Category: Crops

2025 JAMAS! Learning Never Tasted So Good!

by Jessica M. Ryals and Trisha Aldridge

September 26, 2025

Florida’s citrus industry has faced serious and compounding challenges in recent years. Diseases like citrus greening (HLB), hurricanes, flooding, freezes, and competition from overseas markets have resulted in citrus trees and the citrus ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Events, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Doug Caldwell, FCS, JAMAS, SWFL, Tropical Fruit, UF/IFAS Extension Collier County

Hydroponic Production Methods- Part 2

by David Outerbridge
May 30, 2025

Hydroponic Production Methods: A Comparative Overview of Basic Systems-Part 2 Hydroponic farming is an technology based innovation in agricultural production. These systems enable growers to produce food efficiently, utilizing nutrient water ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Hydroponics, Small Farms

Disaster Preparation Resources From UF/IFAS Extension

by David Outerbridge
May 29, 2025

Preparation Prevents Panic As the Gulf stirs and skies begin to shift with coiled serpentine collections of cloud and wind Floridians are reminded that preparedness is more than a checklist, more than a cry to the heavens, it’s a mindset. ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension

Hydroponic Production Methods-Part 1

by David Outerbridge
May 16, 2025

Hydroponic Production Methods: A Comparative Overview of Basic Systems-Part 1 Hydroponic farming is an agricultural practice that can allow you to grow plants almost anywhere. These systems enable growers to produce food efficiently, utilizing ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Hydroponics

Hurricane Ian Agricultural Impacts in Collier County

by Jessica M. Ryals
November 2, 2022

In the 5 short years that I have been with UF/IFAS Extension, we have seen two major hurricanes, 2 major wildfires, a freeze and a global pandemic. Hurricane Ian was just the latest event impacting the Collier County agricultural sector, which ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Collier, Collier County, Collier County Extension, Hurricane Ian, Sustainability, SWFL, UF/IFAS Extension

Could this be Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBV)?

by Jessica M. Ryals
August 30, 2022

Recently, Collier County Extension received an email about strange looking spots on an avocado fruit. A sample was submitted to the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center Plant Diagnostic Clinic to figure out exactly what was causing ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Avocado, Collier County, Collier County Extension, Farms, Small Farms, SWFL, TREC, Tropical Fruit, Tropical Plants, UF/IFAS Extension

Recap: Spring 2022 SWFL Small Farmer Network Meeting on National OJ Day

by Jessica M. Ryals, Jennifer Hagen, David Outerbridge and Luis Rodriguez Rosado

May 16, 2022

The Southwest Florida Small Farmer Network is a peer-to-peer network focused on exploring diversified and sustainable farming systems. This group is open to established and beginning farmers in Southwest Florida and hosted by UF/IFAS Extension ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Agribusiness, C.U.P.S., Citrus, National OJ Day, Networking, Small Farmer Network, SWFL, SWFL Small Farmer Network, SWFLSFN

Mouth Watering Pickled Okra

by Jessica M. Ryals
June 29, 2021

Here in South West Florida gardening during the summertime can have many obstacles. The extreme temperatures make it hard to grow many vegetables but one that strives even in the heat is the okra. If you plan on gardening in the summer you may ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops
Tags: Food Forest, Gardening, Okra, Recipe, Summer, Vegetable

Florida Is So Nice Everything Wants To Live Here, Including Non-Native Animals And Plants!

by Michael Sipos
May 15, 2020

“Invasions of exotic species cost Floridians over $500 million per year” -Ivegot1.org. May 16th-23rd is Florida Invasive Species Awareness Week and there will be plenty of educational resources to check out during this time to expand your ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Recreation, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Anole, Brazilian Pepper, Cane Toad, Collier County, Control, Critter Corner, FISAW, FLinvasives, Florida Friendly Landscaping, Florida Sea Grant, Invasive Species, Lionfish, Plants, Poisonous, SW FL, Venomous

Event: Southwest Florida Small Farmers Network Meeting November 5th

by Jessica M. Ryals
October 17, 2018

We are pleased to announce the Southwest Florida Small Farmers Network Meeting @ Oakes Demo Farm in Naples, FL WHEN: Monday, November 5, 2018 TIME: 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM WHERE: Oakes Demo Farm, Deer Run Lane, Naples, FL 34120 WHAT: ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Livestock, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Aquaculture, Collier County, Entrepreneurship, Farm Business, Farmers, Fruit, Jessica Ryals, Livestock, Marketing, Regulation, Small Farmers, Southwest Florida, Sustainability, Vegetables

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