In many parts of the country, it’s harvest season. As a consumer, you will certainly be affected by the labors of farmers — and their particular skill set can teach you a lot in your role as investor.

Here are some suggestions for putting farmers’ behaviors to work for you:

Keep a cool head. Farmers have to cope with all sorts of challenges — bad weather, changing crop prices, availability and cost of land and global trade policies, among other things. But the most successful farmers don’t panic; they follow sound agricultural practices and adapt their work habits as necessary.

As an investor, you, too, need to keep a cool head, especially in the face of volatile markets, political turmoil and changes in the economy. Don’t overreact to today’s headlines; instead, constantly plan for tomorrow, and follow an investment strategy designed to help you achieve your goals.

Keep learning. Farmers are constantly learning new techniques from agricultural extension services and other sources. When you invest, you can also benefit from educating yourself on the various factors — corporate earnings, changing interest rates, and so on — affecting the financial markets.

Control your expenses. Farming isn’t cheap. The cost of farm equipment is daunting, land is expensive, water usage can be enormous — the list goes on and on. The most successful farmers work hard to manage their costs, and it’s an ongoing challenge.

As an investor, you also can incur plenty of costs — especially if you’re constantly buying and selling securities, which can lead to heavy commissions and fees, along with higher-than-necessary capital gains taxes.

Following a long-term, “buy-and-hold” investment strategy can help you control your investment costs while also helping you build and preserve your long-term financial security.

Be flexible. The ups and downs of growing commodity crops have become more frequent, forcing farmers to become more flexible and resourceful in their business.

For example, many farmers have started producing specific products for specific markets, thus giving them an “all-weather” income stream.

As an investor, you may also need to look for new opportunities as they arise, provided these moves are still within the overall context of your long-term strategy. To be able to make such moves, you’ll want to keep a reasonable amount of “cash” in your investment portfolio.

Be patient. Farmers plant crops and nurture them carefully for months before it’s harvest time. In fact, it’s possible that no other occupation requires such a willingness to wait for results — and payouts.

Similarly, when you invest, you simply can’t expect to instantly turn huge profits; no matter what you may hear, investing is not a “get rich quick” type of endeavor. The best investors work toward growth slowly, over a period of many decades, and only by diligently pursuing a strategy that’s appropriate for their individual needs, goals and risk tolerance.

In short, when it comes to investing, patience isn’t just a virtue — it’s a necessity. Farmers work long hours, but they don’t just work hard — they work smart.

Emulating their work habits and patterns can help as you cultivate the investment fields.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones financial adviser.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Farmers’ skills can pay off for investors, too

Which plant is mostly found on older landscapes, is poorly available in most local nurseries, is closely related to okra and cotton, but is called a rose and produces showy fall flowers that turn from white to pink or red?

Give up?

The plant is commonly called Confederate rose. Some people call it cotton rose.

Confederate roses usually begin blooming in late summer and continue to flower well into fall.

Although it’s frequently referred to as Confederate rose, it’s not a member of the rose family. It belongs to the mallow family, which includes numerous ornamentals, cotton and okra.

It is a true hibiscus, but unlike many other ornamental hibiscus species, for some reason it is not usually found in most local garden centers. The plant finds its way into other landscapes simply by one gardener sharing a cutting with another gardener.

It’s easy to propagate. You can start new plants in the spring from seed or from 8-inch-long terminal cuttings taken during spring, summer and early fall. Cuttings can be rooted in a conventional propagation bed or even in a glass of water.

Here are some forms of Confederate roses:

●The cultivar known as ‘Rubus’ has deep pink flowers.

● ‘Plena’ has double white flowers that change to pink or red on the second day.

●The older, original types have double flowers that open white in the morning and gradually turn pink in the afternoon.    

Even though the Confederate rose, with its cotton- or okra-like leaves, is not very impressive during spring and summer, you may find it a worthwhile landscape plant as it produces large flowers (some up to 6 inches across) in late summer and fall.

With proper care, a Confederate rose should grow into a 15-foot-tall bush during a single season. But expect the entire plant to be killed to the ground during the winter.

It usually sprouts rapidly from the base of the plant the following spring.

Be careful — too much fertilizer can result in lots of leaves but few blooms.

Larry Williams is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: WILLIAMS: The Confederate rose is not a rose

My husband, Jim, and I recently received a voicemail from a stern-sounding man.

He stated, "Arrest warrant has been issued; your physical address is under federal investigation. Call immediately at 209-975-7465." He ordered us to return the call.

It was obviously a recording. The message didn't start on time, and part of it was missing. In addition, neither my name nor address was mentioned; it was a generic recording.

This message was so ludicrous, I laughed.

However, I am certain that many people would find a call like this scary, and they could be bilked out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. 

Even if a caller pretends to be the IRS or another agency, never return a call such as this. If you have questions about a suspicious call, please call the Crestview Police Department, 682-3544, or the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, 689-5650.

In another scam, the "court system" says you didn't return your jury questionnaire, and an arrest warrant has been issued. 

However, this group — in the spirit of "helping" you, for the mere sum of $5 — will make the warrant go away; just give them your checking account number or a credit card number.

Of course, once you give them either number your checking account will be immediately drained or your credit card will be charged to its maximum limit. 

Be aware that government agencies don't leave messages on your phone. They rarely call, they certainly don't bully you, nor do they want gift cards as payment for taxes owed. 

Generally, all government agencies send notices by mail.

The latest scam that has come to my attention is one in which hackers use so-called ransomware to hijack your computer.

Hackers send an email, which if you open, gives them access to your computer, or they use suspicious websites.

Either way, they control all your computer's data.

They encrypt your files so that you cannot access them, and then the hackers tell you in order to unlock the encryption, you must pay them in untraceble bitcoins.

Even if you pay, most of the time they will not release your files. Please be careful opening email from unknown senders, and be especially aware of clicking on websites when you are on the internet.

Be aware: With Christmas season approaching, it seems it is the season for scammers.

Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: CROSE: 'Tis the season for scammers