Celebrating Louisiana’s Specialty Crops: Local Farmers Boost Economy and Provide Fresh, Nutritional Delights
A fresh tomato on a lunchtime sandwich. A cool slice of watermelon on the patio. Fresh peppers tossed into a pot to season an evening meal.
Thanks to Louisiana’s soil conditions and adequate rainfall, it’s easy to find these types of specialty crops at local farmers markets, roadside stands and some stores. This year, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is celebrating these crops and those who grow them, which creates an ecosystem that has economic benefits for people across the state.
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Celebrating Louisiana’s Specialty Crops: Local Farmers Boost Economy and Provide Fresh, Nutritional Delights
A fresh tomato on a lunchtime sandwich. A cool slice of watermelon on the patio. Fresh peppers tossed into a pot to season an evening meal.
Thanks to Louisiana’s soil conditions and adequate rainfall, it’s easy to find these types of specialty crops at local farmers markets, roadside stands and some stores.
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As the US Invests More in Climate-smart Ag, These Louisiana Farmers Could Serve as a Model
To get to Eros, Louisiana, you pass through a literal one-stoplight town, but otherwise, the drive is largely rural. Drive far enough, and you eventually find the DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm — a 43-acre homestead. Its name translates to “of the earth” in French.
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Sweet Potato Planting Wrapping up in Louisiana
Once they got started, Louisiana sweet potato farmers made quick work of planting this year’s crop. LSU AgCenter reporter Craig Gautreaux has this report from northeast Louisiana.
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Vietnamese Farming Cooperative in New Orleans East Creates Jobs with Healthy Food
Amid the long commercial thoroughfares and sprawling subdivisions of New Orleans East is a little oasis of fruit trees, chickens and row after of row of leafy greens that Thanh Nguyen tends to so closely that they brush the brim of her wide sun hat.
“It’s hard work but I enjoy it,” Thanh, 77, said in Vietnamese as her 81-year-old husband, Tham, tinkered with a finicky rototiller. “And for (Tham), his doctor said it’s good for him to not just be sitting at home.”
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Diseases on the Rise in Louisiana Vegetables
Vegetable growers all over Louisiana are facing southern bacterial wilt and bacterial spot in tomatoes and pepper production.
LSU AgCenter plant doctor Raj Singh said Southern bacterial wilt is caused by the soil-borne bacterium, Ralstonia solanacearum.
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Seafood to Strawberries: How One Ponchatoula Farmer Got His Start
Festivalgoers will find Harris Seafood at the entrance of the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, but they will also find Harris Farm strawberries.
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Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Will Help Farmers Rebound From Struggling Season
Strawberry farmer Rhonda Poche describes herself as a professional gambler.
"It just runs in my blood, and we have to keep it going," said Poche.
And Mother Nature usually spins the roulette wheel.
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Strawberries Ripe & Ready For The Taking
It’s the peak of strawberry season in Louisiana, and the bright red fruit is being harvested in fields across southeast Louisiana. LSU AgCenter reporter Craig Gautreaux has this report from Livingston Parish.
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Despite Some Disease Pressure, Strawberries Are Looking Good
The strawberry crop is coming in at full blast right now, with some growers calling it one of their best crops.
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LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Researcher Receives National Award
Arthur Villordon, a researcher at the LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station in Chase, has received this year’s National Sweet Potato Impact Award for his accomplishments and contributions to the sweet potato industry.
This award was presented recently at the annual meeting of the National Sweet Potato Collaborators Group.
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2022 Louisiana Honey Production Up
Honey production during 2022 from Louisiana producers with five or more colonies totaled 2.56 million pounds, up 19 percent from 2021. There were 42,000 honey producing colonies in 2022, up 5,000 colonies from previous year.
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Scientists Develop Better Potatoes, for the Sake of Chips
You can’t have just one. Potato chips are America’s classic snack: crunchy, salty, greasy, and tasting of potato or flavored with things like sour cream, vinegar, BBQ, maple bacon, or Cajun dill. And today, on March 14, chip lovers across the country can celebrate them on National Potato Chip Day.
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Warm Weather Is Speeding up the Season for Louisiana Strawberry Farmers
As we approach the peak of strawberry season, Springfield strawberry farmer, Trey Harris said it’s been a tough year so far weather-wise. He said production is down from this time last year, but the current unseasonably warm temps are speeding things up.
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Greaux the Good: New Statewide Market Match Program Partners With St. Helena Farmers Market
Greaux the Good, a new statewide market match nutrition incentive program, has allowed the St. Helena Farmers Market to increase the capacity of its previous Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) incentive program.
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