Submitted by U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of every September, remains one of the most effective grassroots efforts ever undertaken to promote the outdoor…
Category: Farm & Outdoors
Happy hour (in the garden)
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. I can hardly think of a better way to start the day than out in the garden. As soon as there’s enough light to see by, I’m…
License-free saltwater fishing day is September 2
Danny Federico ECB Publishing, Inc. Florida’s license-free fishing days offer the perfect opportunity for youth and adults to experience one of the South’s favorite pastimes. During these specific days, all recreational anglers,…
Is a sinkhole forming in your yard?
Submitted by Suwannee River Water Management District With the recent heavy rainfall across north-central Florida following the prolonged dry period, the Suwannee River Water Management District (District) wants to ensure local residents…
Meet the new county forester, Jimmy McQuigg
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Earlier this summer, the Florida Forest Service in Jefferson and Leon counties welcomed a new forester, Jimmy McQuigg. McQuigg was born and raised on St. Simon’s Island,…
A farm with heart
Hailey Heseltine ECB Publishing, Inc. Nestled atop the rolling hills of Honey Lake Road, just across the Jefferson County line, is Heart Bar Farm, a work-in-progress farm with high hopes for the…
“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop” – Ovid
Click here to listen to this article Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Watching my garden through the middle of a North Florida summer has set me to thinking about the value of…
Visit National Parks free on Aug. 4
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. In celebration of the Great American Outdoors Act, the National Park system is offering free admission to its sites across the country on Friday, Aug. 4. Here…
Feathered friends fascinate at NFWC
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Birds are the only animals in the world that have feathers. Perhaps that accounts in part for why humans find birds so fascinating. Not only are feathers…
Enriching your flock – Improving the life of your backyard chickens
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Here in rural Jefferson County, there is much appeal to farm life and homesteading, and often the first step in the process of building a farm or…
Laura’s Garden Notes
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Many famous folks have had something to say about “too much of a good thing” – from Aesop to Shakespeare, from Mae West to Jerry Garcia and…
Hay! Is your field on fire?
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. The world is full of myths and superstition, and these fantastical tales teach us little lessons about life and encourage us to keep out of trouble. If…
Farm Bureau holds contests
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. The Jefferson County Farm Bureau held three contests this year: a Speech Contest, a Poster Contest and an Essay Contest. For this year’s Speech Contest, the topic…
Farm spotlight: 84 West Farm
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. “Chickens are a gateway farm animal,” says Shelby Feinberg, to a chuckle of agreement from her husband, Jeff. That’s how their small family farm began, 10 years…
A way with weeds
“Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them.” –A.A. Milne Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. In late spring and early summer, as the garden plants get strong and productive, weeds…
4-H Mighty Oaks win awards in statewide ecology contest
Carly Peary Contributor The new Mighty Oaks Wildlife Ecology 4-H Club represented Jefferson County in the Statewide 4-H Forest Ecology Contest on Saturday, April 15. Officials reported record attendance for this year’s…
Two white pelicans get the chance to live, at NFWC
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. Nemo and Nigel once lived in the wild, spending their winters with other White Pelicans in warm coastal areas of Florida, California, Mexico or Central America. For…
4-H Ecology Field Day
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. The expansive grounds of the Jefferson County UF/IFAS Extension Office was once again the setting for 4-H Ecology Field Day on Wednesday, May 3. The event brought…
Laura’s Garden Notes – May Anticipations
Laura Young ECB Publishing, Inc. What a great spring it’s been for my little garden. In the past month I’ve gradually dug out another couple of rows so that I can keep…
The Monticello Homestead Exchange One man’s surplus is another’s head start!
Heather Ainsley ECB Publishing, Inc. Part of living in a rural area is the appeal to a rustic life. Property owners who live in rural areas enjoy a peaceful getaway from hectic…