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October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: 4-H, Youth Livestock, Equine, Family

By Amy Woolfolk

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Children with special needs will have the opportunity to participate in 4-H horse shows, after the Mississippi 4-H Horse Club board of directors voted recently to add a new class to its program.

The state board accepted a suggestion from a district meeting to have a class for children with special needs, said Dr. Joe Baker, extension animal science specialist.

"We want to give kids with special needs a chance to participate in organized competition," Baker said.

October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Nutrition

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Although never thought of as an adult beverage, one drink Americans of all ages need to consume more of is milk.

Dr. Barbara McLaurin, Mississippi State University extension nutrition specialist, said most Americans need more calcium than they are getting. Dairy products, such as milk, cheese and yogurt, provide 75 percent of the calcium in the U.S. food supply.

October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Technology

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Veterinarian Kenneth Boschert wants animals and information on their care more available, regardless of where people live.

Boschert, a 1984 graduate of Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, created the "NetVet/Electronic Zoo" for the Internet, which reaches rural communities and highly populated cities. With well over 14,000 connections to other websites, the online resource links every veterinary medical and animal-related Internet resource.

October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: 4-H, Youth Livestock, Equine

By Amy Woolfolk

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Children with special needs will have the opportunity to participate in 4-H horse shows, after the Mississippi 4-H Horse Club board of directors voted recently to add a new class to its program.

The state board accepted a suggestion from a district meeting to have a class for children with special needs, said Dr. Joe Baker, extension animal science specialist.

"We want to give kids with special needs a chance to participate in organized competition," Baker said.

October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Equine

VERONA -- North Mississippi horse owners and trainers are throwing their support behind a new university program aimed at promoting the equine industry throughout the state.

The North Mississippi Research and Extension Center recently hosted about 70 equine enthusiasts for discussion of the plans to provide increased support to area horse owners.

Dr. Pat Bagley, head of the research station in Verona, said it is time for horses to receive the same support other animal industries have received for years.

October 13, 1997 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Technology

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Veterinarian Kenneth Boschert wants animals and information on their care more available, regardless of where people live.

Boschert, a 1984 graduate of Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, created the "NetVet/Electronic Zoo" for the Internet, which reaches rural communities and highly populated cities. With well over 14,000 connections to other websites, the online resource links every veterinary medical and animal-related Internet resource.

October 10, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Pumpkins

By Amy Woolfolk

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Pumpkin producers have battled the weather, bugs and disease this season but still expect to harvest a decent crop this fall.

Pumpkins grow best in dry and warm (but not hot) conditions, said Dr. David Nagel, extension horticulturist at Mississippi State University.

"Weather conditions this year were not exceptionally good or bad, so the crop that resulted is only average," Nagel said.

A typical crop produces about 1,000 basketball-size pumpkins per acre.

October 9, 1997 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden, Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Pansies are no wimps, and neither are the people who plant them generously in their landscapes.

The choices of pansies have become staggering. One major seed supplier alone lists 180 varieties and various mixtures. The reason is plain and simple: The pansy sits on the throne as the most popular fall and winter flower.

October 3, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Sweet Potatoes

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Weather delayed planting the 1997 sweetpotato crop by three-weeks, making growers scramble now to get it out of the ground as quickly as possible.

Mississippi has 8,200 acres planted in sweetpotatoes this year, an increase of 400 acres more than last year. Harvest began Sept. 15 and is about 35 percent complete. The state usually sells 1.5 million 40-pound boxes of sweetpotatoes.

October 2, 1997 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden, Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

University horticulturists will unveil a second new garden of tough roses at the Fall Garden Day Oct. 17 in Crystal Springs. The event has become a major attraction for the state drawing as many as 6,000 visitors.

The rose garden was planted this spring and though quite young, will still give a colorful show. It features shrub roses, ground cover roses, floribundas and a few miniatures. Visitors can view about 20 featured roses.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Farm Safety

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- With harvest just around the corner, highway drivers often find unexpected farm equipment just over the top of the hill.

Herb Willcutt, Mississippi State University extension farm safety specialist, said drivers need to be cautious on rural highways near planting and harvest times. Several accidents each year in Mississippi involve highway traffic and farm equipment.

"Farm machinery will be on the roads some during these times of high agricultural activity, and farm equipment moves slower than highway traffic and is often wider," Willcutt said.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Soils, Farming

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- An improved plow that reduces soil surface disturbance is causing a stir in farming circles.

Dr. Gordon Tupper, an agricultural engineer at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, recently redesigned the low-till parabolic subsoiler he invented in 1972. Shaped like a deep-curved U, this parabolic subsoiler can increase cotton profits by nearly $33 an acre.

"Properly using this subsoiler on just a portion of the state's 1 million acres of cotton has the potential to increase profits by several million dollars a year," Tupper said.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, About Extension

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi agriculture has evolved into a diverse, multibillion dollar industry in the last 20 years, and the Farmweek crews have covered it all.

Launched in October 1977, Farmweek continues to provide educational television viewers with news from every facet of the state's agriculture. Farmweek's 30-minute weekly shows are produced by Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Insects-Human Pests, Insects

By Amy Woolfolk

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Temperatures may be cooling, but yellow jacket season is just heating up before winter sends them packing.

"Yellow jackets are more noticeable now because their eggs hatched in the summer, producing high populations by fall," said Dr. James Jarratt, extension entomologist at Mississippi State University.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Health

By Allison Powe

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Every year more than 18,000 Mississippi women learn they have breast cancer, and about 430 die from the disease.

Although breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among Mississippi women, precautionary measures often can save lives.

Linda Patterson, extension health and safety specialist at Mississippi State University, said many deaths occur each year because women do not have regular mammograms or practice breast self-exams.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Family, Children and Parenting

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Children can treat adults to an enjoyable Halloween evening by using good manners and following some simple safety rules.

Parents carry the bulk of the responsibility for communities having safe, enjoyable Halloweens.

Dr. Louise Davis, extension child and family development specialist at Mississippi State University, said parents need to carefully supervise their children on this fall night, often dedicated to juvenile antics.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, About Extension

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi agriculture has evolved into a diverse, multibillion dollar industry in the last 20 years, and the Farmweek crews have covered it all.

Launched in October 1977, Farmweek continues to provide educational television viewers with news from every facet of the state's agriculture. Farmweek's 30-minute weekly shows are produced by Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

September 29, 1997 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

By Amy Woolfolk

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Temperatures may be cooling, but yellow jacket season is just heating up before winter sends them packing.

"Yellow jackets are more noticeable now because their eggs hatched in the summer, producing high populations by fall," said Dr. James Jarratt, extension entomologist at Mississippi State University.

Jarratt said the best protection against yellow jacket stings is awareness. Because they generally nest in the ground, they may go unnoticed until it's too late to avoid them.

September 26, 1997 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Crops, Forages, Beef, Wildlife

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Rains provided some relief to Mississippi's dry conditions, but cattle producers were the main benefactors. Row crops will reap minimal profit or damage from the water.

Rankin County agricultural agent Houston Therrell said cattlemen and wildlife enthusiasts were the big winners.

"Pastures were extremely short. Most had stopped growing a month before the rains arrived," Therrell said. "These rains will help the winter grasses come along as well as help pastures gain some grass before the first frost."

September 25, 1997 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden, Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The camellia sasanqua is one of the most important species of camellias in the South -- next to the camellia japonica. You've passed up a winner if you haven't planted one in your landscape or at least looked at the latest selections.

The sasanqua is great as a base planting around the home and great for background screens. Under ideal growing conditions, it is not uncommon for a sasanqua to reach almost 15 feet high.

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