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Canning Tomatoes Safely
Home canning tomatoes is a great way to preserve them for later use. It is critical to use proper methods of heat processing to ensure a safe finished product.
Canning Tomato-Vegetable Mixtures
Tomatoes are unique when it comes to home canning recipes. Some tomato and vegetable recipes recommend using a boiling water bath canner, some recipes recommend a pressure canner, and some recipes offer both options.
Altitude Adjustments for Home Canning
There are many guidelines to follow when canning, an important one often overlooked is checking one’s need to adjust for altitude.
Protecting Yourself From Ticks
During wet springs, tick populations tend to thrive in South Dakota. These parasitic arthropods require blood to fulfill their nutritional needs and commonly use humans as a host. Some ticks can also carry bacterial diseases that are a threat to human health.
Selling Fish at a Farmers Market in South Dakota
This article was developed to address some of the questions around selling fish at the farmer’s market and to ensure that seller’s may be well-informed to ensure they are selling fish that meet regulatory requirements as well ensuring the product is safe.
2019 South Dakota Grasshopper Forecast
The USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service conducts an annual survey to monitor grasshopper populations in Western South Dakota. In 2018, SDSU conducted a survey to monitor populations in Eastern South Dakota. These previous-year surveys can be used as a prediction tool for where grasshoppers may be an issue during the upcoming season.
Are Ant Mounds in Pastures Bad?
We often receive reports of large ant mounds in a pastures and rangeland. These mounds are the creation of thatching ants, which are common in South Dakota. Although these mounds are often considered a nuisance, the ants may play an important role as predators of potential pest insects.
2019 June Beetle Update
In the spring of 2016, we received reports of large populations of June beetles in Central South Dakota, which indicates the start of a new cycle for the grubs. Based on these reports, it is estimated that 2019 will be the big emergence year if the 2016 adults were successful and their grubs survived.
Be on the Lookout for Black Grass Bugs
It’s time to begin scouting pasture and wheat for the presence of black grass bugs. Last year, we saw the highest populations in areas of Central and Southwestern South Dakota. If left untreated, black grass bug populations tend to increase year after year.