Polk County is fortunate to have so many wonderful arts festivals. From the Swan City Jazz Festival to the Lake Wales Arts Festival, to Winter Haven’s Central Park Art Festival, there are numerous opportunities to peruse fantastic visual art or hear great music. What’s missing, however, is a literary festival. When I first became Executive Director of the Polk Arts & Cultural Alliance, I wanted PACA to produce arts and cultural events that were missing from our wonderful arts and cultural landscape – think Shakespeare-in-the-Park, or a children’s book festival. This month, we’re taking a small step towards that goal with the first-ever Polk Tales: A Storytelling Festival. Working with Rogue Stage and the Orlando Story Club, we’re excited to announce that nationally recognized storyteller, Paul Strickland will be joining us for three days of interactive storytelling fun. The festival kicks off on February 9 at 8 pm in the Ghostlight Lounge at Theatre Winter Haven with Paul performing a solo set of stories that are sure to ignite your imagination. The next evening, February 10, Strickland returns with some special guests to the Polk Museum of Art in Lakeland for a 5 pm performance. Joining Strickland will be members of the Orlando Story Club and Thom Mesrobian, performing as Sharktooth Sam. Wrapping up the weekend festivities will be a children’s storytelling concert at the Florida Children’s Museum at Bonnet Springs Park in Lakeland. That event begins at 1 pm. Strickland, who originally wanted to be a songwriter, has come to see storytelling as a vital part of our communities. “We live in a time of apart-ness,” Strickland said. “People spend so much time ‘alone’ on our devices.” This “aloneness” Strickland noted often runs counter to our communal nature. “We are social creatures.  And taking in a story in a group setting is a part of an ancient experience. There’s something truly unifying in that collective experience,” he said. Thom Mesrobian, who has performed on numerous local stages in Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Orlando also recognizes the value a storytelling festival brings to Polk County. “I started Rogue Stage because I know just how much people need to hear stories. It’s the core of our human experience, and I can’t wait to see it blossom here in Polk County,” he said. Danielle Ziss and Bobby Wesley, who host Orlando Story Club events, are also excited to be bringing this artform to Polk County. “It’s an honor to participate in building connections via storytelling across central Florida,” Ziss said. “Watching relationships form after an audience engages in a teller’s story is such a rewarding experience. Some of my closest friends were made at OSC shows,” she added. Polk Tales: A Storytelling Festival will be the first time the OSC storytelling team has performed in Polk. Strickland, who will conclude the festival with Sharktooth Sam at the Florida Children’s Museum on Sunday, encourages patrons to attend as many of the festival performances as possible. “Every performance is a little different.  I always adapt the telling of the stories a bit – on the fly – to best communicate the most important things within that story to that specific set of listeners,” he said. “It’s an interactive artform, but you as an audience member don’t have to do anything but be present and listen, and be willing to let me take you on a story.” Find out more about the inaugural Polk Tales: A Storytelling Festival at polkarts.org/story. Photography Provided Ghostlight Lounge at Theatre Winter Haven 210 Cypress Gardens Blvd, Winter Haven Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College 800 E Palmetto St, Lakeland Florida Children’s Museum 600 Bonnet Springs Blvd, Lakeland

Everyone’s talking about it! Are you going? First Friday, launching Friday, February 2, will be a monthly family-friendly, can’t-miss event to bring the community downtown for dinner, drinks, live music, shopping, and vibes. First Friday is brought to you by Destroyer Media & Marketing. “The idea is to support local business and promote downtown,” said Destroyer Media & Marketing Partner and Publisher Chris Sexson. “Winter Haven is growing; things are happening. First Friday seems like a no-brainer for a city that’s the hub of activity. Winter Haven is becoming a hub of activity for shopping, dining, and events.” Centered around the downtown corridor, First Friday will become a flagship event for the community. Patrons can enjoy food and drink specials from downtown restaurants while dining al fresco under market lights or at our new sidewalk cafes (coming soon). They can shop with downtown businesses that stay open late for the event, and there will be live musicians and other entertainment at multiple venues. “With all of the improvements and new businesses coming to downtown – the sidewalk cafes, Bowen Yard, and more – we want to have an event for people to experience all of that downtown,” said Lyndsey Venrick, Events Director for Destroyer. “Walk around town, see some live music, grab a bite, have a drink, see a show. There’s a lot to do from a comedy club that wasn’t here a few years ago, the Ritz is active now, live music from Grove Roots, The Social, Union Taproom, soon to be Bowen Yard – there’s just a lot to do,” added Sexson. First Friday won’t be the typical tent and table market where vendors come downtown and take that money back out. This event is a celebration of all things local – a heartbeat in the pulse of downtown. “We want people to enter the retailers, the restaurants, and support the local businesses,” said Sexson. With many local retailers closing at 5, those on the 9-5 grind can’t always make it in time to shop the stores they love. First Friday gives the opportunity to patronize businesses beyond their usual hours so you can shop ‘til you drop from 5-9 pm. “Every participating business is encouraged to offer something unique for First Friday, whether it’s a drink special, a special menu item, a sale, an interactive activity, or a live performer,” noted Venrick. A complete list of participating businesses and their specials can be found at winterhavenfirstfriday.com. Over time, Destroyer looks to grow First Friday. They hope to have a spacious outdoor stage for live music and approval to carry alcoholic beverages around downtown so you can cheers from Avenue C NW to SW. Events like First Friday are the lifeblood of a community, spotlighting local businesses and providing entertainment for the whole family. “Events are an invitation. We’re inviting people to come downtown. We want to give them a reason to do so. It takes a lot to get people out of their routine,” said Sexson. “Creating First Friday generates more excitement. There’s something extra for you to come down. Whether that’s food and drink specials or the retailers open late, it supports local. Supporting local matters, and I think that light is shining brighter than ever. First Friday adds a little stardust on all those topics. Hopefully, you have such a good time you come back the next day, the next week.” In addition to weekly and monthly events like the Winter Haven Farmers Market, Slow Roll & Ski Show, and First Friday, Destroyer Media & Marketing plans to launch more festivals and individual events throughout the year. “We will also be active in the new Bowen Yard development that’s opening – doing some programming and some events there,” said Sexson. Venrick added, “Any future events we schedule will be hyperlocal and a celebration of everything here. That’s always what we try to do with our events.” FB & IG @whfirstfriday winterhavenfirstfriday.com

Join Edward R. Murrow and four-time Emmy award-winning broadcast journalist and author Bob Kealing at the Winter Haven Public Library exactly sixty years to the afternoon when The Beatles arrived in Florida. Part of the library’s “Music Near & Far” 2024 lecture series, Kealing will discuss his most recent book, “Good Day Sunshine State: How The Beatles Rocked Florida,” on Tuesday, February 13 at 5:30pm. During his years as a deadline reporter, Kealing became interested in stories one could hang onto. His interest was particularly piqued by Central Florida’s pre-Disney history. In the mid-nineties, working as a freelance writer and reporter with the Orlando NBC television affiliate, Kealing began investigating novelist and poet Jack Kerouac. He learned about a then-dilapidated Orlando cottage Kerouac shared with his mother in 1957 and 1958. In 1997, Kealing penned a four-thousand-word article about the cottage for The Orlando Sentinel, sparking what would become the Kerouac Project. An all-but-forgotten abode twenty-something years ago, the Kerouac house is now a fully restored home on the National Register of Historic Places. An ongoing writers-in-residence program is hosted there. In 2004, Kealing published the book, “Kerouac in Florida: Where the Road Ends.” Kealing went on to write about the early life of the father of Cosmic American Music, Gram Parsons, in “Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock” (2015), followed by “Life of the Party: The Remarkable Story of How Brownie Wise Built, and Lost, a Tupperware Party Empire” (2016) and finally, “Elvis Ignited: The Rise of an Icon in Florida” (2017). Early last year, Kealing released “Good Day Sunshine State: How The Beatles Rocked Florida.” In addition to abundant transcripts, letters, and primary-source interviews, the book delves into the band’s residency at the Deauville Hotel in Miami Beach, where they performed to a live television audience of 70 million and wrote songs for their A Hard Day’s Night  album. “I would argue it’s one of the top two or three Beatles landmarks in the United States,” said the author. Kealing was the youngest of six and would listen to his sister’s Beatles vinyl album. “Growing up in the 70s, as other kids were listening to the band of the day, I’m listening to Revolver and watching A Hard Day’s Night. So, I got a true indoctrination into Beatles music not long after they broke up and I’ve loved them ever since,” he said. The Beatles’ time in Florida is significant for many reasons. They spent more time here than anywhere else in North America during the watershed year of 1964. Kealing’s book examines three aspects of The Beatles’ Sunshine State sojourn –  influence, activism, and innocence. “Their influence on really important Rock and Roll Hall of Famers who grew up in Florida is also a big part of the story,” noted Kealing. The Beatles inspired artists from Tom Petty and The Allman Brothers Band to Winter Haven’s own Gram Parsons. An interview the author will never forget was with Tom Petty’s best friend and Mudcrutch bandmate Tom Leadon. “That was so important to listen to the seismic effect of [Petty] seeing the Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show,” he said. The band’s first bout of activism in the United States took place at the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, where they took the firm stance that if their concert was segregated, they wouldn’t play. “That was a risky stand to take, but they did,” said Kealing. Because of a series of legal precedents set by a heroic Jacksonville judge, which Kealing outlines in significant detail in the book, a segregated concert wasn’t an issue for The Beatles. “By the time The Beatles concert came around, segregation was outlawed, and integration was the law of the land.” Kealing’s book features dozens of primary source interviews. He spoke with the entire Life Magazine team, who took the iconic photograph of The Beatles in the swimming pool, which went on to be a cover shot. “I talked to John Loengard, the photographer who took that picture, and got his story where he thought it was a lousy photo at first. And now, it is one of the iconic pictures of The Beatles,” said Kealing. He interviewed Lillian Walker-Moss with The Exciters of “Tell Him” fame about her experiences as an African American in the South while The Beatles were touring. Legendary guitarist Reggie Young shares stories about opening for the band, and Lofton “Coffee” Butler talks about jamming with them in Key West. Kealing’s talk will be the third event in the library’s lecture series. He will give a lecture and a PowerPoint presentation. Books will be available for purchase and signing. Doors open approximately 30 minutes prior to the event. Printed tickets are not required to attend, however registration is required. “I’m so excited to see all the street improvements and the new hotel there. That makes it even more of a fun and interesting backdrop,” said Kealing. “The fact that it will be exactly sixty years to the day that The Beatles came to Florida is really meaningful.” Photography Provided EVENT DETAILS Where: Winter Haven Public Library Multi-Purpose Room When: Tuesday, February 13, 2024 at 5:30pm Register at mywinterhaven.com

The soul of country rock and roll lives down the street from me Do you feel that swaying kick drum Pulsing on the heat The mighty heron soars across Lines of gold and blue Close your eyes Let your hands keep time To the sky king’s wingin’ beat “You inspired that,” Van Plating says to Jon Corneal. “It’s always nice to get a good report,” he says back, smiling. “Agreed,” says Van. Track number nine comes on – “Zion is a Woman.” “This is you,” Van looks at Jon. Van is dressed to kill, per usual. Wild wavy hair frames her face, tamed only by a cowboy hat. She wears a pair of vintage boots. Jon’s in a red leather coat and black boots embroidered with green filigree. He sports a black cowboy hat, red bandana, and silver bolo tie. He taps his feet to the old-school rhythm and sips a Coke. Jon’s ‘better than a metronome’ timing sets the pace for Van’s angelic Americana vocals. “Who’s your steel player?” he asks, followed by, “Your voice sounds nice.” The pioneer of country rock drumming and the Americana music rising star are separated by time, united by tempo, and tap their feet in sync. Jon pulls a CD from his coat pocket and invites us to listen to his seminal ’60s country rock recording from Bradley’s Barn in Nashville. We listen to one song, then another. “Play one more, would you,” he says. Of course, we oblige. THE ALBUM Plating was sonically inspired by Florida country rock and roll for her latest album, Orange Blossom Child. She filled her well with the likes of Gram Parsons, the Flying Burrito Brothers, Jon Corneal’s timeless beat on Sweetheart of the Rodeo, and a heavy dose of Tom Petty. Her literary inspirations remain unchanged – Wendell Berry, Patti Smith, Mary Oliver. “I translated that syntax and that sort of rhythm of speech into scenes from here,” she said. From road names to nature, Plating paid homage to her homeland. “I wanted to do it in a way that if you weren’t from here, they’re catchy songs that you’d want to listen to, hopefully over and over again.” Her aim? To shed a light on the region’s storied musical past. “A lot of folks don’t know how much rich history there is here, in Florida specifically, in Roots music,” she said. The album’s sound is current, with threads from the past laced throughout each lyric, each song. There are 32 collaborators alongside the southern songstress on the album. “I didn’t realize how many people were on the album until I started making the credits,” she said. Plating arranged, edited, and produced everything, working remotely with collaborators. “It’s a really different process than anything I’ve done before,” she said. She’d dress the skeleton of a song in pedal steel, electric guitar, or organ as she saw fit for the tune. “There’s beauty in every kind of approach you can have with making art. It was interesting, though, doing it layer by layer like that. It had to be a really organic process.” A few years ago, before releasing Orange Blossom Child, Plating predicted of her future album, “It’ll sound kind of live, a little grittier than what I’ve done before. It’ll be me, so it’ll be raw and colorful, and hopefully, people will get it – we’ll see.” She feels the same today. “It was a lot grittier because I had the vocal production in my own hands. No one was there to try and make me pretty or polish me up or make me sing a little softer.” Even today, women in the studio are tediously managed. “I didn’t want that because it takes away from the emotion of your performance if everything is pretty. Life isn’t pretty all the time.” Storytelling is like breathing for Van Plating. This album’s Americana charm and southern grit tell true stories of heartbreak and healing, hard times and joyful moments. “I wanted to take all of those universal experiences, but I wanted to dial it into something that was honest.” Country rock pioneer Jon Corneal plays drums on two tracks. “I saw his interview in Haven and that was right around the same time I’d gotten this little germ of an idea to do something about who I am, where I’m from,” said Plating. “I had no idea that an original Flying Burrito Brother was playing at Hillcrest every Friday.” Nervous but determined, Plating approached Corneal after his set one Friday. She said she was a fan and wanted to get to know him a little better. “Jon is always down for anything I’ve since learned,” she said. The following week, the pair grabbed lunch at Mega Mercado. Plating listened intently for hours to Corneal’s stories. She worked up the nerve and asked if he’d collaborate with her. “I’m always honored when somebody asks,” Corneal said. “That means I’ve still got my chops.” They headed to St. Pete to record Corneal’s drumming for “Zion is a Woman” and “Joel Called the Ravens.” “The way he plays drums is so different from a modern drummer,” Plating said. “His patterns, his phrasing – it’s so specific to him.” Once she returned to the studio with his parts in hand, “It completely changed the entire song. […] What ended up resulting in those two songs is something I never would have come up with by myself.” “It’s always fun,” Corneal said. “You never know what’s going to happen in the studio. You go in there aiming for magic and do the best you can.” Orange Blossom Child is magic — an amalgamation of past and present. Central Florida country rock revived – set to the rhythm of a living legend. Like the song “Hole in My Chest,” this album evokes big feelings. Photography by Amy Sexson

As winter unfolds, a special guest, El Niño, is set to influence our weather patterns significantly. Known for altering weather on a global scale, El Niño’s effects have been felt right here in Polk County throughout January. At the time that I’m writing this, we are expecting a strong El Niño to continue for the next several months… at least. WHAT IS EL NIÑO? El Niño and its opposite climatic effect, La Niña, tend to cycle on and off every 6-8 years on average. El Niño is a climate phenomenon characterized by the warming of ocean waters in the central and eastern Pacific. This warming significantly impacts regional weather patterns, often leading to increased rainfall in certain parts of the world, including Central Florida. This year, El Niño’s presence is particularly strong, signaling a potentially cooler and wetter “dry season” than we have seen in years and, if it lasts through the spring and summer, a calmer than usual hurricane season. Currently, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is forecasting El Niño to last through April of this year and predicting that it may reach historic strength this cycle. You can learn more about current El Niño and La Niña, here: climate.gov/enso. IMPACT ON WILDLIFE AND ECOSYSTEMS The excess rainfall brought on by El Niño can create a domino effect on local wildlife and ecosystems. In our wetlands and marshes, the additional water can provide a boon for waterfowl, amphibians, and other species that rely on these habitats. However, it’s not all positive news; too much water can disrupt nesting patterns and displace smaller, ground-dwelling creatures if the waters stay high and are followed by an active rainy season. Consistently wet and rainy weather can also increase microbial action and spur additional fruiting cycles by a variety of fungi. This means you may notice more mushrooms than normal, additional fairy circles, or if you garden, additional mold, and mildew issues. LOCAL HYDROLOGICAL EFFECTS In Polk County, the average rainfall for December and January stands at 2.1 – 2.3 inches, respectively. December was a little higher than average at 2.55 inches at my house, but rainfall in January has already exceeded 3 inches! At the time of writing there is more than a week left in January and the forecast is calling for another front of storms this weekend. This increase in precipitation can have various effects on our local hydrology. Our lakes, crucial for recreational activities like boating, are already experiencing higher-than-average water levels. In Lakeland and most of Polk County, these higher lake levels are likely presenting as clearer-than-usual water and higher-than-average shorelines. In Winter Haven’s Chain of Lakes, increased rainfall can more directly influence boating recreation due to higher water levels in the canals that connect the chain. In drier years, when rainfall is scant during the rainy season, a wet winter is a welcome sight because without it the canal levels can be so low that it inhibits boat travel. When lake levels are high from a normal or above-normal rainy season, a wet winter helps keep the lakes “topped off” through the dry season. CAN THE CHAIN OF LAKES GET “TOO FULL”? The Chain of Lakes water levels are generally managed by Lake Region Lakes Management District, also known as Canal Commission, locally. There is a “control structure” on south Lake Lulu which operates much like the overflow preventer on your household bathtub. Once the lake levels reach a certain point, it overflows into the Peace Creek Drainage Canal and sends excess water downriver. If lake levels are generally high and already flowing into the Peace Creek Drainage Canal at the beginning of hurricane season, then the Southwest Florida Water Management District may ask the Canal Commission to reduce lake levels by allowing additional water over the control structure. The goal of this action is to make room in the lakes to accept additional rainfall if the area is expecting the downpours that can come with a tropical storm or hurricane. This preventative move aims to prevent flooding of homes on the Chain and along the Peace River, if those forecasts verify and the area receives a lot of rain in a short time. EL NIÑO AND CONSERVATION Rain is a good thing in Polk County, generally speaking. We are a rain-driven system, the top of the watershed. Every drop of water that falls in Polk County is trying to leave and for that reason, it’s good for residents to be tolerant of higher water when we are blessed enough to have it. Just because we have high water now, doesn’t mean we always will. We still need to conserve water in times of plenty. Consider the following suggestions for conservation this season: Reduce your irrigation schedule or install a rain sensor for your system: Naturally, our lawns and yards use less water and grow slower during winter. With the added rain, you may not need to use your irrigation at all! UF/IFAS research suggests ½ inch every other week of rain or irrigation is all you need in the cooler months. Enjoy our wetlands and lakes: These havens for wildlife activity are at their best and most beautiful, in my opinion, in winter or early spring of El Niño years. When the cypress trees are bronzed or bare, the insect activity is lower, and the air is crisp. It’s time for a hike at Circle B or a sunset happy hour on the water! Plant some cool-season greens: Take advantage of the cooler weather and regular rain during an El Niño winter by planting some lettuce, kale, cool season veggies, or cool season cut flowers. Our horticulture team is ready to help you plan your spring garden, which you can plant now. Reach out to our Master Gardener Plant Clinic for garden planning advice at 863-519-1057 or via email at polkmg@ifas.ufl.edu.

Winter Haven Public Safety is unrolling a comprehensive and holistic mental health program in the new year. The City of Winter Haven Mental Health Coordinator, Morgan Volpe, and Lieutenant Garett Boyd spearhead this flagship program. We spoke with Volpe about the program’s inception and what they aim to accomplish. Volpe, who recently finished her master’s degree in clinical mental health from Stetson University, has been in her role since April. Hers is a new position for the City. Along with Lieutenant Boyd, Volpe is working to revamp the department’s peer support system and unfurl a comprehensive mental health program for all Public Safety personnel, sworn and civilian. They can utilize an app that will link anyone in dire crisis to the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988, mindfulness activities, and many others. According to Volpe, there’s a unique stigma associated with talking about mental health in law enforcement. “A lot of them have that inherent thought of, ‘If I say I’m not doing okay mentally, my job is jeopardized. Because if my superior doesn’t trust me with a gun on my hip, how is the community going to trust me?’” she said. “We’re trying to get down to the core fundamentals of that thought process and reduce that stigma as much as possible.” She continued, “There’s also a culture of self-reliance and toughness. Many times officers may feel pressure to handle stress and trauma independently, without seeking help. [...] Having someone in their corner that understands exactly what they’re going through is really beneficial.” About 20 first responders are currently enlisted in the program for peer support. First responders regularly witness traumatizing situations. In addition to psychological first aid and secondary traumatic stress training, the peer support system utilizes the University of Central Florida’s REACT program for first responders. REACT (Recognize. Evaluate. Advocate. Coordinate. Track.) “provides all participants with mastery experiences, designed to give them challenges at which they can succeed, bolstering confidence in their ability to provide effective support to their peers,” according to UCF. “Through this program, participants learn how to recognize “stress injuries” and evaluate the mental health of their peers, offer peer-level support, and effectively coordinate necessary follow-up in the event professional intervention is warranted.” “It’s going to take time, but I’m hopeful that having that peer support will enable them to start to open up and eventually feel more comfortable with the entire program,” said Volpe. Hand in hand with peer support will be the mental health program rolling out this month. The program will ensure mental health is regarded with the same importance as physical health. “Those two coincide,” Volpe said. “Mental health and physical health are both health.” The goal is to approach first responder mental health holistically – to talk about a problem before it becomes critical. The program guarantees confidentiality except in certain circumstances, such as cases where a judge summons Volpe, there’s an indication of child or elder abuse, or if the first responder is having suicidal or homicidal ideations. “And if I do have to say something, it’s through the proper chain of command, and no one else will ever know.” Volpe also notes that in the event that confidentiality had to be broken, the information that she has to share would be extremely specific to the issue at hand in an effort to uphold as much confidentiality as ethically and legally possible in difficult situations like these. The program will be counseling-focused with the biological, psychological, and social factors of the individual in mind. This will encompass the entirety of their life, from educational background to family dynamics and support networks. This gives Volpe a mental health baseline. The mental health coordinator will help officers and firefighters work through issues like anxiety and depression while being able to refer out to a licensed professional as necessary. Preferably one with the cultural competency of first responders. “These are human beings. They go through the exact same emotions, maybe even more so than your typical civilian, because they don’t necessarily have an outlet,” she said. “There aren’t a lot of individuals in this profession that are culturally competent to be able to serve the first responder population.” This is the gap Volpe hopes to fill in her new position. The last thing most law enforcement officers and firefighters want to do is talk to someone who sees civilians about anxiety or depression. While the experiences of civilians are valid, “It’s a different type of trauma,” Volpe said. Compounded stress is one of the most significant issues she sees in first responders. “Without that outlet to get rid of the pressure, the stress, all of the baggage that goes along with seeing all this trauma – it compounds,” she said. “I always equate it to your junk closet,” Volpe explained. You can only put so much stuff into a junk closet and close the door. Eventually, if you don’t organize or purge it, you won’t be able to close the door. “It’s the same thing with compounded stress.” While working off stress with a run is great, first responders require a healthy mechanism to discuss their stress and trauma. “Having that neurotransmitter enhancement is extremely beneficial, but narrative therapy is crucial for any healing.” In addition to creating a mental health program for first responders, Volpe keeps track of statistics for Baker and Marchman Acted individuals in the community. “The information I gather helps with the overall goal for community mental health and provides a way for us to specifically target areas of the community that may need more assistance due to intersectionality and a laundry list of other potential factors,” she said. “I track gender, gender assigned at birth, age, race, and many other items. Our crime analyst prepares hot spot maps for me on a monthly basis, which allows me to geographically depict where we can implement high resources in the future.” “I am aiming at training officers and firefighters more in-depth,” said Volpe. This trauma-informed training will assist first responders during any interaction with the public, from a traffic stop to an arrest, Baker Act, fire, or medical emergency. “Mental health plays a big role in why and how people act.” Being trauma-informed will have officers and firefighters consider many aspects while upholding their duties, ensuring a comprehensive approach to crisis management and public safety is upheld. An assessment officers can make when Baker or Marchman Acting someone is MINDS, taking into consideration if the individual is on medication, has suicidal or homicidal ideations, is on narcotics, has any previous diagnoses, or is exhibiting self-injurious behavior. The mental health coordinator noted exceptional leadership at the City, calling out City Manager T. Michael Stavres, Deputy City Manager MJ Carnevale, Assistant City Manager – Public Safety Charlie Bird, Police Chief David Brannan, and Fire Chief Sonny Emery. “They care,” she said. “They are very humanistic. They have a lot of empathy. They have a lot of emotional intelligence, which is needed and speaks volumes about why this program is even here.” “I’m excited to spearhead mental health. To reduce the stigma and be a frontrunner in talking about it and not making it so taboo,” Volpe said. “I’m excited to see where mental health, and specifically first responders, transform to because it’s such new territory.” Volpe noted that her goal is to bring on more clinicians to the department. “I would love to see this program grow and flourish. Maybe not even solely focused on mental health but for wellness – wraparound wellness.” Photography by Amy Sexson

Looking for homestyle cooking in charming downhome digs? You gotta risk it for the biscuit! Biscuits and Benedicts is one of Lakeland’s favorite breakfast and brunch joints, serving warm, fresh biscuits with a side of southern hospitality. Just look for the colorful wildflower mural on the side of their building, and you’re in the right place. Jenna Rice painted the floral masterpiece for the Lakeland CRA as part of a project to beautify the city. B&B opened on June 24, 2022. The brainchild of professional poker player James Kerr, the café remains family-owned and operated. Like many a great meal, biscuits were the basis for the idea of the restaurant, and bennies are some of Kerr’s favorite breakfast dishes. He married the two and created a unique concept in the Swan City. According to fellow owner and Kerr’s father-in-law, Troy Hambrick, “My son-in-law wanted to help a fellow chef create the concept. […] Unfortunately, he passed away about five months ago. So we carry on the tradition.” That chef was 20-year restaurant industry veteran Erik Walter. He created the menu, and according to Biscuits and Benedicts, “With soulful gravy and made with love biscuits, Erik poured his passion and knowledge into each and every menu item.” Kerr’s wife Joy joins him in ownership of the family business. Hambrick, who has 30 years of healthcare experience and a doctorate in healthcare management and leadership, operates the restaurant daily. His favorite part of this job is ensuring consistency in the kitchen and service and watching people enjoy their homestyle cooking. The eatery’s country atmosphere drips with charm from cute sayings on the wall like “Happiness is Homemade” and farmhouse decor. “Nothing is here like this in Lakeland,” Hambrick said. The 1920s building features a refurbished fireplace, adding to B&B’s warmth. A look at the menu will make any Southerner’s heart rejoice with dishes named after familiar country phrases, which Joy was responsible for brainstorming. A guest favorite to order at B&B is the Goodness Gracious, with buttermilk fried chicken, bacon, and cheddar cheese topped with their signature sausage gravy. If you’re hankering for something heartier, Hambrick recommends the Big for Your Britches which comes with two eggs, hash cake, biscuit, choice of gravy, and choice of Canadian bacon, sausage, or bacon. And, of course, you can’t go wrong with “Sum” Biscuit & Gravy – B&B’s piping fresh buttermilk biscuit topped with sausage or Impossible gravy. Their dining room may be quaint, but that doesn’t stop B&B from slingin’ 700-800 biscuits on weekends. Indulge in their freshly squeezed orange juice and flavored coffees. “Everything is made from scratch,” Hambrick said. “Biscuits are made fresh every day.” Even the pimento cheese for their Heavens to Betsy sandwich is made in-house.  “We also like to collaborate with different small businesses,” Hambrick said. The establishment serves Concord Coffee, uses Born & Bread sourdough, and Bee Haven honey. Asked about Biscuits and Benedicts’ future, Hambrick noted, “After we get a bit more stable and recognized in the county, we’d like to look into opening more space next door. We’re also looking into Winter Haven.” Stop by in January to check out their new menu, including brand new appetizers and brunch options like the Cattywampus burger we tried. A toothsome fig jam cuts through the richness of bacon atop a thick brisket burger with the tang of garlic aioli. It was darn good! Photography by Amy Sexson Biscuits and Benedicts 1212 Florida Ave S, Lakeland (863) 937-8293 FB: Biscuits and Benedicts IG @biscuits.and.benedicts biscuitsandbenedicts.com

In an unassuming strip mall off Highway 17 in Winter Haven is a magical little donut shop with a frosting pink sign beckoning passersby to indulge in fresh donuts. It’s the kind of place where they know their regulars’ names, which says a lot because of how many patrons they have. Once you’ve tried a warm donut from Baking Donuts Plus, you can’t just go back to the other guys. Whether you’re a blueberry babe or a breakfast croissant coinsurer, this Winter Haven bake shop has just what you’re craving – homemade, fresh daily donuts, sandwiches, coffee, bubble tea, bubble coffee, and more – at prices you can’t beat. I’m talking a donut, breakfast sandwich, and coffee for under five bucks. They’re open from 5 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday and closed on Sundays. Started in November 2017 by Andy Seng and his wife Rany, Baking Donuts Plus is a favorite at the Haven office. Instead of birthday cake, we go for an assortment of fresh, fluffy donuts – it makes the special day so much sweeter. They offer a wide selection of baked goods from familiar faves like Boston cream, glazed, and jelly-filled donuts to cinnamon rolls, Oreo-topped, and Fruit Loop donuts. “This is what I like to do, and I’m thankful to all the customers that helped me come this far and look forward to expanding,” said Seng. “The mission was to bake the best that I could and make all the customers like [my donuts] and hopefully everything can be a success.” All of the menu items are family recipes made with love. And, if you don’t see something you like, Baking Donuts Plus can hook you up. Think of a crazy topping, and they can do it. From the best-selling bacon donut to Fruity Pebbles topped vanilla donuts, “Whatever the customer wants on their donut, we’ll make it for them,” Seng said. Some opt for an office pick-me-up in the drive-thru or pull up a chair in their modest digs among the saccharine aroma of freshly baked goodies. Another patron favorite is the croissant sandwich. Baking Donuts Plus has a full menu of breakfast sammies like sausage, egg, and cheese, the bacon, egg, and cheese, and even tuna for lunch. “A lot of people will come here and try it and go, ‘Oh wow!’” the owner said of their breakfast croissant. To ensure the freshest donuts, Andy and Rany get to the shop at midnight each night to begin baking for the next day. “It’s a lot of hard work, not easy work,” Seng said. “We make it with love. We put our heart into it.” Seng hopes to expand Baking Donuts Plus by opening a shop in another town. Folks from as far as Orlando and Sebring have begged him to open near them, but the idea is still half-baked at the moment. “It takes time,” he said of expanding. Sprinkle some happiness on your day at Baking Donuts Plus. There’s a ‘hole’ lot to love! Photography by Amy Sexson Baking Donuts Plus 913 6th St NW, Winter Haven bakingdonutsplus.business.site

DEERINGER HONEY FARM In addition to a population of wild bees, the state of Florida is host to some 650-700,000 commercial bee colonies with another 10-15,000 hobby hives. Polk County is home to around 11,000 commercial colonies with several multigenerational apiculture (the technical term for beekeeping) families. One such Winter Haven family is the Deeringers. Ashlyn Deeringer’s grandfather Wesley Parmerter got into beekeeping after World War II. “During World War II, there was a lot of rationing, so people kept bees in their backyard for sweetener because a lot of sugar was going overseas to the military,” explained Ashlyn’s husband, Jason Deeringer. Her grandfather went on to become a migratory beekeeper and state bee inspector traveling between New York and Florida. Her father followed in his footsteps, beekeeping since the 70s, and her brother did it for some 15 years. Ashlyn and Jason’s love story is a sweet honeybee happenstance. They knew each other in high school, after which Jason entered the military and Ashlyn went to college. Following his service, in 2009, Jason got into the bee removal service, working with a company that specializes in removing stinging insects. He also at the time, received a few hives as a gift. Those few hives turned into 100 by the time he reconnected with Ashlyn. The pair laughed as they recalled Ashlyn’s dad thinking Jason might be a beekeeping spy looking to do some apiary espionage. He started two businesses, Bee Serious and Deeringer Honey Farm, in 2013. Ashlyn worked in the Visitor Services department of Visit Central Florida for ten years before joining Jason in his apiculture endeavors. Jason eventually bought his own truck and loader, and his beekeeping business grew to outpace the removal. The couple now has nearly 2,000 colonies, offering services from commercial pollination and honey production to retailing bees. The Deeringers are in the process of purchasing Ashlyn’s father’s business as he looks to retire. “We’ll have a home base in Davenport once we finish this acquisition,” Ashlyn said. We stood in a Dundee field on a windy December morning as Jason lit a smoker and talked about his favorite subject – bees. “Bees are pheromone based, smell based. They have an alarm smell,” he said. “If you open a hive without smoking them, the alarm spreads to everybody, and everybody gets angry. If you smoke them first, the alarm spreads very slowly and minimally.” Beekeeping offers quite a few avenues for revenue. In addition to selling queens and wholesaling honey by the drum, the Deeringers sell wax. Wholesale honey can go for around $2.50-2.75 per pound, with wax, a natural byproduct of what they do, going for around $5 a pound. One of their more lucrative streams of revenue comes from commercial pollination. Farmers will pay to have honeybees pollinate their crops, from strawberries and blueberries to melons and cucumbers. “We can drop bees off, and those bees will increase crop production by 20 percent,” said Jason. The Deeringers ship bees as far as California to pollinate almonds and down the eastern seaboard for blueberries and cranberries. As bees are thermoregulators, shipping them can be quite timely and tedious. There are roughly 50-90,000 bees per colony and an average of 400 colonies on a semi. “It’s high risk but also high reward,” Jason noted. “In central Florida, agriculture is disappearing fairly quickly. Our forage, what we produce honey crops on, is disappearing faster than the industry can create new things for new revenue,” he said, calling migratory commercial pollination “our saving grace.” “If we didn’t have these commercial pollination contracts, we really couldn’t exist as an industry for much longer in central Florida specifically because of development. We’re losing so much of our forage – our orange blossom, palmetto, scrubland – to development.” Another threat to apiculture is the introduction of pests and diseases, such as the Asian mite. These pests mean beekeepers like the Deeringers must continually monitor and treat the hives to keep the threshold low and the colony thriving. According to Jason, if the mite count gets too high, they can transmit viruses that kill off the bees. “It’s made a better industry in the sense that we are beekeepers and not just bee setters,” he said. “But it’s a pain when we have to treat a colony three times in a row, and we have 2,000 colonies.” Through years of experience, the Deeringers have gained a sense for hive health. “You can read all the books, but until you’re doing it for years and having failures and successes, you know what’s working, what’s not. It’s those years of experience that can get you to that point of reading the colony,” Ashlyn said. Deeringer Honey Farm produces about five crops a year. “Our honey yields in Florida are pretty interesting,” Jason said. “An average colony can make between 50 and 90 pounds of honey per crop depending on the year, depending on the weather, and a lot of different variables.” Northern states, the midwest, and Canada, can produce hundreds of pounds of honey per colony. “It’s harder here to make honey than in other parts of the country,” Jason said. “[But] we have more crops that produce honey than in other parts of the United States.” Wherein the midwest produces mainly clover honey, central Florida has a variety from orange blossom and palmetto to Brazilian pepper, gallberry, and Tupelo. “The beekeeping end is very rewarding. You can see your work, you can see the effort that you put into the colonies – the treatments, the feeding, the maintaining properly – in the honey you produce,” said Jason. “It can go from one box to several boxes of honey in just 10, 15, 20 days. It’s cool to see. The problem with honey production is it’s so variable. [...] It’s kind of like gambling. You get addicted to the chase of that $100K honey crop.” That variability is precisely why the Deeringers have diversified their business. They’ve recently ramped up their direct-to-consumer honey production and look to do retail in the future. Folks can purchase local honey at their honor-system-based honey stand at 632 Ave. T SE, Winter Haven. “Don’t be afraid to buy honey from a big box retailer,” Jason concluded. “Just check the source of origin. At least buy from a company that uses U.S. honey.” THE MAYOR’S APICULTURE ADDICTION Not all beekeepers are shipping hundreds of thousands of bees across the country for commercial pollination. Some do it for the love of apiculture. When he isn’t conducting his mayoral duties or serving as the managing director and senior vice president of investments for Raymond James, one might catch Winter Haven Mayor Brad Dantzler tending to the three beehives on his property. About seven years ago, Dantzler attended a wedding in Atlanta. A friend took him out to tour his hives in full beekeeping regalia. “I just fell in love with it,” the mayor said. “There are a lot of ways to get started, but the simplest way is to buy what’s called a ‘nuc,’” Dantzler said. The term “nuc” is short for “nucleus colony.” It’s a small hive, including a colony of bees. According to Dantzler, each hive has about 60-80K bees. He currently has three hives. It used to be four, but one of his hives’ absconded,’ which means the entire hive, including the queen, left. “Once your hives get very healthy and big like mine are, I can take a couple of frames out and put them in a separate box and encourage them to make another queen and start a hive,” he said. That’s known as ‘splitting the hive.’ The mayor has two colonies of European bees, and a third he suspects are Russian. He notes that they are more aggressive but produce the best honey. “The queen sets the whole mood of the hive. If the queen is nice and docile, then the bees don’t bother you at all. But if the queen is mean, the bees will be mean because [almost 99%] of the bees are female.” Dantzler completes a hive inspection every other week in which he uses hive tools to ‘crack the hive’ and pulls out each of the 11 frames per box. He’s looking to keep out pests and check on the hive’s overall well-being. If the hive is healthy, he leaves it undisturbed. “My theory is to not disturb them as much as possible unless they’re having a problem.” The bottom box of the hive is where the bees live. As they mature, beekeepers add boxes on top of them called honey supers. Twice a year, when the supers are full, Dantzler harvests his honey crop, known as ‘stealing the honey.’ Each hive box will produce some 50 pounds of honey. “My Russian bees, I call them my rockstars. They produce like crazy.” His friend and Theatre Winter Haven Producing Director Dan Chesnicka often helps him harvest the honey, which takes about 4 to 5 hours. “You want to leave them honey to make it through the winter because there are not nearly as many flowers,” he said. “When they don’t have pollen to eat, they start eating their own honey. That’s why they store it up.” Honey differs from hive to hive based on which plants the bees pollinate. Dark palmetto honey is the mayor’s favorite, but he may get orange blossom, clover, Brazilian pepper, or ragweed throughout the year. “It’s kind of like wine,” he said of the variety in honey. Dantlzer labels his honey ‘Mayor’s Select,’ gives it away, and makes his own honey candy. With his puppy Dash in tow, Mayor Dantzler showed us around his yard. He pointed out purple porter weed and azaleas, shrimp plants and gardenias, fire bush and white plumbago, pipevine, and beauty berries. “Everything is geared for my bees and butterflies.” “Every little apiary takes on its own personality,” Dantlzer said. His is adorned with little signs and knick-knacks, including a bee fairy. He finds the work to be cathartic. “Sometimes, when I’ve had a rough day, I’ll come and just sit on that bench and hang out here with them.” Mayor Dantzler recommends the Ridge Beekeepers Association as a resource for those interested in apiculture. “The bee community is very supportive of each other,” he said. According to the beekeeper club, “Our members have a wealth of knowledge about beekeeping. Members include hobbyists, sideline and commercial beekeepers, honey producers, and queen producers. We have members from Polk County and the surrounding counties such as Lake, Highlands, and Hardee.” The Ridge Beekeepers Association meets on the third Monday of the month at 7 pm, followed by a field/workday the next Saturday. Check their website, www.ridgebeekeepers.com, each month for the meeting location. Photography by Amy Sexson

As our holiday seasons come to a close, Polk County residents and visitors are treated to a spectacular natural event: the arrival of American white pelicans. These majestic birds, easily distinguishable from their coastal cousin the brown pelican, are a remarkable sight as they gracefully navigate the skies above Polk County’s many lakes. These large water birds, protected under the Migratory Bird Act, are here for a winter respite and do not breed during their stay in Florida. A SEASONAL SPECTACLE American white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) are migratory, visiting Florida during the winter months. They are usually found along the coast but can also been seen around Florida’s inland lakes, rivers, and wetlands. In Polk County, you’ll see them soaring in the sky, at Circle B Bar Reserve, around the Winter Haven Chain of Lakes, and in lakes all around Lakeland, Lake Wales, and more. The earliest American White Pelicans often arrive by late November or mid-December, with their presence peaking January through March, locally. This timing is easy to remember, like many of our friends and family who live up north in the summer, the white pelicans can be thought of as Florida’s other snowbirds! SILENT VISITORS IN OUR MIDST One of the most notable characteristics of these winter visitors is their almost complete silence, a stark contrast to the more vocal cormorants and anhinga often seen in their company. This silent demeanor adds to the serene beauty of the lakes they inhabit. IDENTIFICATION AND RESPECTFUL OBSERVATION American white pelicans are one of our largest water birds in North America. Their bodies are thick, with short square tails, large bills, and short legs. Mostly white, they have a distinctive yellow-orange bill and black flight feathers on the underside and tips of their wings, making them easily identifiable from afar or while in flight . When in flight, you’ll often see them in a “flying V” pattern, soaring in large circles looking for suitable areas to feed. Unlike the brown pelicans we’re all familiar with, who are known for their dramatic diving feeding technique, American white pelicans employ a more cooperative hunting strategy. Together in large groups, they herd fish into shallow areas of the lake where they will take turns rowdily dipping their large bills in to scoop up some fish. This makes for an impressive display of teamwork and grace. You may notice a vertical plate or “horn” on the top of some of the pelicans’ bills. This is called a “breeding plate” and it is thought to be a visual indicator of a healthy male pelican, like how we think a larger rack of antlers signifies a better breeder in deer. While we’ll never fully understand some physical traits present during the breeding season in many species, one thing is clear: The plate is not a deformity, and the pelican is healthy; there is no need to be alarmed or to contact an animal rescue or Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission if you see one. MIGRATION AND HABITAT When American white pelicans leave Florida, they embark on a northward migration that leads them primarily to the northern Great Plains. Their summer breeding grounds are generally on isolated islands in freshwater lakes and on ephemeral islands in shallow wetlands. These pelicans typically breed in states such as North Dakota, South Dakota, Northern California, Nevada, Wyoming, Minnesota, and parts of Canada, favoring remote areas away from human disturbance. The habitat types ideal for their breeding include large, open landscapes like prairies and marshes next to lakes and rivers. If you’re planning a summer vacation in the northern Great Plains, particularly in areas like the Dakotas or Minnesota, you might be fortunate enough to see these majestic birds in their natural breeding habitat. Here, they engage in their unique life cycle amidst the vast and scenic backdrop of America’s heartland. Keep in mind though, these are shy birds and will often abandon their nests if disturbed. GRAB SOME BINOCULARS This January, take the time to visit local natural areas or waterways to see the American White Pelicans. They will start heading north in March and have often completely left us by the end of April. But remember, nature doesn’t always abide by our rules! The pelicans may leave early or stay late – so enjoy them when you see them. You can help both American white pelicans and our resident brown pelican by keeping a close eye on fishing tackle when you’re out fishing. Entanglement in fishing line and bill or pouch disfigurement from errant hooks and lures are some of the greatest threats facing pelicans and water birds of all species in Florida. Protection and restoration of area lakes and wetlands is important to both the American white pelican and our other water birds and wildlife. As I have mentioned in earlier articles, prioritizing our wetlands and lakes takes a village. When enjoying recreational activities like boating, be mindful not to disturb these graceful and shy visitors. They scare easily and you may prevent their return to an area lake if they are disturbed often. By protecting our lakes and respecting wildlife, we ensure that future generations will also enjoy the stunning spectacle of the American White Pelicans in Florida. For more information on American white pelicans consider listening to the podcast episode, “American White Pelicans, Florida’s Other Snowbird” here: https://link.chtbl.com/white_pelican And, if you enjoy the episode, share it with a friend. As a reminder, you can always find me on social media with the handle @PolkNR on Twitter/X and Instagram or you can email me with any questions at scarnevale@ufl.edu. UF/IFAS Extension is an Equal Opportunity Institution.

It’s been four years since Crave & Copper first opened their doors in downtown Auburndale. The concept was born from the Florida Brewery. Established in the 70s, the Florida Brewery is the second oldest brewery still in operation in the state. Primarily a manufacturing facility, the brewery opened its doors to the public for a time, introducing a Beer Garden and Taproom at 202 Gandy Road. The brewery became a popular hangout, and when the opportunity came up to open an eatery downtown, they partnered with restaurant industry veterans to be sure their cuisine mirrored their “crave-able” beer. Executive Chef Matt Oakley partnered with his wife, the CFO of the Florida Brewery, Stacey Oakley, and the COO of the brewery, Julie Williams, for the restaurant. Crave & Copper is situated in the former Hudson Hotel, built in the 1920s. The hotel’s rooms were upstairs, now office space, and Crave & Copper is in place of its original restaurant. Stacey Oakley explained that Auburndale was a stop along the railroad back in the day. As a significant part of the town’s history, they wanted to pay homage. “It ties into the brewery because the copper kettle that sits at the beer garden was also brought down by the railroad in the 1970s,” she said. They spent a year turning the historic building into a rustic, modern-industrial dining space. Railroad imagery and large sliding barn doors, which can be closed to partition the restaurant, fit well within their rustic vibe. Many of the hotel’s original details have been left intact but modernized – like the ceiling, painted copper to suit their color scheme, the rehabbed bar, and the exposed brick on one of the walls. Spanning an entire restaurant wall just beyond the barn doors is a mural by Central Florida-based muralist Joe Starks. According to Stacey and Julie, Starks worked off a photo of the building from the 1920s. The image peers into a scene straight from Lake Ave. in the roaring 20s, the only detail bringing it back to the present is the ‘Crave & Copper’ sign. Images of Prohibition, their brewery roots, and Auburndale’s iconic water tower also appear in the piece. Starks finished the monochromatic mural with spray paint in just one weekend, finishing it with copper accents. Stacey Oakley said the Hudson Hotel was a gathering space. They would broadcast fights on their radio outside, and people would gather around to listen. The hotel’s restaurant would host $1 Thanksgiving dinner nights for the community. “The whole basis for what they did is similar to why we wanted to do this here. It was all focused around having a community destination,” she said. “We wanted something that was going to put Auburndale on the map,” said Executive Chef Matt Oakley. In the same way that Winter Haven and Lakeland have built up their downtown with exceptional dining, shopping, and recreation – the Crave & Copper owners want to see the same thing for downtown Auburndale. Folks shouldn’t have to drive out of town for a good meal and good beer, he explained. “We spent an entire year inside this place before we opened, getting it ready,” Matt Oakley said. Crave & Copper opened in October 2019 and operated for just six weeks.  “And then the fire happened,” Stacey said. On Friday, December 13, 2019, a state trooper driving through Auburndale saw smoke billowing from the former hotel and called the fire department. The inferno, deemed an electrical fire that started in the wall, decimated their kitchen. Matt and Stacey were in Virginia to attend a concert when the fire occurred. “At 5 in the morning, we get a call saying, ‘Chef, your kitchen burned down,’” Matt said. “It didn’t really hit us until we walked into this place and saw the destruction.” The fire was so intense the metal shelving had melted. “We got so extremely lucky because the fire got cut essentially,” said Stacey. The CO2 tank for their soda machine is much larger than one would find in a typical restaurant as it feeds their brewery side. That CO2 line was severed, creating a curtain that held the fire from the dining room. Sorting through insurance was quite the process. When it was finally approved, the pandemic hit, and prices skyrocketed, causing even more trouble for the restaurateurs. “In hindsight, the fact that we were closed during COVID was somewhat a blessing,” Stacey said.  In September 2022, Crave & Copper opened for the second time. Because of the two-year difference, they were able to apply for the Community Redevelopment Grant again and utilize it for their new outdoor patio area. “We had our followers from the original opening that had been waiting in anticipation for us to get back open, and then once we did, they, of course, showed all their support. It was almost like we never left,” said the chef. Stacey agreed, adding, “Being a small town, they are so behind new things coming and love supporting it. Our regulars are amazing, and they’re spreading the word to everybody.” The menu hasn’t changed drastically since C&C’s inception. It boasts the same elevated pub fare as before. Chef Oakley wanted the food to be approachable while introducing folks to foods they might not have had in the area. “We try to source as much as we can from local purveyors,” he said. From local microgreens to fresh organic eggs, “We just want to do fresh, quality food.” “It’s really about giving our community the best possible food we can at the gastropub level for this area and being able to teach these young kids who are interested in culinary and enabling them an opportunity that they probably wouldn’t get unless they were working in Orlando or Tampa,” Oakley said of his kitchen team. “My goal as a chef is to teach and share my craft. I’m not one of those chefs that like to hold all my secrets in. I’m open with my recipes. I’ll tell anyone what they are. I want people to cook and to learn how to do it right so that we have more chefs and great food in town.” Oakley is joined by Sous Chef Nick Roberts. This family-friendly American brewpub features up to 20 craft beers on tap, live entertainment on the weekends, and weekly lunch and dinner specials that keep guests coming back. One Crave & Copper staple is their fish dip, ideally served with a frosty glass of Polar Pilsner. Made with locally caught Lane Snapper smoked in-house with pecan wood, Chef Matt says, “It’s a traditional Florida fish dip but with my twist on it.” There are no frills, it is just plain good – like, really really good. It is served with hot sauce, lemon, and copper-dusted tortilla chips. Their proprietary copper dust is made with a spice blend from a chef-owned and operated company out of Spokane, Washington. Matt Oakley wanted to highlight the quality of the spices. He created a dry rub using garlic powder, onion powder, chili lime powder, white pepper, kosher salt, and honey granules. Other guest favorites include the hearty Cobb Salad, and the Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich made with buttermilk brined chicken breast topped with house-made pickles and Nashville hot honey sauce. Crave & Copper recently rolled out their fall menu with seasonal offerings like an oven-roasted turkey sandwich with thinly sliced challah, cheddar cheese, onion jam, herb mayo, and arugula. Another autumnal addition is the beer-braised bratwurst with sauteed peppers and onions and beer-infused whole-grain mustard. Chef Matt noted that they revamped their signature garbage plate to be less messy. Tots are drizzled with copper sauce and topped with candied bacon, scallions, and TFB beer cheese sauce. In addition to crave-worthy bites, C&C has more than a few drinks to imbibe. Florida Brewery COO Julie Williams discussed their five-barrel brew system at Crave & Copper. Three fermenters turn yeast into alcohol, and one bright beer tank holds finished product ready to be kegged. “This is what we consider our research and development. The big brewery down the street, one batch is 300 barrels,” she said. “This gives us the chance to use a little more creativity on a small batch.” Crave & Copper has up to twenty rotating beers on tap. Stacey Oakley said that their beers cater to the traditional lager style and are made intentionally drinkable for Florida – whether you’re boating, fishing, or backyard barbequing. They added 863 Light, their version of an American Standard Lager, and 863 Ultra, which she described as a more “calorie-conscious American lager” to the menu. Their best-selling beer, Beach Me Up, started as a seasonal brew. The crisp grapefruit shandy earned a fixed spot on the menu due to demand. Post-fire, Crave, and Copper honored the brave firefighters with a beer of their own called Engine 421, a light American lager. Photography by Amy Sexson Crave & Copper 117 E Lake Ave, Auburndale (863) 968-2971 craveandcopper.com IG @craveandcopper FB: Crave and Copper

December is the perfect time to learn about the fascinating world of our cavity-nesting birds in Central Florida. These birds, including the enchanting Eastern screech owl, play a vital role in our ecosystem at both the local and regional scale. This holiday season, consider thinking about giving a gift to our local cavity-nesting bird species! UNDERSTANDING CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS IN FLORIDA Cavity-nesting birds, such as various owl species, woodpeckers, and small songbirds, seek out natural cavities in trees or in some cases, create their own cavities for their nesting. These birds are crucial for maintaining ecological balance, acting as natural pest controllers, and contributing to biodiversity. Florida’s cavity nesters include the downy woodpecker, wood duck, Carolina wren, and Eastern screech owl, among others. The American kestrel and the red-cockaded woodpecker are two cavity nesters in Florida which are listed as federally endangered. Woodpeckers, Carolina chickadees, and brown-headed nuthatches are examples of what’s known as “primary” cavity-nesters which means they prefer to excavate their own cavities and will not readily take to human-supplied nestboxes. If you’d like to support these species, consider leaving a snag (another word for standing dead tree) in your yard if you have one. You can keep safety in mind by cutting off the top of the tree, if necessary, and leaving at least 12-15 ft of snag standing. Most of our cavity nesting species are “secondary” cavity nesters, meaning they cannot excavate their own nesting cavity and will use an abandoned one from a primary cavity nester or, if available, will use human-supplied nestboxes. SPECIES HIGHLIGHT: THE EASTERN SCREECH OWL The Eastern Screech Owl, Florida’s smallest owl, is an efficient predator, despite its diminutive size of 6-9 inches. With a large head, ear tufts, and varying colorations of red, brown, or grey, these owls are a common sight in forested areas, city parks, and residential neighborhoods. They are generalists, meaning they have a varied diet and can survive and thrive in a variety of habitats. Data suggests that suburban Eastern screech owls may have higher survival rates than their rural counterparts due to more food availability and fewer predators. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, their numbers have decreased annually by close to 1% for a cumulative decline of about 37% between 1966 and 2019, making them a “species in decline” in the Southeastern USA. Now, for the good news! Eastern screech owls readily adopt artificial habitat in the form of nestboxes and quickly become beloved family members of the residential areas in which they are found. These charismatic little owls keep watch from the nestbox’s opening and can be easily observed by neighbors, friends, and family. They tolerate the hustle and bustle of active families if we respect their boundaries and observe them from a distance. Never intentionally annoy or harass your local owls … or they may leave for other accommodations! THE IMPORTANCE OF ARTIFICIAL NESTING HABITATS Habitat loss and environmental changes have made it increasingly challenging for many bird species to find safe nesting areas. Providing artificial nesting sites in the form of nestboxes is a proactive step towards supporting bird populations that may struggle to find natural nesting sites. By installing a nest box, you’re not just adding a feature to your garden; you’re actively participating in the conservation of our local avian biodiversity. When it comes to nest boxes, one size does not fit all. Different bird species have distinct preferences for their nesting sites – from the size of the box to the diameter of the entrance and the height at which the box is placed. To truly cater to the needs of specific bird species you wish to attract, it’s crucial to follow detailed guidelines. A fantastic resource for species-specific nest box plans and guidelines is www.NestWatch.org. This platform offers a wealth of information to help you create the perfect nesting environment for your targeted bird species. Check out the, “All About Birdhouses” and “Right Bird, Right House” sections to find free plans for constructing the perfect nestbox for your yard! JOIN OUR NEST BOX BUILDING CLASS! Looking for an easier way to support the Eastern Screech Owl? Join us for a nestbox building workshop just after the new year, in January or February. You’ll learn a bit more about Florida’s cavity nesting species and build-your-own nestbox to take home. We’ve taken all the guesswork out of it! For class dates and information, visit PolkCountyExtension.Eventbrite.com or scan the QR code provided. These workshops are provided at no cost to the participant thanks to a generous grant from the Coastal and Heartland National Estuary Program. You can learn more about them at, chnep.org. IN SUMMARY Our cavity-nesting birds, from the silent hunters like the Eastern screech owl to the industrious woodpeckers, are integral parts of our ecosystem. By providing them with safe nesting habitats, we not only aid their conservation but also enrich our natural surroundings. Remember, your efforts in creating these artificial habitats are a step toward preserving the delicate balance of our local ecosystem. For more information on cavity-nesting birds and how to support them, feel free to reach out to me on Twitter/X and Instagram at @PolkNR. Happy Holidays, everyone!