In The Field Marion May 2010 Edition

INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010 1

May 2010

Marion’s AGRICULTURE Magazine®

Gene Waldron50 Years in the Peanut Business

2 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010

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In The Field® Magazine is published monthly and is available through local Marion/Levy County businesses, restaurants and other local venues. It is also distributed by U.S. mail to a target market, which includes members of Marion County Farm Bureau. Letters, comments and questions can be sent to P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, Florida 33563-0042 or you are welcome to email them to [email protected] or call 813-759-6909.

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

PublisherKaren Berry

Editor-In-ChiefAl Berry

Associate Publishers Bill and Carla Floyd

Senior Managing Editor

Sarah Holt

Office ManagerBob Hughens

SalesBrooke Hamlin

Carla FloydBill Floyd

Cori Wiygul

Art DirectorLourdes M. Sáenz

DesignerJuan Carlos Alvarez

Staff WritersAl Berry

Sandy KasterJames Frankowiak

Danette PhilpotElli Rarick

Jamie Cohen

Contributing WritersDennis VoylesDavid HolmesTom CothronRuss Randall

Braulio Sáenz Ph.D.

From the EditorVOL. 3 • ISSUE 5

MAY

4Farm Bureau Letter

5The Orchid:The Crowning Glory of the Plant Kingdom

12Business Upfront

FL Greenways Nursery

14Country Kitchen Favorites

17Roking Chair Chatter

20Tales & Trails

The Red Sky Part II

28Bio Soil Enhancers

33Fishing Report

36

Extension Report

42Grub StationAbigail’s Café

44Gardening Q & A

I T F M M 2010 1

May 2010

Marion’s AGRICULTURE Magazine®

Gene Waldron50 Years in the Peanut Business

Gene WaldronPage 8

HEY READERS, hidden somewhere in the magazine is a logo. Find the logo and be eligible to win a FREE

InTheField® T-shirt. Send us your business card or an index card with your name and telephone number, the page on which you found the logo and where on the page you found it. Mail to: P.O. Box 5377, Plant City, FL 33563-0042

No FarmersNo Food

The LORD make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you.Numbers 6:25

The Florida Departments of Agriculture and Education have joined together with Florida Dairy Farmers and the NFL in a partnership to improve health and wellness in Florida Schools. “Fuel Up To Play 60” is funded with an initial private sector commitment of $250 million over five years by America’s Dairy Farmers, including 140 Florida farm families. The initiative empowers students in grades 4 through 10 to engage their peers to fuel up with nutrient rich foods such as low-fat and fat-free milk and milk products, fruits, vegetables and whole grains and get up and play for 60 minutes of daily physical activity. “We not only wholeheartedly support our dairy farmers in this effort, we applaud them for the impressive financial commitment they are making to increasing fitness and reducing obesity in our schools,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson. “Many organizations have highlighted this growing problem, but few have stepped up and committed their resources to the extent that our dairy farmers are demonstrating today.”Let’s join in and have our own “Fuel Up To Play 60!” We should all eat more nutrient rich, Fresh From Florida foods. It is easy to do since we have the safest, most abundant food supply available. When you are shopping for your next meals, be sure to check the label, visit your local farmers market to boost your dietary needs and well and the local economy and lets all fuel up. Who’s with me?

Until Next Month

Sarah

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It is always entertaining to watch three year olds. A few days ago I had the opportunity to watch a class of three year olds plant a tree in honor of Earth day. Miss Jennifer was carefully creating a teachable moment as she told her class about plants and how to care for them. After several distractions, consisting of worms, ants and other crawling creatures, the hole was dug and the tree planted. Mission accomplished!

As I watched the class water the tree, I couldn’t help but think that one day one of these three year olds will bring their child to play under the shade of that tree. As I looked around, there were several large trees whose shade I have enjoyed over the years. I began to wonder who had planted those trees, what was going on in their lives, what struggles did they experience? I suppose the ones who planted these large trees never had the opportunity to enjoy the shade they are now providing. How often do we do things so that others may benefit? It appears to me that we spend a lot of time preserving the present rather than planting for the future.

Our nation, Democrats and Republicans alike, have been spending money at an alarming rate. Some studies I have read suggest that we are now spending the money of our great grandchildren. Where does this stop? I believe it is up to each of us to have influence over policies and politics from the local to the federal level. Your voice counts! Your Marion County Farm Bureau has been busy in Tallahassee and Washington encouraging your legislators to be frugal and to continue to keep American agriculture strong. Our organization’s strength is based on its membership. If you are not a member of Farm Bureau let me encourage you to consider joining so that our voice can be even stronger. Membership doesn’t costs, it pays!

As we work to keep Florida agriculture strong, let’s remember to plant some trees so the next generation will be able to enjoy the shade.

Blessings,

RussRuss Randall

MARION COUNTY FARM BUREAU

Office Hours:Monday through Friday8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Federation Coordinator

Florida Farm Bureau Field StaffJoe [email protected]

5800 SW 20th St. • Ocala, FL 34474 Phone (352) 237-2124

“THE VOICE OF AGRICULTURE”

BOARD OF DIRECTORSRuss Randall, President; Jimmy Lefils, Vice President; D.A. Lewis Jr., Treasurer, Todd Dailey, Secretary; Al

Kunz, Jimmy Lefils, Sam Love, Russ Randall, Joe Roman, Jerry Spears, Sarah Joe Thomas, Jeff Vermillion, Travis Wiygul, Chris Reese

MARION COUNTY FARM BUREAU

Farm Bureau Insurance Agency ManagerTom [email protected]

Main Office5800 SW 20th St.(352) 237-2124Agent: Clint Walding, Scott Williams,Henry Allcott [email protected]@[email protected]

Branch Office245 NE 36th Ave.(352) 694-9800Agent: Denise [email protected]


Man has always considered flowers as something special, conveying a sense of beauty, delicacy, elegance and, for some subliminal reason, a perception of transcendence, as suggesting a Designer responsible for their beauty. Even very early humans, like the Neanderthal man, buried their dead tied down in fetal position and covered with flowers which would ac-company them to a rebirth in the afterlife.

Besides their spiritual message, flowers are in general, essential for human societies. Some flowers which are hardly noticed, those whose pollen is carried by the wind, are mostly responsible for human sustenance all over the world.

Man is considered an omnivore, he eats everything, but what we are, in fact, is grain eaters. We will recall that when we pray we say: “Give us this day our daily bread”. Every human culture

has a particular grain as the base of their diet. For Americans it is wheat, for Mexicans, corn, for the Chinese, rice and for some Africans, millets (We know this grain in America mostly as bird feed). In all of these cases we receive the benefits of the inconspicuous flowers of these grain plants: gramineae.

Other plants have showy flowers, intended to attract insect pollina-tors, and in these we can see a continued progress to an ultimate perfec-tion. The beautiful magnolia is a very primitive flower, where the floral organs, verticils, are distributed in a spiral formation along an

axis.The next stage in complexity of the flowering plants is

represented by a large number of lovely flowers like roses and carnations, in which the distribution of their floral parts fol-lows a radial pattern, like the spokes of a wheel. In order to show the unity of Creation, lower animals with limited movements, locomotion, also show this body symmetry, like starfishes and sea urchins.

The final stage in complexity in flowers, as well as in animals, is bilateral symmetry where a side of the body structure is a mirror image of the opposite one. A l l higher animals, ourselves included, follow this symmetry pattern, and not surprisingly, so do some flowers, like the Prima Donna of our article, the magnificent Orchid. Most orchids grow on trees, epiphytes, which evidences their modern nature as trees had to precede their appearance. They rely

on insect pollinators for their reproduction, and their seeds are so minute that they float in the air until they find a suitable destination, Microspermeae. The adult orchid plant lives in a symbiotic relationship with a specific fungus, which produces moisture for the orchid. This fungus, in return, receives shelter on the orchid roots. This fungus-root relationship is quite common in the plant kingdom, and it is called Mycorrhiza.

Most pollinating insects are attracted to orchids by their color patterns, perfumes and nectars, like in most other flow-ers, but there is a striking exception to this pattern found in an Australian orchid. In this case, the flower uses its bilateral symmetry, like the insect’s, to develop a shape which mimics the female of the species, and also reproduces the female odor, Pheronomes, so that the love crazy creature attempts to mate with the orchid and pollinates it.

There is a marvelous intricacy in nature. It is our choice to either just live unaware of its greatness, or each and every day admire its infinite beauty, its power to provide sustenance and the many opportunities to learn something new.

The men of experiment are like the ant; they only collect and use. But the bee . . . gathers its materials from the flowers

of the garden and of the field, but transforms and digests it by a power of its own. ~ Leonardo da Vinci

The Crowning Glory of the Plant KingdomBy: Braulio A. Sáenz, Sc. D., Ph.D.

The Crowning Glory of the Plant Kingdom


Although there are so many different breeds and riding disciplines in the area, “problems” tend to arise in all of the different types. Dave Davis is a man who has been helping horses of all varieties “hook-up” and become willing and interested partners for several decades. His background and focus is pleasure Quarter Horses, but he trains and works with breeds of all disciplines from warmbloods and Gypsy Vanner Horses to Thoroughbreds with the same high level of success. Dave finds that incorporating “natural horsemanship” into his program works well with every discipline.

Dave said the first thing he does with a new horse coming to his barn is work with it in the round pen. Once a horse “hooks-up” with Dave, the learning begins. A Thoroughbred yearling was being worked in the round pen the day of this interview. Without any halter or bridle on, the yearling filly willingly walked where Dave walked, stood quietly while a bag was rattled all around her and patiently stood waiting for further instruction. His quiet, positive demeanor and clear and consistent, but not harsh training methods, clearly made the filly “want” to do her job, not feel forced into getting it done.

Dave finds that unbroken horses are the easiest to work with because they have no “bad” training in them, making the animal quite receptive to any training. Regardless of this, Dave is fantastic at “fixing” a horse of any age or skill level. He follows the same set of guidelines for all horses. “He must be ‘hooked up’ with me, that is he must want to be with me, he must be willing to wait on me, he must move his feet at my direction and lastly, he must respect my space.”

He is always open to accepting client horses and plans are in underway to hold some clinics this summer. Dave likes to get a horse “bomb proof”. He says, “I like to give horses choices to make. The easy choice is the one I want, so that way they do what I want.”

All other sorts of different horses and activities could be found taking place on his lovely 78 acres in north Marion County. There were several very nice sale horses available, most of them being pleasure Quarter Horses, but other types are always coming and going. Horses were getting groomed and tacked up in the barn and the stalls were being cleaned. Dave was out in a paddock working with a horse. When that horse was finished he took out the Thoroughbred filly to work in the round pen.

Dave also has a stallion, Love to Hot Rod, which he is very enthusiastic about for future progeny. Currently, he has a two-year-old, four yearlings and eight of his babies due this year. Although the stallion is unshown due to injury, both sides of his pedigree are filled with World and Congress champions. Dave says he likes to breed a horse for pleasure initially, but with a goal of the animal being versatile enough to do a variety of classes. He stressed the importance of using good mares in his breeding program to get such results.

A web site was recently developed that explains the sale horses and some more about his training philosophies. He has also started selling horse trailers with great success and hopes to continue and expand this area. The trailers are also listed on his web site, www.davedavisquar-terhorses.com. Dave says he likes dealing with people best on a personal level, so feel free to contact him by phone or email with any questions you may have.

By Jamie Cohen

DD


Continued on page 10

For the past 50 years, Gene Waldron has been making people nuts. Green peanuts, that is. Today he is the largest grower of fresh green peanuts in the country. And this is in a state already number one in the country for growing green peanuts. It all started in 1948 when his father started to sell freshly packed green peanuts. Not long after, Gene had to quit school at 15 because his mother got sick. He went to work in Citra’s then flourishing citrus industry where he was able to save enough money to buy a used tractor. With this, he grew squash and peanuts to be sold at the old Jacksonville Farmer’s Market. Gene next borrowed $65 and bought his first truck, an old Chevrolet, so that he could sell his squash at market. He had to borrow another $5 for gas to get there, but quickly repaid both those debts and his business was soon underway.

Although he grew up in a family steeped in agriculture roots where both sides of grandfathers farmed, Gene has built his business today all on his own. He doesn’t feel badly about not inheriting anything from his parents because he is proud of the company he has built himself. Today, Waldron Farms involves some four generations of the family. He bought his first farm in 1973 and routinely bought more and more land as the years progressed. Currently, some 3,200 acres are owned by him and a total of 7,000 acres is used to grow Waldron’s green peanuts. Gene said that he also plants squash, zucchini and green beans, but the green peanuts just kept getting bigger, so almost the entire acreage is allotted to that crop. It takes 10 farms to grow as many peanuts as he needs for the year. The housing boom, which occurred a few years ago, made obtaining additional acreage very difficult because of inflated prices, but today’s slower economy has made real estate prices far more realistic.

Green peanuts can regularly be harvested from the end of March until December. April through July are the heaviest months, bringing in up to 5,000 bushels of peanuts a day, six days a week. It takes about 30 employees to handle these numbers daily at the plant. If there are no cold months, harvesting can take place all 12 months of the year. Unfortunately, this year six weeks of production have already been lost because of late seed planting due to the cold weather, making it one for the record books.

Waldron Farms has a packing plant in Citra where the peanuts and other vegetables are brought in from the fields. There they are washed, put onto a grading belt to remove plant pieces and finally boxed and put on palettes. Those go into a pre-cooler, which is essential to giving the peanuts shelf life. The peanuts have “field heat” when they come in from the fields, making them very susceptible to molds if they are not put in the pre-cooler. From there they are placed in the main cooler, which can hold up to 5000 bushels, or they are put directly into refrigerated trucks to be delivered to wholesalers and

By Jamie Cohen

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Continued from page 9

major grocery chains in one of many states. Waldron Farms deliv-ers green peanuts to Florida, North and South Carolina, Geor-gia, Louisiana, Missis-sippi and Alabama. He also takes them north to cities like Boston and New York and west into Texas. His peanuts and other veg-etables can be found in Sweetbay, Wal-Mart, Winn-Dixie and Pub-lix grocery stores.

Gene likes to plant Jumbo and Valencia peanut varieties and most of the seeds that he plants come from New Mexico. These are hardy plants that have little disease. In past years, there was some trouble with tomato spotted wilt virus, but by switching from single row to twin-row planting, this virus has been alleviated. He said that the re-cent popularity in planting hybrid seeds has also increased the need for watering the crops. Aside from these issues, his green peanuts thrive in Florida’s sandy soil, which Gene says is a requirement for peanut growing.

As if supervising all those acres doesn’t keep Gene with enough to do, he has also had an active career with the Farm Bureau. In the past, he was on the Board of Directors with the Farm Bureau and has been with the Farm Service Agency in Marion County for the past seven years. The term is for nine years, leaving him two more years to complete. Crop insurance issue determinations are made with this group in the monthly meetings, much work is also done directly with Washington, D.C.

He has additionally promoted truck and trailer pulls in past years. His oldest son, Bubba, took that over and went on to suc-cessfully do the Grand National Circuit. Speaking of tractors, Gene Waldron owned 14 Green South John Deere dealerships. One of his best friends ran the dealerships like they were his own so the busi-nesses essentially ran themselves to great success. Gene sold all of the dealerships in 2007.

As already mentioned, some four generations are affiliated with Waldron Farms in one way or another. He has three daughters and three sons from two marriages, with six grandchildren and two step grandchildren between them. Bubba, his eldest, and a son-in-law are two members directly affiliated with the farm’s success. Although his youngest son, at 16, has no direct interest in working on the farm, his deep love of politics has given him much time in Washington. He will certainly be an advocate for farming’s future in Washington, D.C.

The busy life doesn’t bother Gene at all. He has never taken a vacation and still works six days a week, walking the fields himself. “People have to eat,” he says, so he works from sun-up to sundown and he lives by the following principles: first is God, second is family and third is farm-ing. He says he loves being “out there” and never had any intentions of getting as big as he did, it just happened.

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For fresh, quality seafood and friendly service in a clean, family-oriented atmo-sphere, you can’t beat Sam’s St. Johns Sea-food.

Sam’s St. Johns Seafood prides itself on the freshness of its seafood and “great meals at reasonable prices.” From Sam’s Seafood Gumbo, Fried Green Tomatoes or the new Blue Crab claws, which are breaded and fried, to the Plenty for Two Platter, which features fish, shrimp, oyster, scallops, clam strips and a crab cake, you’ll be coming back for more.

The name implies that they are known for their seafood, but there’s also a great selection for the non-seafood lovers. New menu items include large, delicious chicken wings and BBQ ribs, along with the regular

menu items - delicious fried chicken strips, grilled chicken breast, 12-ounce New York Strip steak or a hamburger plate.

Every dinner entree begins with Sam’s Famous Seafood Spread and crackers, and all entrees are accompanied by some of the best hushpuppies you’ll ever eat.

There’s a “Small Fry” menu, and at the end of the child’s meal each child is of-fered a free ice cream bar as a dessert. At this time the child receives a special card with their name on it to return to the res-taurant for free dessert each time.

A senior menu is also offered, and there’s a choice of ordering dinner from

the lunch menu for an additional $1.The restaurant is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Lunch is

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Business UpFront

For the past 10 years Florida Greenways Nursery has been as-sisting Marion County residents make the most of the native plants to have a beautiful, cold hardy Florida friendly landscape. Owner Mandy Pou has been doing landscape for the past 20 years. A land-scape designer since 1982, he started out by selling hanging baskets from a parking lot. Today this family-owned and operated business has many long-time customers that Gipsy Pou, Mandy’s wife, says are “like family.”

And considering family, the nursery is very much a “family” busi-ness with all many members involved in the success of the business. The Pou’s have one daughter and three sons and each are involved in some facet of the business. The sons, Christopher and Mandy Jr., are always present at jobsites and upon completion of a job, they use their vast knowledge of landscape to instruct the clients on proper care and maintenance, ensuring that the plants will continue to thrive and flourish.

When the children were young, Mandy and Gipsy started in the landscape and nursery business with a company they called “Florida Travelling Foliage,” a sort-of mobile nursery. They would go directly to customers, literally running a nursery “on-wheels.” They have owned and been operating the store in south Marion County for 10

years.Although the bright, friendly shop is situated in Marion Coun-

ty’s southern part, Gipsy says that they service clients throughout the entire county and as far north as Gainesville. Florida Greenways Nursery does both commercial and residential landscape design and installation. Cold hardy and native plants are the nursery’s specialty. Considering the cold winters and difficult weather patterns found to-day, this is a critical tool for maintaining a vibrant landscape. Many different varieties of palms are on site, as well as oaks, Drake Elms, pine trees and red maple, just to name a few. Many types of holly, beautiful crape myrtles and magnolias are a few more landscape vari-eties used by Florida Greenways Nursery. A variety of mulches, bark, pine needles, decorative stones and landscape boulders are sold onsite also to be incorporated into landscape design.

Gipsy and Mandy speak very highly of the importance of us-ing native vegetation and planting the proper plant in the right place. Mandy stated that proper planning is the first step in landscaping and once native plants are established, they require less water than non-native varieties. With such an emphasis being placed today on water and its extensive use in landscaping, using native vegetation is a much-

By Jamie Cohen

Continued on next page

Florida

NurseryGreenways


needed feature in any of today’s landscaping projects. Xeriscaping is also a landscaping design, which can be used by the nursery. It requires much less water and significantly less fertilizer.

The store nursery is busy and bustling, with customers coming in and out continually. A customer brought by delicious baked goods just to say “thanks” on the day of this interview. Gipsy commented on the large percentage of repeat, long-time customers and said that a large amount of their business comes from word-of-mouth from these customers. All family members were friendly and open and really made you feel “at home.”

Outside of the store, a truck and trailer were being loaded to go on a landscape job. Rows and rows of many types of vegetation could be seen from the front of the store, running all the way to the end of the property. Florida Greenways Nursery can be found on the web at www.floridagreenway-snursery.com, or they can be reached at 352-307-3300. Mandy stressed that estimates are free. The stories and the good attitudes are free, too.

No FarmersNo Food


Weight loSS & mAintenAnCe will require healthy eating choices

and exercise commitment

In selecting a topic for this month, I thought about how I, as a senior citizen, find it difficult to stick to any resolution regarding a diet plan or new healthy eating hab-its and exercise. Any nutritionist or doctor will tell you that dieting is pretty much a “quick fix,” most of the time, and then the pounds return once you reach your goal weight and slowly slip back into your old eating habits. Changing your eating habits and developing a reasonable exercise program are the keys to successful weight loss and keeping it off. You just cannot continue to diet forever. You can, however, develop a lifelong healthy eating regimen that will benefit you in the weight loss and maintenance areas. Naturally, this is easier said than done.

When I look back, I believe I have been “dieting,” at one time or another, my entire adult life. I really like food, especially sweet things! It is hard to cook and bake for a large family, or even just the two of us, without eating and drinking that which will eventually move the scale upward. As a senior, this presents a whole new set of issues. Every magazine I pick up addresses this problem and there have been and continue to be countless books written on the subject.

Like so many others, I vow every spring to improve my choices and lose some pounds. I don’t need to be told that it would be helpful to my health. I know it. The doctors must realize that fact as they seldom mention it! I was always told that as I progressed into my senior years that I would naturally begin losing a few pounds a year. I am well on my way into senior status and the losing hasn’t begun yet. On the other side of the coin, I consider myself fortunate that I am maintaining, as that probably means I am still somewhat healthy and void of any serious illness.

I have suffered serious lower back and cervical spinal is-sues and arthritis for most of my adult life. I carried the bur-den of being overweight as being a huge contributor to these conditions even though I was at a very acceptable weight when first diagnosed and for many years after. I was always an active person and maybe that kept my weight under control when I was younger. As the years drifted by, the pounds stuck around longer. Sound familiar? I tried dieting and walking (the best of all exercises) but, when I stopped either of those, the weight returned and the painful conditions did worsen. The damage was done. Losing some weight did, however, ease the physical strain which helped me psychologically as I felt better about myself knowing that I was doing what I could to help a difficult chronic condition.

Following surgical repairs and advancing age issues, dieting

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and even walking have become more difficult. The problem, as I see it for many seniors, including myself, is not how much we eat, but what we are eating, and a lacking in the exercise area. Because of the chronic issues so many of us deal with, we are unable to do as many physical tasks and find ourselves concentrating on more sedentary ones to fill our retirement days. This is great therapy for the mind but takes its toll on the physical body.

Every year I vow to start walking when the weather cools and here it is mid-April and I am still in the “vow” stage. It is still not too late to begin getting some daily exercise so our bodies will be able to continue when the summer heat de-scends upon us.

It is my belief that if we continue to press for-ward with even minimal exercise and movement and begin working on the healthy food choices and eating habits, we can add additional and more enjoyable years to our lives.

I applaud those who are willing and able to make a commitment and stick to it. I am still hopeful that one day I will join that group. Mean-while, I am right there with so many of you, still trying to just make it through spring!

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As I sat and waited for my computer to warm so I could write this article, (which took less than 30-seconds) I am reminded when we got our first TV. It took at least fives minutes for the picture to get focused so you could see the picture. My how electronics have changed over the last decade.

I have learned how to use our cordless phones at home. We have had them for a number of years, but I still haven’t figured out how I can lose all four of them at once and have to run around, room to room digging under the cushions, pillows, bathroom and dirty laundry basket when the phone rings.

While I get into all this new stuff, I still like the good old days when you actually had a dial on the radio to fine tune in your station. I remember when you didn’t have to pay for air at the gas station. The attendant would actually come out and help you pump gas, check the oil and water in the radiator and battery. I wonder how much more oil and batteries would be sold if that service was available today.

Frankly, service is almost a thing of the past. If you don’t believe me try shopping at places like Big Lot or Save-a-Lot. Let me take that back! Service is not completely a thing-of-the-past! Mango Cleaners in Plant City has free pickup and delivery. I had a clerk walk me to the item I wanted to buy at Southside Farm Supply, and the lady that waited on me at the bank said, “Thanks for Banking with us at Regions, is there anything else I can do for you?”

I remember a lot of things from the past, like stuff from the store that came without safety caps and hermetic seals because no one had ever tried to poison a perfect stranger. How many of you remember when being sent to the principal’s office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home? What ever happened to the good clean shows like, the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, the Hardy Boys, Laurel and Hardy, and the Jackie Gleason show? Now days everything is full of sex, violence and dirty language.

To change the subject, did you hear the story of the man who lost one of his arms in an automobile accident? He became very depressed because he once played a guitar with great skill. One day he had it, and decided to commit suicide.

He got on an elevator and went to the top of a building to

jump off. While standing on the ledge looking down he saw a man skipping along, whistling and kicking up his heels. He looked closer and noticed that this man did not any arms at all. He started thinking, what am I doing up here feeling sorry for myself, I still have one good arm to do things with, and there goes a man with no arms skipping down the sidewalk happy and going own with his life?

He hurried down from the building and caught the man with no arms. He told him how glad he was to see him because he had lost one of his arms and felt ugly and useless and had decided to commit suicide. He thanked him several times for saving his life. He had decided that he could make it with one arm if that guy could go on with no arms. The man with no arms began dancing and whistling and kicking up his heels again.

Running along side of him he asked, “Why are you so happy anyway?”

The man replied, “I’m NOT happy, my butt itches.”This past December my oldest daughter, Kellie, and her

husband Craig celebrated along with all of our family their oldest daughter, Kelsey‘s, graduation from nursing school. She is now a registered nurse, and of course we are very proud of her accomplishment. During the graduation ceremony I could not help remembering when she was just a baby. I recalled at about age three she was left at home with Craig one afternoon. We gave Kelsey a tea set for her birthday, which turned out to be one of her favorite toys. Craig was in the living room engrossed in the evening news and Kelsey came in with what she said was a cup of “tea”. Craig went along with her, knowing it was just water.

After several cups and lots of praise for such yummy tea, soon Kellie came home. He told her to wait in the living room to watch Kelsey bring him a cup of tea, because he said it was “just the cutest thing!” Mom waited, and sure enough, coming down the hall with a cup of tea for Daddy was Kelsey. Kellie watched him drink it up. Then she said, “Craig did it ever occur to you that the only place she can reach to get water is the toilet?” For the life of me I don’t know why that incident popped into my mind.

You men reading this column, have you ever wondered why women function the way they do? We men have a way we go about doing things, but women seem to always have things in line. Like they always know where things are! I know my wife has questioned the wisdom or reason for leaving dirty dishes and glasses on the counter top, when the dishwasher is directly under the counter top. We men have just a few seconds between the Bucs timeout, and there just isn’t enough time to worry about dishes.

I’ll admit that men are all the same when it comes to asking for directions. I recall a number of years back when me, my wife, Patsy, Ercelle and Doris Smith, while vacationing in north Georgia made a wrong turn. After about 15 minutes of back tracking, and still not finding our road, I got out and approached an elderly man in overalls and a beat up straw hat. I said, “Excuse me sir, I am looking for the road to the “Old Saltee Store.” He looked at me, took a deep breath, spit a mouth full of chewing tobacco right down at my newly polished dress shoes. I jumped straight back and narrowly missed what would have been a disaster on my shoes and socks. He said, “Well let me see, as he pointed over his shoulder, to the best of my recollection over there some three miles as the crow flies.”

I thanked him, and turned to head back to the car, only to see Patsy, Ercelle and Doris laughing their heads off! “Hey Berry, you’re pretty quick on your feet old buddy,” Ercelle said. Now I know why I am still reluctant to stop and ask for directions. So what if I drive 50 miles out of the way! Now I have a GPS lady that keeps me on track. Remember God made man before woman so as to give him time to think of an answer for her first question.

In closing some after thoughts. I have been told there is a theory that chocolate slows down the aging process. Don’t know if it’s true or not, so I’m not gonna take a chance that they could be right. Did you know your weight problem is hereditary? It was passed down from your mouth to your stomach. Don’t forget that growing old is only a state of mind, brought on by gray hair, false teeth, wrinkles, a pot belly, and an overall feeling of being totally pooped. In about 40 years we’ll have thousands of old ladies running around with sagging tattoos, and rap music will be the Golden Oldies!


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Preserving FlowersBy Sean Green

I have always found collections of flora not only a beautiful addition to the home, but also a visual representation of native plant spe-cies that can be used in research and education. Although native species cannot be removed from their environment, there are several native species that can be purchased from retail nurseries and I would encourage the use of these species for this project to learn and appreciate the natural beauty of Florida.

The art of flower preservation is an ancient art. Ancient Egyptians preserved flowers, grains, and herbs creating gar-lands for their dead to enjoy in the next world. The Japanese developed “Oshibana,” the art of pressing flowers to honor the earth as a source of unity and retain the benefits and beauty of the living plant. Medieval monks harvested and preserved herbs and flowers for medicinal purposes. From these ancient art forms stem our current understanding of art and methods of preserving flora. There are several methods to preserve flowers, each with its own benefits and complicity. For this month’s activity, we will present a few common methods for preserving flowers by hanging, pressing, glycerin, or silica drying.

HANgINg MEtHOD:

Air drying flowers is the oldest, simplest and least expensive method and consists of hanging the flowers upside down in a dark place that is warm and dry. This is the method used by the English colonists in America. Some flowers will continue to bloom during the drying period and should be picked as a bud or partially open. Tie small clusters of flowers together at the stem with twine or a rubber band. Hang the clusters upside down in a dark place that is warm and dry such as a closet or attic.

PRESSINg:Pressing is probably the most familiar method of preserving flowers. This

method is best for petals and leaves that are detached from the flower. Place petals between two sheets of paper and inside a thick heavy book, close the book and stack other books on top to add weight to the pressing. After a few weeks of pressing, the leaves and petals can be placed in a frame for display. Alternatively, pressing can be done with an iron by placing the petals or leaves between two sheets of wax paper and ironing on medium heat. (Place a sheet of plain paper on top of the wax paper before ironing to protect your iron from melted wax.)

gLYCERIN: (Mix two parts warm water to one part Glycerine.) This is a

great method for preserving the elasticity of the plant, especially good if you intend to braid long leaves or create a wreath with your plants. The idea is similar to the embalming process. The Glycerin will replace the water content in the plant as the plant absorbs the solution. Technical grade Glycerin is usually available at the local pharmacy, but can be expensive, (Antifreeze will also work). Plants should be gathered in a fully hydrated state for this method. Mash the ends of the stem and place the plant in a vase of the solution as you would any stemmed plant such as a rose. Let the plant absorb the solution for two weeks or more to allow for complete absorption. When the foliage leaves turn light brown, absorption is complete. If wilting occurs after the removal of the plant from the solution, the plant has not absorbed the solution entirely and the plant can be hung upside down to help the solution reach the tips of the plant. (Single leaves or flowers that are not connected to the stem should be completely immersed in the glycerin solution)

SILICA gEL: (Place flowers in an airtight container of silica to dry) Those little packets you get with some electronics or medication that have a

warning “DO NOT EAT” is silica. It is used to absorb moisture. Silica gel will absorb the moisture from flowers very quickly, (between 24 and 48 hrs). Because the moisture is removed so quickly, the coloration is preserved better than many other methods. Silica gel can be found in many garden centers and is often labeled as “Drying Gel.” The limitations of Silica are that it must be used in an airtight container to prevent the gel from absorbing the humidity in the air. One of the advantages of Silica gel is that you can re-dry them in the oven to use again for the next batch of flowers.

While your flowers are drying, you can research the species and print out information cards to include in a frame. If you find any dead butterflies in your screen porch, you could even match the butterflies with the plant host for an interesting composition. Shadow boxes with preserved flowers are popular for weddings and I have seen a few great tutorials on making decoupage candle holders with flowers. Be creative and send in pictures of what you have done with your preserved flowers.

Naturally Amazing Activities


The woman had made a broth and brought it in. “You don’t need to be talkin,’” she instructed both. Then to the girl she said, “Alifair, you go fill that pitcher back up. This man needs lots of water.”

When the girl had left the room, the woman helped Redmond to sit higher in the bed. She propped his back with another pillow and a folded blanket. “Look here,” she said when done, “I don’t know by what you come to this place, but with God’s help you still among the livin’ and you’ll be gettin’ on from here. So, sooner the better. We’re not studying on you all that much, just gonna send you along better than we found you.”

“I am that already, Ma’am. I know, and I thank you,” Red-mond said softly. Miz … ?”

“Maizie Day is my name,” she said standing back with her hands on her broad hips. I don’t expect I ought to know yours.”

“No,” he said, turning his gaze out the window to the thin, blue horizon beyond the brown and green grasses of the estuary. “I expect not.”

Redmond was sleeping again. Alifair in the yard with her dog, Hobo saw a sudden glint of light flash in reflection from the woods road into the property from the highway. The truck approaching on the rutted drive up to the house was that of her uncle, Linton Day. Pastor Linton Day. He parked the shinny older model Ford and lowered the window at the shoulder of his starched shirt. “You hold on to that sorry hound of yours now, do you hear me, Alifair?” Linton Day called out to the girl. “I don’t want no dog slobber and paw prints all over my clean britches. I mean it now!”

“I got him,” the girl called back with the dog’s collar firmly in her grasp.

“Alright now,” Linton Day shouted back, “I’m coming with groceries. You hold him!” Day got out then, impeccably dressed as usual. He adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses and went around to the passenger side of his truck. From there he produced two paper bags of groceries such as he brought from the store in Bronson most Thursdays. As Alifair was staying with her grandmother in the summer, there were a few extra items not ordinarily on Mai-zie’s list. Red Hot candies were among the special additions.

“You got them Red Hots, Uncle Lint?” the girl called while she struggled with the dog.

“I got’em,” Linton said above the groceries. “You just hold on

to that nasty dog.”“He ain’t nasty!”“Hold him!” His pace quickened as Linton approached the

back porch of the house. “Hold him, now!”Linton was at the foot of the steps when the hound broke free,

or the girl playfully let go. He couldn’t know which.“Run Uncle Lint!” Alifair screeched, but Linton Day was al-

ready bounding up the plank steps and acrobatically hiked a knee to balance one bag while he grasp the screened door handle and twirled his way inside without losing a single item from the over-stuffed bags. Hobo’s massive paws slammed the door shut behind him with the crack of a lightning bolt.

“Alifair!” Linton’s tremulous voice reverberated from with the board and batten of the house.

Then more cheerfully, “Mama? Where …?”Maizie Day and Linton met in the instant, face to face at

the bedroom door opening to the breezeway through the house. “How’s my baby boy?” Maizie asked in an affectionate embrace.

“I’m …” but before Linton could finish his answer, he glanced over his mother’s shoulder to the grisly looking white man propped up with his blood-tinged bandage sleeping in his mother’s bed by the window. “Mama, what …? Who is that man?” Linton Day asked incredulously, stepping aside to peer in for a better look.

“I don’t know.”“You don’t know?”“No. He come up in the storm. Might be like Jonah.”Linton adjusted his glasses again. “That man’s not come from

a whale’s belly, I can assure you that,” he admonished in a stage whisper. “He looks more like he’s come from a knife fight!”

“Gun fight, maybe,” Maizie Day replied dryly, starting for the kitchen.

“Gun fight!” Linton gasped in her wake.Maizie began to put away the groceries while Linton paced

the yellowed linoleum floor behind her. “You mean you haven’t let anybody know about this man? He washes up here in the dark and you haul him into your home – not a clue as to who you’re dealing with?”

“You know I don’t have no telephone out here. That little phone thing on your belt won’t work out here neither. You know

The Red SkyBY WILL IRBY

Tales AndTrails

Continued on page 23

Part tWO


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that. What am I supposed to do?”“You are supposed to use that marine radio we installed out

here. That’s what!” Linton insisted.“Battery’s been dead in that thing. I don’t like it no how. All

that jabber.”“Mama, I’m going right now to the sheriff’s office. Straight

away! Do you hear me? My Lord, what about Alifair out here…that – that man in there!” Linton Day bleated. “We don’t know who or what he is!”

“I can handle him. Don’t you worry. I done dealt with worse.”

“You don’t know that. You can’t know that!”Alifair entered through the screened door. “Can’t know

what?” she asked.“Know anything,” Linton asserted.“I know I want one of them Red Hots.”“You go back out there and get hold of that dog. I’m going

back to town – right now!”“Me and Hobo been down there to the boat.” Alifair an-

nounced.“What boat?” Linton wanted to know.“That boat that man come up here in, I reckon. Ain’t that

who ya’ll talkin’bout?”Linton lowered his voice. “What kind of boat?”“One of them fast kind of boats with looks like bullet holes

in it. He got his blood all over it, too,” Alifair added excitedly.“My God in heaven!” Linton all but screeched. “I’m outta

here, and you’re both coming with me.”“No we ain’t,” Maizie Day said plainly, with no more emo-

tion than she exercised in pouring rice from its bag to a tin canister she kept on the counter.

“Fine. That’s just fine!” Linton sassed. “You stay right here and see if he cuts your throat before I can get back with the law. But that’s what’s going to happen. Do you understand me, Mama?”

“What part? ‘Bout getting’ my throat cut, or you comin’ back with the law?”

“Both. You come with me, Alifair,” Linton insisted as he reached for the door.

“How am I gonna do that? I got to hold Hobo so you can get to your truck. Besides, I ain’t leavin’ my dog out here. He gonna ride in your truck between you and me?”

“Forget it! Linton wailed in disgust. “You just hold that nasty dog.”

“He ain’t nasty!”Linton’s truck cut sharply up into the hammock that spread

for miles along the coastal plain. He drove more rapidly than was his cautious nature, bouncing along into the hardwoods and pines, round the moss-draped cypress ponds over the logging roads out to Highway 19.

Meanwhile, rumbling up into the Waccasassa Marina some miles to the south was a fast boat similar to that beached out by Maizie’s dock. In it were two men, muscular and tattooed, rough looking behind their sunglasses. There was no humor about them. It was apparent to anyone tending his own boat or cleaning fish up on the dock that these were men looking for something – or someone.

Next month, the conclusion of The Red Sky

Continued from page 21

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APRIL 23 – DESTINYCome dine and dance the night away with one of thebest house bands around. Destiny is adult contempo-rary music with tunes ranging from Jimmy Buffett,GrassRoots, Ricky Martin – to today’s hits!

APRIL 30 – COVER TO COVERThe band performs in the Red Rose Dining Room,plus P.J. Leary & The Las Vegas Sounds.

MAY 1, 7, 15, 22 & 28RALPH ALLOCCO& SECOND WINDPerforming in the Red Rose Dining Room

MAY 8JOHNNY ALSTON’SMOTOWN ROCK&ROLL REVUEA dynamite crowd pleaser! P.J. Leary & The LasVegas Sounds perform before and after the show.

MAY 9MOTHERS DAYBUFFETA grand buffet fit for aQueen! Freshly preparedsalads, seafood, beef,ham, vegetables and

desserts (including chocolate fountains) and muchmore! Serving times: 11 a.m., 1:00 p.m. & 3:30 p.m.For musical entertainment, Destiny performs. Call toreserve your table in the Red Rose Ballroom.

MAY 14LOST IN THE 50S – PART 1THE FOUR PREPS ANDTHE ROOTS OF ROCK’N ROLLTributes to Buddy Holly, The Big Bopper, RoyOrbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, The Four Preps“26 Miles,” “Big Man,” “Lazy Summer Night,”“Down By The Station”– plus Jimmy Stephens of theSafaris “Image Of A Girl” also performing PJ Learyand The Las Vegas Sounds before and after the showin the Red Rose Ballroom

MAY 15LOST IN THE 50S – PART 2THE NEW CHORDETTES & THE FOUR PREPSThe New Chordettes perform their hits“Mr. Sandman,” “Lollipop,” “Never On Sunday”–plus The Four Preps “26 Miles,” “Big Man,” “LazySummer Night,” “Down By The Station”– plusJimmy Stephens of the Safaris “Image Of A Girl,”–also performing PJ Leary and The Las Vegas Soundsbefore and after the show in the Ballroom

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A Closer Look: A Blessing in Disguise

By Sean Green

Fire AntsA recent radio commercial made

sweeping claims appealing to some popular misconceptions of fire ants. The signature claim; “There’s nothing good about fire ants” illustrates a typical ad populum argument that is common in advertising and often propagates misunderstanding that can be costly to both our environment and our livelihood. Insects, (including fire ants) are components of the agricultural path we walk. Our partnership with the earth is critical, and more than a n y other industry, we in the agriculture community m u s t embrace, understand, and share the truths we have discovered and foster progress rather than diversion. A competent understanding of fire ants is essential in choosing a management method.

Ants are an important and functionally irreplaceable component of our ecosystem. Nutrient turnover, seed dispersal and energy flow are included in the critical environmental services provided. Fire ants, both native and imported, are probably one of the most effective biological agents in controlling plant feeding insects that would otherwise destroy crops and ornamental plants. In some instances, fire ant populations provide a shelter from economic loss by keeping pest populations manageable without the expense or health issues surrounding the use of toxins for pest control.

Fire Ants provide more benefit to the homeowner than many realize. A fire ants fervent consumption of termites, roaches, fleas, ticks, and even mosquito eggs and larvae, represents an

unacknowledged economic benefit. Using insecticides to eliminate fire ants will not only disrupt an

effective natural predator of other insects, but the organophosphate “Acephate,” found in some

fire ant pesticides are actually more toxic to beneficial insects, such as the

Honey Bee, than they are the fire ant. Bees are an important pollinator for both the farming community and home gardening

environment. Applying toxins to your soil will do more harm than good in your efforts to produce a healthy

environment for your plants. A plants ability to produce pollen is largely dependent on the quality of the soil. An incorrect balance of nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium can reduce the quantity and quality of blossoms

and will fail to produce enough nectar to attract foraging bees.

Fire ant mounds have a positive influence

on soil quality. A study revealed that soil collected from ant mounds created by the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) have increased levels of organic matter, i n c l u d i n g orthophosphate, and ammonium. In addition, increased nitrogen levels are common as a product of ant feces, as well as, increased calcium, potassium and phosphorus. Studies have revealed that t h e elevated nutrients found in fire ant mounds “provide enhanced growth to plants in ant-occupied soils.” During the process of mound building, fire ants constantly aerate the soil with their foraging tunnels. When an ant colony vacates the mound naturally, it is typically the result of unsuitable density populations of competing ants or the colony has outgrown its resources and needs to divide. S.invicta are often multi-queen colonies and what appears to be an abandoned mound is actually just an inactive portion of a larger mound

The hodgepodge of noxious material that is offered as pest control can not only create an unhealthy home environment, but also a vicious and expensive cycle of toxicity. The inherent problem with using pesticides around the home is that the insects become resistant to the toxins much quicker than human beings do. With each insect generation, higher potency and higher volumes of the same toxins are needed to achieve the same results and ultimately create health and environmental problems that dwarf the inconvenience we set out to eliminate in the first place. As mentioned in previous articles, our understanding of invertebrates and their contribution to mankind is indispensible. Biologic pest control is quickly becoming the leading solution as we become more competent stewards of our environment and gain a more thorough understanding of the world around us.

An exciting way to gain an understanding of the drama of ant dynamics while at the same time encouraging unwelcome ants to find a new home is to exchange a shovel full of competing species from mound to mound, the results will be a bunch of dead ants of each species, and the battle will attract predatory phorid flies to the battle scene. It is amazing to watch the behavior of ants to phorid flies. What is really unique to watch is the native ants seem to be more afraid of the phorid flies than they are of competing ants such as S.invicta. At the very least, you can claim a competent understanding of fire ants through observation and without the toxins, well, you may still have pollinators alive to pollinate your roses while the ants tend to the pests. What could be more rewarding than maintaining the balance of life and allowing it to benefit us?


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28 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010Continued on the next page

The Future of Farming...Going Green for the Environment

Bio Soil Enhancers, Inc. has released several soil

inoculants that are:

Environmentally-Friendly 100% Organically Based

Economical Effective

*Bio Soil products are Patent Pending

SSSOILOILOIL I I INOCULANTSNOCULANTSNOCULANTS

BIO SOIL INOCULANTS:

• INCREASE CROP YIELDS

• PROMOTE PLANT GROWTH & NU-

TRIENT UPTAKE

• REDUCE OR ELIMINATE THE NEED

FOR CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

• IMPROVE PLANT QUALITY AND

WATER RETENTION

• IMPROVE THE UTILIZATION OF

CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

• HELP RELEASE MICRONUTRIENTS

MAKING THEM AVAILABLE TO

PLANTS

• REMEDIATE SOIL CONTAMINATION

For more information, contact: Bio Soil Enhancers, Inc.

1161 James Street Hattiesburg, MS 39401 877.888.2744—Phone 866.888.2744—Fax

[email protected] www.biosoilenhancers.com

What the Products Contain:

• Humic Acids as the basis and carrier for our products

• Mixed Microbial Cultures that are natural, beneficial, and work together synergistically

• Nutrients and Trace Elements which are important to the microbes and plants

What the Products Do NOT Contain:

• Growth Hormones or regulators• Genetically-Modified Bacteria or hybrids • Harmful Chemicals or irradiation • Petro chemically-based ingredients

BIO SOIL PRODUCTS PROVIDE EVERYTHING NEEDED TO MAINTAIN

HEALTHY SOIL AND PLANTS.

Bio Soil Biotics* (aka Premium Plus) is for-mulated with just the right proportions of hu-mic acid and organic matter to stimulategrowth of beneficial microbes and to help im-prove the physical and chemical health of the soil. Intended for use on farms and fields, Bio Soil Biotics is safe to use on any plant, in-cluding food crops.

Wildlife Supreme* is formulated specifically for wildlife food plots. It is designed to com-pensate for problematic conditions in wooded areas where grass has to compete with larger trees, lack of sunlight, and low pH val-ues.

Green Lawn* is formulated to stimulateplant growth, especially in hard-to-grow ar-eas, to create a beautiful lawn with a strong, healthy turf. Green Lawn can also be used on shrubs, trees, and other ornamental plants.

Basic Slag is a natural by-product that con-tains readily available phosphate, lime, iron, magnesium, manganese and other micro-nutrients. Economical way to “sweeten”sour soils.

Bio Soil Enhancers, Inc. Inoculants can be used on small gardens, lawns, farms, food plots, houseplants, flower gardens,

and basically anywhere plants are grown.

*These products are blended to work best at the applica-tion rate of 1 gallon per acre, diluted.

Agriculture is about more than just planting seed and watching food grow. Anyone who has worked on a farm or planted a garden knows that a lot goes into making plants grow. From transportation to clothing, golf courses to wildlife reserves, industries rely on conventional agricultural practices like using nitrogen-based fertilizers, pesticides, and fungicides to make their businesses successful. There are over 400 million acres of cropland in the United States alone. A lot of it is being covered with chemicals, and the growing green movement is raising awareness about the impact on the environment. Bio Soil Enhancers, Inc., based in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, has made it their mission to increase yield and reduce the impact of nitrogen-based fertilizers and conventional pesticides by providing a safe, environmentally-friendly alternative that naturally promotes healthy plant and crop growth.

By J. B. Bolster

Continued on next page


Nitrogen, though abundant in our air, is harmful when applied to land in large quantities. Most of the nitrogen from chemical fertilizers and residues from pesticides are washed away by rainfall and irrigation. Run-off eventually enters major bodies of water where it encourages the growth of aquatic plants and microscopic organisms. This growth then uses oxygen in the water and makes it hard for fish and other animals to survive. These areas, called “dead zones,” get bigger every year. The dead zone at the mouth of the Mississippi River, where it feeds into the Gulf of Mexico, is estimated to cover about 8,000 square miles.

The catch is that plants need nitrogen and other essential elements to thrive. Although there is plenty of nitrogen both in the air and in soil, most of it is unavailable for plant uptake. Instead, plants rely on bacteria to convert it into something useful. This is where Bio Soil’s product SumaGrow™ comes in. When applied to plants, it increases the number of microbes in the soil and roots allowing plants to make better use of the nitrogen and other plant nutrients in the soil.

The seeds of what would eventually become SumaGrow™ were planted in the mind of Moselle, Mississippi resident Wayne Wade. Having been raised on a farm, Wayne planted a small garden every spring as a hobby, and he had experience working with microbes. Another company that Wayne co-founded, Bio-Solutions, has been using the same kind of technology for years to create products that reduce waste from grease traps and lift stations. Their products have saved restaurants thousands by reducing the need to pump grease traps. They also work at the municipal level reducing the amount of solids entering the wastewater system.

In 2005, Wayne Wade began experimenting with microbial soil amendment products. By 2007, he had achieved enough success to approach Dr. C. A. Reddy, international microbiologist and professor at Michigan State University, about creating a new product. Dr. Lalithakumari Janarthanam, distinguished microbiologist specializing in plant pathology, was recruited for the project, and the dedicated efforts of these two scientists became SumaGrow™, a potential multi-functional microbial formulation that increases yields (over 20 percent in most cases) while reducing chemical fertilizers by 50 percent through effective biological nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, mobilization of available plant nutrients, production of phyto-hormones, and suppression of plant diseases by inducing host resistance.

SumaGrow™ has been tested on a wide variety of plants in greenhouses and in the field, both with and without fertilizers, and those treated with SumaGrow™ were healthier and produced higher yields than those grown without it. The product, which comes in liquid form, can be added to irrigation systems for large farms, mixed in small pump sprayers for gardens, or mixed in spray bottles for house plants. The product can even be applied either at planting or after sprouting. Bio Soil has also applied for organic certification and expects SumaGrow™ to be accepted in the near future.

Bio Soil is still “thinking outside the box” to make improvements. Dr. Lalitha, now a permanent resident of Hattiesburg and the company’s Director of

Research and Development, is constantly developing new ideas for other biological solutions for agriculture. The company is working on crop-specific formulas and is in the process of developing a new product that will act as an organic pesticide. With innovative ideas like this, the future of our environment and the future of farming are looking greener than ever.

For more information about Bio Soil Enhancers you may contact them at www.biosoilenhancers. com or in writing at 1611 James Street, H a t t i e s b u r g , Mississippi, 39401.

J. B. Bolster is a free lance writer and is an employee at Bio Soil Enhancers, Inc.


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Once again, the Florida Citrus Industry Annual Conference will return to the beautiful Hyatt Regency Coconut Point in Bonita Springs, Fl. This year’s event takes place from June 9-11 so go to www.flcitrusmutual.com and register immediately if you haven’t already.

This will be Mutual’s sixth year hosting the Conference and we are proud to say it has grown each year. In 2009, we had a re-cord 670 attendees for three days of fun, education and camarade-rie. This year’s Conference is sure to be a big hit as well.

The Educational Sessions agenda for 2010 touches on some of the industry’s hot button issues. We kick it off with a presentation from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on the proposed numeric nutrient criteria regulations for lakes, streams and other bodies of water.

Then we will move to research, first with an overview of the Citrus Research and Development Foundation and then a review of the National Academy of Sciences review of the industry’s stra-tegic plan to defeat HLB.

Finally, we will host a panel discussion of industry experts on “Surviving HLB.” The presentation will focus on citrus nutri-tionals and various testimonials to their effectiveness. The debate should be lively.

The Florida Citrus Commission is scheduled to hold its June meeting at the Conference on Wednesday as will Florida Citrus Mutual and several other industry organizations.

On Thursday we will also hold the Spouse Event - Citrus Creations - sponsored by the Florida Department of Citrus. This event, in its second year, is guaranteed fun but space is limited so be sure to register early.

U.S. Rep Adam Putnam, a candidate for Florida Agriculture Commissioner, will be the keynote speaker on Thursday night at the industry banquet. I’m sure Adam will give a terrific speech as usual.

Later that night a live band – The International Locals - will take us into the night with their eclectic repertoire.

Because we want the Conference to be a family affair, keep in mind that “Camp Coconut” will be available to your children on Thursday and Friday night. As part of the camp, the kids do a variety of activities, arts and crafts. In the past, they’ve done a sunset boat cruise and a “dive-in movie” where they showed a movie near Coconut Point’s big waterfall pool. Rest assured, the kids will have a blast.

The Conference will again stage several events designed to strengthen the voice of the Florida citrus growers in Tallahassee. The fundraisers include a fishing tournament, silent auction and a golf tournament at the top rated Raptor Bay Golf Club. Get your fishing gear and golf clubs ready. Big prizes await the winners!

Our special guest speaker on Friday night at the family din-ner is U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson. Nelson is a tremendous friend to the Florida citrus industry and I’m excited to hear his address.

After the Senator, we’ll wrap it up with a DJ and dancing for adults and children alike. Registration forms have already been mailed. But don’t worry if you haven’t received one. You can register and pay online at www.flcitrusmutual.com. We’re looking forward to a great event and I hope to see you there.

Make Your Plans for the 2010 Citrus Industry Annual Conference

By michael W. Sparks


See your local Signature feed dealer for contest details and a chance to WIN:

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Mr. Peter Wright, Regional Citizen Advisory

Committee

LOOK WHO’S READING

Squash is one of the most important vegetable crops in New Jersey.• Pumpkins are a variety of winter squash.• There is a squash that looks like a flying saucer. It is white and called “Pattypan”.• Antarctica is the only continent without reptiles or snakes. • An eagle can kill a young deer and fly away with it. • In the Caribbean there are oysters that can climb trees. • Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair. • The world’s youngest parents were 8 and 9 and lived in China in 1910. • The youngest pope was 11 years old. • Mark Twain didn’t graduate from elementary school. • Proportional to their weight, men are stronger than horses. • Pilgrims ate popcorn at the first Thanksgiving dinner. • They have square watermelons in Japan - they stack better. • Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation. • It is possible to lead a cow upstairs but not downstairs. • Armadillos can be housebroken. • The first Fords had engines made by Dodge. • A mole can dig a tunnel 300 feet long in just one night. • Peanuts are one of the ingredients in dynamite. • Ancient Egyptians slept on pillows made of stone. • A hippo can open its mouth wide enough to fit a four foot tall child inside. • A quarter has 119 grooves on its edge, a dime has one less groove. • A hummingbird weighs less than a penny. • Until 1796, there was a state in the United States called Franklin. Today it is known as Tennessee. • The flashing warning light on the cylindrical Capitol Records tower spells out HOLLYWOOD in Morse code. • Every time you lick a stamp, you’re consuming 1/10 of a calorie. • The average person has over 1,460 dreams a year. • One in every 4 Americans has appeared on television. • The average American will eat about 11.9 pounds of cereal per year. •

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Gone Fishin’

FISHING rEPOrt by Captain Dennis Voyles

Marion/Levy County

Wow... April was the best April fishing I can remember! After the terrible winter of 09-10 I was pleasantly surprised at how good the trout and mackerel runs were. And the grouper fishing picked up right on cue as soon as the bait pods arrived. Speaking of bait pods, they are enormous! The whole fishing picture is looking great!

I have yet to see any tarpon at the time of this writing, and the cobia run is slow and late, but that is more normal than not. With the huge bait pods that are moving in I am very positive that the big tarpon and cobia will return and surprise us like the trout did.

TROUT OUTLOOK: April was super, so I think that trout fishing will continue to remain hot. I was hoping that the Gulf Council would put some regs on the sand trout this year. With more and more boats on the water every year, the sand trout need some protection before its too late. I contacted our local representative with my concerns about the average size shrinking a little every year, and instead of listening to the people in the know they like to rely on their “test nets.” Here is how good their data is. Tampa Bay has a better trout population than Crystal River to Suwannee. Hmmm...so why do so many people from Tampa come here to fish? So they have to fish harder? Doubt it. Don’t get me wrong, I have the highest regard for the research people with FWC, but we need regulations on every species out here. Okay, I’ll get off of my soapbox now.

REDFISH OUTLOOK: South of the Suwannee River has been slow to moderately slow so far. North of the river has been red hot. Why? Beats me. It is easy to blame it on the lousy winter but I really have no idea. Go far enough south and the reds are good again (like around Homosassa). Why? Still don’t know. A couple of years ago the reds didn’t show up in good numbers until June. It was absolutely incredible all the way till Christmas. We can always blame it on el nino or something, but the fish will do what they want and I hope we never figure it out.

GROUPER OUTLOOK: Grouper started off the season with

a good gag bite,

and very few reds. Very predictable as the reds seem to do better when the water gets a little warmer. Along with the grouper bite, Kings have arrived in good numbers and good size.

Overall, the question as to how many pelagic fish were killed by the horrible winter of 09-10 is still unanswered, but the guides around Homosassa will know pretty soon. I hope the kill was minimal. Either way there is no need to kill a trophy tarpon even though it is legal ($50 stamp). There are plenty of taxidermists out there that can make you a wonderful replica of your trophy...and all the while allowing it to live and perpetuate the species. If the harsh winter has taught us anything, it is that catch and release needs to be a higher priority with all species.

Captain Voyles is a science and agriculture teacher at Cedar Key Schools, and a fishing guide on weekends, holidays and summers. To schedule a fishing trip Captain Voyles can be reached at 352-486-3763 or on the Internet at voylesguideservice.com.


The American family farm and its heritage•The right to freely practice one’s religious beliefs•Support of our nation’s Constitution and laws•A just and fair system of taxation•An abundant and healthy domestic food supply•Limited governmental intrusion and regulation•Private property rights•Preservation of the rural lifestyle•

Environmental practices based on sound science•A competitive free market•Alevelplayingfieldforworldtrade•Freedom of opportunity•Respect for our fellow man•Programs that help develop our nation’s young •people

MembershipBenefits

INSURANCESERVICES

From property and casualty products to life, health and annuity products, Florida Farm Bureau can fulfill yourinsurance needs with affordable premiums and claims service that’s second to none. We are experts in estate planning and partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield to provideyouwithhealthcoverage.Youwon’tfindabettermix of quality, service and price than Farm Bureau Insur-ance. To locate a Farm Bureau Insurance agent, contact your county Farm Bureau or visit:http://www.floridafarmbureau.com.

FARM BUREAU BANK/MORTGAGE SERVICES

Farm Bureau Bank is a full service bank that puts you in control of your money 24/7 through on-line services, 24-hour automated phone services and the ability to bank by mail. Our superior quality products and services include credit cards featuring Wold Master Card with excellent rates and exceptional rewards, deposit accounts includ-ing checking, money market, CDs, IRAs and health sav-ings accounts with competitive interest rates.

We alsooffermortgage loansand refinancing,businesslinesofcreditupto$100,000,loansandrefinancingfornew and used vehicles, agricultural equipment, RVs, motorcycles and other alternative vehicles, educational loans and free Internet banking options including online bill pay. Visit your county Farm Bureau, go to http://farmbureaubank.com or call 1-800-492-FARM (3276).

FARM BUREAU BUYER’S CLUB

Purchasethefinestagriculturalprod-ucts from Florida and around the na-tion through the Florida Agricultural Marketing Association (FAMA). From Florida’s fresh fruits and juices, to Wisconsin’s world-renowned chees-es, to Washington’s taste-tempting apples,toMississippi’sfarm-raisedcatfish,youcanselectthehighestqualityfoodsatpricesthatyouwillfindhardto beat. All products are delivered fresh or frozen to your county Farm Bureau for easy pickup. Use the order form in the Buyer’s Club ad on the back page of FloridAgricul-ture magazine. You can also access this page online under MemberBenefitsathttp://FloridaFarmBureau.org

CHILD SAFETY SEATS

Approved COSCO child safety car seat for $25. Limit three per member. Child booster seat for $15. Limit three per member. Order forms are available at county Farm Bu-reauofficesorbyclickingonMemberBenefitsathttp://FloridaFarmBureau.org.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH COVERAGE

Members receive free accidental death coverage on namedmembersstartingat$1,000thefirstyearandau-tomatically increasing $100 per year with a maximum of $3,000.

Safety for Farm Bureau

members and their families

Farm Bureau Continues to be a Strong Advocate For:

Contact the Marion County Farm Bureau office for More Information on Member BenefitsTelephone: (352) 237-2124


The American family farm and its heritage•The right to freely practice one’s religious beliefs•Support of our nation’s Constitution and laws•A just and fair system of taxation•An abundant and healthy domestic food supply•Limited governmental intrusion and regulation•Private property rights•Preservation of the rural lifestyle•

Environmental practices based on sound science•A competitive free market•Alevelplayingfieldforworldtrade•Freedom of opportunity•Respect for our fellow man•Programs that help develop our nation’s young •people

MembershipBenefits

INSURANCESERVICES

From property and casualty products to life, health and annuity products, Florida Farm Bureau can fulfill yourinsurance needs with affordable premiums and claims service that’s second to none. We are experts in estate planning and partner with Blue Cross and Blue Shield to provideyouwithhealthcoverage.Youwon’tfindabettermix of quality, service and price than Farm Bureau Insur-ance. To locate a Farm Bureau Insurance agent, contact your county Farm Bureau or visit:http://www.floridafarmbureau.com.

FARM BUREAU BANK/MORTGAGE SERVICES

Farm Bureau Bank is a full service bank that puts you in control of your money 24/7 through on-line services, 24-hour automated phone services and the ability to bank by mail. Our superior quality products and services include credit cards featuring Wold Master Card with excellent rates and exceptional rewards, deposit accounts includ-ing checking, money market, CDs, IRAs and health sav-ings accounts with competitive interest rates.

We alsooffermortgage loansand refinancing,businesslinesofcreditupto$100,000,loansandrefinancingfornew and used vehicles, agricultural equipment, RVs, motorcycles and other alternative vehicles, educational loans and free Internet banking options including online bill pay. Visit your county Farm Bureau, go to http://farmbureaubank.com or call 1-800-492-FARM (3276).

FARM BUREAU BUYER’S CLUB

Purchasethefinestagriculturalprod-ucts from Florida and around the na-tion through the Florida Agricultural Marketing Association (FAMA). From Florida’s fresh fruits and juices, to Wisconsin’s world-renowned chees-es, to Washington’s taste-tempting apples,toMississippi’sfarm-raisedcatfish,youcanselectthehighestqualityfoodsatpricesthatyouwillfindhardto beat. All products are delivered fresh or frozen to your county Farm Bureau for easy pickup. Use the order form in the Buyer’s Club ad on the back page of FloridAgricul-ture magazine. You can also access this page online under MemberBenefitsathttp://FloridaFarmBureau.org

CHILD SAFETY SEATS

Approved COSCO child safety car seat for $25. Limit three per member. Child booster seat for $15. Limit three per member. Order forms are available at county Farm Bu-reauofficesorbyclickingonMemberBenefitsathttp://FloridaFarmBureau.org.

ACCIDENTAL DEATH COVERAGE

Members receive free accidental death coverage on namedmembersstartingat$1,000thefirstyearandau-tomatically increasing $100 per year with a maximum of $3,000.

Safety for Farm Bureau

members and their families

Farm Bureau Continues to be a Strong Advocate For:

Contact the Marion County Farm Bureau office for More Information on Member BenefitsTelephone: (352) 237-2124

LONG-DISTANCE SERVICES

Never change long distance companies again. Low, low rates including less than five cents per minute for out-of-state calls, and less than eight cents per minute for in-state long distance. You get your own personal incoming toll-free number that is billed for less than eight cents a minute and a no-extra fee calling card billed at less than nine cents per minute. All this for a low monthly access fee of $1.50. Why pay more?

NEW! fbconnection offers accelerated toll-free dial-up Internet service. Basic packages start at $9.95 a month for 150 hours of usage, and just $13.95 a month for un-limited access.

BELTONE HEARING

Florida Farm Bu-reau members are eligible for a free hearing screening. If a hearing loss is de-

tected, you’ll receive a 15 percent discount off of the retail price on any Beltone hearing aid. With more than 90 locations in Florida and 1300+ locations throughout the United States, you can feel confident that a Beltone office is nearby.

DODGE CASH ALLOWANCE

Florida Farm Bureau members re-ceive a cash allowance of $500 on the purchase or lease of most new Dodge cars and trucks. Dodge Bo-nus Certificates must be secured and completed at your local coun-ty Farm Bureau before the pur-chase or lease of the new car or truck. Members should negotiate

their best deal with their Dodge dealer prior to present-ing their bonus certificate. Must be a member of Farm Bureau for 30 days to be eligible for cash allowance. Available models include: Magnum, Caravan, Grand Cara-van, Ram Pickup 1500 (including Mega cab), Ram Pickup 2500/3500 (including Mega cab/3500 Chassis cab), Da-kota Pickup and Durango. Excludes: Viper, Sprinter, Char-ger and all SRT’s. Available models and exclusions might change in the 2008 model year. The Dodge rebate is not inclusive with some manufacture purchase incentives. Read the fine print on the Dodge info.

GRAINGER INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY

Grainger offers spe-cial Farm Bureau discounts and is a preferred Farm Bu-

reau supplier for maintenance, repair, operations and safety products. You can save on thousands of commer-cial and industrial products with brand names you know and trust.

FREE FREIGHT on Grainger.com10% off Grainger catalog price48% off Manufacturer’s List on DeWalt Tools35% off Farm Duty Motors30% off select Safety Items52% off Manufacturer’s List on Stanley Hand Tools55% off Manufacturer’s List on Proto hand Tools45% off Manufactuer’s List on Blackhawk Tools46% off Manufacturer’s List on Milwaukee Tools60% off Manufacturer’s List on Westward Tools

Visit Grainger’s Web site at http://www.grainger.com. Grainger’s help desk number is (877) 202-2594.

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Save up to 50 percent on the national aver-age cost for LASIK, the world’s most popular elective surgery. you will have access to quality, credentialed physicians through a national network of board certified optha-mologists. One low

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On one corner of my fam-ily’s farm in Pennsylvania there is a small white church and cem-etery. Established in the early 1800’s, it has seen a good many Sunday sermons come and go. High on the hill overlooking this structure is a barn in which I spent quite a bit of time dur-ing the years I was growing up. On one particular day I recall seeing one of the well respected farmers from the community make an unusual mid-week visit to the site. I remember the scene not because of anything that happened during the visit, but rather for the grand exit.

Indeed, the mid-afternoon stillness was rudely interrupted as this elderly farmer revved his engine and threw the transmission into drive. The sound of gravel rattled loudly off the large fend-ers of his step-side pickup, dust flew and one could clearly detect two long dark lines in the remaining shale where the farmer had “peeled out.” I must have had an incredulous look on my face, for my dad, who had also observed the grand exit, remarked in explanation that the farmer could no longer hear. It had become his routine to rev the truck until he could hear it, which of course resulted in a grand exit wherever he went. Though he still enjoyed good health, all those years of operating loud machinery without ear protection had taken a toll on his hearing.

As we embark on another summer season of cutting, edging and string trimming, I am reminded of this farmer, and many like him, who didn’t know the importance of using ear protection. Indeed, when he was farming in the 1940’s and 1950’s, no one thought anything of hearing protection. Even today the tempta-tion is strong to pass on the earmuffs when grabbing the string trimmer off the shelf. It is now, at the onset of the summer season, that one should take a moment to inventory the value of health and take precautions to protect what you have.

For many in the south, I suspect skin protection may be the thing that sneaks up slowly, ignored for years, with serious conse-

quences in the long term. Just as hearing loss eroded over a long period of years for the unsuspecting farmer, so repeated exposure to the sun will become a problem for unprotected gardeners. Like our hearing example, this is easy enough to protect against. When you’re going to be outdoors, limit exposure to the sun’s ultravio-let rays by wearing sunglasses, a broad-brimmed hat, and protec-tive, tightly woven clothing. Remember to use a broad-spectrum sunscreen rated SPF-15 or higher on all exposed skin, and pause a couple of times during the day to reapply skin protection prod-ucts.

Hand protection is another important task that is often over-looked by gardeners. Use of gloves is recommended for weeding and general protection when gardening. One should be careful of where you put your hands. Underneath the rims of stored pots and containers are great places for insects, particularly spiders, to hide. Gardeners must fight the temptation to absent-mindedly reach without thinking.

Of all things we value when counting our blessings for good health, surely eyesight must be near the top of the list. This also must be protected by gardeners, and manufacturers have en-hanced the appearance and comfort of eye protection over the years. Protective eyewear now comes in safety specs that closely mimic designer sun glasses. Still, for some jobs involving small particles or dust, the old tried and true enclosed goggles still pro-vide the best protection.

While easy enough to ignore, a few simple steps will encour-age gardeners to use protective gear. It all begins with a major first step – value what you have. Your hearing, skin, hands and eyes are important for the things you enjoy doing every day. For most of us these work so well we never even consider them. Often it is only when they have been damaged that we realize how valu-able they are. Once you value these items, you’ll take precautions to protect them. The next step then is to obtain the items for pro-tection – the earmuffs, broad hats, sun lotion, gloves and eyewear – and put them where you will see them and use them.

Finally, maintain a safety mindset when taking on garden-ing jobs. Consider the danger involved every time you start a machine. In a joking way I’ve heard some seniors remark that if they’d known they were going to live so long they’d have taken better care of themselves. Their hindsight is good foresight for those who garden now, and plan to long into the future.

By David holmesmarion County extension Director

SAFETYA Mindset for Summer WeatherA Mindset for Summer Weather


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In today’s economy and with such an emphasis being placed on proper environmental stewardship, it’s nice to know that Clear Creek Cattle Company is in your back yard. The company offers many services, from running an exten-sive farm services operation to producing crossbred cattle and offering custom hay baling. Land clearing, seed drilling, mowing and tree clearing can all be easily handled by Clear Creek Cattle Company and they also specialize in a very effective form of fertilization known as injectible liquid fertilizer.

In this process, a liquid fertilizer, coming from the fully researched company Agro Culture Liquid Fertilizer, is injected directly into the soil by a specialized machine, Clear Creek Cattle Company having the only machine of its kind in the southeast. By injecting the fertilizer directly into the soil, problems with runoff are no longer a problem. This helps greatly reduce environmental concerns as well as giving a more effective use of dollars spent. Because of this specialized unit’s size, about eight acres can be safely and effectively fertilized in one hour.

Lucky Jurgens, who operates the company, says that the liquid fertilizer can be custom prepared to the client’s needs. Clear Creek Cattle Company will happily take soil samples, or use results already given, to determine the optimum blend for the soil to be fertilized. Agro Culture liquid fertilizer is a chelated product, so only exactly what is needed is applied due to its ability of increased absorption. Through extensive research and Agro Culture’s goal of Responsible Nutrient Management, Lucky and the Clear Creek Cattle Company are able to offer a high return on investment with the injectable fertilizing service. Lucky himself keeps ahead of the curve by already having completed his certification of Best Management Practices for fertilization. This helps ensure the greatest environmental care is given to fertilizing client’s soils and that Lucky and the company are current with all legislation.

The results of fertilizing this way speak for themselves. The company has a herd of 120 head of Wagyu/Angus crossbred cattle. For the past two years he has used the injectable fertilizer on Clear Creek’s own property. Last year’s conception rate for the cows was an impressive 95 percent, an increase from the previous year’s already strong rate of 91 percent. Lucky says that better nutrition of the cows and calves helped lead to this and is a direct result of improved nutrients coming from his grass. In addition, the steers gained one and a half pounds daily over the winter from haylage which was bound on-site.

A web site in the works for Clear Creek Cattle Company will be completed in the future, so at this time speaking with Lucky directly is the best way to get any of your questions answered. He can be reached at 352-274-5421. No job is too big and with a very impressive client list already, you can be assured that you are using a company with the skills and knowledge to get your farm service needs done correctly.

By Jamie Cohen


Growing Businesses in OCALA AREAGrowing Businesses in OCALA AREAPlease patronize these fine businesses in your area,

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42 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010 Continued on next page

Gru

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By Brooke Hamlin

Abigail’s Cafe and Coffee Shop is now twice the size and BETTER THAN EVER! Located in the heart of Dunnellon’s historic district, just a half block off US Highway 41, it is easy to find and heard to beat.

Your hostess and creative genius in the kitchen, Christina Fernandez, is always willing to take a minute to visit with her guests and chat about what is near and dear to her heart, her restaurant and why Dunnellon is such a special place. Christina has been affiliated with and owned restaurants, cafes, gourmet food and fresh produce markets her entire adult life. A transplant, most recently from South Florida, she made her home in Dunnellon in 2005 and opened Abigail’s in 2007. She chose the area for its historic ambiance and charm. Since establishing her business, Christina has become very involved in promoting the area and the downtown district. She’s a driving force when it comes to festivals, special events and any other ways to market Dunnellon. Knowing how important fresh, locally grown produce is to her Café and the community, Christina volunteered to become the secretary for the newly formed Dunnellon Farmers Market, which operates every Tuesday from 2:00 – 6:00 pm at the Historic Train Depot.

She recently opened the new part of the Café in the adjoining shop that she owns and created another, more dramatic dining area complete with great atmosphere, accent pieces and wonderful art, much of which was created by Christina herself.

Beyond that dining room is an enclosed porch with enough seating for larger groups. It’s perfect for a business meeting or just a fun gathering like the Red Hatters. You may want to share a celebration such as a birthday, wedding shower or retirement party here. Just give her a call and Christina will help you plan.

If free live music interests you, every Saturday night from


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6:00 – 9:00 pm and Sunday from noon – 3:00 pm, Abigail’s presents talented local entertainers, reminiscent of coffee houses from the past playing for your enjoyment.

The menu is varied, wonderful and prepared to order. Daily specials

are always available and you’ll soon discover Christina’s talent for combing fresh ingredients into unforgettable taste creations. But leave room for dessert, which always includes a wide array of homemade delights. And don’t forget to visit the gift shop! It’s eclectic and always interesting. Christina has even created note cards from her art, so you can take it home with you as a remembrance.

Abigail’s Café and Coffee ShopOpen seven days a week

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I just returned from my GF Shirley’s home. As we walked around her garden, we analyzed and solved many of the world’s problems including some of her horticultural-related ones. So, I’m thinking you may be dealing with some of the same plant questions.

Q. Young citrus tree (kumquat) that is planted on the south side of the house is starting to leaf out, but has some dead branches. Where do I prune?

A. Go ahead and prune now. Prune with your newly sharpened hand pruners with a slanted cut. If the branch is sending out new leaves – make your cut about an inch into the green wood. For branches that are not leafing out – prune them off of the plant.

Q. An established citrus tree that is planted in an open field has absolutely no green leaves sprouting and the bark is splitting all over the trunk. Will it come back?

A. Unfortunately, Shirley is not the only one with citrus trees looking like this. It will probably comeback below the graft union. Which means the rootstock is going to sprout and grow prolifically and the desirable fruiting part of the citrus is gone, froze out, never to return unless Shirley ‘buds’ or grafts her citrus this summer.

Most citrus trees are grafted onto a desirable rootstock that has disease and nematode resistant and cold tolerance. You don’t have to have a PhD in Fruit Crop Production to know how to graft fruit trees but there are specific procedures you must follow for success. Please visit this publication from UF for exact instructions: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/hs116 by James Ferguson. James has included illustrations that are very helpful. Let me know what happens!

Q. When’s the best time to plant caladium bulbs? A. Now! Caladiums are a great plant for summer color in shady and

sunny locations. But the thing I love the most about them – is if you purchase them as bulbs they are so economical and give you so much BANG for the buck. Bulbs are priced by their size and specific variety. The larger bulbs cost a little more but will usually produce more colorful leaves. Some sun-loving caladiums varieties are: Carolyn Whorton, Red Flash, White Queen, Red Ruffles and Sweetheart.

Caladiums bulbs can be planted in masses or clumps or in containers mixed with other flowers plants. Take a good look at a bulb. Notice that this somewhat rounded tear-shaped bulb does have a top and a bottom. The top has the elongated eyes coming to a point – you want to make sure you plant them top side up.

With the warming of the soil temperature, the bulbs will begin to sprout in about four weeks. They’ll produce lots of color until the days begin to shorten in September. Be sure to leave the bulbs in the ground – they’ll sprout again next year. Again, they are a lot of bank for the buck because they’ll come back steadily for about three years, then you’ll probably want to dig them up, divide the bulbs and re-plant.

Here’s the ‘to be continued’ question: Q. What would you do if you felt a cold creepy critter

crawling up the inside of your blue jeans while you were outside pruning all the dead plants in your garden?

A. All of the sudden, I’m screaming, “There’s something in my pants!!!” There’s something in my pants!!”

Sarah glances up with a confused expression. I pause, for a split second, to consider where I am.

Home! In the next half of that second, I’m frantically stripping off my jeans. Wishing for the first time in my life that I had on a pair of those ‘skinny jeans’ so that the unknown critter would not have been able to find a crawl space. Or I should have put my ‘red duct taped muck boots’ on with my pants legs tucked into them. As I mentally rectify the situation, the critter continues to proceed up my leg.

Sarah’s doubled over laughing ‘cause I’m dancing around like a cat on a hot tin roof.

Jeans at my knees, right hand on the thing moving in my scrunched up pants, left hand traveling down the leg to capture the critter,

Sarah’s rolling in the leaves cracking up. The next second, a brown anole hops out of my britches! His tail is broken in two places. He looks at me in discuss as he scurries off to the azaleas.

As Sarah picks herself up, she snickers, “Good thing we were at home!”

And that’s my answer, and I’m sticking to it!

with Suzanne Shuffitt

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46 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE MAY 2010 46 INTHEFIELD MAGAZINE AUGUST 2009

AgCalendarWhat’s going on InTheField?

To search or submit more ag events, visit the Florida Ag Calendar at

www.floridaagcalendar.com www.F l o r i d a A g C a l e n d a r .com

33

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®

5/1/10 – UF/IFAS SFBFP Performance Horse Short Course, Bartow, FL•

5/1/10 - Polo in the Park, Florida Horse Park•

5/5-7/10 – Florida Beef Cattle Short Course, Gainesville, FL•

5/8/10 - Florida Horse Sale, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

5/8/10 – Polo in the Park, Florida Horse Park•

5/15/10 – Polo in the Park, Florida Horse Park•

5/21 - 5/23/10 - Southern Jr. Rodeo Finals, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

5/27/10 - Ocala Equine Shortcourse, Hilton Ocala•

5/29/10 – Dressage, Jumper & 3-Phase Schooling Show, Florida Horse Park•

5/29 - 5/30/10 - American Miniature Zebu Show, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

5/30/10 – Cross Country Schooling, Florida Horse Park•

6/4 - 6/5/10 - CBR Bull Riding, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

6/12/10 - Breeding Goat & Sheep Sale, Ocala Livestock Market•

6/19/10 - Cowboy Mounted Shooting Show, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

6/26 - 6/27/10 - Marion Saddle Club Hunter Jumper Show, Southeastern Livestock Pavilion•

7/31 – 8/1/10 – Florida Small Farms Alternative Enterprises Conference, Kissimmee, FL•

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C L A S S I F I E D SDO YOU HAVE SOMEtHINg tO SELL or A SERVICE tO OFFER? Call 352-299-5776 to place your inexpensive classified ad. Dead-line is the 15th of the month for the following month.

CONRAD tREE SERVICE. tree evaluation, hazardous tree removal, tree trimming. FREE EStIMAtES. 24 Hour emergency service. 352-867-1123.

tREE & SHRUB CARE: Fertilization, Insect Control, Disease Control, Special Micronu-trient Applications, Moss Spraying. LAWN CARE: Fertilization, Insect Control, Weed Control, Disease Control, Fire Ant Protection. Call ARBOR MAStERS Lawn Care Division today 352-304-5278 or visit our website www.arbormasters.com.

LAWN MOWERS, EDgERS, CHAINSAWS, BLOWERS, gENERAtORS, PRESSURE WASHERS. A great selection for all your lawn and farm needs. BUCHALLA SMALL EN-gINE. 4530 SE 110th St., Belleview. 352-347-2112. “Service is our Business”.

2006 FORD F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab 4x2 Only 51K Miles. Call for “In the Field” Special Pricing. Phillips Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

REStORED 1979 CHEVROLEt EL CAMI-NO, 355 cu. in. 700 R/4 transmission, auburn posi rear. $18,500 OBO. 352-857-9573.

MARION COUNtY FARM BUREAU is ac-cepting resume’s for a part time activities coor-dinator. this person will work with the Marion County Farm Bureau board of directors assist-ing them in planning and execution of various events and activities during the year. It requires a dependable self starter with excellent com-munication and administrative skills. Please submit resume to 5800 SW 20th St., Ocala, FL., 34474 or e-mail: [email protected].

Work At Home. Full or Part time. Internet Required. Self-Starter. Will train. Opportunity to Advance. 352-486-6790. www.YouCango-green.info.

READY tO SELL YOUR FARM OR PROP-ERtY? Call 352-299-5776 to run an ad in this classified section. “Lots of people are reading In the Field each month”.

PINE SHAVINgS DELIVERED! Kiln dried, bagged, Florida pine. Small, medium, large or-ders OK. 352-266-6263.

2007 DODgE RAM 3500 SLt Dually 5.9L

Diesel 4x4. Quad cab, Super Clean with LOW MILES UNDER, 29K. Call for “In the Field” Special Pricing. Phillips Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

!!!! Z turn Mowers Starting at $2,295 !!!!Allen Farm & Lawn Equipment 5455 N. UW HWY 441, Ocala

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BUSHHOg & FINISH MOWINg. Farm acre-age, commercial and residential. Serving N. Marion & Alachua County. Quality work & reasonable rates 352-857-9573.

2008 CHEVY 1500 SILVERADO Regular Cab 4x4 Only 27K Miles. Call for “In the Field” Special Pricing. Phillips Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

MEtAL BUILDINgS. Rowe & Newberry, Inc., general Contractors. 352-854-5915.

2006 JEEP Wrangler “Rubicon” Automatic With only 7K Miles!!! Includes Front Winch. Call for “In the Field” Special Pricing. Phillips Chrysler-Jeep Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

HOMEMADE FUDgE. two Sisters. Also, fresh baked cookies. gift packages for all your needs: thank yous, favorite teacher, customer appreciation. 352-629-5833.

REgIStERED BLACK ANgUS BULLS for sale. great confirmation and muscle. Call 352-425-0733.

2006 FORD F-150 Super Crew 4x4 Only 32K Miles “Black & Beautiful”. Call for “In the Field” Special Pricing. Philllips Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

USED 6 ft. BUSHHOg 350. good condition. Used 3 pt posthole digger with 9” auger, $200. 352-857-9573.

Allen Farm & Lawn Equipment – Rentaltractor w Bushhog/Mower, Pole Saws, Chair

Saws, 17” tiller, Much more5455 N. US HWY 441, Ocala

352-840-0200 www.allenfarmandlawn.com

2004 DODgE RAM 1500 Quad Cab 4x4. this is an inexpensive 4x4. Call for “In the Field Special Pricing. Phillips Chrysler-Jeep-Dodge. Ask for Danny, cell 352-274-4959.

ARE YOU A FARM OWNER? Call today to schedule an equipment demo. We’ll bring the equipment to you! BUCHALLA SMALL EN-gINE. 352-347-2112.

JOIN tHE MARION COUNtY FARM BU-REAU tODAY!!! Call 352-237-2124 or sign up by completing the web application at Florida-FarmBureau.org. Membership doesn’t cost, it pays! “REAL VALUE BENEFIt$”. Check it out!

WAtERFRONt DUPLEX ON tHE LIttLE MANAtEE RIVER in Ruskin. Quiet residen-tial area with dock right on a spring-fed pond and river frontage. Beautiful sunsets. great saltwater and fresh water fishing. 15 Minutes by boat to tampa Bay. 1 BR 1 bath each side. Call 813-244-3729 to make a weekend appoint-ment to see.

OCALA MOWER & CYCLE. See us for your Spring tune-up! 3129 NE 14th St., Ocala. 352-351-8484.

BRYANt’S PUMP SERVICE: “We fix bad wa-ter”. 24 Hour Service. Locally owned. Call 352-629-3769 or 866-349-8426.

tENNESSEE VACAtION HOME. Just 15 miles east of gatlinburg, tN. 1 BR 1 BA park model in quiet, gated RV Park. You own the property and the home. Just remodeled—new roof, new paint, new carpet. Low monthly maintenance fee. Swimming pool. Beautiful, heavily treed park. $42,000. Call 813-244-3729.

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In The Field Marion May 2010 Edition

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