Tag: Florida

Water with lemon

Stay Hydrated This Summer: Why Water Matters More Than Ever

by Lori Wiggins
June 5, 2026

As temperatures rise during the summer months, staying hydrated becomes one of the most important things we can do to protect our health. Whether you're working outdoors, enjoying recreational activities, gardening, attending community events, ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Hydration, Nutrition, Taylor County, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Alarm clock

The Power of Sleep: Why Rest Matters at Every Age

by Lori Wiggins
June 4, 2026

In today’s fast-paced world, sleep is often one of the first things people sacrifice. Whether it is staying up late to finish work, scrolling on phones, studying for exams, or managing busy family schedules, many Americans are not getting ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Better Sleep, Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Sleep, Sleep Schedule, Taylor County, UF/IFAS Extension
Fruits and vegetables with white background

Celebrate National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month This June

by Lori Wiggins
June 3, 2026

June is National Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, the perfect time for families to enjoy the flavors, colors, and health benefits of nature’s bounty. With summer gardens beginning to produce and farmer markets filling with fresh local produce, ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Taylor County, UF/IFAS Extension
Spent tomato leaves add mulch underneath a Seminole pumpkin vine.

Chop and Drop Gardening: Turning Plant Waste into Healthy Soil

by Lauren Spaduzzi
May 29, 2026

Nature doesn’t waste nutrients, and your garden doesn’t have to either! What is ‘chop and drop’ gardening? Chop and drop gardening involves ‘chopping’ plant material, and then ‘dropping’ it in place, where it decomposes naturally ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, , Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Central Florida, Chop And Drop, Compost, Florida, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Garden, Gardening, Home Landscapes, Mulch, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable Gardening
A collage of five scenes: underwater view, palm trees with skyscrapers, a manatee underwater, a coastal scene, and a natural spring.

Water Wednesday Recap: Stormwater 101: Understanding Drainage, Ponds, and How Florida Manages Rainwater

by Yilin
May 27, 2026

In the May Water Wednesday webinar Stormwater 101: Understanding Drainage, Ponds, and How Florida Manages Rainwater, Dr. Eban Bean, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist of Urban Water Resources Engineering at the University of Florida ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Florida, Green Stormwater Infrastructure, New Residents, Runoff, Stormwater, Stormwater BMPs, Stormwater Management, Water Quality, Water Wednesday
Pods of red okra of the cultivar ‘Carmine Splendor’ hybrid grown in South Florida. UF/IFAS photo by Vander Rocha Lacerda

Is okra rising from a kitchen, home garden staple to a ‘Food is Medicine’ star in Florida agriculture?

by Lourdes Mederos
May 26, 2026

What makes okra a smart choice for home gardens, healthier meals and Florida’s next great crop? University of Florida researchers from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) say this adaptable crop illustrates how ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Antioxidants, Ask IFAS, Crop, Dakshina Seal, Digestion, Easy-to-grow, Español, Farmers, Florida, Food Is Medicine, Gardens, Health, Health Benefits, Healthy, Heart Health, Homestead, IFAS, Invasive Pests, Kitchen, Monalisa Seaton, Nutrition, Okra, Ornamental Plants, Peyton Ecklund, Plant-based Foods, Seed-borne Diseases, Seeds, South Florida, Staple, Tropical Research And Education Center, Two-spotted Leafhopper, UF/IFAS Research, Vitamins, Xiaoying Li

Is okra rising from a kitchen, home garden staple to a ‘Food is Medicine’ star in Florida agriculture?

by Lourdes Mederos
May 26, 2026

What makes okra a smart choice for home gardens, healthier meals and Florida’s next great crop? University of Florida researchers from the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) say this adaptable crop illustrates how ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Antioxidants, Ask IFAS, Crop, Dakshina Seal, Digestion, Easy-to-grow, Español, Farmers, Florida, Food Is Medicine, Gardens, Health, Health Benefits, Healthy, Heart Health, Homestead, IFAS, Invasive Pests, Kitchen, Monalisa Seaton, Nutrition, Okra, Ornamental Plants, Peyton Ecklund, Plant-based Foods, Seed-borne Diseases, Seeds, South Florida, Staple, Tropical Research And Education Center, Two-spotted Leafhopper, UF/IFAS Research, Vitamins, Xiaoying Li
Hurricane

Supporting Florida Agriculture as Hurricane Season Approaches: Preparing For the Impact Assessment Process

by Alena Poulin
May 21, 2026

Today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced its predictions for the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season. While there is a higher likelihood for below average activity in the Atlantic Basin, even one storm can have extreme ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Disaster Preparation, Farm Management, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Disaster Impact Analysis, Disaster Preparation, Economic Impact Analysis Program, Florida, Florida Agriculture, Food And Resource Economics, Hurricane Season

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