Nutrition & Health

What flavors do you detect in a sip of lemon water? Are there notes of sweetness, sour, off flavors or fresh citrus taste?

They ticked me off. Ticks can do that to you. I never think about ticks during the holiday season, but a news release from the University of Cincinnati about how Hungry Ticks Work Harder to Find You piqued my interest--and memories of the day our family inadvertently collected a total of 14 ticks.

"Where have all the flowers gone? Long time passing Where have all the flowers gone? Long time ago Where have all the flowers gone? Girls have picked them every one When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?

Growing food in Tahoe is not for the faint of heart - it can freeze any night of the year, it can snow in any month, but generally our frost-free growing season lasts at least 90 days--from mid-June to mid-September, which is enough to grow a wide variety of edible crops.  Here we'll walk you through…

Honey, please pass the honey! That simple request, prefaced with a term of endearment for good measure, means there's honey on the table. And well there should be. As the daughter, granddaughter and great-great granddaughter (and beyond) of beekeepers, I grew up with honey on the table.

It's Thanksgiving Day, and what better day to stop and be thankful for not only family and friends, but for the beauty around us. That would include insects, including the stunning Western tiger swallowtail (Papilio rutulus).

Local food producers: The recent wildfires are creating dangerous air pollution in our region. The biggest threat to your health is from inhaling the smoke. Protect your lungs by staying indoors whenever possible, and wearing a respirator mask when outdoors.

This time of year, it can be hard to resist the pull of sweet potatoes roasted, mashed with butter, and topped with a combination of delectable treats from maple syrup to pecans to marshmallows.

Advice for the Home Gardener from the Help Desk of the UC Master Gardener Program of Contra Costa County Client's Request (visiting at the MG/Ag Office at 2380 Bisso Ln, Concord): I found these insects (see below) inside my house in my closet. A friend of mine thought they might be kissing bugs.

Henrietta, our Stagmomantis limbata praying mantis, perches on a Mexican sunflower (Tithonia). She is as patient as she is persistent. The drone fly, aka syrphid and also known as a hover fly or flower fly, makes the fatal mistake of touching down on the same blossom. Henrietta eyes it hungrily.