Under normal odds, the chance that a New York City or Jersey Shore resident would witness a so-called “500-year flood” – one with massive storm surge and flooding – would be so low, many residents would never live to witness one… “A storm that occurred once in seven generations is now occurring twice in a generation,” said Benjamin Horton, a Rutgers University marine and coastal sciences professor… According to Horton and researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Princeton, Tufts and Penn State universities, rising sea levels and increases in the types of storms that produce the largest storm surge are behind the rising threat… To look further into the past, the researchers studied salt marshes near New York City and along the Jersey shore. They took ground core samples, looking for microfossils called foraminifera. According to Horton, some species of foraminifera are linked to salt marsh growth and, therefore, high ocean levels. Others do not thrive in salt water, and would indicate fresh water and lower ocean levels.
Central Park Horse Show Is An Exciting Challenge
A symposium on legal, business and insurance issues impacting the equine industry is being presented Oct. 12 by the Equine Science Center at Rutgers University. The program, featuring experts from all three fields, will be held at the Palace at Somerset Park in Somerset. Topics to be covered include immigration law, worker’s compensation for equine operations and insurance coverage, as well as an exploration of the state’s “Right to Farm Act” in order for the equine industry to succeed, people in the horse industry have to run their business as a business, said attorney Liz Durkin, vice-chair of the Rutgers University Board of Equine Advancement… “The event organizers felt that it was important to host a seminar, for a nominal fee, that will address the basics of the legal, accounting, and insurance topics for equine operators. Our goal is to assist equine operators in becoming as successful as possible.”
Lawn Repair 101: Help For Summer-Ravaged Lawns
Lawns have taken a beating from the long, hot dry spells of summer and many are now in urgent need of repair or renovation… “Most lawns are made of cool-season grasses that don’t like excessive heat without rain,” says Bill Hlubik, Middlesex County agricultural agent and producer of the television series/website If Plants Could Talk. “If your lawn hasn’t started to green up after recent rains, chances are it’s not going to.”… The prospect before you involves reseeding bare areas. While core aeration machine that pull plugs of dead sod and soil from the lawn are ideal for site preparation, they are heavy and difficult for many to operate. Hlubik suggests renting a lighter-weight dethatching machine to remove surface debris if you’re not up to using an old-fashioned rake.
Forget the Mousetrap – Rutgers Builds a Better Catnip
First they bred a better strawberry. Next up, a retro tomato. Now the Rutgers Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station has tackled catnip, coming up with a variety that is taller, heartier, and more potent… The university – which owns the patent for the plant – recently licensed the new plant to an Illinois seed distributor for commercial use… “We developed a super catnip that can survive northern winters and produce copious amounts of aromatic oil, with a special composition that is rich in the bioactive compound that repels the mosquitoes away and drives cats wild,” said James Simon, a professor at the Rutgers School of Environment and Biological Sciences… The plant was cultivated through conventional breeding, where different strains are bred, then the most desirable offspring selected for the next round of breeding… Doctoral student William Reichert, who is studying the genetics of catnip for his thesis, said the new Rutgers variety outperforms all the commercial catnip currently on the market.
Why Are Leaves Changing Early This Year in NJ?
In parts of New Jersey, it may start to look like fall long before it feels it. Leaves have started turning and falling early in parts of New Jersey — the result of exceedingly dry conditions (Thursday’s rains notwithstanding) that have plagued the Garden State in recent weeks… “You don’t need to be a botanist to see what’s happening,” said David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University. “When you get dry, warm conditions like this, you’re always going to see leaves falling a little bit earlier.”… What’s also unclear, is whether the winterizing process is just beginning early or trees are just dying after being starved of water for too long… “You can lose some of your more vulnerable trees, typically your young or your infirm,” Robinson said. “The younger trees, they haven’t developed a robust enough root structure to deal with these soil moisture deficits. So it’s really the younger set that need some TLC right now.”
4 NJ Farmers’ Markets to Visit Before Summer’s Out
Asbury Fresh has come a long way since its opening season in 2012 when five vendors set up for selling. According to the market’s website, this is New Jersey’s largest local artisan and farmers’ market – with more than 55 farmers and handmade artisan v…
N.J. Reservoir Levels Dip After Dry August
New Jersey’s reservoirs are operating at below-average levels this week, prompting one utility to warn customers that a recent stretch of dry weather is depleting their supply… Last month was the 13th driest August in New Jersey history, with the state averaging about two inches below normal rainfall. David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University, said New Jersey would be in trouble if not for a very rainy June, the fourth wettest on record… “Without June, we’d be in such dire straits,” Robinson said… Only Newark’s five reservoirs, owned by the city’s water department, are at levels above both the historical average and levels recorded at this time last year. According to the state data, those reservoirs are operating around 85 percent capacity.
Seafood at Gunpoint: Why One N.J. Group Raises Oysters on a Naval Base
Past the gates and security checkpoints, down the miles of reinforced pier where train cars load ordnance aboard warships, beneath the waves and the watchful eye of the United States Navy, sit the world’s most heavily-guarded shellfish… For three yea…
Rutgers Tomato Quest Takes Center Stage at Annual Great Tomato Tasting
How do you like your tomatoes – tangy, sweet, juicy, tart? There was a variety for every preference Wednesday at the Great Tomato Tasting at Snyder Farm in Hunterdon County… The Rutgers agricultural extension farm has been growing 152 varieties of tomatoes this year, from extra large beefsteak varieties to tiny cherry and grape tomatoes… Tent 5, with its red and white-striped canopy, had some special tomatoes to offer. Several varieties are vying for the honor of being the new Rutgers Tomato. Rutgers scientists have been asking the public to sample three attempts to recreate the famous Jersey tomato first bred by Rutgers and Campbell Soup Co. in the 1930s… “We remade the original,” said Pete Nitzsche, an agricultural agent in Morris County who helped to organize the day’s events. In Tent 5, tasters could vote for which of the final varieties they liked the best.
Poll: Name the New Rutgers Jersey Tomato
Rutgers University researchers are putting the fruits of their latest tomato tinkering to the test… At tastings across the state, including the Great Tomato Tasting at Snyder Farm in Pittstown Wednesday, Rutgers scientists have been asking the public to sample three attempts to recreate the famous Jersey tomato first bred by Rutgers and Campbell Soup Co. in the 1930s… The scientists may name the winning tomato “Rutgers 250,” in honor of the forthcoming 250th anniversary of the university, or they may choose something completely different… Vote in our informal poll to tell us what you’d like to name the tomato.
