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By Teresa Schiffer Many people enjoy getting off the beaten path in their spare time with a drive on an ATV (all-terrain vehicle) or OHV (off-highway vehicle). Hey, it’s fun to get out there and get dirty zipping around on a 4-wheeler! It’s also nice to take that long, leisurely ride through the woods, enjoying […]

by CHERYL ROGERS Brian Armstrong, the executive director of the Southwest Florida Water Management District, is bringing together people and organizations to prepare for a growing demand for water. Since the Southwest Florida Water Management District was created to mitigate flood control in the wake of Hurricane Donna in 1960, its role has expanded to

by MARY TOOTHMAN One of the hottest new trends in the world of healthy eating today is the consumption of microgreens – which are the seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs. Once the seed of an herb or vegetable begins to grow, it is considered a sprout. Once the sprout begins to grow, the baby

by TIM CRAIG Central Florida farmers may expect the extension of research funding dollars and support programs after the U.S. Senate passed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 in July, which would re-authorize the Farm Bill for five years. The Senate-passed bill and a similar House version, will now go to conference. As of August

by TERESA SCHIFFER By now, you’ve probably heard of the crisis off Florida’s coasts. Sea turtles, manatees, and other wildlife are dying off in record numbers, victims of huge blooms of toxic blue-green algae and red tide. People are outraged at the state of our waters, as it’s not only an ecological disaster, but an

by ERIKA ALDRICH The image of riding across a beach atop a horse is a common romantic depiction, but it’s also one that is totally possible to achieve. Whether you’re looking for a company that offers beach-based horse riding, or you’re thinking about giving it a try with your own horse, the golden beaches of

By ABBY CRAWFORD Each year members of the Florida Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program compete for the Achievement in Agriculture Award. This prestigious award recognizes one member each year who has gone above and beyond in their agriculture involvement on their operation and who exemplifies premier leadership skills both in Farm Bureau and

by MATT NORMAN Could a fungus be the answer to an invasive insect that is attacking Florida’s $8.63 billion citrus industry? On the surface this sounds strange, but scientists at the University of Florida think that one fungus in particular can help fight the Asian citrus psyllid, and help improve the future for citrus growers

On June 28, the UF/IFAS extension office in Lake Alfred hosted more than 70 individuals at their Citrus Youth Day to learn some science and gain better insight into the citrus industry. The Citrus Youth Day, now in its second year, had double the number of students who attended its debut last year. Students from

Florida Citrus Growers Fighting Greening with Plant Nutrition, Newer Varieties The Florida citrus industry is holding on, relying on nutritional methods and newer varieties to buy time until more effective solutions to citrus greening are found. A company with deep roots in the industry, Tamiami Citrus LLC has recommitted to citrus in spite of greening,