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The Gift of Giving Blood

January 26, 2023
You might ask yourself, “why should I give blood?” and “How could a pint of my blood help?” Did you know that: · Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed daily in the U.S. · Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S., and nearly…

A Winter Wildlife Garden

January 25, 2023
What do you see in the  photo on the left? A container of useless dead plants A bouquet of pollinator plants in their “winter” form A container showing plants that are a source of nesting and shelter for our over-wintering native pollinators To pollinator gardeners, the correct answers are B and C. From spring through…

Cold-Protection pro tips

January 25, 2023
Tips from the Help Desk… Cold Protection Pro Tips by David Austin Residential Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Volunteer Coordinator Late December and early January brought the Heartland of Florida some unexpected colder-than-usual temperatures. January and February are usually our colder months, so expect a few more rounds to come. Hopefully, your plants survived these…

Water Hyacinth: A Past Memory or a Current Problem? (Redux)

January 24, 2023
Water hyacinth is a free-floating plant that produces a showy and very attractive blue/purple flower. As they bunch together and bloom, it provides a picturesque setting for any water garden. At least, that was the thought when these plants were given away to attendees of the 1884 World’s Fair in New Orleans, Louisiana. Some of…

Connections, Stress, and Post-Break Blues

January 24, 2023
The tumult of the holidays has ended, and the metaphorical dust has settled. Even so, you may feel residual stress hanging over your head. Perhaps your relationships were one of your main sources of stress during the holidays. If you find yourself dreading the next round of winter gatherings with friends or family, read on.…

Houseplants and Humidity in NE Florida Winters

January 23, 2023
    Photo by Walter Bryant, MGV After several mild winters, NorthEast Florida has experienced several recent cold spells where we have turned up the thermostats in our homes.  Homes typically have low humidity levels anyway but during the winter, heat pumps and other heating sources can create dry air throughout the house.  Humidity may drop…

UF/IFAS helps Floridians launch food business dreams

January 23, 2023
Starting a food business might seem intimidating, but UF/IFAS Extension courses can help make big dreams a reality. That is exactly how Sharlay Smith of Jacksonville, Florida, turned a “lightbulb moment” into The Lentil House, a profitable business that sells a Smith family favorite in Whole Foods stores across the state. A new adventure After 10 years as an…

Equine Myth Busters: Gut Health

January 20, 2023
Owning horses is like having potato chips, you can’t have just one. With each horse comes a labor of love in ensuring they are well managed, especially when it comes to overseeing their gut function and keeping them free of colic, ulcers, and other gastric distress. Depending on your farm’s location and overall farm management,…

This Arbor Day, Plant an Investment in a Greener Future

January 20, 2023
January 20 is Arbor Day in Florida, and this Friday, Extension offices throughout the state will be hosting tree planting workshops and tree giveaways. Florida gets a jump on national arbor day, which isn’t until April, because this is the time of year when young trees are easiest to transplant in our warmer climate. As…

Learn from our Edible Landscaping Series to Grow Fruits, Vegetables, and Herbs the Florida Friendly Way

January 19, 2023
Food crops can demand substantial amounts of water, fertilizer, and care. Using Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) practices can reduce the inputs and still allow you to harvest food abundantly. There are many different terms for edible landscaping: foodscaping, food forest, permaculture, square-foot gardening, and urban agriculture. But the Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) principles represent best management practices that can be applied to…

Shopping for Health: Fruits and Vegetables

January 19, 2023
This year, my partner’s and my goal is to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. She’s been vegetarian more than half her life, so she has a lot of practice with this. I, on the other hand, still need some help figuring out what I want besides the standard apples and bananas. There are just…

Portion Control Matters. Portion Size Matters.

January 18, 2023
Vultures as nature’s scavengers. Turkey vultures are commonly seen throughout the Florida Treasure Coast communities of Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties.  They are fairly easy to distinguish from black vultures.  Turkey vultures have red heads; whereas, black vultures have black heads.  There are other distinguishing characteristics, but this is generally how I identify…
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