by RONALD LUND Do you frequent local farmers’ markets? Are you a fan of Florida-grown fruits and vegetables? (There are over 300 of them grown here.) Are you trying to cook healthier meals, but not sure where to begin? As part of our service to the community, our free monthly Teaching Kitchen class is here
by MIKE ROBERTS The Florida Citrus Show in Fort Pierce saw an update from Mark Ritenour, a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) post-harvest Extension specialist, on upcoming changes to the Produce Safety Rule. A recent Citrus Industry article gave a recap of his presentation at the show. The Food Safety
by WILLIAM “BILL” DOTY It’s time for the gardening tips for March. We have some great suggestions this month to make anyone a lawn and gardening pro. Your yard needs some much-needed attention during this month. Ensure that you fertilize your lawn now. Many problems are caused by lack of food. A quality 16-4-8 formulation
by PATRICK SPINOSA According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the average age of the American farmer is approximately 58 years old, with 33% of farmers 65 and older managing approximately 320 million acres of farmland. With the U.S. Department of Agriculture estimating 500,000 farmers will retire in the next 20 years, the question
It’s a given that crops need fertilizer in order to produce successful yields. That’s no secret. However, improper fertilization can actually decrease yields, costing you money and potentially harming the environment in the process. That’s what makes 4R nutrient stewardship so important. In case you aren’t familiar, 4R stands for the Right fertilizer source at
IN THA LAST MONTH’S column, I began a conversation about the considerable changes in public refrigerated warehousing (PRW) during the past couple of decades — the evolution of a mostly “pallet-in, pallet-out” business to a more complex 3PL enterprise offering many more services to PRW customers. I promised more on the topic for this month’s
Believe it or not, there is such a thing as “good” debt! Fixed rate, low-interest debt can allow you access to money that you can reinvest. Using a mortgage to buy a house is a great example. Of course, there is “bad” debt – floating-rate and high-interest loans such as credit cards are often not
By Michael E. Workman Purchasing farmland in Florida, or any farmland in general, comes with its own unique challenges and risks. On top of it being a huge financial decision, there are a variety of different factors to determine throughout the land-buying process. Here are some recommendations to consider helping make the process go as
Strangles (Streptococcus equi subspecies equi) is always a concerning buzz word around the horse community. The bacteria causes an upper respiratory infection which results in swelling of the lymph nodes in the upper neck and head region. The strangles bacteria is extremely resilient and contagious. It can survive on buckets, water troughs, equipment, and in
Florida is second in the U.S. for commercial strawberry production and has a farm-gate value of approximately $300 million (USDA 2015). What most people don’t know— and what every Florida strawberry grower knows all too well— is that this commodity is one of the costliest to grow in Florida. For example, in a 2017 UF/IFAS
