News & Updates

Florida Women in Agriculture Association

A new association for empowerment is in Florida! Extension professionals from the University of Florida and Florida A&M University have come together to create the Florida Women in Agriculture Association. The group is still in the development process, but the organizers hope to bring it into action in 2024. Read more to find out what…

Weekly “What is it?”: Brown pelican

      Pelicans have large wingspans and are graceful flyers, despite their larger bodies. Photo credit: Carrie Stevenson, UF IFAS Extension My husband was born and raised in Pensacola, spending many of his childhood weekends fishing, swimming, or camping along local waterways. So, it was a bit of a surprise when he told me he…

Torpedo grass in Collier County Lawns

What is Torpedograss? Torpedo grass or Panicum repens is a warm-season, perennial turfgrass weed in Collier County that grows year-round. It is classified as a Category 1 invasive weed, which can alter the native plant community. Torpedograss grows well in full sun just like warm season grasses and can thrive in dry or wet soils. Torpedograss can…

Could Radon Be Lurking in Your Home?

January is National Radon Action Month. It’s a time to increase awareness of the dangers of radon gas and encourage homeowners to take proactive steps to safeguard their homes and loved ones. Radon is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas that occurs naturally in the environment, in soils and groundwater. As a gas, it can seep…

January 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector

Recap of January 2024 First Friday with Florida First Detector For our first webinar of 2024, we focused on mites! As a group, mites are incredibly diverse. There are mites pretty much everywhere. You can find them on plants, animals, people, stored products, soil, water and more! Some mites feed on animals and humans. Some…

Stewardship of Florida’s Public Lands

Bayard Conservation Area 5324Anastasia State ParkStewardship of Florida’s Public Lands Florida is blessed to have over 10 million acres of state-owned conservation public lands. Various state agencies, including the Florida Forest Service, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Division of Recreation & Parks, the Soil & Water Conservation Districts and other state agencies, manage over 500…

2024 MGV Landscape Matters Programs

Landscape Matters: Old World Roses When: January 10, 2024; 10am – 11am Where: Online or In-Person, 25 N 4th Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034 Registration Link: https://ufl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIqcuiqpzMuHNJnqZhrxSEr-h8qT81vhk8l An unequivocal component of gardens is roses. Roses, especially in Florida, can be difficult to maintain. Join the Master Gardener Volunteers at the Fernandina Beach Library Branch (25 N. 4th…

When the iron is hot, but the wind is cold

 What do you think about during this time of year? Early winter may carry different associations for some: post-holiday fatigue or relief; another abrupt change in pace at home or at work; or that familiar determination to fulfill a New Year’s resolution or two. Perhaps your friends want to increase the duration of their regular…

Magnificent Maples

Iconic Tree of the East Coast from Maine to Florida When I was a girl, we lived in a small town in Western New York.  Outside my second floor bedroom window was a large tree that I loved.  The squirrels and birds were always in it, and throughout the year, from spring until winter, it…

Rabbit Bells – Wild Weeds

Wild Weeds – Weed of the Month Rabbit Bells Crotalaria rotundifolia Photo by Eleanor Dietrich (Florida Wildflower Foundation)This low-growing wildflower can be found in pinelands, sandhills, and disturbed sandy areas throughout Florida. The small yellow flowers bloom in the afternoon and are only open for one day. They mostly attract bees as pollinators. Rabbit Bells…
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