(Distributed December 2005) It seems obvious that a wider or faster mower will cover a lawn faster than a narrower or slower mower, but this is not always true. And seldom will the increase in cutting rate be proportional to the increase in width or speed, according to an engineer with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed December 2005) Most small, hand-carried lawn and garden tools such as string trimmers and chainsaws use 2-stroke engines, while larger machines such as lawn and garden tractors use 4-stroke engines. Lawn mowers are available with either type of engine.

(Distributed December 2005) It’s not necessary to buy all the equipment you need for your lawn and garden – especially for short-term use like storm cleanup.

(Distributed 12/12/05) LSU AgCenter county agent Eddie Eskew has been honored with the Rice Industry Award for his work in Jefferson Davis Parish.

(Distributed 12/07/05) The LSU AgCenter announces the 2006 North Louisiana Ag Expo Livestock Show Jan. 21, 2006, at the Monroe Civic Center Horse Pavilion.

(For Release On Or After 12/16/05) Winter vegetable gardening is tremendously rewarding. The vegetables grown here during the winter are some of the most delicious and nutritious our home gardens can produce.

(For Release On Or After 12/09/05) This time of the year, when we have brought many of our container plants – particularly the tropicals – inside for the winter, we need to be on the lookout for pest problems.

(For Release On Or After 12/30/05) The next few weeks are an important time for planting certain spring-flowering bulbs. This includes tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs that have been previously stored in the refrigerator, as well as bulbs you intend to plant and grow in containers.

(For Release On Or After 12/23/05) I often write columns with timely information about what needs to be done in the garden, and I enjoy the memory of once meeting a gentleman who offered me a suggestion about something to write. His suggestion was to write about sitting back and enjoying your garden.

(For Release On Or After 12/02/05) One of the most delightful plants we use to decorate for the holidays is the holiday cactus. And yes, despite the fact that these plants don’t have spines, they are true cactuses.

(Distributed 12/14/05) Residents in this Caddo Parish town are looking to the LSU AgCenter to help them make their town a better place to live, work and play. Vivian is a town of about 4,000 residents, and 30 of them recently graduated from an LSU AgCenter Community Leadership and Economic Development class.

(Distributed 12/16/05) As the cleanup from this summer’s hurricanes continues, LSU AgCenter agents are helping coordinate the work of people who are coming to the rescue. Among those were 30 students from The Ohio State University who arrived in Louisiana earlier this week (Dec. 11-17) ready to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to clean up parts of hurricane-ravaged South Louisiana.

(Distributed 12/12/05) The holiday foods many people enjoy this time of year aren’t just tasty treats. They’re also part of a food and fiber sector that contributes handily to Louisiana’s economy.

(Distributed 12/07/05) Winter is the perfect time to prune trees so they will be healthy and better able to resist storm damage, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distribued 12/14/05) Louisiana 4-H’ers are using some of the lessons they’ve learned about helping others to help people in the state, as well as around the globe, this year.

(Distributed 12/07/05) Growers from Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi will hear the latest in soybean research during the 2006 Tri-State Soybean Forum slated for Jan. 6, 2006, at the Delhi Civic Center.

(Distributed 12/19/05) Research on West Nile virus has moved back to the front burner at the LSU AgCenter with the recent arrival of Dr. Wayne Kramer from Nebraska. Kramer, an entomologist and mosquito expert, most recently led the West Nile surveillance effort in the Nebraska Department of Health.

(Distributed 12/01/05) LSU AgCenter scientists hope they will soon be able to make recommendations for farmers whose fields were hit with saltwater contamination from Hurricane Rita’s storm surge.

(Distributed 12/20/05) Nearly four months after Hurricane Katrina, the flowers are beginning to bloom again in New Orleans City Park, thanks to some LSU AgCenter Master Gardeners. As soon as the ground became dry enough, LSU AgCenter horticulture agent Karen Blackburn of Orleans Parish started rounding up the troops – specially training LSU AgCenter volunteers – to see what could be done to bring the botanical garden back to life.

(Distributed 12/16/05) The sound of rain falling Wednesday night (Dec. 14) was sweet as a symphony to Gary Wicke, an LSU AgCenter county agent in Cameron Parish. Reducing salt contamination in the marsh from Hurricane Rita will improve chances for cattle forage to regrow. The sooner that happens, the better, Wicke said.

(Distributed 12/15/05) LSU AgCenter coastal resources agent Mark Shirley had hoped to bring a group of students back to a plot near Holly Beach where they had planted marsh grass during the 4-H Marsh Maneuvers program in July. But, after driving for several miles on La. 82 between Holly Beach and Johnson’s Bayou last weekend, Shirley gave up on his hope to find the transplanted grass, which apparently fell victim to Hurricane Rita’s wrath.

(Distributed 12/21/05) Six employees received the LSU AgCenter’s top awards for 2005. In addition, a group of 15 who conducted the "Building Financially Literate Youth" program across the state received the annual teamwork award, LSU AgCenter Chancellor William B. "Bill" Richardson announced late in December (Dec. 19).

(Distributed 12/19/05) "Where we are matters," said building expert Joseph Lstiburek during a recent seminar, stressing, "We need a Louisiana way of dealing with construction." Lstiburek, a principal of Building Science Corp. of Westford, Mass., and an international expert on moisture-related building problems, recently led a two-part seminar on designing and building for extreme climates. Sponsored by the LSU AgCenter, the program was held in Baton Rouge last week (Dec. 15).

(Distributed 12/09/05) Keeping Louisiana’s agriculture and forestry industries competitive is the theme of the 2006 AgOutlook Conference Jan. 26-27 in Baton Rouge. Now in its fourth year, this year’s conference will focus on agricultural globalization and international trade, as well as this year’s hurricane damage, commodity outlooks, agricultural policy and the 2007 farm bill.

(Distributed 12/01/05) The LSU AgCenter’s 2005 Poinsettia Open House is set for for Dec. 15 at its Burden Center in Baton Rouge. The annual event, which provides poinsettia growers and the public with an opportunity to view some of the latest poinsettia varieties and to see results of LSU AgCenter research with the plants, will be conducted in conjunction with a monthly lunchtime program known as "Through the Garden Gate."

(Distributed 12/20/05) The LSU AgCenter is helping Louisiana residents expand their businesses and advertise their goods to larger audiences. One part of that assistance comes through a workshop titled "My Own Business," which LSU AgCenter agents are teaching in different areas across Louisiana.

(Distributed 12/07/05) LSU AgCenter officials say Asian soybean rust has been found on kudzu collected in Tangipahoa Parish by Dr. Billy Bond, a plant pathologist on the faculty of Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

(Distributed 12/14/05) It could be another five years before farmers in developing countries can grow Golden Rice to help malnourished people, according to the German biochemist who started work on the project 15 years ago.

(Distributed December 2005) Most families don’t plan to run up high balances on their credit cards during the holidays, it just happens. Nearly one-third of adults say they spent more than they planned – often $100 to $500 more.

(Distributed December 2005) Gardeners often want to save seeds from their favorite vegetable crops. Despite popular belief, it is not especially cheaper in the long run than buying fresh, clean seeds every year, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

(Distributed December 2005) As you get ready for the holidays this year, look around you. There likely will be many families who have been displaced by the hurricanes. They aren’t necessarily living in shelters or in trailer cities.

(Distributed December 2005) Gardeners often wonder whether plowing or tilling should be done in the spring or the cold season, but LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Thomas Koske says working the soil in late fall or winter has several advantages over the traditional spring plowing and tillage.

(Distributed December 2005) Christmas time is coming, a time for giving. We don’t think of ethical character as a gift, but it is one we can give daily, according to LSU AgCenter 4-H and character education expert John Arceneaux.

(Distributed December 2005) As the end of the year approaches, LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker encourages consumers to take advantage of some great tax breaks and let employers pick up the tab for expenses.

(Distributed December 2005) The holidays mark the season of shopping and eating as consumers rush to the mall to buy gifts. Malls are popular, not just for their merchandise, but for their many restaurants and snack stands.

(Distributed December 2005) Healthy eating is key to looking good, feeling great and being your best. Foods provide the essential nutrients and other compounds the body needs for good health, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed December 2005) The recommendation from the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans that meat and poultry not be washed before cooking has prompted questions because many people have always done so in the belief this made the meat safer to eat.

(Distributed December 2005) How can you help your child learn where foods come from? Next time you are at the grocery store or farmer’s market, help your child identify foods that are examples of roots, stems, leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds.

(Distributed December 2005) The holidays abound with tasty treats such as eggnog, cream pies and other dishes containing eggs. Eating raw or undercooked eggs is an invitation for foodborne illness. The same is true for lightly cooked eggs and egg dishes.

(Distributed December 2005) Tomatoes are the quintessential garden vegetable whose fans can be as loyal and vocal as those who bleed purple and gold for the LSU Tigers. Very few gardeners don’t grow tomatoes.

(Distributed December 2005) An estimated 55 percent to 60 percent of Americans carry credit card balances. The average household with a credit card balance carries a revolving debt load of nearly $8,000. A recent study found that nearly half of those households with balances paid the minimum payment.

(Distributed December 2005) Most people face the holiday season with some fear of gaining weight. The good news is that although many people gain, research suggests that the gain will probably be only 1 pound, not 5.

(Distributed December 2005) Zero-turn lawnmowers have taken over the commercial riding mower market, and now low-cost homeowner models are available from several companies, according to an engineer with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed December 2005) This holiday season may be more stressful than ever for some people and families. Stress resulting from our recent disasters combined with the usual holiday stress may become overwhelming.

(Distributed December 2005) Fresh bean sprouts and other seed sprouts found in salads and sandwiches are easy to grow at home, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. Unfortunately, they also are very perishable.

(Radio News For 12/12/05) Hurricane season is over, but the hardships from it are lingering into the holidays. Many Louisiana residents endured financial hardships this year, and LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says holiday budgets may be tight for many.

(Radio News 12/26/05) Salt water flooded many sugarcane fields during Hurricane Rita. While many growers are reporting better-than-expected recoverable sugar, recoverable sugar is off by as much as 30 percent in flooded areas.

(Radio News 12/26/05) Sugarcane growers were preparing for a rough harvest after two hurricanes hit much of the growing area in Louisiana this year, but the harvest is better than expected, says LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Dr. Ben Legendre.

(Radio News 12/26/05) There are different strains of avian influenza, which also is known as bird flu. The strains manifest themselves differently in poultry, says LSU AgCenter poultry specialist Dr. Theresia Lavergne.

(Radio News 12/5/05) Picking a tree at a choose-and-cut farm can be a fun outing for the family. But there is another advantage to getting a tree at a farm rather than a tree lot. LSU AgCenter forestry expert Dr. Don Reed explains.

(Radio News 12/26/05) The start of a new year encourages people to make positive changes. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says people resolving to live healthier should get moving.

(Radio News 12/26/05) Avian Influenza is not a direct threat to Louisiana's poultry industry at this time. But the industry does have a plan of action in place in case an outbreak does occur.

(Radio News 12/26/05) People are reporting seeing tremendous populations of buck moths around the state. The adult moths come out this time of the year. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Dale Pollet says these adult populations are difficult to control.

(Radio News 12/5/05) Sweet potatoes are a staple of Louisiana holiday feasts. Farmers in central and northeastern Louisiana produce sweet potatoes that find their way to local tables and tables as far away as England. LSU AgCenter sweet potato breeder Dr. Don Labonte says there were some problems early in the season but that the state's growers wound up witn an average year.

(TV News 12/12/05) Hurricanes Rita and Katrina were not good for the already struggling Louisiana sugarcane industry, but the storms did not do as much damage as growers first anticipated. (Runtime: 1 minute 25 seconds)

(Radio News 12/5/05) Central and Northeast Louisiana are the preferred areas for growing sweet potatoes. The soils in those areas are silt loam. LSU AgCenter sweet potato researcher Dr. Don Labonte says such soils are conducive for growing sweet potatoes.

(TV News 12/26/05) Avian influenza, or bird flu, is not in the United States, but it has raised concerns about biosecurity in the poultry industry. While it has been more than 20 years since a highly contagious strain of avian flu was found in the United States, poultry producers have not let their guard down. (Runtime: 1 minute 26 seconds)

(Radio News 12/12/05) The salt water that washed over coastal areas in Southwestern Louisiana during Hurricane Rita could greatly affect next year’s rice crop. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Gary Breitenbeck says the high salinity levels in rice fields could lead to decreased yields.

(Radio News 12/26/05) The sugarcane harvest is under way across Louisiana. This year the harvest shows a mixture of good and bad aspects. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Dr. Ben Legendre explains.

(Radio News 12/26/05) Your Christmas tree can still have life after the holidays. LSU AgCenter forestry specialist Dr. Don Reed says there are several ways to recycle your Christmas tree

(Radio News For 12/12/05) Holiday expenses can add up, and before you know it you could blow your budget. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker advises making a plan before heading to the shops.

(Radio News For 12/12/05) Holiday expenses can add up and before you know it you could blow your budget. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker advises making a plan before heading to the shops.

(Radio News 12/5/05) Picking a tree at a choose-and-cut farm can be a fun outing for the family. But there is another advantage to getting a tree at a farm rather than at a tree lot. LSU AgCenter forestry expert Dr. Don Reed explains.

(Radio News 12/26/05) Avian influenza, or bird flu, is not in the United States, but it has raised concerns about biosecurity in the poultry industry. While it has been more than 20 years since a highly pathogenic strain of avian flu was in this country., LSU AgCenter poultry specialist Dr. Theresia Lavergne says poultry producers have not let their guard down.

(Radio 12/26/05) It has been a long haul for sugarcane growers in the southwestern part of the state. Without a mill in the area, their crop was shipped a good distance for processing. A new mill in Lacassine is not operating yet, and a driver shortage is complicating the harvest.