The Bumble Bee – One of Florida’s Vital Pollinators

The Bumble Bee – One of Florida’s Vital Pollinators

Bumble bees are among the most recognizable of insects. They are large, colorful, and a wonder to watch.  They’re also popularized in media, cartoons, and clip-art images, but beyond the popular images, bumble bees are worthy of our attention as important pollinators...
USDA Researching New Test to Determine Nitrogen Levels in Soil

USDA Researching New Test to Determine Nitrogen Levels in Soil

Sharon Durham, ARS Office of Communications Nitrogen is the main nutrient added to cereal crops like corn, which makes them grow faster and stronger. But too much of a good thing could sometimes have negative outcomes. Too much nitrogen can run off with rainwater or...
Friday Feature: The Ride Over Gate

Friday Feature: The Ride Over Gate

Every livestock producer has daydreamed about automatic gates to make travel around ranches faster and easier.  But, it is too expensive to provide power and hydraulic cylinders for each pasture gate.  This week’s featured video was produced by the Wrangler...
Double Cropping Options for a Fall Vegetable Crop

Double Cropping Options for a Fall Vegetable Crop

Fruit and vegetable production on plastic mulch is a substantial investment.  To help justify the high input cost, farmers oftentimes choose to double crop.  This practice can provide a significant amount of additional income for the farm if a good farm management...