How to tell if a watermelon is ripe. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When picking a watermelon at the market the first way to tell if it’s ripe is by looking at its belly. This spot on a ripe watermelon will be yellowish and not white, which indicates an unripe melon. Using your knuckles, rap on the …
First Virtual Georgia Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training
The Georgia Department of Agriculture Produce Safety Team is offering a virtual two-day Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training via Zoom on Oct. 21 and Oct. 22 from 8 a.m.-noon. Any produce grower who grows, packs, harvests and/or holds covered produce, makes more than $25,000 in annual produce sales (on average, based on the past three years of sales), and does …
Growing One of the Most Used Spices in the World
Growing one of the most used spices in the world. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Peppercorns is one of the most used spices in the world. You can grow it from home as long as you have space, patience, and heat. Peppercorn is a perennial vine that blooms lovely little white flowers, typically in the middle of summer. …
Ways to Tell if You’re Tomatoes are Ripe if You’re Color Blind
The ways to tell if you’re tomatoes are ripe if you’re red-green color blind. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When it comes to fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, color is one of the key visual hints when determining ripeness. If harvested too early, the fruits may not ripen properly. In contrast, if left on the stem for …
Challenges to Raising Peafowl on Your Farm
Some challenges to raising Peafowl on your farm. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Peafowl are uniquely large and gorgeous birds but they are noisy. And that can be a challenge if your neighbors are close by. Peafowl are known to make a loud shrilling call, or honking sounds, and can be heard up to 5 miles away! …
Reasons to Consider Raising Peafowl on Your Farm
Some reasons to consider raising peafowl on your farm. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Peafowl, also knows as Peacocks are easily recognizable by their gorgeous ornamental tail feathers. They’re incredibly easy to raise and the most common varieties found on farms are the Javanese, also called green fowl, Congo peafowl, and Indian Blue peafowl. Some reasons to …
Planting Now for Fresh Food on the Thanksgiving Table
What you should plant now for fresh food at the Thanksgiving table. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The key to planting a fall-winter garden is timing. As summer hits its peak and begins to wane, it’s time to begin the fall-winter garden. While some crops can survive frosts and freezes, the plants need to be well established …
Why Cucumber and Squash Leaves Turn Yellow
Why your cucumber and squash leaves are turning yellow. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. At some point, as your cucumbers and squash grow, you might find the leaves turning yellow and dying. It’s a sign there is something wrong with your plants. The most common reason for yellowing leaves is that you have a watering problem. That …
Farmer Plants Sunflowers as an Uplift During Pandemic
How a Wisconsin farmer decided to cheer everyone up during the Pandemic. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Scott Thompson and his family have been farming for 70 years in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. They offer anyone visiting their farm to freely pick their own Strawberries in the summer. And, pick raspberries and pumpkins in the fall. When the …
The Importance of Humidity When Caring for Orchids
The importance of humidity when caring for orchids. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. The ideal daytime humidity for most orchid plants is from 60-80% and possibly more during hot seasons. Most orchids are tropical plants, but that doesn’t mean they need rain forest humidity to grow in your home. Orchids like air movement. Indoors, an overhead paddle …