Repurposing Christmas Trees and Enhancing Pond Management for Aquatic Habitats
Murilo Morata, Agriculture and Natural Resources Extension Agent, UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County As the festive season approaches, millions of households across the country prepare to celebrate with live Christmas trees, bringing the warmth and cheer of the...
Choosing Bedding for Your Chicken Coop
It's been chilly outside! Christmas is just around the corner and we are all looking forward to the holidays. Choosing the right bedding for your chicken coop might seem straightforward, but several factors play a crucial role in ensuring the health and comfort of...
2024 Panhandle Peanut Butter Challenge Results
Forty of Florida's 67 counties, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU), and the University of Florida's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) participated in the Peanut Butter Challenge in 2024. In total, 30,831 jars (39,898 lbs.) of peanut...
Friday Funny: Jerry Clower tells the Story of Uncle Versie’s Trial
Jerry Clower was a well known southern comedian who actually was a county agent in the early 1950s in Mississippi after college graduation. In this video, Jerry shares a classic tale at the Grand Old Opry about his Uncle Versie, who was a farmer who had an accident...
Precision Technology Weed Control Sprayer Demonstration
Guilherme "G" Morata, UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa County Precision spraying for weed control has become increasingly vital in modern agriculture. As growers face rising input costs and growing environmental challenges, the need for sustainable and efficient solutions...
Selling Calves at Weaning versus Backgrounding in the Current Cattle Market
I recently had a rancher ask me about whether it was more economical to background a group of steers through the winter months to sell in the spring, or sell them at weaning before the end of the year. This decision involves many factors that vary across each...
3 Reasons to Weigh Your Cows
Recently I had a conversation with a vegetable farmer from the upper mid-west. Somehow we got on the topic of scales and I explained to him that many cattle producers don’t have a scale. The farmer looked at me in pure shock! “How do you know how much to feed your...
Harvest Time – Recapping the 2024 Cropping Season
Another year has almost come and gone for Central Panhandle (Jackson, Calhoun, Washington, and Holmes County) farmers. Peanuts and cotton planted back in April and May have reached maturity and have mostly been harvested. So, with the end of the season upon us,...
Considerations for Your Chicken Coop During Cooler Weather
While it has been unseasonably hot this fall, it is finally starting to cool off! While most livestock prefer the cooler weather, our feather friends need special considerations during the colder season. Fortunately, with a few easy steps, keeping your chickens...
Ed Borgato is the New UF/IFAS Weed Scientist in West Florida
Dr. Ednaldo (Ed) Borgato joined UF/IFAS as the new Weed Scientist, at the West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC), near Jay, Florida. Ed earned his bachelor's degree in Agronomy and master's degree in Weed Science from the University of Sao Paulo, in...