Time To Prune Plants
By Judy Jones, a Hopkins Master Gardener Winter in north Texas is never quite what we expect…freezes may be early or late, and there will almost always be a week or two that leads us to think that Spring-time is already here. The average date of the last freeze in Hopkins County is generally mid-March, so there is still an opportunity to prune our landscapes to get...
AgriLife: Tomato Grafting Workshop Set for February 7, 2019
According to Purdue Extension, vegetable grafting has attracted tomato growers’ attention as an approach to control soilborne diseases and improve crop yield. By grafting scion plants that have desirable fruit characteristics onto rootstock plants that have disease resistance, stress tolerance, or vigorous root system characteristics, grafted plants combine beneficial traits from both the scion and rootstock plants. Many growers who...
Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food, Fitness By Johanna Hicks
Note: this is the 3rd in a series of “A Year in Review,” highlighting major program efforts in the area of Family & Community Health. Any parent who has had a 1st thru 4th grade child in the Sulphur Springs ISD the past 8 years has probably heard of this camp. The camp, started in 2010, was developed by the Community Health/Wellness Alliance as a way to address childhood health in Hopkins County. Relevance: ...
So Many Choices: Events and More By Johanna Hicks
So Many Choices! We make decisions every day – what to wear, what to eat, how to spend our day, whether or not to answer the phone, what to watch on TV, whom to text or call, and even things we don’t think about, like where to sit, what to read (whether in the newspaper, on your phone, on your computer, on your smart watch, etc.) We literally make hundreds of choices, if not thousands, every day. At the...
Are You Ready for the Whipped Challenge and Other Upcoming Events? By Johanna Hicks
Are You Ready for the Whipped Challenge? The buzz is building and plans are in full swing as we prepare for the 2018 Hopkins County Dairy Festival “Whipped” Challenge. Businesses, civic clubs, churches, schools, and organizations are encouraged to enter a team. So, what is the “Whipped Challenge?” If you have ever watched the popular show called “Chopped” on the Food Network, we are patterning our event after that...
What’s Up with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension? By Johanna Hicks
What’s Up with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension? Spring is here, and at the Hopkins County Extension Office, we have hit the ground running! So many opportunities are available and we don’t want you to miss out. Below are dates, times, locations, and description of upcoming events, some of which are for certain groups, and others are open to anyone. Teen Safety Day When: Thursday, April 19 Where: Hopkins County...
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Test Your Knowledge By Johanna Hicks
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension – Test Your Knowledge During the past two months, I have presented programs for civic groups pertaining to Hopkins County Extension and what we have to offer. Although our volunteers and 4-H leaders are familiar with the variety of programs, workshops, program series, and events we offer, many people are simply unaware of who we are and what we do. So, before you read any further, take a...
Mom, What Do You Do? By Johanna Hicks
Mom, What Do You Do? Recently, I had an eye-opening experience. Our family was dining at a local restaurant, and we were discussing school, athletics (our daughter, son and daughter-in-law are all employed with the Sulphur Springs ISD), movies, and work projects. My son commented that he knew that I taught diabetes education, nutrition, and sewing, but said, “Mom, what DO you do? Your job is confusing!”...
AgriLife: Year in Review-Kid’s Camp
Year in Review – Kids’ Camp Each week during the month of December, I will provide information on major programming efforts in Hopkins County. As an Extension Family & Community Health Agent, much of my efforts go into nutrition, health and wellness. This week, I want to share some successes with a popular summer camp for students – “Kids’ Camp – Fun, Food, Fitness.” Relevance: According to the Texas Department of State Health...
Trees and Mistletoes By Mario Villarino
Recently, I had the opportunity to revise a plant pathology session for our Master Gardener’s training and I started discussing issues related to parasites of plants. The mistletoe came to the discussion and I want to share with you details about these interesting facts on mistletoes information from the Texas A&M Forest Services: It’s a Christmas tradition. A man has the privilege of kissing a lady who happens to be standing...
