Category: Blog Community

big blue sign that says Orange County University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center with an UF/IFAS logo and an Orange County logo. there are green trees and blue sky in the background.

Fresh Picks: The Month’s Classes

by Chris Weber
April 27, 2026

As we head into summer, it’s a great time to build new skills and plan ahead. Our May classes include opportunities to learn about gardening, sustainability, financial well-being, and healthy living through practical, research-based ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, Events, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Food Safety, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Home Management, Horticulture, Lawn, Money Matters, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, WORK & LIFE
Tags: Classes, Events, Extension Education, Learning, Ocextension, Orangecountyfl, Ufifasextension

The gARTening Program: 2023 Schedule

by Clarissa Chairez
April 16, 2026

What is the gARTening Program? The gARTening Program is designed to connect residents to both our UF/IFAS Extension Services and Horticulture through the use of art within gardening. The gARTening program is a program for all ages, from 4-104 ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Community Volunteers, Events, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Art, Garden, GARTening, Healthy Living, Master Gardener Volunteer, Master Gardener Volunteers, Ocextension, Orange County, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County, Zen
blue sign that say Orange County University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center and 6021 in orange with trees in the background

It’s #PeanutButterChallenge Time!

by Clarissa Chairez
April 16, 2026

Food Insecurity in Florida Food insecurity is an obstacle many Floridians face. In 2021, it was estimated that roughly 2.2 million Floridians lacked access to healthy food, with just over 660,000 being children. In Orange County specifically, ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: #ocextensionnews, #peanutbutterchallenge, Food Insecurity, Master Gardener, Peanut Butter Challenge, Peanut Industry, Residential Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County
blue sign that say Orange County University of Florida IFAS Extension Education Center and 6021 in orange with trees in the background

2024 gARTening Schedule

by Clarissa Chairez
April 16, 2026

What is the gARTening Program? The gARTening Program is designed to connect residents to both our UF/IFAS Extension Services and Horticulture through the use of art within gardening. The gARTening program is a program for all ages, from 4-104 ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, , Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Air Plants, Art, Florida, Flower Crown, Garden, Gardening, GARTening, GARTening Program, Horticulture, Hypertufa, Kokedama, Master Gardener Volunteers, Master Gardeners, Ocextension, Orange County, Orange County Master Gardener Volunteers, Orlando, Orlando Gardening, Plants, Pressed Flowers, Succulents, Terrarium, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Orange County
closeup of fertilizer being sprayed by a spreader

Help Shape the Future of Landscaping Education in Orange County – and Win a Composter!

by Heather Kalaman
December 11, 2025

We want to hear from you! UF/IFAS Extension Orange County is conducting a short survey to better understand how residents use fertilizers and make landscaping decisions. Whether you're a full blown gardening enthusiast or maintain a modest ... READ MORE

Category: AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Lawn, SFYL Hot Topic, Turf, UF/IFAS Extension, Water
Tags: Compost, Compost Bin, Fertilize, Fertilizer, Fertilizer Ordinance, Fertilizing, Free Composter, Local Fertilizer Ordinance, Ocextension, Orange County Fertilizer Ordinance, Survey, Win A Composter
floating raft with a variety of hydroponic lettuces

Set it and Forget it Hydroponics Workshops–10/15/25

by Hannah Eason
October 1, 2025

I just love growing food hydroponically! Why? I am more likely to harvest it and eat it, too. Over 600,000 YouTubers love how I teach hydroponics in 8 minutes. You can get growing with that free video, but maybe it only 'wet' your appetite? ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, , Clubs & Volunteers, Community Volunteers, Conservation, Crops, Curriculum, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Professional Development, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, Water, WORK & LIFE
Tags: Aeroponics, Ag, Agriculture, Agroecology, Alternative Ag, Alternative Agriculture, Cffarms, Cflandscapes, Chef, Class, Commercial Food Production, Community Food Systems, Deep Water Culture, Drip, Dutch Buckets, Ebb And Flow, Entrpreneur, Farm, Farm Business, Farm To Table, Farmer, Farming, Floating Raft, Flood And Drain, Food, Food Production, Food Security, Food System, Food Systems, Green Revolution, Grow, Grow Food In Space, Grow Your Own, Home Food Production, Hospitality, Hwooten, Hydro, Hydroponics, Hydroponics Class, Hydroponics In Jail, Hydroponics In Schools, Kratky, Local, Local Food Garden, Nft, Nutrient Film Technique, Ocextension, Orlando, Self Reliant, Slow Food, Small Farm, Start A Farm, Sustainable, Sustainable Ag, Sustainable Agriculture, Table, Tower Garden, Tower Gardens, Train The Trainer, Training Programs, Urban, Urban Ag, Urban Agriculture, Urban Farm, Urban Farming, Urban Food Systems, Urban Smart Farm, Zip Grow
multiple jars of peanut butter stacked on tables

Recap of the UF/IFAS Extension’s Peanut Butter Challenge here in Orange County

by Kevin Camm
September 4, 2025

It's sometimes the tiniest things that make the biggest difference. All of us here at UF/IFAS Extension Orange County began the UF/IFAS Extension Peanut Butter Challenge in modest ways, accumulating 817 pounds of peanut butter in 2020. It ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Events, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Community Outreach, Community Resource Development, PBChallenge, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Challenge
Hannah wearing a red and black flannel shirt with her hands in the shape of a heart in a field of lettuce

Local Food and Farming Events in Orlando!

by Hannah Eason
July 29, 2025

Calling locals - from farmers to foodies! I am excited to announce some upcoming opportunities to learn and connect with practitioners in your local Central Florida food system. First up is a UF/IFAS Extension-led event called the Local ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agribusiness, Blog Community, Crops, Events, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agriculture, Cflandscapes, Food Entrepreneurs, Food Systems, Growers, Livestock, Local Food, Local Food Symposium, Local Foods, Local Growers Network, Ocextension, Organic Growers, Pests, Planners

Books and Blooms: A Native Pollinator Garden Takes Root at the Winter Park Library

by Heather Kalaman
April 30, 2025

Welcome to the brand new UF/IFAS Extension Orange County & Winter Park Library Native Pollinator Garden! Located just over the bridge at the Winter Park Library, this garden is a collaborative partnership among Dr. Heather Kalaman with ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Horticulture, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, , WORK & LIFE
Tags: FL Natives, Florida Native Bees, Florida Native Plants, Landscaping Alternatives, Native Bunch Grass, Native Flowers, Native Landscaping, Native Plants, Ocextension, Pollinator, Pollinator Friendly, Pollinator Plants, Pollinators, Wildflower, Wildflowers

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