The University of Georgia, The Ohio State University and Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural University, a private university in Honduras, partnered to facilitate 4-H programming during the COVID-19 pandemic at six Honduran schools, reaching 180 students.

During the holiday season in the U.S., more than 20 million freshly cut Christmas trees are sold every year, with fir trees topping the most-desired list. Unfortunately growers cannot meet the needs of consumers, and every year, there is a shortage of trees, primarily due to the incredible losses of susceptible firs — including balsam, Fraser, Canaan and others — to the root fungus Phytophthora.

Whether you are planning to celebrate the holidays face-to-face or virtually, it is understandable if you are feeling mentally drained. As we face the challenges of navigating the holidays safely, there are a variety of ways to focus on mental health.

As vibrant holiday plants begin to adorn the shelves of hardware stores, grocery stores and garden centers, consumers are attracted to the pinks, reds and whites atop deep green foliage, which add festive pops of color in winter homes. The appearance of plants like poinsettias and Christmas cacti usher in the holiday season and we love to fill our halls and entryways with their holiday cheer. But what about after the holidays?

Economists from the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences will discuss the effects of COVID-19 on farming, highlight agritourism impacts in the state, and give a forecast of top commodities for the next year during the annual Georgia Ag Forecast.

Thirty youth participated in the 2020 Georgia 4-H State Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging Competition sponsored by the Georgia Cotton Commission on Dec. 12. This year, the contest was held in a virtual format.

Both veteran and novice gardeners have spent many hours taking care of plants and gardens while spending extra time at home this year.

Home gardeners and commercial farmers alike can attest to the disappointment of seeing a beautiful tomato ripening on a vine, only to discover that the fruit has dark, sunken pits at the blossom end of the fruit. Called blossom-end rot (BER), this physiological disorder is prevalent in fruit and vegetable crops, including tomatoes, and can cause severe economic losses.

With winter just around the corner, now is a good time to perform some preventive maintenance on center pivot irrigation systems and to have them winterized.