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Living with Florida black bears

Yes, we have bears in the Florida Panhandle! The presence of bears is not necessarily a problem or a threat to your safety. For many people seeing a black bear is a thrilling, rewarding experience. Problems arise when bears have access to food sources unintentionally made available by people such as pet foods, garbage, barbecue grills, bird seed or livestock feed.  Bears are adaptable and learn very quickly to associate people with food. Black bears are normally too shy to...

CHELCO offers tips to save energy

Well pump problems:  A hidden energy waster A leaky faucet or toilet can be more expensive in a house that gets water from a well instead of utility company. That’s because a leak can cause the well pump to run almost continuously, wasting energy with every drip. Repairing leaks isn’t the only way to keep your pump in top shape. Regular maintenance not only can help your pump operate more efficiently, it can help extend the life of the equipment....

Busy hummingbird at work

This busy hummingbird was spotted at the Zen Garden Market in Panama City Beach recently collecting nectar from a cardinal vine. The market has many native plants available to attract hummingbirds an butterflies.  Zen Garden Market is located at 707 Richard Jackson Blvd. Panama City Beach (850)234-1651.  Click here to learn more about attacting hummingbirds to your home...

CHELCO offers energy saving tips for your home

Did you know? There are many ways to save money on your heating and air conditioning bills each month and CHELCO offers some great tips to help save you money. For more information, go to CHELCO.com. Tips to save energy: • Replace your old electric resistance heat system with a heat pump to cut your annual electric bill by as much as 50%. • Replace your central air conditioning unit with high efficiency equipment to save between 14% and 40%...

Ugh… the dog flies have arrived in the Florida Panhandle

Dog flies a nuisance to both humans and pets from August to November When fall comes to our area, those refreshing weather fronts will move through from the north bringing lower humidity, lower temperatures and the infamous dog fly. The stable fly, known as the dog fly in Northwest Florida, is a blood feeding fly that is a nuisance to man, pets, and livestock. From August through November the dog fly congregates on the Florida Panhandle beaches. This fly originates...

Invite migrating hummingbirds to your yard this fall

Invite a hummer to share your garden Hummingbirds live only in the Americas. Of the 338 species known, 16 are found in the United States and 3 occur in Florida. Black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds occasionally can be seen in Florida during the winter. The ruby-throated hummingbird is by far the most common hummer in the state. This feathered jewel is about 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) long and weighs as little as a penny (¼ ounce). Its name describes the most...

Railroad vines help protect South Walton beaches

Beautiful summer plant strengthens sand dunes Always a pleasant sight along our sand dunes, the beautiful blooming railroad vine is also an important protector of our sand dunes. As with the sea oats, the plant helps to stabilize the dunes by rooting at nodes all along its length, and is often planted for that purpose. Each flower opens only once, in the morning, but keep blooming almost all year long, peaking from May through November. The railroad vine is native...

It’s blueberry time in the Florida Panhandle

Where to find local sweet blueberries to pick or purchase in Walton County and the surrounding area June and July is the time of year to head out and find tasty Florida blueberries. In addition to a great topping for cereal or salads, blueberry pancakes, muffins and coffee cakes are also a popular homemade treat for berry lovers. Many locals take advantage of the local pick-your-own farms and stock up by purchasing berries by the gallon from local growers. Since...