General Agriculture
-
David Coyle and Mark Megalos, Southern Regional Extension Forestry
Healthy forests provide many public benefits like clean air and water, wildlife and plant habitat, and diverse forest products that help the economy and ecosystem. Healthy forests also provide individuals with a greater opportunity to achieve their personal objectives such as the production of wood products, recreational or hunting experiences, aesthetic enjoyment, or a variety of other goals. Healthy forests are sustainable and meet owner objectives. Additionally, non-timber benefits are evident in a healthy forest; when trees are healthy, they produce nuts, cones, seeds, canopy, and leaf litter that provide food and habitat for understory plants and wildlife and enrich the soil. We define forest health as the ability of a forest to maintain and perpetuate a constant high quality supply of environmental benefits, products, and a diverse plant and animal community.
|
-
B 1493
Organic Pecan Production
Organic food production is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the American food marketplace and is driven largely by personal health preferences and environmental ethics. Pecan production generates unique challenges to organic production methods in the humid Southeastern U.S. because it is an environment conducive to heavy pressure from insects, diseases, and weeds. Therefore, the foundation of any organic pecan production program in the Southeastern U.S. will be based on selection for pest-resistant cultivars.
|
-
This circular contains the fundamentals of watermelon irrigation scheduling using the crop water demand method. Decisions regarding the timing, frequency, and amount of water required for a crop are some of the most critical factors in vegetable production. There are numerous irrigation scheduling strategies employed by growers, but the crop water demand method of irrigation management is one of the most reliable and precise ways to schedule irrigation. This method adjusts irrigation events using the crop evapotranspiration, or ETc.
|
-
A grower survey was carried out in January 2023 during the annual blueberry update event held in Alma, Georgia. Survey responses were collected from 26 growers from eight Georgia counties. The results indicated the cultivar preference of south Georgia growers and major production constraints of blueberry production in southeast Georgia.
|
-
In Georgia, there are many small-scale producers that largely use ecological production practices, such as Certified Organic, and sell in farmers markets or other direct marketing channels. As these direct markets begin to saturate, these producers may need to forge a path beyond direct markets to wholesale or institutional markets that want sustainable products. Food hubs may offer a path for these small farms to scale up. There are three overlapping forms of food hubs in Georgia. Each has different markets and thus different requirements for the producers who sell to them. This publication discusses the types of food hubs in Georgia and gives producers guidelines on which form of food hub may work best for them.
|
-
Use this publication to calculate planting densities, fertilizer application rates, sprayer calibration, and soil amendment applications using unit conversions. We demonstrate the “raw math” behind common calculations to provide you with the tools for solving any equation using simple addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. No longer will you be dependent on having production guides, fertilizer charts, planter manuals, and spray nozzle catalogs to tell you what to do.
|
-
SB 28-18
Forestry and Christmas Trees
Commercial insect and weed control in forestry and Christmas trees. Updated annually.
|
-
Important considerations for starting a small hydroponic operation at your home or an urban garden site.
|
-
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of more than 9,000 manmade chemicals that have been in use worldwide since 1940, primarily in industry and numerous commercial and consumer products. The widespread use of PFAS for the past several decades has raised concerns due to their persistence, bioaccumulative nature, and potential adverse health effects. This publication provides information about the background, uses, and environmental and human health consequences of PFAS chemicals, as well as the EPA’s primary drinking water regulation standards and water treatment systems for removal/reduction of these chemicals from drinking water. Testing options and PFAS monitoring efforts by the Georgia EPD are included along with references for further reading.
|