Earth Day Celebration Planned In Century
April 20, 2017
The Century Health and Rehabilitation Center is planning an Earth Day Celebration for Saturday, April 22 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Vendor applications are being accepted now. Contact Mae at (850) 256-1540 or mae.hildreth@gmail.com for information. Pictured: Earth Day 2016 at the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center. NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Farm Bureau — Food Prices Down For Easter
April 16, 2017
Lower retail prices for several foods, including eggs, ground chuck, sirloin tip roast, chicken breasts and toasted oat cereal resulted in a significant decrease in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Spring Picnic Marketbasket Survey.
“As expected due to lower farm-gate prices, we have seen continued declines in retail prices for livestock products including eggs, beef, chicken, pork and cheese,” said John Newton, AFBF’s director of market intelligence.
The informal survey showed the total cost of 16 food items that can be used to prepare one or more meals was $50.03, down $3.25 or about 6 percent compared to a year ago. Of the 16 items surveyed, 11 decreased, four increased and one remained the same in average price.
Egg prices are down sharply from a year ago and also are down slightly from the third quarter of 2016.
“Egg prices continue to move back toward long-run average prices following the bird flu of 2014/15,” said Newton. “The Agriculture Department is currently monitoring bird flu detections in the Southeast U.S. If detections continue, retail poultry prices could feel an impact due to lower exports or changes in supply,” he said.
“As farm-gate prices for livestock products have declined and remained lower, prices in the retail meat case have become more competitive,” Newton said.
Retail price changes from a year ago:
· eggs, down 41percent to $1.32 per dozen
· toasted oat cereal, down 15 percent to $2.83 for a 9-ounce box
· sirloin tip roast, down 13 percent to $4.95 per pound
· ground chuck, down 10 percent to $3.92 per pound
· chicken breast, down 6 percent to $3.17 per pound
· apples, down 6 percent to $1.55 per pound
· flour, down 5 percent to $2.36 for a 5-pound bag
· shredded cheddar cheese, down 4 percent to $4.10 per pound
· deli ham, down 3 percent to $5.42 per pound
· bacon, down 3 percent to $4.65 per pound
· potatoes, down 1 percent to $2.68 for a 5-pound bag
· bagged salad, up 6 percent to $2.34 per pound
· white bread, up 2 percent to $1.72 per 20-ounce loaf
· orange juice, up 1 percent to $3.22 per half-gallon
· whole milk, up 1 percent to $3.27 per gallon
· vegetable oil, no change, $2.55 for a 32-ounce bottle
Price checks of alternative milk and egg choices not included in the overall marketbasket survey average revealed the following: 1/2 gallon whole regular milk, $2.10; 1/2 gallon organic milk, $4.20; and one dozen “cage-free” eggs, $3.48.
The year-to-year direction of the marketbasket survey tracks closely with the federal government’s Consumer Price Index report for food at home. As retail grocery prices have increased gradually over time, the share of the average food dollar that America’s farm and ranch families receive has dropped.
“Through the mid-1970s, farmers received about one-third of consumer retail food expenditures for food eaten at home and away from home, on average. Since then, that figure has decreased steadily and is now about 16 percent, according to the Agriculture Department’s revised Food Dollar Series,” Newton said.
AFBF, the nation’s largest general farm organization, began conducting informal quarterly marketbasket surveys of retail food price trends in 1989. The series includes a spring picnic survey, summer cookout survey, fall harvest survey and Thanksgiving dinner cost survey.
According to USDA, Americans spend just under 10 percent of their disposable annual income on food, the lowest average of any country in the world. A total of 117 shoppers in 31 states participated in the latest survey, conducted in March.
Camp Fire Kids Attend Easter Egg Hunt At Century Health And Rehab
April 15, 2017
The children at the Camp Fire Century Youth Learning Center recently attended an annual Easter Egg Hunt with the staff and residents at the Century Health and Rehabilitation Center. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ransom Multimedia Academy Makes School Board Presentation
April 14, 2017
Students from the Ransom Middle School Multimedia Academy made a presentation to the Escambia County School Board Thursday afternoon during a board workshop. The students created personalized books to stimulate an interest in reading for students at Bellview Middle School. Photos by Kim Stefansson, ECSD, click to enlarge.
Molino Park Elementary Names Students Of The Month
April 12, 2017
The Pre-K Students of the Month and Good Citizens of the Month for March were recently recognized at Molino Park Elementary School. Pictured are (L-R) Good Citizen of the Month Walker Maughon; Principal Lisa Arnold, Students of the Month Alexis Blackburn and Jayce McBroom. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Cantonment Masonic Lodge Donates Supplies To Jim Allen Elementary
April 11, 2017
Jim Allen Elementary School recently received an donation containing assorted supplies from the Masonic Lodge in Cantonment.
“The supplies are appreciated, and the students are excited to receive them,” Susan Dorman, assistant principal, said.
Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Math Teams Place In Tournament
April 11, 2017
Tate High School’s Geometry and Algebra 2 teams both placed third in their divisions at the Nickolas Walker Math Tournament at Milton High School last week. Courtesy photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: Century Sawmill Pageant Winners Announced
April 10, 2017
The 25th Annual Century Sawmill Pageant was held recently, sponsored by the Century Lions Club. All proceeds will go towards the purchase of eye glasses for needy children in the local tri-county area.
Overall queens, pictured top L-R were 2-5 years: Lexi Knowles, 6-9 years: Khloe Hamilton, and 10-16 years: Skylar Crawford.
Scroll down below photos for additional winners.
Toddler Miss Winners (2-3 years):
Picture above, L to R: 3rd- Mallory Marn; 2nd-Jillian Sanders; Queen-Marley Schoonover, and 1st-Lexi Knowles.
Little Miss Winners (4-5 years):
Picture above, L to R: 2nd-Abigail Hawthorn; Queen-Alydia Sutton, and 1st-Laurel Wadkins.
Young Miss Winners (6-7 years);
Picture above, L to R: Photogenic-Lexie Smith; 2nd-Kayleigh Forbes; Queen-Ansley Nowling; 1st-Khloe Hamilton; and 3rd-Jessica Pritchett.
Young Junior Miss Winners (8-9 years):
Picture above, L to R: 3rd-Jacie Himes; 2nd-Emily Brown; Queen-Lanie Stephens; and 1st-Leah Smith.
Junior Miss Winners (10-12 years):
Picture above, L to R: 3rd (tied)-Nevaeh King; 2nd-Morgan Hicks; Queen-McKenna Simmons; 1st-Bentley Glover & 3rd (tied)-Jordan Sanders.
Teen Miss Winners (13-16 years):
Picture above, L to R: 3rd-Whitney Kimbler; 2nd-Melissa Sunday; Queen-Victoria Scott; and 1st- Skylar Crawford
The Creek The Changed Course: Nature Class Learns About The Big Escambia
April 9, 2017
A Florida Master Naturalist conservation class learned about the Big Escambia Creek restoration project near Century last week. The class was presented by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist. The class is an adult education program created by the University of Florida/IFAS intended to promote awareness and understanding of Florida’s unique environment.
Big Escambia Creek is a major tributary of the Escambia River located approximately 29 miles north of Escambia Bay. Over 30 years ago conditions along the lower reaches of the creek changed when a sand mining operation digging too close to the creek combined with an intensive rainfall event caused the creek to change its course and follow the path of least resistance through the sandpits. Since the creek changed its course, the estimated 900 acres of wetlands in and around the old creek channel now had no base flow and were reverting to an upland type habitat. In addition, tons of sediment began to flow downstream into the Pensacola Bay System.
A $7.7 million project was implemented to eliminate the delivery of the sediment and to restore the productivity of the floodplain by diverting the creek back into its original channel. Construction on the project began in 2003 and was completed in 2005.
Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Weekend Gardening: Remember Your Houseplants When Spring Cleaning
April 8, 2017
by UF/IFAS Santa Rosa Extension
Warmer weather signals that spring is here. After months of being cooped up indoors, it’s finally time for gardeners to go dig in the dirt. It’s also time for cooped up house plants to be revitalized.
Locate a shady area for this work. Even if houseplants are to be left out for a short period, after being shut up all winter, leaf damage can occur with only brief exposure to direct sunlight.
First, give the houseplants a bath. Use a soapy solution made of two teaspoons of mild liquid soap mixed with one gallon of water. Wash the leaves and stems, being certain to clean both upper and lower leaf surfaces. Allow the solution to remain on the plants for a few minutes, but rinse it off thoroughly before it is allowed to dry. This not only cleans plants, making them more attractive, but the soap helps to remove aphids, mealybugs and other insects.
Next, see if your plant needs re-potting. Although some plants require being pot-bound in order to flower eventually all plants outgrow their containers and become root- or pot-bound.
Why repot in the spring? Plant roots grow most actively in the spring, which means the plant will be able to quickly overcome the shock associated with re-potting.
When repotting, start with a clean, appropriately sized pot. If you want the plant to grow larger, then you will need to repot it in a larger pot. If you want it to maintain its present size, you’ll have to prune its roots.
In general, the pot size should be increased by only about two inches per re-potting. Therefore, a plant whose root ball is in a six inch pot is normally transplanted to a pot with an eight inch diameter. For some reason, drastic changes in pot size when re-potting seems to be detrimental to some plants.
Watering the plant several hours prior will help you remove the plant more easily. Invert the pot and gently remove the plant by grasping the main stem. Give it a slight tug, and it should slip out of the pot. If it doesn’t, use a butter knife or other flat-bladed tool to loosen the sides of the pot and try again.
Once the plant is free of the pot, take the time to inspect the root system. Look for large, old circular roots which can strangle the plant and prevent much-needed nourishment. Sever or remove these old roots to allow new feeder roots to establish.
To re-pot, first add enough new soil mixture to the bottom of the pot to return the plant to its original depth. After the plant is replaced, fill in the sides with new potting soil.
Use a quality potting mix when re-potting. Gardeners generally rely on commercially available potting soil mixes for growing most types of houseplants. A lot of brands are out there and not all of them are especially good. In particular, avoid heavy, black potting soils. If the bag feels dense and heavy for its size, put it back.
The best potting mixes include vermiculite, bark and perlite in proportions that create a fairly light, loose mix that water penetrates readily but drains rapidly.
If you don’t want to change pots, there is a way of dealing with a pot-bound plant and keeping it in the same size pot. First, remove the plant from the pot and trim off one-quarter to one-third of the lower part of the root ball. Put a layer of fresh potting mix in the bottom of the original container equal to the amount of the root ball removed. Place the plant back in the pot, adding a little more soil around the sides. Water well, and place the plant in a shady location to recover.
House plants would also benefit from fertilization at this time of year. There are many commercial materials available for fertilizing indoor plants. Most are effective and safe if used as directed.