(Distributed 03/30/07) Choose Louisiana strawberries for a nutritious and delicious treat, advises LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. Strawberries contain several nutrients, minerals and non-nutritive chemicals that are important for human health.

(For Release On Or After 04/27/07) As May approaches, we move from the warm days and cool nights of spring and early summer to the hot days and warm nights that will be with us until sometime around September. With the increasing heat, you also will notice the inevitable decline of your cool-season bedding plants.

(For Release On Or After 04/20/07) Who knows what Spanish moss and pineapples have in common? Believe it or not, they actually are related and belong to the same family of plants – the Bromeliad family.

(For Release On Or After 04/13/07) I don’t know about you, but as the hot weather of summer arrives I’d much rather work in shady gardens than sunny ones. I’ve heard gardening in the shade called challenging, but when the proper plants are selected for shady areas the results can be beautiful and durable. Lots of great plants for shady areas can be found among the ferns.

(For Release On Or After 04/06/07) Average minimum temperatures are an important issue when choosing plants that are well-adapted to our climate. But so are the summer temperatures, since our landscape plants must be able to survive both extremes.

(Distributed 03/28/07) Cattle producers who don’t grow clover are passing up a good chance to improve their profits, a retired Texas A&M forage specialist said recently (March 21) at a field day at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette research farm. The field day was a cooperative effort between ULL, the LSU AgCenter and the Pennington Seed Co.

(Distributed 03/28/07) The 2007 USA Rice Leadership Development Class visited the LSU AgCenter’s Rice Research Station last week (March 18-23) on its tour of the Louisiana and Texas rice industry.

(Distributed 03/28/07) Spring is here, the weather is warm and sunny, and the plants and trees have budded out and started to bloom. Among all that activity, you’re probably also seeing more bees and other insects, LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Dale Pollet said.

(Distributed 03/28/07) Dyeing and decorating eggs is enjoyed by many families at Easter. Because eggs are perishable, it is necessary to follow food safety precautions when using them as part of the holiday festivities, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed 03/27/'07) Many families face tough decisions when shopping for child care, but LSU AgCenter child-care expert Cheri Gioe says there are resources to help them make the best decisions. Agencies known as Child Care Resource and Referral Programs are located in various areas across Louisiana.