Brown patch occurs in late spring or early fall. The patches can range from one foot to several. The development occurs when temperatures are sort of high, 75-85 degrees +, and free moisture is present.

In spite of the horrible weather, everyone went out of their way to make this fair succesful and it was!!!

On November 2, 2009 the LSU AgCenter hosted an Awards Luncheon in honor of the Washington Parish Volunteer Homemakers. The Volunteer Homemakers with over 20 years of service were honored with plaques for their years of service.

It's not too early for coaches and athletic directors to be thinking about the control of fire ants on the playing fields, espcially when the football season is right upon us.

The selection of vegetables that can be planted in the home garden is becoming very limited, but here are a few suggestions.

Issues of Preserving Food Safely newsletter. Each newsletter has a frequently asked questions section, recipes, helpful Web sites and information on canning and/or freezing.

Find all of your 2009-2010 Washington Parish 4-H newsletters here!

Click here to find out more information about the Florida Parishes Outdoor Skills Program!

Did you take your picture with Charlie the Pumpkin at the Washington Parish Free Fair? Click here to see your pictures!

The LSU AgCenter offers a valuable Character Critters program for students. To find out how to offer the Character Critters program in your Washington Parish school, contact Valerie Vincent.

The LSU AgCenter and the Bogalusa YWCA are once again teaming up to offer the Christmas Expo. The third annual Holiday Expo will be held on December 3, 2009.

The Washington Parish on the Move: Healthy Living program kickoff was held the week of October 5, 2009. The Healthy Living Program is an exciting national program that encourages residents to develop and maintain healthful, active lifestyles. It is made possible through a Wal-Mart Foundation Grant.

Find out more about Washington Parish 4-H here!

The Florida Parishes Outdoor Skills Field day held September 26, 2009, had a great turnout from our Clover Buds! The 35 who attended were introducted to information about health, character, science, firearm safety, the environment, wildlife and much more.

Find out more information about an upcoming 4-H Sewing Clinic.

The Washington Parish Junior Beef Classic will be held Nov. 20-21, 2009, at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton, La.

I am asking home vegetable gardeners, vegetable producers and others to bring a display to exhibit at the fair.

The 96th Washington Parish Free Fair is right upon us. Let me share something with you that many of us just take for granted. The fair does not just happen by itself. It takes a tremendous amount of time, work, effort and other activities by VOLUNTEERS to make the fair the great event that it is.

Follow these tips to toughen your lawn for the winter. In additon, there are a few suggestions about plants that can be grown for fall production.

Valerie Vincent, associate extension agent in Washington Parish, was honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009 annual session. Vincent was a member of the team that received first place in the national and first place in the southern regional NEAFCS Extension Housing Outreach Award.

On September 21, 2009, the Volunteer Homemaker Council and the LSU AgCenter presented the Washington Parish Library's Franklinton Branch with a $300 donation to help expand the audio books selection of the library.

Winterize your lawn now to help toughen the grass for the winter.

The Healthy Living Program is an exciting national program that encourages residents to develop and maintain healthy, active lifestyles. The program is made possible through a grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation. Washington Parish 4-H and Family & Consumer Science programs received grant funds to help tackle wellness issues such as nutrition, physical fitness and safety.

This year’s Dollar Defense Workshop featuring the LSU AgCenter, SHIPP, Governor’s Office Elderly Affairs (GOEA), Louisiana State Attorney General’s Office, and Medicaid/LaCHIP was held at the Franklinton Senior Center on September 9, 2009.

I constantly get calls about how to control moles in the lawn and flower beds. Unfortunately, you won't have too much success unless you use the mole trap, and that is a very slow process.

It's important to complete late-summer pruning of roses.

Liven up your landscape by putting some color in it.

Begin making cuttings of some of your favorite plants. Make cuttings 5 to 6 inches of tip growth, leaving from 3 to 4 leaves of each cutting.

The Louisiana Department of Social Services and Family & Consumer Sciences staff of the LSU AgCenter are pleased to recognize the outstanding graduates that have completed First Step Fund’s Child Care Business Curriculum Series.

The program based on the classic books of Walter Farley and the natural connection between children and horses is now being offered in our area.

On Thursday, March 26, 2009, a stakeholder's meeting was held at the LSU AgCenter office in Franklinton, La. Fifteen invited guests participated to lend their support of local LSU AgCenter programs and to discuss current budget issues.

Blueberry plants will put on a second flush of growth in August, so a final fertilizer applicatin is needed now.

The annual Christmas in July Homemaker Event was held on Wednesday July 16, 2008 at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton.

The annual Washington Parish Health Fair and the Covington Health Fair were both well attended with hundreds of residents receiving information from the LSU AgCenter.

The YWCA in Bogalusa held its annual Summer Camp the week of June 16-20, 2008. This year the LSU AgCenter was a featured partner in offering programming to the children attending the camp.

Has your lawn recovered from the stress of the past several weeks?

With the adverse weather conditions many gardeners experienced this spring -- hot, dry conditions -- our attention now turns to possibly planting a garden or vegetables for the fall. Generally, the same good cultural practices need to be followed.

The Daily News and LSU AgCenter are sponsoring this contest with production hopefully ready for year's Washington Parish Fair.

The High School Financial Planning Program is offered statewide each summer in nine cities. On July 9, 2009, LSU AgCenter agents Valerie Vincent, Laura Lea Perault and Lauren Kennedy taught the North Shore session at the LSU AgCenter office in Covington.

The High School Financial Planning Program is offered each summer in nine cities. On July 9, 2008, LSU AgCenter Agents; Valerie Vincent, Laura Lea Perault and Lauren Kennedy taught the North Shore session at the Southeastern Center in Mandeville.

The annual Christmas in July Homemaker Event was held on July 16, 2008, at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds in Franklinton.

The YWCA in Bogalusa held its annual Summer Camp June 15-19, 2009, and LSU AgCenter agents assisted by providing nutrition information to the campers.

The production of a variety of fruit crops is very popular for growing in our parish. Look at the sequence of the crops grown and the economic impact they have on our parish's economy.

Educators who want to learn how to teach high school students about money management may enroll in the High School Financial Planning Program workshops. The workshops are open to high school teachers, home school parents, youth group organizers, church youth leaders and the public and are offered at no charge.

Results of the Washington Parish Volunteer Homemakers Annual Dairy Cooking Contest

Are you ready to own a home? Home ownership may be closer than you think! Charting Your Course to Home Ownership Home Buyer Education Classes are being offered in Franklinton, La.

Members of the Washington Parish Homemakers Council have been busy preparing more than 300 boxes of tissue to be delivered to nursing home residents as part of a service project this Easter.

Eat the Rainbow! – Gives tips on including more fruits and vegetables in meals and snacks.

Follow these steps now to care for your azalea plants and rid yourself of bothersome weeds in your lawn this time of the year.

The 95th annual Washington Parish Free Fair was held October 14-18, 2008. This year’s theme was "Down Home Celebration."

The second annual Christmas Expo was held at the YWCA in Bogalusa on December 4, 2008. The event featured economical holiday ideas, food safety and tastings of numerous Christmas treats. The event was sponsored by the LSU AgCenter and was hosted by the YWCA.

New Washington Parish 4-H Fundraiser