(Distributed 11/13/07) Pecans are nutritious, tasty treats that literally fall from trees. They should be handled properly to ensure that their flavor and quality remain until the next harvest, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. John Pyzner.

(Distributed 11/20/07) An annual tradition in the South is the opening of most "choose-and-cut" Christmas tree farms on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

(Distributed 11/13/07) What are your fondest memories of Thanksgiving? What do you want your children and grandchildren to remember – Traditions? Giving? Togetherness?

(Distributed 11/09/07) If your Thanksgiving is steeped in family traditions, the occasion can be a difficult one should circumstances change and those traditions are lost.

(Distributed 11/09/07) “It’s not as unhealthy as it sounds,” says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames about fried turkey, “if you don't eat the skin of the bird.”

(Distributed 11/09/07) The holidays are time to enjoy special desserts you may only make once a year. To prevent getting foodborne illness, refrigerate pies containing eggs and milk, such as pumpkin, custard and cream pies, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed 11/06/07) Thanksgiving offers families an opportunity to reflect on their many blessings. Youth, however, often take their blessings for granted. How can parents and educators teach young people an attitude of gratitude?

(Distributed 11/09/07) If you’ve been confused in the past about the temperature you needed to cook your holiday turkey, you now need to remember only one temperature, 165 degrees. Past food safety guidelines recommended higher temperatures for some poultry products, including 170 degrees for chicken breasts and 180 degrees for whole birds.

(Distributed 11/05/07) LSU AgCenter volunteer expert Dr. Janet Fox encourages family members to volunteer together in community service on Nov. 18, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Each year, that Saturday is designated as Family Volunteer Day.

(For Release On Or After 11/23/07) Many plants seem to save up all summer for the spectacular display of flowers, fruit and foliage showing up in our gardens now. If you want to punch up the color level in your garden from October through December, here are some trees, shrubs and perennials you might consider including in your landscape.

(For Release On Or After 11/16/07) Botany lessons are often helpful for gardeners to understand some of the underlying reasons why plants behave the way they do and why we do things a certain way. When growing a plant that is expected to produce fruit, knowing something about the reproductive workings of the plant is in the gardener’s best interest to prevent disappointment.

(For Release On Or After 11/09/07) Fresh, ripe strawberries are a favorite with just about everybody, and now is a great time to plant them into your garden. Strawberries are best planted from late October through November for production next spring. They are easy enough that growing a crop is a fun project for kids at home or in school.

(For Release On Or After 11/2/07) Gardening is a well-documented and beneficial form of exercise. It contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

(Distributed 10/31/07) The LSU AgCenter’s 4-H Outdoor Skills program featured a new exercise in gun safety for youth at the recent Outdoor Skills Field Day at the AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station.

(Distributed 11/20/07) Realizing that the many programs offered by a variety of agencies are powerful tools to address poor diet and inactivity, the LSU AgCenter brought together state and regional nutrition and health organizations for a Nutrition Connections Summit on Nov. 15.

(Distributed 11/19/07) Milk prices are up, but feed prices are, too. That was bittersweet news at the LSU AgCenter’s dairy field day Nov. 13 at the Southeast Research Station in Franklinton.

(For Release On Or After 11/02/07) Gardening is a well-documented and beneficial form of exercise. It contributes to a healthy lifestyle, and I am always impressed when I meet gardeners in their seventies, eighties and even nineties that are still actively gardening. But the strenuous activities also can cause problems as well, especially for those of us who get very little exercise sitting at desks (and in front of TVs) during the week, only to get out and overdo it on the weekend. Sore musc

(For Release On Or After 11/09/07) Fresh, ripe strawberries are a favorite with just about everybody, and now is a great time to plant them into your garden. Strawberries are best planted from late October through November for production next spring. They are easy enough that growing a crop is a fun project for kids at home or in school.

(For Release On Or After 11/2/07) Gardening is a well-documented and beneficial form of exercise. It contributes to a healthy lifestyle.

(For Release On Or After 11/16/07) Botany lessons are often helpful for gardeners to understand some of the underlying reasons why plants behave the way they do and why we do things a certain way. When growing a plant that is expected to produce fruit, knowing something about the reproductive workings of the plant is in the gardener’s best interest to prevent disappointment.

(For Release On Or After 11/23/07) Many plants seem to save up all summer for the spectacular display of flowers, fruit and foliage showing up in our gardens now. If you want to punch up the color level in your garden from October through December, here are some trees, shrubs and perennials you might consider including in your landscape.

(For Release On Or After 11/30/07) The vegetables we grow here during the cool season are some of the most delicious and nutritious that our home gardens can produce. Many of the vegetables that we planted in late summer and early fall are ready to harvest – or will be soon. It is important to harvest vegetables at the proper stage for best results, so here are a few guidelines for some common cool season crops.

(Distributed 11/01/07) After more than two years of sharing office space with employees in Jefferson, St. Charles and other parishes, nearly 20 LSU AgCenter employees from Orleans Parish will soon be back working from their own office.

(Distributed 11/01/07) Louisiana agriculture shifted gears in 2007 as growers moved almost 300,000 historically planted cotton acres to corn. Initial estimates from LSU AgCenter economists show the net effect of this shift in production to be only $700,000, or 0.57 percent above what the Louisiana economy would have earned had the acreage remained in cotton.

(Distributed 11/01/07) An educational and certification program for individuals raising goats will be held Monday, Nov. 12, at the LSU AgCenter’s Calhoun Research Station, 321 Highway 80 East, in Calhoun.

(Distributed 11/01/07) Learning comes to life at Papa Simpson’s Farm in Arcadia.

(Distributed 11/05/07) Although Louisiana’s domestic swine are free of brucellosis, the feral swine population is not. Hunters should take precautions when handling their quarry.

(Distributed 11/08/07) The LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station in Franklinton will hold a field day on Nov. 13 to update dairy producers of ongoing research at the station.

(Distributed 11/08/07) Harvesting is the most expensive part of producing crawfish, so reducing that cost can mean the difference between profit and loss, according to Dr. Robert Romaire, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist, who spoke at the 2007 Crawfish Farmers Association 2007 Expo.

(Distributed 11/08/07) Sweet potato harvest conditions in Louisiana have been more cooperative in 2007 than in 2006, when late season rains caused several acres to go unharvested. And though the acreage is down slightly – 15,000 acres compared to 16,000 acres – the yields should more than compensate, according to Tara Smith, LSU AgCenter sweet potato specialist headquartered at the Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase, La.

(Distribtued 11/20/07) Pet owners should be cautious of purchasing animal drugs on the Internet. The products may not be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pose a health threat to the pets.

(Distributed 11/20/07) An annual tradition in the South is the opening of most "choose-and-cut" Christmas tree farms on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

(Distributed 11/20/07) The Louisiana 4-H Poultry Judging Team came home with first place honors in the national 4-H poultry judging competition held Nov. 14-15 in Louisville, Ky.

(Distributed 11/30/07) The LSU AgCenter has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and others in the wood products industry to determine which insulation systems effectively prevent moisture problems in houses with raised floors.

(Distributed 11/30/07) Six more scientists have been inducted into the LSU AgCenter’s Patent Club, an elite group that now includes 52 researchers who have received patents or plant variety protection certificates. The new inductees are first-time receivers of patents or plant variety protection (PVP) certificates during the past 12 months.

(Distributed 11/27/07) Butterfly gardening is a rewarding hobby that creates a calming effect, Wendy Babiak of Shreveport said as she observed a butterfly garden at the State Fair of Louisiana. Babiak, a Master Gardener who has a “wildlife oasis smack in the middle of Broadmoor,” a Shreveport subdivision, helped put together an LSU AgCenter fair exhibit on how gardening can be used to attract butterflies.

(Distributed 11/21/07) Louisiana pecans are plentiful for holiday cooking – just not quite as many as last year’s recording-breaking yield, according to Dr. John Pyzner, pecan-fruit specialist at the LSU AgCenter’s Pecan Research and Extension Station in Shreveport. This year the total harvest is expected to be 10-12 million pounds, down slightly from an average of about 14 million pounds. Last year’s yield shot up to 21 million pounds.

(Distributed 11/21/07) Good Provider winners from across the state were honored on Nov. 20 at LSU’s Lod Cook Conference Center.

(Distributed 11/19/07) Keeping our food supply safe was the main topic for speakers and panelists at a recent national conference in New Orleans.

(Distributed 11/19/07) More East Feliciana Parish students are receiving tutoring and enrichment programs after school through a cooperative effort between the LSU AgCenter and the East Feliciana School District.

(Distributed 11/29/07) The LSU AgCenter’s 2007 Poinsettia Open House is set for Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Burden Center in Baton Rouge. This event, which is being held for the 13th time, provides poinsettia growers and the public with an opportunity to view some of the latest poinsettia varieties.

(Photo gallery) The LSU AgCenter provided judges for the competitive educational exhibits in the Agricultural Building of the State Fair of Louisiana. They judged canned goods, needlework, arts and crafts, photos and leaves. The AgCenter renewed and expanded its partnership with the fair. The dates of the fair, held in Shreveport, were Oct. 25-Nov. 11, 2007.

(Distributed 11/20/07) Realizing that the many programs offered by a variety of agencies are powerful tools to address poor diet and inactivity, the LSU AgCenter brought together state and regional nutrition and health organizations for a Nutrition Connections Summit on Nov. 15.

(Distributed 11/01/07) Learning comes to life at Papa Simpson’s Farm in Arcadia.

(Distributed 11/01/07) Louisiana agriculture shifted gears in 2007 as growers moved almost 300,000 historically planted cotton acres to corn. Initial estimates from LSU AgCenter economists show the net effect of this shift in production to be only $700,000, or 0.57 percent above what the Louisiana economy would have earned had the acreage remained in cotton.

(Distributed 11/01/07) An educational and certification program for individuals raising goats will be held Monday, Nov. 12, at the LSU AgCenter’s Calhoun Research Station, 321 Highway 80 East, in Calhoun.

(Distributed 11/05/07) Although Louisiana’s domestic swine are free of brucellosis, the feral swine population is not. Hunters should take precautions when handling their quarry.

(Distributed 11/08/07) Sweet potato harvest conditions in Louisiana have been more cooperative in 2007 than in 2006, when late season rains caused several acres to go unharvested. And though the acreage is down slightly – 15,000 acres compared to 16,000 acres – the yields should more than compensate, according to Tara Smith, LSU AgCenter sweet potato specialist headquartered at the Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase, La.

(Distributed 11/08/07) Harvesting is the most expensive part of producing crawfish, so reducing that cost can mean the difference between profit and loss, according to Dr. Robert Romaire, LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist, who spoke at the 2007 Crawfish Farmers Association 2007 Expo.

(Distributed 11/08/07) The LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station in Franklinton will hold a field day on Nov. 13 to update dairy producers of ongoing research at the station.

(Distributed 11/19/07) Keeping our food supply safe was the main topic for speakers and panelists at a recent national conference in New Orleans.

(Distributed 11/19/07) More East Feliciana Parish students are receiving tutoring and enrichment programs after school through a cooperative effort between the LSU AgCenter and the East Feliciana School District.

(Distributed 11/19/07) Milk prices are up, but feed prices are, too. That was bittersweet news at the LSU AgCenter’s dairy field day Nov. 13 at the Southeast Research Station in Franklinton.

(Distributed 11/20/07) Realizing that the many programs offered by a variety of agencies are powerful tools to address poor diet and inactivity, the LSU AgCenter brought together state and regional nutrition and health organizations for a Nutrition Connections Summit on Nov. 15.

(Distributed 11/20/07) The Louisiana 4-H Poultry Judging Team came home with first place honors in the national 4-H poultry judging competition held Nov. 14-15 in Louisville, Ky.

(Distributed 11/20/07) WINNSBORO – Realizing that the many programs offered by a variety of agencies are powerful tools to address poor diet and inactivity, the LSU AgCenter brought together state and regional nutrition and health organizations for a Nutrition Connections Summit on Nov. 15.

(Distribtued 11/20/07) Pet owners should be cautious of purchasing animal drugs on the Internet. The products may not be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and pose a health threat to the pets.

(Distributed 11/20/07) An annual tradition in the South is the opening of most "choose-and-cut" Christmas tree farms on the Friday following Thanksgiving.

(Distributed 11/21/07) Good Provider winners from across the state were honored on Nov. 20 at LSU’s Lod Cook Conference Center.

(Distributed 11/21/07) Louisiana pecans are plentiful for holiday cooking – just not quite as many as last year’s recording-breaking yield, according to Dr. John Pyzner, pecan-fruit specialist at the LSU AgCenter’s Pecan Research and Extension Station in Shreveport. This year the total harvest is expected to be 10-12 million pounds, down slightly from an average of about 14 million pounds. Last year’s yield shot up to 21 million pounds.

(Distributed 11/27/07) Butterfly gardening is a rewarding hobby that creates a calming effect, Wendy Babiak of Shreveport said as she observed a butterfly garden at the State Fair of Louisiana. Babiak, a Master Gardener who has a “wildlife oasis smack in the middle of Broadmoor,” a Shreveport subdivision, helped put together an LSU AgCenter fair exhibit on how gardening can be used to attract butterflies.

(Distributed 11/29/07) The LSU AgCenter’s 2007 Poinsettia Open House is set for Dec. 14 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Burden Center in Baton Rouge. This event, which is being held for the 13th time, provides poinsettia growers and the public with an opportunity to view some of the latest poinsettia varieties.

(Distributed 11/30/07) The LSU AgCenter has teamed up with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and others in the wood products industry to determine which insulation systems effectively prevent moisture problems in houses with raised floors.

(Distributed 11/30/07) Six more scientists have been inducted into the LSU AgCenter’s Patent Club, an elite group that now includes 52 researchers who have received patents or plant variety protection certificates. The new inductees are first-time receivers of patents or plant variety protection (PVP) certificates during the past 12 months.

(Distributed 11/05/07) LSU AgCenter volunteer expert Dr. Janet Fox encourages family members to volunteer together in community service on Nov. 18, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Each year, that Saturday is designated as Family Volunteer Day.

(Distributed 11/09/07) When Louisiana cooks shop for their Thanksgiving meal, they’ll find the cost of the basic dinner items will average $37.31 for 10 people, according to an LSU AgCenter survey of Baton Rouge-area prices. That’s down by $2.50 from last year’s average of $39.81.