Tag: Highlands County

Palm trees blowing in strong wind with a blurred ocean background.

A Glimpse at Emergency Operations Center with UF/IFAS Extension Agent

by Lourdes Mederos
May 13, 2026

HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. --- As weather experts reported of Hurricane Dorian’s forecasting challenges, emergency operation centers (EOC) in the path of the storm started assembling earlier than usual. While you may think all the action taking ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Citrus, Crisis, Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Operations Center, EOC, Extension, Highlands County, Hurricane Preparation, Laurie Hurner, Recovery, UF-IFAS
Ashley Houpe_King Gill, a new agriculture agent in Central Florida.

New director takes lifetime work in Ag, 4-H to the next level at UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County

by Lourdes Mederos
May 13, 2026

The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) welcomes Ashley Houpe-King Gill as its new director of UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County. With an extensive background in 4-H, agriculture, human services, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H, Ashley Houpe-King Gill, Highlands County, National Association Of County Agricultural Agents, National Association Of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Lee County

A lifetime passion for livestock attracts new agent to UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County

by Lourdes Mederos
May 13, 2026

Kalan Royal has agriculture in his blood. His family has been involved in Florida’s citrus and cattle industries since the 1860s. That has fueled his passion, making him an ideal fit as the new livestock agent for the University of ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Central Florida Livestock Agents Group, Highlands County, Kalan Royal, Livestock, UF/IFAS Extension Highlands County, UF/IFAS Range Cattle Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS South Florida Beef-Forage Program

UF/IFAS Extension steps up to feed hungry children, babies in southwest Florida

by BLOGS.IFAS
May 13, 2026

  BROOKSVILLE, Fla. --- Laurie Hurner could hear the children and babies crying in hunger in her sleep. The University of Florida IFAS Extension Highlands County director knew she had to feed children left hungry by Hurricane Irma, so ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Disaster Preparation, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Babies, Children, Featured Hot Topic, Hernando County, Highlands County, Hurricane Irma, News

UF/IFAS Livestock Working Group Hosts Environmental Lands Program on Kissimmee River

by lbutler
October 29, 2025

On October 15th, members of South Florida Beef Forages Program (a working group of Livestock UF/IFAS Extension Agents) hosted an Environmental Lands Management Program on the shores of the Kissimmee River. The purpose of the program was to educate ... READ MORE

Category: Conservation, Livestock, Water, Wildlife
Tags: Conservation, Floridaranches, Highlands County, Kissmmeeriver, Landmanagement, Livestock, Okeechobee, SFBF
Close up of youth creating maps of a river from a series of aerial photographs.

4-H campers learn geospatial skills

by Katie Britt
July 21, 2025

Florida’s history and heritage was the theme of a joint 4-H camp hosted by Highlands and Okeechobee counties on July 9. The camp brought together youth ages 8 to 12 to learn about Florida’s history, cook traditional recipes, visit ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Camp, Conservation
Tags: 4-H, 4-H & Youth, 4-H Camp, Geomatics, Geomatics Extension, Highlands County, Okeechobee County, School Of Forest Fisheries And Geomatics Sciences
Four edible perennials you can plant in your yard

Cultivating a Food Forest in Your Yard

by David Austin
May 29, 2024

To grow your food is to know your food Step outside your door and gather the ingredients for a salad or pick some fruit for breakfast. It wasn't so long ago that people lived that way and grew much of what they ate. With the convenience of ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Agriculture, Classes, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Forest, Gardening, Highlands County, Highlands Horticulture Digest, Hometown Gardener, Master Gardener Volunteers, Permaculture, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetables

Navigating the Thistle Lifecycle: Strategies for Effective Thistle Management in Pastures

by Kalan Royal
December 13, 2023

Thistles are a common weed found in pastures throughout South Florida that can have an economic impact on your cattle operation through loss of grazing and reduced forage production which can lead to reduced weaning weights. Thistles are biennials, ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Livestock
Tags: Highlands County, Livestock, Pasture Management, Pasture Weeds, Thistles, Weed Control
Bees on a hive frame

August 19th was National Honey Bee Day

by David Austin
August 22, 2023

  Celebrating honey bees Honey bees deserve their day in the sun. After all, they work most daylight hours and their jobs never seem to end. They are working from the moment they chew their way out of the cell they developed in, until ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, UF/IFAS Extension,
Tags: Bees, Highlands County, Highlands Horticulture Digest, Hometown Gardener, Honey, Master Gardener Volunteers, PolliNATION, UF/IFAS Extension

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