Tag: mental health

Your Body Is Your Most Important Gardening Tool

by Angelika Keene
October 27, 2026

Have you ever spent a morning in the garden and realized your back, knees, or shoulders got just as much of a workout as your plants did? If you garden, you probably don't think of yourself as exercising. You're just gardening. But when you're ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Community Volunteers, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Community Wellness, Fall Gardening, Florida Heat, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Heat Illness Prevention, Heat Safety, Hydration, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mental Health, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Wellness, Outdoor Safety, Self Care, Spring Gardening Summer Gardening, Stay Cool, Summer Gardening, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable Gardening, Winter Gardening
Alarm clock

Daylight Saving Time: Simple Steps to Protect Your Health

by Lori Wiggins
October 27, 2026

As daylight saving time comes to an end on Sunday, November 1, 2026, Americans will turn their clocks back one hour. While gaining an extra hour of sleep may sound appealing, the time change can affect our bodies in ways we may not realize. ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: #TaylorCounty, Exercise, Fall, Family, Florida, Health, Healthy, Mental Health, Nutrition, Physical Activity, Recreation, Taylor County, Time Change, UF/IFAS Extension
Children and an adult plant a young tree togethr in a shaded park, placing the root ball into the soil beneath mature trees.

A Tree Is an Investment in Your Home and Health

by Margaret Stewart
September 18, 2026

A healthy tree is much more than a pretty part of the yard. Trees provide shade, lower energy costs, manage rainwater, support wildlife and improve air quality. They may also increase property value and support our physical and mental health. These ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Air Quality, Carbon Dioxide Reduction, Carbon Storage, Climate Resilience, Energy Savings, Environmental Benefits, Florida Gardening, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening In The Panhandle, Home Landscaping, Mental Health, Native Trees, Northwest Florida, Okaloosa County, Panhandle Gardening, Physical Health, Pollinators, Property Value, Shade Trees, Stormwater Management, Sustainable Landscaping, Tree Benefits, Trees, UF/IFAS Extension, Urban Forestry, Water Quality, Wildlife Habitat
a group of people having a discussion

Mental Health First Aid: Building the Skills to Support Someone in Need

by Angelika Keene
August 6, 2026

Sometimes, the moments that matter most begin with something small—a simple question, a compassionate conversation, or noticing when someone does not seem like themselves. While we may not always know what someone is going through, small moments ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: 4-H, Agriculture, Brevard County, Family, Health, Mental Health, Mental Health First Aid, Special Topics, Youth
photo of bee on pink flower

Florida Heat Isn’t Just Hard on Your Plants—It’s Hard on You, Too

by Angelika Keene
July 21, 2026

As Florida Master Gardeners, we know summer gardening isn't for the faint of heart. We carefully watch our plants for signs of heat stress, adjust our watering schedules, and look for ways to help our gardens survive another hot, humid day. But ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Natural Resources, Recreation, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, Wildlife, Work & Life
Tags: Community Wellness, Fall Gardening, Florida Heat, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Gardening, Heat Illness Prevention, Heat Safety, Hydration, Master Gardener Volunteer, Mental Health, Mental Health First Aid, Mental Wellness, Outdoor Safety, Self Care, Spring Gardening Summer Gardening, Stay Cool, Summer Gardening, UF/IFAS Extension, Vegetable Gardening, Winter Gardening
Group of people talking on a panel.

Prevention Before Intervention: A 4-H Community Pride Project

by Dr. Rachel Pienta
June 3, 2026

Guest Author: Lani Lopez-Logan The Wakulla County 4-H Community Pride Project took a powerful step toward youth awareness and prevention this year with “Prevention Before Intervention,” a teen town hall created by youth, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Events, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Community Pride, Mental Health, Prevention, Service Learning, Stress Management, Teen Leadership
daisies in the sun

Mental Health Matters: Small Steps That Can Make a Big Difference This May

by Lori Wiggins
May 5, 2026

May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness, reducing stigma, and encouraging conversations about mental and emotional well-being. While mental health has gained more attention in recent years, many ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Home Management, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: #TaylorCounty, Florida, Health, Healthy, Mental Health, UF/IFAS Extension
Potted plants being fertilized. Photo taken 09-30-25

Therapeutic Horticulture Program Awarded Burpee Grant

by Eva Sailly
March 31, 2026

On the south side of UF’s campus, between UF Health Shands Hospital and IFAS’s research greenhouses, is a small team making a deep impact. The greenhouse at Wilmot Botanical Gardens is home to UF’s Therapeutic Horticulture Program, where ... READ MORE

Category: Community Volunteers, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Community Engagement, Experiential Learning, Horticultural Sciences, Horticultural Sciences Department, Horticulture Therapy, Leah Diehl, Mental Health, Student Health, Therapeutic Horticulture, Well-being, Wilmot Gardens

Spring Into Wellness: Step Outside for Your Mind

by Angelika Keene
March 27, 2026

There’s something about spring that feels like a fresh start. The days are longer, the air feels lighter, and everything around us is growing again. It’s a natural reminder that we can reset, too. But here’s something we often overlook—stepping ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Brevard County, Community Wellness, Green Time, Mental Health, Mental Wellbeing, Mind Your Mind, Outdoor Wellness, Season Of Growth, Self Care Is Essential, Time In Nature, Wellness At Work

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