Category: Work & Life

One Yard Can Inspire a Community: Karma Thomson Earns Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ Gold Recognition

by Sara MacDonald
August 26, 2026

A landscape can be more than a beautiful view from the street. It can conserve water, support wildlife, protect Florida’s natural resources, and inspire an entire community. UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County is proud to recognize Karma Thomson, ... READ MORE

Category: , Community Volunteers, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Recreation, UF/IFAS
Tags: Extension, Florida Friendly Landscape, UF/IFAS Extension St. Lucie County
A collage of four images depicting grocery shopping: a mother and daughter selecting produce, a top view of fresh groceries, a young man examining items in a store, and a woman with a child holding shopping bags.

Back-to-School Meals and Snacks: Part 3 – Becoming a Savvy Shopper

by Jessica Alfonso-Rodriguez
August 26, 2026

Becoming a Savvy Shopper Grocery shopping can be a balancing act between figuring out which options are healthier, navigating rising food costs, and being in a time crunch. Today, I want to share some smart shopping strategies that prioritize ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, , Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Money Matters, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Family & Consumer Sciences, Food, Jessica Alfonso- Rodriguez, Miami-Dade, Miami-Dade Extension, Nutrition, Nutrition Facts Label, Parents, South Florida, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade
The South Florida 4-H TechGarage Solar Car Team celebrates together in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway before setting out across Texas. o Pictured from left: Gavin Vilarchao, Oliver Collins, Lars Erik Wiik, Saakshar Patel, Caiden Douglas-Jacques, Zayn Zyoud, Tomas Negron, Sam Merlin, Aiden Phipps, Emily Herman, Jose Moncada, Emily Boudreaux, Harley Duarte, and Makayla Derival. o Photo by Allan Phipps

4-H goes solar: South Florida teens build a national championship-winning solar car earning a national title

by Lourdes Mederos
August 26, 2026

A 14-member team of South Florida teenagers is redefining what workforce development looks like through 4-H at UF/IFAS Extension Broward and Palm Beach counties. Instead of raising livestock or growing vegetables, these students are designing, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, Work & Life
Tags: Engineering, Florida 4-H, STEM, TechGarage Solar Car Club, Top News, UF/IFAS Extension, Workforce Development, Youth
Dense green mangrove trees line a calm waterway, with their reflection mirrored on the still water beneath a clear blue sky.

Mangroves: Nature’s Coastal Defenders and Climate Champions

by Holly Abeels
August 25, 2026

From protecting communities during storms to helping combat climate change, mangroves provide some of the most valuable ecosystem services on Earth. Understanding these benefits highlights why protecting and restoring mangrove forests is important ... READ MORE

Category: Coasts & Marine, Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Natural Resources, Recreation, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Coastal Habitat, Conservation, Environment, Florida Sea Grant, Resiliency, Water Quality, Wildlife
Professional lawn care worker mowing a healthy green residential lawn, with a landscaping service truck and maintained shrubs in the background

How to Choose the Right Green Industry Professional for Your Lawn and Landscape

by margaretstewart
August 24, 2026

Your lawn and landscape are an investment. A healthy yard can increase your home's value, save water, and make your property more enjoyable. But choosing the right company is important. The lowest price is not always the best value. A trained ... READ MORE

Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Lawn, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Choosing A Lawn Care Company, Environmental Protection, FDACS, Fertilization, Fertilizer Certification, Florida Homeowners, Florida Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Florida-Friendly Landscaping Program, FNGLA, Gardening In The Panhandle, GI-BMP, Green Industries Best Management Practices, Hiring A Landscaper, Home Landscaping, Integrated Pest Management, IPM, Irrigation, ISA Certified Arborist, Landscape Design, Landscape Maintenance, Landscape Professionals, Lawn Care, Lawn Care Professionals, Panhandle Gardening, Pest Management, Pesticide Licensing, Pesticide Safety, Plant Health, Professional Lawn Care, UF/IFAS Extension, Water Conservation, Weed Control
A picture of two bananas, one red apple, a clear container with a gray lid that has milk in it, two magenta colored hand weights, on folded blue hand towel on top of one white folded hand towel with pastel colored stripes.

Wellness Wins: Small Changes, Big Impact This August

by Felicia Marable-Williams
August 21, 2026

  More Than Just Healthy Habits August is National Wellness Month, a time dedicated to encouraging self-care, stress management, and healthy routines. But in 2026, wellness is more than just going to the gym or eating more vegetables ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Money Matters, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Financial Wellness, Health, Healthy Lifestyles, National Wellness Month; Holistic Wellness; Self-Care; Wellness; Well-being; Nutrition, Workplace Wellness;
a patch of invasive cogongrass in a pine stand

Florida Land Steward Update, August 21, 2026

by Chris Demers
August 21, 2026

  FALL IS A GOOD TIME TO TREAT THAT COGONGRASS If dealing with a patch of cogongrass is on your to-do list, it’s time to get ready for that treatment. The best time to treat cogongrass is during the fall months, which of course can ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Disaster Preparation, Forests, Invasive Species, Natural Resources, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Cogongrass, Drought, Florida Land Steward Program, Forest Landowner Academy, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Recovery, Hurricane Season, Invasive Species, Landowner Assistance, Loblolly Pine, Ranchers, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences, Wild Turkey
Jacksonville skyline with tall buildings and a stormy sky.

Learn with Extension: How a Duval County grandmother learned to heal 

by Aaron Alexander
August 20, 2026

 In 2008, a devastating car accident left Princie Mikel, a retired nurse and grandmother in Duval County, “tore up from the floor up,” as she put it. After the crash, she had two broken hands, seven broken ribs, a crushed sternum, ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Duval County, Family, Family And Consumer Sciences, Youth And Community Sciences
jar of protein powder with powder and scoop on a table

Protein: How Much Is Enough?

by Lori Wiggins
August 19, 2026

Walk through almost any grocery store today and you will see one word everywhere: protein. Protein packed cereals, bars, shakes, yogurts and even desserts have become increasingly popular. Social media has taken the trend even further with “protein ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Cooking, Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Taylor County, UF/IFAS Extension

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