A strong majority of farmers and farm-workers say the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their mental health, according to a new American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) poll. The poll also indicates that more than half say they are personally experiencing more mental health challenges than they were a year ago. The survey of rural adults and farmers/farmworkers reveals how the pandemic …
Treating the Plant Pathogen Powdery Mildew Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Powdery Mildew is a fungal infection caused by a range of fungi known to attack all manner of different plant families. It has been known to annihilate entire crops and can be difficult to get rid of. You’ll recognize it by its description, …
Treating More Common Plant Pathogens Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Rust blight is easy to identify because of the hue that gives it its name. Basically, it causes rust-colored pustules on the plants it infects. It also thrives in wet weather but prefers cool temperatures rather than hot. You’ll recognize it by the …
How to Treat Common Plant Pathogens Naturally
Common plant pathogens and how to treat them naturally. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Fungi, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes will undoubtedly show up in your garden eventually. Fortunately, there are ways to identify them and treat them with natural means. We will cover this in the next week of programs. Potato Blight was caused by one of …
Global Group Recognizes UF/IFAS Engineer for Strawberry Spray App
(UF/IFAS) — Now that we’re knee-deep in strawberry season, many growers owe Clyde Fraisse and Natalia Peres a debt of gratitude. About a decade ago, Peres saw a need for a fungicide decision-support tool. Farmers sprayed about every week to control strawberry diseases known as anthracnose and botrytis during the growing season, which goes from November through March in Florida. …
New Peach Rootstocks for Florida’s Sweet Peach Season
Can UF scientists help farmers perfect the Florida-grown peach for consumers? Here’s what they are up to. (UF/IFAS) — Ricardo Lesmes-Vesga aims to help farmers grow peaches in Florida’s various production regions. To that end, he aims to develop peach rootstocks specific to those areas and he believes his research findings will help growers who harvest the fruit when the …
Global Gardeners Help UF Tomato Breeding Program
(UF/IFAS) — Normally, University of Florida scientists such as Harry Klee gauge the taste and aroma of their new tomatoes by letting volunteers test them at the UF Sensory Lab in Gainesville. But now, people from across the globe who grow tomatoes in their gardens can serve as citizen scientists and send flavor and growing data to Klee. In this …
Raising Your Own Cleansing Soapnut Trees
How to raise your own cleansing soapberries. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you’re looking for an eco-friendly soap that you can use for many applications in your home, soapnuts are an awesome option you can grow yourself. The shell, or the outer layer of the drupe, contains saponin. This creates a soaping effect when the shell …
Farmers Gain Improved Access to Small Business Support as PPP Reopens
(NMPF) — The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) is pleased that farmers who run their operations as sole proprietors, independent contractors, or otherwise self-employed individuals will have newly expanded access as soon as today to the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) under changes made in the COVID stimulus package Congress approved last month. Producers who were denied PPP loans or whose …
Unique Berry that Tastes Like a Baked Apple
A unique berry that tastes like a baked apple. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you want a special berry plant to add to your garden, consider growing cloudberries. These small, rare, delicate plants produce delicious berries and take up such little space. And, they taste like baked apples. Cloudberries are typically found in the alpine and …