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Florida NRCS Takes First 

Place 

National Lloyd Wright Small Farmer Award 

Competition

By Ann Bowens, Outreach Liaison

In addition to advancing the efforts of 

African Americans involved in agriculture, the 

National Organization of Professional Black 

NRCS Employees annually recognizes outstanding small farmers who have demonstrated 

exceptional conservation achievements in 

their operations and who have impacted their 

communities in a positive manner. This past 

December at the National Lloyd Wright Small 

Farmer Award Luncheon held in New Orleans, 

Louisiana, Dexter Gilbert took first place in the 

annual contest. Dexter is probably one of the 

youngest farmers, farming 100 percent of the 

time in Jackson County, Florida. Dexter began 

his farm operation with his younger brother 

Larry about 10 years ago with nothing more 

than a dream to continue what their daddy 

had put in place. Upon the sudden death of 

his brother Larry, his older brother Fredrick 

decided to join Dexter as a partner on the 

farm. Funding was very limited. Dexter and 

his brother were able to obtain a bank loan 

and thus began to purchase and build the farm 

FY 2008 #1 USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service - Florida

operation. He was one of the first black farmers 

in Jackson County to purchase a cotton picker. 

Dexter is a board member of the Tri-States 

Small Farmer organization (Florida, Alabama, and 

Georgia). This group facilitates several events each 

year culminating in their highly successful meeting 

held each year in Dothan, Alabama. In his own 

words, Dexter says he “... realizes the importance 

of building partnerships and networking with other 

farmers.” Dexter provides assistance to other 

small and limited resource farmers. He is one of 

the founders of the Campbellton Community Park 

and a strong activist in developing and improving 

his community; as well as a Steward at his church. 

Dexter donates fresh green peanuts to churches 

and other charity organizations to assist in fund 

raising activities. He is also an active supporter 

and participant of the Florida Rural Operation 

Group (FROG). 

The Gilbert farm is a very diverse farm. Crops 

grown include cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, 

and fall wheat. Conservation practices on the 

farm include conservation tillage, contour farming, prescribed grazing, pasture, cover crops, and 

terraces. Forty percent of the Gilbert’s farm is 

in terraces. One hundred percent (100%) of 

Dexter’s income comes from the farming operations; therefore, Dexter says he must rely upon 

the latest technology to assist him in his farming 

operation. In this day and time we here in America 

must depend upon other countries for much of 

our food supply and more and more farmers get 

out of the business, more products are imported. 

It is just rewarding and very rare to find a young 

farmer, 30 years of age, carrying on the farming 

tradition and doing it on a full time basis. Dexter 

is the father of two children; a 2-year-old and 

a 10-year-old. His brother Fredrick has a 17 

year old son who works the farm with his uncle. 

Dexter Gilbert is an example to other farmers 

and certainly young folk in the community.
Florida NRCS Outreach Update FY 2008 #1 September - March 2

A People of One Fire

By Jason Carnley, District Technician, Choctawhatchee River SWCD

Tucked away in the Florida panhandle in the 

southeast corner of Walton County, near the intersection of Highway 81 and Highway 20, lives a piece 

of Florida’s Native American history. The Muscogee 

Nation of Florida is a place where a proud heritage 

of its forefathers still holds on. Though the Muscogee 

Nation is still trying to gain Federal recognition, this 

has not stopped the tribe from telling others about 

its history.

In the fall of 2006, the Choctawhatchee River Soil 

and Water Conservation District was approached 

by Tribal leaders for assistance in creating a place to 

teach others about their Tribal history and the native 

plants and wildlife of Florida. After the meeting the 

plans were broken into two phases to achieve this 

goal. Choctawhatchee River SWCD then presented 

the first part of the plan to Florida’s Three Rivers 

RC&D Council. Three Rivers agreed to help fund the 

first phase of the project. 

The first phase consisted of restoration of a 

cypress pond that had dried up due to sedimentation and natural water flow being cut off during road 

construction in years gone by. The perimeter of the 

pond had also been overtaken by Chinese Tallow, 

Japanese Privet and other upland species. The first 

phase also consisted of bringing life back to an older 

well that was on the property. It had lost electrical 

power and had a bad pump motor. The well is to be 

Phase I

used for projects that will need water in the second 

phase. 

Phase I was completed in 2007 and the tribe now 

has a full Cypress pond without exotic and invasive 

plants and well flowing crystal clear water. Planning 

for Phase II is now gearing up with plans for a nature 

trail and the planting of native plants that the tribe has 

held sacred since the time of its forefathers. Additional 

rest rooms have also been planned for when school 

children and visitors come to learn of the history 

and ways of the Muscogee Tribe. This project is proof 

that history is still alive and well, with plans for the 

future.
Florida NRCS Outreach Update FY 2008 #1 September - March 3

Highlands SWCD Shower 

Head Exchange Program

A Huge Success!

By Corine Burgess, Natural Resources Specialist II

The Highlands Soil and Water Conservation 

District (HSWCD) is the recipient of a Community 

Education Grant from the Southwest Florida Water 

Management District. The funds that have been 

awarded are being used to purchase low-flow shower 

heads to give away to those who wish to help in the 

battle to conserve our precious water. In addition 

to the shower head give aways, the District will 

hold at least four demonstrations of these low-flow 

devices.

Each 

demonstrat i o n w i l l 

include an 

educational 

presentation 

o n w a t e r 

saving techniques and 

literature 

will be provided on the many ways that people can 

be good stewards of our natural resources. It is 

HSWCD’s goal to educate people and promote water 

resources protection. 

So far, the staff from HSWCD has given one 

demonstration to the Highlands County Homeowner’s 

Association. A member of the press happened to be 

attending the meeting and wrote an article about 

the give a way program. The next day, the office 

was overflowing with people bringing in their old 

shower heads and wanting to trade them for the 

new low-flows. 

Since we received the grant on February 26th, 

we have given away over 598 low-flow shower heads. 

And we haven’t even done our “kick off” yet. We 

are encouraged by the success of the program thus 

far and are thrilled that so many Highlands County 

residents are saving water!

Students Really Dig It!

Marion annual land judging contest.

By Becky Tindale, Marion SWCD Staff Assistant

On March 13, 2008, the Marion County Soil 

and Water 

Conservation 

District 

sponsored 

their annual 

Land Judging 

Contest. 

Winners at 

the local contest represented Marion County at the 

State Contest held in Washington County (Chipley, FL) 

on March 28, 2008. State winners will then compete 

for the National Title in Oklahoma in April. 

A total of six teams competed at Irish Acres 

over the course of two days. The first place 4-H 

Team consisted 

of students: Bryan 

Benner, Mandy 

Hanson, Callie 

N ew b e r n , a n d 

Shawna Tait. The 

first place FFA 

team was from 

Belleview High 

Senior Chapter 

and consisted of 

students: Dominick Georgetti, Cody Spivey, Travis Vick, 

and Rebecca Collins.

The land judging contest has been a long standing tradition within Marion County and teaches the 

importance of land characteristics, conservation 

practices, and home site evaluation. The Marion 

County SWCD sponsors this event to get students 

involved in agriculture and land practices. The District 

provides ribbons and individual prize money, and 

county teams are awarded expense money to go to 

the state contest.
Florida NRCS Outreach Update FY 2008 #1 September - March 4

NRCS and 

the Forest 

Service 

Celebrate 

Black 

History 

Month

February 5, 2008 

in Gainesville

Women’s 

History 

Month

March 2008 

FWPAC Announces Office 

Bound Employees Field Trip 

Tuesday May 20, 2008

Promise Ranch - WHIP practices

Lake County

Contact Paula A llen for more information. 

904-266-0088, Ext. 114

Earth 

Team 

Week

April 28 - May 2 

2008

Asian/

Pacific 

Islander 

Heritage 

Month

May 2008 
For more information on Outreach, contact :

Ann Bowens, Outreach Coordinator

P.O. Box 141510

Gainesville, FL 32614

352-338-9516

ann.bowens@fl.usda.gov

Outreach Editor:

Gail Hendricks

Public Affairs Staff

352-338-9560

gail.hendricks@fl.usda.gov

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, 

national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital 

status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, 

genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a 

part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance 

program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons 

with disabilities who require alternative means for communication 

of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should 

contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). 

To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office 

of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 

20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Florida NRCS Outreach Update FY 2008 #1 September - March 5

Brooksville 

Plant Materials 

Center and 

the University 

of Florida 

Establish 

Cooperative 

Program 

By Mimi Williams, 

Plant Materials Specialist

Demand for water is outstripping supply in 

many areas of the country. To address this issue, 

most people are aware that the USDA, NRCS Plant 

Materials Program (PMP) develops improved plant releases that 

help ranchers, farmers, and other 

land managers reduce water 

usage in agricultural lands, but 

few people realize the NRCS PMP 

also addresses water conservation on urban lands. To better 

address the needs of the urban 

clientele in Florida, the Brooksville 

Plant Materials Center (PMC) 

has teamed up with the Dr. 

Sydney Park Brown, Consumer 

Horticultural Specialist at the 

University of Florida, Plant City 

Campus, to highlight the use of different native or 

drought tolerant plants developed by the Brooksville 

PMC for urban landscapes. 

The PMC staff recently assisted Dr. Park Brown and 

UF Master Gardener volunteers in planting Brooksville 

67 and Brooksville 68 ornamental perennial peanuts, 

Martin and St. Lucie germplasm of eastern gamagrass, 

‘Sharp’ marshhay cordgrass, and 

other PMC releases at the new 

arboretum and teaching garden 

being developed at the Plant 

City campus. Additionally, the 

teaching garden will serve as a 

permanent urban evaluation site 

for PMC plant materials. Later 

this summer a test planting of 

nine muhlygrass accessions 

will be made at the site so that 

students and Master Gardeners 

can rate the material for its 

performance at the campus. 

So... not only does the PMC get information on 

the performance of plants that will potentially be 

released, students and visitors to the arboretum will 

get to learn about how the NRCS Plant Materials 

Program works.