In the fight against heart disease, Go Red for Women Day has emerged as a powerful campaign to raise awareness and promote heart health among women. Historically, heart disease has primarily been seen as a “men’s” disease, often overshadowing the reality that women are equally susceptible to its devastating effects. So, let’s look at the misconceptions surrounding…
The term ‘sustainable agriculture’ involves boosting food production while conserving habitats and natural resources and reducing reliance on pesticides and fertilizers.
While experts agree there is still much to learn to support its potential, they say sustainable agriculture models could promote food security, regulate climate change, promote biodiversity, improve water quality and more.
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Cultivating Florida’s Strawberry Legacy
In the heart of Florida’s strawberry fields, the partnership between the Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (UF/IFAS) has not only nurtured thriving strawberry crops, but has sown seeds of innovation, philanthropy, and industrywide impact.
As far back as the early 1950s, UF/IFAS scientists have been…
Plants that grow in tropical environments (such as Florida) are faced with nutrient deficient soils. Many of the swamps and bogs, wet flatwoods, and even dry mesic flatlands are poor in Nitrogen and Phosphorus. These elements are essential for growth. Luckily these areas are also home to many insects which are rich sources of Nitrogen,…
Arguably the most popular insect in our landscape, Butterflies are beloved by all. Now everyone can easily start a Butterfly Garden to attract and raise butterflies … guaranteed! Here are two easy steps on How to Attract Butterflies and keep them coming to visit your garden. Adult Nectar Source. Adult butterflies feed mostly on nectar and…
What better way to add color into your Florida Garden than to include the versatile Salvia. This is one of the largest genera of flowering plants with a thousand species worldwide. Salvias will grow in full sun to shade, sandy soil to mucky soil, in ground or in containers. And, Salvias are fast growing, flower…
What makes a plant a succulent? Succulents are plants with the ability to hold water in their thick, fleshy tissue. Water storage can occur in leaves or stems. A cactus holds water in the stem while a jade plant holds water mostly in the leaves. What are some types of succulents that grow well in…
Introduction Among the ten species of geckos found in Florida, only one, the Florida Reef Gecko (Sphaerodactylus notatus), is native to the state, the additional ten non-native species found in the state having arrived in cargo or via the pet trade. Among them are the Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) first identified in 1910 in Florida, the Tropical…
The number one priority for cow-calf ranchers should be providing the management needed to wean calves from 90% or more of the cows in a herd on an annual basis. Simply said, but challenging to accomplish, as this is one of the key determining factors for profitability of a cow-calf operation. Cattle from Bar L…
American Heart Month is observed every February to raise awareness about heart health and encourage people to adopt heart-healthy lifestyles. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, but the good news is that you can do a lot to protect your heart and stay healthy.…
A pitchfork mixing food and garden compost.
Food waste is one of the main drivers in Florida’s dependence on landfills, which fuel greenhouse emissions and promote climate change.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), landfills contribute annually up to 14 percent of emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas, and are a major contributor to global warming.…
Why is handwashing important? Handwashing is one of the best ways you can help stop the spread of infection and stay healthy. It is one of those personal hygiene activities we need to prioritize. Bacteria and germs can enter your body and make you sick if you don’t properly wash your hands. Bacteria can get…
