Columns

Thu
18
Jan

Ag Minute

Ag Minute
Ag Minute
Ag Minute

Unleashing innovation while reining in wild hogs: Grants helped jump start research that reaches a milestone

In the fight against feral hogs, Ann Reiley Jones calls herself a fundraiser and cheerleader. She is also the spark that ignited research on controlling what has become a $91 million problem for Louisiana farmers.

About 10 years ago, Jones noticed an uptick in the pig population on her East Feliciana property, which is adjacent to the LSU AgCenter Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station, named in honor of her late father. Station director at the time Dearl Sanders noticed the same.

“They are so nasty, so ugly and so mean, and they carry all kinds of diseases,” Jones said. “Dearl and I decided, let’s try to do something about the pigs because they were horrible then, and of course, they are 100 times worse now.”

Thu
11
Jan

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

From time to time it is interesting to write about an outstanding person that helped to establish and contribute to the formation of DeSoto Parish. There are many but none surpassed John Wagner who served as the first President of the DeSoto Police Jury. John Wagner was a self-made man of high intellect and character. He was born in Pennsylvania on March 31, 1802 of Dutch/American parents. At the age of 16 he traveled by boat to New Orleans and then up to near Alexandria. There he learned cotton growing and found that he could get credit to purchase land from lenders in New Orleans. With this knowledge he patented land about three miles south of present Grand Cane. With his ability and work ethic he soon became a large land owner of some 60 sections.

Thu
11
Jan

Tips and Tales with

Tips and Tales with

Let’s get shakin’!

January 5th was Twelfth night and the beginning of a magical time here Mardi Gras Country Twelfth Night is a Christian festival on the last night of the Twelve Days of Christmas, marking the Feast of the Epiphany, when the Three Wise Men visited the Christ child. In Louisiana it also means the launch of Carnival season.

Mardi Gras Grand Bal’s (yes, it’s only got one L) as well as parades and street festivals will flow in towns and cities alike from now until midnight on Fat Tuesday which this year is February 13th. It will be followed by Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Thu
11
Jan

Ag Minute

Ag Minute
Ag Minute
Ag Minute

Flavorful Herb Harvest

Nothing elevates a delicious recipe quite like the burst of flavor from fresh herbs plucked straight from your garden. Ever found yourself searching for a specific herb in the grocery store, only to be disappointed by the quality? Homegrown herbs to the rescue!

Growing herbs at home is easy and doesn’t require much space. Whether in containers on your patio, in landscapes, raised beds or even trendy aerogardens on your kitchen counter, there are plenty of options.

Herbs are plants valued for their aromatic, flavorful and medicinal properties. They are commonly used in cooking, for fragrance and in traditional or alternative medicine. Herbs are distinct from vegetables in that they are usually the leaves of the plant rather than the stems, roots or seeds.

Wed
03
Jan

Did You Know?

Did You Know?
Did You Know?
Did You Know?

The small towns and communities have contributed so much to DeSoto Parish through the years. As our early settlers moved from the Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi looking for good and inexpensive farmland they selected our area. It was a rough life but they were determined to make good communities to raise their families. They encouraged everyone to be a good citizen. The following are a few of these areas but space will not allow all communities nor all family manes to be mentioned but everyone was important to our growth and culture. Some of the smaller towns and communities of the Parish will be discussed in this article.

Wed
03
Jan

Hey, Let’s Talk!

Hey, Let’s Talk!

I’m having a real good Christmas week – one of the best ever – and I hope all of you are, too. My Daughter and Granddaughter came down with friends to share presents and Christmas Eve Dinner. I did my standard roast turkey and Mama’s cornbread dressing but the kids brought scalloped potatoes, macaroni and cheese, spinach soufflé and a big ham. Whow! Surprisingly we had few leftovers because several guests stopped by to “snack”. That’s just fine because now I need to start getting ready for New Years with another ham, boiled cabbage, a big pot of “Hoppin’ John” blackeyed pea jambalaya and, of course, a good skillet of cornbread. I may do ‘hot water cornbread’ this year?

Wed
27
Dec

Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor and Broadband Stakeholders, Our recently approved initial proposal for the federal Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program includes significant plans for workforce development. Particularly in Louisiana, building broadband infrastructure for hundreds of thousands of locations require robust workforce that is well prepared and ready to take on the challenge.

One way we are preparing workers and businesses for these projects is by partnering with the Louisiana Community and Technical College System to offer fiber optic training programs to students who want to find work in the telecommunications industry. This story in our success series highlights just that. Enjoy!

Veneeth Iyengar Executive Director, ConnectLA

Wed
27
Dec

Did You Know?

Did You Know?

Did you ever think of yourself as a writer of historian? Probably not but most of the “History Buffs” are people who enjoy reading things pertaining to the past. Most of the history books were written by people who didn’t actually live history but read and heard history.

Our children and grandchildren will know us if we write it down or – second best – tell them of our lives when we were younger. Even though they seem to have their heads buried in a phone they will listen if you make it interesting. Often times children listen and retain a great deal more history than you realize. Children normally are interested in your early life and your parents and grandparents. How your fore parents migrated to this part of America and why they came is also interesting.

Thu
21
Dec

Did You Know?

Did You Know?
Did You Know?

There are several very important historical events that took place during the Christmas Season. Of course the birth of Jesus, our Lord and Savior, was the most important and the “Reason for the Season”. But on December 21, 1620, the first landing party of Pilgrims came ashore in Massachusetts at the place they named Plymouth. There they founded the second successful English settlement in America. The first settlement was at Jamestown, Virginia, up the James River. Tradition says that as they came ashore the Pilgrims set foot on a large granite boulder that they named Plymouth Rock. That rock became a famous symbol of the revolution and of our faith. Nearly a century later the second president of the United States, John Adams, urged the early American Colonies to not forget the trials the early settlers faced and the reason they came to America.

Thu
21
Dec

Ag Minute

Ag Minute
Ag Minute

Each year, the National Garden Bureau designates a specific plant to celebrate each year. The goal is to promote awareness, education and appreciation for that particular plant — and this year, one of the selections is amaryllis.

The amaryllis you decorate your home with during the winter holidays is a Hippeastrum, meaning horse star. Amaryllis comes from a Greek word meaning to sparkle or twinkle. Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, Hippeastrum bulbs originate from Central and South America, particularly the Andes region. It was first introduced to Europe in the 18th century.

Amaryllis is comprised of 90 species and more than 600 cultivars in all sorts of colors and shapes, and it’s all thanks to those hybridizers who keep making new funky styles, flower forms and shades.

The majority of bulbs you buy are either Dutch or South African hybrids. These will bloom without needing any special treatment right after you get them.

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