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
May 13, 2026

Learning doesn’t slow down in the summer. Our June lineup includes classes and workshops designed to help residents grow food, care for their landscapes, manage finances, and support overall well-being. Take a look at what’s available ... 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
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
October 15, 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
September 15, 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
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 28, 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

Celebrate Native Plant Month with Upcoming Classes

by Heather Kalaman
March 26, 2025

April marks Native Plant Month, a time to honor Florida's rich plant diversity and the essential role native species play in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Native plants are well adapted to Florida's unique climate, making them drought tolerant, ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, Events, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, HOME LANDSCAPES, Lawn, Natural Resources, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Teaching, WORK & LIFE
Tags: Central Florida Gardening, FL Natives, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Florida Grown, Florida Native, Florida Native Bees, Florida Native Plants, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Floridafriendlylandscaping, Lawn Alternative, Native, Native Bunch Grass, Native Flowers, Native Landscaping, Native Plants, Native Tree, Ocextension, Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Landscaping
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
December 9, 2024

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

Ambrosia Beetles: Small Insects, Big Impact

by Heather Kalaman
December 6, 2024

Ambrosia beetles are small, yet impactful, insects in Florida, playing both beneficial and harmful roles in local ecosystems. Our state is home to both native and invasive species, which aid in breaking down dead wood, contributing to nutrient ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, AGRICULTURE, Blog Community, Conservation, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, HOME LANDSCAPES, Invasive Species, Lawn, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching
Tags: Avocado Tree, Beetles, Florida Friendly, Florida Friendly Landscaping Agent, Pests, Plant Pests, Sustainable Landscape, Tree Pests
green field with blue and yellow tents and blue banners with kids playing soccer

Leadership Lessons from the Soccer Field: Moving Forward by Going Backward and Slowing Down to Move Faster

by Kevin Camm
August 8, 2024

Recently, we had the incredible opportunity to host three Manchester City coaches for a soccer clinic at our office. Manchester City had just played Barcelona in Orlando the night before and when Manchester City tours, they have a program that ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Professional Development, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H Youth, Community Resource Development, Leadership, Manchester City, Ocextension, Soccer

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