Winter 2012 - Miami-Dade County Extension Office - University of ...

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Miami-Dade County Extension, 18710 SW 288 th Street, Homestead, FL 33030-2309 

http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu 305-248-3311 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE 

Letter from the CED 

By Teresa Olczyk, CED Miami-Dade County 

Extension 

On behalf of all of us at Miami-Dade County 

Extension, I would like to say “thank you” to our 

supporters, clients, advisory committees and the 

hundreds of volunteers for all your involvement 

and help during the year. You worked very hard to 

educate county government and elected officials 

about the importance of the partnership between 

the University of Florida and Miami-Dade County 

and that our educational programs help growers, 

local businesses, homeowners, families, children 

and senior citizens improve their personal lives 

and their businesses. Your support and feedback 

are critical to improving our educational programs 

as we all respond to new invasive pests and other 

emerging issues by providing research based 

education to county residents and businesses. 

Please visit our website http://miami- 

dade.ifas.ufl.edu to find information about our 

programs, educational materials and links to our 

YouTube educational videos. 

2012 brought another change to the county 

government table of organization. Cooperative 

Extension Service is now part of the mega- 

department called “Regulatory and Economic 

Resources (RER).” 

Extension is a partnership between the USDA, the 

University of Florida-IFAS, and the Miami-Dade 

County Board of County Commissioners. In 2014 

the Extension Service will celebrate 100 years of 

existence in the US and as well as 100 years of 

educational programs in this county. 

Winter 2012 

Volume 3, Issue 4 

CED’s Letter 1 

Holiday Food Safety Tips 2 

Vegetable Gardening—The Easy Way 3 

Gift Giving Ideas 4 

Update from the Florida Extension Plant Diagnostic 

Clinic 6 

What’s New at Miami-Dade Extension 7 

Extension Thank You Event 8 

Contact Us 9 

We are delighted that we are finally able to add a 

Tropical Fruit Crops Agent, who will work with our 

vibrant tropical fruit industry, to our Extension team 

in early 2013. This position is currently posted on 

the UF-IFAS and County jobs websites. Thanks to 

the strong support of tropical fruit growers and the 

hard work of the community, the County has 

reinstated funding for this position 

Miami-Dade County Extension continues to have the 

support of our funding sources because of the great 

work done by our entire staff and the impact our 

educational programs have on you, our clients, and 

on the communities in Miami-Dade. Feedback from 

our clientele shows the value of our educational 

programs. 

Please feel free to forward this and other 

newsletters to your friends and neighbors. Thank 

you again for subscribing to “Extension 

Connextion.” 

I would like to end with a note of sincere thanks to 

everyone and Best Wishes for Happy Holidays and a 

Wonderful New Year. 

Teresa

Program Spotlights 

Holiday Food Safety Tips 

By Jacquelyn W. Gibson, FCS Agent 

Entertaining is a full-time job during 

the holidays. Cooks across the 

country are making plans for holiday 

feasts that include all of their family's 

favorite recipes. Food safety is 

probably not the first thing you think about when 

planning your holiday dinner or party. However, to 

prevent your event from being memorable in the 

wrong way, it’s important that you take special 

care in preparing and preserving your special 

meal. 

Food safety can be a special challenge during the 

holiday when poultry, stuffing, and buffets pose 

additional risks, particularly for most of the people 

on your holiday guest list. This list includes 

people who are vulnerable to foodborne illness— 

elderly, young children, pregnant women, or 

anyone with a compromised immune system. 

It takes skill, timing and organization to prepare a 

healthy holiday meal with all of the dishes that 

need to be kept at proper temperature so bacteria 

won’t have a chance to grow. Make sure you have 

enough oven and refrigerator space for all the 

dishes you plan to prepare and serve. 

To make sure your holiday 

meal is not only delicious 

but is safe as possible, 

follow these food safety 

tips: 

� Wash hands thoroughly and often—before and 

after food preparation. 

� Thoroughly wash cutting boards and utensil 

before and after contact with raw meat, 

poultry, seafood, and eggs. 

� Rinse fruits and vegetables under cool running 

water and use a produce brush to remove 

surface dirt. 

� Use a food thermometer to make sure meat, 

poultry, and fish are cooked to a safe internal 

temperatures. 

� Bring sauces, soups, and gravies to a rolling 

boil when reheating. 

� Cook eggs until the yolk and white are firm. 

When making your own eggnog or other recipes 

calling for raw eggs, use pasteurized shell 

eggs, liquid or frozen pasteurized egg 

products, or powdered egg whites. 

� Don’t eat uncooked cookie dough, which may 

contain raw eggs. 

� Serve only pasteurized apple cider. 

� Thaw the turkey in the 

refrigerator, not on the 

countertop; room temperatures 

promote bacteria growth. Allow 

one day of defrosting for each 

five pounds of turkey weight. 

� Cook the stuffing separate from 

the turkey. Stuffing put in an uncooked turkey 

is susceptible to bacteria growth. If you refuse 

to break with tradition, use a food thermometer 

to make sure the bird’s internal temperature 

reaches at least 165 degrees. 

� Slice the leftover turkey before refrigerating. 

Whole turkeys do not store safely in the 

refrigerator. 

� Carefully store leftovers. To speed up the 

cooling process, put leftovers into shallow 

covered containers and keep refrigerator 

temperature at 40 degrees or below. Perishable 

foods left at room temperature for more than 

two hours are susceptible to bacterial growth. 

� Be careful with holiday buffets. Serving dishes 

should be kept small and replenished often, 

directly from the stove or refrigerator. Place 

cold dishes on a bed of ice. 

(Continued on page 3) 

2

� Hot foods should be held at 140°F or 

warmer. 

� Foods should not sit at room temperature 

on the buffet table for more than two hours. 

Vegetable Gardening—The Easy Way! 

By Adrian Hunsberger, Urban Horticulture Agent 

Now is a great time to start your garden. But 

growing vegetables in the ground can be a real 

challenge in Miami-Dade County. In many parts of 

our county, it's almost impossible to dig because 

of the limestone rocks. Also, there can be 

nematode and soil-borne plant diseases to deal 

with. That's why it makes sense to grow your 

vegetable garden in raised beds! 

Locate your garden where the plants will get a 

minimum 6 - 8 hours of full sun daily. Plant far 

away from trees to avoid shade and root 

competition. Make sure your raised beds are 

accessible from all sides since you won’t be 

walking on the garden beds. If young children will 

be gardening, make the beds 3 feet wide. For 

adults and older children, beds can be as wide as 

4 or 5 feet. The length can be as long as you 

want. 

Keep track of how long foods have been on 

buffet table and discard any that have been 

there two hours or more. 

Never built a raised bed garden before? Please 

� Reheat leftovers to 165° degrees. 

� Left overs should be used within three to 

four days, unless they are frozen. 

read our fact sheet “Building a Raised Bed 

Vegetable Garden: The Easy Way” located on our 

Miami-Dade County Extension web site http:// 

miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/ Click on the “vegetable 

gardening” link. We also have fact sheets on what 

crops to grow, when to plant, and how to make 

compost. We even have a YouTube video showing 

how to plant seeds! http://www.youtube.com/ 

watch?v=TzZ-WyQhVJY&feature=youtu.be 

Please “like” our Facebook page so that you’ll be 

kept up-to-date with gardening and pest 

information. Or search Facebook for “South Florida 

Friendly Landscapes” to see our page. 

You can always call the Extension office if you have 

questions or need to have plant problems 

identified. Call 305 248-3311 x 228, or x 222 to 

speak to a Master Gardener volunteer. 

Happy gardening! 

Image Credits: Miami-Dade UF/IFAS Extension 

3

Gift Giving Ideas 

By Monica Dawkins, EFNEP/FNP Agent 

The holiday season is also a 

time to think of your friends 

and family. Consider 

including nutrition and fitness 

- themed gifts to help others 

focus on healthy lifestyles and 

enjoyable activities. The 

following is a sample of the possibilities. 

Some Friendly Freebies 

� A gift of time and attention 

� Take a friend out for a jog, a swim, a tennis 

game, or an aerobics class 

� Offer to do your roommate’s / partner’s / 

spouse’s errands for a week 

Fun and Fitness, Holiday Food, Other Interesting 

Options 

� A healthy cookbook 

� A subscription to a health & fitness 

magazine 

� A wok * A steamer 

� A houseplant to help fight indoor air 

pollution 

� A favorite CD or MP3 file 

� Personalized gift certificates/IOUs you make 

� yourself 

� A mystery game to be played at a group 

dinner 

� Monogrammed items (sweats, towels, etc.) 

� A pasta machine * A bread maker 

� Running shorts 

� Membership to a health club 

� Sports socks * An exercise DVD 

� A sweatshirt * Goggles 

� Tennis balls * A towel for the gym 

� Racquet balls * A swimsuit 

� A scarf for skiing * A kickboard 

� Exercise shoes * An equipment bag 

� Herbal teas * Mulled spices 

� Gourmet fruit spread * Zucchini bread 

� A basket of fresh fruit * Carrot bread 

� Dried fruit plates * Cranberry bread 

� Decaffeinated coffees * Smoked fish 

� A fruit tree * Bran muffins 

� Fresh herbs * Popcorn 

� Favorite healthy recipes 

� Hot cider with cinnamon sticks (recipe follows) 

10 Healthy Ways to Survive a Holiday Eating Frenzy 

As the majority of us know only too well, any 

attempt at healthy eating goes sailing out of the 

window during the holiday season. We tend to 

conveniently forget about our health and diet, and 

instead, take the opportunity to over-indulge in 

every way possible. “According to a recent Weight 

Watchers report, the average American gains 

around 7-10 pounds between Thanksgiving and 

New Year's Day.” This is through pure 

overindulgence and gluttony. Moreover, much of 

this weight is maintained from then on, despite our 

promises (as we help ourselves to another dollop of 

pudding) to go on a diet in January. 

Food and festivity will always be a major part of the 

holiday season - and there is certainly nothing 

wrong in that. However, the holiday season is also a 

stressful time for many of us, and 

we need plenty of energy and 

stamina to cope with it. It is 

therefore essential that we eat the 

right type of food with the 

necessary nutrients to give us 

energy and reduce stress levels. This is not to say 

that we shouldn't allow ourselves to indulge a little, 

but we should eat in moderation and maintain a 

varied diet if we allow ourselves to lose control 

completely over the holiday season, there is a high 

risk that we will continue to eat unhealthily long 


4

(Continued from page 4) 

after the holiday season has gone. Falling into the trap 

of unhealthy eating is a hard habit to break. 

Despite millions of New Year's resolutions that are made each year regarding our 

diets, many people never get around to breaking the habit at all. 

Hot Spiced Cranberry Cider 

Make some memories with the aromas of cinnamon, clove, and lemon, mingled with hot apple-cranberry 

cider! 

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ready in: 40 Minutes 

Cook Time: 25 Minutes Servings: 25 Serving Size: 8 oz 

INGREDIENTS: 

2 quarts apple cider 4 cinnamon sticks 

6 cups cranberry juice 1 1/2 teaspoons whole cloves 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar 1 lemon, thinly sliced 

DIRECTIONS: 

In a large pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves and lemon slic- 

es. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon, 

cloves and lemon slices. Serve hot. 

Nutrition Information 

Calories 79 Total Fat: 0.2g Total Carbs: 20g Cholesterol: 0mg 

Dietary Fiber: 0.6g Sodium: 5mg Protein: 0.1g 

5

Update from the Florida Extension Plant Diagnostic Clinic 

By Aaron Palmateer & Stephanie Suarez, UF-IFAS Tropical Research & Education Center 

This has been a really busy year for the Florida 

Extension Plant Diagnostic Clinic at the Tropical 

Research & Education Center in Homestead. Hot 

temperature, high humidity, and record- 

breaking rainfall created highly favorable 

conditions for a variety of plant diseases. Leaf 

spots, mildews, wilts, and anthracnose are just 

some of the most common and aggressive 

diseases attacking tropical foliage plants. 

Leaf spots caused by 

Xanthomonas and 

Pseudomonas were found on 

a number of tropical foliage 

plants, but sample numbers 

were greatest for Ficus (F. 

microcarpa ‘Green Island 

Ficus’, F. elastica aka rubber 

tree, F. benjamina and F. 

lyrata ), Duranta erecta 

(Golden Dew Drop or Gold Mound), and 

Poinsettia. Bacterial pathogens typically cause 

water-soaked spots on leaves that are confined 

between the leaf veins and sometimes appear 

angular in shape with a yellow halo. Bacterial 

plant diseases are often the most difficult to 

control and require quick detection and 

preventative action to manage. 

Mid to late summer we experienced a dramatic 

influx of plant samples submitted to the 

diagnostic clinic that were diagnosed with 

southern wilt caused by the 

bacterium Ralstonia 

solanacearum. There are 

different strains of this 

bacterial pathogen called 

biovars and we’re finding 

two that cause disease on 

Mandevilla and Pothos. This 

disease affects the vascular 

tissue where symptoms 

include root rot, yellowing 

and browning of the leaves, and wilt that ultimately 

leads to plant death. If you happen to see these 

symptoms on Mandevilla or Pothos, it is 

recommended that you remove and discard the 

plants so that the disease does not spread. 

Fungal plant pathogens are the most common and 

South Florida has a lot of them. 

This year brought more plant disease samples than 

ever before. Root and stem rots, leaf spots, 

hardwood rots and wilts were just some of the plant 

diseases caused by fungi this year. One disease 

that’s been receiving a lot of publicity in South 

Florida, laurel wilt of avocado, has been keeping the 

clinic busy. We continue to receive avocado trunk 

tissue samples to be tested for laurel wilt. For 

instructions on how to properly take samples and 

more information about the disease refer to the 

following website: http://www.savetheguac.com. 

One leaf spot pathogen that 

causes disease on palm trees is 

Calonectria. This pathogen 

infects several species of palms 

and is mostly a problem in 

production nurseries. The 

diagnostic clinic has received 

several samples of Calonectria 

leaf spot over the past few 

months on Chamaedorea 

cataractarum (cat palm), Ravenea 

rivularis (majesty Palm), and Howea forsteriana 

(kentia palm). 

Colletotrichum is another fungal plant pathogen 

and the disease it causes is referred to as 

anthracnose. This pathogen has a very broad plant 

host range and can be seen in everyday landscapes 

but is very common on such plants as Orchids, 

Sansevieria, woody ornamentals and palm trees. 

Some people may be more familiar with the disease 


6

on tropical fruit trees where it can affect the 

leaves and cause blemishes on the fruit. 

Recently temperatures have slightly cooled 

down and a newly introduced disease called 

downy mildew is devastating impatiens in the 

landscape. Cool temperatures combined with 

high humidity provide ideal conditions for 

downy mildew. This disease is rather easy to 

detect, as the most common symptom is a 

downy white growth on the underside of leaves. 

Be certain to inspect plants before purchasing 

them, as the disease is very difficult to control 

and results in plant death. 

What’s New at Miami-Dade Extension 

� Our Sea Grant Extension Agent Lisa 

Krimsky and her husband Paul celebrated 

the birth of their first child, a baby girl 

named Mia. 

� At the end of January 

2013, we will celebrate the 

retirement of our 4-H/ 

Youth Development 

Extension Agent, Kathie 

Roberts. Kathie, who was once a Miami- 

Dade 4-H member herself, has been our 

4-H Program Leader for many years. 

� To use our Extension Calendar, please visit 

our website http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu 

and look for the calendar: 

To learn more about the Florida Extension Plant 

Diagnostic Clinic and for instructions on how to 

submit a plant disease sample, visit our website 

at http://www.plantclinic.org. 

7

Extension Thank You Event 

November 13, 2012 

A huge thank you to all our volunteers and clients who have visited with County Commissioners to 

describe how our programs have helped them as small business owners and individuals and to the tropical 

fruit growers who successfully lobbied to restore funding for a tropical fruit agent!!! 

8

ADMINISTRATION: 

HORTICULTURE: 

Teresa Olczyk, M.S. 

County Extension Director 

Adrian Hunsberger, M.S. 

Urban Horticulture 

Dr. John McLaughlin 

Urban Horticulture Program Assistant 

COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE & LANDSCAPES: 

Dr. Mary Lamberts 

Commercial Vegetable & Pesticide Trainer 

Henrique Mayer, M.S. 

Commercial Urban Horticulture 

E. Vanessa Campoverde, M.S. 

Commercial Ag/Ornamentals 

FLORIDA YARDS & NEIGHBORHOODS (FYN): 

Guillermo Salazar, M.S. 

FYN Extension Agent 

Jesus Lomeli 

Urban Conservation Unit Program Assistant 

Barbara McAdam 

FYN Program Assistant 

Laura Vasquez 

FYN Coordinator 

FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCE (FCS), FAMILY NUTRITION 

PROGRAMS (FNP) AND EXPANDED FOOD & NUTRITION 

PROGRAM (EFNEP): 

4-H: 

Sandra Canales, M.S. 

EFNEP 

SEA GRANT: 

Monica Dawkins, M.S. 

EFNEP/FNP 

Jacquelyn Gibson, M.S. 

FCS- Food, Nutrition & Family Finance 

Kathie Roberts, M.S. 


Cassandra Weston 


Dr. Lisa Krimsky 

Sea Grant/Marine 

What is Cooperative Extension? 

The County Extension Service is the liaison between 

research conducted at the University of Florida and 

other universities and end users in Miami-Dade 

County. Our clientele includes growers (agricultural 

and horticultural), homeowners, youth, people 

interested in family issues or food and nutrition, and 

marine industries. 

The University of Florida / Miami-Dade County 

Extension receives direct funding from the University 

of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural 

Sciences (IFAS) and Miami-Dade County’s 

Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) 

is the third partner in this cooperative agreement. 

The Miami-Dade County offices are part of a 

nationwide system of information, outreach, and 

education offered by county governments and land- 

grant educational institutions in each state. 

Contact Us: 

ADMINISTRATION, COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURE , 

HORTICULTURE, AND FYN 

18710 SW 288 th Street 

Homestead, FL 33030 

Phone: 305-248-3311, Fax: 305-246-2932 

FNP & EFNEP 

300 East 1 st Avenue, Suite 113 

Hialeah, FL 33010 

Phone: 305-888-5010, Fax: 305-887-0411 

4-H & FCS 

Miami International Mall 

1445 NW 107 Ave, Suite 906 

Miami, FL 33172 

Phone: 305-592-8044, Fax: 305-592-8315 

SEA GRANT 

4600 Rickenbacker Causeway 

Miami, FL 33149 

Visit Us: http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu 

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Employment Opportunity – Affirmative Action Employer authorized to provide research, 

educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap or national origin. 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATIVE EXTENSION SERVICE, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, IFAS, FLORIDA A. & M. UNIVERSITY 

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM AND BOARDS OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COOPERATING 

For sign language interpreters or materials in accessible format or other ADA Accommodations please call our office at least five days in advance

Winter 2012 - Miami-Dade County Extension Office - University of ...

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