Heart of Louisiana: Native Plants
These volunteers are trying to change the wooded landscape at this small nature preserve in Arnaudville.
“This acre back here has a lot of invasives, tallows, Chinese privet, honeysuckle. This could use some more diversity,” said Phyllis Grifford.
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LSU AgCenter’s Spring Garden Show Educates Community on the Importance of Horticulture
LSU’s Agriculture Center and LSU School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences (SPESS) presented the 22nd annual Baton Rouge Spring Show at the John M. Parker Coliseum this past weekend.
The LSU AgCenter was established in 1972 by the LSU Board of Chancellors with the intention of giving the university system’s agricultural programs their own distinct identity.
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New LSU AgCenter Citrus Point Of Contact Looks To Bring New Research, Producers Into The Market
In 2023, Anna Timmerman, a horticulture agent for St. Bernard and Plaquemines Parish, had to think swiftly to deal with a salt wedge that was rising up the Mississippi River. There were concerns about this causing issues for nursery irrigation systems, Timmerman was particularly worried about how the saltwater would affect one segment of her clientele: Plaquemines Parish citrus producers.
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Husband-and-wife-run Fullness Farm Celebrates 10 years of Local, Organic Produce
Perched at the south entrance of the Saturday Red Stick Farmers Market, the Fullness Farm booth holds tidy, tiered arrangements of colorful organic veggies.
There are tender ready-to-eat lettuces and leafy greens, carefully washed and portioned in clear bags. There are bundles of carrots and radishes, raw materials for recipes or snacking. Broccoli and cauliflower make an appearance in cooler months, while plump tomatoes, eggplant and scads of different peppers beckon spring and summer regulars.
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What Strawberry Farmers Are Expecting After Another Freeze
With another record cold this time of year, some farmers are prepping to make sure their crops will survive until morning. Right now, the crops are covered to protect them, but one local farmer says he’s not too worried about them.
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From Tree to Table: A Guide to Growing Pecans in Louisiana
There’s nothing quite like pecans. With their rich, buttery flavor, these nuts are a staple of Louisiana culture and cuisine.
If you’d like to produce your own pecans, November through March is an ideal time to plant these trees. There are a few considerations to take into account first.
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SWLA Farmers Feel the Impact of Historic Freeze
The effects of last week’s freeze are still being felt across the Lake Area, especially in the farming industry.
Many farms reported several inches of snow.
“To see the entire thing covered in white snow, and the trees, it was just a sight I thought I’d never seen here in South Louisiana,” Driftwood Farm Owner Hilery Gobert said.
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Louisiana Strawberry Farmers Assess Crop Damage Incurred by Last Week’s Arctic Weather
Strawberry farmers across the state, including one in Livingston Parish, are assessing the damage done by last week’s arctic blast. Rachael Harris, the owner of Harris Strawberry Farm in Springfield, says they took proactive measures in advance of the storm, like covering them with cloth. But that only went so far.
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Louisiana Strawberry Farmers Hope to Rebound After Winter Storm
After much of South Louisiana finally thawed out after Tuesday’s historic winter storm, many farmers throughout Livingston and Tangipahoa Parishes are assessing the damage done to their crops.
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Dry Early Fall Affecting Pecan Quality for Some Producers
Some Louisiana pecan producers could amass a larger pile of rejected nuts because of abnormally dry weather through the late summer and early fall, said Michael Polozola, the LSU AgCenter state fruit and nut specialist.
A lack of rain just before harvest prevented some pecans from filling out, Polozola said, leading to lower yields for many producers.
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Rural Cooperatives are Essential to Louisiana
Rural cooperatives are the backbone of our nation and provide countless goods and services that people in rural Louisiana rely on to thrive.
Cooperatives have existed throughout the U.S. for more than a century. They are businesses owned and controlled by the people who use them. They differ from other businesses because they operate for the benefit of their members, rather than to earn profits for investors.
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LSU Watermelon to be Featured on PBS Cooking Series
The LSU Red-N-Sweet watermelon will be featured on an episode of the PBS series “The Key Ingredient with Sheri Castle” during the show’s upcoming third season.
Red-N-Sweet was developed at LSU AgCenter Calhoun Research Station in Ouachita Parish. The first crosses that led to its development were made in 1972 and the variety was released in 1987.
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75 Years Of Innovation At The LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station
Established in 1949, the LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase, Louisiana, stands as a testament to over seven decades of dedicated research, innovation and service to the sweet potato industry. Spanning 308 acres, this facility has been at the forefront of advancing the sweet potato industry in the United States, transforming its trajectory from a humble crop into a thriving specialty crop with a diversified market base.
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USDA Restricts PACA Violators in Louisiana, New York and Texas
The USDA has imposed sanctions on four produce businesses for failing to meet contractual obligations to the sellers of produce they purchased and failing to pay reparation awards issued under the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act.
These sanctions include suspending the businesses’ PACA licenses and barring the principal operators of the businesses from engaging in PACA-licensed business or other activities without approval from USDA, according to a news release.
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Ruston Farmers Market to Host Annual Autumn Dinner October 3rd
The Ruston Farmers Market, a beloved fixture in our town for the past 16 years, invites the community to a special evening on October 3rd from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Held in the market’s charming warehouse, the event promises a warm and inviting atmosphere enhanced by twinkling string lights.
Guests will enjoy a catered dinner by the Desi Bourgeois, complemented by an open bar and the lively sounds of Mixed Notes.
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