Diamond Named Northwest Florida Agricultural Innovator of the Year
September 22, 2011
Farmer Mickey Diamond has been recognized as the “Northwest Florida Agricultural Innovator of the Year”. Diamond was chosen from a select group of nine County Ag Innovators across Northwest Florida who have contributed to the efforts of the Extension Service and have made a difference to agriculture in the region, and to their community.
Diamond is a third generation farmer who began farming with his father in 1984. The Diamond farm near Jay has grown from 125 acres in its first year to well over 1,700 acres today. The family’s major crops are cotton and peanuts but they also produce wheat, hay, timber, and soybeans.
Family members and neighbors help sustain the farm. Diamond’s wife Lisa, a full-time nurse, assists whenever she can. During the fall harvest season, she operates the cotton module builder, hauls peanut wagons and drives a tractor. His 17-year old daughter Lauren helps out after school. A key component of his approach to farming involves sharing work with fellow growers with whom he performs custom planting and harvesting to pool equipment and labor.
According to the Extension Service, Diamond is a progressive businessman who looks for better ways of doing things. He quickly analyzes and adopts the latest technology that will be profitable for his farming operation. He is committed to protecting the environment through the use of conservation and best management practices. In 1995, he was one of the first farmers in the county to try strip-tillage. Other farmers were impressed with how his soil held moisture during dry weather. They also liked the benefits gained from less wind and water erosion, while reducing costs. As a result, Santa Rosa County growers have led the state for many years in the adoption of conservation tillage.
In 1995, Diamond was one of the first farmers in the state to plant a demonstration plot of BT cottonseed. That season bollworms caused severe crop loss throughout the county but damage was minimal in his test field. Within two years over 85 percent of cotton in the county was planted to BT varieties and insecticide applications for bollworms decreased from an average of 10 to 15 per season to less than two.
Diamond was also one of the first farmers in the area to incorporate precision agriculture technology into his operation. He began with grid soil sampling and variable-rate lime application in 1998. That first year he saved 29 tons of lime on a 56-acre field. The next year he only needed to apply lime to 40 acres out of 750. Because of the results on his farm, others quickly adopted the technology and today many growers in the county employ precision technologies such as variable-rate lime and fertilizer application, field mapping, and GPS equipment guidance for field operations.
Diamond has worked closely with the IFAS Extension and Research faculty for many years. He currently serves on both the Santa Rosa County Extension Agricultural Advisory and the WFREC Advisory Committees. He served over 20 years as a board member and officer of the Santa Rosa Pest Management Association, Inc. to offer pest management scouting services to local farmers.
He has offered his farm as the site for numerous Extension demonstrations. Since 1990 he has annually participated in large-plot cotton variety demonstrations. Others have included those involving cotton nematicides, insecticides, plant growth regulators, peanut varieties and fungicides, and conservation tillage methods.
Diamond was one of the first local growers to adopt “on-farm peanut pod blasting” for determining peanut maturity. In 2008, he hosted a grower demonstration at his farm. As a result, many area growers now use the procedure. He is often the “go to Extension cooperator” in the county because of his progressive attitude; desire to serve the community, and meticulous attention to detail in all aspects of his operation.
Each year he has hosted several tours of his farm for various groups including growers, industry personnel, chamber of commerce members, school classes, and 4-H youth. He has also helped with the Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour for many years with tour stops, grower panels, by serving refreshments, or in whatever capacity needed. During the 1995 Farm Tour he received the Outstanding Farm Family of the Year award.
Diamond, according to the Extension Service, has invested his time, talents, and resources to improve and promote agriculture. He has been a spokesman for farmers at the local, state, and national levels. Through his involvement with Farm Bureau he has made numerous trips to Washington and Tallahassee to talk with elected officials about agricultural concerns and issues. He has made a difference to agriculture and his community in many other ways, especially through his service to various organizations and boards.
Pictured top: (L-R) Lisa, Mickey and Lauren Diamond. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Lake Stone Pavilion Will Get A/C
September 22, 2011
The pavilion at Lake Stone will soon be a much “cooler” place for events; air conditioning will be added to the pavilion in the next few weeks..
The pavilion is located at the Lake Stone Campground, a 100-acre campground and boat ramp facility on Highway 4 west of Century. The campground has 77 campsites available for rent on the shores of the freshwater lake.
The Lake Stone pavilion or campsites can be reserved by calling the Lake Stone campground manager at (850) 256-5555 or Escambia County Parks and Recreation at (850) 475-5220.
Pictured above: The pavilion at Lake Stone will soon air conditioned. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Caught On Camera: Weak Funnel Cloud In Molino
September 21, 2011
A NorthEscambia.com reader took these photos Wednesday afternoon in Molino showing what the National Weather Service said appeared to be a very weak funnel cloud. The photos were taken near Fairground Road and the Escambia River.
“It may be a funnel cloud,” said Don Faulkner, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in Mobile said. “We think that it may have spun up on the shear zone along the sea breeze possibly as a waterspout over the bay and maintained its mid level structure as it moved inland. Atmospheric conditions were not conducive for tornado development but it is unstable enough for waterspouts and brief funnel clouds.”
If you have weather photos, email them to news@northescambia.com
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Facebook Changes: Many Local Residents Are Not Happy
September 21, 2011
Facebook, the world’s most popular social media site with thousands of local users, has made changes for most users, and many North Escambia area users are not happy about it.
The big change is in the news feed — it no longer appears in just chronological order but is displayed based upon what Facebook sees as the most important based upon each person’s viewing habits.
Facebook explained it like this on their blog:
“When you pick up a newspaper after not reading it for a week, the front page quickly clues you into the most interesting stories. In the past, News Feed hasn’t worked like that. Updates slide down in chronological order so it’s tough to zero in on what matters most.
Now, News Feed will act more like your own personal newspaper. You won’t have to worry about missing important stuff. All your news will be in a single stream with the most interesting stories featured at the top. If you haven’t visited Facebook for a while, the first things you’ll see are top photos and statuses posted while you’ve been away. They’re marked with an easy-to-spot blue corner.”
There’s also a new real-time news ticker that is designed to make it easier to join conversations.
Facebook said: “Ticker shows you the same stuff you were already seeing on Facebook, but it brings your conversations to life by displaying updates instantaneously. Now when a friend comments, asks a question or shares something like a check in, you’ll be able to join the conversation right away. Click on anything in ticker to see the full story and chime in – without losing your place.”
But the new changes are not sitting well with many local Facebook users. On our NorthEscambia.com publisher’s Facebook page, users have expressed their displeasure. Here’s a sampling of the comments:
- “Don’t like it. What was wrong w/ the original????” – Teresa Andress, Molino
- “I am confused; not good” — Diane Lowery, Cantonment
- “Do not, do not like this new Facebook…Why not leave FB alone” – Sue Smith, Uriah, Ala.
- “I DO NOT!! Like the new facebook!!!” — Caitlin Roley-Lovely, Bratt
- “I don’t like it…it confused me” – Kimberly McCullough, Walnut Hill
- “Uncalled for” – Rhonda Pridgen, Flomaton
- “Huge dislike” – Dorreen Allen, Cantonment
- “I do NOT like…’If it ain’t broke, then it don’t need to be fixed’” – Alan Bell, Atmore
- “Seeing double here… looking at homepage and news then over to right is same thing…. annoying for sure” – Tricia Chastain
- “The mobile version is very annoying!!!! Don’t like at all” – Mandy Odom, Century
A few people have also expressed cautious optimism about the Facebook changes:
- “Give it a week and you’ll forget it was ever different” – Clint Davis, Walnut Hill
- “I’m not really crazy about it, but I’m addicted to FB so I will just relearn how to use this new format. By the time I get used to this format, they will change it to something else.” – Tamara Smith, Century
- “I’m not loving it yet… maybe when I figure it out!” – Beth Norwood, Flomaton
To join in our Facebook conversation about Facebook, head over to Publisher William Reynolds’ Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/northescambiaWilliam
You can also “Like” the NorthEscambia.com Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/NorthEscambia
Free Hunter Safety Course Offered
September 19, 2011
Escambia County Extension Services and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission are offering a free hunter safety course at the Langley Bell 4-H Center, 4810 West Nine Mile Road.
Classes will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on September 20th, 22nd, 27th, and 29th with the range portion held October 1st from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Both traditional classroom style and online training are available.
The traditional hunter safety course, which covers the knowledge, skills, and ability needed to be a safe hunter, is 12 hours of classroom instruction with a test and three hours on the range.
The online version allows students to learn a majority of the course via computer with the remainder of the course covered in a four-hour classroom session on September 20th, followed by a test, and three hours on the range on October 1st.
Anyone born on or after June 1, 1975, must complete a hunter safety course before purchasing a hunting license.
Participants must be 12 years of age or older. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Each person must be pre-registered.
Information and registration is available online at http://myfwc.com/hunting/safety-education or by calling the FWC’s regional office in Panama City at (850) 265-3676 or
by calling Libbie Johnson at Escambia County Extension Services, (850) 475-5230 or email libbiej@ufl.edu.
Molino Kids Celebrate With Back To School Blast
September 19, 2011
Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Molino held a “Back to School Blast” Sunday afternoon. Children from across the community enjoyed fun and games, and there was a family cookout for people of all ages. The church also collected reams of paper to benefit Molino Park Elementary School.
For more photos from the event, click here.
Do you have news from your church or community group? Email your photos and information to news@northescambia.com.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Walnut Hill’s ‘The Tank’ Named 2011 Ag Innovator
September 18, 2011
The Escambia County Extension Service has named “The Tank” in Walnut Hill as the 2011 Ag Innovator for Escambia County.
Vernon Hiebert has been a catfish producer in Escambia County for more than 15 years, but after several years of depressed prices and increasing production costs, he decided that he needed to do something drastically different if he wanted to keep his enterprise afloat.
The prices he was receiving for his live fish at the catfish processing plant were not keeping pace with his costs, but the demand for catfish was increasing. He decided to direct market his product locally to individuals and eventually stores and restaurants by building The Tank — a 32-foot wide indoor pool that can hold up to 20,000 catfish at a time.
The Tank, Hiebert says, offers the freshest tasting catfish anywhere—none of that musky flavor that makes catfish taste “off.”
He seines fish from one of his production ponds each Monday and brings 800–1200 lbs of live fish into the Tank. The water in the tank is recycled; it goes through a three-stage filter system ensures the freshest water. The fish have three days to purge themselves in the clean water, removing impurities that might cause off-flavor.
The round indoor tank uses a system of fences to contain fish to a certain part of the pool, or move them toward an electric “elevator” that lifts them out of the water. Shoppers can take the fish home whole or have them dressed, or cleaned. He has standing orders from one high end grocery store in Pensacola and several seafood restaurants that are happy to offer a local freshwater fish choice on their menus.
Hiebert is a huge supporter of Escambia County Extension. During their 2010 Farm Tour, he hosted 120 visitors to The Tank and offered each person samples of his fish prepared by frying and by grilling. Before the stop, several people said that they were interested in learning more about catfish product but not in eating any of the samples because he or she didn’t like catfish. Most of the naysayers changed their tune once they were coaxed into trying the fish by Hiebert.
His innovative business has been instrumental in helping Escambia Extension with a major part of its clientele — local consumers. Hiebert’s operation is in the heart of Walnut Hill—the center of Escambia County agriculture. His business draws people to North Escambia where people can see local agriculture and purchase locally grown fruits and vegetables.
Local agritourism has great potential in an area like Escambia County that has a large local and tourist population, and The Tank is a great way to get people out of the city and into the areas where farmers can sell directly to the consumers, according to the Extension Service.
Escambia County’s one thriving catfish industry is down to three producers — one of which sells only to processing plants, one who markets to plants and has a fee fishing operation, and Hiebert’s The Tank.
Pictured top: Vernon Hiebert corrals catfish at The Tank in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: Catfish in the crystal-clear waters of The Tank. Pictured below: The Tank can hold 20,000 catfish. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Gulf Power Academy Celebrates 10 Years At West Florida High
September 18, 2011
Engineers, welders, electric linemen and equipment operators all get their start somewhere. In Escambia County, Gulf Power Academy has been that starting point for almost 200 students over the past 10 years.
This career academy is built into the West Florida High School curriculum and is designed to prepare students for entry-level work in the electric utility industry or for post-secondary education in engineering, electronics, and other technical fields of study.
Ten years ago Gulf Power was looking for opportunities to engage in the educational process to develop a diverse pool of candidates for critical Gulf Power positions.
“At that time we were already seeing a gap in the technical training we were looking for in our applicants and realized we would need to get involved on a much deeper level in recruiting employees,” Jennifer Grove, Workforce Development coordinator, said.
Gulf Power initiated the program in 2001 after learning about the opportunity to partner with West Florida High School. A total of 170 students have graduated from the program and 45 of those graduates have been hired for full-time or temporary positions at Gulf Power.
Students choose to participate in the career academy through grades 9-12 and receive a combination of rigorous academics along with a relevant technical education. In addition to supplying resources for training, Gulf Power helps pay for materials, lab equipment and training for the students.
Prior to their senior year the students can apply for the Advanced Career Experience (ACE) program. Students in the ACE program work at Gulf Power every other day and are rotated through several departments and positions.
Students earn a high school diploma, a technical certification in their area of study and receive college credit.
“I’ve met countless determined students through this program who are willing to work hard at a very young age in order to give themselves a successful future,” Grove said. “To see these kids grow up and succeed in a career is extremely satisfying.”
Calvin Mattin, a Plant Equipment operator for Plant Crist, graduated in 2008 from the program and was hired soon after in July of 2008.
“While I was in the program I got to meet a lot of people and we were able to take trips to the plants to get an idea of what it would be like if we did get hired,” Mattin said. “Working for Gulf Power part-time gave us a good feel of whether we would like that type of work or not.”
“I would definitely recommend the academy for any student. Even if you don’t end up working for Gulf Power, its good experience and a great way to learn about the utility industry,” Mattin said.
This year’s ACE senior class began working at Gulf Power earlier this month.
For more information on Gulf Power Academy, call Jennifer Grove at (850) 444-6821 or visit the West Florida High School website at www.wfhs.net.
Pictured: Gulf Power Academy students tour the Crist Plant in Pensacola. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weaver, Caum To Wed
September 18, 2011
Archie and Cheryl Weaver of Molino announce the upcoming marriage of their daughter, Meridith Lynn Weaver, to Marshall Keith Caum, son of Richard and Amy Caum.
Meridith is the granddaughter of W.A. and June Weaver and Charles and Barbara Hendrix. She is a 2007 graduate of Northview High School and is currently attending Auburn University’s Harrison School of Pharmacy Mobile Campus. She is pursuing her Doctorate of Pharmacy.
Marshall is the grandson of Richard and Patricia Caum and O.M. and Frances Hanks. He is a 2006 graduate of Northview High School. He graduated from University of South Alabama in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and currently works for Premier Engineering Group in Pensacola.
The couple will be united in marriage on Saturday, October 1 at 3:30 p.m. at Highland Baptist Church, 6240 Highway 95A North in Molino. A reception will follow at Palafox Wharf, 617 Palafox Street in Pensacola. All friends and relatives are invited and welcome to attend.
Langford Celebrates 90th Birthday
September 18, 2011
Helen Langford of the Poplar Dell Community recently celebrated her 90th birthday. Helen and her family were joined in the celebration at the Poplar Dell Baptist Church by husband George T. Langford, her only living sibling Winston Gilmore, and other friends and family. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.