Carolyn Saft Contributor With the holidays approaching, I thought about the tradition of hanging mistletoe. As a horticulturist, I am perplexed about the glamour surrounding mistletoe when it can kill a favorite…
Category: Farm & Outdoors
Orange tree tops in the forest are a sign of stress
John McGuire, Tall Timbers Private Lands Prescribed Fire Initiative director and forester Kier Klepzig, director of the Jones Center at Ichauway and forest entomologist Contributors There has been a recent increase in…
Tractor & machine safety
The most common causes of fatal farm injuries in Canada are machine-related, according to Canadian Agricultures Injury Reporting (CAIR). Transportation incidents, with most related to the use of machinery such as tractors,…
The Lafayette Farm Judging Contest is just around the corner
Christian Peterson reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com The Lafayette County UF/IFAS Extension Office is popular throughout the county. It makes sense, as Lafayette County is very agriculturally sound. One of the office’s most popular annual events…
Area Farm Bureaus hold Annual Meetings
Danny Federico reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com Every year, local county Farm Bureau offices organize special meetings to provide updates on their finances, elect new directors, announce the local Farm Families of the Year, and enjoy…
Florida men complete nonstop 242-mile paddle of the Suwannee River
Jason Futch Reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com Those who have grown up around the Suwannee River are familiar with the natural beauty it brings to eight counties, from the state line to the little town of…
Local youth shine at 2025 Hamilton County Fair Events Day
Danny Federico reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com Young participants and fans of all ages gathered at the Hamilton County Arena in Jasper for the 55th Annual Fair Events Day on Thursday, Oct. 2. The day kicked…
Town Talk: What is a dragline, and why do roads need to be closed for it?
Christian Peterson reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com On Tuesday, Oct. 28, Highway 41 in Hamilton County is scheduled to be closed for a dragline crossing. While this is not as common an occurrence in Suwannee and…
More than 163,000 apply for 172 bear hunting permits
Lazaro Aleman reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) reports that as of the deadline date of Tuesday, Sept. 23, it had received 163,459 applications for the 172 available permits…
Florida announces Hunting, Fishing and Camping Sales Tax Holiday
Danny Federico reporter3.riverbendnews@gmail.com Residents across Florida will have the chance to save on outdoor supplies this fall through the state’s Hunting, Fishing and Camping Sales Tax Holiday, which began on Monday, Sept….
New bill seeks again to make the flamingo the official state bird
The Florida Legislature isn’t scheduled to meet again until January 2026, but already a familiar bill has been introduced for the session. House Bill 11, which State Representatives Chip LaMarca of Lighthouse…
Get to know the Garretts, Suwannee County’s Farm Family of the Year
Jason Futch reporter2.riverbendnews@gmail.com During the Suwannee County Farm Bureau’s annual dinner on Thursday, Sept. 18, Joseph Garrett and his wife, Katie, were honored as the 2025 Suwannee County Farm Family of the…
Avoid getting stuck with sandspurs
Carolyn Saft Contributor Prevention is worth a ton of cure when it comes to keeping sandspurs (also known as sandburs or grassburs) out of your yard. Sandspurs are weeds that lie low…
Local rodeo with cash prizes coming to Jasper
Christian Peterson reporter.riverbendnews@gmail.com Rodeos are everywhere these days. As the weather begins to cool, and the area heads into the fall and winter months, the fan favorite events start to pop back…
Lyons family announced as Lafayette County Farm Family of the Year
Riverbend News photo by Danny Federico, September 8, 2025 The Lyons family was announced as the Lafayette County Farm Bureau Farm Family of the Year during the Lafayette County Farm Bureau’s annual…
Fruits of their labor: Lyons family named Lafayette County’s Farm Family of the Year
Emily Beach Contributor Chris and Kelly Lyons, along with their four daughters and Chris’s brother, Dale, have built a farming operation rooted in faith, family and farming. Their dedication to the land…
Suwannee County Farm Bureau hosts annual Speech Contest
The Suwannee County Farm Bureau recently hosted its annual Speech Contest, where local students showcased their public speaking skills and agricultural knowledge. This long- standing event, held each year, provides an excellent…