Cotton Marketing News: Old and New Crop
Last week (May 10,2018) USDA released its monthly crop production and supply and demand estimates. Each year, the May report contains the first projections for the upcoming new crop year. Here is a summary of major points for both 2017 old crop, and 2018 new crop....
Friday Feature: Satsumas from Farm to Schools
This week's featured video was produced by Chartwells School Dining Services to highlight their "Farm to School" program. This video features the relationship that was established with Cherokee Farms, Marianna, Florida to supply every student in the Duval County...
Using Solar Energy to Pump Water for Livestock
Sometimes the cost of running overhead power lines to power remote pumps is cost prohibitive on large acreages. This causes farmers and ranchers to look for alternative energy sources. In Florida, a great energy source is solar energy. There are many advantages to...
Adding Flowering Plants to Strawberry Fields to Enhance Pest Management and Biodiversity
By Iris Strzyzewski, Biological Scientist and PhD Student, Joe Funderburk and Justin Renkema, UF Entomologists. Over the last few years, Florida strawberry growers have been faced with declining market prices, increased global competition, and suspected and documented...
Bahiagrass Pasture Fertilization – Is it Worth the Money?
One area of management that often comes up in discussions with producers managing smaller herds is pasture fertilization. There are several aspects that can be confusing. The first questions are, “Should I fertilize?” and, “Is it worth the money?” The next...
Dry Weather has not deterred the Dragons among Us
During a pond visit to the dry northern part of Escambia County, something caught my eye floating along the margins of the pond. There, on the shore, perched on a blade of grass, was an empty dragonfly exoskeleton and a newly emerged adult dragonfly (see image...
Friday Feature: Karl Kressman’s the Cow Truck & the Convertible
This week's featured video is a humorous selection of Rawhide tales with Karl Kressman. Karl Kressman is a well known cowboy and Longhorn cattle breeder in Jackson County, FL. Instead of writing down his memoirs he has created a YouTube video series to share his...
Don’t Let Under-Performing Cows Hide in Your Herd
There is a mountain of good research data out there that shows that one of the best cattle herd management strategies is a defined breeding season. The breeding season should be less than 120 days, and ideally should be 60 – 90 days to see all the associated...
Late Winter Freeze Events Eliminated the 2018 Peach Crop in North Florida
Peter C. Andersen University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center A one and one quarter acre (0.5 hectare) peach orchard was established during March 2015, at the North Florida Research and Education Center, Quincy. The cultivars included in the...
April 18 Weather Summary and Three Month Outlook
Rainfall April was another cool month, only slightly warmer than March, with below normal rainfall for much of the Panhandle. Most of the region received 2-5", with isolated areas over 5". All six Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) stations in the Panhandle...