Darrin Parmenter
Position: La Plata County Extension Office

On neighborhood walks, I watch spring unfold

This past month, I have become pretty intimate with my neighborhood on the southside of Durango. After going through back surgery in early April, my primary means of exercise has...

For healthy food, seek out natural, simple ingredients

The choices we make about “healthy” foods to put in our cupboards rest with each of us, not on Food and Drug Administration. Yes, companies find ways to label food to make us th...

4-H partnerships help connect kids to community

Youth engagement is vital to overall community health. Programs that seek the input of young people benefit by being able to better plan and organize their services. Organizations with posit...

Choose the right tree to fit into a smaller, urban lot

Last month, I wrote about ample space in the landscape, a luxury (or detriment depending on your interests) that many of us wish we had. I had some suggestions for large trees th...

Don’t allow ‘dirty,’ ‘clean’ produce lists to lead you astray

I know spring has arrived, not only because yellow flowers are popping up but because the annual “Dirty Dozen” and “Clean Dozen” lists have been presented. This is a report by th...

4-H members weigh in steers, participate in ag expo

The warm and sunny days have felt nice lately. It’s a great time of year to hear the birds chirping and feel spring in the air. The winter moisture that so many farmers and ranc...

Like it or not, preparing for the worst makes good sense

Not to be morbid, but here is your reminder: You are going to die. Some of us sooner than later; some quickly; some young and some old. But it is going to happen, guaranteed. Hav...

These majestic trees provide shade for large spaces

If I ever have questions about ornamental plant selection, I’m not afraid to ask others for their opinions. I’m a vegetable kind of guy, and the edibles tend to be in my horticul...

Women need to be more aware about their heart health

Stroke? Heart attack? I know … not you. Well, step into this other circle while you read this. The concern about women and heart disease is magnified because we deny ...

How to prune your fruit trees this winter

The short days and long nights leave many of us in Southwest Colorado yearning for something: more powder and more turns, a long-lasting snowpack to fill our rivers this spring and summer or...

4-H teaches young people the skills of citizenship

Citizenship is a major component to the 4-H Youth Development program. We understand that good citizenship doesn’t just happen. Therefore, we actively teach and develop skills for youths to ...

In dark of winter, I’m dreaming about seasons, possibilities ahead

Author and philosopher Albert Camus once wrote: “In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” Because Camus was a philosopher, I can ...