![fresh produce spills out from a reusable shopping bag laid on a tabletop. [credit: unsplash.com, ratul ghosh]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2024/07/2024_Ag_produceAssortedCarrybag_unsplashRatulGhoshCROP1650x470TINY.png)
Consumers spend billions of dollars at the grocery store annually on heavily marketed products that promise exciting health benefits. Of course, we want to eat healthy, protect the environment, and buy food that is safe for our children. We ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Health & Nutrition, Money Matters
June is Pollinator Month! Pollinators are crucial for the reproduction of all kinds of plants. You’ve thought about where a baby comes from, but have you ever thought where a peach comes from? Let's explore why June is dedicated to these ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension![a man holds his aching stomach, with food on a table in the background. [credit: pxhere.com]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2024/06/2018_FCS_blogFoodSafety01_pxhereEDIT1650x470TINY.png)
A foodborne illness can affect anyone who eats food contaminated by bacteria, viruses, parasites, toxins, or other substances. The actual number of those who succumb to food sickness is unknown, but a 2011 report by the Centers for Disease ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![fresh fish on ice in cooler. [credit: uf/ifas]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2024/06/2019_FCS_foodsafetyColdHot01_pixabayGardnerScottCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
More and more often, we hear news of an outbreak of a foodborne illness or food recall. Has something changed? Well, yes... actually, several things. There are several reasons why we hear of more food recalls. One reason is better surveillance ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life![closeup of a mound of fresh cucumbers. [credit: pixabay.com, renee olmsted photography]](https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/sarasotaco/wp-content/blogs.dir/40/files/2024/06/2024_FCS_cucumbersFresh01_pixabayReneeOlmstedPhotographyCROP1650x470TINY.jpg)
Cucumbers believed to be contaminated with salmonella have been recalled in Florida and 13 other states, including Illinois and New York. If you recently purchased cucumbers at your grocery store, it's important to take the time to contact ... READ MORE
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Work & Life
Yes, you CAN grow food in Florida year-round. BUT it is important to take a few things into consideration before taking the sweaty plunge into hot season vegetable gardening. Here we aim to share garden tasks and ideas that are seasonally appropriate ... READ MORE
Category: Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Work & Life
Are you a fan of fresh aromatic herbs in your dishes? If so, growing marjoram right at home might just become your new favorite hobby. In this guide, we'll explore how to grow marjoram at home. We’ll highlight growing conditions, pest and ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
View the recording of the Edible Landscaping for Central Florida webinar on YouTube. The concept of edible landscaping primarily applies to growing vegetables, herbs and fruit trees in a way where it fits in with your home landscape. ... READ MORE
Category: Agriculture, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Do you enjoy cooking with fresh herbs or admiring them in your garden? If so, growing sage at home could become your new favorite hobby. In this guide, we'll explore how to grow Sage in Central Florida, featuring varieties that thrive in the ... READ MORE
Category: Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
What is the UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County community gardens program? The UF/IFAS Extension Pasco County Community Gardens Program originated in the low income communities of Dade City. This program was created by the interdepartmental relationship ... READ MORE
Category: Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension