The cover of the 2016 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar features cornflowers.

Paige Freeman, a student worker at the LSU Dairy Store, packages blocks of jalapeno Cajun spice cheese in anticipation of holiday orders. (Photo by Tobie Blanchard, LSU AgCenter)

News Release Distributed 12.02/15

BATON ROUGE, La. – If you have someone on your shopping list whose interests run from gardening to gourmet, the LSU AgCenter has a couple of gift ideas.

The gardener on your list will enjoy a 2016 Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar. The calendar includes beautiful photos of plants, flowers and gardens along with monthly gardening tips from AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill, said Elma Sue McCallum, of LSU AgCenter Communications, who serves as the calendar’s coordinator.

The calendar also features a Louisiana zone map, a special section on selecting and planting trees, an illustrated how-to on forcing amaryllis, gardening terms and information on Louisiana Super Plants.

The calendar sells for $11.95. It is available from the AgCenter online store or by telephone at 225-578-4646. Sample photos and more information are available at www.lsuagcenter.com/getitgrowingcalendar.

For the foodie in your life, consider a box of locally made cheese. The LSU Dairy Store has been making and selling cheese for more than 30 years, and they are currently increasing production for the holidays, said LSU AgCenter dairy science professor Chuck Boeneke.

The store offers three selections that include two blocks of cheese: the Yellow Tiger box with two blocks of cheddar cheese, the Cajun Spice box with two blocks of jalapeno Cajun spice cheese and the Bayou Bengal box with a block of cheddar and a block of Cajun Spice. Boeneke expects to sell a few thousand boxes of Louisiana-made cheeses during the holiday season.

“In addition to making a nice gift, the cheeses are great for holiday entertaining,” he said.

Each box contains two pounds of cheese and sells for $11.50 plus tax. They are available for purchase in the Dairy Store, from the AgCenter online store and by telephone by calling 225-578-4392. Online purchasing will be available until Dec. 16. Online and telephone orders will include shipping charges,

The Dairy Store is located at the corner of South Stadium and Tower Drive on the LSU campus.

The AgCenter online store is at store.lsuagcenter.com. Click on “products” on the top of the page to find cheese and calendar order information.