Darrin Parmenter
Position: Staff reporter

Reduce your food bill and eat healthy with these thrifty tips

For the sixth week in a row, I’ve left the grocery store with a touch of sticker shock. The first few occasions, I blamed it on the purchase of higher-priced items you need only ...

La Plata County Fair will have a different format this year, but the same spirit

This pandemic has resulted in many ups and downs this year; however, I have been reflecting on how La Plata County 4-H and I have a lot to be grateful for. The support that we re...

Stuck in a rut? Reset your mood with physical activity

I’ve thought about writer’s block a fair amount this week. Not just because I’m experiencing it, but also because it seems to mimic a state familiar to writers and non-writers al...

After a barren year in 2019, apple trees are bursting

I promise the next 550 words, give or take, won’t be about the weather. It’s not like I couldn’t – between the incessant wind, lack of rainfall or temperatures in the mid-90s, I could in fac...

4-H scholarship winners excelled over the years

This past month, La Plata County 4-H had the honor of awarding four $500 Higher Education Scholarships to our 4-H members who graduated from high school and are continuing their education in...

Raising an appreciation for diversity through global cuisine

A few months back, I overheard my 5-year-old rattling off names of countries from around the world. My oldest is either correcting or applauding her as she attempts to match imag...

Our region’s challenging weather can batter your plants

Every year, I write about the weather, and subsequently, every year, I write about writing about the weather. Kind of a “Who’s on First?” skit I do with all of you, so thanks for participati...

4-H members connect with others across the country

4-H had humble beginnings in 1902 in rural Ohio to teach youths farming and homemaking skills. It has since grown to be the largest youth development organization in the United S...

We’re all in this together, but our perspectives vary

I’m sure you’ve read it somewhere, on a social media post, scrawled across the street in chalk or, if nowhere else, in this very column: We are all in this together. It’s an inte...

How to prevent winter damage to your conifers, evergreens

These winds are getting to me, and I don’t even live on Florida Mesa. They pick up in the afternoon, grabbing dust, dirt and pollen, and deposit them directly into my eyes and no...

In this time of uncertainty, reach out to loved ones

A new job always has a learning curve and unexpected challenges, but I thought I was prepared. After all, I have worked in the La Plata County Extension Office for nine years, and in my yout...

Much has changed, but safe produce washing has not

I don't imagine this place of social isolation, accompanied by major life disruptions is exactly what we envisioned spring would bring. But alas, here we are. Rather than packing...