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2020-04-07 News ArticleVtSECHOBEE NEWS vol. I I I No. 44 Friday, April 10, 2020 $1.00 plus tax to help dairies? By Katrina !l ken Lake Okeechobee News OKEECHOBEE — Okee- chobee dairies have dumped more than 1 million gallons of milk since April 1, Colleen Larson, regional dairy agent, told Okeechobee County commissioners at their April 9 meeting. She said the COVID-19 pandemic has caused hard- ships for farmers all over the country. There are effects through- out the agricultural industry, and those are going to con- tinue. In the last week in our area, 190 loads of milk have been dumped." She said the dumped milk represents close to a $2 mil- lion loss income to farmers. The dairies have been on April 1. asked to decrease production, In the past, the mayor she said. With schools using t less milk and restaurants 'w+r closed, processors asked reason, and Mayor Dowling dairies to reduce production Watford said he had been by Ig percent. thinking about Councilman It's a moving target," she 1 explained. Councilman Keefe men - "This is happening be- cause supply stream has been disrupted," she said. With milk and perishable fruits it is not an easy process to alter. Lake Okeachobee News/Janelle Folk (left)Rucks (rpackage up an order of Ice Rucks (l Mrs. Larson said in order to reduce milk production, Kris cream at 9 R farmers cull cows from the herd and send them to Milking R ice cream market. Ina normal week, 100 to 150 cull cows to market in draws rave reviews K See MILK—Page 1� vice -mayor Okeechobee lifts on April 1. In the past, the mayor barrier to alcohol appointed someone to take sales on Sunda S Y his place if he were unable to attend a meeting for some reason, and Mayor Dowling By Cathy Womble Watford said he had been Lake Okeechobee News thinking about Councilman OKEECHOBEE — The Bobby Keefe's comments at their last meeting when Okeechobee City Council Councilman Keefe men - discussed the possibility of r....",.., —9-- — ",,,,,a_ By Richard Marlon Lake Okeechobee News OKEECHOBEE— When Milking R Dairy owner Sutton Rucks first started selling ice cream, he viewed it as just a small bonus for those who booked one of the personal guided farm tours that his dairy had recently started giving. But what started as a small extra has now quickly evolved into the main attraction at the dairy. The small batches of ice cream the Ruckses create sell out within minutes of being posted online. A group on Facebook called the "Milking R Ice Cream Fan Club," where Sutton's daughter Lindsey Rucks posts updates on when new batches will go up for sale, has grown to over 2,000 members. In the !;roup, members devise the quickest ways to check out and pre -order the ice cream before it sells out, post celebratory pictures when picking up the dessert and write rave reviews once they try it. Who would've thought in the middle of a pandemic that the hottest commodity wouldn't be hand sanitiz- ers, masks or toilet paper, but instead good old-fashioned homemade ice cream? "We didn't expect this at all," said Mr. Rucks. "The overwhelming sup- port we've gotten from the commu- nity has been amazing. We had 200 people show up on throughout the first day to buy ice cream. And we've been scrambling ever since to catch up." In addition to running the dairy, See RUCKS —Page it Lake Levels 11.60 feet Last Year: 11.78 feet Spon red By: _ PoQeN s Farmty Restnr:rarrt 1759 S. Parrott Ave. 863-763-7222 Source: South Florida Water Management District. Depth given in feet above sea level See Page 4 for information about how to contact this newspaper. (Sk�Ok6®CMObY8116WS.Cl1� (MS0006 kmlls a ""16510"00024 Board Certified • 38 years experience tv INJURY ATTORNEY STEVE HOSKINS 357-5800 • HoskLawxom CivllTrial Okeechobee on 3rd Street across from the courthouse April 10, 2020 Lake Okeechobee News 11 ICE CREAM try to get fresh fruit from here in Florida. We actually had a farm over in Hardee County sors are gearing up now. I think they under- in a hundred years that someone would drive stand the urgency of getting as much milk on from town to buy a pint of ice cream off of a Continued From Page 1 that gave us some blueberries. We gel a lot of requests for blueberry cheesecake, but it is the shelf as we can. No one was prepared for dairy farm. I think everyone loses in this situ - this. My family has been in the dairy business ation if we lose this industry. I don't want the shortage and not make any releases from the probably the most time-consuming to make. for 80 -plus years, just like most of the people consumers in Okeechobee and south Florida the Ruckses have worked full-time in an We're trying to grab as much natural flavor as we here in the area. This, too, shall pass: to lose a local supply of milk." With the industry getting hit so hard right you can find out more information and attempt to keep up with the demand for their product. But this isn't a factory that can simply can." Currently Milking R is using a mix from a processor, but the eventual goal is to use milk now, it's important to look for a silver lining. order ice cream at the dairy's website, milkin- The massive amount of support that thegrdairy.com. Updates on when the next batch ramp up production. The ice cream is home- made in the realest sense, with the Ruckses from their own dairy in the ice cream with a people of Okeechobee have shown to Milking of ice cream will be done can be found on R Dai in the midst of a andemic is one of a making small batches of 35 to 45 pints at a small processing facility on site. One of the secret weapons inside the ythe Milking R Ice Cream Fan Club Facebook those silver linings. But 'll have to be quick on the You time. Sutton says they've slowly perfected the 20 different flavors of ice cream at the dairy Milking R Ice Cream is its fat percentage. The higher fat percentage gives the ice cream a group. "It's an honor that we have so many peo- 3 P• ple coming out and supporting us," said Mr. draw when making an order, because they'll through a system of trial and error. delicious rich, creamy flavor. It makes the ice Rucks, holding back tears. "1 never thought go fast. Those 20 flavors are: maple bacon, white chocolate chip, bulterfinger, banana pudding, cream taste like heaven; just don't check the calories. 77 curve," she said. "We are in what we call the in Ginn bourbon, java chip, mint chip, velvet Swiss, caramel crunch, cake and candles, The success of Milking R Dairy's ice cream as been a bright spot in an industry currently 1t. spring flush when most of our cows are - creasing milk production. The cows are early cinnamon toast crunch, avocad-oh, key lime, at a grim crossroads. In the first week of April, Continued From Page 1 in their lactation. If you try to dry them off, it make them very sick and it could even honey vanilla, blueberry cheesecake, straw- berry, cookie butter, smore goodness, Oreo dairy farms across Okeechobee had to dump thousands of gallons of milk as demand Could our region, she said. kill them. It's really bad for cows to do that." crunch and horchata, Banana has been the top seller in plummeted with the closing of restaurants and schools due to COVID-19. "This week there are probably 300 cull Another issue has to do with the USDA re - cows that will go to the market." quirement that schools only give children milk "Dairy pudding the early going. "We whole vanilla wafers at the bot- "It's very upsetting and disheartening when you're looking at 12-24 hours worth of Even sending the cows to market is prob- that is t percent fat. farmers across the lematic because the slaughterhouses through- country are hoping they will allow any fat con - 97 put tom of the pint ,then crushed wafers on the work and then having to dump it." explained "Our farm hasn't had to dump out the country are short of workers and are tent of milk up to whole milk — which is not able to run at capacity, she said. percent fat free — to be used for schools," she lop," said Mr. Rucks of the banana pudding flavor. "We just want that personal touch. We Mr. Rucks. milk, but my friends have had to. The proses- "They have been strained to increase pro- said. USDA requires 1 percent milk for schools. duction with people not coming to work," she "Processing whole milk is a quicker pro - throughout the throughout the country, and those said. cess," Mrs. Larson explained. She said such She said reports of government programs exemptions have been made in the past after CI► 1 j havae been interesting. The state emergency operations center has held a weekly confer- to pay the farmers for lost product is "a bit of hurricanes. She said it has been proven that ,L Continued From Page 1 ence call, so they have been in the loop but "I a false hope." It is not a guarantee and if they whole milk does not contribute to obesity, es - are paid it will be at a significant loss, she said. pecially for children. boned the mayor attended the meeting while have been working in the background. just wanted to let you know we aren't just sitting Mrs. Larson said social media have actual- Okeechobee County Superintendent of ly been helpful in regard to the milk situation. Schools Ken Kenworthy said as of Monday, April sick with a cold, potentially sharing his germs here," he said. Tiffany Collins, Okeechobee County Health Farmers have gone on social media "telling 20, they will increase food distribution to local about what is going on in our indus- children. with other council Watford membeto know what the wanted procedure would be to appoint a replace- Department administrator, said she is proud to live in a community where so many are tY People she said. The school system currently has three When the pandemic started, some stores "grab and go" sites at Douglas Brown Center, ment in the event he was ill. It was discussed whether it would be proper to elect or appoint embracing all the different strategies to keep each other safe. She showed off a mask that laced limits on how much milk a customer Okeechobee High School and the Okeechobee could purchase in order to prevent hoarding. Public Library, eeding anybody 18 years and a vice -mayor while the mayor was well so thisperson could act in his place when it was someone in the community made for her and said all the staffers at the health department Efforts both at the higher level and the younger, he said. In addition, six buses are deliv- grassroots level are asking grocery stores to Bring food out to 27 locations in the community. necessary. Mayor Watford said because of the circum- were provided with masks by people in the community who wanted to be sure they drop the limits on milk purchases so they can "On Monday April 20, we will open up sec -- keep moving milk through the production and kitchen — probably at South Elementary stances we are in right now and because of his age, he did not want something to happen would be safe. She said she is proud of all the medical community and health care workers chain. — and begin to serve both breakfast and lunch, She said they are also asking schools to essentially doubling our output," Mr. Kenworthy and the council not have something in place. and first responders working together to keep increase milk distribution to children if they explained. "We will serve the noon meal accord - "We ing to current schedule and also provide break - In the past, the mayor appointed his own temporary replacement, and he did not want things going, I'm just grateful to be a part of this," she have anyway to do that. are encouraging people to pick up those lunches to help our fast for following day." He said at that time they may also make some to leave them with that burden if he ended up in the ICU or something. said with tears in her eyes. She went on to explain the CDC recom- farmers," she said. Dairies are also doing all they can to pro- modifications to the bus deliveries to add more After consulting with City Attorney John Fumero, the council decided the charter, as for are well or about masks. She said if are well or believe you are, you should wear tect the health and safe of the workers, she stops. b' continued. They use gloves anyway, she add- Mc Kenworthy said they have asked for more dairies additional hand face masks for the employees working in the it is written now, calls the council mem- tiers, not the mayor, to appoint someone as needed. If the mayor cannot attend for some some sort of fabric covering when you are out and about, because the CDC experts believe ed, but are providing washing stations. The dairy workers have the food distribution centers. stress of having kids at home just like everyone Editor's note: Ifyou see a store that is still Am - reason, someone will be appointed to actin his for that meeting only. The council one can be spreading the virus even if you have no symptoms and have no idea you have else, Mrs. Larson said. iting milk sales, please take a picture, note the Mrs. Larson said some people don't under- location, date and time, and send to Beth Meyer place may choose to change this at some point, but the virus yet. The purpose of the cloth mask is stand why they can't just stop milking some at bme3er@milk4u.org so they can work with for now, this wilt be how it is handled. more to keep you from spreading your germs 1 he ou s eak or sneeze or of the cows. The cow has a natural lactation the chain to rectify the situation. Mr. Fumero brought up the level of Lake Okeechobee and said there are concerns the all s to other peop e w n y p cough. than to keep you from catching some - water level is nearing the water shortage level thing from anyone else. The cloth is to protect and suggested they request the Army Corps others from you! They are a good idea while of Engineers be made cognizant of the water out doing (here she emphasized) ESSENTIAL shortage and not make any releases from the services— grocery shopping, pharmacy, lake. He drafted a letter for the city to send. getting gas or working at your essential job. Many in the agricultural community have sent please leave the surgical masks for similar letters in the last few days, he said. health care workers, those who are Mayor Watford expressed gratitude to the caring for someone who is sick or those county commissioners for the way they have who are actually sick and were told by handled things since the crisis began. Their their health care provider to wear them. Facebook updates have been very helpful, he The respirator N-95 masks should only said. He said the city has been low-key be- cause the county and the sheriff's office have be used by health care workers and first responders, m please don't wear them the lead on this. Of course, I think we have all been to Walmart, she said. "Wear the cloth sharing their posts and messages," he said. He also said State Rep. Cary Pigman's office ones." In other news, the city council voted to and U.S. Sen. Rick Scott's offices have reached modify its alcohol ordinance to allow package out to them. In addition, they had a couple of sales on Sunday. This will put the city's ordi- f with While House staff and nance in accordance with that of the court `on erence c Z -