Recent Posts
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Late February to mid-March, before plants emerge from dormancy, is the time prune trees and shrubs and apply pre-emergence herbicides to lawns. Pruning basics Pruning is healthy for plants. Strategic pruning stimulates growth and flowering and also opens the canopy to improve airflow and light infiltration for disease prevention. Aesthetically, pruning helps us maintain the…
Posted in: ANR -
For beginning birders, listening to experienced birdwatchers effortlessly differentiate between a Carolina and a black-capped chickadee, compare their life lists, and discuss their travels to see specific bird species can be daunting. But enjoying watching birds doesn’t need to be complicated, especially if we start with the birds in our own backyards. My philosophy around…
Posted in: ANR -
Forsyth County is part of the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District (Metro Water District), a pioneer organization in regional water planning that was established by the Georgia legislature in 2001. Since then, through the adoption water saving practices by industry, individuals and businesses, per capita water use in the 15-county region has dropped by…
Posted in: ANR -
Insurance is a tool to manage financial risk. Since life is full of risks, there are an astounding number of insurance products to protect against them, including life, renters, short- and long-term disability, vacation, and pet insurance. Within each insurance category are different types and levels of risk coverage. Understanding how insurance protects our financial…
Posted in: ANR -
Every New Year, the top resolutions focus on aspects of health improvement, like eating healthier, exercising more, or quitting smoking. These are challenging goals that require a long commitment. Testing your home for radon gas, however, is quick, easy, and could have a profound impact on your health. Radon is the 2nd leading cause of…
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Living plants are popular as holiday gifts and decorations, but I wait until the last minute to purchase poinsettias, because they always seem to drop leaves as soon as I bring them into my house. I’ve learned a few tricks, however, that help seasonal gift and decorative plants survive through the holidays and become enduring…
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In just a few days, school will be out for the holidays and many of us will be preparing to travel to see family and friends. Growing up in a family that loved cooking (and eating!), I learned that two key ingredients are essential to a memorable holiday gathering: good food and good company. In…
Posted in: 4-H -
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States has 45 million “birders” over the age of 16. If you’ve traveled at least one mile from home to watch birds, or if you’ve spent time trying to identify birds around your home, you qualify as a birder. Eighty-seven percent of birdwatchers fall into…
Posted in: ANR -
Wednesday morning, the outside temperature was 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The furnace at my house stopped working on Sunday, so the inside temperature was 56 degrees. This was an unpleasant reminder that it’s time to do all the winterizing tasks that help keep our homes comfortable during cold weather and potential winter storms. Task 1 –…
Posted in: ANR -
Forsyth County has undergone tremendous growth and change since 1987. The completion of Georgia Highway 400 in the 1980s turned Forsyth County into a suburb of Atlanta, encouraging population growth. Along with this growth, many locals have watched the county go through significant amounts of change, including a decrease in farmland within the county. In…
Posted in: 4-H