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July 2016
Serving Florida and South Georgia
VOL. 20 • NO. 07 12 PAGES
UF/IFAS researchers to study how to reduce carbon dioxide in ranch soil By: Brad Buck, 352-294-3303, bradbuck@ufl.edu
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AINESVILLE, Fla. — University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers hope to reduce possible pollutants emanating from soils in Florida cattle ranches by using a $710,000 federal grant to study soil microbes. In the new study, UF/IFAS researchers will use lab and field studies to investigate how pasture management and factors such as temperature and rainfall affect soil microbes. They’ll also look for genetic markers to get a glimpse into microbial identity. Genetic markers are genes or short sequences of DNA scientists use to find other genes on a genetic map. “The goal is to put together a model that can predict the release of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide from soils under a climate that is expected to be warmer and experience more extreme dry and wet
periods across the Southeast,” said Stefan Gerber, a UF/IFAS assistant professor in soil and water sciences and one of the investigators on the new study. The scientific team includes Gerber and fellow UF/IFAS soil and water sciences faculty members Patrick Inglett, Kanika Inglett and Maria Silveira, collaborating with Ryan Penton, an
Arizona State Universitybased microbiologist. Soils naturally absorb and retain carbon dioxide. They also produce nitrous oxide from soil nitrogen. Carbon in the soil is primarily in the form of organic matter. Carbon dioxide is produced when soil microbes eat plant litter and soil organic matter, Gerber said. “This is essentially the
same process as when we humans consume food,” Gerber said. “We, and microbes, consume organic materials and metabolize, or burn, them and give off wastes.” Gerber, Inglett and their colleagues hope that their results can help guide ranchers to manage their land in such a way that they reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maybe even receive credit for storing carbon. Ranch management can include factors such as more or fewer cows in a given area, how much fertilizer is applied to the ground, whether the land manager chooses specific plants to grow and whether the manager decides to burn vegetation periodically, Inglett said. The three-year study, which begins in August, is funded by the U.S. Department of AgricultureAgriculture and Food Research Initiative.
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Blueberries’ health benefits better than many perceive
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The Birth Of Symbiotic Organic Agriculture Waymore Farms Clewiston, Florida
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July is here and the heat wave is in full effect.
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Supporting pollinators could have big payoff for Texas cotton farmers
Science Detectives Investigate a ‘Mitey’ Big Problem
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.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are hot on the trail of a honey bee killer, and their detective work has taken them from hives in Tucson, Arizona, to those in Bismarck, North Dakota. Led by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) supervisory research entomologist Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, the team is staking out the entrances of victimized hives, eyeing the comings and goings of foraging honey bees that they suspect may be unwitting accomplices. Instead of cordoning off the sites with crime-scene tape, the scientists are blocking access to the hives using cut lengths of PVC pipe with a slit about midway down. There, a slid-
By Jan Suszkiw
ing wire-mesh door separates incoming bees from outgoing ones. None of the busy little winged bearers of pollen and nectar will get by without inspection-and for good reason: the researchers suspect the bees are physically harboring their target: an oval-shaped, pinhead-sized parasite called the Varroa mite. The Varroa mite is pub-
lic enemy number one to not only honey bees nationwide, but also the 90-plus flowering crops that depend on the insects to pollinate them, including apples, almonds, blueberries and cantaloupe. The team’s investigations in Bismarck this June are actually a follow-up study to the one they completed last year at two Arizona sites. Findings from that study suggest that bees can bolster their hives’ existing mite population by carrying in Varroas from other colonies-an influx that most often occurs in the fall, especially November. Varroa populations grow slowly because females produce only three to five offspring. If mite populations in colonies are low, then they should remain that way for at continued in Page 2
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Science Detectives Investigate a Blueberries’ health benefits better than many perceive ‘Mitey’ Big Problem least a season before chemicals called “miticides” need to be applied, explains DeGrandiHoffman, who leads ARS’s Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson. Sometimes, though, Varroa numbers soar to potentially hive-wrecking levels during the fall. To the researchers, this suggested that factors other than mite reproduction were involved-namely, “mite mi-
gration” via foraging bees and wayward “drifters” from other colonies. At the Arizona hive sites, this influx of migrating mites correlated to population increases of 227 to 336 percent, starting in November. The findings appeared in the February 2016 issue of Experimental and Applied Acarology. In addition to further investigation at a Bismarck apiary, the researchers will also evaluate placing hives in refrigerated storage in the fall to head off mite migration into colonies. They’ll determine the strategy’s effectiveness based on whether it reduces the need for miticide applications, keeps Varroa populations low and results in high winter survival rates for colony members.
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AINESVILLE, Fla. — Consumers know some of the benefits blueberries provide, but they’re less aware of the advantages of reverting aging, improving vision and memory, a new University of Florida study shows. Shuyang Qu, a doctoral student in agricultural education and communication at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Ag-
By: Brad Buck, 352-294-3303, bradbuck@ufl.edu
ricultural Sciences, led the study. Joining Qu were Joy Rumble, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural education and communication, and Tori Bradley, a master’s student in the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department. Rumble’s Florida Specialty Crop grant gave the opportunity to examine consumers’ knowledge of blueberry health benefits. Qu and her colleagues wanted to determine how much consumers know about blueberry health benefits and see if there’s a knowledge gap with blueberry health benefits among demographic groups. Using their findings, they will identify promotional opportunities for Florida blueberries. Researchers surveyed more than 2,000 people in 31 states – mostly on the
East Coast and in the Midwest – to see what they know about the health benefits of blueberries. Most were aware of the benefits of blueberries in warding off cancer and lowering the risk of heart disease. The UF/IFAS study also found that low-income populations tend to know less about blueberry health benefits. “People being more familiar with blueberries as deterrents for cancer and heart disease may be related to the high general awareness of these two diseases,” Qu said. “The fact that cancer and heart diseases are the leading causes of death in America may have led to more personal research related to preventing the diseases, leading to the respondents being exposed to these findings more than other benefits.” To help promote blueberries’ health benefits, Qu and her colleagues suggest holding events during blueberry season, such as tastings or u-picks to draw consumers to the crop while providing a vehicle for information about blueberry health benefits.
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CAES plant pathology doctoral student working to maximize the productivity of Haitian farmers W hen he started college, Abraham Fulmer didn’t know he’d study peanuts, work in international development or become fascinated with Haiti. But that’s where life led him. Fulmer, a PhD student in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, works with the Peanut & Mycotoxin Innovation Lab project in Haiti, where researchers are working to find the varieties and growing conditions that lead to the best yield and discourage disease in peanuts. “Peanut is a fascinating crop,” Fulmer said. ”There’s a mystique about it being linked to the New World. The first written description of peanut was recorded on the island of Hispaniola by Bartonlomé Las Casas – probably in what is now Haiti – in the 1500s. That link is fascinating to me. Haiti itself is fascinating.” The Peanut & Mycotoxin Innovation Lab (PMIL) supports the education of dozens of graduate students like Fulmer at UGA, across the U.S. and in partner countries. At the same time, professors from the U.S. and partner countries mentor the students and advise them on their research. As a PhD student, Fulmer conducts his own research in Haiti and the U.S., but through PMIL, he supervises Haitian
students in their work, too. “The most rewarding thing about the work that I’ve been a part of in Haiti is the personal fulfillment of being able to work with students,” he said. Over the past few years, PMIL has partnered with Meds & Food for Kids, an NGO that makes peanutbased food supplements and supports farmers as a way to get locally sourced peanuts. Through an internship program, PMIL and MFK give Haitian agronomy students an opportunity to do practical research in the field. Over the past two years, 16 undergraduates have worked with PMIL and MFK; half of the students are men and half are women. In Haiti, an undergraduate degree in agronomy calls for five years of study and a thesis project, requirements that are similar to a master’s degree in other places. “The students compete to earn a spot in the internship program; it’s a good opportunity for them,” Fulmer said. “Each one designs and implements a trial. We are helping them all along the way, but they are responsible from the planning of the trial to the planting of the seeds to the harvest, from gathering the data, to analyzing that data to presenting the data.”
By Allison Floyd
tons of peanuts a year. “Farmers in Haiti get between 300 and 800 pounds per acre. The average is probably around 500 pounds,” said PMIL Assistant Director James Rhoads, who worked with smallholder peanut farmers in Haiti while working for MFK. “But, now we’re seeing yields in research plots and in scaled seed production in the 2000pound range and higher. While building students’ Abraham’s efforts are skills, the arrangement also helping to close that yield provides data to PMIL, which gap.” is working to enhance Haiti’s Getting a bigger crop out of peanut sector by addressing the ground means more than production-related problems just finding the right variety and improving conditions and hoping for rain. Farmers along the value chain. need to know when to invest Research supported by col- time and inputs in fighting laboration includes a peanut- pests and disease. breeding program and research into agronomic practices best suited for growing conditions in Haiti. “We’ve done seed- and rowspacing trials, variety trials and fungicide trials,” Fulmer said. “Ultimately, we are trying to find the best answers to questions that deal with quality and quantity of the crop. “Our research is creating data that just didn’t exist before. Now we have actual evidence to direct decision-making.” Creating a list of best practices for growing a healthy peanut crop would empower the country’s smallholder farmers, who produce about 24,000 metric
“A lot of my research here in the U.S. has to do with leafspot pathogens,” Fulmer said. “What are the factors that drive when the disease starts and how bad the disease gets? I watch diseases very closely to pinpoint the conditions that have the most impact, so we can understand how to combat them. “I’ve been able to carry that research over to Haiti, and that’s rewarding.” When he started school, Fulmer was more interested in the aesthetic part of agriculture; he thought he might become a landscape architect. But a class with University of Georgia agronomy professor Dewey Lee caught his attention and set him on a career path. “I really became aware in that class of the importance of
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papillomaviruses account for mechanism in both species more than 5 percent of cancer for susceptibility to tumor cases worldwide. In women progression that may involve by Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine. with cervical cancer, an asso- subversion of the host imciation with the MHC class II mune response. By studying carefully matched region has also been shown. this phenomenon in horses controls that did “That should make a light you can learn about human not have sarcoids. bulb go off,” Antczak says. cancer and vice versa.” They found regions “It suggests there’s a common on chromosomes 20 From page 3 and 22 that tended to be different in hors- CAES plant pathology doctoral student es diagnosed with working to maximize the productivity of sarcoids, evidence Haitian farmers that a horse’s genes determine, in part, global agriculture and the chal- year in Haiti, mentoring and how susceptible it is lenges that our generation is helping Haitian agronomy stugoing to face in terms of how dents with their research trials. to sarcoids. to feed the world,” he said. The trade-off is that Ful“This is an eximmunotherapy have all been “That message really grabbed mer is taking an extra year or shown to cure these recalci- ample of more complicated ahold of me and I came to a so to work on his PhD, which trant tumors, “but some tu- genetics -- multigene suscep- moral realization that we have he hopes to finish in the next mors tend to recur no matter tibility,” says Antczak. “More a responsibility to better the year. He’s not sure where he’ll what treatment is used, and than one genetic region is as- lives of our fellow men whersociated with susceptibility to ever they live.” work after that. there is no universal consensarcoids, and they don’t comStill not quite sure what he “I want to stay involved with sus on a uniformly successful pletely determine whether or wanted to do after fi nishing a international agriculture, Fultherapy,” says Antczak. bachelor’s degree, Fulmer travmer said. “I would love to have not a horse will develop the Antczak says it’s been eled to Cambodia. In visiting the opportunity to remain inthought for years that bovine disease once it’s exposed to with local farmers, he learned volved in Haiti,” he said. “But BPV.” papillomavirus (BPV) is the This genetic link implicates that peanuts are part of the when I thought I knew exactly most likely culprit behind cuisine there and around the where I was going and what I sarcoid tumors. Recent work the immune system in sarcoid world. When he came home, wanted to do, that’s not how it from Europe suggests vari- susceptibility. The region of UGA professor Bob Kemerait worked out. ants of the BPV have become chromosome 20 associated suggested that Fulmer might “It’s going well, so I’ll have adapted to horses and are with sarcoid development is work with PMIL. to see what comes next.” probably the cause of most within a portion of the geTwo years later, Fulmer nome responsible for immune spends about one-third of the sarcoids. With a grant from the Morris function called the Major Animal Foundation, Antczak, Histocompatibility Complex his collaborators Samantha (MHC) class II region. The Brooks and Ann Staiger from MHC type associated with the University of Florida, and sarcoid susceptibility is very the rest of the team applied rare among Standardbred a genomewide association horses, a fact that may explain study to compare the genetic why sarcoid is diagnosed so makeup of horses with and rarely in this breed. This complex mix of virus, without sarcoid tumors at host genes and tumor develmore than 50,000 sites in the equine genome. They stud- opment may have relevance ied 82 sarcoid-bearing hors- to a related human condition. es from the U.S. and United Tumors caused by human
Cancer-causing virus strikes genetically vulnerable horses Kingdom and 272 arcoid skin tu-
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mors are the most common form of cancer in horses, but little is known about why the papillomavirus behind them strikes some horses and not others. A new study by an international research group led by scientists at the Baker Institute for Animal Health at Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine shows genetic differences in immune function between horses partly accounts for these differences. The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, mirrors findings in humans, as some people have a genetic susceptibility to human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical and other cancers. “Many therapies have been proposed as the ‘best’ treatment for sarcoids,” says Dr. Doug Antczak, the Dorothy Havemeyer McConville Professor of Equine Medicine, who led the study. In some horses, tumors develop as small bumps under the skin or as scaly lesions that easily can be removed by a veterinarian, but in other horses the problem becomes much more serious. Surgery, cryotherapy (freezing the tissue), laser treatment, injecting the tumors with drugs to kill the cells, radiation treatment and
Recipe Corn and Black Bean Salad Ingredients 5 cups chopped iceberg lettuce 1/2 cup chopped cilantro 2 cans whole kernel corn, drained 1 can whole black beans, drained, rinsed 1 cup chedder cheese, grated 1 can Ro*Tel with lime juice and Cilantro, undrained 2 tablespoons olive oil Directions Toss together all ingredients in large bowl until combined.
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The Birth Of Symbiotic Organic Agriculture Waymore Farms Clewiston, Florida
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By: Nancy Dale
uietly tucked away in bountiful scrub country, 11 miles east of LaBelle, the “call of the wild” is rejuvenated at the Waymore Farms in Clewiston. “We want to leave a positive imprint on everything we touch,” says Bryan Beer, 35, owner of the unique Waymore Farms in Clewiston. The turkeys, chickens, beef, ducks, hogs, and the land are a living reflection of Beer’s conviction set into motion with animals grazing on organic forage as part of his Master Plan to treat both animals and the land with respect.
Beer is “living his passion” that started as a youngster growing up in a 5th generation family of citrus growers then later earning a BA degree in Agricultural Science from Purdue University. He was inspired to create Waymore Farms because he “wanted to do something other than conventional agriculture.” In 2009, Beer watched a TV documentary by Joel Salatin of Polyface Farm, a 3rd generation alternative farming family in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, about “symbiotic agriculture.” Beer liked the concept and began researching the possibility of replicating a symbiotic organic farm on his land in Clewiston, Florida. Symbiotic agriculture,” says Beer “is a new concept with a goal of increasing production of organic poultry, hogs, cows, and eggs with each stage complementing the next utilizing the natural environment.” Waymore Farms is now in its third year of organic production with Beer managing and fine tuning the care of the land, animals, and marketing the end product of organic meats/eggs to fine dining restaurants, family dinner tables, and Farmer’s Markets across the state with the heartbeat of the operation in
Clewiston. At Waymore Farms, the first stage of production begins with a flock ranging anywhere from300 to 1000 chicks housed in a large pin or “brooder” until maturity when they are transferred to a mobile 10 x 12 x 3 foot “tractor unit” that is rotated every 24 hours over the 300 acres of pasture, capturing natural fertilizer in the soil and conditioning the land. “When the chickens are about 6 weeks old or three to 4 pounds, we process them on site. The land is now ready for the next stage of symbiotic farming: Foraging cattle.” Raising cows for organic beef, Beer bred his commercial herd to a Red Devon sire that he says, “finishes on grass like Angus on grain, as a cow’s rumen is adapted to digesting grass; we never feed grain as a supplement and do not feed the cows any hormones or antibiotics. If we purchase an additional cow for the herd, it has to be free of antibiotics or it is culled.” At Waymore Farms, to achieve the highest production of organic cattle, Beer incorporates a symbiotic farming methodology termed “mob grazing.” “Mob grazing provides the highest and best use of the land, placing as many cows as sustainable per acre. When cows are weaned at about 7 months, they are put out to pasture until a slaughter weight is achieved between 1100 or 1250 pounds,” explains Beer. Individual Chefs like Matt Germain at the Quart House Restaurant (LaBelle), Naples and other high-end restaurants across the state have specific weight requirements to purchase organic beef. “I have been working 6 or 7 years to
master this concept and by 2017 we project we will be incorporating rabbit and lamb into our production, as well as continuing to market organic/pasturized hogs, duck, and chicken eggs.” “On Waymore Farms, we have what we call a ‘Waymore Hog,’ a cross between a wild and domestic gene. Domestic hogs are bigger and have more ‘muscle mass;’ the wild gene has more flavor. We breed some hogs at 8 months old. Our pastured pork is rotated across the pastures and through the woods, producing a healthy hog in a natural environment. Part of the day, we release hogs into a cooling pond where they cluster, splash and swim as they do in the wild and have the space to roam freely. This year, 2016, will be out first hog production. We process them at a slaughter house when they reach 200-260 pounds.” At every stage of symbiotic organic farming on Waymore
Farms, Beer strives to eliminate a stressful environment and overcrowded conditions to produce better meat. Two donkeys also add to the entourage roaming freely over the property warding off coyotes, raccoons, possums and other potential predators. As the sun begins to fade into dusk and sinks below the horizon, the long day for Beer doesn’t end. He makes sure all the animals are bedded down securely before he retires. After spending most of his daylight hours outside, gathering cows, working the land composting the pastures and citrus trees, the quiet night brings a time for reflection as he looks over his flock with satisfaction, the product of hard work, determination, and perseverance. With Beer’s passion
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and respect for the land and the animals, Waymore Farms is a living example of nurturing life and evolving the food chain into healthy organics. He dedicates himself to educating the public through talks and tours “down on the farm” with a friendly Charlois cow who invites visitors to pet him. As creeping urbanization in Florida gradually distances humans from the land, Waymore Farms’ mission is to cultivate organic farming, bring healthy food to the dinner table and educate visitors about “symbiotic agriculture.” As Bryan Beer packs in for the night, he shakes hands with Nature and acknowledges: “This is my life.”
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The Revival Of The Legendary Palmdale Store A
fter 16 years, the Palmdale Store has re-opened as the “Palmdale Cracker Country Mall and Social Club;” the only restaurant and convenience store for miles around in the heart of beautiful, pristine Glades County. The new General Manager, James Sprague and his wife, Beth, discovered Palmdale when they decided to move from Fort Lauderdale. “We began our search for a more rural area in which to live and work. Driving north on U.S. 27, I saw a ‘Cook Wanted Sign’ posted on the old Palmdale store. I contacted Larry Taylor, the owner, we met and he hired me,” said Sprague. Taylor also owns South Dixie Truck Sales down the street and has fought many years through grandfathered zoning trials and tribulations to re-open the store. ”Over the past three years I opened and managed three Fort Lauderdale delis and served as Executive Chef. When I got this job,” says Sprague, “I moved to Palmdale with my wife and other family member to begin re-furbishing the Old Florida landmark. I am focused on re-creating the legendary Old Florida atmosphere of the store and restaurant, featuring country-style cooking and specialty dishes. I hired five other employees elevating Palm-
dale’s population from about 300 residents to 562. The Palmdale Cracker Country Mall and Social Club, I discovered is the perfect rural location to start over. But Beth and I decided we needed to come up with a new name for the restaurant that reflects more than just a fast food eatery and convenience store, thus, we came up with the new name.” Many locals have always met at the store to eat and socialize when it was previously opened and now everyone can gather and enjoy a delectable menu and relax in the breeze on the beautifully remodeled cracker porch. “We first expanded the old front into a large breezy wrap-around “cracker porch” with wooden benches and dining tables, adding a touch of the wild with a beautiful McCaw parrot in an outside cage nearby,.” Sprague adds. “Besides the outdoor facelift, the Spragues’ added additional shelves inside and stocked them with old time favorites from the days of Old Florida. Some of the specialty items include Orange Blossom honey, Guava jelly, Everglades seasonings and a favorite for kids of all ages, grabbing a hand-full of wrapped candy on the bulk candy aisle. There are sugary treats such as original salt water
taffy, candy coated almonds, “Bits of Honey” filled with peanut butter, “Nick Nips, the old fashioned wax bottles with colored sweet syrup, Tootsie rolls and Cracker Jacks with the prize inside, and, there is more. Sprague says not only does the store offer a unique dining experience; it has “a little bit of everything.” Above the wooden shelves lining the inside walls of the store, are original pictures of Palmdale’s heritage “cow hunters” and their families who settled in Palmdale in the 1800s. The store stocks camping/fishing gear, hunting supplies, cattle, horse, and game feed for wild boar, deer, and turkey hunters. Since the store re-opened in 2015, local area residents, long time former patrons, truck drivers and travelers along U.S. 27 have re-discovered a place in their heart and began to once again drop in and stay awhile. Long time Palmdale resident, Ray Hendry whose mom used to work at the long gone, Palmdale Hotel, sells homemade carved wooden benches displayed on the porch Sprague had not stopped short of offering a wide selection of country dishes described on the menu including specialty items
By: Nancy Dale
made to order such as Cuban coffee and sandwiches. The “Quick Start Station” offers help yourself homemade dishes including scrumptious chicken and dumplings, chili, cornbread, biscuits, cheese grits, locally grown collard greens and ham hocks and ice cream, guava pastry or cheese and coconut flan for desert. There is also a wide selection of drinks to choose from such as sweetened/ unscented tea, pop, beer and wine. While visitors were browsing through the store, Beth Sprague was busy designing and painting a brand new sign to be posted along U.S. 27 pointing the way for travelers find their way to the front doorstep. Comfortably lodged on the cracker porch, are three bikers from England exploring America were enjoying a refreshment stop. Bryn Thomas from United Kingdom, Kevin Horton and Simon Garnham from England wanted
to know more about the story of the pioneer “cow hunters” and were looking at the book, “Where the Swallowtail Kite Soars – The Legacy of Glades County, Florida and the Vanishing Wilderness,” by Nancy Dale, available inside. The Palmdale Cracker Store and Social Club is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, served 7 days a week, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Saturday, closing on Sunday at 3 p.m. On the weekend is the “Saturday Night Special” featuring local Palmdale entertainers who play a variety of country favorites for listening and dancing. For a unique experience, delicious food and socializing with all those drawn to the legendary Palmdale landmark, The Palmdale Cracker Store Mall and Social Club is a revival of Old Florida. For more info: www.nancydalephd.com or e-mail:
[email protected]
July is here and the heat wave is in full effect.
By: Capt. Jason Prieto • 813-727-9890
A
s we enter the middle of the summer water the temperature dictates where and when we fish. Getting out early or fishing really late will be the key to catching fish. Mixing this with good tidal flow during these times will make for some awesome fishing. Fishing in the middle of the day just won’t work as water temperatures exceed 90 degrees. This doesn’t mean you won’t catch fish this time of year;
you just have to go with what’s good. I’m going to give you a few good fish to target this time of year mixed with a couple of tips to get the job done and back for lunch. Snook fishing has been great this year. Since the freeze of 2010 we have dealt with subpar Snook fishing. This is all changing this year. We are catching tons of juvenile Snook around deeper rocky banks, Spoil areas and the outer flats. These smaller fish are a result of a great recovery. Mixed in with these fish have been some of the big breeders. Bait has been small enough to get out your 1⁄4 inch humpback cast net. Bring plenty of chum and head out to the flats as the smaller bait is everywhere. Since bait is running small you will need to downsize your hooks to the #1. Daiichi circle hooks make for a great choice. This will be a perfect match for summer Snook fishing. When looking for Snook they are schooled up this time of year so when you see a fish keep looking for more in these same areas. They to stay out of the flats this time of year these fish are
heading for deeper water due to the heat. Mangrove Snapper are also the hot bite through the summer. Snapper love structure so finding a spot with any type of debris will be a great starting point. The same tackle mentioned above will work great but I do like to downsize my leader to 20lb Ohero Fluorocarbon leader. Another good tip for Snapper is to keep plenty of chum bait live or dead. Throwing plenty of chum bait out will help your hook ups as they tend to put their guard down a little bit. Using a little bit of weight depending on tide and depth will prove to be a good tactic, another good way to catch Snapper in the shallow water is to leave your bail open and have the bait swim down. This gives a natural presentation and will put more fish in the boat on those slower days. Mangrove Snapper make for some tasty meals and there are plenty to go around. There is however a minimum size of 10 inches and a bag limit of 5 per person a day in state waters or 10 per person per day in intercoastal waters with an aggregate of . Stay safe and drink plenty of fluids and stay hydrated. Tight lines! For more Information: Capt. Jason Prieto, 813-727-9890. Owner: Steady Action Fishing Charters. steadyactionfishingcharters.com
[email protected]
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OPEN FOR BIDDING and Starts Ending with the 1st Item Tuesday June 28, 2016 At 4:00pm: ONLINE BIDDING ONLY!. Location: Item 100 - 1141 41 HWY NW JASPER, FL 32052 Hamilton County, Jasper Florida is located approximately 6 miles east of I-75 on US Hwy 129 and US Hwy 41 Jacksonville FL is approximately 80 miles East on I-10 and 80 miles West of Tallahassee, Florida via I-10 Jasper is a small friendly town in Hamilton Hamilton County Florida located about 20 mile south of the Georgia State Line on U.S. Hwy 41 and 129 and only 6 Mile from 2 - I-75 Exits. Valdosta Georgia is 30 mile to the North, Lake City Florida is 30 Mile to the South and Jacksonville Florida is about 85 mile to the East and Tallahassee Florida is about 80 mile to the West. I-10 is 15 mile to the South of the Property via I-75. Hamilton County is friendly, welcomes and is looking for industry to provide jobs and offers certain types of tax based credits. Item #200 - 10025 US Hwy Lake City, FL Colombia County 6 Mile West of I-75 At the Colombia/Suwannee County Line. Mark Atkinson Auction Manager: 813-641-3822 TOLL FREE 800-756-4098
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AUCTIONS HAVE PROPERTY FOR SALE? If you have property to sell, try the Accelerated Auction Method for quick results and get fair market value. Call Atkinson Realty & Auction 386-752-3890. AB1141/AU1608
LIVESTOCK / PETS Wanted Bulls, Cows, Calves, Horses Looking for pasture to Lease for Cattle (941) 741-1509
FARMER’S MARKET Chad Harrison Ag Service is now offering fertilizer, lime, weed spraying and mowing to small tracts. Call for all your pasture needs. (941) 737-5594 Midwest Drain is an ag related service business from the North Eastern part of Indiana. We handle farm drainage and forage harvesting. Currently we are looking to expand our corn silage / hay acres. Give us a call to see what we can do for your operation.
(260) 519- 1323 (260) 504-6251
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36’ lengths.
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2016 FEED WAGON
3-tons, 5-tons or 6-tons. Epoxy coating, creep feeder available.
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WE BUY TRACTORS! RUNNING OR NOT! PRETTY OR UGLY!
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WANTED $$HELP WANTED$$$ Earn Extra income assembling CD cases from Home. CALL OUR LIVE OPERATORS NOW! 1-800-405-7619 Ext 320 www.easywork-greatpay.com
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DAMAGED GRAIN WANTED WE BUY DAMAGED GRAIN ANYWHERE IN ANY CONDITION WET OR DRY INCLUDING DAMAGED SILO CORN AT TOP DOLLAR WE HAVE VACS & TRUCKS CALL: HEIDI OR RANDY
JODY J. JONES, Broker/Owner 28583 CO Rd 30 Opp, AL 36467
334-493-0123
NORTHERN AG. SERVICE, INC. 800-205-5751
email: longleaf@longleafland.com www.longleafland.com
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LAND/REAL ESTATE WANTED WANTED: REAL ESTATE LISTINGS IN NORTH FLORIDA!
Columbia, Baker, Clay, Hamilton, Madison, Suwannee, Citrus, Lafayette, Union and Dixie Counties. Call toll-free at 386-752-3890 Atkinson Realty & Auction Inc.
PROPERTY MGMT. If you own commercial or industrial property or vacant land in Florida and need assistance in Managing, Leasing or Selling your property give us a call. JENCOR REALTY MANAGEMENT provides professional services at an affordable price. 941-361-1125 Fax: 941-827-9755 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.jencorrealty.com
CROSBY & ASSOCIATES, INC.
Agricultural • Commercial Real Estate 863-293-5600 • www.CROSBYDIRT.com • ALACHUA COUNTY 80± Ac Turn Key Blueberry Farm, $1,400,000 Close proximity to the packing house listed below REDUCED 28000sf Air Conditioned Packing House, $2,800,000 • HIGHLANDS COUNTY REDUCED 39± Acres of Recreational Land For Sale, $247,000. Manmade ponds, weekend getaway or future homesite • HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY 26± Ac Row Crop Farmland/Future Development Tract, $370,000 • GLADES COUNTY 255± Ac Sugar Cane Farmland on Hwy 80, $1,500,000 • JACKSON COUNTY 377.58± Ac Cropland/Timber/Wetlands, $1,134,000. Cropland, Packing Shed, Hardwood Timber, Cut over pines, Swampy Wetlands • LAKE COUNTY 316.88± Acres Private Lake-front Citrus Grove, $1,700,000. Located on the banks of Lake Kirkland, North & South Boat Lake • MANATEE COUNTY 1808± Acres Farmland/Investment, $17,500,000. Farmland & Pasture, 12 Miles East of Lakewood Ranch • MARION COUNTY 556.65± Acres Agricultural/Recreational Land, $5,500,000 206± Ac Grove, 2,100± Ac Conservation Land, 4-Lakes, 3-Homes • POLK COUNTY/HARDEE COUNTY 805± Acres in 8 Separate Tracts or ALL for $4,664,408 View all tracts on our website. View our website for more information about these listings
www.CROSBYDIRT.com
Central Florida Fruit Farm For Sale 400 Avocado Trees, Lychee, Peaches, Pomegranate, Orange, Keylime and Grapefruit. 2 Wells, Full Irrigated.
Call: (954) 444-6547
LAND FOR SALE 34 AC. Cultivation and Wood Land. U.S.84, Frontage. $90,000. 392 AC. A lock and Key Showplace. A 2450 sq. ft. All Wood Log Home. Barns, Lakes and Beautiful Rolling Pastures. Also some Wood Land with Troply Bucks and Plenty of Turkey. $1,631,000. 47 AC. Amenities To Many To List. A Must See Stables, Loft appartment, Barns, Irrigated Pasture, woods and pond $575,000. Adjacent to Blackwater State Forest in Okalossa County Florida. 31 AC. Home With Barns. Mostly Cultivation With Mature Timber Around Home. $225,000 24 AC. Nice 4/2 Home Overlooking Stocked Pond. 2 Barns & Nice Shop. All Rolling Pasture With Good Fence. Only Minutes From From Andalusia, AL. $361,200 2 AC / 4600 Sq. Ft. Home All The Extras. Pool House & Shop. $475,000 29± AC - Florida, Hay Fields, and Pond, Hwy and Graded Frontage.Will divide. $89,000. 483 AC - CRP Longleaf and Natural Timber. $966,000 140 - AC - CRP Longleaf and Natural Timber & Lake $280,000 623 AC - CRP Longleaf, Paved Frontage, Natural Timber & Lake $1,246,000
Please call Longleaf Land Co. LLC Jody J. Jones 334-493-0123 www.longleafland.com
FLORIDA LAND • 1,152 Acres in Lafayette CO. Managed Timberland, Planted Pine, Mixed With Hardwood Bottoms, Excellent Hunting. $1,500/ acre • 7,658 Acres Of High Quality Timberland, Planted Pine, Hardwood Bottoms, Great Hunting. $1,450/acre.
NORTH FLORIDA LAND • 484 Acres, The Area Is Well Known For Its Fantastic Hunting And Fishing, Paved Road, Pines and Hardwoods. $1,650/acre. • 3,110 acres in Jefferson County Wooded with ponds ideal for fishing and hunting $795 / acre. • 933 Acres Of Quality Timberland, Planted Pines And Hardwood, Great Hunting, Paved Road Frontage $1,950.00 Per Acre
Call Pat Duane ˛ Wayne County, GA 651 ± Acres or 712 ± Acres, US Hwy. 301 South, near Jesup, GA. Great location for Cattle Ranching, Farming, etc. $1250.00 Per Acre. Call or visit our website. ˛ Toombs County, GA 50 ± Acre Farm $2500 per Acre or 37 ± Acre Tract $2400 per Acre. for more information.
[email protected] • www.owacc.com 912-375-6016 or 912-375-3366 ext 352 Citrus County, Florida One Acre Lot for sale @ 11364 N. Lisette Path, Dunnellon, Florida $25,000.00 Owner Financing. Call or E-mail: Mark Atkinson Realty and Auction, Inc. 813-641-3822 / 800-756-4098
[email protected]
352-867-8018 Southern Pine Plantations of FL Owns the property it sells.
www.sppfla.com LAND WANTED
• Southern Pine Plantations Specializes In Farms, Timberland, Plantations And Recreation Properties And Is Seeking To Buy Properties Of 1,000 Acres Or Larger.
FOR RENT 3,806 S.F. Air Conditioned Warehouse
for Rent by owner only $7.00 per sf per year. Located at 6003 28th St. E. Saunders Road Industrial Park. Manatee County, Bradenton FL. 941-361-1125 or 813-477-3613
PAGE 10 • JULY 2016 • FARMER & RANCHER • 941-361-1064 • www.farmerandrancher.com
Average Sized ‘Dead Zone’ Predicted for Gulf of Mexico U by: TheFishSite News Desk
S - Scientists forecast that this year’s Gulf of Mexico dead zone--an area of low to no oxygen that can kill fish and marine life - will be approximately 5,898 square miles or about the size of Connecticut, the same range as it has averaged over the last several years. The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico affects nationally important commercial and recreational fisheries. Hypoxic zones or “dead zones” are caused by high levels of nutrients, primarily from activities such as industrialized agriculture and inadequate wastewater treatment. The low oxygen levels cannot support most marine life and habitats in near-bottom waters. Organisms that can flee the dead zones leave the area, while others which cannot leave are stressed or die of suffocation. Reducing nutrients flowing to the Gulf would help the situation since, under normal conditions,
this area contains a diversity of marine life, critical habitats, and a number of key fisheries. “Dead zones are a real threat to Gulf fisheries and the communities that rely on them,” said Russell Callender, Ph.D., assistant NOAA administrator for the National Ocean Service. “We’ll continue to work with our partners to advance the science to reduce that threat. One way we’re doing that is by using new tools and resources, like better predictive models, to provide better information to communities and businesses.” The NOAA-sponsored Gulf of Mexico hypoxia forecast is improving due to advancements of individual models and an increase in the number of models used for the forecast. Forecasts based on multiple models are called ensemble forecasts and are commonly used in hurricane and other weather forecasts. This year marks the second
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year that a four-model forecast has been used. The four individual model predictions ranged from 5,204 to 6,823 square miles, and had a collective predictive interval of 3,200 to 8,597 square miles. The forecast assumes typical weather conditions, and the actual dead zone could be disrupted by hurricanes or tropical storms. Data from these four models are used to determine and meet the nutrient reduction targets set by the interagency Mississippi River/ Gulf of Mexico Watershed Nutrient Task Force. The ensemble of models was developed by NOAA-sponsored modeling teams and researchers at the University of Michigan, Louisiana State University, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences/College of William and Mary, Texas A&M University, North Carolina State University, and the United States Geological Survey. The hypoxia forecast is part of a larger NOAA effort to deliver ecological forecasts that support human health and well-being, coastal economies, and coastal and marine stewardship. The Gulf of Mexico hypoxia forecast is based on nutrient runoff and river and stream data from USGS. USGS estimates
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GAYLARD FARM FLORIDA RAISED
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Registered Registered Charolais Angus A.W. & Carolyn Gaylard
Quality Square - Round Bale Coastal Bermuda & Tift 85
7183 240th St. • O’Brien, Florida 32071 Home: 386-935-0263 • Cell: 386-362-9571 E-mail:
[email protected]
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onsumers can now buy double chocolate chip brownie, chocolate chip cookie and lemon poppy seed muffin mixes made from a rice flour blend developed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists that reduces oil absorption during cooking. The products are available under the brand name Choice Batter® from CrispTek LLC, which released its first product—a rice-based frying batter—made with the Agricultural Research Service’s (ARS) patented special blend of rice flours. Retired
MILLING EQUIPMENT B&B MILLWRIGHT and METALWORKS, INC.
• Feed Mills • Bulk Feed Tanks • Grain Handling Equipment • Millwright Services • Flex-Auger Feed Systems • Swine Equip. • Beef Equip. • Poultry Equip. DENNIS • 352-585-2332
email:
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ANGUS 100% REGISTERED ANGUS • Over 150 Purebred Bulls For Sale
Featuring sons of: • Complete EPDs and Performance Data GAR Predestined • Cows, Heifers and Calves Available GAR Retail Product www.floridaangus.com • 352-266-4471 Owner: Bill Freel, DVM
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Roofing Service
nitrate monitoring network with partners throughout the basin, USGS is improving our understanding of where, when, and how much nitrate is pulsing out of small streams and large rivers and ultimately emptying to the Gulf of Mexico,” said Sarah J. Ryker, Ph.D., acting deputy assistant secretary for water and science at the Department of the Interior. “The forecast puts these data to additional use by showing how nutrient loading fuels the hypoxic zone size.” The confirmed size of the 2016 Gulf dead zone will be released in early August, following a monitoring survey from July 24 to August 1, conducted on a NOAA vessel and funded through a partnership between NOAA, Northern Gulf Institute, and the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium.
New Rice Flour Mixes Available To Make Yummy Treats
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$20.00
that 146,000 metric tons of nitrate and 20,800 metric tons of phosphorus flowed down the Mississippi and Atchafalaya rivers into the Gulf of Mexico in May 2016. This is about 12 per cent above the longterm (19802015) average for nitrogen, and 25 per cent above the long-term average for phosphorus. USGS operates more than 2,700 real-time stream gauges, 60 real-time nitrate sensors, and collects water quality data at long-term stations throughout the Mississippi River basin to track how nutrient loads are changing over time. “By expanding the real-time
Call: 941-361-1064
MOTOR HOMES / RV Wanted
All Motor Homes, Fifth Wheels, Travel Trailers, Pickup Trucks, Any Condition. Cash Paid On The Spot. Call Now For Quick Sale
(941) 347-7171
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GREEN MAINTENANCE AND CLEANING Exterior Home and Business Washing and General Maintenance.
(866) 959-7663
By Sandra Avant
chemist Frederick Shih and chemist Kim Daigle, with the Food Processing and Sensory Quality Research Unit in New Orleans, Louisiana, developed the technology. Nutritionally and functionally, rice ingredients are equal or superior to their wheat-based counterparts, according to Shih. Research has shown that ricebased batters absorb 50 percent less oil than traditional wheat batters. Rice ingredients also are gluten free, which is important for people who have celiac disease, which causes an autoimmune reaction to wheat proteins. CrispTek founder Wayne Swann obtained a license for the technology and signed a cooperative research and development agreement with ARS. The rice blend can be used for grilling, baking and frying. The new sweet products are easy to make. You only have to add water. They are also free of the eight most common food allergens such as peanuts, dairy foods and soy, according to Swann. The products have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Over the years, ARS scientists have developed a series of lowfat-uptake and gluten-free food products, including batters and donuts.
941-361-1064 • www.farmerandrancher.com • FARMER & RANCHER • JULY 2016 • PAGE 11
UF/IFAS, Pinellas Sheriff’s office create urban farms in Pinellas County
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By: Brinkley Clark, 954-600-8257, brinkleycclark@ufl.edu
AINESVILLE, Fla.— Residents in a county on Florida’s Gulf Coast are getting the help they need to access healthier foods via a collaboration between the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension and the Pinellas Sheriff’s Police Athletic League. The two entities have teamed up to create an urban farm in Pinellas County. Urban farms promote an abundance of food for people in need while raising awareness of health and wellness. “It is an opportunity to teach families and children the values of nutrition and establish a level of commerce for produce distribution,” said Mark Trujillo, a public health regional specialist for UF/IFAS Family Nutrition Program. Trujillo introduced the executive director of the Pinellas Sheriff’s PAL, Neil Brickfield, to an empty U-Pick farm in Lealman, Florida, Pinellas County. After discovering the potential that the farm had to help the county, Brickfield then began to work with UF/IFAS to identify the needs of the farm and community. Because Lealman, Florida is considered a food desert, the idea of an urban farm was essential for the area, Trujillo said. According to Brickfield, the citizens in Lealman are more than a mile from a local grocery store. “So, the urban farm is an opportunity for people to have fresh produce readily available,” Brickfield said.
The farm is currently operating on 10 percent of the land, and by fall it will be operating on 100 percent, said Brickfield. The urban farm’s harvest will be used to increase access to healthy food for families of at-risk children participating in PAL’s after-school program and those who have low food access in Lealman and across Pinellas County. “The revitalization of this farm comes at a critical time where many children in PAL and across the community need greater exposure and access to fresh fruits and vegetables,” Trujillo said. In addition to the weekly UPick available to those in the Lealman food desert, Trujillo said that PAL farm produce has been used in Cooking Matters Classes, and some produce has been donated to area food banks and other community organizations. Also, students are learning the science of farming. “It is great to see that PAL cares about the health and well-rounded experiences of the kids that they serve,” said Trujillo. “PAL kids are watering seedlings, trying kale in their smoothies and watching several stages of plant growth in many different species.” Trujillo also said that there are plans to sell produce through one or more mobile produce vendors, which may benefit low-income clients across the community. “This program is important because it gives you a positive outlook with measurable results,” said Brickfield.
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Supporting pollinators could have big payoff for Texas cotton farmers
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by Juan S Lozano, University of Texas at Austin.
ccording to a new study by The University of Texas at Austin, increasing the diversity of pollinator species, including bees, flies and butterflies, can dramatically increase cotton production. The researchers estimate that in South Texas, the region they studied, increasing the diversity of pollinators could boost cotton production by up to 18 percent, yielding an increase in annual revenue of more than $1.1 million. The research is published in the June 16 issue of the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment. South Texas accounts for about 15 percent of the state’s cotton production. Because pollinator populations and growing conditions vary across the state, it’s difficult to extrapolate statewide. But the researchers say boosting pollinator diversity could be worth several millions of dollars to Texas cotton farmers. Cotton is the world’s most economically valuable nonfood crop. Texas alone produces 25 percent of U.S. cotton. The researchers also examined what factors increase the
diversity and abundance of pollinators in cotton fields. They found that the greater the area of natural land cover -- areas not used for farming or ranching -- within about 800 feet (or 250 meters) of cotton crops, the more diverse the pollinators that visit the plants. Based on these findings, the researchers recommend several ways to increase the diversity of pollinators in cotton fields. Farmers can plant a row of wildflowers between rows of their crops or even on the edges of the crop field. In addition, farmers can introduce flowering crops into the crop rotation and reduce pesticide spraying, especially during the daytime. One of the most important implications of this research is that local government officials “can increase cotton crop yield by supporting habitat for native pollinators,” said Shalene Jha, assistant professor of integrative biology and senior author of the study. This gives an eco-
nomic impetus to municipal projects that protect biodiversity, such as permanent wildflower spaces. “We’ve shown that there are multiple benefits to biodiversity,” Jha said. “With the right management, cotton farmers can have higher crop yields and support native plants and
animals.” In addition to Jha, the study’s authors are Sarah Cusser, a Ph.D. candidate at UT Austin; and John Neff, director of the Central Texas Melittological Institute. The researchers estimate that in Texas, the boost in crop yield due to increased pollinator diversity would translate to an increase in annual revenue of $108 per acre. The study focused on 12 field sites representing a wide range of landscapes across South Texas, one of four major cotton production regions in the state. The researchers netted pollinators foraging on cotton plants and determined their abundance and diversity; analyzed geographic information system, or GIS, data derived from satellites and other sources to map landscape types; and conducted handpollination experiments. The cotton plant, which produces large flowers that later develop into the white fiber for which it is known, is able
to produce cotton without pollinators to a certain extent, mostly by using its own pollen. However, by introducing pollinators, the pollen from one plant is spread to others, and this increases cotton yield significantly. One key reason that a large diversity of pollinators is beneficial is that cotton blooming does not perfectly coincide with the most active times of the European honeybee, one of the most common pollinator species. Therefore, having a variety of native pollinators would allow more pollen distribution -- a necessary step in production of the harvestable cotton bolls. Despite the fact that preservation of biodiversity and the development of agriculture might seem at odds, this new research shows not only that they can coexist, but that both are necessary to have a healthy economy and ecosystem.
