Home/Garden

Category

Red sorrel a common plant across Northwest Florida

Ever wonder what the red blooming plants are along our roadways and pastures right now? It’s called Red Sorrel (Rumex acetosella). It also goes by many common names. Area residents call it Indian grass or Indian cane, and many chewed the plant as a child. Across the U.S. it goes by many other names such as sheep’s sorrel, field sorrel, surette, horse sorrel, sour-weed, sour-grass, cow sorrel, red-weed, mountain sorrel, cuckoo-bread, gentleman’s sorrel, green-sauce, ranty-tanty, sour dock, toad’s sorrel. Red...

FWC provides tips for living with alligators

The American alligator is a conservation success story. Florida has a healthy and stable alligator population, which is estimated at 1.3 million and consists of alligators of every size. They are an important part of Florida’s ecosystem, but should be regarded with caution and respect. During spring when temperatures rise, alligators become more active. Although alligator incidents are rare, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) recommends taking precautions when having fun in and around the water. Alligators inhabit...

Walton County beach driving lottery begins on April 1

Each year, 150 Beach Driving Permits are issued through a random lottery process. Applications for the lottery will be available beginning April 1st and are accepted through May 10th of each year. Applications will not be accepted unless all eligibility requirements are met and all documentation is provided at the time of application. Incomplete applications will not be eligible for the lottery draw. The following copies of documents must be submitted in the name of the applicant at the time...

Miner bees nothing to worry about in your landscape

What are all these little mounds of dirt in my lawn? This time of year, you might notice some industrious creature has been busy digging up tiny piles of soil around your lawn, pasture, or garden. If they look like this picture, don’t worry, it’s just a miner bee. These solitary bees emerge from the ground in the spring, and then spend their time pollinating plants and digging new nests for their young. They look a lot like bumblebees, though...

Haz-mat collection day in north and south Walton March 3

The Walton County Board of County Commissioners is sponsoring a project to collect, recycle, treat and properly dispose of these and other household hazardous wastes on Saturday, March 3, 2018 from 8 am to 2 pm. The collection will be held at two locations: • Walton County Fairgrounds – Highway 83 North, DeFuniak Springs • Topsail Hill Preserve State Park, 7525 W. Scenic Highway 30A, Santa Rosa Beach Pesticides • Used Oil • Stale Gasoline • Solvents • Fertilizers •...

Step into the past at the Washington County History Museum

Washington County in the northwest Florida panhandle has a long and interesting history. Established in 1825, the area was first settled by those seeking both economic and political freedoms in a rough frontier land of vast timber and mineral resources. Inland waterway transportation on the Choctawhatchee River brought about river settlements, which later were named Ebro, Caryville, and Vernon along Holmes Creek. Vernon, the geographical center of the county, derived its name from George Washington’s Virginia home, Mt. Vernon. The...

Hundreds honor hometown WWII hero in DeFuniak Springs

Hundreds of well wishers lined Circle Drive to honor World War II hero and DeFuniak Springs native, 1st Lt. Ewart Theodore Sconiers. A ceremony, parade and tree planting was held in his honor on Jan. 26, 2018. On January 24, 1944, Lt. Sconiers died while as a Prisoner of War in Germany. He was laid to rest in what was enemy soil at the time and buried in the “cemetery, section for POWs.” After seventy-four years to the day from...