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Lyme disease is a tick-borne disease that causes a variety of symptoms in humans, including respiratory issues, joint pain, and rashes and fever. It was first identified in Lyme, Connecticut, in 1977 and has expanded across the northeastern US since then. If you work outdoors in areas where deer are plentiful, you may have found…
Posted in: Uncategorized -
The pawpaw is a fruit that is native to the Southeast along with other areas of hardiness zones 6a to 8a. It grows on a shrub in shady conditions but can also do well in full sun. Very few people have ever tasted a pawpaw (myself included) because they have a very short shelf life…
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A recent study by MIT scientists shows that the supply of fresh water could increase under global warming. The warmer conditions are expected to speed up the global water cycle, leading to more rainfall in many areas. The scientists estimate that it could increase by 15 percent over the whole globe. However, there are many…
Posted in: Climate and Ag in the news -
Last year at this time, an unexpected early season blizzard in South Dakota killed over 40,000 head of cattle. Many ranchers were caught unprepared by the unseasonable weather and had not moved their cattle to their winter pastures yet, which increased the losses. Cattle were also still in summer coats and were soaked by the…
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Meteorologists often hear folks say that they are the only people that get paid whether or not they are right. In reality, weather forecasts have improved immensely over the years and a five-day forecast now is as accurate as the two-day forecasts were a couple of decades ago. This is due to improvements in computers,…
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A recent study published by the University of Florida shows that soils in the warm and moist conditions of Florida and the Southeast can sequester extra carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce greenhouse gases. Carbon is pulled out of the air by crops, mesic upland forests, pine lands and areas converted from pine forests…
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Drought decreased slightly across south Georgia as heavier than normal rainfall brought some relief to dry areas but also hindered farmers trying to get field work done and slow. According to the National Drought Monitor, the percent of the state covered by drought decreased from 20 percent to 15 percent. In Atlanta, the monthly average…