SU Ag Center's St. Helenia Farmers Market Turns Food Desert Into Healthier Community
The small parish of St. Helena is located in Southeast, Louisiana with a population of 10,016 residents. Although the parish is comprised of cities covered in green pastures and rural scenes, ideal for farm life, it is classified by the USDA as an extreme food desert. As a result of the scarcity of nutritious foods, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported the health risk of St. Helena's citizens as severe, due to high percentages of hypertension, diabetes, strokes, and cancer whwhich riddles this small community.
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Strawberry Crop Coming Early, Looking Good
Despite the recent cold snap, Louisiana strawberries are coming in at a steady clip. LSU AgCenter agent Mary Helen Ferguson said the producers are off to a good start this season, with no extreme temperatures so far.
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New Labadieville Farmers Market Seeks To Expand
A new farmers market launched in Labadieville in November. The weekly market is open every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cookie’s Thrift Store, located at 3218 Louisiana Hwy. 1.
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Louisiana Pecan Prices: Steady As Season Wraps UP
Deliveries are slow and light in volume while prices remain about the same. The season is pretty much over and growers are cleaning up the orchards.
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Fermenting is an Easy Way to Preserve those Bumper Crops
When the garden is kicking in full swing, producing a bounty of fruits and vegetables, you start to run the risk of letting those crops go to waste. So to combat the risk of waste for centuries we've been doing our best to preserve foods whether that be drying, pickling, or jarring there's plenty of ways to stretch that bumper crop to last longer.
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Louisiana's Citrus Hub has Struggled with Hurricanes, Erosion, Aging Farmers; What's Next?
From the top of the Mississippi River levee, the bright orange of hundreds of satsumas and navels stands out against the green leaves of the citrus trees that crisscross Joseph Ranatza Jr.'s property in neat rows.
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