February Programs, Events at Escambia County Extension

Below is a listing of events occurring in February at Escambia County Extension. For more information about Extension events, please call 850-475-5230, visit sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/escambia or like Escambia Extension on Facebook.

Escambia County Extension location

3740 Stefani Road, Cantonment

Highlighted Events:

Elder Health and Nutrition Education

• Monday, Feb. 3, 10-10:30 a.m., 1700 N. "L" St.
• Tuesday, Feb. 4, 10-11 a.m., 601 E. Mallory St.
• Wednesday, Feb. 5, 10:30-11 a.m., 1400 E Johnson Ave.
• Thursday, Feb. 25, 10:30-11 a.m., 900 N. "F" St.

Science Hour – Vibrio

• Thursday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m., Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St.

Dr. Lisa Weidner (UWF) will be giving a one-hour presentation on Vibrio bacteria in area waters.

The “Weed Wrangle”

• Saturday, Feb. 29, 8-noon, Gulf Island National Seashore/Naval Live Oaks, 1801 Gulf Breeze Parkway

This annual community event allows residents to assist with the removal of invasive species in our area. This year we will be removing vitex (Vitex rotundifolia) from the beaches of Gulf Islands National Seashore and Naval Live Oaks in Gulf Breeze. Check in will be at 8 a.m. and we will be done by 12 pm noon.

How and When to Prune Trees and Shrubs 

• Monday Feb. 10, 6-7 p.m., Pensacola Library, 239 N. Spring St.
  

Learn about the appropriate times to prune and the proven techniques for obtaining best results in your home landscape. Let us know that you are coming. Call 475-5230 ext. 104 or email [email protected].

Gardening Series: Growing Milkweeds

• Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6-7 p.m., Myrtle Grove United Methodist Church, 1030 N. 57 Ave. 

Learn about the native and tropical milkweeds that you can grow in your home landscape. Phone 475-5230 ext. 104 or email [email protected] to register.

Gardening Series: Growing Microgreens 

• Wednesday, Feb. 19, 6-7 p.m., Myrtle Grove United Methodist Church, 1030 N. 57 Ave.

Microgreens are easy to start at home. Learn about the techniques and different flavors you can grow to enhance dishes or share with friends. Call 475-5230 ext. 104 or email [email protected] to register.

Arbor Day Mail Art Call

• Tuesday, Feb. 14

Celebrate trees this Arbor Day by sending mail art to the Extension office. Be creative and have fun! When you create mail art, you send unique, small works of art – mixed media welcomed – through the postal service. Make your own drawing, collage, painting or photo based on the theme “Spreading Roots and Branching Out” and send it in the mail or drop off to our address. If you wish to be entered into the contest, include your name, age, phone number or email on your art. Entries will be displayed in our lobby and Beulah Middle School. Awards will be presented Saturday, February 18 between 8:30 a.m. – noon at the annual Tree Giveaway (Beulah Middle School, 6001 Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, FL).

PRIZES: Winners in each category will receive a certificate and one or more of the following

• One 7-gallon tree
• A shovel 
• Gloves
• Tree book

CONTEST AGES

• Child (12 and under)
• Teen (13-18) 
• Adult (over 18)

SPONSORS

• UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County
• Florida Forest Service 
• Resource Management Service, LLC 
• Escambia County 
• International Paper

FOR MORE INFORMATION Carrie Stevenson UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County (850) 475-5230 • [email protected]

2020 Florida-Alabama Row Crop Meetings

Planter and Pesticide Safety Clinic – Smith Tractor

• Tuesday, Feb. 14, 8 a.m., 8974 US-31, Atmore, Ala. 
• Wednesday, Feb. 15, 8 a.m., 3834 FL-4, Jay

Smith Tractor will be hosting a clinic to help growers learn to better manage precision agriculture technologies when establishing corn, cotton and peanut crops. Extension will provide education concerning pesticide safety, in particular, use of personal protective equipment and understanding new rules relating to respirators.

Agriculture Economic Outlook – Agri-AFC

• Thursday, Feb. 16, 10 a.m., 3099 Alabama St., Loxley, Ala. 

Auburn economists will share an update on farm-related inputs, market outlook for the 2020 year based on production supply and domestic/international demand, and what farmers should consider when deciding on planting in 2020.

Santa Rosa-Escambia Pesticide Applicator Training and Exam

• Friday, Feb. 24, 8:30 a.m., Jay Community Center, 5259 Booker Lane, Jay, Fla.

For farmers that need to get a new pesticide license or need to earn CEUs for maintaining their current license. Must preregister by contacting Bethany Diamond at 850-675-3107.

Farm Day

• Wednesday, Feb. 29, 7:30 a.m., Grace Fellowship Church, 1412 E. Nashville Ave., Atmore, Ala. 

A breakfast meeting at Grace Fellowship Church, 1412 E. Nashville Ave., Atmore, Ala. 

Agenda

• Hemp Update
• Snails Update and New Cotton App
• Cotton Leaf Roll Disease
• Crop Fertilization
• Disease Updates in Peanuts/Cotton
• Peanut Varieties
• Cotton Varieties

For more information, please contact Libbie Johnson at 850-475-5230 or email [email protected].

Northwest Florida Ecotourism 

• Tuesday, Feb. 25, 8 a.m., 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City, Fla. 

UF IFAS Extension is working with Florida State University / Panama City and Explore Northwest Florida to coordinate their first Northwest Florida Nature Tourism Summit in Panama City.

There will be speaker tracks for ecotourism business owners and those interested in getting started, as well as students and outdoor enthusiasts. UF IFAS Extension will have a booth on the Florida Master Naturalist Program and have offered to serve as speakers as they finalize their list.

Ecotourism Summit Registration Link: https://explore-nothwest-florida.yapsody.com/event/index/483466/northwest-florida-ecotourism-summit 

More about Explore Northwest Florida: https://explorenwflorida.com/