As a part of the Natural Resources program, I encourage residents to think about the impact their everyday choices have on our natural resources, both positively and negatively.
Transporting firewood, trees and other vegetation can serve as a vector for the spread of invasive exotic species; as a result, Florida prohibits the movement of firewood more than 50 miles from its place of harvest to reduce the spread of these hitchhikers. Christmas trees do not fall under this regulation and are regularly imported from the Carolinas, Virginia, and other Appalachian states to satisfy residents’ desires for a ‘real Christmas tree.’ Please note, there is nothing particularly bad about this arrangement; they have gorgeous trees and people love them.
I bring this up as a teachable moment for our office because right here in Polk County we have the opportunity to harvest a local tree, help a local State Forest reduce its fire fuel levels, save money (only $10/tree), reduce the risk of spreading invasive exotic pests and reduce your carbon footprint. The Lake Wales Ridge State Forest offers Sand Pine trees as a local alternative species for Christmas trees. This species has a fascinating life cycle that can lead to thickets of young trees when fire rotation is disturbed by too-few or too-frequent fires. To help reduce the fuel load, the trees are offered for $10 as Christmas trees to the public. I will be harvesting one of these trees to use as an in-office demonstration of local trees.
If you are interested in this project, please see the following ways you can help:
· Donating a used tree stand for fresh-cut trees (for trees between 4 and 7 feet tall)
· Donating a strand of LED Christmas Lights (since the tree will be unsupervised, we cannot use incandescent mini-lights)
· Contacting me if interested in going to harvest the tree or to help decorate it (likely Extension themed or ‘green’ ornaments)
· Share my Christmas Tree fact sheet I created (attached) and encourage people to check out a regional tree-farm or the Lake Wales State Forest for a local tree (flier attached)
Thanks for your time!
Thank you and have a great day,
Natural Resources and Conservation Agent
UF/IFAS Extension Polk County
Growth in the number of food businesses is increasing the demand for commercial kitchen space. Ashley Colpaart, a doctoral candidate at Colorado State University (CSU) is conducting research on commercial kitchens and food businesses to identify challenges and opportunities around commercial kitchen use. Your participation in this survey will provide us with valuable feedback to identify future opportunities for increasing access to kitchens.
The two surveys are aimed at:
1. Commercial kitchen owners/managers that rent or are interested in renting space in the future. These could be a:
· commissary (shared commercial rental)
· incubator or accelerator (provides business support)
· community (church, community center, food bank)
· institution (school, hospital, senior living)
· privately owned (restaurant, bakery)
2. Food Businesses defined by self-identified occupation and couple be a:
· personal chef
· food truck or push-cart owner
· food artisan or value-added producer
· food or beverage manufacturer
· cottage foods producer (home)
· educator or cooking instructor
This surveys should take 5-10 minutes each and your answers are anonymous. There are no known risks or benefits to participating in this survey. Participation is voluntary. Choosing to fill out the on-line survey implies consent. If you change your mind and decide not to participate, you may withdraw your consent at any time without consequence.
Should you have any questions about this survey, please contact Ashley Colpaart at Ashley@thefoodcorridor.com or Advisor Marisa Bunning at Marisa.Bunning@colostate.edu. If you have any questions about your rights as a volunteer in this research, contact the CSU IRB at RICRO_IRB@mail.colostate.edu; 970-491-1553.
Thank you in advance for your time.
Ashley Colpaart, MS RD
Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition
Colorado State University
Those who have the privilege to know, have the duty to act. -Albert Einstein
Please help us get the word out to our sheep and goat producers:
Don't forget to register TODAY for Friday's event!
UF/IFAS Extension Marion County and the Central Florida Livestock Agent's Group invites you to our 2015 Small Ruminant Production Conference. This program will focus on goat and sheep health, nutrition, production efficiency and management of your herd or flock. Topics will include:
• Caseous Lymphadenitis in Sheep and Goats
• Fundamentals of Reproductive Anatomy and Physiology
• Estimating Forage Yields
• Genetic Selection
• Weed Assessment
• Stockpiling and Line Grazing
• Overseeding in Small Paddocks
• Selenium Supplementation
• Sheep/Goat Management Calendar
• Diversifying the Goat and Sheep Farm
• Carcass Preparation
**See the attached agenda for more details**.
Registration includes informational materials, lunch and refreshments. For more information, please call 352-671-8400.
Or go online to:
If you are Extension faculty or student please call the office so we can give you a discounted price of $25.00.
Have a great day.
Jonael H. Bosques
UF/IFAS Extension Marion County
Small Farms Agent
2232 NE Jacksonville Rd., Ocala, FL 34470
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