(Distributed 11/26/08) Physical activity is important year-round but can be especially helpful during the holidays when you may be eating more than usual. It is a good way to burn calories and help you feel less guilty about enjoying holiday favorites, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed 11/26/08) Many of us think about planting shrubs in the spring, but fall is the best time to plant shrubs in Louisiana. There are advantages to planting woody ornamentals, such as trees and shrubs, at this time.

(Distributed 11/26/08) LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Brandon Guillory, Calcasieu Parish 4-H’er, took first place in the National 4-H Chicken Barbecue Demonstration contest held here Nov. 19-20.

(Distributed 11/25/08) Although Christmas trees were among the thousands of trees damaged during the hurricanes that hit Louisiana this year, this shouldn’t affect the current holiday season, according to Don Reed, LSU AgCenter wildlife and forestry specialist.

(Distributed 11/24/08) Carol Lammi-Keefe, professor in the LSU AgCenter’s School of Human Ecology, is the lead editor of a new book published in 2008 – Handbook of Nutrition and Pregnancy.

(For Release On Or After 12/12/08) Now is an excellent time to evaluate your landscape for any pruning that needs to be done, since many plants can be pruned now through February.

(For Release On Or After 12/26/08) I recently received a copy of a book called The Garden in Winter. Imagining what I would see inside, I opened the book and the pictures were just what I had expected. The pages were filled with snowy scenes.

(Distributed 11/21/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Get It Growing Lawn and Garden Calendar can be a great holiday gift for gardeners and others. The 2009 edition of the calendar is on sale now and provides a variety of helpful information tailored to Louisiana gardeners, as well as those who simply enjoy photos of beautiful gardens and plants.

(For Release On Or After 12/19/08) Among my favorite dishes for breakfast is a stack of hot, buttered pancakes drowning in maple syrup. Although we can’t grow the sugar maples that produce that delicious syrup here in Louisiana, a wonderful selection of maples can be used as shade trees and ornamentals in our landscapes

(For Release On Or After 12/5/08) Of the many kinds of plants we use to decorate our homes for the holidays, the holiday cactuses possess a special beauty. And yes, despite the fact that these plants don’t possess spines, they are true cactuses.