known as the “biological value”. The egg scores the highest of all proteins and is the gold standard against which all other proteins are measured. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. There are 20 of them, ten of which are essential, meaning our bodies cannot make them and they must therefore be provided in our diets. Not only does the egg contain 18 of the 20 amino acids, it contains all of the ten essential amino acids in abundance. It has the best amino acid profile known – better than meat, milk and soy products. One large 50-gram egg provides nearly seven grams of highly-digestible protein. Two eggs for breakfast fulfills about 28% of the protein needs of the average six-foot, 180-lb active man, and almost 40% of the needs of a 5’5”, 125-lb active female – all for a grand total of only 140 calories! The provision of high amounts of quality protein at such a low caloric cost would be enough to make the egg an amazing addition to any diet, but it doesn’t stop there. The egg is also a rich source of choline, a nutrient that is essential for fetal brain development and to help prevent birth defects. Eggs also provide significant amounts of B vitamins (especially B12, which is not found in plant foods unless they are commercially fortified), the minerals selenium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and calcium, and they are one of the very few naturally occurring and significant sources of vitamin D in our diets. The egg is also a source of lutein, a compound shown to be helpful in preventing age-related macular degeneration and cataracts. Indeed, about the only nutrient lacking in eggs is vitamin C!

Despite its apparent nutritional perfection, the egg can be enhanced by improving what is fed to the hen. This improvement in the nutrient profile of the egg demonstrates that not only are we what we eat, but apparently our hens, and therefore their eggs, are, too. Hens are very good at incorporating what they eat into the developing egg. Hens fed ground flaxseed will produce eggs with a much higher level of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an important omega-3 fatty acid,

while those fed algae meal will lay eggs with higher amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), another very valuable omega-3 fatty acid. The greater inclusion of vitamin D in today’s poultry feeds has increased its concentration in eggs. Even the color of the yolk is influenced by pigments the hen consumes. This is a very important concept for people raising backyard hens for eggs. Feed them a poor diet of unfortified scratch grains and table scraps, and not only will the nutrition of the egg suffer, but the hen’s production will likely decrease, and her eggshells will be thinner, contributing to increased breakage and wastage. Many people remember their grandparents feeding chickens this way, but 1) we now know much more about nutrition of both chickens and humans than we did back then, and 2) your grandparents’ chickens probably had much larger areas in which to roam and forage for insects, grubs and various forbs. Your grandparents also may not have used supplemental light to keep hens laying through the winter, when there are no bugs or weeds to consume. Scientists have worked hard to determine the nutritional requirements of chickens and to develop feeds that meet those requirements. Purina® Layena® Plus Omega-3 is formulated to result in more Omega-3 in the egg and has a natural vegetarian formula with added vitamins, minerals, and trace nutrients and without added antibiotics or hormones. Like all Purina SunFresh® Recipe Poultry Feeds, Layena® Plus Omega-3 contains marigold extract for rich golden yolks, key levels of calcium and manganese for strong shells with fewer cracks, and an optimized level of Vitamin E to support a healthy immune system.

We know that we need to feed our hens properly designed, high-quality feeds if we want them to provide us with the best eggs possible. If you put it in the hen, she will put it in the egg. It is trickle-down nutrition at its functional best and answers the age old question that it’s not the chicken or the egg, but in fact it’s the chicken AND the egg!

Dr. Mikelle Roeder has worked with Purina Animal Nutrition LLC since 2001. She is proud to be working with America’s leader in backyard poultry, helping to bring your family products supported by more than 85 years of poultry expertise from our farm to yours. Learn more at www.itsthechickenandtheegg.com.

It’s The Chicken And The Egg™By Dr. Mikelle Roeder, Nutritionist, purina Animal Nutrition LLC.

Consider the egg. Vilified for decades for its cholesterol and saturated fat content, the egg is experiencing a redemption of epic proportions as further research confirms it as one of the most high-powered nuggets of natural nutrition on the planet. The timing couldn’t be more fortuitous, as the popularity of raising hens for egg production is exploding. Let’s take a closer look at this culturally ancient food.


by Justin Smith

Over the past few years, there have been major changes in the way citrus is produced. It seems as though something is different or added every year. As this growing season is still in its infant stages, it appears there will be no exception to the “new norm”.

The latest news which seems to be flowing through the industry is water. Yes, it is water and not greening, for a crazy twist, although the vial disease will come into play eventually. When anyone in agriculture hears the topic of water being

brought up, the first thoughts that come to mind are always regulations or the EPA. In this circumstance, neither of those applies.

Water, particularly your water, needs to be very closely looked at this season. What is being found throughout the state are very high bicarbonate levels coming mostly from deep wells. These bicarbonates are not new. However, since Florida has been under drought conditions for an extensive period of time several changes are occurring. The bicarbonate levels are increasing, especially in deep wells. As more irrigation is needed to maintain the groves, then more bicarbonates are being put into the ground. The two-fold occurrence means bicarbonate levels have been increasing at an exponential rate.

Since bicarbonates are nothing new it seems strange to begin blaming them for current problems. This is something that has to be closely examined. This year there was an unprecedented fruit drop and everyone began blaming it on greening. The charge seemed logical, as most other problems of late appear to come from that source. What has been found though is that greening is just a small portion of some of our problems.

While on the greening topic, there are a few good reports to mention. Since HLB appeared in Florida, it was believed to have a tristeza type effect on the plant’s ability to move nutrients internally. Through the research being done, it has been discovered greening does not plug the phloem of the tree. This may not sound like much but it is very important for several reasons. What scientists are now discovering is that greening is killing off quite a bit of feeder roots before the canopy shows any sign of infection. This is done by the infection spreading from the inoculated canopy tissue down to the root. Thereby proving the phloem is not being completely hindered.

At the same time, greening is devastating roots; the increased bicarbonate levels are killing off even more, and tying up

CITRUS UPDATEBY JUSTIN SMITH

WateringTreestoDeath?


minerals so the remaining roots cannot feed properly. Research is underway and moving rapidly to find a way to augment this process. Unlike the complexity of new, unknown diseases, water and bicarbonates have been studied for a very long time. There are great possibilities already being field tested and results being monitored. Some growers are even experiencing results as a “happy accident” of other treatment.

So how do you know if your bicarbonate levels are high? There are several ways to answer that. Number one, if your well is in Florida, the bicarbonate level is higher than it used to be. Also some good indicators are deep wells. Most citrus is irrigated by wells greater than 1,000 feet. Almost every well at that depth is showing huge increases in bicarbs. Some of the shallower wells, at the 200 to 300 foot marks are showing much less, but still effected. Trees that have dropped fruit over the last season are a good indicator. Also, trees that for no reason just don’t look healthy, even though they are getting all the nutrition and pesticide they need are proving to have high bicarbonate build up in the soil.

Bicarbonates increase the pH of both the water and soil as the levels grows. Testing your well water can tell a lot. If there is an increase in the pH, especially if it is at 7.5 or higher, then most likely the bicarbonate level is also very high.

Some of the preliminary measures to counter act bicarbonate build up are to lower soil and water pH. This can be done by treating irrigated water with acids or by applying acidic fertilizers. Lime applications are not suggested since they would be counterproductive to the acidifying effect of any other method.

The good news with all of this new finding is that it has the hope of being corrected. It may not completely get rid of greening, but it is a huge step in the right direction of maintaining tree health. The perseverance of the field and the tiresome research of scientists are paying off. It is still a long road, but one that may be shorter than it has been. Citrus is still the number one economic driver of Florida agriculture and for now it will remain at the top.


Greetings to the good folks in our lovely Heartland. Last month I shared a few words about a family that is very close to me and has been for a number of years. Pershing and Pud Platt are members of a group of people who are growing fewer as each day passes.

By Ron Lambert

Those of you who are in my age group will surely know what I am talking about. I am, of course, referring to our parents and grandparents who formed what I consider the greatest generation in the history of our county. I am increasingly mindful of the contributions of these men and women who were born in the deepest depths of the depression years. A time in our history when many people truly didn’t know where or when the next meal would come from. It is difficult for a younger generation to truly grasp the enormity of the widespread poverty that gripped our land.

These people were there on the scene of some of the most astounding developments in history. For those who lived in rural areas at that time our country was still tied closely to the land. Almost everyone had a garden and most had chickens, hogs and likely a milk cow. But rapid changes were on the not to distant horizon.

Machinery was being developed that would revolutionize not only farming, but also every area of manufacturing in the United States. The members of this generation were the chief contributors to this amazing progress. They are the people who united as a single cohesive unit to combat a foreign enemy that threatened to take over the entire world, as they knew it.

They may have heard their parents talk of the first time they saw an airplane. Many of them found jobs in aircraft factories, shipyards and munitions plants. Many joined in an effort to grow food and grain to feed the hungry all over the world. From all walks of life, they stepped forward to enlist in the armed forces.

They saw a clear and distinct threat to democracy and moved forward as a team to protect that which they believed was right and good in the world. These words are not directed to any one family or group of people. I trust that those who read this will think something of this nature: my grandfather and uncle were both in the army, navy, marines or army Air Force over in Europe back then. It really doesn’t matter what they did, whether at home or abroad everyone was determined to see an end to that conflict and see our troops return.

As I earlier stated, this has drifted away from my featured couple, Pershing and Pud Platt but at the same time draws your attention to a group of people that deserve our greatest respect.

This entire generation was determined to face any challenge and triumph! I was told a little story last night of a time when the Platt boys and girls set out to build a barbed wire fence a mile long. Pershing dug every posthole with a shovel. That’s a lot of work even with posthole diggers but evidently they didn’t own a pair. The gist of this story was that they built that mile of fence in one day. Nobody spent much, if any, time whining or complaining; everyone had a job to do and pulled together to meet a challenge straight on. I have noticed that this was very common amongst people in this time period and I admire this spirit. I always have and I always will.

In closing I would like to describe what happens on a late afternoon visit to the home of the Platts. They lived on the ranch back in an oak hammock in a home they built in the late 1970s. When I drive up and cross the cattle guard that is the entry to their driveway, they are almost always setting out on their porch in the cool of the evening. An invitation to get out and join them is a certainty. This is a perfect chance to set and visit and catch up on any local news, reports of rainfall or wishing that it would. You find that there is always a little something new in the view off down towards the creek. Some days you get a glimpse of a deer or two slipping across the pasture. Other times you just look at the trees and palms and the Spanish moss swaying in the breeze. In any event, it is clear that this couple has a ritual of ending each day looking over a view that they never tire of. What a pleasant way to end a day!

I have enjoying spending time on this property since the late 1960s. I have taken my boys camping and fishing many times and now have the privilege to take grandchildren there. I suppose you can’t ask for a more rewarding time than that.

Cattlemen use BMPs to help sustain a part of Florida’s Heritage

By Carly Barnes, Env. Specialist, Office of Agricultural Water Policy

Cattle were introduced to Florida’s sandy shores 500 years ago, making the cattle industry almost as old as the state since its colonization. For the past five centuries, Florida’s cattle industry has aided in the state’s economic development and environmental preservation.

Cattlemen use agricultural water quality BMPs to preserve a piece of Florida history and sustain the industry into the future.

“Florida cattlemen strive to be good stewards of the land,” said Matt Warren, an environmental specialist with the department who works with producers to implement BMPs. “I would say 98 percent of the ranches I go and see are already implementing BMPs, and we simply suggest a few other practices to implement.”

“Cattle ranchers’ biggest concern is being able to pass on their land to future generations; they are the conservationists for their property, and BMPs help them preserve it and show the state agencies and public that they are doing their part to conserve the quality of water that runs through their lands.”

The department’s BMP programs help producers increase the environmental benefits from cattle ranching.

“In general, cattle ranching is one of the least intensive uses of the land, and water quality BMPs have been implemented on many ranches to enhance natural systems,” said Florida Cattlemen’s Association President Woody Larson. “While it does take water to produce food and forage, most of the water is recycled and returned to the ground.”

“Florida ranches provide a tremendous service to the state as a natural recharge areas, and in some cases public/private initiatives have been fostered to improve this retention and recharge benefit.”

“The question of sustainability is more economic than environmental. What would Florida look like without cattle ranching? Can Florida really maintain all the green space without a viable cattle ranching scenario?”

NewSFWMDAgProgram

DirectorNamed

After working 18 years as a professional engineer in the private sector, Jeff Sumner of Okeechobee has accepted the position of Director of Agricultural Programs for the South Florida Water Management District.

In this new role, which he took on April 22nd, Sumner will act as a liaison between regional Ag interests and the District in matters involving water resources. He will also work to ensure consistency in processing the District’s agricultural project permit applications, monitor compliance of issued permits, and implement proactive outreach programs and initiatives specific to the Ag community.

“I feel that the relationship between the District and the Ag community is an important one for both sides. Obviously, the Ag industry depends on regional drainage and irrigation supply managed by the District. Likewise, every-day land management practices by South Florida farmers and ranchers are critical to District core missions of water storage, quality, and environmental restoration. Helping promote that positive relationship is an opportunity that I very much look forward to,” Sumner said.

The District oversees water resources in the southern half of Florida, covering 16 counties from Orlando to the Keys. Their stated mission is “To manage and protect water resources of the region by balancing and improving water quality, flood control, natural systems and water supply.”


Reclaimed Upland Forest Former Kingsford Mine, Polk County

We reclaim the land to keep our future growing.

At Mosaic, our mission is to help the world grow the food it needs by providing essential crop nutrients. But before we begin phosphate mining operations, we work with regulators to carefully craft a reclamation plan that returns mined lands to productive uses. From wetlands and wildlife preserves to fi shing lakes, citrus groves and public playgrounds, Mosaic’s 3,000-plus Florida employees are passionate about reclaiming the land for present and future generations to enjoy.

Join in Mosaic’s promise at www.mosaicco.com/promise.

That’s our promise.

Better Yields, Better Quality,Safer for the Environment

w w w . a g r o l i q u i d . c o m

Available through Jim Dorman of Charlie’s Plant Farm, Inc. (813) 601-2540

FL-Ad.indd 1 9/18/2012 10:54:40 AMMay 2013 Heartland InThe Field Magazine 29

Artist Monica Turner said, “I have always heard the advice to ‘do what you know best’ and for the past three years I have been trying to do just that!”

Turner has never had any formal training but was blessed with a God-given talent that she has worked to develop from a young age. She says that she is thankful for her gift and that she is always amazed when seeing the finished product that turns out just like what she sees in her head, “that is the fun of it to me.”

Turner’s art career started at age 15 when she was hired to paint designs on flowerpots for a local florist, but has been drawing since she was 18 months old and began drawing faces. She remembers often getting into trouble in school for drawing all over her school papers. Animals have long been her favorite subjects and she has done pet portraits over the years.

For the past 15 years, Turner has worked as a mural artist, but has recently began focusing on paintings and building up a portfolio of what she calls ‘Wild Game Art.’ “I am in the process of creating a wild game series,” said Turner. “Dramatic detail and powerful presentation of Florida wildlife and wild game scenes are my goals when painting. I specialize in custom wild game art, but enjoy painting the many aspects of nature as well.” Turner does custom work often in the form of paintings using photographs of her customer’s animals or hunt scenes.

Being a Florida Native and having come from a family who has roots in the Heartland for three generations, Turner says she loves the area. She has studied Florida’s wildlife for many years as she lives on a small ranch in Sebring and said, “We are privileged to see wildlife almost daily-from turkeys, deer, hogs, gators and many other species in our front yard!” Turner and her husband have four children, ages 3, 5, 7 and 9 and their family is involved in hunting and fishing. That involvement

with outdoor activities gives her great familiarity with the subjects of her paintings.

Turner said that her children are the main reason for her attempt to switch from murals to paintings and prints. She said that being gone from home to paint murals didn’t give her the time her young children need. She currently homeschools two of her kids, so she is thankful for each job she can complete at home. “My children are my first priority and I need to be available to them.” Turner considers her art abilities to be very diverse, as she has painted on walls, ceilings, and floors, airboats, pontoon boats, and cars, paper, wood, metal, plastic, and glass. She said, “I have done Christmas ornaments with dog portraits, cat portraits, even an iguana, a cockatiel, and several horses. There is so much I can’t include it all!” Turner has also done a lot of work for the Toby The Clown Foundation in Lake Placid, recreating clown’s faces on ceiling tiles, and a giant mural outside the building. She has quite a variety on her resume, but says her proudest achievement as of yet was when her picture

Monica Turner

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DeSoto County Watermelon FestivalSaturday, May 11th • DeSoto Park - 9 AM - 4PM

www.arcadiamainstreet.com • 863.494.2020 • 941.204.5540

PageantsKids KornerArts and CraftsEntertainmentTalent ContestSeed Spitting ContestWatermelon ActivitiesRaft RaceBed RaceFood

was featured in Reader’s Digest in front of her mural on the side of the Lake Placid Journal building.

After painting murals for customers for so long, Turner has seen that people want custom work more than anything else-from a picture of their favorite dog or horse to their old homestead-just something that is uniquely theirs. She is now offering to her customers this custom work on canvas to be framed and hung over their mantle. “People send me their photos; the subject doesn’t even have to be doing anything in the picture, and I will create a painting of their dog catching or baying a hog or their cowboy herding cattle, or add a certain kind of scenery to a blank background,” she said. “Personalized paintings are awesome; people are so proud and happy when they get their finished masterpiece!”

Turner has set many goals for the future of her business including continuing to develop her talent, learn new techniques and grow her fan base to be able to work from home. She also wants to complete her Wild Game Series and submit it to Bass Pro Shops for possible sale.

For more information or to see her work, visit Turner’s Facebook page, Head Turner Art Studio by Monica Turner or her website at www.monicaturner.vpweb.com where most of her paintings are available for purchase.


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Prior to joining Extension in August 2011, Kristie taught 4th grade at Nocatee Elementary for one year. “It was a great experience, but I had always enjoyed 4-H, and took this opportunity when it became available.” She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Florida Gulf Coast University and is currently working on her Master’s degree in Agriculture Education and Communications through an online program offered by the University of Florida. She is on target to graduate the two-year program in December after taking two summer classes and completing her research project this Fall.

Desoto County is home to fourteen 4-H clubs. According to Kristie, “We have a variety – beef and swine, rabbit, poultry, cooking, shooting sports, photography, horse, marine ecology, goat and sewing. About 200 children participate as club members, and then we serve approximately 2,000 county-wide through activities like the Tropicana Speech contest, Ag-Venture, health and nutrition, and gardening projects.”

“I often tell people that I am an event planner,” Kristie says, explaining that her typical normal day might consist of creating documents such as record books for the kids, making phone calls to remind people of meetings, and contacting people in community asking for support.

“As a kid, I was a 4-H member and looked up to my Club Leaders and Extension Agent,” says DeSoto County 4-H Extension Agent Kristie Popa. “4-H is about more than raising animals. It opened a lot doors for me and I gained so many life experiences. It’s cool to help other kids do that now.”

Growing up in Punta Gorda, Kristie participated in Charlotte County’s 4-H program as a member of the Cows & Plows and Fur & Feathers Clubs. “I showed steers, hogs, lambs, chickens and rabbits,” she shared. “I also did public speaking events like the Parade of Breeds, attended 4-H Congress, and was very active at the club level serving as President of Cows & Plows for three years.”

“We grew up in the country, and while my family is not involved in farming or ranching, my parents made sure that my younger brother and I were able to take part in those types of activities,” said Kristie. She enjoyed riding horses and showed both English and Western at the Punta Gorda Horse Club. “I showed in everything from halter classes to jumping, and enjoyed riding English the most.”

CattleatBuckIslandRanch

KristiePOPABY ROBBI SUMNER


Kristie and her husband, Brandon Kristie with 4-Hers Lauren and Emily Hatcher and their mother Susan Kristie and 4-H Program Assistant Kate Stewart

“We have so many generous volunteers – we wouldn’t be nearly as successful as we are without them.”

In fact, one-hundred volunteers worked to put on the county’s second annual Ag-Venture event on March 8th. Approximately four-hundred 4th graders learned about everything from bees and vegetables to farm equipment and phosphate.

“My goal is to teach kids where food comes from – how it gets from the farm to table, so to speak,” shares Kristie. A grant from Ag in the Classroom made it possible to provide teacher bins with materials for pre-Ag Venture learning activities, and a similar grant will fund hardcover books for teachers to use in addition to the hands-on activities next year.

In a separate grant-funded project, Kristie will be partnering with the County Health Department to establish container gardens and earth boxes in three local elementary schools, helping those students learn about nutrition and healthy eating habits.

In 2012, she started a new citrus project. “Last year we started with resets, but this year we’re starting with larger, 7-gallon potted trees. Participants raise the tree until January, when the trees will be judged at our Fair. The trees will be sold and one will be named Grand Champion, similar to livestock projects,” Kristie explained. The kids are expected

to attend at least three meetings and learn about cold/freeze protection, proper watering and fertilizing, checking for pests, and preparing for the Fair.”

In her quest to get more kids involved in 4-H, Kristie devised a reward program for those who accomplish certain milestones, like completion of their records books, participation in County Events, community service, and meeting club attendance criteria. Last year’s reward was a trip to Disney World, with plans for a trip to SeaWorld this year. She also shared that twelve 4-H youth from DeSoto attended Camp Cloverleaf last year, something that hadn’t happened in 20 years.

As if her Extension activities don’t keep her busy enough, Kristie also volunteers with Project Graduation and tries to attend as many other community events as she can. She and her husband Brandon live in Arcadia and recently got ten Rhode Island Red chicks that she hopes will soon provide them with fresh eggs!

“My job is very interesting. I grew up mostly showing steers and hogs, but am learning a lot about things like citrus and gardening as I become more immersed in different aspects of agriculture in DeSoto County. I try to set an example for the kids - when they see you learn with them, it makes them want to learn more too. There are always learning opportunities no matter what you’re doing.”


FARMER & RANCHER DAVID MILBURNBY CINDY CUTRIGHT

(left to right) Rylee, Bonnie Jean, David and Ralston

David Milburn, a fifth generation Floridian who hails from the Sarasota area, has held the position of President of the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association for the past seven years. As the Cattle Manager for Babcock Ranch in Punta Gorda, he is well versed in what drives the Florida cattle rancher. The ranch devotes much of its 92,000 acres to the cow-calf operation consisting of approximately 3,500 head.

The Lee County Cattlemen’s Association has represented the collective interests of its members since its inception in 1947. Thirty-six members attended the first meeting in September of that year having paid a membership fee of $2 said Milburn, the association’s current president. The association membership now numbers around 60 and meets quarterly to discuss and enlighten members about issues important to cattle ranchers. David said, “We have meetings that are informative.” He said speakers are scheduled for each meeting and once a year the association hosts a cookout attended by the president of the Florida Cattlemen’s Association, which was organized in 1935.

The Florida Cattlemen’s Association is also something of a watchdog for Florida ranchers. David said that when an outbreak of hoof and mouth disease was detected, ranchers were warned to take precautionary actions, especially those individuals who had traveled out of country in the prior 14 days. David said that all visitors, even those taking tours of the Babcock Ranch, which he has been with for the past 13 years, had to walk through a disinfectant bath to help prevent infecting the herd.

When asked to name some of the challenges facing cattle ranchers today, David replied without hesitation, “All the ‘f ’ words.” He explained, “fuel, feed, fertilizer and fence - the price of all that.” David stressed that last year’s drought throughout the Midwest and plains states contributed to an overall increase in cost. “We feed commodities and the prices just went sky high.” David was quick to point out that the drought also proved detrimental to the marketing side of a cow-calf operation. He explained that the lack of available or cost effective feed means fewer ranchers in drought-stricken states are buying Florida calves. “The drought,” David concluded, “affects us all.”


In addition to his primary duties, David also helps oversee the ranch’s security as well as the farming and sod operation. He describes himself as a working manager assisted by three full-time employees. Though his day is full to say the least, (it can start as early as 4:30 a.m. and end well past dark) he says he wouldn’t trade his lifestyle for any other. David and his wife, Bonnie Jean, live on the ranch, where they were married, with her two children, Rylee age 9 and Ralston age 12. David also has a son, 25 and a daughter, 22.

The cattle operation can be viewed first hand by those taking one of the daily tours of Babcock Ranch. David said the tour takes approximately 90 minutes and is given seven days a week. “I think it is the longest running tour in the state of Florida and they try to be as authentic as possible. They even tell them (tour attendees) the history of the Cracker Cow.”

This is cattle country, no doubt about it, where hard work and a proud heritage go hand in hand in preserving and promoting ranching at its finest. Worthwhile organizations such as the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association and dedicated individuals like David Milburn play vital roles in ensuring

Florida’s standing as one of the top cattle producing states in the nation today.

Persons interested in taking a tour of Babcock Ranch seeing true cattle country can do so by calling the ranch at 800-500-5583 or accessing the ranch’s website at: www.babcockwilderness.com


J immy Wohl, owner/manager of Rafter T Ranch, is the recipient of Florida Audubon’s first Sustainable Rancher of the Year Award, which was presented to

him on Sunday, April 7, 2013 in Okeechobee at the Inaugural Everglades Day in honor of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas’ birthday.

“Jimmy Wohl and Rafter T Ranch are setting the standard for ranchland stewardship in the Northern Everglades. We at Audubon believe that innovative water management projects undertaken by ranchers and ranchland preservation are the key to restoration of ecosystems north of Lake Okeechobee,” said Eric Draper, executive director of Florida Audubon.

Audubon recognizes the great stewardship that ranchers in the Okeechobee Watershed have exercised on their land for more than 50 years. Today, by participating in programs to store and clean water on their land and by committing land to long-term conservation through the sale of conservation easements, ranchers are stepping forward to again become a vital factor in the restoration of Northern Everglades.

Wohl has exemplified stewardship on lands in the Northern Everglades. Through the Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project (FRESP) and the Northern Everglades Payment for Environmental Services (NE-PES) Program, Wohl has installed improvements on Rafter T Ranch to store and clean water before it runs into the watershed to Arbuckle Creek. His work shows how ranchers can make simple adjustments on working landscapes to maximize benefits for the environment.

“One of the reasons this award means so much is not just us receiving the award, but what it represents. This is a monumental step for the Audubon Society to even develop this award category,” Wohl said. “It’s a significant indication that we are making a lot of progress in getting the agencies, scientific community, NGOs and landowners to work together to positively address the environmental problems we are faced with today.”

Audubon has produced a short video promoting water storage and water quality projects undertaken by ranchers, which features Wohl and Rafter T Ranch. This video can be seen at: https://vimeo.com/61143683. The video, as well as Audubon’s efforts in the Northern Everglades, is supported in part by a grant from Darden Restaurants Foundation.

Owned by the Wohl Family, the 5,200-acre Rafter T Ranch is located in Sebring, FL and has received numerous awards including Environmental Stewardship

Awards from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), the Florida Cattlemen’s Association (FCA) and the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services (FDACS). During the award year, members of the Wohl family represented the U.S. cattle industry in meetings with the New York Time, Time, Life, Newsweek, United Press International and the National Audubon Society to discuss environmental stewardship practices and land management in Florida. The ranch has been featured on FOX News, PBS, Daytime TV Show and in the Palm Beach Post for its environmental stewardship practices.

For information about Rafter T Ranch, visit www.RafterTRanch.com. For information about Audubon Florida, visit www.AudubonOfFlorida.org.

Wohl Awarded Audubon Sustainable

Rancher of the Year Award

Charles Lee, Audubon Florida, presents the Florida Audubon Sustainable Rancher of the Year Award to Jimmy

Wohl, owner/manager of Rafter T Ranch.

Oneofthereasonsthisawardmeanssomuchisnotjustusreceivingtheaward,butwhatitrepresents...


Have you ever gone on a hike through the woods? How about a kayak or canoe trip down a river or wading through a cypress swamp?

If you’ve lived in Florida for any period of time, there is a good chance you have participated in some sort of outdoor activities like these. Some of you may have even traveled a significant distance while doing this. But, have you ever traveled from the southern Everglades to Georgia, by walking, biking, kayaking, swimming and on horseback? A four-person team did exactly this just over a year ago.

The Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition was a 100-day, 1,000-mile trek from the southern part of the Everglades, north, through the Heartland of Florida ending in the

By Robbi Sumner

Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition:

Connecting the piecesBy Brian Norris

photography by Carlton Ward Jr./CarltonWard.com


Okefonokee Swamp of Georgia. Conservation photojournalist Carlton Ward Jr., conservationist Mallory Lykes Dimmitt, biologist Joe Guthrie and filmmaker Elam Stoltzfus led the expedition. Their goal was to establish a wildlife corridor, which is a series of connected lands that are relatively untouched by human development, in Florida. This corridor includes lands that are already established as conservation areas like national parks and wildlife management areas as well as privately owned land like cattle ranches. Along the way they wanted to interact with landowners and state leaders to learn from and educate them about the importance

of land conservation and land management. The team also wanted to make this an interactive journey posting updates to their website and through social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. This allowed everyone to track the team and to be a part of what they were doing. They wanted to use the expedition as a launching pad to bridge the gap and establish partnerships between private landowners, state officials, the public and other groups like The Nature Conservancy to promote education about this important concept.

The goals of the Florida Wildlife Corridor are not just about protecting the land and wildlife. The team set out on this journey to explore and help raise awareness about restoring water flow to the Everglades and protecting important water supplies for the people of Florida. Other goals included sustaining food production, economies and the cultural heritage of ranches, farms and timberlands, and help bolster local economies through increased hunting, fishing and other forms of tourism by simply getting more people engaged, especially youth, with natural Florida.

The idea for the Florida Wildlife Corridor came from a man who traveled to other parts of the world to take part in similar expeditions. Carlton Ward Jr., having journeyed to Africa multiple times with the Smithsonian as a wildlife photographer, started thinking about doing something closer to home. He wanted to find a project that could have a positive impact on the state of Florida. Enter Florida Black Bear, M-13. This bear, without knowing it, would help the Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition come to life. While working with bear biologist Joe Guthrie and tracking the movements of M-13, Ward read an article about plans for super highways that would cut across the northern Everglades and right through the middle of M-13’s home range. He realized that there were talks about transportation corridors and development corridors, but nothing about a wildlife corridor. After searching the Internet for mention of “wildlife corridor,” and finding almost nothing, Ward reserved the web address FloridaWildlifeCorridor.com, without knowing what was to come.

The journey started the morning of January 17, 2012. The team camped overnight at the southern edge of the Everglades near Flamingo. After receiving a big send-off with media interviews and photo sessions, they began their 1,000-mile journey, which would take them through the most remote parts of Florida. Mallory Lykes Dimmit is quoted saying “We get a late start, which allows us to paddle in the dark…” They knew this wasn’t going to be an easy trip, but they understood the ultimate goals of this expedition. This wasn’t a trip they were doing just for fun.

They made their way north, through the 10,000 Islands and into what is known as the backcountry. This is the beginning


of the Everglades as many of us recognize: black water, sawgrass and alligators. After sleeping on an air mattress floating on the sawgrass, Carlton Ward recollects a moment that he will likely never forget. He said, “Darkness falls over Shark River Slough. Joe Guthrie and I stand atop our kayaks, push-poling them through the sawgrass, feeling like real glades men. Suddenly my kayak rocks and I’m nearly thrown out. By the time I regain my balance, I realize that I just ran over an alligator resting in the narrow water trail.” Before he can warn the others, they have a similar experience with the gator. They were paddling, in complete darkness, unable to see, through cattails twelve foot high.

The team continued on and transitioned from kayaks to bikes and traveled 43 miles through the Fakahatchee Strand State Preserve. They met up with renowned nature photographer Clyde Butcher, who Carlton credits much of his inspiration as a conservation photographer. On this leg of the trip, they walked and waded through remote cypress swamps. Clyde said, “I’m not sure that Florida’s ever had a plan…with more people, we have to understand we have to plan more. Where does our drinking water come from? It comes from here. Where does our air come from? It comes from these plants making oxygen. People from cities don’t understand what the environment is useful for.”

They made it through the swamp as they continued north, and began to hear the sounds of development. A sound that briefly goes quiet but never really stops, the sound of cars and trucks along Interstate 75. The wildlife underpasses that have been built allow panthers, bears, coyotes, foxes and many other animals the ability to safely travel under the busy road without the danger of being struck by a vehicle. As the team traveled under the interstate, they met Kevin Godsea, the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge Manager. He said, “The refuge is really like a superhighway for panthers…the panther population was so low for so long, 30 or so individuals in the 1980’s. Now we’re up to 100 to 160.” Wildlife underpasses, amongst many other things, are given credit for helping the population rebound.

By day 21, the team began to move into the Heartland and Carlton said, “I’m starting to feel at home among the woods and pastures of cattle ranches.” Carlton is an 8th generation Floridian, tracing his roots back to Hardee County where his family still lives. On this day, they were traversing a ranch that belongs to his cousin John Ward. This was a pivotal point in the Wildlife Corridor Expedition because the team was beginning to cross over onto privately owned lands instead of public lands. In my interview with Carlton Ward, he said, “we could not have done this expedition in 2009 or 2010.” He said there was still a divide between cattle ranchers and


conservationists. The two sides just didn’t understand each other at the time. Ward is quick to credit that much of the mentality shift is due to programs like the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s (FWC) Cooperative Conservation Blueprint (CCB). The CCB is a program that has a goal of providing clean water and air as well as land use opportunities for the private landowner through workshops and voluntary participation (myfwc.com). Ward said that because of programs like the CCB, when landowners were approached about the expedition, the ideas and goals of the Wildlife Corridor were not unfamiliar to them.

A good portion of the expedition was spent traveling through the Heartland. The team camped on 25 different cattle ranches along their journey. They traveled further north until they reached the Caloosahatchee River. The area in which they crossed the river is undeveloped, but currently not protected. Ward said this area, which is one of the last undisturbed areas for bears and panthers to cross the river, is a crucial piece that needs to be protected. The Caloosahatchee River tends to be a dividing line for the Florida Panther, as the majority of the population lives to the south of the river. If this “critical linkage” (pieces of land that are not yet protected, yet crucial to keeping the Corridor intact) can be preserved, it would possibly allow the Panther and other animals the ability to increase their range safely.

From there, the team kayaked down the river until they reached Babcock Ranch State Preserve. Babcock Ranch is a 74,000-acre ranch in Charlotte and Lee Counties and is an important habitat and crossing ground for panther and bear alike. Ward remembered the night of the expedition that they spent on Babcock Ranch; he said, “It is the coldest night of the expedition. We’ve trekked our way 12 miles or so across Babcock Ranch in southwest Florida, and we set up camp under this grand oak hammock. It is freezing cold. We’re getting out our little camp stoves to boil up some water to eat our freeze-dried food, and I see some headlights in the distance. And here comes cowboy David Milburn and his wife Bonnie Rae with a huge pot of chili. They bring us dinner by the campfire.”

Over the next few weeks, the team traveled across the Heartland making stops at numerous ranches including Lykes and Smoak ranches, Archbold Biological Station and the Seminole Indian Reservation in Brighton, all along the way taking opportunities to interact with the landowners and public to educate them about the goals of the expedition.

They continued north through Highlands County to the bombing range in Avon Park. The 106,000-acre piece of land owned by the Department of Defense and partly used for military training, is also an important piece of natural habitat


essential to the Florida Wildlife Corridor. From there, they continued on and eventually crossed the Kissimmee River and made their way to the Adams Ranch on day 47.

Once the team reached Lake Kissimmee, they paddled their way to Brahma Island. “Brammer” Island, as it’s referred to by the family, is a 3,000-acre ranch in the middle of the lake owned by the Lightsey family. The island is home to many different types of wildlife including multiple species of endangered plants and animals. Also, 90% of the island is protected by conservation easements. A conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and the government or land trust. The easement allows the landowner to continue normal operations and ownership of the land, but gives the development rights to the other party, allowing for protection of the land from development.

On day 51, 20 friends including cowboys and conservationists that are part of the Northern Everglades Alliance joined the team. This group, which combined owns over 1 million acres, is working towards protecting the lands that make up the Everglades headwaters. The team took a break from walking and kayaking, which they had done for the past 500 miles, and rode on horseback, for seventeen miles, with their temporary teammates until they reached The Nature Conservancy’s Disney Wilderness Preserve.

The expedition continued heading north, traveling through the Volusia Conservation Corridor and into the Ocala National Forest. Along the way, guests such as Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam joined them. While paddling up the Suwannee River, nearing the end of the journey, Ward recalls a short period of time in which they lost one of their guests on the expedition. The team met up with Michael Fay, a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence. As they entered the Okefenokee National

Wildlife Refuge on the last leg of their trip, they were met with a terrible thunderstorm. They proceeded on and the team ended up getting separated, each group thinking the other was in front. As Ward and Guthrie arrived at the designated campsite, the others were not there. Ward, admittedly slightly embarrassed they had lost their esteemed guest in the middle of the swamp, was about to head out to search for the missing team members. As they were about to go looking, they saw headlights coming up the river. Their team was safe and together again. Fay, about the expedition, said, “I think that if I had one wish it would be that thousands of people around the world would take walks like this, because it is the only way for individuals to understand the complexity of what we are dealing with and why it is important.”

100 days after beginning the monumental task, the team finally reached their destination, completing the 1,000-mile journey through the heart of Florida. Ward commented on the conclusion of the expedition saying, “It’s difficult to feel a sense of completion, because, in many ways, the physical journey is just the beginning for our team.”

Since the completion of the Expedition, Ward, Guthrie, Dimmitt and Stoltzfus, as well as many others, have been working hard to tell their story. Elam Stoltzfus has released a film called Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee, which documents the trip and gives the viewer a glimpse into the 1,000-mile journey. The team has been traveling around the state showing this film and hosting panel discussions with the public and state and local leaders talking about the issues that the state of Florida is facing.


Carlton Ward Jr. has released a book also called Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee, which is a great way to grasp the journey through still photography and stories and comments from team members and guests along the way.

As the team celebrates the 1-year anniversary of the completion of the expedition, Ward says that he hopes it has “helped get something started.” He says that they are getting a lot of interest from partners and landowners that want to help keep the mission going. They just want to continue to educate everyone about the importance of land conservation and stewardship. The message they want everyone to understand is that this is not just for the wildlife. This corridor is critical for the people of Florida. The preservation of these lands is essential to the state’s ability to have clean, fresh drinking water and so generations to come can see and enjoy the state, as we know it today.

Ward and the rest of the team hope that this is just the beginning of something that can continue to grow throughout the state and beyond. The team is already putting together a plan to continue the corridor west from Okefenokee, through the Panhandle of Florida. For more information of the Florida Wildlife Corridor and to stay up to date on Corridor events and film showings visit: http://www.floridawildlifecorridor.org


SCREENINGOFFLORIDAWILDLIFECORRIDORExPEDITION:

Everglades to Okefenokee BY RON LAMBERT

Several weeks ago, I was asked to attend a showing of a film titled Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition: Everglades to Okefenokee at Wauchula’s Historic City Hall. This movie was made with the purpose of raising public awareness amongst Florida residents of the pressing need to protect the remaining undeveloped areas in Florida. This is not only for the present and future generations of Floridians but to preserve the habitat for a diverse range of plant and animal life, much of it unique to specific areas within our state. The potential benefits to mankind are still becoming apparent through research from a variety of agencies and private companies.

We all need to thank the folks at Mosiac who helped make this vision into a reality. I have always had a sort of envy toward those people who took extended trips into new or unfamiliar areas. Through articles, photography or video, we can experience a glimpse into a completely new region or view wildlife and ecosystems all over the world. That is exactly what was accomplished in this documentary through the camera lens. A view of a part of Florida that all too few of those living here even know exists, let alone have the good fortune to be a part of.

Over the course of this 100-day adventure, the camera recorded a route that skirted urban areas, followed a track across the Everglades, crossed many ranches and waterways and provided the viewer with a picture of our state’s breathtaking natural beauty. I personally feel that a view of a Florida prairie dotted with either Sabal Palm or pine islands is as awe inspiring as any in nature. To fully appreciate Florida’s beauty and diversity, people must be able to experience it. Through the images that you will see during

this film, a distinct vision shared by many people will emerge. That vision is of the urgent need to protect and preserve as much of Florida’s natural heritage as is possible.

This film has appeared on PBS stations throughout Florida this month. By all means try to see it. I am certainly glad that I had the opportunity. Many thanks to Carlton Ward and all those who have an interest in preserving our heritage. I included the next few words and pictures as a reminder of what could well be our most important and compelling reason for taking action now.

After viewing the documentary, it brought to mind once more just how fortunate those of us are who have access to any remaining portions of our state’s natural beauty. For me, having grown up with unlimited locations of privately owned land to explore at any time, I may have missed out on the full benefits in front of me.

However, I did spend many hours out in the woods and pastureland here in Hardee County. Taking my boys out on camping trips when they were younger as well as fishing in areas that are as peaceful and enjoyable of a pastime as I can imagine. Being able to have a part in providing this outdoor opportunity to my grandchildren is especially rewarding.

The areas that were featured in this film were so familiar to me and reinforced my memories of the beauty of our state’s diverse ecosystems. Preservation of these areas has always been important but these photos that I am including are one of the most important reasons to act now to protect and preserve Florida’s lands and waterways.

Hardee Students to represent the Heartland region at the international Fair in arizona

Destiny McCauley, Brandon Beatty, Kristen Burkett and Meagan Shivers will be attending this year’s Intel International Science Fair in Phoenix, Arizona the week of May 11.Hardee County High School Students won all four spots from the Heartland Region for the second year in a row.

Attending as presenters will be Brandon Beatty and Kristen Burkett. And going as observers are Destiny McCauley and Meagan Shivers. This is also Beatty and McCauley’s second straight year attending ISEF as presenter and observer, respectively.


Hardee County Cattlemen’s Association5th Annual Ranch Rodeo*

Friday, July 20th

and Saturday, July 21st

7:00 p.m. - Hardee County Cattlemen’s ArenaWauchula, Florida

Team Events:Double Mugging, Team Branding, Team Sorting, Bronc Riding,

Trailer Loading, Mutton Busting

All events each night - half of the teams on Friday and half on SaturdayFive team members - four males, one female.

1st Place $1,000 2nd Place $500 3rd Place $250Buckles for All Around Team Winner

Deadline to enter: July 5, 2013$500 Team Entry Fee

For Team Applications and HCCA Ranch Rodeo Rules,contact Darin Hughes at (863) 781-0349 or [email protected]

*All Florida Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Qualifying Event


Arcadia Youth Rodeo Association Finals and Year-End Results

The Arcadia Youth Rodeo Association held its 2012-13 season Finals Saturday, April 20th. The top 10 competitors in each event were invited to participate in the Finals and Year-End Awards Banquet held afterward.

Winners in each of Saturday’s events included: Mutton Busting Jason Hinman; Calf Riding Cole Clemons; Steer Riding McLane Tylane; Junior Bulls Wyatt Hart; Senior Bulls no rides scored; Saddle Bronc no rides scored; Bareback Justin Mills; Tots Breakaway Roping Cole Clemons; Junior Breakaway Chance Rodriguez; Senior Breakaway Patrick Carlton; Tots Double Muggin Cody Vina; Junior Double Muggin Britta Strain; Junior Tie-Down Roping Amery Bass; Senior Tie-Down Blake Vickers; Tot Pole Bending Lacey Nail; Junior Pole Bending Hannah McLeod; Senior Pole Bending Jacey Johnson; Junior Chute Doggin Parker Carlton; Senior Chute Doggin Justin Mills; Tot Goat Tying Carson Watford; Junior Goat Tying Savannah Nelson; Senior Goat Tying Aldyn Ashton; Junior Team Roping Header Sam Morgan; Junior Team Roping Heeler Rylan Lipe; Senior Team Roping Header Dalton Prevatt; Senior Team Roping Heeler Loni Damboise; Tot Barrel Racing Kaylie Garcia; Junior Barrel Racing Britta Strain; Senior Barrel Racing Cheyenne Nazzarrese.

Year-end winners in each event were: Mutton Busting Brodey Clemons; Calf Riding Cody Vinas; Steer Riding McLane Tylane; Junior Bulls Wyatt Hart; Senior Bulls Justin Mills; Saddle Bronc Justin Mills; Bareback Justin Mills; Tots Breakaway Roping Cody Vina; Junior Breakaway Chance Rodriguez; Senior Breakaway Patrick Carlton; Tots Double Muggin Cole

Clemons; Junior Double Muggin Britta Strain; Junior Tie-Down Roping Chance Rodriguez; Senior Tie-Down (tie) Robert Appel and Blake Vickers; Tot Pole Bending Lacey Nail; Junior Pole Bending Ashlan Lipe; Senior Pole Bending Shelby Johnson; Junior Chute Doggin Chance Rodriguez; Senior Chute Doggin Patrick Carlton; Tot Goat Tying Lacey Nail; Junior Goat Tying Savannah Nelson; Senior Goat Tying Aldyn Ashton; Junior Team Roping Header Dawson Cantu; Junior Team Roping Heeler Scott Martell; Senior Team Roping Header Dalton Prevatt; Senior Team Roping Heeler Blake Vickers; Tot Barrel Racing Kaylie Garcia; Junior Barrel Racing Ashlan Lipe; Senior Barrel Racing Cheyenne Nazzarrese.

Year-end All Around Champions were: Tot Boys Cole Clemons; Tot Girls Lacey Nail; Junior Boys Chance Rodriguez; Junior Girls Britta Strain; Senior Boys Patrick Carlton; Senior Girls Aldyn Ashton.

The 2013-2014 AYRA season will start in September. For more information visit www.arcadiayouthrodeo.com or follow them on Facebook

Adams’ Ranch Rodeo

The Adams’ Ranch Rodeo was held April 6th at the St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. Twenty-seven teams competed, with $500 being awarded to the winner of each event.

Wild Cow Decorating - Stierwalt Cattle (Shane Steirwalt, Lane Steirwalt, Sam Clemons, Bobbie Jo Fulford, Jenna Adams)

Bronc Riding (Tie) - Stevens Land & Cattle (Marshall Godsey) & Arrow G (Adam Turtle)

Team Sorting - Stevens Land & Cattle (Charles Stevens, Billy Adams, Marshall Godsey, Cody Storey, Christi Pryor)

Trailer Loading - Stierwalt Cattle

Double Mugging - Stevens Land & Cattle

Amery Bass won the Junior Sorting, taking home $50.00 and a Ranch Rodeo t-shirt.

After the two performances, points were tallied to determine the overall winners. After a tiebreaker, Bevilles Ranch (Jason Hayward, Clay Newcome, Auburn Heirs, Clayton Brown, Amanda Hayward) beat Christmas Creek Farm Service (Chuck Mack, Cory Carbajal, Corky Pascal, Kenny Rainey, Jennifer Bowlin) for third place and the $2,000 prize money. Stierwalt Cattle took home the $3,500 second place, and Stevens Land & Cattle pocketed the $5,000 first place check.

Day Workers’ Ranch Rodeo

The 5th annual Day Workers’ Ranch Rodeo sponsored by the Okeechobee Livestock Market was held April 13th at the Okeechobee Cattlemen’s Arena.

Caleb Pearce kicked off the day by winning the Cowdog Trials. Then it was Sam Clemons taking first place in the Cowpony Race.

After lunch, twenty-four teams competed in events like Wild Cow Milking, Riding Out, the Cowhide Race, Wild Steer Riding, Calf Cutting, and Buddy Pick-up. When the dust settled, No Land and Cattle (Tyler Hayes, Ty Bennett, Tommy Stokes, and David Bennett) tied for fifth place with Just for Now Ranch (Willie Collier, Donald Conroy, Tyler Adkins, and Lane Adkins). The Left Overs (Marshall Davis, Cab Butts, Leaton Coker, and Shelby Carden) placed fourth. The Brown Nosers (Allen Lanier, J.R. Wilson, Buck Lee and Kyle Lanier) won third. The Basinger Crackers (Sam Clemons, Casey Clemons, Bobby Jo Fulford, and Kenney Rainey) came in second. Taking the braggin’ rights for first place was the Grace Ag team of Clint Davis, Matt Davis, John Shoop, and Sage Adams.

RODEO Results


The Hendry County Cattlemen’s 4th Annual Ranch Rodeo and Youth Rodeo Series was a HitBY LINDSEY WIGGINS

The Hendry County Cattlemen’s Association held their first youth ranch rodeo of a 2 part series in Clewiston with seven teams competing. 3-W won the overall champion team buckles in Clewiston, winning the Trailer Race and Team Sorting events. The 3-W team consisted of Rylee Thomas, Aubrey Lee, Windall Tindall, Amory Bass, and Blaine Albritton. Bronson Ranch was in 2nd place and The Reekers were in 3rd place.

During Swamp Cabbage weekend, the teams competed in the series finals in LaBelle. The competition was tough at the finals with 10 teams competing. 3-W managed to win the LaBelle rodeo also. Bronson Ranch came in 2nd place and The Wild Fencemen took 3rd. The series event winners, receiving trophy buckles, were as follows: Calf Branding—The Wild Fencemen (Windall Tindall, Aubrey Lee, Easton Moss, Blaine Albritton, and DJ Nelson); Steer Decorating—Bronson Ranch (Charlie Ford, Easton Moss, Aubrey Lee, Blaine Albritton, and Amory Bass); Trailer Race—The Wild Fencemen; and Team Sorting—3-W. Also winning trophy buckles for being the series champion team was 3-W.

The Cattlemen’s 4th Annual Ranch Rodeo was also held in conjunction with LaBelle’s notorious Swamp Cabbage Festival. Just over 1,000 spectators poured into the grand stands to watch

20 teams vie for a spot in the Florida Cattlemen’s Association Ranch Rodeo Finals this fall. And the winner was: Audubon Ranch, which consisted of Jay Belflower, Pat Thomas, Jason Hayward, Dennis Carlton, and Lacie Whaley. The winning team was awarded $750 as well as their entry fee at the State Finals; each team member also received a beautiful trophy buckle, which was sponsored by Multi-Min.

The contestants participated in Calf Branding, Double Mugging, Cowhide Drag, Team Branding, Team Sorting, and Bronc Riding on Friday and Saturday nights. Audubon Ranch put up a tough fight with two event wins, and only one point behind them, in 2nd place, was the Steven’s Land & Cattle team consisting of Charles Robert Stevens, Billy Adams, Cody Storey, Marshall Godsey, and Christi Pryor. The second place team won $500. In third place was Harvey Ranch consisting of Cab Butts, Jim Harvey, Marshall Davis, Leaton Coker, and Shelby Carden – they received $250 prize money.

The total payout for the weekend was $3,200, including the entry fees to the State Finals. None of this would have been possible without the support of Jackman Wagyu Beef, Billy Joe & Andie Tindall, Multi-Min, Karson Turner, LaBelle Dodge, Top Draw Bar & Grill, Doug Bronson, and the Swamp Cabbage Festival committee.

Many thanks go out to the above mentioned sponsors as well as the many volunteers who donated their time, trucks, trailers, and blood to help make the rodeo a huge success. The proceeds of the rodeo will be used to support local youth. The Hendry County Cattlemen’s Association awards scholarships to local students studying agriculture, exceeding $1,500 annually and the Hendry County 4-H program also benefits from the rodeo proceeds.


The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo is one of, if not THE BEST Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo that Florida has to offer. And the 2013 event sure proved that. This was the 85th annual, and history was made several times over!

All attendance records were shattered, with a sold-out crowd of over 8,000 on Saturday, and over 21,000 for this 3-day event. Volunteers even went out to the major intersections on Saturday to stop people who didn’t already have their tickets.

Normally the only competition for women is the barrel racing (sanctioned through the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association), but this year saw a woman in the team roping event – Okeechobee’s very own Big Town Billie Osceola, who was the header, teamed up with Ivan Bruised Head, as heeler. Unfortunately, their run resulted in a no-time, but still a momentous occasion. (And my apologies to Ms. Big Town for assuming she was a barrel racer!)

Ivan Bruised Head (proof that real cowboys do wear pink!) also competed in the steer wrestling and tie-down events, undaunted by going up against Spunk Sasser of San Antonio, Florida. Spunk is a 20-time Southeastern Circuit Champion in these same events.

All weekend long the word “champion” was heard again and again, not only in describing the cowboys, but also for the amazing stock from Frontier Rodeo Company. Maple Leaf scored 44 of the 89 points garnered by Cort Scheer for the saddle bronc win. That’s 2 years in a row for this Wrangler NFR bucking horse, with Cody DeMoss riding him for a score of 85 in 2012. Former Florida High School Rodeo veteran Isaac Diaz rode him for a second place tie of 87 points.

The first bareback rider in a long time to hail from Florida is Charles “Trip” Weaver, Jr., of Lakeland. A High School and Arcadia Youth Rodeo Association competitor, this is Trip’s first year in the PRCA. Bareback riding is one of the hardest roughstock events on the human body, and the number of competitors has dwindled from when Arcadia’s Jimmy Fussell won back in the mid-to-late 1980’s.

Speaking of the Arcadia Fussells – Corey competed in the tie-down roping and saddle bronc events, and Jimmy in team roping, with partner Mark Johnson. Tamme’s barrel horse is injured, so she was not in this year’s competition. Jimmy works tirelessly in the arena as well, but he and Corey found the time to also compete in Okeechobee’s PRCA rodeo that same weekend, where Corey (now a student at Panola College in Carthage, Texas) was one in a 5-way tie for fourth place in the saddle bronc event (with Isaac Diaz also in that group).

The Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo:

“The Granddaddy of ‘Em All”

ARTICLE AND pHOTOS BY KATHY GREGG


Other locals placing at Arcadia were Sue Watts of Zolfo Springs, third in barrels with a time of 17.85 seconds, and Charles T. “Trae” Adams III of Ona, second in tie-down roping at 11.5 seconds. Team ropers Mike Sanders of Wauchula, header, and Jay Holmes of Sarasota, heeler, took second

place at Arcadia in 6.3 seconds, and tied for first place in Okeechobee with a time of 5.5 seconds. These cowboys also placed in a tie for fourth place at 6.6 seconds at the Davie Pro-Rodeo held in late February.

Austin Gross of Arcadia was in the lead in the bull-riding event after Friday’s performance, with a great score of 86. Saturday saw one rider with an 88, but Sunday’s rides took them all out of the money. Two riders, including Rookie of the Year Cooper Davis, were in a tie with 90 points each, when Clint Craig garnered 91 points on Frontier Rodeo’s bull Sponge Bob. Austin did place third in the bulls at Okeechobee, so he didn’t go home empty-handed for the weekend.

Let us not overlook 16-year-old Ashlan Lipe of Arcadia, who tied for the first place win in junior barrels, with an awesome run of 17.09 seconds. Ashlan shone the entire rodeo as her barrel photo from 2012 graced the cover of the new Rodeo Program (photo compliments of YOURS TRULY), which also included past rodeo “greats” Jack Duncan, Pat Hansel, and Matt and Jackie Condo.

THANK YOU Donny Gay and Frontier Rodeo Company, Rockin’ Robbie Hodges, Jimmy Riffle & The Gator Boys, Miss Rodeo Florida Jenna Smeenk, Florida High School Rodeo Queen

Jordan Boyd, the All-Florida Saddle Club, Chris McArthur & the Florida Cracker Boys, the Shoot-Out Gang, everyone involved, and the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo for THE GREATEST RODEO OF ALL!

See y’all next year!


This year’s theme “Get A Grip” highlights the fact that ranching is a “hands-on” business, and focuses on the importance of relationships within the cattle industry.

According to Florida Cattlemen’s Association President Woody Larson, “The handshake is one of our most enduring symbols. This year’s theme takes that handshake to another dimension.” The convention is also intended to help you “Get A Grip” on changing industry conditions, and to embrace new products and technologies.

In addition to organizational business such as committee meetings and the election of new officers, attendees have opportunities to network with fellow ranchers and others involved in the cattle industry or relax and enjoy time at the beach or golf course.

A true family event, the convention offers activities for CattleWomen and Junior members as well. Florida CattleWomen’s President Sarabeth Barthle-Simmons will lead that group as they continue to promote beef consumption through public education and legislative awareness of the positive aspects of beef production. JFCA Quiz Bowl, Public Speaking, and Team Marketing contests give the kids opportunities to showcase their talents.

A new FCA Sweetheart will also be crowned. According to Convention Chairperson Kim Strickland, seven young women will compete to determine who will have the opportunity to represent FCA and promote and educate consumers about beef and the Florida beef industry for the next year.

The Allied Trade Show will host approximately 125 vendors offering everything from financial services, nutritional supplements, original artwork, and heavy equipment.

And what Cattlemen’s convention would be complete without a Bull Sale? Donors for the sale include well respected breeding programs from the likes of Adams Ranch, Lightsey Cattle Company, Petteway Citrus & Cattle, and many others. Proceeds from the sale benefit FCA programs and activities.Emily Hobby is again coordinating the Silent Auction, with items to be on display until Thursday morning. The proceeds benefit the FCA Foundation, which supports the heritage of, and benefits the future of the cattle industry. Donations of items, as well as the amount spent on purchases at the auction, are both tax deductible. Past items have ranged from feed and fertilizer to jewelry and time at vacation homes. “Our Foundation does so much to support our kids – they are our future and that is why I am so passionate about the auction,” Emily shared. To donate items, please contact her at 352.427.4247.

If you’re planning to attend and haven’t made reservations yet, grab your phone! Rooms fill quickly for this fun and informative event. Just remember to pack your boots and your sunscreen!

annual Florida cattlemen’s convention and allied Trade Show Next month over 1,500 cattlemen and women will

converge on Marco Island for the annual Florida Cattlemen’s

Convention and Allied Trade Show to be held at the Marriott

June 18th – 20th.

2013 FCA Sweetheart Contestants: (Left to Right) Hendry County Katharine Whidden, Highlands County Deta Waller, Hillsborough County Chrissy Grimmer, Marion County Caroline Dailey, Okeechobee County Jenna Wolff, Polk County Harley Zoeckler and Volusia County Kelsey Maloney

Get A Grip!


Beef Ambassadors Kaylee Stallard and Jessica Andrlik, both from Hillsborough County; Charlotte Rutledge, FCW Chaplain, Lee County; Wendy Petteway, FCW Past President, Hardee County; and FCW members Tami Newsome and Michelle Grimmer, both of Hillsborough County.

On March 12-14, the Florida Cattlemen and Florida CattleWomen held their quarterly meeting in Tallahassee. The purpose of holding the quarterly meeting in Tallahasee is to be able to visit the Capitol and meet with every elected official to lobby for the cattle industry. Over 100 cattlemen and women were able to attend and meet with Representatives and Senators on March 13.

After a briefing at the hotel about the important bills that were affecting our industry, team leaders picked up packets labeled for each elected official. In these packets included information about the cattle industry, a copy of the Florida Cattleman and Livestock Journal magazine, a listing of our positions on various bills either in committee or on the floor of the House or Senate as well as an invitation to the street party held that evening. Each team had approximately 7-10 packets to distribute. The main purpose was to put these packets directly into the hands of the elected officials, putting a face on agriculture by greeting each personally. Sometimes you do not have the opportunity to meet with a state Senator or Representative directly, either they are on the floor, in committee, or otherwise unavailable; then you must speak with an aide. However, sometimes these conversations are just as valuable.

We had several great meetings with aides that resulted in positive feedback about their positions. It is very important to keep all these elected officials as allies in Tallahassee. We need them to understand our industry and be certain to vote positively for us in this year’s session. More than one-third of all the elected officials in Tallahassee are freshmen, so some

may have no understanding at all about our industry. Some of the issues we were keeping in front of them were the Beef Labeling bill, the Department of Agriculture budget, Nutrient Trading and many others important to not just the cattle industry, but agriculture in general.

The Florida CattleWomen were well represented at the Capitol, with over 20 of us there to lobby. We also had a large representation of Gator Collegiate CattleWomen join us. Three of our Beef Ambassadors, Alex Lucas, Jessica Andrlik and Kaylee Stallard attended the event as well, giving them invaluable experience dealing with elected officials and seeing first-hand the importance of lobbying for our industry.

After a very successful visit to the Capitol, the day was not over. That evening, there was a street party held and it was well attended with a large crowd of cattlemen and women, elected officials and aides. The Florida Cattlemen and the Florida Beef Council provided beef sliders, meatballs, beef crostini and fried swamp cabbage for the party. Other participants included the Florida Restaurant Association and VisitFlorida.com The food was incredible; besides our beef, there was everything from fresh oysters to Florida gumbo, and sweet treats from cupcakes to ice cream. Live music made the night special.

On Thursday, the 14th, the Florida Cattlemen and Women held their respective Board of Director meetings. We were able to discuss our success the day before as well as other pertinent business of the association. All in all, it was another successful visit to the Capitol and we look forward to attending next year.

Florida Cattlemen and Women’s Quarterly in Tallahassee BY WENDY PETTEWAY


REC

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Baja Sunrise Steak and EggsMarinade time: 6 hours or overnightTotal recipe time: 30 to 35 minutes

Makes 4 servings

Instructions:Combine 1/2 cup salsa, orange juice, cilantro, chili powder and 1 tablespoon orange peel in small bowl. Place beef steaks and salsa mixture in food-safe plastic bag; turn steaks to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator 6 hours or as long as overnight, turning occasionally.

Remove steaks from marinade; discard marinade. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium heat until hot. Place steaks in skillet; cook 11 to 13 minutes for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook eggs as desired. Keep warm.Combine remaining 1/2 cup salsa and 1 teaspoon orange peel. Carve steaks into thin slices; season with salt and pepper, as desired. Evenly place steak slices and egg on each tortilla. Top with salsa mixture and avocado slices. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Ingredients:4 beef eye round steaks (4 oz each), cut 3/4-inch thick

1 cup salsa, divided

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons chipotle chili powder

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon orange peel, divided

4 large eggs

Salt and pepper

4 medium whole wheat or multigrain tortillas, toasted

1 medium avocado, sliced

Lime wedges (optional)

Someone once said “Successful people aren’t born, they become successful by establishing habits of doing things that other people are not willing to do.”

As we move through 2013, we are fortunate in the Florida Cattle Industry to have many

relationships that benefit our businesses. Many of which were forged by the successful and dedicated leaders of our organization that have come before us. Cattlemen and women across this state and nation put in the long hours, doing the hard work and building the lasting relationships that make our cattle industry thrive.

This year’s convention theme is “Get a Grip” and we are focusing on the relationship aspect of our cattle industry. Throughout the week we will have the opportunity to honor the men and women that have been dedicated to serving our industry. We’ll also take time to showcase the many accomplished youth that will help our industry thrive for generations to come. Take some time to talk to our trade show vendors; they have innovative ways to help you “Get a Grip” on the new technologies that can positively impact your operation. I also encourage you to thank our many sponsors that make our convention one of the best in the country.

I would like to invite all of the ladies to attend the Florida CattleWomen’s meetings and social events.

Our convention will provide you the opportunity to learn more about the relationships that we maintain all year long; to ensure that we are using the most effective means possible to promote and educate consumers about the wholesome and nutritious beef that we produce. We would love to have more active members to help us build the relationships that make our beef industry strong.

Make plans for your family to attend the 2013 Annual Convention in Marco Island. I look forward to seeing you all there!

Sarabeth Barthle SimmonsPresident, Florida CattleWomen’s Association

Convention Message


Join others from the Heartland!


For years, you’ve seen watermelon images on print dresses, 1970s wallpaper, patio serving ware, but did you ever imagine seeing watermelons depicted in Egyptian hieroglyphics on the walls of ancient buildings?

Watermelons have been enjoyed for thousands of years. They may have originated in Africa’s Kalahari Desert. They obviously were valued as they were often placed in the burial tombs of kings.According to the National Watermelon Promotion Board, watermelons traveled throughout the Mediterranean region by way of merchant ships. The Chinese took to them and became, eventually, the world’s largest producer of watermelons.Finally, possibly via slave ships, they made their way to the Americas, where they not only nourished the population, they were also turned into useful items such as canteens.

Forty-four states grow watermelons including Florida, Texas, California, Georgia and Arizona, which lead the country in production.Today, about 200 varieties are grown in the U.S. and Mexico, with about 50 varieties that are most popular. The latest development, ‘seedless’ melons, have caught on in a big way. They were actually invented more than 50 years ago. Many are not technically seedless as they contain the white seed coats that did not mature into seeds. You can eat those. You can also eat the mature seeds. Just roast them as you would pumpkin seeds. Seedless varieties are sterile hybrids. The National Watermelon Promotion Board compares the process to breeding mules by crossing a horse with a donkey. It doesn’t involve genetic modification.

Watermelon is a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium and it’s a wonderful way to make sure you’re hydrated. One cup is only about 50 calories and it’s very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. The calories it does contain come mostly from the sugar that makes it so sweet.

Choosing a good watermelon is easy. Look for a firm, symmetrical melon that is free from bruises, cuts or dents. Watermelons are about 62 percent water, so they should be nice and heavy. Finally, look for a creamy yellow spot where it sat on the ground. If this spot is white or green, the melon may not be ripe. Watermelons will not ripen on the countertop. Select a ripe one and dig in!

Watermelons will keep in the refrigerator for about a week. Once cut, make sure they are kept in plastic wrap. Gobble them up sliced, in chunks or balled. Or try something new …

FLORIDAWatermelons

In Season Nowwww.ffva.com twitter/ FlaFruitandVeg Facebook: Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association


Arugula, Watermelon and Feta SaladFrom the Food Network, 199, ina gartenServes 4

• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)• 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large)• 1 tablespoon honey• 1/2 cup good olive oil• 1 teaspoon kosher salt• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper• 6 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry• 1/8th seedless watermelon, rind removed, and cut in 1-inch cubes• 12 ounces good feta cheese, 1/2-inch diced• 1 cup (4 ounces) whole fresh mint leaves, julienned

whisk together the orange juice, lemon juice, shallots, honey, salt, and pepper. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking constantly, to form an emulsion. if not using within an hour, store the vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator.place the arugula, watermelon, feta, and mint in a large bowl. drizzle with enough vinaigrette to coat the greens lightly and toss well. Taste for seasonings and serve immediately.

Open Face Watermelon SandwichesFrom the Florida department of agriculture and consumer ServicesServes 4

• ¼ medium-sized Florida watermelons, seeds and rind removed• 1 handful mint leaves• 8 ounces goat cheese (chevre)• ½ loaf crusty bread, sliced thin• Olive oil• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

crumble chilled goat cheese into a small bowl. Lightly mix cheese and chopped mint. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper. cut bread into 8 small slices and drizzle with olive oil. Toast bread slices until golden brown and crispy on top. Let bread cool slightly. Spread cheese mixture on top of each slice of bread. cut watermelon slices into fun shapes and layer watermelon on top of the chees.Lightly season the top of the sandwiches with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.


The Mosaic Company has a new office in DeSoto County.in the restored historic Hollingsworth house overlooking Oak Street and the County Administration building in downtown Arcadia. The office will serve as the company’s base of operations in DeSoto County.

“Mosaic has officially put roots down in DeSoto County and the company looks forward to a bright future with our neighbors in Arcadia,” said Martha Monfried, Mosaic’s Vice President of Public Affairs. “We appreciate the warm welcome we’ve received from the citizens of DeSoto County and are proud that Mosaic was able to restore one of the historic homes that helps give Arcadia its unique character.”

Located at the corner of Oak and Hillsborough in the Arcadia Historic District, the restored house will provide office space for Mosaic’s DeSoto-based community relations and permitting staff members. Mosaic renovated a second building behind the Hollingsworth House to serve as a community room to host meetings of the company’s DeSoto County Citizens Advisory Panel and other community events. “We’re delighted that Mosaic is making this commitment to DeSoto County and we welcome them to our community,” said Debby Snyder, Executive Director of the DeSoto County Chamber of Commerce. “Our county has long aimed to expand our economic base and Mosaic represents a great opportunity for the county to bring back an old, but vastly improved industry and economic driver.”

Since its formation in 2004, Mosaic has owned more than18,000 acres of future phosphate mine land in DeSoto County. Within the next 10 years, the company is poised to invest more than $1 billion in construction and infrastructure

costs to develop a world class phosphate mine in the county, which will eventually provide nearly half of the company’s Florida phosphate rock production. The facility is expected to employ approximately 400 full time employees with wages and benefits averaging significantly higher than the currently reported average median income in DeSoto County. The mine will also provide employment for hundreds of full time contractors. And, according to a recent study, economic activity resulting from the mine’s operation will produce thousands of induced jobs in DeSoto County and beyond.

About The Mosaic Company

The Mosaic Company is the world’s leading producer of potash and phosphate crop nutrients. American farmers rely on Florida phosphate for nearly half of their annual crop nutrition requirements. Phosphate is a natural product for which there is no man-made substitute, making Florida’s phosphate reserves of strategic importance to critical sectors of the state and national economy, including farming, manufacturing, shipping, trucking and rail. Mosaic employs more than 3,000 Central Florida residents, and tens of thousands of Floridians work in other jobs dependent upon the industry. The company utilizes state-of-the-art environmental technologies to recycle more than 95 percent of its water and return land that it uses to its natural beauty, or into parks, playgrounds and community amenities. For more information on Mosaic’s presence in DeSoto County, go to www.mosaicinDeSoto.com

THE MOSAIC COMpANY OpENS NEW DESOTO COUNTY OFFICE

Restored Historic Hollingsworth House in Arcadia Will Serve as Base of Mosaic Operations in the County


Six convenient locations throughout Highlands and Hardee Countieswww.wauchulastatebank.com

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Wilford(Bill)andLesterPiperopenedtheEvergladesWonderGardensin1936.It was the beginning of the second administration of Franklin Roosevelt. Bonita Springs was originally named Survey (for the nature of the work of men along The Tamiami Trail) and the Imperial River was called Surveyors’ Creek. The brothers settled on the north side of the water, across from Baird’s Tourist Camp. At one time, the Piper’s owned eight square miles of land, from U.S. 41 east along Immokalee Road, that included vast wetland prairies and cypress forests.

Bill ran the cattle and Lester ran the store. He foresaw his acreage along the quiet road through Bonita Springs as an ornamental garden and wildlife refuge and attraction but it was early on that the reptiles, birds and animals of the Everglades became the main event.David Piper and his brother Lester, grandsons of the brothers, have managed the Wonder Gardens for many years, successfully, but all things come to an end. On April 21st, tickets were sold for the last time. The grounds are overgrown with creepers and vines, the cages and pens are empty and the Wonder Gardens and its owners are slap worn out. It is likely that the place lived on an additional forty years because of the bypassing of old Bonita Springs when 41 was widened for traffic from Fort Myers to Naples and was located and paved about five miles west of the village.

It was a looser time back then. Lester Piper hunted, trapped and fished, and ran down critters for his Florida zoo, and critters to feed the critters. Environmental laws were not so rigid as today. He used rifles, shotguns and pistols, snares and traps, harpoons and gigs, lassos and nooses and nets, rods and reels, blocks and tackle. He tracked and chased and captured on horseback and surplus army jeeps and in swamp buggies and skiffs. He used Seminole Indian guides and hounds and his always-increasing understanding of the land and water to “bring them back alive”. The Wonder Gardens filled with wild creatures from the swamps and woods and lakes that were the Everglades. The Wonder Gardens featured “true” Florida panthers (that is before puma stock was introduced to save the passing species) and bobcats and black bears. His bear in 1939 was

TheLastRoadsideAttraction:

EvergladesWonderGardens

BY BRADY VOGT


used in the filming of “The Yearling”, cast as “Old Slewfoot”. David Piper said his grandfather would insist on reading a movie or television script before he would contract to allow his animals to be used in the production or on location.

He bought rattlesnakes and water moccasins and snapping turtles from other local boys. He built cement ponds for sliders and banded water turtles and built fenced in pens for diamond boxes and gopher tortoises. He featured otters in various shows, built a swinging bridge over the alligator lake, and fed baby black bear cubs milk from a bottle. He clipped the wings of pink flamingos and roseate spoonbills and red-shouldered hawks and occasionally, a bald eagle, likely brought in as an injured bird, and thus saved for a longer life and as a delight for the human experience. It was however, for the alligators and American crocodiles for which the park became famous. The Wonder Gardens up until several years ago had hundreds of gators, from hatchlings to healthy, frisky eight footers up to “Big Joe”, a remarkable thirteen footer that lived in captivity nearly forty years. The reptiles never ceased to fascinate the adult Yankees and the children that found their way so far south of Orlando.

Lester and Lucille lived in a little house he built along the road; it later became a combination of office, ticket counter, gift store and a museum of natural history and therein lies “the rest of the story”. Not all of the animals and reptiles and birds came out of the woods alive. Over the years, probably many died. Lester became an expert taxidermist and bone collector. He had to butcher hogs and deer and possums and raccoons to feed the carnivores. He fed chickens and mullet to the gators and crocs, and was known even, to pick up a road kill now and then, to supplement the pantry. One learns by doing. The bedroom became a miniature field museum, as did the hallway and then the walls and perches in the gift store became filled with mounted alligator skins,

head and claws included. Stuffed owls and ibis and eagles looked down from dusty corners. Under glass, the shelves filled with skulls of mules and hogs, and the skeletons of rattlesnakes and foxes. It was, perhaps at one time, the most complete collection of creatures indigenous to the Everglades, and not likely to be seen again. The mule skull looked to have carved from stone, snapping turtle shells hung from stout pegs in the wall, a stuffed black panther, his teeth bared in a snarl, guarded his side of the former bedroom.

A lifetime of collecting; photographs and documents; letters and movie scripts; books and papers. Lester’s butchering tools, cleavers and knives, arrowheads and teeth and claws. Perhaps as a group, the vast collection of the relics and remnants, artifacts of a working zoo that was seventy years old could have been auctioned by Christie’s. As

a group, the anthropological treasures are no less important to the history of the Everglades than Stanley’s treasures from Africa or Peary’s assembly of all things Arctic. One would have liked to buy an item, a remembrance, but they were not affordable. David wanted an arm and a leg for a head or a hide. He should get it, the mounts and skulls and accompanying historical items are that good, that old, that authentic.

Charles Lebuff, who is a respected historian and naturalist in Lee County, wrote a book about Bill and Lester Piper. It is titled Everglades Wildlife Barons, and is available on Amazon.com. Additional information may be found at www.evergladeswondergardens.net. It was, sadly, the last of its breed, an old time nature show, now extinct of the edge of the Everglades.


Lacy GREEN

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Twelve-year old Lacy Green of Moore Haven describes this year as being “a dream come true for me and my family.”

The daughter of Edwin and Calinda Chapman Green and the granddaughter of the late Bud Green, Lacy is a sixth grade student at Moore Haven Elementary and has participated in 4-H since the third grade.

Lacy serves as Photographer of the Beef Makers 4-H Club, and she won Reserve Grand Champion and Junior Showmanship with her 1,100-pound Angus-cross steer “Dumpling” at the Glades County Youth Livestock Show and Sale. She also won Grand Champion with her Angus-cross heifer “Big Mamma” and calf “Little Daddy.” Because Lacy performed so well in the Steer Showmanship, when one more entry was needed in order to have a Senior Heifer Showmanship class, she stepped up and competed with the seniors, winning that class as well!

According to Lacy, “I worked on my showmanship a lot this year, I practiced daily. My goal was to win showmanship and God answered my prayers and blessed me with much more.”

While her show animals are her favorite projects, Lacy is also honing her skills in sewing, photography, and livestock judging.

Lacy is President of the Glades 4-H Sewing Club and won Grand Champion with her project this year, a dress that she made from a pattern and material that she selected herself.

As a member of the Sharp Shooters Photography Club, her entry in the Sea Life category won first place at the State marine biology photo contest held in Kissimmee last fall.

Lacy is also an active member of Rocking the Ring Livestock Judging team, and competed at the South Florida Fair, the Tampa State Fair, and the Fat Steer Contest in Kissimmee.

As for her future goals, Lacy said, “I can’t wait until next year. I have learned that practice and hard work pays off.” We’re certain to see more of her and her projects in the years to come!

BY ROBBI SUMNER

“All-Around 4-Her”


Sarah Helen DAVIS

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To describe Sarah Helen Davis as “well-rounded” would be an understatement. The Okeechobee High School (OHS) senior will graduate this June with a number of agricultural, academic, sports and leadership accomplishments under her belt.

The daughter of Jim and Candace Davis, Sarah Helen admits that she is competitive by nature, especially when it comes to her older brother Will. “He was a four-year letterman and ranked 6th in his class, so I wanted to beat him,” she says with a smile. “Last year I totaled my truck and even though he’s had a few wrecks, he said I even out-did him with that one!”

Beginning as a young 4-Her, Sarah Helen enjoyed many different projects, including riding horses with the Bits N Spurs mounted drill team, raising hogs with the Bacon Bunch, livestock judging with the Chobee Cattle Kids and showing

Boer goats and beef cattle with the Chobee Round-up. She was also a member of FFA her 6th through 11th grade years. “Unfortunately I wasn’t able to remain in FFA my senior year due to class scheduling,” she explained.

The family’s SH Show Cattle business has grown along with her proficiency in breeding, fitting, showing and selling purebred cattle. “I started with Brangus, but have gone more to Maine Anjou/Angus crossbreds and really like the Simmental/Angus crosses,” she says. “The Sim/Angus HT (heat tolerant) have Brahman influence and do well in our climate.” While her accomplishments in the show ring are too numerous to list completely, some highlights include showing the Grand Champion Steer, Bull, and Goat at the 2013 Okeechobee Youth Livestock Show; being named Champion Senior Showman in Market Steers at the 2013 South Florida Fair; and winning Top Overall Intermediate Showman at the 2012 Simmental Eastern Regional Beef Show in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

Sarah Helen stays busy as a member of the OHS volleyball, softball, and weightlifting teams. She is a 4-year letterman in volleyball and softball and a 3-year letterman in weightlifting. “I didn’t know about weightlifting until 10th grade, but I really enjoy it and it helps with the other two sports,” she says.

BY ROBBI SUMNER


She has also gained the confidence of her peers as evidenced by her election as Senior Class President after serving as Vice President of her Junior and Sophomore classes, and Student Council President as a Freshman. “I like being able to influence things and know that things are getting done,” she says regarding her various leadership roles. She is a member of the National Honor Society, National Beta Club, Junior Florida Cattlemen’s Association, and also serves on the OHS Student Advisory Council, Principal’s Advisory Council, and has accumulated over 250 community service hours with organizations like the March of Dimes and Toys for Tots.

But don’t think all of her extra-curricular activities have kept her from her studies. Sarah Helen will graduate as the OHS 2013 class Valedictorian. When I asked how she finds the time to fit so many activities in her schedule, she grinned and replied “I don’t sleep much!”

Following in the footsteps of her parents, Sarah Helen will attend Texas A&M University in College Station this fall, where she plans to major in Ag Engineering or Animal Science with a Pre-vet focus. Specifically, she might be a small animal veterinarian like her mom. “I just don’t see there being as many opportunities and much flexibility with large animal practices in the future,” she says of her career possibilities.

“I can’t thank my parents enough for all they have done to help me. Whether it was getting me to sporting events or livestock shows, they have always been, and continue to be here for me.”

Congratulations to Sarah Helen and her family. “Gig ‘em Aggies!”

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Walk-ins Welcome!

7 am - 4:30 pm

SendMeMissions 5K Run/Walk

May 17, 2013 7pm

Hardee County Court House (courtyard) 417 W. Main Street

Wauchula, FL 33873

Register online at www.active.com

$20 (pre-registration thru May 10th) $25 (May 11th thru day of race)

www.sendmemissions5k.com All proceeds support SendMeMission projects & mission trip scholarships.


D o you know where your food comes from or what is involved in getting vegetables from seed to the plate? Each day millions of farmers around

the world work to provide us with food as well as materials needed to make everyday items such as clothes, crayons, diapers etc.

On March 8, 2013, approximately 400 DeSoto County 4th grade students learned about various aspects of agriculture including where their food comes from, the roles that farmers play in getting our food from farm to plate, agricultural by-products and tools used in the agricultural industry.

During the AgVenture program, which is focused on hands-on learning, students visited eight different stations led by community members involved in the agricultural industry. The stations available for the students included blueberries, beef, watermelon, farm equipment, citrus, phosphate, bees, vegetables, insects, peaches, tomatoes, sod, the history of agriculture and dairy. Each of the speakers presented youth with information about their particular commodity, which helped students to gain a better understanding about that specific portion of agriculture. Each presenter also provided a hands-on activity for youth to complete as well.

As the day concluded, the committee hoped that all students, as well as adults, who attended AgVenture gained a better

understanding of agriculture and where their food comes from. Knowing this, youth will hopefully understand what an integral part a farmer plays in our lives as one farmer produces food for 155 people per year and the industry provides approximately 24 million jobs in the United States.

The DeSoto County 4-H program, along with many community sponsors, made this event possible. In addition, over ninety volunteers and presenters assisted with AgVenture. We look forward to educating more youth about agriculture in the years to come. For more information about the AgVenture Program or 4-H, please contact Kristie Popa at (863) 993-4846 or by email at [email protected]

DeSoto CountyAgVenture 2013


2013 4-H Hardee County EventsJudges: Ms. Janet Beckley, Dr. Frank Gibbs, and Mr. Matt Warren

Leisure Arts Red Ribbon, Abigail Erekson, Int. “How to Draw Princess Ema”Blue Ribbon, Anna & Kate Melendy, Jr/Int Team “Beautiful Ballet”

Environmental EducationEarth Science Blue Ribbon, Shaydan Ward, Jr “Recycling Crayons for Candles”

Red Ribbon, Bobby & Hannah Rast, Jr/Int Team “Constructing a Rain Barrel”

Blue Ribbon, Destiny McCauley, Sr “Cow Manure: Today’s Waste. . .The Power of Tomorrow.”

Natural ResourcesRed Ribbon, Rebekah Erekson, Jr “Florida’s Animals: Endangered and Invasive.”

Animal ScienceAnimal Industry Red Ribbon, Hugh Pate, Jr “Beef By Products”

Companion AnimalsBlue, Victoria Edgely, Sr “Rescue Pets and the Importance of Adoption.”

Healthy LifestylesFood Preparation Blue Ribbon, Mackenzie Burch, Jr “How to Make Pumpkin Pie”

Health & SafetyRed Ribbon, Aryanna Burch, Jr “How to Make a Homemade Flu Remedy.”

Share the FunBlue Ribbon, Larrett Smith, Int, Piano Solo - “Larrett’s Melody”Blue Ribbon, Ruth Erekson, Sr, Piano Solo

District Events will be held on Saturday, May 4, 2013 in Okeechobee and hosted by Okeechobee County

For More InformationPlease Contact:

117 Acres COLLIER COUNTY5980 SR 29, Immokalee, FLPrevious crops included:

Cantelope, watermelons

and peppers. Also features

6” well - electric motor and

throw out pump - diesel

motor. ASKING: $877,500

Chuck Smith, CCIMSenior Vice PresidentT: [email protected]

www.commercialpropertyinfo.net

FARM LAND FOR SALE

The information contained herein was obtained from sources believed reliable, however, Lee & Associates makes no guarantees, warranties or representations as to the completeness or accuracy thereof. The presentation of this property is submitted subject to errors, omissions, change of price or conditions prior to sale or lease or withdrawal without notice.

Carlos AcostaSenior Vice PresidentT: [email protected]

781 Acres LEE COUNTY12500 Green Meadow Road, Fort Myers, FLLocated 8.4 miles east of

I-75. large farm operation.

CALL FOR PRICING

114 Acres HENDRY COUNTY465 Country Road 830A, Felda, FLLocated just south of

LaBelle. property includes

2 bed/1 bath home plus

mobile home. Currently

farmed.

ASKING: $1,026,000

377 Acres COLLIER COUNTY6130 Pringle Lane, Immokalee, FL4 Individual parcels, buy

all or individual parcels.

All lots are sloped laser

leveled and are currently

farmed.

ASKING: $3,398,940

31.78 Acres HENDRY COUNTY388 Country Road 830A, Felda, FLZoning General AG,

property located 1 mile

north of the Collier/

Hendry County line, in the

northeast quandrant of SR

29 & CR 830A.

ASKING: $9,000/Acre

UNDERCONTRACT!


Upon arriving in Jerusalem, we entered the lobby of the Jerusalem Tower Hotel, where a large glass wall protects the interior from the wind chilled night air. After a daylong bus ride, a walk through the city of Jerusalem is a great way to stretch out. Not knowing where to go did not concern many that night as the tour group separated and went different directions. Tonight offered an unguided tour of Israel since the tour was to start in the morning.

Early to rise, the bus awaits, to the front of the bus stands a Uruguayan wearing a cliché “Hello my name is” sticker, with Pablo boldly printed across the white square. Our English tour guide steps off the bus with a cheerful “welcome to Israel” and introduces himself as Maury. Already it’s easy to see a variety of ethnic groups work and live in Israel. From last night, a few hours spent mostly finding the lost hotel; one stop was made at a restaurant. A nice waitress with a strong French accent modestly said that she is fluent in Arabic, Hebrew, English, and French but can speak Italian, Spanish, Russian, Korean, German, and Chinese quite well. Today the first stop for the bus is a morning view off of Mount of Olives. Maury talked about the locations to visit as everyone overlooked the city of Jerusalem. The mount makes for an excellent panoramic

view of the old city. The Dome of the Rock gleamed in the morning sun. Vegetation grows right to the edge of the city adding color to the tan rock walls.

A Heartland Soldier’s Story Abroad CROSSING THE RED SEA

BY pFC. LEVI LAMBERT


After seeing the city from afar, a short bus ride drops the tour just outside of the old city gate. Inside the city, the church of the Holy Sepulchre stood at the base of a long 5-step staircase. The Chaplain’s voice echoed throughout the courtyard off of the tall carved walls. On the interior of the brown sand colored church just a few meters past the oversize dark wooden doors was a slab of rock placed in the middle of the floor. Priests walked around the stone, praying and singing. Some were holding their bibles, others were sprinkling water and oils onto the stone, and the last man carried a brass globe that hung to the floor by a chain. The priest swung the globe; smoke puffed out and filled the room with frankincense and myrrh. Security personnel paced back and forth to keep the large crowd from kneeling at the stone. This site holds special importance to many religions since it commemorates the Hill of Calvary and the garden tomb of Jesus. A few meters past the threshold lay the stone of anointing. Immediately after the priest completed the ritual, people from many religious backgrounds encircled the stone, fell to their knees, and anointed various items.

Moving the tour along, we walked to the Wailing Wall. On this particular day, it was a special day and no pictures were allowed. At the western Wailing Wall you can leave a note in the wall, pray at the wall, or check out a bible to read. Many

people in passing sit down and do all three.

At the Sea of Galilee a boat tours loads of sightseers around the lake while the tour guide speaks of the lake’s history and importance to the land. A museum was built after a discovery of an ancient boat to allow storage for the recovered wreckage. A nickname was attached to the boat labeling it as the Jesus boat. After a visit to the stormy sea, you simply must see the peaceful holy garden that leads to the Mount of Beatitudes. Inside the gated area lie sacred grounds and just like visiting the old city, shorts are not suitable. Colors flourished on both sides of the path as new growth blossoms many blooms. From bougainvillea, daisy, wisteria, perennials, and roses to palms, weeping willows, and olive trees, the variety that makes up the landscape gives the holy garden a majestic feel.

Visiting this area to share the history of Jesus and many bible stories with my fellow soldiers has been a great privilege. The tour to the Holy Land offered much more than the summary I shared with you today. Thank you all for your support and I hope my little piece of writing brings a small part of me to you.

Levi is a Hardee County soldier sharing with the Heartland each month his travels from abroad. Most every one of us has a family member, friend or neighbor in the military and we appreciate their service.


ASeriesonFloridaLiterature:St. Petersburg Book Fair

The most extraordinary feature of a rare book event is the shortage of ordinary books. Gathered in one place, one hundred antiquarian booksellers can put on a show. The cubicles and shelved spaces are more mindful of miniature museums than regular vendors’ stalls. Millions of dollars of fine books for sale and trade on the 10th and 11th of March, security was evident.

The 32nd Annual St. Petersburg Antiquarian Book Fair was in full swing at The Coliseum in downtown, directly across on 4th Avenue North, from the Lawn Bowling Fields and the Shuffleboard Courts. The Coliseum is a Quonset shaped building, with oak floors, a small lobby and a men’s room that reminds me of The Shining (Stephen King. Signed. Near Fine in a Near Fine dust jacket. $450.00). On the walls of the lobby are old photographs inscribed to Rex Baxter and The Coliseum staff from Rudy Valee, Guy Lombardo and Harry James.

Book fairs are not an anomaly. They take place week after week but we are a big country, spread out. Florida in the winter, New York and Boston after the snow melts. There

were couples there, interestingly a number of booksellers are husband and wife. She knits, he gazes off into the crowd. They were from Nebraska and Illinois, and Ohio. There were dealers on their own, who drove, unloaded, set up, tried to sell books for two days, took the books down, carted and carried them to the parking lots, and drove back home to Maryland and Memphis, and Asheville, and Vermont. Thousands of books; millions of dollars. All under one cedar planked roof.

There are not many “open shops” that remain, that is, used bookstores. Scarcity, and hence a living, have been eliminated by the range of the computer. An attraction, however, that remains for the buyer, the collector, the gatherer, is to see and hold the book, and for the seller, to hand it to him or her. That is the life’s blood of a book fair. How else might one have an opportunity to appreciate a fine book for the many merits that cannot be described electronically? No nail biting, no pacing, no remorse, while one waits for the postal delivery. Simply have the book wrapped and placed under one’s arm, cleared by the marshal, and thus, it is a new member of the family.

BY BRADY VOGT


The Old Book Says, “Please take me home. I belong with you.”Ah. The books. Vellum...parchment from 16th and 17th centuries. Sheepskin bleached a creamy white. Moroccan leather and English calf. Smooth and soft or elaborately tooled and ridged. Gold (gilt) lettering and lines, gold decorations and gold page ends. Fore-edged paintings (“disappearing”) that are revealed only as the edges of the pages are thumbed. Hand

painted color plates. Steel engravings. Carefully constructed folded maps. Tissue papers that guard the illustrations. Black and white and brown hued photographs. Letters. Deeds. Ephemera. Signatures of presidents and generals, adventurers and poets. The old stuff.

The new stuff. Modern literature, which is referred to in the trade as “Modern Firsts” and “Modern Fiction”. In this category, there is entirely as much importance attached to the presentation as the content. Considered to have bloomed in the 1920’s, the fiction works of the great writers, especially the earliest of the long bodies of work, are enthusiastically sought by the financially sound. The condition of the covers and pages must be flawless. No blemishes. No tears. No tape. No red inked “Happy Birthday From Sue”.

“Clean and bright” one wag likes to say. The so important dust wrapper, likewise, without disturbance. The original selling price must be present. The copyright must say First edition or First Printing. The rear of the cover must be without the dreaded dot, that signifies it is a poor cousin, a BOMC.

Signed without an inscription. Wow! A signed Ernest Hemingway, let us say, TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, A Florida story, “Near Fine” as they say in the trade...$20,000.00? Randy Wayne White and his SANIBEL FLATS (a sharp copy at $850.00 from St. Petersburg’s own Lighthouse Books.) Randy does a good signature. He’s had plenty of practice.

Modern Firsts are desirable because they are glamorous. Glamorous content and artistic wrapping. The dust jackets are the spouses to the books. An acclaimed work of fiction, though the story and cover and pages are there, is not complete without its wrapper. Two young men, “Bohemians”, manned their shop. Just under glass, they displayed one hundred thousand dollars worth of Modern Fiction, distributed over just twenty titles. Books for mere hundreds were featured on the wooden shelves. It would take many years and many miles and a bank-full of money to accomplish such a gathering. How, I wondered, could those fellows so young, have such marvelous taste, such erudition, such capital and confidence? Where did they get those books?

One could read his or her way through a single booth. That too would take many years... but what an education would have taken place. The assortment of content of such an array is powerful. The range is in your own imagination. So, the book fair makes available, indeed tries to sell, a physical and an intellectual statement. The crowd is friendly. Strangers talk, tell stories, impart fables and traditions of eccentrics like themselves, or that they might also become. Many wear glasses (just about all) and Rockports. They are avid about the avocation, for many it is a second or third career, or a first...the Bohemians. And no surprise of surprises, the bookseller himself, is his associate’s best customer. He doubles the costs of the trip, and spends the grandchildren’s money, so he might buy those titles he is missing in order to make his library more complete.

Book Collector says. “It was the very last thing I needed.”Wife says. “It surely was.”


On SATuRDAY, April 20, the Highlands County Farm Bureau held their 13th Annual Cracker Fun Shoot at Quail Creek Plantation in Okeechobee. As in the past, the Highlands Farm Bureau organized another very well executed event that included a great steak lunch with swamp cabbage and homemade ice cream.

This year’s Cracker Shoot had a total of 123 shooters participating on a beautiful Saturday. As is to be expected, everyone appeared to have really enjoyed the day.

The first place team with a total score of 381 was Gator Smiles-David Wiley, DMD. Shooters were Ray Royce, Steven Phypers, Charlie Wilson and Jason Cloud. Both 1st and 2nd high scoring individuals were members of that team.

1st place with a score of 97 was Jason Cloud, followed by Steven Phypers with a score of 96.

The second place team was Armstrong with a score of 348. Team members were Bruce Armstrong, Bill Pate, Jim St. Clair and Carl Woods. Congratulations fellas and be sure that my team plans to be back next years intending to narrow the gap!

This year, on behalf of Heartland In the Field, I brought a shooter team that included John Platt, Jason Carnley, Steve Lasiter and myself. We all had an enjoyable round of shooting and feel that our shooting is progressively improving.

As always, I include a well-deserved compliment to Fred and Maria and all the staff at Quail Creek who are always courteous and attentive to make sure

that each event is safe, smooth and enjoyable for all. Over the past two years, I have been to sporting clay shoots here, both representing Heartland In the Field and on my own. I know that little problems must have arisen, but Quail Creek personnel handle them so smoothly that few, if any, guests are affected.

Congratulations to Highlands Farm Bureau President Scott Kirouac and the directors whose dedicated efforts led to such an enjoyable and successful benefit. I would also like to thank Jan Menges and any others who had a part in organizing this year’s shoot. A special Thank You is in order for all the sponsor companies and individuals whose support helped create an enjoyable day for all.

We hope to see you next year!

Highlands County Farm Bureau13th AnnualCracker ShootBy Ron Lambert

I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to the sharp-eyed person who found and returned the ejector for my shotgun. Somehow it fell out of my favorite gun and its return was an added benefit to the day! Thank you very much, whoever you are. My hope is that you read these words and know that I am indeed grateful


AG CALENDARMAY 2ND NationalDayofPrayer

MAY 3RD SandyKuhnMemorialPutnamRide,ZolfoSprings

MAY 3RD-4TH SeminoleTribeofFlorida’sBigCypressReservation117thAnniversaryCelebration.www.bigcypresscelebration.com

MAY 3RD SaraEvansConcert,5:00pm,JuniorCypressRodeoArena.Ticketsavailableatticketmaster.com

MAY 4TH ClaysforKidsFunShoot,8:00am-1:00pm,SquareOneSportingClays,LakePlacid.Formoreinformation,call863-402-9001

MAY 5TH CountryFest,CharlotteCountyFairGrounds,PortCharlotte

MAY 8TH-10TH 62ndAnnualFloridaBeefCattleShortCourse,Alto&PatriciaStraughnIFASExtensionProfessionalDevelopmentCenter,Gainesville

MAY 10TH AgriculturalInstituteofFloridaCommunicationsWorkshop,9:00am,HolidayInnWaltDisneyWorld

MAY 11TH DeSotoCountyWatermelonFestivalArcadia

MAY 12TH HappyMother’sDay!

MAY 15TH CogongrassWorkshop,IndianRiverResearch&EducationCenter,Ft.Pierce.RegistrationDeadlineMay3rd

MAY 16TH 2013HerdHealth&ManagementSchool,PolkCountyExtensionBrennemanAuditorium,Bartow.SponsoredbySouthFloridaBeefForageProgramUF/IFAS

MAY 17TH SendMeMissions5kRun/Walk,7:00pm,HardeeCountyCourtyard,Wauchula,www.sendmemissions5k.com

MAY 17TH-19TH 9thAnnualHibiscusFestival,GilchrestPark,PuntaGorda.thehibiscusfestival.com

MAY 21ST 2013 VegetableCropManagementWorkshop,Balm

MAY 24TH-25TH DowntownTarponFestival,BocaGrande

MAY 25TH HomeRunforHabitat5KRun/Walk,8:00am,HighlandsHammockStatePark,Sebring

MAY 27TH MemorialDay

MAY 28TH OkeechobeeYouthLivestockAnnualMeeting,7:00pm,OsceolaMiddleSchool

JUNE 17-21ST FloridaCattlemen’sAssociationAnnualConvention,MarcoIsland

[email protected]

IN THE FIELD MAGAzINEYourMonthlyAgriculturalMagazineSince2004,ServingtheHeartlandSince2008



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Benchrest Shooters Supply BC.indd 1 12/16/11 9:55 AMMay 2013 Heartland InThe Field Magazine 75

Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Big Cypress Reservation 117th Year Anniversary Concert Featuring COUNTRY LEGEND SARA EVANS

Multi-platinum country music legend Sara Evans will perform on Friday, May 3, 2013 at the Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena, highlighting the Seminole

Tribe of Florida’s Big Cypress Reservation 117th Anniversary Celebration. Other musical entertainment includes Morgan Frazier, Blackjack Billy, TY Redd Gang and Osceola Brothers. The concert will start Friday, May 3rd at 5:00 pm. Admission to concert will be $35 and tickets are currently on sale at www.ticketmaster.com or www.bigcypresscelebration.com Tickets can also be purchased at the Hard Rock Live, Hollywood box office on event days as well as at the Junior Cypress Rodeo Grounds the day of the event. Parking for the event is $5. On behalf of Councilman “Mondo” Tiger, the Big Cypress community and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the celebration will begin on May 3, 2013 at 10:00am, gates open at 9:30am and continue through May 4th with free admission to the public. Both days will be packed with activities including a grand entry presentation, clothing contest, Seminole Okalee Indian Village gator wrestling & critter show, live flute music, a performance by the Seminole Stomp dancers and Northern Tribes dancing exhibition. Carnival rides will also be available throughout the rodeo grounds, children twelve and up will have to pay an admission cost of $10, admission cost for children between the ages of five and twelve will be $5, children five and under will be free of charge. Food vendors will also be available throughout the day, for those vendors who are interested in selling food or drinks please visit www.bigcypresscelebration.com and download the vendor application. On Friday, pre-concert entertainment will begin at 5:30 pm with Ty Redd Gang, a local band taking the stage followed by the up and coming Osceola Brothers, a band of three brothers’ ages twelve, fourteen, and sixteen, from the Seminole Tribe of Florida at 6:15 pm. Morgan Fraizer will open the concert at 6:45 pm. Morgan Fraizer wrote her first song, “Gates of Heaven,” at age seven. It was a fitting title for a young girl whose first audience was her church congregation. With a background in singing Gospel music, a passion for country music, and a smile that can capture a room, Morgan Frazier has quickly made a name for herself and has become one of Music Row’s rising stars.

The evening’s second opener, Blackjack Billy, will take the stage at 7:30 pm. When Blackjack Billy met in January of 2011, they had no idea that less than a year later they would be creating and molding a sound that Nashville had never heard; a sound that Nashville desperately needed. It was, and is, a perfect mixing pot. Blackledge, hailing from Madison, MS, brought the blues, soul, country and melody. Billings, hailing from Kennett, MO stirred in the rock, more country, hip-hop, and beat.

The evening’s headline performer, country music legend Sara Evans, will take the stage at 8:30 pm. The Junior Cypress Rodeo Arena is located on the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation, midway between Fort Lauderdale and Naples off I-75 (Alligator Alley). Take I-75 to exit 49, then drive north 16 miles. For more information please contact Councilman Rep. Manual “Mondo” Tiger’s office, 31000 Josie Billie Highway, Clewiston or call Mary Billie at (863) 902-3200 x 13314.

Big Cypress Reservation is the first piece of real estate that was essentially the central hub for a group of ancestors, recognized as Seminoles today, that branched off and migrated north from the mass of Natives that gathered and settled in what is currently the Dade and Collier County Everglades region. With the threats of removal and deportation to Oklahoma by the U.S. Government declining, they migrated north in hopes of finding territory more suitable for living and farming conditions. A dozen or so families made the trip north and settled in the southwest region of what is now the Big Cypress Reservation.

After settling there and deciding that the threats had stopped, the families began to establish camps throughout the area. A short time later, Seminoles were approached by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (B.I.A.) and began an open dialog of negotiations. On July 16, 1895, B.I.A. purchased 160 acres and designated it as land to be utilized by the Natives. Numerous purchases were made thereafter and the land was officially dedicated as Big Cypress Reservation in 1935.


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