News Stories - Page 186

News from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

Georgia 4-H members learn valuable public speaking skills through District Project Achievement. Students, like these Taliaferro County girls, research a topic and then present their findings to an audience of their peers. CAES News
4-H Week
Georgia 4-H inspires kids to do — to do community service, go to new places and to learn new skills. Georgians across the state are celebrating everything 4-H’ers do during National 4-H Week on Oct. 7-13. What started as a club for farm kids has grown into the nation’s largest youth leadership organization — a place where school-aged children learn to become successful and confident adults.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences specialists say planning is imperative whether you are or cooking for one person or a family of eight. You will get more variety and flavor in your meals if you write down menus for the whole week. Plan for several weeks, and make some dishes in larger quantities that can be divided and frozen for later use. CAES News
Solo Meals
Eating alone and cooking for one can be challenging. Most recipes and food products are meant for more than one person. With some planning and a little help from University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, solo eaters can prepare healthy, delicious meals.
Cassie Powell, who transferred to the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences this fall, is participating in the CAES Food Animal Veterinary Incentive Program. CAES News
FAVIP
From farmhand to future veterinarian student, Cassie Powell has dreamed of working with animals for a long time.
Unlike bagged manure, "free" manure from your local farm may come with weed seeds and pesticide residue. Check the source of your manure before bringing home extras. CAES News
Soil Mixes
Soil tests, provided by University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, give gardeners the recipes for successful gardens. Soil amendments, like river sand, mushroom compost, horse manure, coffee grounds, chicken litter and wood ash, can give the soil a much-needed nutrient boost.
University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz is currently using an “automower” on the lawn just outside the new UGA Turfgrass Research Facility on the UGA Griffin campus. The Husqvarna mower is on loan from Georgia sod producer Super-Sod, so Waltz can observe and evaluate the concept of “continual” mowing. CAES News
'Automower'
If you dread mowing the lawn, a new battery-operated mower, much like the popular Rumba vacuum cleaner, may be the product of your dreams. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Turfgrass Specialist Clint Waltz is reviewing it.
Peggy Ozias-Akins on the UGA Tifton Campus. CAES News
Peanut Research
With a passion for botany and a thirst for knowledge, University of Georgia scientist Peggy Ozias-Akins has established herself as one of the top molecular geneticists in the country.
Adding flowering plants isn't the only way to add fragrance to landscapes. Trees, like this Chionanthus virginicus (white fringetree or grancy graybeard), can also provide beautiful and fragrant flowers. CAES News
Fragrant Garden
Planting a fragrant garden can be pleasant to your sense of smell and attract insects, bats, and hummingbird pollinators. Fragrance strength and quality can be affected by environmental factors such as humidity, soil moisture and nutrients.
Native azaleas typically have tubular flowers with long stamens that extend beyond their petals. University of Georgia scientist Carol Robacker is studying many of the native azaleas that grow in the Piedmont region to determine which ones are adapted to Georgia. CAES News
Fall Transplanting
Fall and early winter are the best time to relocate large trees and shrubs. Moving established plants from one location to another can change your landscape without costing you money.
Collards are a true Southern favorite and in they grow well in Georgia fall vegetable gardens. University of Georgia Cooperative Extension experts recommend planting Collard 'Blue Max', 'Georgia Southern' or 'Hevi-Crop,' all varieties shown to perform well in Georgia. CAES News
Fall Veggies
Some fall vegetables are best purchased as transplants. These include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and cauliflower. Vegetables that can be planted as seeds include beets, bunching onions, carrots, collards, kale, lettuce, mustard, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and turnips.
Controlling the erosion of your soil can improve your vegetable garden and protect the soil. Soil erosion is related to multiple factors, including the type of soil and how much cover is holding the soil. CAES News
Sun & Soil
Before planting a fall garden, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension specialists say select a spot that gets a lot of sun, have your soil tested and plant Georgia-friendly varieties.