Wedgworth Leadership Institute for Agriculture and Natural Resources

Leadership Tip of the Day and a Reminder!

2012-01-18T15:34:00.000-05:00

Tip of the Day:

Reminder:

Tip of the Day

2012-01-13T15:19:00.000-05:00

2nd Annual WLI Alumni Legislative Reception

2012-01-11T10:58:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it is 2012!

What a great way to kick off the new year with an amazing networking opportunity:

The 2nd Annual WLI Alumni Legislative Reception

It is Tuesday, January 31 at the Florida Forestry Association in Tallahassee from 3:30 - 5:00.

It is taking place prior to the Florida Farm Bureau Federation event.

Be on the lookout for reminders as the time gets closer!

Pondering relationship insights

2011-12-02T17:35:00.000-05:00

Thinking about some things Dr. David Jones has been teaching us this seminar, especially "It's personality, not personal."

Time for another exciting seminar

2011-11-30T23:54:00.001-05:00

Looking forward to seeing everyone in Howey in the Hills! Safe travels for all.

This Thanksgiving, Raise Your Voices Too

2011-11-07T17:05:00.003-05:00

Every Thanksgiving we raise a glass to make a toast, most often to give thanks for our many blessings. This year, let's make sure to "raise our voices" too. As Thanksgiving draws near, remember to talk to family and friends about the amazing abundance agriculture provides for us all.

For ideas and to join the discussion, go to: http://usfraonline.org/raise-your-voices/

Hot off the Press!

2011-11-07T14:53:00.000-05:00

Check your inboxes! The newest WLI Alumni Association newsletter (Volume III) is available, complete with stories, updates, reminders, and even QR codes (for the smartphone users out there)!

Also, below is the video that Dr. Hannah Carter mentioned in the e-mail. Just click on it, and it should play.

WLI Promo from UF/IFAS PIE Center on Vimeo.

If you have any comments or suggestions about the updated newsletter or its content, please send them to: mckenzie.smith@ufl.edu

Enjoy!

The Results Are In

2011-10-26T10:12:00.000-04:00

FFA has a strong presence in Florida and Florida agriculture. Many current class members and Wedgworth Alumni have been invovled in or with FFA over the years. Now that the mayhem of the National FFA Convention is subsiding, it is time to meet the new National FFA Officers. Click on the picture below to be taken straight to the story!

Credit: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8901852.htm

In case you can't click on the picture above to access the link, here is the url:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/10/prweb8901852.htm

What We're All About

2011-10-19T11:35:00.000-04:00

This is what we're all about!

2011-10-17T23:09:00.004-04:00

Notice the fear and trepidation on my face and the eager look on Jeff's - zip lining through the redwoods in Sonoma tested my lung capacity for screaming and pushed me way past my comfort zone. I am now a true tree hugger as I grabbed the trunk and held on for dear life after making my first zip segment -- my knees were atremble! The ONLY reason I tried this is because Joey, Fred and especially Avery inspired me to face my fear of heights. Not over it by any means, but I did survive!

Mason G. Smoak 5K

2011-10-08T10:20:00.002-04:00

Greetings from the Mason G. Smoak 5k and family fun day! Congratulations to all the runners (and walkers) in the Wedgworth group!

Bottom of the 9th

2011-09-28T22:43:00.002-04:00

A group of us are taking in the last game of the regular season. Go D. Backs!!!!!!

Shamrock Farms!

2011-09-28T18:58:00.002-04:00

Greetings from shamrock farms!
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Biosphere 2

2011-09-28T18:07:00.001-04:00

Soaking up a little humidity in the tropical rain forest. Then learned a little about the local water districts and their challenges.
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Desert turf

2011-09-28T12:54:00.001-04:00

Lots of Bermuda grass with Rye for spring fill.
Maintaining a year round green surface in the Arizona desert requires 5 acre feet of water. Average annual rainfall...10 inches. Hmmm.
Other than water, biggest challenge is salt.
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U of A Controlled Enviroment Ag Center

2011-09-28T12:20:00.002-04:00

We met with Dr. Giacomelli and got to see inside one of their greenhouses. Where they are currently growing tomatoes.

Controlled Evironment Ag Center at U of A

2011-09-28T12:14:00.002-04:00

Dr G. Giving us a tour of a "lab" at the center where the students grow tomatoes
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On the road again

2011-09-28T00:48:00.001-04:00

We are on the road to Arizona. We say good bye to New Mexico and all of the wonderful people who made our time there so incredible. Thank you for sharing your time, your passion for ag and your generous hospitality.

NM Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte Speaking to Class VIII

2011-09-27T15:30:00.001-04:00

Secretary Witte challenged Class VIII to speak out about where the food on our plates comes from. The story to share back home is the US farmer is a true hero. Today one US farmer feeds 153 people and will need to ramp up to feed 508 people by 2050.

Hot Topics

2011-09-27T14:02:00.001-04:00

At the New Mexico Department of Agriculture in Las Cruces learning about the first hand experiences of farmers James Johnson and Dino's Cervante. Mr. Cervantes grows chili peppers and makes 40,000,000 pounds of mashed peppers sold every year for the hot wing sauce used at Hooters, Applebees and other places.

2011-09-27T08:28:00.001-04:00

Dear Class VIII,

I was so disappointed to hear of your negative experience with the bus driver last evening. After placing a telephone call to the bus company, I am hopeful today will be a better travel day. Keep your spirits up and the positive attitudes coming. Thank you for letting me know about this. Thanks too for keeping the blog updated. I love reading it everyday.

Los Uvas Valley Diary

2011-09-27T01:18:00.002-04:00

The Horton's were great hosts while showing us their dairy and farming operations. Here we are touring one of the milking barns.

Moo-ving animals cross borders serious business

2011-09-26T19:30:00.001-04:00

Staggered by the organization and efficiency neded to get 300,000-plus head of cattle from Mexico to the US every year.

Nature

2011-09-26T12:41:00.000-04:00

Seen and heard so far: bugling elks, prairie dogs, goats, dairy cows, long horn steers, horses. Hoping to see road runners!

Rio Salado Sand Dunes

2011-09-26T11:08:00.002-04:00

We made a quick stop here on our way to Hatch, NM to visit Las Uvas Dairy.

Home Stay on Goemmer Ranch

2011-09-25T20:05:00.002-04:00

During our home stay Will, Jim, Daniel and I enjoyed steaks "Chuck Wagon" style.
The next morning we were joined by Lee, Roland and Darrell for a tour of the wind farm.
Couple quick facts about the wind farm: 150 foot long blades making 15 RPM, on a 1,000 ft arc traveling about 165 mph.
TJD

Homes Away From Home

2011-09-25T15:22:00.002-04:00

Just heard Class VIII home stay adventures ranging from goat milking to Horses for Heroes (a Wounded Warriors Project) to family dinners capped off by gtren cihili apple pie! We will be swapping stories for days. Awesome times!

Cattleman's Field Day

2011-09-25T13:56:00.002-04:00

The cattle have lots of space out here

2011-09-24T23:50:00.003-04:00

60,000 acres to roam

Dinner was great and topped of with homemade peach cobbler and apple pie with green chilies. Thanks Laura and Ashley!

King Brothers Ranch

2011-09-24T23:48:00.002-04:00

Lee, Jenn, Kim, Roland, Jamie, and Darrell out on the range

Valles Caldera

2011-09-24T21:03:00.002-04:00

Dina took Jack, Amanda, Michael, Stanley, Carl and Callie riding through the preserve. What an amazing place.

Home stay hosts are awesome!

2011-09-24T20:41:00.001-04:00

On our way to the New Mexico State Fair Rodeo!!

Insider's tour of New Mexico State Capital

2011-09-24T19:22:00.002-04:00

Our amazing behind the scenes tour of the Capital in Santa Fe, courtesy of Myles Culbertson and Caren Cowan, included seeing an example of the dead on accuracy of NM Gov. Susana Martinez.

Lunch at El Pinto

2011-09-24T16:38:00.001-04:00

Fantastic and authentic New Mexican cuisine at El Pinto! Hey Class VIII your gonna love it!
TJD

Arrived in New Mexico, Land of Enchantment

2011-09-23T18:19:00.004-04:00

A day of cross country travel from DC to Albuquerque. Class VIII has hit the ground running and looking forward to meeting our gracious homestay hosts tomorrow.

Leaving DC

2011-09-23T11:08:00.002-04:00

We are boarded and ready to head to New Mexico for the second half of our national trip.

Boarding SW flight 2364

2011-09-23T10:52:00.001-04:00

Albuquerque here comes Class VIII!

Learning who our roomies are

2011-09-23T10:34:00.001-04:00

Fred sharing the coveted news of who we are rooming with in New Mexico.

Safe Travels Class VIII

2011-09-23T08:56:00.001-04:00

Dear Class VIII,

As you venture on to the second leg of your national travel experience, I hope you have a safe trip and wonderful seminar experience.

Take 2

2011-09-22T22:23:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday Amy Kinder
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Class 8 Kennedy Center

2011-09-22T19:56:00.002-04:00

Class 8 has a date at the Kennedy Center just before eight. We just ate and all are feeling Great! Class 8 IS GREAT!
TJD

Happy Birthday Amy! Wish you were here.

2011-09-22T16:43:00.001-04:00

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Close Up of Rep. Rooney's license plate

2011-09-22T14:44:00.003-04:00

A "Beef" tag is on the front of his pickup truck!

A Most Awesome Capitol Building Tour Guide!

2011-09-22T14:40:00.003-04:00

Class VIII hit the jackpot with a U.S. Capitol Building tour personally conducted by Congressman Tom Rooney (FL-16)!

Democracy in Action

2011-09-21T14:19:00.003-04:00

Great meeting with Congressman Dennis Ross (FL-12)! Appreciate his hard word on Numeric Nutrient Criteria/NPDES issues dealing with the Clean Water Act and grateful that he's watching out for agriculture when it comes to immigration policy.

2011-09-21T10:47:00.003-04:00

Here we are at the French Embassy getting ready for the International trip.

VIP Treatment from CLA, TFI, RISE, ARA, & Syngenta!

2011-09-20T22:27:00.002-04:00

Grateful for the warm DC hospitality shown to Florida and Hawaii ag and natural resources leadership participants tonight by CropLife America, The Fertilizer Institute, RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment), Agricultural Retailers Association and Syngenta-they graciously entertained us with a sponsored reception/dinner at the Capitol City Brewing Company. A wonderful time had by all!

On the bus to the War College

2011-09-20T13:23:00.002-04:00

We look fed and happy after lunch.

Marcie Downing
Sent from Blackberry

Political Science and Public Policy

2011-09-20T10:04:00.000-04:00

Lessons in debt reduction, tax reform and an intro course to political science this morning courtesy of American University's Dr. Thurber. Fascinating!

Class III and IV Alums put out the red carpet for us

2011-09-19T19:55:00.001-04:00

Grateful to Stephanie Grunenfelder and Ray Gilmer for their hospitality and their insights into the national political agenda. What a lovely start to our national trip!

WLI Class VIII has arrived in DC

2011-09-19T15:58:00.003-04:00

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National Adventure Begins!

2011-09-19T14:46:00.001-04:00

Arrived safely in DC--amused to learn the heaviest bags belonged to some of the guys! Packing for downtown DC and the Wild West in one bag was definitely challenging!

Hot off the Press!

2011-09-19T14:14:00.005-04:00

Calling all Alumni! Read this!

Hot off the press (or keyboard, I should say): Wedgworth Leadership Institute Holds Annual Meeting

Here's a glimpse:

Check your inbox for the rest of the news release. It was sent out earlier this morning.

Happy reading!

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2011-09-19T11:54:00.001-04:00

Marcie Downing
Sent from Blackberry

Taking off

2011-09-19T11:53:00.000-04:00

Our adventure begins. Class VIII is on the plane about to take off to Washington, DC.
Marcie Downing
Sent from Blackberry

Changes are a comin'!

2011-09-19T10:45:00.000-04:00

Howdy all!

Just to alert everyone: I will be making some changes to the blog over the next few weeks. Many of the changes are to enhance the overall look and feel of the blog and should not affect the way you post.

If you have any concerns, or have trouble posting, please let me know.

I may be trying out some different looks, etc, but will post once changes are complete. So just bear with me during the interim!

Thank you all,

McKenzie W. Smith

Pre-trip prep

2011-09-18T13:37:00.002-04:00

Trying to get to everything on my to-do list before leaving for our National seminar...and going a little crazy...then saw this on a business marquee: "The secret to getting things done is to know what to leave undone."

2011-09-17T07:52:00.001-04:00

My third-grader is explaining concept mapping to me so I can finish my Wedgworth homework before our national seminar!

WLI Wlecomes New Face

2011-09-08T12:47:00.001-04:00

{AEC Departmental Photo}

McKenzie Smith, a leadership development graduate student in the Department of Agricultural Educaton and Communications at the University of Florida, has recently joined WLI to help Dr. Hannah Carter and its members with the Wedgworth Alumni Association, gathering and analyzing data, and handling some of the social media responsibilities.

McKenzie is from Sonora, Texas, and received her bacherlor's degree in agricultural communications and journalism from Texas A&M University. She is interested in ethics and women in leadership and agricultural leadership. She is recently married.

McKenzie is excited about this new opportuntiy and can't wait to meet some WLI folks!

Upcoming National Seminar

2011-09-08T10:57:00.003-04:00

Psyched to hit DC, Arizona and New Mexico with my Class VIII friends and fearless leaders! Planning to bend a few ears about EPA's flawed Numeric Nutrient Criteria implementation in Florida while we are on the Hill.

The Comfort Zone Challenge

2011-08-29T09:13:00.004-04:00

Thank You Avery and Fred......I would not have done this without you.....

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2011-08-17T19:28:00.001-04:00

Class VIII Callie Walker speaking at 2011 Gulf Citrus Industry Banquet. Great Job Callie!
TJD

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2011-08-13T08:56:00.000-04:00

Clay Archey displaying fine leadership at the alumni board of directors meeting.
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Class VIII Seminar V Update

2011-07-19T22:19:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Marcie Downing, Class VIII is now sporting some very spiffy WLIANR messenger bags. Thanks Marcie -- they are awesome!!!!

Class VIII Update

2011-07-19T10:44:00.006-04:00

Thanks to a dapper and articulate UF Poly Sci Professor Richard Scher, I have a new appreciation for redistricting and its terminology. My new favorite phrase: the bug splat district!!

Ready for another GREAT Seminar

2011-07-17T23:49:00.002-04:00

Ready, and packed for another great seminar this week in Gainesville, FL as we prepare for our National trip to Washington DC, Arizona and New Mexico. See everyone there, and don't forget your nametags !

2011-06-05T20:20:00.002-04:00

Just wanted to drop a line to everyone and say hope you have a wonderful week. The Wlianr has changed my thoughts and views on so many issues facing agriculture and beyond today. I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to be part of Class VIII and look forward to the upcoming seminars to follow. See you all soon
Jamie Hayes

Have a great weekend!

2011-05-27T13:00:00.002-04:00

Wishing all of my Class VIII members and the Wedgworth Alumni a safe and happy holiday weekend.

2011-05-25T14:31:00.003-04:00

Last week, Class VIII was able to visit a beautiful part of Florida. From Taylor to Bay counties, we saw healthy industries, resilient people, beautiful landscapes and leadership in the field. From family friendly towns, to thriving companies, to innovative school administrations, to growing communities; each county has its own identity. The commonality was the sense of community, passion, and pride within the people. We were very fortunate to get an insiders view to the issues impacting each of these areas. This view was only afforded to us by the wonderful coordinators of this trip. A very special thank you to Richard Schwab of Class VI (pictured with Class VIII), Sheree Miller, Bill Mahan (pictured with Jamie Hayes), and Shawna Beji for helping coordinate a wonderful experience!

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2011-05-19T11:19:00.000-04:00

Jeremy Fountain and Carl Bauman @ the community garden in Panama City
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2011-05-19T10:03:00.000-04:00

Observing the panama city port from the water!
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2011-04-30T14:36:00.001-04:00

Hannah and Sean at WLI Regional Gathering.
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Apalachicola Oysterman Keeps Business Going

2011-04-25T17:12:00.001-04:00

http://www.tampabay.com/features/article1164903.ece

April 21, 2011

A year after BP oil spill, Apalachicola oysterman keeps business going

By Jeff Klinkenberg, Times Staff Writer

Good times and bad ebb and flow, but a stalwart businessman weathers it all.

APALACHICOLA

Tommy Ward stood on his dock and looked out at the green water. He took off his ball cap and ran a huge hand through thinning red hair. He was thinking about oysters. They're fat right now. They're plentiful right now. But business isn't as good as it should be. The oil never quite reached Apalachicola Bay last year. But some oystermen, who took money from BP to look for the oil that never arrived, stopped fishing anyway. Seafood businesses such as the one he operates no longer could supply their customers with oysters. Like scows that had lost their anchors, old clients drifted away. "So now we're starting over," Ward said. "We're going to be smaller. It ain't easy." From the dock he peered across the bay and saw oyster skiffs bobbing on the waves. He watched the oystermen lean over the water and pick up oysters with long wooden tongs. "So we're getting oysters now," Tommy said. "It's pretty good for oysters right now. But listen. It's a hard business. I'm telling you, it's real hard." Commercial fishers are superstitious souls. When something good happens they automatically want to knock on wood. They are always waiting for the other rubber boot to drop. Luck is too much like the tide, here today and gone tomorrow. Like most commercial fishermen, Tommy Ward knows about hard times. He knows about death and disaster and finding a reason to believe.

. . Tommy Ward, right, meets his son, T.J. Ward, left, and Larry Joseph after a day of harvesting oysters on the bay. The Ward family has been catching and distributing oysters, fish and shrimp for more than half a century..

He's 50 now. With his brother Dakie, he runs the business his daddy started more than half a century ago, Buddy Ward and Sons 13 Mile Seafood and Trucking Company. In northwest Florida's Franklin County, population 11,000, Buddy Ward's name is probably better known than the governor's. More than 1,000 residents have oyster licenses. Apalachicola oysters are justly famous all over the world.

Both Ward boys grew up on a salt marsh where Daddy built an oyster processing plant exactly 13 miles from Apalachicola. The Wards have had to repair or replace the building a half dozen times following tropical weather. At present, it's a small white and green structure with a tin roof and guarded by Rufus, a stray pit bull who apparently has never missed a meal.

As boys the Ward brothers found Indian arrowheads in the marsh, jumped rattlesnakes in the palmettos and played hide-and-go-seek in the slash pines across Highway 30C. Mostly they worked. Their daddy believed that idle hands bred weak boys, and that weak boys became weak men.

Buddy's boys swept and hosed, fished and shucked oysters, woke up early and went to bed late. When Tommy got his driver's license, he hauled shrimp in a semi from Daddy's business to customers at night. This was after putting in a full day's work at the oyster processing plant. His daddy once fired him for oversleeping.

A tough old cob, Buddy stood 6 feet 4 and was famous for his powerful handshake and the piercing way he looked people in the eye. Customers who paid for 60 pounds of oysters never needed to double-check the scale. If Buddy said a bag weighed 60 pounds, take it as gospel.

"Buddy was all about hard work," Martha Pearl Ward, his wife, said recently. They met at a beach cookout when she was a teen and married before they turned 20. They had five strapping sons.

Tommy was the biggest. The fish scale at the market once recorded his weight at more than 300 pounds, though he's down to a relatively svelte 265 now. Like his daddy before him, he is also 6 feet 4. Even with a bad shoulder he can swing a 60-pound oyster sack onto the dock as if it were a feather pillow.

"You done good today," he told an oysterman named Ricky Long, who had tied his skiff to the dock the other day. Long is 52, though he looks older after spending four decades doing backbreaking work under a broiling sun.

"It's a hard way to make a living," Long said.

Oystermen get anywhere from $10 to $20 for a 60-pound bag of oysters. A good day might add up to a dozen bags. Of course, most fishers remain in port during bad weather unless they are desperate for money, which often they are. Every year someone who tempts fate gets zapped by lightning or drowns in a squall.

Most oystermen build their own skiffs, buy their own gas and provide their own food. Some have lost their teeth. Many smoke or chew and eat badly. Few have medical insurance. Some are functionally illiterate.

Like old-time cowboys, they're mostly self-employed, free to come and go and live on the edge of poverty. In Apalachicola, some families have harvested oysters going back to the Civil War.

"The thing of it is, it's a free life," Long said after throwing another bag on a scale. "You're your own boss. You don't have to answer to nobody." If he doesn't work, he doesn't get paid. If he wants tomorrow off, he takes tomorrow off.

For some oystermen, the oil spill turned into a bonanza when BP began putting checks, some as big as $5,000, into their calloused palms. Some earned their money by looking for oil in the gulf on BP's behalf. Others towed oil-stopping booms into vulnerable spots up and down the coast. Some banked the money, some spent it on booze, some bought clothes for their children, and some frittered their cash away on big-screen televisions and Wave-Runners.

"It was hard to watch," said Lynn Martina, Tommy's friend and owner of a seafood business down the coast. "We had plenty of oysters to harvest, but we didn't have enough men to harvest them. It was brutal."

Martina's oystermen are mostly working again. But not Tommy Ward's. He no longer buys from oystermen who left him dangling last summer. "I'm only buying from the men who never stopped fishing," he said recently. "I believe in loyalty."

He remembers last year as one of the worst of his life. Not the worst - death haunts him - but plenty bad. Sometimes he broke down and wept with frustration. Some nights, as he tossed and turned, he wondered if he was going to have to close his daddy's business.

Then the experts figured out how to shut down the leaking well.

. . .

Tommy almost never takes a real vacation. For fun, he sails the family trawler, Buddy's Boys, into the Gulf of Mexico. He relaxes by netting shrimp for the market and thinking about his big brother, Olan, who was the best fisherman in the family. In 1978, Olan died in Apalachicola Bay of exposure after his boat went down in a winter storm. Olan was 23 and left behind a wife and three kids. Tommy sometimes tells people, "I wish Olan was here so we could talk over things."

He also wishes he could talk to his daddy. They sometimes rubbed each other wrong, but loved each other in a rough country way.

In 1986, Buddy developed a sore throat that turned out to be cancer.

Between treatments, he was known to sneak Lucky Strikes under the trees outside the hospital. It's the only time anyone can remember him acting in the slightest way dishonest. When Martha Pearl found out about the cigarettes, she wanted to take a switch to him.

But the sick old man fooled them all. He lived another two decades, saw grandchildren come into the world, ate a gazillion oysters and watched the 2005 hurricane, Dennis, blow away his seafood business for the umpteenth time.

He died nine months later. Apalachicola threw what was considered the biggest funeral in the history of the town in his honor.

His boys rebuilt after the hurricane.

. . .

The other day a black snake crossed the road near a sign that warned motorists about black bears. Pelicans flew over a tin roof, and laughing gulls pecked at a pile of discarded oyster shells. An old man in overalls carried a flat of plum-sized strawberries into Tommy Ward's office. "Mister Cliff," Tommy said to white-haired Clifford Sanborn, "what do I owe you? They look great."

"Nuthin'," grunted Mister Cliff. "They ain't worth a damn. Too much rain lately. But I hope you like 'em." Mister Cliff is famous for always being disappointed with the year's eye-popping crop. He always shares his delicious bounty with Tommy.

Folks like Buddy Ward's boy. Tommy does good things for the community. When the town needs something, Tommy drives to Tallahassee and asks the legislators for help. When someone dies, he attends the funeral. When folks up the Apalachicola River dump sewage that can ruin the oyster beds in Apalachicola Bay, Tommy speaks up. "I know it ain't an easy issue," he explains patiently, "but we're at the end of the river down here. Pollution will put us out of business."

Twice Apalachicola has named him the "King" of its famous annual seafood festival. The Southern Foodways Alliance, a University of Mississippi-based organization that celebrates Southern cuisine, once gave him the prestigious "Keeper of the Flame" award for his determination to keep seafood culture alive in Florida's most important little seafood town.

He likes to eat oysters. He likes them any way he can get them. As a young man, he once finished second in an oyster-eating contest, downing 12 dozen and four more. He didn't get sick. He got a trophy.

He is sick now. About a decade ago, during the period his daddy was battling cancer, he suddenly felt weak all over. "I thought I was ate up with the cancer myself," he said recently. It turned out to be something else. Every day he shoots himself with insulin to keep at bay a serious case of diabetes.

With his weakened immunity, he has been ordered to avoid eating raw oysters. His daddy's son, he occasional ignores the doctor's advice and eats them anyway. Sometimes he gets away with it, but last time he felt his throat swelling shut so he stopped after a few.

. . .

These days Tommy thinks of slowing down and sometimes even thinks about flat retiring. Often he thinks about what will become of the family business if he quits.

He also thinks about the oil. He is no expert, but he wonders if the bottom of the gulf is coated by it. He doesn't trust the scientists, he doesn't trust the doomsayers, he doesn't trust people who say everything is okay. "I've lost my innocence,'' he said.

He wonders if a bad hurricane might churn up the oil and commence another crisis. If that happens, what will happen to Buddy Ward and Sons 13 Mile Seafood and Trucking Company?

His daughter, Sara, a sophomore at the University of Central Florida, is studying hospitality and hopes one day to harvest not oysters but tourists. So Tommy has placed his hopes in his son, T.J., who is 22.

"T.J. reminds me of me," Tommy tells people. T.J. is serious, a straight shooter, stubborn. T.J. was especially close to his grandfather. A family story: When T.J. was 10, Grandpa Buddy hired him to paint the front porch. Grandpa provided him with a ridiculously small paint brush that made the job last forever.

"Why did Grandpa make it so hard?" T.J. asked his grandmother.

Martha Pearl answered. "Honey, he's teaching you character."

Sometimes T.J. and Tommy rub each other wrong. T.J. says, "Buddy wouldn't have done it that way" when he disagrees with his father. Tommy pretends to be insulted, but is secretly proud of his boy's steel backbone.

The other day Tommy stood on the dock and watched for T.J's oyster boat. In late afternoon T.J. came in - with the day's biggest harvest, 20 bags of plump Apalachicola oysters. Tommy carefully avoided complimenting his son on his catch. He didn't want a compliment to go to his boy's head. Do good work because work is good.

Tommy knows about work, of course. And he knows better than most about hard times.

For many years, his company delivered seafood throughout the South. Now, following the oil crisis and company downsizing, he delivers mostly in northwest Florida. He still has a few trucks, though not as many as he once did.

In 2008, a mentally ill employee who had just lost a fight with a girlfriend stole Tommy's brand-new Peterbilt semi, headed up Highway 98 and crashed into the Apalachicola State Bank in a suicide attempt.

The thief survived. Tommy's truck was totaled. So was the bank.

"It was a bad string of luck," Tommy was telling a man in that understated way of his. "First the hurricane flooded out my business, then my daddy died. And somehow my truck destroyed the bank."

The bank is supposed to open soon. Buddy Ward's son is still standing.

Jeff Klinkenberg can be reached at klink@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8727.

2011-04-19T16:53:00.000-04:00

Regional Event Alert!

Regions III and V are having their meeting April 30, 2011. Plan on being there!

Where? 7L House at Lykes Brothers (southeast of Lake Placid in Highlands County)

When? Starting at 10:30 am and done around 2 pm.

What? Steak lunch! Speakers! Friends!

Who? YOU!

The speakers for this event are great!

•Jack Cowen will be talking about the Vercipia bio-fuel project. Jack is currently in Class VIII. He is the Agricultural Project Engineer for Vercipia Bio-Fuels.

•Benita Whalen will be talking about environmental services for land owners. Benita is the Deputy Department Director at the Okeechobee Service Center.

•Congressman Tom Rooney will be giving us an update on Washington. Congressman Rooney is from the 16th district and has risen in leadership to be a Republican deputy whip. He is also the Chairman of the House Agriculture Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry. In addition he holds a seat on the House intelligence committee. Congressman Rooney has a lot to talk about and is very active in protecting Florida's interests.

Of course Hannah will be there too. And everyone should show up just to see her. 'Nuff said!

A $10.00 donation per person covers food and drink. BYOB if you want to!

Ray says you might want to bring a folding chair also.

Hit me with an email for directions and to RSVP.

WLI Region IV alumni event

2011-04-01T10:44:00.007-04:00

A good time was had by all on March 19, when Region IV alumni gathered for their mid-year meeting. It started with a special tour and wine-tasting at Lakeridge Winery in Clermont, followed by a barbecue dinner at Cherry Lake Tree Farms. The Sallin family and Class VII alumn Chloe Sallin Gentry were our gracious hosts for the evening.

A great Ag Day in Tallahassee

2011-03-22T20:54:00.009-04:00

Awesome WLIANR Class VIII day in Tallahassee capped off by catching a photo op with Florida Gov. Rick Scott! Our day began by shadowing the hard-working Ag Coalition lobbyists and learning the inside baseball rules of Florida politics. The afternoon was spent on ag advocacy, a WLIANR Alumni get-together at the Florida Forestry Association, and then wrapped up with the always wonderful Florida Farm Bureau Legislative Reception at the Leon County Civic Center.

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2011-03-22T16:08:00.000-04:00

Members of Class VII at the Tallahassee Alumni Reception
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FSU campus from top of capitol

2011-03-22T12:53:00.000-04:00

For the FSU alumni

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WLI in Tally

2011-03-21T22:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Class VIII for coming out to the FPMA Legislative Days event. The pest management industry appreciates the support and I really appreciate everyone's participation. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. I am looking forward to Class VIII's leadership and I hope that you all realize what a great responsibility and opportunity you have just by being part of this awesome experience. Any time any of you are in Pinellas County, please look me up. You guys are all future leaders, to whom much is given much is expected. Thanks to Wedgworth and Dr. Carter for all that I have been given!
Sean Brantley-Class VII

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Arriving in Tallahassee

2011-03-21T00:22:00.002-04:00

Class VIII members have begun to descend upon Tallahassee. Ready for an exciting week and taking no chances with traffic jams!
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2011-03-19T17:11:00.000-04:00

Clay Archey and Gary Cox (owner of Lakeridge Winery) at the Region IV Alumni Meeting.
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From Region VI...

2011-03-16T13:56:00.002-04:00

It's Regional Meeting Time!!

2011-03-16T13:49:00.002-04:00

This past weekend, two WLI regional meetings were held. The first was Saturday, March 12th in beautiful McAlpin! Region I & II members gathered for some wonderful b-b-q and a discussion of the upcoming legislative session. Then on Sunday, Region VI members "tailgated" at the International Polo Club in Palm Beach. It was a lovely day of networking, divet stomping and taking in the scenes of polo. I traveled to both of these meetings and am continually heartened at the dedication, interest and continued enthusiasm that the alumni have for this program! I also want to thank the members of Class VIII that joined in both of these meetings! I hope to see more folks at the Region IV event on the 19th and the Region III & V meeting in April!

WLIANR Alumni and Class VIII at Ag Hall of Fame

2011-02-16T12:02:00.004-05:00

Lots of WLIANR and FLPANR alumni and several WLIANR Class VIII members attended last night's Florida Agricultural Hall of Fame Induction ceremonies. It was an awesome evening! Callie Walker and I had the chance to catch up with UF/IFAS Sr. Vice President Dr. Jack Payne who was the distinguished emcee for the event. You gotta love a guy who starts a Hall of Fame banquet with a Franz Kafka quote "So long as you have food in your mouth, you have solved all questions for the time being" and commentary about the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Brilliant!!

Hard to see, kids feeding deer

2011-02-05T18:24:00.000-05:00

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In the buggy all day,

2011-02-05T18:21:00.000-05:00

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Quail Creek

2011-02-05T17:03:00.001-05:00

We're ready for a day of shooting sporting clays at Quail Creek.

Class VII fun

2011-02-05T13:01:00.000-05:00

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Class VII reunion fun with Keith

2011-02-05T12:58:00.000-05:00

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2011-02-04T18:33:00.001-05:00

The first of many photos for Class VII Wedgworth reunion weekend.

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2011-02-04T18:29:00.000-05:00

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What a Great Friday!

2011-02-02T13:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Class VIII:

It was really great getting to spend last Friday with you. I want to wish you all well on your Wedgworth journey and look forward to working with you in the future. Soak in every minute of the ride because it will be over all to quickly! Enjoy your experiences but remember mostly to enjoy the folks along the way! In the words of a Wedgworth Class VII member "It's Fabulous!" Have fun!

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2011-01-31T12:31:00.001-05:00

Here's a picture of our tour through the Sugar Mill. Mostly I'm testing to see if the change in blog settings allowed this blog to be posted.
TJD
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Sky Eye View of Vegetable Harvesting Operation

2011-01-29T13:09:00.001-05:00

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2011-01-28T20:53:00.000-05:00

Sent on behalf of Tim Dooley
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Domino Park

2011-01-26T23:33:00.001-05:00

Here is the class taking in the activities at Domino Park. Some of us had to have a second cup of Cuban coffee along the way.

ClassVIII on South Beach?

2011-01-26T15:46:00.003-05:00

We need pictures of Class VIII enjoying the sights, food and drink of South Beach!

Class VIII let loose on Calle Ocho

2011-01-26T14:53:00.000-05:00

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2011-01-26T11:42:00.000-05:00

USDA Plant inspection station in Miami
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Port of Miami

2011-01-26T09:23:00.001-05:00

Here we are visiting the Port.