Les Harrison is a longtime resident of north Florida, having attended public schools in three counties. He has a Bachelor Degree from the University of Florida in Journalism and a Master’s of Science from Auburn University in Agricultural Economics. He is the author of more than 2000 newspaper and magazine stories and journal articles. During his career, he held positions in private, government and educational (university level) sectors. He holds the title of Extension Agent Emeritus. He can be reached at harrison.gl@gmail.com.
With the return of consistent, if not excessive, rain after a dry patch during May and the first half of June, lawns are actively growing in Florida’s panhandle. This results in some positive aspects and some negative. The major positive feature is a lush, green lawn. No matter the turf species, there is a unique…Read more
Exceptionally few entertainers have been able to transition across the generations and still amuse a wide variety of audiences. The theatrical acts which held the attention of crowds in 1936 usually bore theater goers of 2021, but there are a few exceptions. W.C. Fields still has a strong fan base thanks, in part, to the…Read more
With the onset of summer, the many trees and plants have already bloomed and are settling into the green background. An exception are the Mimosa trees, Albizia julibrissin, which are blooming profusely. These once popular small trees are commonly found in the yards of older homes in the panhandle where the display of prolific pink…Read more
Field crops such as cotton, corn and soybeans are not usually consumed completely in close proximity to the lands where they were grown. The same can be said of timber and most farm livestock. It is a commendable quality of American farmers that they are so highly productive that they must send their raw products…Read more
The winter of 2020/21 was the one for which most people had been wishing. The refrain “I want a cold winter to kill all the bugs,” had been a frequently express preference during the hot humid days of August and September 2020. Still, it was nowhere near cold enough to deplete panhandle Florida’s insect population…Read more
Ask any panhandle horse owner and they will say their horse has a sweet tooth. In addition to sugar cubes there are apples, pears and many other fruits with a high sugar content which are attractive to equines everywhere. Feed stores even offer a sweet feed for horses. The rolled and cut grains are sprayed…Read more
Summer nights in the panhandle are unique for their frenetic activity and riotous sounds. In contrast to local February evenings with their silence broken by the occasional barred owl, this summer (technically late spring) month is nearing the pinnacle of activity for bugs, birds and animals of all kinds. Anyone taking an early evening walk…Read more
Vehicle traffic passes by the corner daily. The drivers may use the unique statue with a long-darkened brass nameplate as a landmark, but most do so without knowing its origin or significance. It stands in silent testimony to the valor of a citizen of Madison County long ago. The man who was the inspiration for…Read more
Temperatures are on the rise and school will be out in a few weeks. While the official start of summer 2021 is still weeks away, that summer feeling is growing in every corner of panhandle Florida. For both the young and the young at heart, one of the traditional pastimes is to spend idle hours…Read more
The blooms and leaves have confirmed the year’s progress towards the summer. The rising temperatures and lengthening days have been a boon to the birds and animals, too. The return of actively growing and tender foliage is supporting the expanding bug population. Whether considered benign or malevolent, the terrestrial arthropods are progressing across the land…Read more
