The 2022 Farmers’ Almanac hits store shelves this week and contains 184 pages of helpful tips, calendars, and guides to help you plan your year ahead. It also features weather forecasts for the next 16 months, plus useful advice on ways to take cues from nature to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Editor Pete Geiger states, “we encourage readers to …
National Farmers Market Week Underway
The U.S. Secretary of Agriculture proclaimed this first week of August as National Farmers Market Week. It is a way to champion the direct-to-consumer producers, market managers, and customers that make their communities come alive during market days. According to a story from Rod Bain, highlights of the week are not only the markets themselves, but the innovations that allow these institutions to …
Pretty Plants that Repel Biting Bugs
Some pretty plants that repel biting bugs. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Strongly scented plants have the ability to send pesky biting bugs like mosquitoes and flies packing. Grow Basil on your patio table, or plant a drift of basil in the garden bed. It’s both insect-repelling and a culinary herb, so choose the variety that best suits …
Avoiding Heat-Related Deaths
A new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) report showed 215 people in Florida died from heat-related causes in the last 10 years. The fact that heat-related deaths happen throughout the year surprised the researchers who wrote the report. Serap Gorucu, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, helped write the report. She and …
Clarifying the Product of the USA Label
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced a top-to-bottom review of the “Product of the USA” label, which will inform a forthcoming rulemaking on this topic. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said “American consumers depend upon accurate, transparent labels to obtain important information about the food they consume. American farmers and ranchers depend upon those same labels to convey information about …
Deadline Nearing to Apply for ADAI Relief Program
Back in April, the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries (ADAI) announced they were administering the Alabama Agriculture Relief Program (AARP) to provide USDA relief funds to farmers who suffered losses due to Hurricane Michael in 2018. While the original deadline to apply was June 25th, they want to remind those who experienced necessary expenses related to losses of beef …
Common Plant Pests and Diseases for a Favorite Culinary Herb
Some common plants pests and diseases for a favorite culinary herb. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Basil is one of the most popular culinary herbs to grow, thanks to its fragrance and delicious flavor. It’s also one of the easiest herbs to grow, so when your basil plants start to die, you wonder what’s happening. There are quite …
High Tunnel System Grants Available in Florida
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Florida is investing $300,000 in Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG). These are for high tunnel systems that improve weather resiliency and improve degraded plant conditions. Florida State Conservationist, Juan Hernandez, explains why CIG is a competitive grant. Grants will be awarded to applicants matching funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis from non-federal sources that can include cash or in-kind contributions. …
NRCS Providing Support for Urban Farming
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has been assisting urban farmers for over 10 years. Since 2010, NRCS state offices have provided more than $18 million to 130 entities in the form of grants and agreements to support urban agriculture and conservation projects. From 2014 to 2019, NRCS completed more than 18,000 conservation practices totaling $41 million on urban farms …
Getting Rid of an Aggressive Weed Before It Takes Over
How to get rid of an aggressive weed before it takes over your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Creeping Charlie is an aggressive backyard weed that is a member of the mint family, which is known for its tendency to spread. This shallow rooted weed also has a minty odor when cut or crushed. If you try …