2001 Archive

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  AUBURN, May 29---Cholesterol guidelines have changed, but the same lifestyle advice for reducing cholesterol still applies: maintain an appropriate body weight, exercise, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and avoid saturated fat. (More...)

AUBURN, May 25---The inability to get started on a job search is a common problem among job seekers. This is especially true for first-time job hunters or those who have not changed jobs in several years. (More...)

Insects Causing Problems

Auburn, May 25---Farmers are always battling some type of problem it seems, and right now, the problem for many is insects. Cotton farmers are dealing with several insect pests at the moment says an entomologist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. (More...)

MAY 25---In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Maytag Corp. of Newton, Iowa, is recalling 13,000 Crosley and Magic Chef electric ranges. Liquid can enter an indicator light and cause sparking and flaming in the light, presenting a fire hazard to consumers. (More...)

Southern Peanut Growers Conference July 22-24

May 25---The third annual Southern Peanut Growers Conference is set July 22-24 at Edgewater Beach Resort in Panama City Beach, Fla. (More...)

Brewer Receives Distinguished Teaching Award

AUBURN---Extension entomologist and Auburn University professor Dr. J. Wayne Brewer recently received the 2001 Entomological Society of America’s Distinguished Award in Teaching.

A former head of Auburn’s Department of Entomology, Brewer has taught on the college level for more than 30 years and is known for taking instruction far beyond the classroom setting. He frequently incorporates multimedia techniques to enhance his courses and developed a computerized correspondence course for academic credit through the Auburn University Distance Learning/Outreach Technology program. (More...)

Auburn, May 18---Just because winter is over, don't forget about planting food plots for wildlife. Planting plots now will provide food for wildlife throughout summer and fall and can provide cover for some species.

Wildlife needs both forage high in protein and grains high in carbohydrates. Warm-season forages eaten by deer, rabbits and groundhogs include alyceclover, American jointvetch, buckwheat, cowpeas, essex rape and forage-type turnips. (More...)

Auburn, May 18---Though many farmers across Alabama are hoping for rain these days, too much wet weather can mean disaster – or at least disease – for some crops. (More...)

Auburn, May 17--- Cat's Whiskers are excellent for the home landscape as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the plant for its nectar. (More..)

Craftsman Glue Guns Recalled

May 17---Sears Roebuck and Co. of Estates, Ill., is recalling 13,000 Crafsman glue guns. These glue guns can overheat, presenting fire and burn hazards to customers says the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC).

Although there have been no injuries reported, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Sears are conducting the recall to prevent the possibility of injuries. (More...)

AUBURN, May 17---4-H district roundups are just around the corner. Six 4-H district roundups are scheduled for June at various locations in the state. (More...)

AUBURN, May 17---Two great concerns of employers today are finding good workers and training them. The difference between the skills needed on the job and those possessed by the applicants, called skills-gap, is of real concern to human resource managers and business owners looking to hire competent employees. While employees would prefer to hire people who are trained and ready to go to work, they are usually willing to provide the specialized, job-specific training necessary for those lacking such skills. (More...)

Auburn, May 11---Farmer Tom Ingram is usually up before dawn these days, heading out to his East Alabama fields each morning to plant 600 acres of cotton. Planting season is well underway for Alabama cotton farmers, and Ingram spends about 12 hours each day in his fields that sprawl through Lee, Macon and Russell counties. (More...)

Auburn, May 11---As the economy has cooled, the South and Alabama in particular have fared well, says Dr. Jacquelyn Robinson, a community workforce development specialist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. (More...)

AUBURN, May 11--It is easy to take soil for granted. After all, it is almost everywhere. It may be sticky clay, gritty sand or powdery silt, but whatever type, the existing soil constitutes the planting medium for a garden on your property. To improve the soil's ability to support and nourish plants, gardeners strive to improve its structure and boost its fertility. Fortunately, there is an abundant, inexpensive ingredient that makes this job a lot easier. It is humus. (More...)

Composting: Making Humus

Carbon Material + Nitrogen Material + Moisture + Air = Compost

AUBURN, May 11---The secret ingredient in this recipe is the microlife--bacteria, fungi and other tiny organisms--, that inhabit the surfaces of organic material. Acting as an elaborate food chain within a pile of yard and garden waste, they decompose it as they eat and reproduce. Pile some moist carbon material (dried brown materials such as fallen leaves or straw) either alone or with a much smaller proportion of nitrogen material (moist, green stuff such as vegetable peelings, fresh weeds or grass clippings), and let it happen. With sufficient air the organisms thrive, generating heat within the pile. Eventually, the assembled yard waste is reduced to soft, dark humus. (More...)

AUBURN, May 11---A versatile and attractive addition to many Southen gardens is purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea), says Dr. Dave Williams, a horticulturist with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.

A profusion of daisylike flowers covers this plant from late summer through midautumn. The petals surround a large, attractive cone and the foliage is comprised of lance-shaped, dark green leaves. The purple form is most common, but there is also a white form that is growing in popularity. (More...)

Choose Alternatives to Bradford Pear Trees, Experts Advise

Roundup-Resistant Crops Offer Great Environmental Advantages, Expert Says

AUBURN, May 7---Fierce enemies often come in small packages.

That is certainly the case with the phorid fly (pictured left), a pinhead-sized insect that preys on imported fire ants in the regions of South America where both species originate.

Armed with funds from the Alabama Legislature and support from the state’s land-grant universities, experts and volunteers with the Alabama Fire Ant Management Program are working to help this fierce enemy of fire ants gain a toehold in the state.  (More...)

AUBURN, May 4---Day in and day out, millions of Americans, often the slimmer, more health conscious among us, swig copious amounts of bottled water, assuming they’re better people for doing so.

Truth is, from the standpoint of nutrition, they’re no better off drinking bottled water. For while drinking lots of bottled water won’t hurt you, it won’t help much either. (More...)

AUBURN, May 3---The state's peanut farmers are busy right now planting their 2001 crop. But farmers, particularly in the Wiregrass, would really like a good rain. (More...)

Vines for Alabama Landscapes

AUBURN, May 3---Vines are among the most versatile plants in the landscape. They cover arbors or trellises, provide privacy on patios, add character or color to fences or walls, hide unsightly views, enhance the canopy of trees, and serve as a groundcover where turfgrass is undesirable or will not grow. (More...)

Home Businesses Important to South

AUBURN, May 1--- Economic development is high on the priority list across the South, but some experts believe a contributor to this success is being overlooked.

Home-based businesses annually bring millions of dollars to the rural economies of the South. These are the earliest business form, and they offer rural communities the opportunity to develop local assets and keep residents in the community. (More...)

CABI Program Preparing Alabama's Youth for the 2lst Century Workforce

Auburn, May 3---CABI or "Career Awareness for Business and Industry," is an Extension educational program that teaches junior high and senior high school students how to realistically plan and prepare for future careers. (More...)

Supplements: Buyer Beware

Auburn, May 3---When it comes to buying supplements, consumers would be wise to heed the advice of the ancient Romans: Caveat Emptor Buyer Beware!

That, at least, is the opinion of one nutritional expert who warns supplements are under-regulated and fraught with all sorts of risks. (More...)