Little hands tend to rosemary, garlic chives, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts on a 10-acre farm in Lakeland. They collect eggs from chickens and plant bluebells, among other farm chores. They take a moment to pet Gilbert, the resident cat. Reading, writing, and arithmetic are well-balanced with play, creativity, and open green space at this private microschool. Fresh air and freedom inspire joyful shouts and giggles. WonderHere, a learn-and-play farm and schoolhouse for pre-K and elementary-aged children, cultivates wonder and a love of learning in its students. According to WonderHere, “We strive to holistically develop children who are curious, empathetic, community-minded, problem solvers, and creative leaders.” The school promotes play-based, project-driven, and personalized education, with the schoolhouse divided into areas of interest, including a library, science lab, project room, study, and a STEM room. Whether attending a half or full day at WonderHere, students receive direct instruction in language arts and math with an assigned teacher. But at WonderHere, it isn’t about letter grades and test scores – it’s about exploring that intangible curiosity we lose somewhere along the way to adolescence. Or maybe we don’t ‘lose’ it. Perhaps it isn’t appropriately nurtured and withers. That curiosity – that wonder – needs tending like the bee balm and milkweed in the garden. Alongside learning the core subjects, kids at WonderHere can traverse the schoolhouse according to their pace and areas of interest. Ten-year-old Eva likes “everything” about WonderHere but has a particular affinity for acting class and hanging out with her friends. Matias, a curly-haired seven-year-old, enjoys the freedom and “being able to run around.” Gavin, age 12, has a unique perspective on the microschool. He attended WonderHere before his family moved. He went to traditional school for a time before returning to the Lakeland farm and schoolhouse. “You didn’t have as much freedom to do what you wanted,” he said of public school. He enjoys that he doesn’t have to change classes and remain seated. “We can move around and work with our friends,” he said. A SPARK OF WONDER Former public school teachers and best friends Jessica Zivkovich and Tiffany Thenor founded WonderHere in 2016 as an urban alternative learning space. “We questioned if there was a different way to do school,” said Zivkovich, who has a Bachelor’s in Exceptional Student Education and a Master’s in Reading Education from Southeastern University and over ten years of teaching experience. Co-founder Tiffany Thenor also graduated from Southeastern University with her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. She taught in a Title 1 School for seven years. The school started as a learn-and-play homeschool enrichment program with ten kids. Ten grew to over 30 the following year as WonderHere transitioned to a full-time school. “The whole goal when we started WonderHere was to make learning fun again – to preserve the joys of childhood. We believe in academic growth and progress, but we do it in a way that honors the whole child, that brings joy and spark into their whole learning experience,” said Zivkovich. They started with the intention of being an urban school with a space downtown near the Polk Theatre. They had no green space but fenced in a parking lot where children could play. “We grew out of our downtown location, and then we started pursuing the farm,” said Zivkovich. Now on a sprawling ten-acre farm with a garden, farm animals, and plenty of space to run and play, WonderHere enters its eighth year. “This is a lot more green space than we ever dreamed of,” said Thenor. The school was given several goats for the farm. With no idea how to care for the animals, they called in Karrie Tidlund, who has worked with animals and gardening her entire life. She has an associate degree in business administration, a Bachelor of Science degree in Integrative Studies, and 15 years of experience working with children. As the farm director, Tidlund leads programs, including Toddler Farm School, The Outdoor Classroom, and Wilderness Workshop. Tidlund walked us through a shaded copse of trees they call “the woods,” where a cluster of kids were playing and exploring. We entered the garden at the back of the farm. “When we got this farm, it was just grass,” she said. “We’ve built this from the ground up, and the students have been a part of that.” Tidlund means that literally. Early on, students heaved wheelbarrows full of soil, compost, and woodchips to build out the garden that they now tend, with Tidlund’s help, of course. “Every classroom in our schoolhouse has a garden bed. They’re learning to grow different things,” Tidlund said. “They weed it, they do pest control, they harvest it, they do the whole process.” Last fall, they installed a wildflower garden, planting flowers like zinnias, bluebells, and sunflowers. The flowers will be a boon to the school as they’ll sell them on special Family Farm Days. The produce grown by the students also helps to support WonderHere as Tidlund sets up a booth to sell it at the Winter Haven Farmers Market a couple of times a month. What do the kids benefit from all this open space and time playing in the dirt? “Fresh air,” said Tidlund. “Honestly, they’re just learning, and they’re able to interact with it differently. To know what a garden is and to put your hands in the dirt and experience it is another thing entirely.” She noted how excited the children were to see what had changed since their last time working in the garden. They also love to find caterpillars and butterflies among the milkweed. “We don’t use chemicals in the garden, so the kids can pick and eat right from the garden,” Tidlund said. “That has gotten some kids to eat vegetables they have never been willing to eat before. […] I think that experience has done wonders for them to understand where their food comes from.” “I had a great educational experience as a child, but I didn’t learn that kind of stuff,” said Zivkovich. FREEDOM TO LEARN AND GROW “Some of the biggest things we did differently when we left public school are that we don’t do letter grades, we don’t classify kids by grade level, and we don’t do standardized testing,” said Thenor. This means more flexibility for students and teachers alike. “Because we don’t isolate kids by their grade level, they have much more growth. They can grow as slowly or as quickly as it takes. They’re not compared to each other.” WonderHere takes a gentle approach early on. “Traditional education puts such a huge emphasis on learning to read proficiently and write at the pre-K, kindergarten level. And if a kid is ready for it, that’s great. Most kids need time to grow their social and emotional wellness, their time to play, and time to explore without getting all this explicit direct instruction. Their brains just aren’t wired for that yet,” said Zivkovich. As they attempted to find footing in this new terrain, the co-founders explored what they believed about children and education. Thenor and Zivkovich found much inspiration in the Finnish style of teaching. Digging into this method, they found that in Finland, compulsory education is started later than in the American school system, typically around age seven. “We’ve been doing this long enough that we’ve found that those kids that we took a gentle approach with early on – they’re growing into just fine learners and wellrounded kids who are now in our older grades,” said Zivkovich. As they enter year eight as an organization, WonderHere has alumni who are currently in high school – and they’re successful. These students have had roughly 75% less paper-and-pencil, sitting-in-a-desk instruction than their counterparts. “They’ve done a lot more digging in the dirt, drawing, creating, playing in the garden than most kids. But academically, they look the same on paper,” said Thenor. “There’s not as much merit as we’re led to believe that the number of hours we spend at a desk doing paperwork will equal the amount they’ve learned and retained. […] When they are developmentally ready, they will get the knowledge that they need.” MORE MICROSCHOOLS COMING SOON It’s always been in the co-owners’ hearts to share what they’ve learned the past eight years. Thenor likes to refer to their location as a research center for their ideas. Skilled and intuitive teachers are given the autonomy to try different learning methods, an opportunity not afforded to many public school educators. “They have been a really important sounding board as we’ve grown and developed,” Thenor said of their WonderHere instructors. Over their tenure, the best friends feel that they’ve tested and honed in on a successful education style. “We’re getting to the point now that we want to create other microschools like WonderHere in other locations and empower other people to do the things we do,” said Thenor. WonderHere recently received a grant from VELA, which, according to their website, “is the nation’s leading community of entrepreneurs providing alternatives to conventional schooling.” Zivkovich said, “It really is the perfect time. There are so many people realizing that education can be done differently, and they feel the same urging that we felt to do our part to make the educational world a better place.” WonderHere 5120 Colbert Rd, Lakeland (863) 698-7782 FB: WonderHere IG @wonderhere wonderhere.com

“I think between December and January, that’s when the berries taste the best,” according to Fancy Farms Market co-owner Kristi Grooms-Barnes. Hailing from the Winter Strawberry Capital of the nation, growing from Thanksgiving through Easter, Fancy Farms is approaching the height of its season – Valentine’s Day. What’s better than gifting your Valentine fresh chocolate covered strawberries? Each season, thousands of people travel to their acres and acres of green dotted with bright red Sweet Sensations, Medallions, Brilliance, and White Pineberries for a taste of Fancy Farms’ fresh, homemade strawberry treats. It’s the 50th crop year for Fancy Farms founders Carl and Dee Dee Grooms. The pair started their strawberry farm in 1974 with just 18 acres in Plant City. “My dad farmed with his dad. It was in his blood,” said daughter Kristi Grooms-Barnes. Over the years, the family acquired more property and reached around 250 acres at their crest. Today, they operate a commercial strawberry farm and roadside market offering seasonal desserts, local produce, and fresh flowers on 135 acres across Hillsborough and Polk Counties. Joining Carl and Dee Dee are their son, Dustin Grooms, and daughter, Kristi Grooms-Barnes. Dustin went into the military for eight years before returning to the family farm. “I like the challenge of it. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I like the challenge of coming out here every day being an entrepreneur, doing the best I can,” Dustin Grooms said. After graduating from college, Kristi went into marketing and advertising. She worked in Tampa for 18 years for a company specializing in real estate marketing. About four years ago, she decided to come back to what she knew – strawberries. “I wanted to come back to my family roots and help my brother and continue the legacy that my parents have built here,” she said. “I missed being here. I missed being around my family.” Aunts and uncles help at the farm and market. “It really is a farming family,” Grooms-Barnes said. “My dad has a motto, ‘Since 1974 and still learning.’” About ten years ago, the Grooms looked to retire and sold off property, ready to close shop. Dustin was the first one to raise his hand that he wanted to continue their legacy. Four years ago, “He and I came up with this idea to start this little roadside market,” said Grooms-Barnes. The idea behind the market was another avenue to sell their strawberries beyond commercially at grocery store chains. Fancy Farms has been a grower partner with the century-old Wish Farms for over 35 years. “My grandfather brought vegetables to the Wishnatzki’s when they used to do produce in the early days when they came to Florida. […] It’s a family affair. We’re all connected here in the agricultural industry,” said Grooms-Barnes. “My mom has always baked and cooked everything strawberry. We have all these family recipes that we constantly share with our friends and family,” she added. The decision to launch Fancy Farms Market was made in 2019, though they didn’t open the doors until December 2020. “It was unbelievably successful,” Grooms-Barnes said. “It was almost a movement. People want to know where their food comes from. They want to come out to the farms; they want to see where it’s grown.” Alongside their farm-fresh strawberries, the market offers strawberry shortcakes, cobbler, cookies, bread, and hand-spun milkshakes. “All the recipes are homemade right here at the market,” Grooms-Barnes said. They started baking out of a modest 14x24 foot shed they’d converted into a commercial kitchen. After the first year, they expanded their bakery space at the market. “My mom and my aunt have trained all the ladies that work for me on the recipes. They know all of our family recipes backward and forwards, just like my momma and my family do,” she said. “Everything is homemade here, and everything is fresh. The strawberries we use in our milkshakes are picked in the morning and processed to go directly into our milkshakes when we hand blend them — same thing with our strawberry shortcake. Nothing is frozen. It’s all fresh that day. It creates a different taste in your desserts because you get that tartness with the strawberry followed by that burst of sweetness.” Last year, they outgrew their bakery space again and built a third kitchen with the intention of serving lunch. “God has evolved this into something I had no idea. It’s been remarkable, and I’m very blessed,” said Grooms-Barnes. They launched a three-item lunch menu last month with a chicken salad croissant sandwich made with homemade sweet pickle relish, a strawberry BBQ pork sandwich, and Dee Dee’s famous strawberry walnut salad served on a bed of romaine lettuce dressed in homemade strawberry vinaigrette. “In the army, they taught to crawl, walk, run. That’s kind of what we’re doing with this, but the crawl part started as a trot. Each year, we plan on building and building. Who knows where it will evolve, but we definitely want to get into the education side of it to educate our youth on where food comes from and how it’s grown,” said Dustin Grooms. “My parents have been huge advocates over the years for educating youth,” Grooms-Barnes said. Fancy Farms is a regular supporter of the Hillsborough County 4H program. They’ve hosted an annual U-pick fundraiser for the group for several decades. This year, the Hillsborough County 4H Annual U-pick is scheduled for February 17 at their Plant City farm. It’s their biggest fundraiser of the year, with all proceeds going to the 4H program. Eventually the Grooms hope to start a more structured educational program inviting school children to learn how food gets onto their plate from planting a cover crop during the summer which puts nutrients back into the soil to irrigation and laying the plastic. According to Grooms-Barnes, “There’s a lot that goes into farming. I’d love to start a program to bring kids in and teach them that.” They only get off during the harvesting season when it’s raining. “That doesn’t mean that the truck didn’t break down, that you need to work on the tractor, that you’re going to be doing paperwork. You’re going to be working on something. Every day, something needs to be done on the farm. It never stops, it never sleeps, it doesn’t know if you are sick, or if it’s a vacation or a holiday,” Dustin said. “Strawberries are a very perishable crop. It’s all done by hand. It is a very labor-intensive crop.” Each of their three million strawberry bushes are hand-planted, and it takes 21 days for the berries to grow. They pick from the same bush every two to three days. The hard work isn’t done alone, however. Most farmers in Plant City are part of The Florida Strawberry Grower’s Association. Carl Grooms was one of five men to start the organization in the 80s. Its function is to help growers battle diseases, create new varieties, learn agricultural laws, and everything in between. According to FSGA, “Like all farmers, Florida strawberry growers struggle with the same issues and risks associated with food safety, economic stability and government regulations. That’s why FSGA provides access to research, resources and support that help growers proactively make their farms more efficient and competitive in the marketplace.” The organization also works in conjunction with the University of Florida to develop and crossbreed strawberries to produce the firmest berries with the best flavor that can ship across the nation – all traits the consumer looks for. There are about 80 members, with approximately 15,000 acres of strawberries grown in Hillsborough County. When strawberry season ends, the Fancy Farms Market menu changes. “We completely change the menu throughout each season to keep it fresh,” said Grooms-Barnes. Desserts change to blueberry, blackberry, and peach. While enjoying fresh blackberry cobbler, market-goers can enjoy, pick, and take photos in an endless field of sunflowers and zinnias. “It is unbelievably beautiful,” she said. Flower season is mid-May through the end of June, when they close for the summer through November. JUICY STRAWBERRY FACTS: Strawberries are in the rose family Strawberries contain more vitamin C than oranges Americans eat roughly seven pounds of strawberries per year You eat about 200 seeds with every strawberry February 27 is National Strawberry Day Photography by Amy Sexson Fancy Farms Market 5204 Drane Field Rd, Lakeland (813) 478-3486 FB: Fancy Farms Market IG @fancyfarmsmarket Fancyfarmsmarket.com

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

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.

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

“The fudge, there is so much touch and feel that goes into that,” said RJ Webb. “If you put it into the trough just a little too soon or a little too late, that batch is a throwaway.” Fudge and employees-turned-family keep this Davenport candy shop running strong. Paul Webb courted Nadine Henderson since the first grade. They married in 1942. That’s when they purchased their first business, the Fountainette, in Mayville, New York. One month later, Paul was drafted into the Army and served under General Patton with the 3rd Army anti-aircraft artillery unit in France and Germany. “When my grandpa got drafted into the war, he and my grandma opened a fountain shop that my grandma ran while my grandpa was off at the war,” said grandson RJ Webb. Beginning in 1946, the Fountainette started selling large lollipops known as “all-day suckers,” sometimes making 5,000 lollipops a day. As sales from all-day suckers slowed, Webb looked for other appetizing avenues to sell candy. He started making goat’s milk fudge, a richer and creamier alternative to its cow milk cousin. In 1968, he built Webb’s Resort—the family-owned restaurant, marina, and bowling alley. Meanwhile, in 1932, Sun Dial Tropical Sweets was founded in Davenport, FL. In 1935, local realtor C.S. Taylor purchased the company, renaming it C.S. Taylor Tropical Sweets. When the family relocated to Florida in the 1970s, Webb purchased C.S. Tropical Sweets and dubbed it Webb’s Citrus Candies. “My grandpa was not a golfer or a fisher, he liked to work. Business excited him,” said RJ. He also started Webb’s Coppertop Restaurant in Lake Wales in 1976. In 1985, youngest son and RJ’s father, John Webb took over the Coppertop Restaurant and now owns and operates Webb’s Citrus Candies. In 1978, Webb decided to move his candy store from downtown Davenport to S.R. 27. “At the time, 27 was dead,” RJ said. “He thought that eventually this place would explode.” And he was right. Though Paul and Nadine Webb have passed away, Webb’s Candy Store continues as a family-owned and operated venture. RJ and his sisters grew up working in the family business. “From the time I was old enough to play with stickers, I was pricing new inventory,” he said. He grew up doing maintenance for the most part and always knew he wanted to go into the family business. “After my freshman year in college, I realized that no one was ever going to pay me any money to play baseball, so I got my real estate license and have been doing that since I was 20 years old,” RJ said. He assists his dad in real estate and running the family candy store. In New York, Webb was doing goat’s milk fudge, peanut brittle, and hand-dipped chocolate. Meanwhile, Mr. Taylor was producing citrus candies down south. “When grandpa bought C.S. Taylor Tropical Sweets, he combined his recipes with Mr. Taylor’s recipes, and that’s how we have what we have today,” RJ said. Webb’s Candy is also known for their vast selection of sugar-free sweets. “My grandpa had a huge sweet tooth. Once he got diagnosed with diabetes, he wanted to have the biggest selection of sugar-free chocolate anywhere,” said RJ. With copper kettles dating back to 1891 and candy tables original to Sun Dial Tropical Sweets, Webb’s continues making candy magic with most of their chocolates and centers made in-house. Even their ice cream is homemade. “Our coconut ice cream has almost a cult following,” said RJ. But what makes Webb’s Candy special? The people. “We’ve been extremely fortunate over the years with us being a small, mom-and-pop business, with the employees that we have, they absolutely became family,” said RJ. “They take good care of us.” Many have spent a lifetime churning fudge and dipping chocolate at Webb’s. Webb’s Candy Shop 38217 US Hwy 27, Davenport (863) 422-1051 webbscandyshop.com FB: Webb’s Candy Shop IG @webbscandystore

As a child, Mike & Mike’s Desserts Co-owner and CGO Mike Mitchell spent his time measuring and mixing with his mother in the kitchen – making her signature red velvet cupcakes. “He saw the love that his mom was passing along in every bite,” according to his story online. From helping his mother early on, “I understood this from a deep level,” Mitchell said. He launched Mike & Mike’s Desserts in Miami while attending school for his Bachelor of Arts degree. He initially used his mom’s recipes but transitioned to dairy-, nut-, and egg-free cupcakes. He looked at the market and saw a need for ‘free-from’ desserts that tasted just as good – if not better – than traditional baked goods. “I flipped her recipes to make it inclusive for everybody to taste,” he said. These school-friendly cupcakes are the perfect choice for those with food allergies or dietary restrictions. They’re made with intentional ingredients like oats and plant-based derivatives. Mike & Mike’s initially started with 12 flavors but dialed it into the classics, their current flavors – Strawberry 2-Step, Vanilla Beanie, and Chocolate Delight. In the future, they plan to add limited-release and seasonal flavors. The branding stems from Mike’s alter ego, “Mike-Moji.” “As a Black founder, I find profound liberation and self-expression through my art,” he noted. “His life began with my pencil sketch, and my alter ego came to life. Through him I can explore emotions and narratives that deeply resonate with me.” Baking out of a smaller kitchen, the launch was so successful that Mike & Mike’s Desserts made it into South Florida’s Milam’s Market. Demand grew, and Mitchell moved the operation to a commissary kitchen. Mitchell couldn’t keep up with the demand and took a year to put suitable infrastructure in place. That’s when he reached out to his childhood pal, Nate Kendrick. Kendrick, now the co-owner and CEO of Mike & Mike’s Desserts, went to Lakeland High School with Mitchell. The pair met in the lunchroom and became fast friends. Kendrick has been a serial entrepreneur since he was a kid selling cookies. He went on to attend school at the University of Central Florida and started several businesses, including a social media marketing company, and launched a product on Amazon before joining forces with Mitchell. “When Mike called me about a product, I thought I could take the skillset of social media and selling something from a product component and combine both of those resources,” said Kendrick. “The pitch Mike made to me was if we can make it taste just as good if not better than the artificial cupcakes, there’s something we have here.” Baking thousands of cupcakes in a commissary kitchen became cost-prohibitive for the start-up. That’s when Mitchell stumbled upon the concept of co-manufacturing, in which a business signs over their recipe through a non-disclosure agreement to a small- or large-scale manufacturer whose purpose is to manufacture that recipe to scale. According to Kendrick, it took almost a year and some change to work out the kinks. “It’s hard to scale cupcakes. Almost impossible,” he said. Mitchell and Kendrick started working to secure a co-manufacturer daily at Catapult, Lakeland’s business development co-working space. A Catapult associate knew of a potential co-manufacturer, which became their first, helping them launch into Chamberlin’s Natural Foods. From there, Mike & Mike’s Desserts got into Publix GreenWise. In 2021, the friends pitched their sweet treats to Publix (where they had both worked at one time) and got into all their grocery stores. “It was a massive accomplishment,” said Kendrick. Mitchell added, “It was a full circle moment.” “No one in the market currently is making a product like that at scale with super high-quality ingredients, very intentional from top to bottom,” said Kendrick. “Traditionally, vegan or free-from doesn’t taste good. People feel like they’re compromising.” They’ve crafted a product everyone craves, not just ‘free-from’ consumers. Mike & Mike’s is currently the only company in the market using their own cupcake blend. “We were really intentional with making a blend that was unique to where it almost tastes like it was baked at home even though it’s at scale,” Kendrick said. “There’s nothing crazy in this. They’re just normal ingredients that are better for you.” Looking towards the future of their very tasty venture, Mitchell hopes to “push the boundaries of what people think of vegan or ‘free-from,’ what they can taste like, and make people feel like they’re not sacrificing for something that’s an alternative. Trying to push that to the limit.” Kendrick called it an education process – changing the perspective on free-from foods. The pair hopes to disrupt the baking industry and inspire other minorities to follow their dreams. Find Mike & Mike’s Desserts in the Bakery freezer at all Publix locations. Photography by Amy Sexson Mike & Mike’s Desserts Mikeandmikesdesserts.com FB: Mike & Mikes Desserts IG @mikeandmikesdesserts

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

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

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.

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