Good to Know
Determine the correct tree for the right spot in the yard
Planting the correct tree in the right place is important when planning your yard or garden.
According to the Arbor Day Foundation, a healthy community forest begins with careful planning.
Trees should be well-acclimated for the soil and moisture of your neighborhood. They also should be properly placed to avoid collisions with power lines and buildings.
The following are questions to consider when making a landscape plan for trees:
- Height: Will the tree bump into anything when it is fully grown?
- Canopy spread: How wide will the tree grow?
- Deciduous, or evergreen: Will the tree lose its leaves in the winter?
- Form or shape: A columnar tree will take up less space, whereas round or v-shaped species provide the most shade.
Watch this video: Horticulturalist Mark Viette warns us about planting our trees in unprotected areas of our yard in this clip from Real Virginia.
- Growth rate: How long will it take for the tree to reach full height? Slow-growing species often live longer than faster-growing ones.
- Soil, sun and moisture requirements: Will the tree thrive in this location?
- Fruit: No one wants messy fruit droppings on sidewalks.
- Hardiness zone: The hardiness zone indicates the temperature extremes in which a tree can be expected to grow, so find a list of trees suitable for planting in your specific zone.
Information on hardiness zones, sizing and shape guides, as well as illustrations and more information can be found at arborday.org.
Deciphering the facts about genetically modified food
They’ve been around for more than two decades, but confusion still surrounds bioengineered food.
Why do we need them? Bioengineered foods were created to help fight disease, reduce food waste and protect the environment.
They achieve a desired trait, such as tolerance to drought conditions or enhanced nutritional content, in plant varieties.
Bioengineered foods have been widely used since 1996. Dr. Tim Durham, associate professor of crop science at Ferrum College, called them a “scientific bridge to a better life,” but noted that they have no shortage of critics in the developed world. “People have done a great job of demonizing technology they don’t know much about.”
Thirteen crops and foods available in bioengineered form
- Alfalfa
- Apples
- Canola
- Corn
- Cotton
- Eggplant
- Papaya
- Pineapple
- Potatoes
- Salmon
- Soybeans
- Sugar beets
- Summer squash
Only 13 crops and foods are available in bioengineered form, and more than 70% of harvested bioengineered crops are fed to food-producing animals.
“Billions of animals and millions of people have consumed genetically modified food without a single, recorded food safety incident,” said Ben Rowe, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation national affairs coordinator. “These crops are repeatedly and extensively tested for consumer and environmental safety by both industry experts and independent organizations. Those tests are reviewed by the USDA, Environmental Protection Agency, Food and Drug Administration and similar organizations internationally.”
Richlands' Caramel Pecan Ice Cream Squares
Enjoy this recipe for a tasty summer treat.
See Recipe
Your favorite ice cream begins on the farm
The average American eats 5.8 gallons of ice cream a year, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.
It takes an average 1½ gallons of milk to make 1 gallon of ice cream.
Providing healthy milk for everyone’s ice cream cravings is a priority for American Dairy farmers. Therefore, they pay particular attention to their cows’ nutritional needs.
Dairy cows in Virginia produce an average of 5.6 gallons of milk daily. To produce that much milk, the average cow consumes 50 gallons of water, 20 pounds of grain and feed concentrates, and 55 pounds of corn silage!
Feed concentrates often contain vitamins and minerals, but a dairy cow’s normal diet contains no antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat sick cows, which are separated from their herds and have their milk discarded for as long as it contains even a trace of antibiotics.