(UF/IFAS) — No one could have predicted the kind of year 2020 has been. But in late 2019, when UF/IFAS experts were asked to predict the top food and garden trends for the coming year, they made some startlingly accurate predictions. Today, these trends are no longer forecasts but facts of life in a year characterized by a global pandemic …
Best Mushroom Growing Kits for the Beginning Gardner
Some of the best mushroom growing kits for the beginning gardner. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you love eating mushrooms, why wouldn’t you want to try to grow them yourself? Even if you have a green thumb, or just want to make a fun project for the kids, there are growing kits that actually work and …
Fruits and Veggies You Should Never Store Together
Some fruits and veggies you should never store together. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Storing your food properly is one of the keys to extending its life. However, some produce shouldn’t be stored together because of the Ethylene gas that is emitted as the foods ripen. Most plants produce ethylene, but the amount varies based on the …
White Strawberry One of Two New UF/IFAS Varieties Ready for Harvest Season
(UF/IFAS) — A white strawberry? Not red? Yes, you “read” that right. And it smells a little like a pineapple. It’s also novel in that it’s the first white strawberry to go to market in the United States. Just in time for the west-central Florida strawberry harvesting season, which runs from now until the end of March, UF/IFAS is releasing …
Unique Tasty Veggie Called the Common Ice Plant
A unique and tasty veggie called the Common Ice Plant. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Common ice plant is one of those veggies that chefs love because it makes a unique addition to the restaurant menu. But it may be completely unknown to the average gardener. The leaves and stems have a fresh, salty flavor that brings …
Best Methods to Seed Pomegranate Fruit
Some of the best methods to seed Pomegranate. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Seeding Pomegranates can be a bit of a challenge. And, there are a few ways of doing it. One method is to make a small nick in the stem of the fruit and pull the fruit apart.Then, pick out the seeds individually. The second …
Cost of 2020 Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is a bit different this year because of COVID-19. But, did consumers pay more or less this year for the items that make up the traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner? Rod Bain has a story that answers that question. American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist John Newton shares the cost of some of this year’s Thanksgiving Day dinner items, per the 2020 …
Farmers Earn 12 Cents of Thanksgiving Food Dollar
(NAFB) — For every dollar Americans spend on Thanksgiving dinner this year, farmers and ranchers will earn about 11.9 cents. The National Farmers Union says that marks a slight drop from 2019 when farmers claimed 12.5 cents of the Thanksgiving food dollar. Though farmers’ smaller share of food expenditures could be blamed on dropping commodity prices in previous years, it’s …
How to Harvest Pomegranate Before You Seed Them
How to harvest Pomegranate before you can seed them. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you have your own pomegranate tree, here’s how to harvest your fruits before you can seed them. Pick the fruit when it is fully red and slightly soft to the touch. It takes about six to seven months from flowering until it’s …
Different Varieties of Pomegranates to Grow
The many different varieties of Pomegranates you can grow or find at your local grocer. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. With a taste of tartness combined with a sweet undertone, pomegranate reminds me of cherries or cranberries. ‘Sweet’ is a favorite variety because it’s sweet, as the name suggests. The skin is pink or light red, preceded …