1. Agricultural and Horticultural Enterprises

3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality

One aspect I really love about my work with Extension is the incredible network of creative, helpful, and extraordinarily knowledgeable people it gives me quick access to. In 2010, I had no idea how to respond when an oil spill was approaching local beaches. So, I dialed up a natural resource agent with University of [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_39765" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39765" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/utah-river.jpg"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="size-medium wp-image-39765 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="225" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/utah-river-225x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39765" class="wp-caption-text">Extension agents from all over the United States learning about stream restoration along the Sevier River in Utah. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
One aspect I really love about my work with Extension is the incredible network of creative, helpful, and extraordinarily knowledgeable people it gives me quick access to. In 2010, I had no idea how to respond when an oil spill was approaching local beaches. So, I dialed up a natural resource agent with University of Alaska Extension, who was happy to talk me through both the emotions and research on handling the aftermath of a spill. And where to start when UF IFAS Extension was charged with planning a field tour for a national meeting 1,800 miles away? We contacted the Utah State Extension office in Salt Lake City, and within a few days had a dedicated partner who quickly arranged food, transportation, and tour locations based on our schedule.
<figure id="attachment_39771" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39771" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-map-water.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-39771 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-map-water-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39771" class="wp-caption-text">Extension specialists from Texas A&amp;M lead a group of stakeholders in Bay County through a CHARM mapping exercise. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
I have learned from travel in general and Extension work in particular that the more time you spend with people from “somewhere else,” the more you realize we all have the same issues. People need jobs, safe and reliable housing, good schools for their children, and protection from natural disasters. Yesterday, I was able to participate in a workshop addressing many of these issues with colleagues from <a href="https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/">Texas A&amp;M AgriLife Extension</a>. They have developed a digital tool called <a href="https://www.communitycharm.org/">Community Health and Resource Management (CHARM)</a>, which allows planners, elected officials, realtors, etc. to interact with real time data on a projected map. While seated around it, they can formulate plans on how to conserve, develop, and analyze land use in their community.
<figure id="attachment_39767" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39767" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/tyndall-afb-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-39767 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="200" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/tyndall-afb-300x200.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39767" class="wp-caption-text">Hurricane Michael left Tyndall Air Force base in near complete destruction. (U.S. Air National Guard courtesy photo)</figcaption></figure>
The workshop, held in Panama City, was focused on “resilient workforce housing” needs in fast-growing Bay County. Even 6 years later, the shadow of Category 5 hurricane Michael affects the way people think about how the community should redevelop. Add to that a huge influx of new personnel (and their families) at <a href="https://www.tyndall.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/3478806/long-awaited-f-35-aircraft-touch-down-at-tyndall/">Tyndall Air Force Base</a>, and there are a lot of parameters to consider. The goal of the CHARM exercise was to look at different factors affecting housing and find reasonable locations to accommodate projected growth while avoiding/reducing impacts to sensitive ecosystems. They also wanted to physically locate housing near resources people need, like job centers, daycares, and grocery stores to reduce traffic and wasted time on the road.
<figure id="attachment_39773" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39773" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-map-pink-2.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39773 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="225" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-map-pink-2-225x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39773" class="wp-caption-text">Participants in the CHARM workshop outline potential areas best suited for new housing. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
The beauty of GIS mapping and databases is that all this information can be shown at the touch of a button. Workshop participants filled out surveys ranking how important it would be to avoid certain risks—flood zones, storm surge projections, wetlands, military buffers, etc. Based on group consensus, the facilitators were able to block out whole sections of the map, particularly along coastlines and wet areas. The second step involved prioritizing amenities they anticipate new residents needing nearby. These included schools, stores, utilities, and proximity to jobs at Tyndall AFB and other primary employment areas.
<figure id="attachment_39769" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39769" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-paints.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-39769 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="1024" height="566" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/06/charm-paints-1024x566.png"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39769" class="wp-caption-text">Different colors in the GIS tool denote different housing densities, and can be located on planning maps based on community needs. Screenshot from https://www.communitycharm.org/charm-paints</figcaption></figure>
Once all this data was input, the map showed blue areas (to avoid) and pink areas (to target), highlighting the most optimal places to direct future residential and mixed-use development. Attendees then discussed specific regions where people are already moving, along with undocumented places that may need to be avoided, such as a zone where the off-putting odor of a chemical plant is located. Using a paint tool, they could insert potential housing types directly onto the map as a potential guide for planned development.
The <a href="https://tcwp.tamu.edu/">Texas Community Watershed Partners (CWP)</a>, a division of TAMU Extension, has led 40 workshops using the CHARM technology, and are now piloting this housing-focused program with several partners in Florida. The Bay County workshop was the first of a grant-funded (thanks, <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/">NOAA</a>!) effort awarded to the <a href="https://gulfofmexicoalliance.org/">Gulf of Mexico Alliance</a> and their partners with the Texas CWP, <a href="https://www.flhousing.org/">Florida Housing Coalition</a>, and <a href="https://www.ecrc.org/">Emerald Coast Regional Council</a>. Exercises like these will help communities provide safe, convenient, and more affordable housing to current and incoming residents of Florida as the threat of climate-based disasters looms larger.

Extension agents from all over the United States learning about stream restoration along the Sevier River in Utah. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
One aspect I really love about my work with Extension is the incredible network of creative, helpful, and extraordinarily knowledgeable people it gives me quick access to. In 2010, I had no idea how to respond when an oil spill was approaching local beaches. So, I dialed up a natural resource agent with University of Alaska Extension, who was happy to talk me through both the emotions and research on handling the aftermath of a spill. And where to start when UF IFAS Extension was charged with planning a field tour for a national meeting 1,800 miles away? We contacted the Utah State Extension office in Salt Lake City, and within a few days had a dedicated partner who quickly arranged food, transportation, and tour locations based on our schedule.
Extension specialists from Texas A&M lead a group of stakeholders in Bay County through a CHARM mapping exercise. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
I have learned from travel in general and Extension work in particular that the more time you spend with people from “somewhere else,” the more you realize we all have the same issues. People need jobs, safe and reliable housing, good schools for their children, and protection from natural disasters. Yesterday, I was able to participate in a workshop addressing many of these issues with colleagues from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. They have developed a digital tool called Community Health and Resource Management (CHARM), which allows planners, elected officials, realtors, etc. to interact with real time data on a projected map. While seated around it, they can formulate plans on how to conserve, develop, and analyze land use in their community.
Hurricane Michael left Tyndall Air Force base in near complete destruction. (U.S. Air National Guard courtesy photo)
The workshop, held in Panama City, was focused on “resilient workforce housing” needs in fast-growing Bay County. Even 6 years later, the shadow of Category 5 hurricane Michael affects the way people think about how the community should redevelop. Add to that a huge influx of new personnel (and their families) at Tyndall Air Force Base, and there are a lot of parameters to consider. The goal of the CHARM exercise was to look at different factors affecting housing and find reasonable locations to accommodate projected growth while avoiding/reducing impacts to sensitive ecosystems. They also wanted to physically locate housing near resources people need, like job centers, daycares, and grocery stores to reduce traffic and wasted time on the road.
Participants in the CHARM workshop outline potential areas best suited for new housing. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
The beauty of GIS mapping and databases is that all this information can be shown at the touch of a button. Workshop participants filled out surveys ranking how important it would be to avoid certain risks—flood zones, storm surge projections, wetlands, military buffers, etc. Based on group consensus, the facilitators were able to block out whole sections of the map, particularly along coastlines and wet areas. The second step involved prioritizing amenities they anticipate new residents needing nearby. These included schools, stores, utilities, and proximity to jobs at Tyndall AFB and other primary employment areas.
Different colors in the GIS tool denote different housing densities, and can be located on planning maps based on community needs. Screenshot from https://www.communitycharm.org/charm-paints
Once all this data was input, the map showed blue areas (to avoid) and pink areas (to target), highlighting the most optimal places to direct future residential and mixed-use development. Attendees then discussed specific regions where people are already moving, along with undocumented places that may need to be avoided, such as a zone where the off-putting odor of a chemical plant is located. Using a paint tool, they could insert potential housing types directly onto the map as a potential guide for planned development.
The Texas Community Watershed Partners (CWP), a division of TAMU Extension, has led 40 workshops using the CHARM technology, and are now piloting this housing-focused program with several partners in Florida. The Bay County workshop was the first of a grant-funded (thanks, NOAA!) effort awarded to the Gulf of Mexico Alliance and their partners with the Texas CWP, Florida Housing Coalition, and Emerald Coast Regional Council. Exercises like these will help communities provide safe, convenient, and more affordable housing to current and incoming residents of Florida as the threat of climate-based disasters looms larger.

One aspect I really love about my work with Extension is the incredible network of creative, helpful, and extraordinarily knowledgeable people it gives me quick access to. In 2010, I had no idea how to respond when an oil spill was approaching local beaches. So, I dialed up a natural resource agent with University of […]

Weekly “What is it?”: Community Health and Resource Management (CHARM) Tool

My husband’s best friend was a nature nerd like me. If I didn’t know what something was, Anthony was the first person I’d send a photo to for identification help. We lost him unexpectedly last year, but he shows up in small ways for us almost daily. After that round of storms blew through the [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_39447" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39447" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lion-mane-ant-hand.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39447 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lion-mane-ant-hand-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39447" class="wp-caption-text">A large lion&#8217;s mane mushroom in the woods of south Alabama. Photo credit: Anthony Macwhinnie</figcaption></figure>
My husband’s best friend was a nature nerd like me. If I didn’t know what something was, <a href="https://www.harpermorrismemorialchapel.com/obituary/rev-anthony-macwhinnie-ii">Anthony</a> was the first person I’d send a photo to for identification help. We lost him unexpectedly last year, but he shows up in small ways for us almost daily.
<figure id="attachment_39471" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39471" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lion-mane-5.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39471 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lion-mane-5-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39471" class="wp-caption-text">The inside of this maple limb was essentially shredded with rot. The external fungus gave an outward indication of the internal decay. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
After that round of storms blew through the area a couple of weekends ago, we were helping a neighbor remove a large broken maple limb from his front yard. Looking at the fall, it was evident why this particular branch was the first to go. Significant rot had set into the crook of the tree where the branch attached, and the bark inside the downed limb was completely shredded. In addition, a huge white mushroom had grown in the same spot, an obvious indicator of decay. I am admittedly no expert on fungi, so when my husband piped up with, “Oh! That’s lion’s mane,” I was a little surprised he recognized it. Turns out, during time spent in the woods hiking with his buddy over the years, Anthony had pointed it out along trails from here to Tennessee.
<figure id="attachment_39455" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39455" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lions-mane-missouri-dept-of-cons-bearded_tooth_on_tree_04-11-13.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39455 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="233" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/lions-mane-missouri-dept-of-cons-bearded_tooth_on_tree_04-11-13-300x233.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39455" class="wp-caption-text">The individual spines on the lion&#8217;s mane fungus are an identifying characteristic. Photo credit: Missouri Department of Conservation</figcaption></figure>
<a href="https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/bearded-tooth">Lion’s mane (Hericium spp.)</a> is one of the larger noticeable and edible mushrooms growing in the urban and wild forests of our area. It’s found in rotting wood of dead (saprophytic) and living trees, and thrives in areas of high humidity. Frequently, it can be seen fairly high up in a living tree, where it is considered more of a parasite. Like many unusual organisms, lion’s mane has lots of other whimsical and descriptive common names, including bearded tooth, old man’s tooth, and hedgehog mushroom. The fruiting body of the mushroom is a large (3-15”) white mass, with rows of hanging toothlike spines. The fungi can live and continue fruiting for 20+ years. They are common in the eastern United States and Asia, but have been listed as endangered in parts of the UK and Europe and cannot be harvested.
<figure id="attachment_39465" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39465" style="width: 240px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/SpicyCumin-LionMane-Mushroom-1064-819x1024-1.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39465 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="240" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/SpicyCumin-LionMane-Mushroom-1064-819x1024-1-240x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39465" class="wp-caption-text">Lion&#8217;s mane mushrooms are often cooked similarly to meat dishes, such as these curried kebabs. Source: https://woonheng.com/spicy-cumin-lions-mane-mushrooms/</figcaption></figure>
Many fungi are dangerously toxic, so I cannot in good conscience suggest that someone eat a mushroom unless they know exactly what they’re looking at. So, mushroom hunt with great care and an expert who knows what they’re doing. If you find a mushroom and are curious about it, the <a href="https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/extension/mushrooms/">UF Plant Pathology lab has a Fungal Herbarium</a> with lots of useful resources. The lab provides help identifying mushrooms, along with fact sheets on popular species and direct contact with a <a href="https://plantpath.ifas.ufl.edu/people/faculty-pages/matthew-smith/">professor specializing in mushrooms</a> in more serious situations. A great guidebook for mushrooms is “<a href="https://ifasbooks.ifas.ufl.edu/p-196-common-florida-mushrooms.aspx">Common Florida Mushrooms</a>,” available online many places including the IFAS bookstore.
I have not personally tried lion’s mane mushrooms, but have heard them described as possessing a seafood/lobster flavor. The younger and fresher the better, as older mushrooms are described as “sour and bitter.” Lion’s mane extract is used to <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10675414/">treat anxiety and depression</a>, along with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer&#8217;s and dementia. A recent study at the <a href="https://hts.scripps.ufl.edu/wordpress/files/2024/02/SLAS-FEB2024-Poster-JPena_LionsManeMushroom.pdf">University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology</a> looked at the compounds found within the fungus and how they might be applicable to disease treatment. While modern medicine is working on identifying the chemical signatures, this fungal species has been used in Chinese medicine since ancient times. Due to the positive commercial applications of the mushroom, <a href="https://smallfarms.cornell.edu/2015/04/lions-mane/">researchers at Cornell</a> are looking at the viability of farming lion’s mane for food and medical uses.
On a related note, if you notice abnormally dark bark coloration and/or mushrooms growing on trees in your yard, it is wise to have them looked at by an <a href="https://www.treesaregood.org/">arborist</a>. With <a href="https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/treesandhurricanes/establishing.shtml">hurricane season around the corner</a>, tree limbs exhibiting rot can be a serious hazard.

A large lion’s mane mushroom in the woods of south Alabama. Photo credit: Anthony Macwhinnie
My husband’s best friend was a nature nerd like me. If I didn’t know what something was, Anthony was the first person I’d send a photo to for identification help. We lost him unexpectedly last year, but he shows up in small ways for us almost daily.
The inside of this maple limb was essentially shredded with rot. The external fungus gave an outward indication of the internal decay. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
After that round of storms blew through the area a couple of weekends ago, we were helping a neighbor remove a large broken maple limb from his front yard. Looking at the fall, it was evident why this particular branch was the first to go. Significant rot had set into the crook of the tree where the branch attached, and the bark inside the downed limb was completely shredded. In addition, a huge white mushroom had grown in the same spot, an obvious indicator of decay. I am admittedly no expert on fungi, so when my husband piped up with, “Oh! That’s lion’s mane,” I was a little surprised he recognized it. Turns out, during time spent in the woods hiking with his buddy over the years, Anthony had pointed it out along trails from here to Tennessee.
The individual spines on the lion’s mane fungus are an identifying characteristic. Photo credit: Missouri Department of Conservation
Lion’s mane (Hericium spp.) is one of the larger noticeable and edible mushrooms growing in the urban and wild forests of our area. It’s found in rotting wood of dead (saprophytic) and living trees, and thrives in areas of high humidity. Frequently, it can be seen fairly high up in a living tree, where it is considered more of a parasite. Like many unusual organisms, lion’s mane has lots of other whimsical and descriptive common names, including bearded tooth, old man’s tooth, and hedgehog mushroom. The fruiting body of the mushroom is a large (3-15”) white mass, with rows of hanging toothlike spines. The fungi can live and continue fruiting for 20+ years. They are common in the eastern United States and Asia, but have been listed as endangered in parts of the UK and Europe and cannot be harvested.
Lion’s mane mushrooms are often cooked similarly to meat dishes, such as these curried kebabs. Source: https://woonheng.com/spicy-cumin-lions-mane-mushrooms/
Many fungi are dangerously toxic, so I cannot in good conscience suggest that someone eat a mushroom unless they know exactly what they’re looking at. So, mushroom hunt with great care and an expert who knows what they’re doing. If you find a mushroom and are curious about it, the UF Plant Pathology lab has a Fungal Herbarium with lots of useful resources. The lab provides help identifying mushrooms, along with fact sheets on popular species and direct contact with a professor specializing in mushrooms in more serious situations. A great guidebook for mushrooms is “Common Florida Mushrooms,” available online many places including the IFAS bookstore.
I have not personally tried lion’s mane mushrooms, but have heard them described as possessing a seafood/lobster flavor. The younger and fresher the better, as older mushrooms are described as “sour and bitter.” Lion’s mane extract is used to treat anxiety and depression, along with neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and dementia. A recent study at the University of Florida Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation and Technology looked at the compounds found within the fungus and how they might be applicable to disease treatment. While modern medicine is working on identifying the chemical signatures, this fungal species has been used in Chinese medicine since ancient times. Due to the positive commercial applications of the mushroom, researchers at Cornell are looking at the viability of farming lion’s mane for food and medical uses.
On a related note, if you notice abnormally dark bark coloration and/or mushrooms growing on trees in your yard, it is wise to have them looked at by an arborist. With hurricane season around the corner, tree limbs exhibiting rot can be a serious hazard.

My husband’s best friend was a nature nerd like me. If I didn’t know what something was, Anthony was the first person I’d send a photo to for identification help. We lost him unexpectedly last year, but he shows up in small ways for us almost daily. After that round of storms blew through the […]

Weekly “What is it?”: Lion’s Mane

I have always had a sweet tooth. While some folks prefer their sweetness in fruit or fruity candy, my go-to has always been chocolate. So, you can imagine my delight upon learning our national meeting for Extension natural resource agents would be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I just returned from the meeting last week, and [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_39379" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39379" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-soap-rotated.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39379 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="225" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-soap-225x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39379" class="wp-caption-text">Hotel bath soap at the Hershey Lodge is made with (and smells like) cocoa. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
I have always had a sweet tooth. While some folks prefer their sweetness in fruit or fruity candy, my go-to has always been chocolate. So, you can imagine my delight upon learning our <a href="https://web.cvent.com/event/d7756766-0fc2-48a7-ad86-37743091f217/summary">national meeting</a> for Extension natural resource agents would be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I just returned from the meeting last week, and got a kick out of all the Hershey kiss-themed décor at our conference center, hotel rooms, and throughout the city. Even the shampoo and soap had cocoa in them!
<figure id="attachment_39383" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39383" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-pod.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39383 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-pod-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39383" class="wp-caption-text">Cacao pods growing from a tree located in Hershey Gardens. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
Chocolate is a serious business, though—from its beginnings as a ceremonial drink for the Mayans and Aztecs—to the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/economics-chocolate-180954224/">multi-billion-dollar industry</a> it is now. Like many products, it literally takes contributions from the whole world to make chocolate. I was rather fascinated to learn the origins of the chocolate-making process while visiting the <a href="https://hersheystory.org/">Hershey Museum</a> and <a href="https://www.hersheygardens.org/">Gardens</a>.
Chocolate starts with the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) and its beans. While native to the Amazonian region of South America, it can grow in nearly any equatorial region and is now predominantly farmed in West Africa. Cacao farms consist of leafy green trees, so they look more like rainforests than the open fields we are accustomed to in agriculture.
<figure id="attachment_39375" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39375" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/Cacao-blossoms-in-the-New-York-Botanical-Garden-Bronx.-Photo-by-Flickr-user-Kerry-Woods.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39375 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/Cacao-blossoms-in-the-New-York-Botanical-Garden-Bronx.-Photo-by-Flickr-user-Kerry-Woods-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39375" class="wp-caption-text">Cacao blossoms exhibiting &#8220;cauliflory&#8221; as they grow directly from the trunk. Taken at the New York Botanical Garden. Photo credit: Kerry Woods, Flickr</figcaption></figure>
Interestingly, the cacao tree grows its flowers directly on the main trunk, exhibiting “cauliflory” just like the <a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/2024/03/27/weekly-what-is-it-eastern-redbud/">Eastern redbuds</a> I highlighted a few weeks ago. The tree’s fruit, called pods, are the size and shape of smallish footballs. Inside are the cocoa beans, covered in a <a href="https://www.kew.org/plants/cacao-tree">gelatinous white pulp</a> that is also edible. The pulp has been described as having a “tropical” flavor reminiscent of mango, lychee, or peach, and is used in some places for jams, ice creams, and juices.
<figure id="attachment_39365" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39365" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-butter.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39365 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-butter-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39365" class="wp-caption-text">The beginning stages of chocolate making&#8211;from bean to cocoa butter and chocolate liquor. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
Most of us are more familiar with the cocoa beans. Hershey, the 5th largest producer of chocolate in the world, started out using nearly every part of the cacao pod. After the seeds were removed, dried, and crushed for the chocolate-making process, they were separated out into “chocolate liquor” and cocoa butter.
<figure id="attachment_39369" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39369" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-mulch.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39369 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="225" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-mulch-300x225.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39369" class="wp-caption-text">Early in the history of Hershey&#8217;s chocolate, discarded cacao pods were crushed into mulch and sold to gardeners. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
The liquor is used in the actual chocolate-making process, and cocoa butter has been used over the years for products like soap, lotion, and shampoo. Early in the Hershey company’s history, they crushed the pods into mulch and sold it to gardeners.
<figure id="attachment_39367" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39367" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-can.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39367 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="225" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/cocoa-can-225x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39367" class="wp-caption-text">Early Hershey&#8217;s logos prominently featured a cacao pod. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension</figcaption></figure>
Each tree grows about 30 pods per year. According to the Hershey Museum’s <a href="https://hersheystory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/ChocolateMath.pdf">“Chocolate Math” curriculum</a>, each of those pods contains 30-50 beans. To make a pound of chocolate, you need 500 beans—so one average cacao tree will yield approximately 2 pounds of chocolate. With worldwide chocolate consumption hovering around <a href="https://damecacao.com/chocolate-statistics/#million_tons">16 billion pounds</a>, that’s a LOT of trees.
<figure id="attachment_39373" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-39373" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/Cacao-tree-map-Kew-Gardens-1.png"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39373 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="189" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/escambiaco/files/2024/05/Cacao-tree-map-Kew-Gardens-1-300x189.png"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-39373" class="wp-caption-text">Map of worldwide cacao tree distribution. Diagram courtesy Kew Gardens.</figcaption></figure>
There have been headlines lately about <a href="https://www.jpmorgan.com/insights/global-research/commodities/cocoa-prices">chocolate prices going up</a>. This is due to several factors, but in large part to climate change. While the trees already grow in hot regions, the increase in temperature is also <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/climate-and/climate-chocolate">increasing evapotranspiration rates</a>, drying them out faster. Drought conditions are devastating to these trees. Farmers are trying to adapt by growing the trees in the shade of larger trees or moving production up-slope to slightly cooler mountainsides. This, of course, requires clearing and planting in previously undisturbed rainforest, which can have a huge impact on wildlife and other ecosystem functions. Researchers are also working on <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2405985422000313">newer varieties of cacao trees</a> that will be able to survive the changing climatic conditions.

Hotel bath soap at the Hershey Lodge is made with (and smells like) cocoa. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
I have always had a sweet tooth. While some folks prefer their sweetness in fruit or fruity candy, my go-to has always been chocolate. So, you can imagine my delight upon learning our national meeting for Extension natural resource agents would be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I just returned from the meeting last week, and got a kick out of all the Hershey kiss-themed décor at our conference center, hotel rooms, and throughout the city. Even the shampoo and soap had cocoa in them!
Cacao pods growing from a tree located in Hershey Gardens. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Chocolate is a serious business, though—from its beginnings as a ceremonial drink for the Mayans and Aztecs—to the multi-billion-dollar industry it is now. Like many products, it literally takes contributions from the whole world to make chocolate. I was rather fascinated to learn the origins of the chocolate-making process while visiting the Hershey Museum and Gardens.
Chocolate starts with the cacao tree (Theobroma cacao) and its beans. While native to the Amazonian region of South America, it can grow in nearly any equatorial region and is now predominantly farmed in West Africa. Cacao farms consist of leafy green trees, so they look more like rainforests than the open fields we are accustomed to in agriculture.
Cacao blossoms exhibiting “cauliflory” as they grow directly from the trunk. Taken at the New York Botanical Garden. Photo credit: Kerry Woods, Flickr
Interestingly, the cacao tree grows its flowers directly on the main trunk, exhibiting “cauliflory” just like the Eastern redbuds I highlighted a few weeks ago. The tree’s fruit, called pods, are the size and shape of smallish footballs. Inside are the cocoa beans, covered in a gelatinous white pulp that is also edible. The pulp has been described as having a “tropical” flavor reminiscent of mango, lychee, or peach, and is used in some places for jams, ice creams, and juices.
The beginning stages of chocolate making–from bean to cocoa butter and chocolate liquor. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Most of us are more familiar with the cocoa beans. Hershey, the 5th largest producer of chocolate in the world, started out using nearly every part of the cacao pod. After the seeds were removed, dried, and crushed for the chocolate-making process, they were separated out into “chocolate liquor” and cocoa butter.
Early in the history of Hershey’s chocolate, discarded cacao pods were crushed into mulch and sold to gardeners. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
The liquor is used in the actual chocolate-making process, and cocoa butter has been used over the years for products like soap, lotion, and shampoo. Early in the Hershey company’s history, they crushed the pods into mulch and sold it to gardeners.
Early Hershey’s logos prominently featured a cacao pod. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension
Each tree grows about 30 pods per year. According to the Hershey Museum’s “Chocolate Math” curriculum, each of those pods contains 30-50 beans. To make a pound of chocolate, you need 500 beans—so one average cacao tree will yield approximately 2 pounds of chocolate. With worldwide chocolate consumption hovering around 16 billion pounds, that’s a LOT of trees.
Map of worldwide cacao tree distribution. Diagram courtesy Kew Gardens.
There have been headlines lately about chocolate prices going up. This is due to several factors, but in large part to climate change. While the trees already grow in hot regions, the increase in temperature is also increasing evapotranspiration rates, drying them out faster. Drought conditions are devastating to these trees. Farmers are trying to adapt by growing the trees in the shade of larger trees or moving production up-slope to slightly cooler mountainsides. This, of course, requires clearing and planting in previously undisturbed rainforest, which can have a huge impact on wildlife and other ecosystem functions. Researchers are also working on newer varieties of cacao trees that will be able to survive the changing climatic conditions.

I have always had a sweet tooth. While some folks prefer their sweetness in fruit or fruity candy, my go-to has always been chocolate. So, you can imagine my delight upon learning our national meeting for Extension natural resource agents would be held in Hershey, Pennsylvania. I just returned from the meeting last week, and […]

Weekly “What is it?”: Chocolate

Management and Conservation of Wildlife

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distinguished teaching scholar and professor emeritus, Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Gainesville, FL. <a href="https://wec.ifas.ufl.edu/people/wec-faculty/susan-jacobson/">WEC profile</a>

Jacobson, Susan K

Iannone, Basil V.

senior lecturer and director, Florida Natural Resources Leadership Institute, UF/IFAS&nbsp;School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences <a href="http://sfrc.ufl.edu/people/faculty/dain-jonathan/">profile</a>

Dain, Jonathan

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Basic Steps to Creating a Conservation Land Trust in Florida

Environmental Deterioration and Conservation in Cuban Agriculture

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Protecting Natural Areas During Development: Four Spatial Considerations to Maximize their Benefits

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