Farm, Ranch & Garden

SAVE THE DATE PEDERNALES WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT CO-OP 7TH ANNUAL MEETING AND LECTURE. PUBLIC INVITED. FREE. 4:00 P.M. SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 18TH. FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ACTIVITY CENTER IN JOHNSON CITY. AGRITOURISM, ECOTOURISM, NATURE TOURISM, WILDLIFE AND NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY, HUNTING, FISHING AND ADVENTURE OPERATIONS: ARE THEY THE FUTURE OR JUST A HILL COUNTRY DREAM? Todd Swift, our Blanco County Agrilife Agent, has arranged to have Miles Phillips, the "s ...

Folks in the far north and far western portions of Texas will not identify much with our fire ant fights. These complex insects have left those parts of the state alone, while infesting the hill country and almost all counties around us. This problem is a baptism by fire ant for gardeners who have not faced the problem before.

Lucky gardeners in Zone 8 and higher are nearing their second planting season of the year. And while fall is the prime time to plant wildflower seeds and many other garden delights, it’s an excellent season to try your hand at lavender. The rocky, dry soil in Blanco and Gillespie counties is the perfect place for this tough crop with delicately colored blooms. The aromatic perennial also likes our soil’s alkalinity.

Symbiotic relationship between grass and fish benefits marine life Saltwater anglers who prize redfish above all species should also love the seagrass meadows where the bronze brutes forage during warmer months. These shallow expanses of submerged shoalgrass, turtlegrass and manteegrass abound along the Texas coast, at well known places like Padre Island and in the backwater lakes behind barrier islands like San Jose and Matagorda Islands.

Mother Nature’s pollinator, the bee, is creating a buzz without even being present. Scientists and beekeepers nationwide continue to lament the disappearance of whole colonies to a befuddling enemy called Colony Collapse Disorder. It’s confusing because no one can say exactly what it is, although it has been taking a toll on beehives since 2006. The USDA reports 33.8 percent of total honey bee colony losses nationwide from October 2009 to April, with 28 percent of ...

Working on farms during the summer break or after school has been a way for high school students, especially in rural areas, to earn money and valuable experience while doing what they love. But those opportunities would come to an end if a bill passes in Congress. The Children’s Act for Responsible Employment (H.R.

Donkey-Oaties Miniature Donkeys from Johnson City competed in the 19th Annual Great Celebration Mule & Donkey Show held in Shelbyville, Tennessee, on July 8th - 10th. This show is one of the most prestigious donkey and mule shows in the country. This is where owners and trainers show their best animals in hopes of a title from this particular show. Sally Armstrong exhibited her six-year-old Miniature Donkey gelding, Stock Market’s Maximum Cash ("Max").

Summer is here and most people seem to flock toward water whether it be the swimming pool out back or the beach. These activities go hand and hand with the importance to stay hydrated with clean and fresh water. Our dogs however, don’t know the difference between a Dasani and a toilet bowl. Many people like to include their dogs when swimming in the pool and as long as you keep an eye on them, this can be a joy for both you and your K9 friend.

On Tuesday evening, July 27th, the Fredericksburg Chapter of the NPSOT is hosting John Ahrns, Texas Naturalist and one of the founding fathers of the Westcave Preserve. This 75-acre, non-profit education center near Round Mountain is where 2 ecosystems meet creating a unique opportunity to see grasslands and wildflower meadows that border a sheltered limestone canyon which are home to rare plants and cypress trees.

Ricky Neffendorf, County Executive Director for USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Gillespie-Kendall-Blanco County today announced farmer and rancher candidate nominations begins June 15, 2010 for local FSA county committees. The nomination period continues through Aug. 2, 2010. Elections take place this fall. "I encourage all producers to participate in the county committee election process by nominating candidates by the August 2nd deadline,"