How to ripen green tomatoes. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Even if the tomatoes you’re growing are green, you can still pick them and after-ripen them indoors. Especially, if you live in a region with cold weather extremes. It’s perfectly ok to harvest tomatoes when the fruits begin to change color and soften to the feel. At …
Fruits and Veggies Easy to Grow in Your Garden
Some fruits and veggies that are easy to grow in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Covid-19 has forced us into the new normal of social distancing. And when it comes to grocery shopping, produce availability in stores is less consistent. There’s no better time than now than to learn how to grow our own fruit and …
Bipartisan Congressional Letter Calls for Stronger U.S. Approach to Preserving Common Food and Wine Terms
A coalition of leading farm and agricultural groups are applauding a bipartisan letter sent by 111 members of Congress urging stronger protections for American-made food and wine exports using common terms. This is an important message regarding the need for enhanced U.S. efforts to combat the European Union’s (EU) attempts to ban U.S. exports of cheese, meat and wine products that are …
USDA Releases 2019 Pesticide Data Report
The USDA published its 2019 Pesticide Data Program’s Annual Summary. The report shows that nearly 99 percent of the tested samples had pesticide residues below benchmark levels established by the Environmental Protection Agency. The two agencies work together every year to identify which foods get tested on a rotating basis. The Agricultural Marketing Service works with state agencies to collect …
Winterize Your Garden Doing These Must-Do Steps
Some things to do right now to winterize your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. There are several must-do items that you must check off your garden to-do list before winter rolls around. First, pull all of your plants out. But, before you can do that, you should pull out any plant supports that they might be …
Scary Insects for Halloween: The Blood-Thirsty Calyptra
Sometimes insects show signs of monster-behavior. It’s nothing personal to us humans, and let me assure you that this behavior has nothing to do with full moons or anything that may live under your bed at night. Sometimes an insect’s monster-behavior is nothing more than the result of good old-fashioned circumstances, like leaving a door or window open. Fortunately, flyscreen …
Commodity Classic Announces Transition to Digital Experience
(NCGA) — Commodity Classic has announced it will transition its annual conference and trade show, originally scheduled for March 4-6, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas, to an alternative digital format. The change was necessary due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The new format is expected to be offered the first week in March 2021. “This is about doing …
Best Herbs to Help with Anxiety and Insomnia
Some of the best herbs to help with anxiety and insomnia. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Living in such uncertain times can certainly cause anyone to have a bit of stress. And with stress comes anxiety and restlessness. Luckily, there are many herbs that are known to help calm anxiety and promote sleep. Some people also find …
Could the Miracle Fruit be for South Florida?
New study uncovers data showing how bountiful it can grow in the subtropics (UF/IFAS) — Scientists at University of Florida’s Tropical Research and Education Center have unlocked the mystery behind a highly sought-after berry known as the Miracle fruit in a study published this week. This news brings much needed insight to local growers, and food and drink manufacturers who …
New Blueberry Variety Honors Benefactor and UF Alumnus Alto Straughn
(UF/IFAS) — When Patricio Muñoz developed the University of Florida’s newest blueberry variety, he wanted to name the fruit in honor of Alto Straughn, a longtime, strong supporter of UF’s blueberry breeding program. Muñoz decided to call the new variety the ‘Sentinel.’ “A ‘sentinel’ is a watcher or guardian,” said Muñoz, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of horticultural sciences. “It is …