Monthly Archives: October 2015

Wild about Deer: Game Processing Workshop

Posted on October 31, 2015 by John

When hunting, food safety begins in the field.  The goal is to have safe meat for you and your family to eat.  Here are a few ways to keep your food safe: Shot placement – that’s right. Food safety begins … Continue reading →

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It’s Happening … Red Tide

Posted on October 31, 2015 by John

 Many coastal Panhandlers woke up this week to the sight and smell of dead fish. Thousands of them washed ashore from Panama City to Pensacola. This mass die off included a variety of species including whiting, sheepshead, hake, cusk eels, … Continue reading →

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National Seafood Month – the future of seafood

Posted on October 31, 2015 by John

So what now? What lies ahead for the seafood industry in the Florida Panhandle?   Well I will start by saying I do not have a crystal ball… so I truly do not know, but most people plan for the … Continue reading →

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National Seafood Month – Blue Crabs

Posted on October 23, 2015 by John

Well… we have talked about the “big two”… snapper and shrimp, but there are other popular fin and shellfish harvested from the Gulf of Mexico.  This week we look at my personal favorite… blue crab.   Probably like many of … Continue reading →

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National Seafood Month… Red Snapper

Posted on October 17, 2015 by John

If shrimp are king of the shellfish industry, then red snapper are the king of the finfish world. It is arguably the most economically and ecologically important reef fish in the Gulf of Mexico. This fishery began in 1872 with … Continue reading →

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Endless October Options in Northwest Florida!

Posted on October 9, 2015 by John

October is a glorious time of year in northwest Florida. Temperatures are cooler, skies seem bluer, and the summer crowds have left the still-warm waters of the Gulf mostly to us locals. It is also the perfect time to explore … Continue reading →

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National Seafood Month – shrimp

Posted on October 9, 2015 by John

Shrimp… nothing says seafood along the Gulf coast like shrimp. It has been a staple part of our diet for decades; boiled, fried, steamed, stuffed, shish-kabobbed, As Forrest Gump said there are a million ways to cook shrimp and as … Continue reading →

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National Seafood Month – the state of seafood

Posted on October 2, 2015 by John

While directing the Marine Science Academy for the Escambia County School District I had students conduct small, informal, surveys targeting the popularity of seafood with students, parents, and the community. The purpose of these surveys was to kick start a … Continue reading →

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Those Terrific Terrapins

Posted on October 2, 2015 by John

They are marvelous creatures and there are very few panhandle residents who know what they are. My wife and I were introduced to Diamondback Terrapins by George Heinrich in 2005. George was the president of a nonprofit, Florida Turtle Conservation … Continue reading →

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Palmetto Weevils, Arrgh!

Posted on October 2, 2015 by John

Anyone who has had a treasured palm tree annihilated by palmetto weevils (Rhynchophorus cruentatus) knows the pain of losing a long-lived tree from the home landscape. These large, native weevils are adept at working unnoticed inside a palm to the … Continue reading →

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