With the extended statewide dry spell, researchers at the Texas AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Uvalde and elsewhere have been focusing their attention on improving varieties of more drought-tolerant crops, particularly melons.

By Erik Lacayo, The Fresno Bee, Calif. Dec. 17--EXETER -- Nestled among rows in an orchard at the base of the Sierra Nevada foothills is a research center that contains a treasure trove of citrus treats.

By Daniel Garcia Ordaz, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, Texas Jul. 24--When it comes to mesquites, one man's eyesore is another man's eats. The yellowish green flowers on honey mesquite trees, which bloom from April to September, attract bees, which in turn produce a rich honey.

SOMETHING ALL local gardeners ought to know about is a gem of a facility in their own back yard - the Hampton Roads Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Unfortunately, not everyone knows this facility exists, its purpose or what it offers local gardeners.

The program that started out as a truck farming experiment station almost 100 years ago on Diamond Springs Road has a new home.