The sea is rising. The land is sinking. Entire mid-Atlantic communities are anchored in between, bookended by certain disaster unless a way is found to turn back the tide and save the shore… No one knows how to fix the fix we’re in, as climate change and sea-level rise continue to assault our shores, although several organizations are beginning to put forth innovative suggestions for dealing with the coastal flooding that inundates barrier islands from the bayside… “The bayside is basically the Achilles’ heel of New Jersey,” said Michael Kennish, a research professor in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University. “It’s a crisis scientists are concerned about. People are more concerned about what they’re going to eat two days from now.”… Kennish said most experts advocate what he calls “a practical view,” endorsing infrastructure improvements to stormwater drainage systems and the installation of pumping stations, along with raising roads and houses.
Archives for December 2015
Drought Watch Remains as Below-Normal Rainfall Trend Continued in November
After three straight months of below-average rainfall, New Jersey saw a slight reversal in October but returned to the drier side in November… The Garden State saw 2.33 inches of rain last month, which was 1.31 inches below normal, said David Robinso…
Rutgers 250th Anniversary All-Star Breeds Exhibited Through Social Media Contest
From November 10th, 2015 through the end of 2016, the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station (NJAES) is celebrating Rutgers 250th anniversary by showcasing an all-star variety of its breeding program each month. The select varieties are developed by Rutgers agriculture and aquaculture researchers from across New Jersey. Cranberries were the featured all-star breed for […]
Biotechnology in Agriculture Career Intern Anthony Noto (SEBS ’16)
By Jack Rabin Anthony Noto, “AJ” to his friends, is a SEBS ’16 Biotechnology major. He received the Rutgers-FMC Corp. Crop Protection 2015 paid summer farm research internship. AJ spent the summer learning how to drive tractors, operate farm equipment and manage vegetable crops under commercial conditions. He also learned to design field studies, collect […]
Why Was the Delaware River Shrouded in Fog All Day Yesterday?
As in the Carl Sandburg poem, yesterday’s fog may have come in on little cat feet but it sure took it’s time before moving on. Fog shrouded the Delaware River between Trenton and Morrisville yesterday morning and hung around on its silent haunches throughout the day… Dave Robinson, New Jersey State Climatologist at Rutgers says the reason the fog didn’t burn off in the morning as usual is because there are different types of fog. “The one that we saw yesterday was associated with a very damp, stable air mass. And with that we had light rain and drizzle throughout the day – a fully saturated atmosphere.”
Red Wine Headaches? The Whys, and Ways to Prevent Them
Love red wine but, alas, it doesn’t love you back? After drinking a glass, instead of feeling mellow, you feel a headache. Why? The answer, it turns out, is as complex as wine itself… “A whole lot of people are worried about sulfur, and they shouldn’t be worried at all,” said Gary C. Pavlis, Rutgers professor and Atlantic County extension agent of the Garden State Wine Growers Association… Still another possible factor for those headaches: poor wine quality. “If you’re drinking a cheap wine, they’re probably adding everything under the sun into the barrel,” says Ken Flaherty, certified sommelier and owner of The Happy Corkscrew Wine Tastings in Hoboken. When making cheaper wine, winemakers often use less desirable grapes and grape parts like stems and seeds, which have more tannin. Also tossed in is lots of extra sugar and preservatives, all of which could cause headaches.
NJ Teams Capture Top Awards at Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-UP
Thirteen New Jersey 4-H horse project members competed in five events, capturing top awards in four of the events during the Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-Up held Nov. 6-8 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Eastern National 4-H Horse Round-Up provides a place for youth to compete nationally while encouraging and developing teamwork, self-confidence, independence, critical thinking […]
Newark Ties Record for Warmest November in its History
Those unseasonable temperatures that lingered across New Jersey last month, making it comfortable to be outdoors, tied a record in Newark and matched the fifth warmest November statewide in 120 years… That’s the word from the National Weather Service and state climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University, after they analyzed temperature readings for all 30 days of November… “It’s a lock the first two weeks of this month are going to be above average, and it will be very difficult to find a lot of wintry weather before the first of the year,” Robinson said… As for this week, the light rain that’s falling across New Jersey is expected to continue on and off through Wednesday night, with temperatures hovering in the mid- to upper 50s, slightly above normal for this time of year.
Insight into Behavior and Training Horses
“Why Do They Do That? Behavior and Training of Horses” is the over-arching theme of the upcoming Horse Management Seminar hosted by the Rutgers Equine Science Center and Rutgers Cooperative Extension… “Horse training is an often-requested but tricky theme for this seminar because there are so many methods out there, so we will instead explain how horses learn and how that knowledge can be applied to training,” says Dr. Carey Williams, Extension Equine Specialist and Associate Director of Extension for the Equine Science Center. “Our goal in presenting this workshop is to give our audience an understanding of the concepts behind equine learning which are present regardless of discipline or training method and provide some of the research techniques that can be applied.”… The Equine Science Center is a unit of the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Its mission is Better Horse Care through Research and Education in order to advance the well-being and performance of horses and the equine industry.
‘Dine In’ Campaign on Dec. 3 to Improve Family Health and Finances
The evidence shows that preparing wholesome meals at home can have a significant impact on both family health and household budgets, and experts from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension have summed up the basics in two articles packed with tips and facts. The articles are available on the Union County website, ucnj.org/rce… The Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Union County is supported in part by the Freeholder Board. It belongs to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s nationwide Extension program, aimed at providing the public with scientific research about community health and economics. Extension offices throughout the country are encouraging families to join the “Dine In” campaign on Dec. 3, as part of an annual celebration of the family and consumer sciences profession… People tend to eat healthier meals when they eat at home because they can better control portion sizes and the use of sauces, dressings, and other high-fat ingredients.