Category: Education

Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yards

Debbie Roney Smith on

Tomorrow, May 4th, Dr. Katherine Richardson will be hosting an online class on Gopher Tortoise Friendly Yards. From 9am – 11am CDT, partake in the class by visiting this link. Dr. Richardson is the Gopher Tortoise Program Coordinator with Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Gopher tortoises are a threatened species in Florida, making the 350 species that depend on their burrows for shelter also in danger. In fact, the presence of Gopher Tortoises can help save wildlife from wildfires! This webinar will teach participants what they can do to help support this fantastic native species.

 

Baker County: Agriculture Management Practices

Debbie Roney Smith on
The UF/IFAS Extension and the Florida Department of Agriculture are hosting a free event focusing on Agriculture Management Practices. The event will occur on Wednesday, May 4th from 8am – 9:30am CDT. Presentations will focus on soil and tissue sampling, interpreting your results & application of findings, as well as technical assistance and cost-share opportunities. You must register for the event beforehand; breakfast will be provided.
Contact: Alicia Halbritter, UF/IFAS Extension Baker County Agriculture Agent at 904-259-3520 or aliciah1221@ufl.edu
Register online:bakerbmp.eventbrite.com

Lazy Acres Family Farm Tour Day

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Lazy Acres Family Farm is having a Farm Tour Day at the end of this month. On April 30th from 10 am until 4 pm, the farm will be open to the public for free! This is the Fifth Annual Spring Farm Tour and includes a number of vendors alongside tours. Experience how the family raises their cows, pigs, and chickens, and visit The Farm Store. Vendors include:

Crepe and Cream Food Truck
6R Farms, Inc.
Green Gate Olive Grove
Buffalo Ridge Forge
Ella Grace Allen

Learn more about the event at the Facebook event page here. 

Chain of Parks Art Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on

The Chain of Parks Art Festival returns Saturday, April 23, and Sunday, April 24. The festival is held across the Bloxham, Lewis, and Randolph “chain of parks” in downtown Tallahassee. Attendees can view and purchase art from 150 carefully selected fine artists. There will also be a number of highlighted events including:

  • “The Village,” which features children’s art programs for young guests to participate in pop-up studios and make crafts
  • A Saturday Evening Groove, featuring Tallahassee Night Live from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23
  • A scavenger hunt, which will award the first 100 guests who complete the “festival passport” to win a prize
  • Four professional chalk artists from across the country who will create 3D chalk art for photo ops
  • A juried competition in which winning artists vie for $10,000 in awards
  • A live reenactment of Jacques Le Moyne in his French encampment

In celebration of Earth Day and through a longtime partnership with Sustainable Tallahassee, the festival will focus on four sustainability initiatives — education, reducing Styrofoam, reducing landfill waste, and reducing food waste. Festival hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, April 23, and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, April 24.

To learn more about the Chain of Parks Art Festival, visit www.ChainofParks.com(1).

Managing Mosquitoes, Leon County

Debbie Roney Smith on

Leon County has a mosquito control request form located HERE; services include truck sprays, larvicide applications, domestic inspections, and mosquito fish introductions. Residents can also request to be put on the NO SPRAY list at the previous link. Looking for ways you can curb mosquitoes at your home? Follow the 5 D’s!

Bay County’s Waterway Cleanup

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Bay County Waterways (2008)

Bay County has pulled out more than 1.5 million pounds of marine debris from its waterways since Hurricane Michael (2018). Hondo Enterprises is working alongside FWC and the University of Florida IFAS Program to clear the bay of broken-down boats.

Derelict vessels are anything but beneficial. It can damage and destroy shoreline vegetation and seagrasses. Seagrasses are home to about 85% of the marine life the community enjoys fishing and eating. Clearing debris and vessels also impact the real estate values in the area. Bay County counts on clean waterways, boating access, and fishing to fund the local economy.(1)

National California Strawberry Day Florida Style

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Today is National California Strawberry Day, an annual event that kicks off the strawberry season in California. Luckily, even Floridians can enjoy this national day of celebration by planting Florida-safe strawberry varieties. There are a number of specific varieties that do well in the more humid Florida environment: Calibrate, Camarosa, Florida Belle, Florida 90, Rosa Linda, Sequoia, Sweet Charlie, Strawberry Festival, and Tioga.

While the ideal time to plant strawberries via seed is early fall, it is possible to purchase and plant strawberry starter plants in spring. This is because strawberries require temperatures between 50°F–80°F, and less than 14 hours of daylight. In Florida, these conditions occur throughout the fall, winter, and spring. It is important to make sure the plant has excellent drainage and at least 8 hours of full sun. Strawberries are ready to harvest when three-quarters of the berry’s surface is red. The fruits not only entice local wildlife but also rot quickly, so be sure to harvest regularly once the plant begins producing. 

Learn more about successfully growing strawberries in Florida at the UF | IFAS Extension website here. 

Worm Moon

Debbie Roney Smith on

March’s full moon reaches peak illumination at 3:20 A.M. EDT on Friday, March 18th. Known as the Worm Moon, is the last full moon before the spring equinox. In Christianity, this means that the Worm Moon is known as the Lenten Moon as it is the last full moon of winter. There are a number of possible reasons for the moniker ‘Worm Moon.’ One possible explanation is that the moon is named after the appearance of earthworms as the soil warms in the spring. Alternatively, 18th-century explorer Captain Jonathan Carver wrote that the moon name refers to beetle larvae that emerge from thawing tree bark.

Panama City Beach Scottish Festival

Debbie Roney Smith on
2018 PANAMA CITY SCOTTISH FESTIVAL & HIGHLAND GAMES

Tomorrow is the Panama City Beach Scottish Festival. This one-day event is hosted by the Celtic Cultural Alliance and held at Frank Brown Park. The event includes Highland Games, premium scotch whisky tasting, Irish Step dancing performances, a British car show, Scottish Bagpipe bands, kids play area, and vendors selling Celtic-inspired goods. The Highland Games include a Stone Throw, Scottish Heavy Hammer Throw, and the Sheaf Toss. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for kids aged 6-14, and free for children 5 and younger. Please note that the premium scotch whisky tasting requires a special ticket costing $35. Learn more about the Scottish Festival and the Celtic Cultural Alliance by visiting their website here.