Oranges In Escambia County?
February 26, 2012
The few orange trees located in Escambia County are currently full of fruit. Pictured is a tree in front of the Pfeiffer House on Zaragoza Street in the Historic Pensacola Village, directly behind the old Christ Church.
It is a Seville orange, native to Spain with trees planted in several downtown Pensacola locations. Seville oranges are known for being sour and bitter and are often made into a sweet and tart marmalade.
The Pfieiffer House, home to the orange tree, is an example of a simple folk cottage, or shotgun house. It was built in 1876 by Bavarian immigrant John Pfeiffer, who established a successful baking business and also sold children’s toys. Originally located on Government Street, the Pfeiffer House was moved to Zaragoza Street in 1997 and serves as additional space for Old Christ Church functions.
Pictured: Oranges growing in downtown Pensacola as seen Saturday afternoon behind the Old Christ Church on Zaraboza Street. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Hundreds Attend Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Auction (With Gallery)
February 26, 2012
Hundreds of people attended the 38th Annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club Farm Equipment Auction Saturday in Walnut Hill.
Items sold included farm equipment, lawn and garden equipment, vehicles, household items and more during the event, which is held each year on the last Saturday of February. All proceeds from the auction benefit the Walnut Hill Ruritan Club’s community service projects in the Walnut Hill area.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Hundreds attended the annual Walnut Hill Ruritan Club farm equipment auction Saturday in Walnut Hill. Pictured inset: Ruritan member Curtis Amerson tracks bids. Pictured below: Auctioneer Richard Gibbs taking the final bids on a plow Saturday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Grenier Named To President’s List At Mississippi State University
February 26, 2012
Daniel Grenier of Molino was recently named to the President’s List at Mississippi State University.
Grenier is a 2011 graduate of West Florida High School and attended Ernest Ward Middle and Molino Park Elementary schools. He is son of Tina and Jeff Grenier.
Bloodsworth Named To Auburn Dean’s List
February 26, 2012
Jessica Bloodsworth of Bratt was recently named to the Dean’s List at Auburn University for the College of Science and Mathematics.
Bloodsworth is an NROTC Midshipman in the United States Naval Reserve and is majoring in chemistry. She is a 2010 graduate of Northview High School and is the daughter of Sherry and Howard Bloodsworth.
Weekend Gardening: Early Flowering Trees Are Ushering In Spring
February 25, 2012
Warmer temperatures have raised the spirits of gardeners in Northwest Florida. Although we know from experience that we still have a good chance of another cold snap or two, nicer weather is always a welcomed foray into spring.
Warmer weather also means that some trees and shrubs burst into bloom producing flowers that brighten otherwise drab winter landscapes. Several members of the rose family are currently in bloom in Northwest Florida and sure to grab your attention.
Flowering Quince
During Colonial times a quince tree was a rarity in the gardens of wealthy Americans, but was found in nearly every middle class garden. The fruit—always cooked—was an important source of pectin for food preservation, and a fragrant addition to jams, juices, pies, and candies. However, by the early twentieth century quince production declined as the value of apples and pears increased. Its popularity has plummeted and it is now a rarity in contemporary landscapes.
Quince has been cultivated in the Middle East for centuries, and may have even been the fruit of temptation in the story of the Garden of Eden. The ancient Biblical name for quince translates as “Golden Apple.” In ancient Mesopotamia, now Iraq, cultivation of quince predates the cultivation of apples.
This small, thorny, deciduous tree is one of the first to bloom in late winter. It is a member of the rose family and explodes with typical rose-type flowers in February each year. The single, white flowers are 1½ to 2 inches across and grow on current season growth.
The fruit is a fragrant, many-seeded pome about three inches in diameter. The fruit’s shape ranges from round to pear-like and the flesh is yellow. Several references refer to it as “hard and rather unpalatable.”
If you would rather not deal with the fruit, non-fruiting cultivars exist. Since most quince cultivars are not well-adapted to Florida because of their high chilling requirement, choose your cultivar carefully.
Apples
Another pome-type fruit that embellishes our landscapes in late winter is the apple tree. Along with the quince, it too is a member of the rose family. It is older in cultivation than the rose and is sometimes referred to as the prince of the rose family.
Relatively few cultivars of apples (Malus domestica L.) can be grown successfully in Florida.
Most apples have a high chilling requirement. Chilling requirement is defined as the number of hours less than or equal to 45 degrees F during the winter. Apple cultivars suitable for North Florida have a chilling requirement of less than 600 hours.
Only a few cultivars meet Florida’s low-chill requirement. Recommended cultivars include ‘Anna’, ‘Dorsett Golden’ and ‘TropicSweet’. ‘Anna’ and ‘Dorsett Golden’ originated in Israel and the Bahamas, respectively. ‘TropicSweet’ is a patented cultivar from the University of Florida. These cultivars each have a chilling requirement of 250 to 300 hours.
For more information on low-chill apples, review the University of Florida/IFAS online publication at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/mg368.
Flowering Cherry
While we may not be able to produce beautiful, delicious cherries in Northwest Florida, we can enjoy a few ornamental, flowering cherry trees.
One species that does well in Northwest Florida is Prunus campanulata or the Taiwan cherry. The Taiwan cherry grows to 20 to 25 feet and spreads nearly as wide as it matures. Single, drooping rose-type flowers appear in late winter and will last for about ten days.
For other recommendations on flowering trees to add to your landscape, contact your local Extension Office.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County. The use of trade names, if used in this article, is solely for the purpose of providing specific information. It is not a guarantee, warranty, or endorsement of the product name(s) and does not signify that they are approved to the exclusion of others.
Theresa Friday is the Residential Horticulture Extension Agent for Santa Rosa County.
‘Golden Cow Dung Award’ Presented To Kenneth Hicks
February 25, 2012
Ernest Ward Middle School history teacher Kenneth Hicks received the fourth annual “Golden Cow Dung Award” from members of the Ernest Ward FFA. The award presented Friday afternoon featured a large piece of cow dung, painted a golden color.
(Cow dung, in case you did not know, is what you are probably thinking it is. It’s that natural byproduct that cows drop in the field. The award is 100 percent real dung spray painted a golden color. The golden piece presented Friday is actually the first award piece created three years ago.)
Hicks received the award from the school’s FFA members as a “thank you” for supporting FFA. The same Golden Cow Dung Award was presented last year to teacher’s assistant Lindsey Kelley, the previous year to Family & Consumer Science teacher Kathy Ellis and three years ago to Principal Nancy Perry.
More than half a million members around the nation participated in National FFA Week activities at the local and state levels this week.
Pictured: Ernest Ward Middle School FFA Golden Cow Dung Award presentation to teacher Kenneth Hicks Friday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
School Board Proclaims It’s National FFA Week
February 24, 2012
The Escambia County School Board has declared this week as National FFA Week. At Tuesday night’s school board meeting, FFA members from Tate and Northview high schools were on hand as the board issued a proclamation.
Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview High Observes Black History Month (Photos)
February 23, 2012
Northview High School marked Black History Month Wednesday with a program “Black Light: Embracing Diversity & Celebrating Contributions.”
Guest speaker Eugene Franklin, founder and CEO of the Florida Black Chamber of Commerce, stressed the importance of education to the students, along with cultural understanding.
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Born into segregation, Franklin (pictured left) said he had no hope of becoming anything in life that would make a difference, despite his dream to do something important like the great men of modern history.
But the draft and the U.S. Navy changed Franklin’s outlook on life and he learned to appreciate diverse cultures. “It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me,” he said. “I gained a new vision of how the world works.”
“I knew then that one day America would live up to its creed that all people are created equal.”
“We need to learn to appreciate our differences and base our judgments on culture,” he said, “and not look at race.”
“History is being made today by each and every one of you,” Franklin told the Northview students. “Do everything you can to make a difference in someone else’s life.”
Also during the program, Cultural Diversity essay award winners were announced:
- 9th grade: Samantha Sharpless, first place;Tony Puente, honorable mention
- 10th grade: Talana Heathcock, first place; Katelynne Calloway, honorable mention
- 12th grade: Jamila Codrington, first place
For a photo gallery from the event, click here.
Pictured top: Briana Harris performs during a Black History Month program Wednesday at Northview High School. Pictured inset: Guest speaker Eugene Franklin. Pictured below: Students perform during the event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Celebrates FFA Week With Breakfast (Photos)
February 23, 2012
FFA students at Ernest Ward Middle School did their part to celebrate National FFA Week with a Wednesday morning breakfast for faculty and staff.
Students cooked a breakfast of eggs, grits, biscuits, bacon, sausage and more for the EWMS faculty and staff.
Pictured: FFA students at Ernest Ward Middle School provide breakfast for the school’s faculty and staff Wednesday morning. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Laura Jackson Is Jim Allen’s Teacher Of Year; 5 County Finalists Named
February 23, 2012
Laura Jackson was named the Jim Allen Elementary School Teacher of the Year. Jackson, who teaches the fifth grade at Jim Allen, was also chosen as one of the Top 10 teachers in Escambia County.
Teachers of the year are chosen by the faculty and staff at each school in the county. The Escambia County Teacher of the Year will be announced at the annual Golden Apple Awards Dinner tonight in Pensacola.
The five finalists for Escambia County Teacher of the Year are: Fran Cook, Helen Caro Elementary; Marjorie Stradley, West Florida High School; Jeffrey Pribble, Escambia High School;
Terri Perniam N.B. Cook Elementary School; and Catherine Rudd, Scenic Heights Elementary.