News From 2016

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service invites grape growers in the state to a pruning workshop to be held Feb. 3 in Beaumont.

The event will cover the basics of vine anatomy and pruning techniques for bunch grapes and muscadines. After the presentations, in-field demonstrations will show participants correct pruning techniques. Novice and seasoned growers are invited to attend.

By Beth Baker
Research Associate
MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Litter or trash in streets and roadway ditches is much more than an eyesore, and it continues to be a problem across Mississippi.

By Brittany Jacks
MSU Extension Service

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Creating a healthy balance between work and life is essential to being more productive and focused.

David Buys, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said one of the most important boundaries to have when balancing work and life is accountability with friends and family.

 STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Two Mississippi State University Extension Service health educators recently took positions on state health boards.

David Buys, Extension health specialist and a researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, accepted an appointment to the board of the Mississippi Public Health Association.

Ann Sansing, Extension community health coordinator and a senior Extension associate in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, was elected to the board of the Mississippi Rural Health Association.

POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- South Mississippi homeowners in small communities and rural areas without public water supplies can learn how to better manage, operate and protect their private wells during a program in Pearl River County.

The Water Quality and Private Wells workshop, Feb. 23 from 6 to 9 p.m., will help Mississippi well owners understand groundwater basics, learn best practices for well care and know where to look for assistance.

Just as it seems I’m finally settling into the winter color season and noticing how good all the pansies and violas are looking, it’s time to start planning for spring.

Recently I’ve written about the diascia and nemesia, but now is the time to get excited about their more well-known cousin, the snapdragon.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- An already popular management tool for beef cattle producers is available to a wider audience in 2016.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- It is becoming routine for the nightly news to broadcast video of enormous fires roaring through Western forests, destroying homes and devastating thousands of acres of trees.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Chemicals are effective tools for managing weeds and unwanted brush in a landscape, but overlooking their potency or staying power frequently causes unwanted plant casualties.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Landowners can learn about the use of prescribed fire to manage their property during a Feb. 19 workshop near Raymond.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council are partnering to offer the event to introduce landowners to the benefits of prescribed burning and how to safely do it.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- The Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center will host its annual Producer Advisory Council meeting Feb. 16 in Raymond.

Representatives of the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will hear feedback on and direction for their educational programs and research projects.

Agricultural producers served by the center’s 20 southwest county Extension offices and research stations are invited to attend the program from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McKenzie Arena.

Since cold weather has finally arrived, the summer color plants are deciding enough is enough. My go-to, cool-season trio of Matrix pansies, Sorbet violas and Telstar dianthuses are glad because they’re tired of sharing the landscape stage with the summer hangers-on.

But before we know it, the siren call of spring will be heard, and the cool-season color will start to wear out its welcome. It will only take a couple of warm days before the spring color plants will start showing up in garden stores, whispering in our ears to buy and take them home.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Creating a reasonable spending plan and reducing debt should be top priorities when it comes to living a well-budgeted life.

Rita Green, assistant Extension professor and state specialist for financial management in the Mississippi State University School of Human Sciences, said developing a budget helps families establish a vision for their spending.

BILOXI, Miss. -- Individuals interested in floral design or floral marketing can attend one of four floral design demonstrations across the state in February.

Jim DelPrince, floral design specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, will offer the demonstrations as part of the Beautiful Things from Mississippi initiative, an alternative-crops floral design program. The program is intended to bring Mississippi-produced ornamental horticulture products to the early-adopter floral design market in 2017, DelPrince said.

By Sarah Buckleitner
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station

Scientists at Mississippi State University are working to rid poultry products of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness before they leave the processing plant.

Foodborne illness is a serious concern among producers, processors and consumers. Each year, a million people in the U.S. contract foodborne illnesses from Campylobacter jejuni, or C. jejuni, common bacteria found in healthy poultry and cattle.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi high school juniors considering medical careers in their home state have the opportunity to take part in an intense and revealing summer program at Mississippi State University.

The five-week Rural Medical Scholars summer program at MSU aims to identify the state’s future primary care doctors and help them become members of the medical school class of 2025. Applications for the May 29 through June 30 program must be submitted by March 11.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Everywhere you look, you can see something that wasn’t originally part of Mississippi’s landscape.

From fire ants that came ashore in the early 20th century to a Eurasian sedge thought to have been transported by visitors to the grave of the Gypsy Queen in a Lauderdale County cemetery, Mississippi has a wide variety of invasive species. Kudzu, Chinese privet, cogon grass, Asian carp, pine beetles and wild hogs are other examples of plants and animals that have invaded Mississippi’s landscape.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- People can learn about metalsmithing during the annual Forge Day at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum on Jan. 30 in Pearl River County.

Area metal workers will demonstrate techniques for hobbyists and anyone else interested in learning the skill. Some artists will allow adults and children to participate in metal forging. Signed waivers are required, and protective equipment is provided.

Knife sharpening will be available. Products also will be available for purchase.

The event begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has awarded the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine a grant to support the college’s Mobile Veterinary Clinics.

The $20,000 grant will help offset some of the expenses incurred as the Mobile Veterinary Clinics travel to 20 north Mississippi animal shelters, where students spay and neuter homeless animals. The program is funded solely by grants and donations.

VERONA, Miss. -- Landscape contractors can learn about current practices in lawn maintenance, site design and pest management during an upcoming workshop.

Researchers and specialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Turfgrass Association will host the Turf, Lawn and Landscape Road Show Jan. 14 at the MSU North Mississippi Research and Extension Center at 5421 Highway 145 South in Verona.