(Distributed 11/15/06) When Louisiana cooks shop for their Thanksgiving meal, they’ll find the cost of the basic dinner items will average $38.11 for 10 people, according to an LSU AgCenter survey. That’s up by $1.31 from last year’s national average of $36.80 as reported by the American Farm Bureau Foundation.

(Distributed 11/13/06) Oyster dressing and pecan pie – both made with Louisiana-grown products – may be a bit more difficult to get this holiday season and may cause consumers to dig a little deeper in their pockets when they find them.

(Distributed 11/15/06) Fried turkey has become a tradition for many people at Thanksgiving. Before envisioning your arteries hardening, consider that fried turkey is not as unhealthy as it might sound – if you don't eat the skin, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Video 11/27/06) Modern poinsettias are so beautiful, and they come in a wide variety of colors. When choosing a poinsettia for your home or office, first look at the foliage. You want it to be dark green and healthy without a lot of dropped leaves and bare stems. Also, avoid poinsettias where a lot of the true flowers have already fallen off. (Runtime: 1 minute, 14 seconds)

(For Release On Or After 11/24/06) Hedges can create privacy, block unwanted views, screen out noise and serve other important roles in our landscape. If you’re considering planting a new hedge or replacing a lost one, now is a great time to get it done.

(For Release On Or After 11/17/06) Insect outbreaks on indoor plants can be disastrous. So you need to keep a close watch on your houseplants to prevent major problems from developing.

(For Release On Or After 11/10/06) Flowers are the delight of gardeners. Their beautiful colors, shapes and fragrances are the inspiration for gardening efforts by countless hobby horticulturists. But there is more to flowers than what meets the eye or the nose. Your taste buds also can appreciate the many edible flowers that we can grow.

(For Release On Or After 11/03/06) Louisiana gardeners often use containers of tender tropical plants on decks, patios, porches and courtyards to provide color and beauty through the summer. These plants thrive in outdoor conditions, but since they cannot withstand freezing temperatures they must be protected over the winter.

(For Release On Or After 12/01/06) This time of the year deciduous trees drop tons of leaves. Most people rake them up, put them in bags and place the bags on the curb to be picked up with the trash. What a shame!

(For Release On Or After 12/08/06) Paperwhite and amaryllis are two bulbs popular for "forcing" in Louisiana during the winter. Forcing bulbs means growing them to bloom earlier than they would under normal landscape conditions.

(For Release On Or After 12/29/06) The next few weeks are an important time for planting tulips, hyacinths and other bulbs you previously stored in your refrigerator to get them ready for planting. Won’t it be great to get the refrigerator space back!

(For Release On Or After 12/22/06) The winter solstice occurred this week, and it marks a turning point in the length of our days and nights. Why is that important for gardeners? Mainly because it reminds us that changing of the seasons affects the way our plants perform.

(For Release On Or After 12/15/06) An easy-to-make garland might be just what you need to spruce up your front entrance before your holiday company arrives, and you may be able to make one from the "trimmings" you have from pruning trees and bushes this time of year.

(For Release On Or After 11/24/06) Hedges can create privacy, block unwanted views, screen out noise and serve other important roles in our landscape. If you’re considering planting a new hedge or replacing a lost one, now is a great time to get it done.

(For Release On Or After 11/17/06) Insect outbreaks on indoor plants can be disastrous. So you need to keep a close watch on your houseplants to prevent major problems from developing.

(For Release On Or After 11/10/06) Flowers are the delight of gardeners. Their beautiful colors, shapes and fragrances are the inspiration for gardening efforts by countless hobby horticulturists. But there is more to flowers than what meets the eye or the nose. Your taste buds also can appreciate the many edible flowers that we can grow.

(For Release On Or After 11/03/06) Louisiana gardeners often use containers of tender tropical plants on decks, patios, porches and courtyards to provide color and beauty through the summer. These plants thrive in outdoor conditions, but since they cannot withstand freezing temperatures they must be protected over the winter.

(Distributed 11/16/06) The LSU AgCenter’s 2006 Poinsettia Open House is set for Dec. 8 at its Burden Center in Baton Rouge. The annual event 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. (EVENT CANCELED AFTER NEWS RELEASE ISSUED)

(Distributed 11/28/06) Five Louisiana 4-H’ers were among those winning national championship honors this month at the National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference in Louisville, Ky. The national championship honors for Louisiana went to a judging team and an individual, who all were from Lafourche Parish.

(Distributed 11/28/06) Inaccurate acreage estimates could be leading some farmers to spend too much or too little on producing their crops, according to an LSU AgCenter watershed agent, who says the cost of more accurate surveys may be worth the investment.

(Distributed 11/28/06) The LSU AgCenter recently selected a 25-year veteran of its 4-H program to serve as the new head of its youth development efforts. Dr. Mark Tassin will move into the position of department head for 4-H Youth Development Dec. 1.

(Distributed 11/22/06) It’s the time of year when many people go shopping for trees to decorate their homes during the holiday season. LSU AgCenter expert Dr. Don Reed offers a few tips on selecting and caring for a tree that may help you get the most enjoyment from it.

(Distributed 11/21/06) Five Louisiana 4-H members attended the first Southern Region Teen Leadership Conference earlier this month at the Rock Eagle 4-H Center in Eatonton, Ga.

(Distributed 11/22/06) Consumers must be cautious of identity thieves when shopping during the holiday season, says LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker. "Be on your guard all the time. By taking certain precautions, you can save yourself hours of time recovering from identity theft," she advises.

(Distributed 11/21/06) Many people use poinsettias to decorate their homes during the holiday season. The plants you purchase now can be a beautiful part of your decorations, but they’re probably only good for this season, the experts say.

(Distributed 11/21/06) The LSU AgCenter recently brought beef producers from around the state together at the Bald Cypress Cattle Co. in Amite for a field day designed to demonstrate scientifically based and environmentally sound management practices they could implement.

(Distributed 11/21/06) Louisiana’s pecan crop this year is excellent. The harvest forecast is 19 million pounds, which is 5 million pounds above Louisiana’s average of 14 million pounds, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. John Pyzner.

(Distributed 11/21/06) This year’s plentiful Louisiana pecan crop is a pleasant surprise following last year’s hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It is unusual to have a good pecan crop following a hurricane, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. John Pyzner.

(Distributed 11/17/06) The LSU AgCenter’s 2007 Get It Growing calendar provides a variety of helpful information tailored to Louisiana gardeners, and it’s available for holiday gift-giving. The calendar, now in its third year of publication, features advice and photos tailored to Louisiana’s growing conditions and climates.

(Distributed 11/16/06) Twenty-one members of the most recentt LSU AgCenter Community Leadership and Economic Development class in Livingston Parish were on hand for the final session and presentation of certificates Monday (Nov. 13). Known as CLED, for short, the program is designed to help volunteers learn leadership skills that can help them work to improve their local economies and make their communities better places to live.

(Distributed 11/15/06) Four LSU AgCenter employees were recognized Tuesday (Nov. 14) for their outstanding service to the university. The LSU AgCenter winners – Joseph Alexis, Cheryl Duplechain, Nona Everett and Joan Gobert – were among 13 people honored as LSU Foundation Staff Outstanding Service Award winners.

(Distributed 11/09/06) Tree farming is a good alternative for landowners to consider in making long-term investments in their land resources. That was one of the messages heard recently at a meeting coordinated by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 11/08/06) A first-time festival involving more than 2,000 visitors and about 100 volunteers usually takes an experienced committee of adults to plan and manage. The success of the recent "Up With Kids" event, however, was due to a group of Baton Rouge teenagers.

(Distributed 11/06/06) The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station has established the Margie Yates Jenkins Azalea Garden in recognition of one of Tangipahoa Parish’s most widely known nursery owners.

(Distributed 11/06/06) The annual Deep South Fruit and Vegetable Conference and Trade Show will be Dec. 6-7 in Mobile, Ala. About 500 people are expected to attend this multistate meeting, including growers from Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi.

(Distributed 11/02/06) Linda Hatcher was looking for a way to boost morale at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. She found it through collaboration with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 11/03/06) Late fall through winter in Louisiana is a great season for planting fruit trees, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings. The horticulturist says several kinds of fruit trees and similar plants work well in backyard landscapes.

(Distributed 11/15/06) When Louisiana cooks shop for their Thanksgiving meal, they’ll find the cost of the basic dinner items will average $38.11 for 10 people, according to an LSU AgCenter survey. That’s up by $1.31 from last year’s national average of $36.80 as reported by the American Farm Bureau Foundation.