(Distributed 02/21/11) The New Orleans 2011 Spring Garden Show will be held at the City Park Botanical Garden on April 2-3 from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. each day.

(Distributed 02/23/11) Louisianians can work in their yards almost every day of the year, but spring is prime time for gardening. The LSU AgCenter has announced a lineup of garden shows that kick off in March and continue into May in Hammond, Covington, Baton Rouge, Lake Charles, New Orleans and Houma.

(Distributed 02/28/11) With the recent warm weather, homeowners are anxious to fertilize their St. Augustine grass and centipede grass as well as get weed-and-feed out on their weeds. It’s not time, however, to put either conventional lawn fertilizer or weed-and-feed out on St. Augustine grass or centipede grass right now, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Ron Strahan.

(Distributed 02/28/11) WINNSBORO, La. – Nature tourism is a fast-growing activity worldwide, according to a Mississippi river guide and canoe builder.

(Distributed 02/28/11) Along the banks of the Mississippi in St. James Parish sit majestic plantation homes and fields of sugarcane. And for more than 60 years in these fields, Charles Gravois Sr. has produced bumper crop after bumper crop of sugarcane. His perseverance was rewarded when he was named the 2011 Louisiana Farmer of the Year.

(Distributed 02/25/11) LSU AgCenter agents in north Louisiana have started a blog to help farmers use new technology and equipment to maximum capabilities.

(Distributed 02/25/11) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Forestry industry representatives attending an LSU AgCenter forum Tuesday (Feb. 22) at the Dean Lee Research Station were warned that a non-native grass threatens Louisiana forests.

(Distributed 02/24/11) DELHI, La. – Students from elementary schools in Richland, Franklin, Ouachita and Morehouse parishes visited a number of interactive exhibits and heard from LSU AgCenter agents about agricultural products in northeast Louisiana at Ag Adventures Feb. 22-23.

(Distributed 02/23/11) OPELOUSAS, La. – LSU AgCenter crawfish researchers gave recommendations to producers on improving their crop and avoiding or reducing problems in their ponds.

(Distributed 02/23/11) POLLOCK, La. – The LSU AgCenter’s 4-H Youth Resident Summer Camp combines an educational program with a week’s worth of fun.

(Distributed 02/22/11) This year’s crawfish season is off to a slow start mainly because of unusually long stretches of cold weather, but a warm-up is boosting the catch.

(Distributed 02/22/11) Homeowners living on property passed down from family sometimes can’t take advantage of their property rights.

(Distributed 02/21/11) Three graduate assistants in the LSU AgCenter’s Food Science department are vying against two other universities for up to $6,500 in cash and prizes in a contest to develop new food products using canola oil.The team made it into the final round of the Institute of Food Technologists Student Association Heart Healthy Product Development Competition with a tea-based drink called a bubble tea.

(Distributed 02/21/11) GONZALES, La. – Six exceptional Louisiana youths were recognized Saturday (Feb. 19) for their knowledge, skills and communication abilities as they were named winners of the Gerry Lane Premier Exhibitor Awards at the 76th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show Presented by Price LeBlanc at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center here.

(Distributed 02/21/11) GONZALES, La. – Hundreds of young people from across Louisiana were named state champions during the 76th Annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show Feb. 12-19 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/21/11) The LSU AgCenter and the St. Tammany Master Gardeners will have their annual garden show and plant sale March 19-20 at the St. Tammany Fairgrounds in Covington.

(Distributed 02/19/11) The LSU AgCenter honored several Louisiana 4-H and FFA members and Saturday (Feb. 19) for their work with youth livestock projects. The awards to one volunteer and five club members were presented during ceremonies that concluded the 76th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, La. That event ran Feb. 12-19.

(Distributed 02/18/11) Experts call it “poverty of place” and explain that it occurs because of circumstances that exist in particular locations. The poverty is found mostly in the hearts of inner cities or in remote rural areas.

(Distributed 02/17/11) The 4-H Volunteer Leaders Association will hold its annual conference March 11-13 at the Marriott Baton Rouge. The conference will focus on teaching participants to work more confidently with youth and increase the service roles of 4-H volunteers.

(Distributed 02/14/11) The Hammond Spring Garden Day is set for March 12 at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

(Distributed 02/14/11) Ben Legendre, professor and head of the LSU AgCenter Audubon Sugar Institute at St. Gabriel, has received the 2010-2011 President’s Award from the American Sugar Cane League.

(Distributed 02/11/11) The LSU AgCenter will hold a series of crawfish-producer meetings to bring farmers up to date on important issues.

(Distributed 02/11/11) Military families in Louisiana will hit the links on March 12 at The First Tee event at J.S. Clark Park in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 02/11/11) The Cenla Forestry Forum is scheduled for Feb. 22 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the LSU AgCenter Evacuation Shelter, 8125 U.S. Highway 71 in Alexandria.

(Distributed 02/11/11) CROWLEY, La. – Friends, family and former co-workers of Rouse Caffey gathered Thursday (Feb. 10) to celebrate the naming of a rice variety as a tribute for his work as director of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station and chancellor of the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 02/11/11) BATON ROUGE – Farmers from across the Midsouth, along with researchers from the LSU AgCenter and several other universities, met here recently (Feb. 1-2) to share techniques and ideas at the National Conservation Cotton and Rice Conference.

(Distributed 02/10/11) The Natchitoches Parish Master Gardeners will present their fifth annual garden symposium on March 26 at the Natchitoches Events Center.

(Distributed 02/08/11) The LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station has scheduled a greenhouse tomato seminar on Feb. 25 at the station in Bossier City.

(Distributed 02/03/11) Tests by the LSU AgCenter have confirmed herbicide-resistant pigweed at three locations in north Louisiana. “We’ve joined the party,” said Daniel Stephenson, LSU AgCenter weed scientist who conducted the testing.

(Distributed 02/03/11) Ag Adventures, an educational program about agriculture for third- through fifth-graders in northeast Louisiana, will be held Feb. 22-23 at the Northeast District Livestock Show Barn and Civic Center in Delhi.

(Distributed 02/03/11) A river guide and canoe builder will speak about identifying criteria for canoeing and kayaking trails on Feb. 23 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the LSU AgCenter’s Scott Research and Extension Center in Winnsboro.