January
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Rain marks 2009 La. agriculture production
Crop Damage

(TV News 01/11/10) Hurricanes marred agriculture production in 2008. In 2009, it was simply rain and plenty of it. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports that damage to several crops was severe. (Runtime: 1:37)

Prune tropicals after hard freeze
Cold Weather Tropicals

(Video 01/18/10) Hard freezes have affected many plants throughout the state. Now, after the damage has been done, what can you do? On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains what to do with your cold-damaged tropicals. (Runtime: 1:49)

Freezes damage palm trees
Palm Trees

(Video 02/15/10) Not all palm plants are created equal. Because of the unusual cold this year, some palms are looking brown and dried up, while others are green and healthy looking. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains the differences among popular palms and how to care for them. (Runtime: 1:37)

Keep and care for holiday plants
Holiday Plants

(Video 01/04/10) After the Christmas holidays, what do you do with the seasonal plants you’ve used? Throw them out or keep them? On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains how you can keep and care for some of these holiday plants. (Runtime: 1:40)

Take steps toward energy efficiency
Heating Costs
(TV News 01/18/10) Really cold days are more rare in Louisiana than really hot ones, but both types can show how inefficient our homes are. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard talks with a housing expert about making sure your home is as energy efficient as possible. (Runtime: 1:38)
Heavy rainfall disrupts sugarcane harvest
Sugarcane Harvest
(TV News 01/04/10) Louisiana’s sugarcane harvest usually begins to wind down as the year ends, but heavy rains in early and late fall delayed harvest and cut sugar yields. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime: 1:49)
Freezing temperatures delay strawberry harvest
Strawberries
(TV News 01/18/10) The hard freeze that settled in for several days across the state froze lakes, burst pipes and damaged plants. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports that strawberries producers and nursery owners were both hurt by the cold weather. (Runtime: 1:45)
Blueberries serve as a healthful snack
Blueberries
(Video 01/11/10) Maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions is to eat healthfully. Growing your own fruit can help you toward that end. On this edition of Get It Growing, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill explains now is a great time to plant blueberry bushes – which produce some of the most healthful fruit around. (Runtime: 1:49)
Watch for new loropetalum and gardenia varieties
(Distributed 01/28/11) Many new gardenia and loropetalum varieties have been introduced to the marketplace over the past few years. Older gardenia varieties are still great plants for us, but the newer varieties offer uniqueness in flowering and repeat bloom tendencies and sometimes have better landscape adaptability. The new loropetalums have unique burgundy-to-purplish foliage color throughout the year.
Jefferson Parish Cooperative Extension Service plans Open House
(Distributed 01/28/11) The LSU AgCenter’s Jefferson Parish office will hold an open house on Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Heart health emphasized this month
(Radio News 02/15/10) The heart is in focus during February, not only because of Valentine’s Day, but also because this month the American Heart Association calls attention to the threat of heart disease. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says a healthful diet can guard against a heart attack.
Debt load heavy on poultry farm
(Radio News 02/15/10) Overall, Tod Hibbard is glad to be raising chickens again. His houses sat empty for months after Pilgrim’s Pride closed its poultry processing facility in Farmerville. He is now growing chickens for Foster Farms, but his houses aren’t as full as they used to be. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
Poultry producers ready to raise more chickens
(Radio News 02/15/10) Poultry producers are still struggling to rebound after the closing and then reopening of a processing facility in Northeast Louisiana. The facility has been running for several months, but LSU AgCenter county agent Matt Stephens says it’s not running at capacity. (Runtime: 60 seconds)
LSU AgCenter to host 75th Livestock Show
(Radio News 02/15/10) Crowds of animals and youngsters gather every year for LSU AgCenter Livestock Show, and this year with be the 75th for the state livestock show. LSU AgCenter livestock show manager Dwayne Nunez said the first shows were much smaller than then ones today. (Runtime: 60 seconds)