by Larry Williams | March 17, 2020 In times like these, it seems that our own perceived “problems” pale in comparison to the “big picture.” In my day-to-day work, I have the opportunity to help people solve problems with their landscapes, lawns and gardens. I enjoy the problem solving part of my job as an extension agent. You’d be surprised how ...
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Friday, November 08, 2019 by Jennifer Bearden When people put in food plots and are not successful, I normally see the following three problems as possible cause. First, they didn’t consider soil pH or fertility. Second, they didn’t choose the right plant varieties for our area. Third, they didn’t manage weeds properly or at all. So following these three steps can ...
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Tuesday, October 15, 2019 by Larry Williams It is possible to create a landscape that is impossible to maintain. A landscape should be aesthetically pleasing, functional and maintainable. A pleasing, low maintenance landscape requires some planning and some thought put into correct plant selection and placement. You can think of it as low maintenance by design. Done correctly, you should end up ...
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Monday, October 7, 2019 By: Jennifer Bearden Peanuts are pretty big business here in Okaloosa county. In 2015 we harvested 2,049 acres of peanuts, for about 8.1 million pounds. That’s enough peanuts to make over 82 million peanut butter sandwiches. So, suffice it to say, peanuts are an important crop for us here. Peanuts and peanut butter are also protein ...
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by Jennifer Bearden | Oct 07, 2019 | Livestock, Poultry Raising chickens in your backyard is becoming more popular once again. There has been a push to change land use codes to allow for small scale poultry production in large cities and towns as more people want to raise their own chickens for eggs and meat. Under the Limited Poultry and Egg Farm Operation Program (regulated by FDACS), ...
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August 17, 2019 By Jennifer Bearden | Okaloosa County Extension Office Soil scientists like to use the phrase “it depends” an awful lot for educated folks. Before getting a master’s degree in soil science, I used to get very frustrated with that answer. Now I find myself saying just that to clients. Case in point: a client who hadn’t had ...
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by Larry Williams July 25, 2019 Recently, Okaloosa County Commissioner Carolyn Ketchel mentioned to me that she had seen brown widow spiders in parts of Okaloosa County on multiple occasions. Concerned about this and to provide better awareness of this spider, she asked if I could write an article about this spider. Most people seem to be aware of the black ...
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by Matt Lollar July 12, 2019 The UF/IFAS Small Farms and Alternative Enterprises Team and the Panhandle Agriculture Extension Team are pleased to announce the return of the Panhandle Fruit and Vegetable Conference. Registration is now open for the 2019 Panhandle Fruit & Vegetable Conference. This year’s event will move to the beach, to the Emerald Coast Convention Center in Fort Walton ...
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June 6, 2019 Walk-in Plant Clinic Friday, June 14, 9am-Noon UF/IFAS Extension Okaloosa County Annex 127 Hollywood Blvd NW Fort Walton Beach, FL UF/IFAS Extension Okaloosa County Horticultural Agent Larry Williams and a team of Master Gardener volunteers will be at the monthly Plant Clinic on Friday, June 14, 9:00 a.m. to noon at the County Extension Annex, 127 Hollywood ...
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June 3, 2019 by Jennifer Bearden Hurricane season is officially here. Here are a few helpful tips to prepare a livestock operation for a tropical storm or hurricane. Livestock are safer in a large pasture free of debris. Barns can easily fail during a storm, leaving the animals injured, trapped or dead. Perimeter fences should be sturdy, preferably woven wire and ...
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