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 …
Suggestions for Squeezing a Garden onto a Small Deck or Patio
Some ways to squeeze a garden on to your small deck or patio. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Starting a garden can be a challenge if your deck or patio is the size of a postage stamp. The good news is that there are many clever, space-saving garden ideas where large backyards are not required. You may even …
How to Use and Plant the Beneficial Weed Goosegrass
How to use and plant a beneficial weed. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Goosegrass is a weed with many names. Such as cleavers, grip grass, catchweed, stickweed, wait-a-minute, sticky jack, and quite a few more. Almost all of its names are related to the plant being able to hook into fur and clothing easily. But’s it’s not all …
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 …
Plant Things That Keep Bees Coming Back for More
How to plant things that will keep bees coming back for more.  That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Bees are one of our most valuable pollinators, responsible for pollinating 80 percent of the world’s plants! That means 1 out of every 4 bites of food we eat is due to the hard work of bees. Its up to us …
Estimating Crop Yield With Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
A researcher at the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) in Greece is using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to estimate crop yield. “Crop yield is the most important piece of information for crop management in precision agriculture. Early crop yield estimations allow farmers to optimize farm operation scheduling, field management and product marketing decisions,” said AUA associate professor Spyros Fountas. Fountas …
Florida Right to Farm Bill Awaits Governor’s Signature
Just hours after the Florida House gave final approval Thursday, a bill that would expand legal protections for farmers was sent to Gov. Ron DeSantis. According to the News Service of Florida, the House voted 110-7 to support expanding the state’s “Right to Farm” law, a top priority of Senate President Wilton Simpson, R-Trilby. The Senate passed the bill (SB …
Fertilizer Costs Shape Crop Production Expenses
The Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service reports production costs for corn and other major commodities are shaped by fertilizer cost. From 2010 to 2019, fertilizer was a major expense in U.S. corn production, accounting for 33 to 44 percent of operating costs-a category that includes other variable expenses like seed, chemicals, fuel, and repairs. Fertilizer also comprised 16 to …