Christine Holtzman

Pasco County Fair lives up to its theme

February 26, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

The Pasco County’s Fair’s theme this year was “It’s an Adventure,” and the crowd at the event seemed to bring that idea to life.

Children are seen having a good time on the kiddie-approved ‘Frog Hopper’ ride at the Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22. From left: Ryder Karppe, 6, of Land O’ Lakes; Wyatt Barthle, 8, of Land O’ Lakes; Abigail Warren, 6, of Dade City; Christine Runner, 9, of Zephyrhills; Lily Lentz, 5, of Wesley Chapel; and, Liam Galley Salgueiro, 8, of Ontario. (Christine Holtzman)

The fair, which recently wrapped, ran from Feb. 17 through Feb. 23.

Held at the Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52 in Dade City, it had a little of something for everyone.

Dozens of amusement rides dotted the landscape, giving thrill-seekers of all ages a wide selection of options.

Rides, such as the “Frog Hopper,” the kiddie coaster, the Ferris wheel and the carousel were just some of the child-approved choices.

For the more adventurous, one could try out the “Zipper,” in which people sat in caged carts that flipped upside down and spun, as they journeyed around a rotating oblong frame.

The “Ring of Fire” was another bold choice.

The ride was a giant loop fitted with track — similar to a roller coaster — which stood approximately 50 feet high. Riders, two to a seat, sat in a train that propelled forward, then backward, until the momentum would bring the train to stop on top of the loop, dangling riders upside down.

Angus, a life-like Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur (played by Nathanial Shufling), and his handler, Jeannine Tores, greet people as they walk along on the midway on Feb. 22. The pair are part of the ‘Walking with Giants’ attraction, presented by Prehistoric Adventures.

The rides weren’t the only attractions.

There also were daily agricultural shows and competitions, musical performances, magic shows, and even a Pirate high-wire aerial act.

There were lots of games of chance, too, with lucky winners walking away with plush dolls and goldfish.

Hungry patrons and foodies rejoiced — with a seemingly endless choice of concession options, including hot dogs, pizza, funnel cakes, fried Oreos and more.

Perhaps the highlight of the event, though, were the happy memories made by friends and family spending some time at the 73rd annual Pasco County Fair.

Published February 26, 2020

Five-year-old Clint Chessher, of Zephyrhills, reacts with excitement as he sits on the spinning wheel of the ‘Hillbilly Village’ funhouse. Clint was at the Pasco County Fair with his dad, Dwayne, and their friends, the Stoner family.

Nineteen-year-old Lucia Castillo, of Dade City, competes against her friend, Fletcher Jahn, in the ‘Water Gun Fun’ game at the 73rd annual Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22.

Jeremy Alford, of Dade City, plays a game that requires competitors to hang from a pull-up bar for at least 90 seconds, in order to win a prize. The longer the competitor hangs determines the size of the plush doll prize. On his first try, Alford came in at 90 seconds.

Seventeen-month-old Ridley Hoffman, of Indianapolis, enjoys a milkshake that his grandmother, Peggy Hoffman of Illinois, offers to him. This is the child’s first trip to Florida, and he and his family are staying in the Wesley Chapel home of his great aunt Kelly and great uncle Billy.

Andrew Bridegroom, of Dade City, holds the leashes of five of his goats that he and his children entered into various competitions at the Pasco County Fair on Feb. 22. His 7-year-old son, Eli, won first place for Showmanship in the Pee Wee category, and Eli’s twin, Kassie, came in second. The competitions were presented by, ‘No Goats, No Glory Dairy Goat Shows.’

First annual Pasco Sports Fair is a slam dunk

February 26, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

People of all ages looking to experience many different types of sports were in luck on Feb 16. The first annual Pasco Sports Fair, held on the grounds of Skydive City in Zephyrhills, offered scaled-down or mini versions of sports, such as tennis, basketball, football, soccer, floor hockey, golf, fitness training and virtual skydiving. Many of the stations had former professional athletes overseeing the sporting activities.

Eight-year-old Aidan Johnson, of Tampa, grimaces as he lifts a 10-pound weight over his head. He was testing out his endurance by doing 10-pound squats at the weight-lifting station. The aspiring football player is in third grade at the Academy at the Lakes, an independent school in Land O’ Lakes. (Christine Holtzman)

Don Knobloch, of Wesley Chapel, reacts with delight, when his 5-year-old son, Donny, center, hits a hole-in-one on the golf course. Donny’s younger brother, 3-year-old Landon, is on the left. The family, including mom, Jacquie, were enjoying the afternoon by trying out the different sport stations offered at the first annual Pasco County Sports Fair.

Community Garden is a space for all

February 26, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

The UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension recently hosted a six-week ‘Gardening with Autism’ program, geared toward children ages 8 to 13, on the autism spectrum. The program, at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, 5401 Land O’ Lakes Blvd., featured numerous fun and educational, hands-on sensory activities that allowed children to learn about basic gardening. Participants also learned the importance of pollinators, and even got to construct their own birdbath.

The community garden, which had its grand opening on Feb. 15, offers a free space (plots are first come, first-served) for citizens to grow flowers and crops. In the future, the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension will be offering classes on subjects such as how to compost, grow and can vegetables.

Eight-year-old Lucas Yingling, of Hudson, cleans off his cement birdbath that he made during the Gardening with Autism program on Jan. 25, revealing the elephant ear leaf impression. The six-week, hands-on program was hosted by the UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and held at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. Assisting him was his father, Randy, left, and mom Patty. (Christine Holtzman)

Brooke Whitehead, of Weeki Wachee, center, pretends to be a pollinator during an activity with University of Florida student Katie Yanuzzell, of Brandon, left, and UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension master gardener and east side community gardens program assistant Chris Carreiro. The group was using Cheetos dust on their fingers to simulate how pollen would stick to the legs of bees, as they pollinate flowers.

The community garden area at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park offers a free space (plots are first- come, first-served) for citizens to grow flowers, herbs, fruits and vegetables. The garden also was the site of the six-week program, Gardening with Autism. This area also is the home of the ‘Food For All’ mural, which was a cooperative project presented by the Autism Society of Florida, Pasco County Planning and Development, UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources.

Voices lifted to heaven, in gospel-singing tradition

February 19, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

Nearly every seat was taken when the Trilacoochee Church of Christ, 20300 U.S. 301 in Dade City, had its annual Gospel singing event on the evening of Jan. 31. Church members and visitors alike sang along to classic hymns that were chosen by each of the five song leaders of the evening. Each song leader led three to five songs during the 1 ½ hour event. Minister Paul Blake said that his church hosts this popular event on the last Friday of each January – a tradition that began around a decade ago. The program gives the church the opportunity to reach out and connect with the people, all while spending time with each other, the minister said. Church member Steve Melton, of Dade City, said the event draws a crowd because ‘we just love to sing and enjoy worshipping God.’

Joe Brown, the first song leader of the evening, leads the audience in one of the three hymns he chose to sing. He is holding three fingers up, to signal that they are singing the third verse of the song. Brown, a member of the Lakeland Hills Church of Christ, traveled to the Trilacoochee Church of Christ to participate in the annual event. (Christine Holtzman)

After leading the participants in song as one of the five song leaders, Scott Hartsell, of Land O’ Lakes, left, takes a seat to sing hymns next to Brother Apollo Rodriguez, who is a Benedictine Monk at the Saint Leo Abbey.

Trilacoochee Church of Christ’s annual gospel singing event took place on the evening of Jan. 31, to a packed house. Members of the church and visitors alike enjoyed singing along to the classic hymns led by five different song leaders.

Jim Cooper, of Dade City, reads along in the ‘Hymns for Worship’ book during the annual Gospel singing event at the Trilacoochee Church of Christ. Cooper, a member of the congregation, attended the evening event with his daughter-in-law, Sue Cooper.

Seed library debuts in Land O’ Lakes

February 19, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

Library patrons can now learn how to grow vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers at home, plus get some free seeds to start their garden. The Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, 2818 Collier Parkway, debuted its Seed Library on Jan. 21. Patrons can select seeds from within the library’s collection and find the growing instructions for them on the outside of the packet. More detailed information, provided by University of Florida/Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences-Pasco County Extension, is available in the binder located at the seed catalogue, as well as on the UF/IFAS website. The library’s website has a list of the seeds that are available.

The donated seeds are courtesy of True Leaf Market, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, Burpee Gardens, BBB Seed Heirloom Vegetable & Wildflower Seeds, and the Friends of the Library. For more information, visit PascoLibraries.org/services/seed-library/.

Catherine Seavey, the adult services librarian at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library, reads through the seed binder located at the library’s new Seed Library. The binder, provided by UF/IFAS Extension, contains detailed information on the various types of seeds offered through this new program. Seavey was one of the people responsible for bringing the program to the library. (Christine Holtzman)

Land O’ Lakes Branch Library’s new Seed Library provides vegetable, fruit, herb and flower seeds for free, to those interested in starting a home garden.

A close-up look at the packets inside of the tomato seed drawer at the Land O’ Lakes Branch Library’s new Seed Library. Simple growing instructions are printed on the outside of each packet for the grower’s convenience.

Still sweethearts, after all these years

February 12, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

Earl Angel and his wife, Alice, will celebrate their 77th anniversary on Feb. 20. To find out more about the life they’ve shared and advice they have for maintaining a lasting marriage, please see full featured story.

Ninety-six-year-old Earl Angel kisses Alice, his bride of almost 77 years, in the living room of their Zephyrhills home. The couple were sharing their tips for a lasting marriage, just in time for Valentine’s Day. One of their tips: Kiss each other good night…and throughout the day, too. (Christine Holtzman)

While reminiscing on the life they have shared together for nearly eight decades, Alice Angel, 93, holds her 96-year-old husband Earl’s hand. Their 77th anniversary is on Feb. 20.

Earl Angel, 96, shares a laugh with his 93-year-old wife, Alice, while reminiscing about their early years together.

Farm festival still draws a crowd, despite rain

February 5, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

A poor forecast could not deter fans from the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village’s annual Farm Festival and Quilt Show.

The horse pull team of Tom Bowman of Orangeville, Pennsylvania, is seen competing in Round 2 of the lightweight class competition. The two horses, George and Willie, successfully pulled 3,600 pounds and moved onto the next round. (Christine Holtzman)

Despite rain, the Feb. 1 event at the Dade City venue drew a large crowd — as people toured the museum and watched demonstrations throughout the day.

Several dozen quilts were on display at the quilt show, and there were table runners and accessories, too. That exhibit was offered in the Mabel Jordan Barn.

Visitors had a chance to vote on their favorite quilts in a “People’s Choice” competition.

They could weigh in on seven different categories, including: machine-pieced quilts, hand-pieced quilts, applique quilts, art quilts, miniature quilts, quilted fashions/accessories, and junior exhibitor.

Winners of each category took home a ribbon, plus bragging rights.

Twelve-year-old Abigail Morreale, of Lutz, stands next to her quilt, ‘Stars & Flowers,’ that she submitted into the Junior Exhibitor division of the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village’s quilt show on Feb. 1. This is the fifth year she’s entered the competition, and she previously has won first-place ribbons twice. Her grandmother, Patrice Neville, of Land O’ Lakes, and her grandmother’s friend, Mary Smith, both taught Morreale how to quilt when she was 8 years old.

Many of the quilts and accessories also were available to be purchased.

Brenda Grampsas, a certified quilt appraiser, also was there, available to provide written appraisals or verbal evaluations, for a fee.

There were other vendors at the festival, too, offering handmade goods and concessions.

Festival-goers also could see sugar cane grinding and syrup making.

The draft horse pulling contest, presented by the Southern Draft Horse Association, was popular.

Horse pulling is a sport were two draft horses are hitched to a truck equipped with a hydraulic weight machine, called a dynamometer. The horses then pull the weighted machine a short distance. If successful, the team moves on to the next round, and the weight is slightly increased. This process continues until just one team remains.

Waiting to be called for their Round 2 attempt, draft horses Rowdy and Harley, with team Adams/Specht of Orangeville, Pennsylvania, patiently wait with team members by the fence.

A total of 37 teams (19 in the lightweight class, 18 in the heavyweight class) took part in the competition. Nearly all the draft horses in the competition are of the Belgian breed, with only one horse being a Percheron.

Thirteen different states, including Florida, were represented in the show. Many teams travelled from as far away as Vermont, Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and New Hampshire.

Terry Yoder, the president of the Southern Draft Horse Association, said that this Dade City competition draws in the “best of the best teams” and that winning is not about the cash prize, it’s about the pride. He also said this year was a special year, because it is the first time that there were four women competing in the sport that is typically dominated by men.

During an intermission – while the crew placed chains on the truck’s tires, due to muddy conditions on the course – announcer Carlene Davis told spectators about the origins of the sport, which date back to the 1920s. The activity was a way to accurately measure horsepower in the days when horses, not machines, did all heavy work around farms, she said.

She also noted how the research data collected in those days helped farmers subsequently produce a more powerful draft horse.

And, she noted that modern-day horse pulls remain a valuable part of our agricultural history.

Published February 05, 2020

A colorful quilt entered into the ‘People’s Choice’ competition, hangs inside the Mabel Jordan Barn, at the Pioneer Florida Museum & Village in Dade City. This quilt, which measure 74 inches by 79 inches, was created by Pansy Rush, of Dade City. It was entered in the ‘Machine Pieced Quilt’ division of the contest.

Mijke and Wyatt, two Belgian draft horses with the Bowman/Root, Brown & Carpenter team from Litchfield, Michigan, make their way toward the truck for their Round 2 attempt at pulling 3,600 pounds.

Mural project promotes healthy eating

February 5, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

The Autism Society of Florida, along with Pasco County Planning and Development, UF/IFAS Pasco County Extension, and Pasco County Parks, Recreation and Natural Resources organized a mural project — engaging youths with special needs, to promote healthy eating. The artwork for the mural, now on the wall at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park, was designed by student artists with special needs, and on the autism spectrum, who submitted a colored drawing or painting depicting what sustainable ‘Food for All’ means to them. Six winners were chosen to have their work memorialized on a mural next to the new community gardens at the park. Artist Amy Nevins, of Palm Harbor, transposed the winning artwork onto the wall, and student artists, including those with special needs, helped to paint it. The official mural unveiling and a grand opening of the community gardens is planned for a family friendly event on Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m.

Ten-year-old Jenna Nevins, of Palm Harbor, left, holds on to the palette of paint, so 6-year-old Vanessa Rodriguez, of Wesley Chapel, can move freely as she paints flowers on the Food for All mural at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. Nevin’s mother, Amy, is the artist that transposed the winning drawings on the wall. (Christine Holtzman)

Promoting sustainable food awareness

February 5, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

Five-year-old Isabelle Romain, of Wesley Chapel, helps create handprint flowers on the Food for All mural at Land O’ Lakes Heritage Park. Artist Amy Nevins, of Palm Harbor, right, transposed the winning drawings onto the wall.

The kumquat is small, but it draws a big crowd

January 29, 2020 By Christine Holtzman

With its historic courthouse and local shops, downtown Dade City emanates a feeling of Southern Charm.

John Floyd, of Floyd Citrus, holds up a Nagami kumquat tree, as he makes his sales pitch to the crowd. Floyd, a 61-year resident of Dade City, said that this type of kumquat is a perfect ingredient for cakes and pies. (Christine Holtzman)

And, once a year, its streets are transformed when hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors descend on the East Pasco community to pay homage to a tiny, tart citrus fruit called a kumquat.

Now in its 23rd year, the annual Kumquat Festival was held on Jan. 25 and, as usual, people were enjoying themselves as they tasted kumquat pie, sampled kumquat ice cream, listened to music or did a little shopping from vendors, or local shops.

There was entertainment, too, with performances by such acts like the Pasco County Community Choir, Strawberry Express Cloggers, Pasco High School Jazz Band, Saint Leo University Theatre Department, Frank Savers with Influence of Music, and Nashville recording artist Kris Pierce.

Valerie Mann, left, enjoys her slice of kumquat pie, while her husband Dick, savors a spoon of kumquat ice cream. The Manns are snowbirds from Michigan, who spend their winters in Haines City.

This year, there were more than 400 vendors lining downtown streets, selling everything from handcrafted items, to produce and clothes.

It was an event for all ages. Kids could scale a rock climbing wall, take a pony ride, jump around in a bounce house or play games in the Kid’s Corral.

There was a quilt show, a car and truck show, and live entertainment, too.

And, those who came looking for kumquats?

Well, the little gold gem of the citrus industry was in great supply.

Kumquats could be purchased in the form of trees, in fresh bags of the fruit, in kumquat-infused ice cream, cookies, beer, marmalades, salsa — and, of course, the famous kumquat pie.

Published January 29, 2020