Mr. Larry Freeman, born in Independence, LA, native of St. Helena Parish is a third-generation farmer who owns the same land in which he grew up on as a child. Freeman credits his grandfather for not selling the land after purchasing it six years after slavery in 1873 for $1,280. His farm roots began young, but he set up his own cattle business in the late 90s.
Read MoreWhat can happen to sweet potato roots following flooding events or prolonged saturated soil conditions? Under saturated soil conditions, oxygen is excluded from the soil, creating an environment that favors the production of ethanol.
Read MoreRain is a welcome sight in northeast Louisiana these days, so when storm clouds gathered the morning of Aug. 18, sweet potato farmers who have been contending with dry conditions all summer breathed a sigh of relief.
Read MoreOpportunity can be a wonderful gift, and if we get it and we take a chance to see it through, we may reap benefits often only dreamed of. That opportunity may be a job offering far from home where you have no friends or family, but is the once in a lifetime opening you’ll never see again. It may be knocking on the door of someone you just can’t get out of your head to ask, “Would you like to grab a cup of coffee?” Or, as in the case of Michael and Savannah Ray, the proprietors behind the Thirsty Farmer winery, it may be taking a work trip to the West Coast in the heart of California wine country when Fortune plants the seeds of inspiration. Fortunately, for the Rays as well as for wine enthusiasts in Northeast Louisiana, and hopefully beyond, those seeds were scooped up and carried home to be sown. Through hard work, trying times, and smiles and tears alike, Thirsty Farmer stands to reap success and fellowship, friendships and laughter, spirits consumed and lifted.
Read MoreWho can resist the taste of a cold, sweet Washington Parish watermelon? Not many it seems by the briskness of sales over the past month or so.
Watermelon sales tend to reach their zenith coming into the Fourth of July holiday each year. For two young produce salesmen in Zachary, the sales are slower now, but they still stick with it.
Read MoreThe Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center will be hosting its 11th Annual Louisiana Small Farmer Conference, September 21-23, 2022, at the Hilton Hotel – Baton Rouge Capitol Center. This year’s theme is “Sustaining Small Farms with Innovative Practices,” which will be highlighted through four educational tracks that farmers can choose that meet their individual farm needs.
Read MorePersistent rain and a gloomy, gray sky is not the forecast Jeb Fields had hoped for on the morning of the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station’s annual horticulture field day — an event normally headlined by a tour of sun-soaked, vividly colored gardens where newly released ornamental plants are tested.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station will host its annual field day for green industry professionals July 22.
“This is a perfect opportunity for all of our nursery and landscape professionals to visit the station and see all the ongoing research and the warm-season trials,” said Jeb Fields, assistant research coordinator.
Read MoreOn a hot Wednesday morning in early June, Joseph Bravata pulled a black SUV with federal plates into a suburban playground parking lot outside New Orleans. The asphalt was bounded on the north by a tangle of oak and tallow trees, and to the east it faced a subdivision with big lawns and wide streets.
Read MoreSpecialty crop producers can now benefit from greater flexibility to use their own records to meet crop insurance reporting requirements. The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced revisions that will make it easier for specialty crop producers and others who sell through direct marketing channels to obtain insurance, report their annual production, and file a claim.
Read MoreIn 2003, Louisiana designated the versatile sweet potato as the official state vegetable.
Roasted, mashed, grilled, stuffed, or fried, locals find a slew of ways to serve the tasty spud.
Read MoreYou probably already know that Louisiana blueberries are in season, but where to find them has been a bit of a mystery — until now.
Read MoreTwo USDA programs were announced that it is helping farmers make a move to organic farming. The Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP) will help with the costs of transitioning to organic processes for up to $750.
Read MoreOn March 4th, 2022, mano-Y-ola completed the Louisiana Central Regional Nursery Industry Cluster Report, a 60-page study that took an in-depth look at the area’s nursery history, production, market, and liabilities, and used data-rich sources to identify growth opportunities for the Central Louisiana Nursery Industry.
Read MoreThe 72nd annual Louisiana Peach Festival will take place on Saturday, June 4 in Downtown Ruston.
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