Category: SFYL Hot Topic

Starting Jan. 27: Learn how climate-smart living works in Florida with statewide lunch-and-learn series

by Lourdes Mederos
January 20, 2026

What does climate-smart living look like in Florida? It means adopting everyday habits, like the way residents use water and energy at home, make food choices and how they care for their landscapes, which are all guided by climate science ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, EVENTS, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Climate Literacy, Climate Masters, Climate Science, Climate Smart Floridians, Climate-smart Landscape, Ecosystem Health, Ecosystem Rescilience, Energy, Environment, Environmental Benefits, Florida Friendly Landscape, Florida Sea Grant Climate Work Action Team, Food Consumption Waste, Household-level Greenhouse Gas, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions, Reduce Waste, Solar, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center, Water, Water Conservation

Incorpore el aroma de la vainilla a su Día de San Valentín con la guía bilingüe de Ask IFAS para preparar extracto de vainilla en casa

by Luz Bahder
January 14, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Puede que las fiestas hayan quedado atrás, pero la temporada de celebración aún no ha terminado. Con el Día de ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Ask IFAS, Ask IFAS En Español, Calidad, Dia De Los Enamorados, Día De San Valentín, Espanol, Especia, Extracto, Extraxto, Florida, Orientación Completa, Orquídea Tropical, Orquideas, Paso A Paso, Publicación De Ask IFAS, Rendimiento, Spanish, UF/IFAS, Vainas, Vainas De Vainilla, Vainilla

Add aromatic vanilla to your Valentine’s Day with Ask IFAS’ bilingual guide to DIY homemade vanilla extract

by Lourdes Mederos
January 13, 2026

The holidays may be behind us, but the season of celebration isn’t over. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you may be wondering how to turn the chill of winter into something sweet, thoughtful and homemade. The University of ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Crops, Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Aromatic, Ask IFAS, Beans, Capsules, Cured Vanilla Beans, Deserts, DIY, Domestic Vanilla Industry, Food, Guide, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, News, Orchid, Pods, Polination, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center, University Of Florida, Valentine's Day, Vanilla, Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Planifolia, Vanilla-breeding, Vine

Pivotal study unlocks secrets of the invasive short-spined thrips

by Lourdes Mederos
January 6, 2026

Highlights Short-spined thrips are devastating ornamentals and crops worldwide, thriving in South Florida’s warm climate and spreading fast. In a novel study, UF/IFAS researchers mapped the pest’s biology life cycle, reproduction ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Crops, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Acarology, Alexandra Revynthi, Beans, Beneficial, Beneficial Bugs, Beneficial Nematodes, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Eggplants, Entomology And Nematology, Gardenias, Gardens, Growers, Hibiscus, Homeowners, Integrated Pes Management, Invasive, Invasive Insect, Ipm, Mandevillas, Nematodes, News, Nurseries, Ornamental, Ornamental Entomology, Ornamental Plants, Peppers, Plant Pathology, Sanitation, Sanitation Practices, Short-spined Thrips, Thrips, Thrips Parvispinus, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida

Intentional hosting: The key to a good, stress-free gathering

by Lourdes Mederos
December 18, 2025

Gatherings don’t have to feel overwhelming or revolve entirely around food. The key to a meaningful celebration is intentional hosting, a practice that Jessica Alfonso-Rodriguez experienced and developed while growing up in South Florida. ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, Work & Life
Tags: Board Games, Celebration, Connect, Family An D Consumer Sciences, Gatherings, Healthy Appetizers, Holiday, Holiday Gatherings, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Intentional Hosting, Jessica Alfonso- Rodriguez, Menu, Mindful Moment, Mindfullness, Mocktails, News, Planning Activities, South Florida, Stress-free, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida, Yearlong

Have 2026 resolutions? Here is how to make them stick

by Lourdes Mederos
December 16, 2025

Every January, millions set ambitious wellness resolutions only to abandon them within weeks. In fact, the second Friday of January is known as Quitter’s Day, a reminder of how quickly good intentions fade. For 2026, we turn to Jessica ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Conservation, Health & Nutrition, Recreation, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Box Breathing, Consistency, Family And Consumer Sciences, Goals, Habit, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jessica Alfonso- Rodriguez, Mindful Moment, Mindfullness, Plan, Progress, Quitter's Day, Resolutions, Routine, SMART Objectives, Sustainability, Track, UF IFAS Family And Consumer Sciences, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida, Wellness Resolutions

Es improbable que el virus del Oropuche se propague a través de mosquitos en el sureste de los Estados Unidos

by Luz Bahder
December 11, 2025

Creado por Meredith Bauer, especialista sénior en relaciones públicas para UF/IFAS. En el 2024, el virus del Oropuche se dio a conocer como una nueva amenaza para la salud pública: el virus se detectó en personas que habían viajado ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Aedes, Aedes Aegypti, Barry Alto, CDC, Ceratopogónido., Chikunguña, Culex, Culex Quinquefasciatus, Defectos Congénitos, Dengue, Dolor De Cabeza, Dolores Musculares Y Articulares, Eficiencia, Encefalitis De San Luis, Enfermedad, Escalofríos, Espanol, Estados Unidos, Fiebre, Fiebre Amarilla, Florida, FMEL, Jején, Jejenes, Laboratorio De Entomología Médica De Florida, Mosquito De Arena, Mosquito Polvorilla, Mosquitos, Nathan Burkett-Cadena, Ncefalitis Equina Occidental, Propagación Del Virus, Propagación Y Establecimiento, Spanish, Transmisores De Enfermedades, Transmiten Enfermedades, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Virus, Virus Del Nilo Occidental, Virus Del Oropuche, Zancudos, Zika

Florida rises to the challenge: 32,773 jars of peanut butter spreads hope to the state’s hungry

by Brad Buck
December 11, 2025

From creamy to crunchy, thousands of jars of peanut butter are making their way into Florida homes, thanks to the generosity of residents statewide, who rallied behind this year’s Peanut Butter Challenge – feeding families one jar at a time. All ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, SFYL Hot Topic, Work & Life
Tags: College Of Agricultural And Life Science, FFA, Florida 4-H, Florida A&M University, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Florida Peanut Federation, Florida Peanut Producers Association, Hunger, Hungry, Kevin Camm, Nick Simmons, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Challenge, Protein, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County

New Moby Dick-like termite species discovered

by Lourdes Mederos
December 4, 2025

In the canopies of a South American rainforest, a tiny soldier termite has stunned a team of international scientists with its whale-like features. Cryptotermes mobydicki, the name given to the termite by the international research team ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Wildlife
Tags: Colombia, Cryptotermes, Cryptotermes Mobydicki, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Discovery, Dominican Republic, Entomology, Evolutionary Story, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, French Guiana, Genus, Herman Melville, International Entomologists, Moby Dick, Neotropical, New Termite Species, News, Rainforest, Rudolf Scheffrahn, Soldier, Soldier Termite, South American Rainforest, Species, Sperm Whale, Termites, Trinidad, UF/IFAS, ZooKeys

Florida strawberry season bursts with sweetness

by Brad Buck
December 3, 2025

Florida’s late fall and winter don’t just bring cooler, less humid weather. The seasons bring the sweet burst of locally grown strawberries. Juicy, vibrant and fresh from the fields, these Sunshine State gems are waiting for you at your ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS
Tags: Aroma, Consumers, Diseases, Ember, Encore, Flavor, Florida Strawberry Season, Genetics, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Horticultural Sciences, Pests, Pineberry, Plant Breeding, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeder, Strawberry Season, Vance Whitaker

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