Category Archives: Top Agriculture News
Composting Made Easy: Tips from the WPTF Weekend Gardener
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener One of the most economical and practical things you can do for the plants in your landscape and vegetable garden is to start a compost pile. We've discussed it fair...
Oct 26, 2025
North Carolina GOP advances congressional map to secure another House seat for Trump
By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina's legislature formally began redrawing the state's congressional district map Monday, plainly stating their intent to help Rep...
Oct 20, 2025
Ironweed: The resilient perennial transforming North Carolina landscapes
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener We all want resilient plants for our landscape. Frankly we want something that is cost effective. A plant which fulfills that description and expectation is "Ironwe...
Oct 12, 2025
Witchy native shrub brings spring bottlebrush blooms and fiery fall color
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener If you have ever wanted to grow your own bottle brushes, then you have come to the right place. The Fothergilla latifolia or F. major or the Dwarf Fothergilla (gard...
Oct 05, 2025
Trump plans aid package for US soybean farmers while seeking trade deal with China
By DIDI TANG and JOSH FUNK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) - President Donald Trump is planning a significant aid package to U.S. soybean farmers to help them survive China's boycott of American bean...
Oct 05, 2025
2 killed in Cuba as Tropical Storm Imelda and Hurricane Humberto threaten Bahamas and Bermuda
By DNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Authorities in the Bahamas closed most schools on Monday as Tropical Storm Imelda dropped heavy rain in the northern Caribbean, including ov...
Sep 29, 2025
Hurricane Humberto and Tropical Storm Imelda threaten the Bahamas and Bermuda
By DNICA COTO Associated Press SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - Authorities in the Bahamas closed a majority of schools on Monday following mandatory evacuations for some islands in the archipelago as Tro...
Sep 29, 2025
Russian sage: Not from Russia, but perfect for NC gardens
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI planted some Russian Sage (Salvia yangii) decades ago. Alas, I can't remember when it faded into oblivion. It is really not native to Russia and hails from Central...
Sep 24, 2025
Sweet autumn clematis charms, but NC experts say avoid it
By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend GardenerI must say that I have rarely written an article about a plant I like but I don’t recommend for WPTF Weekend Gardener listeners. Sweet Autumn Clematis (Clemati...
Sep 21, 2025
Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina a year ago. Some students never returned to school
By MAKIYA SEMINERA of The Associated Press and LAURA HACKETT and JOSE SANDOVAL of Blue Ridge Public Radio SWANNANOA, N.C. (AP) - When 12-year-old Natalie Briggs visited the ruins of her home after Hur...
Sep 19, 2025