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Feature Story from 2018

May 14, 2018 - Filed Under: Economic Development

The most recent set of economic, community health and retail data is available to developers working to improve Mississippi counties and towns.

May 14, 2018 - Filed Under: Crops, Insects-Crop Pests, Plant Diseases

Two half-day training sessions next month will provide expertise on pest and disease control on small farms.

A young rider in full safety gear navigates a turn on an all-terrain vehicle.
May 18, 2018 - Filed Under: ATV Safety

June 2-10 is ATV Safety Week  

WEST POINT, Miss. -- Many Mississippians enjoy the usefulness and thrill of riding all-terrain vehicles, but the dangerous nature of these machines is highlighted in the June 2-10 4-H ATV Safety Week.

Mississippi ranks 15th in the nation in ATV-related deaths. In 2017, nine youngsters died after suffering traumatic injuries in ATV accidents.

A pair of hands holds a stack of mail taken from a mailbox.
May 18, 2018 - Filed Under: Family Dynamics

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Handling finances can be difficult at any age, but older Mississippians face even greater challenges when expenses rise and forgetfulness sets in.

At what point adult children need to step in with assistance is a personal decision for every family, said Susan Cosgrove, family resource management associate with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

May 18, 2018 - Filed Under: About Extension, Food and Health, Health

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A journal published by the Mississippi State University School of Human Sciences highlights important findings from three years of work conducted by Extension health professionals across the country. 

David Buys, an assistant professor with the MSU Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, served as chair of the chronic disease prevention and management action team that investigated ways to use Extension programs to improve health outcomes in the U.S. His work was part of a broad effort commissioned by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy Health and Wellness Task Force through the organization’s Health Implementation Teams.

A young girl and her mother are pictured with their horse.
May 22, 2018 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Livestock Program, Youth Livestock

It was inevitable that Lauren Bryant would at least try 4-H.

Her father’s family has been active in the Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H Youth Development Program for two generations. And she has attended 4-H events since she was a toddler.

Now, the 11-year-old is showing her own livestock and participating in various 4-H activities through the Extension Service in Tippah County.

“Lauren is a third-generation 4-H’er,” explained her mother, Leigh Bryant. “Her granddad and her daddy were both 4-H’ers.”

May 31, 2018 - Filed Under: About Extension

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Two Mississippi State University Extension Service experts have contributed to a new book updating The Extension Worker’s Code.

A woman holds a brown and white chicken while a young girl looks on.
June 1, 2018 - Filed Under: Poultry

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- More than a million backyard chicken flocks provide Americans with eggs, meat or companionship, a trend Mississippians embrace, but hobby farmers must learn proper care to keep them healthy.

Orange marigolds grow in a bed with purple blooms and green elephant ears.
June 4, 2018 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Landscape Design and Management

Marigolds are my go-to hot weather color annuals. Marigolds are great in-ground or in containers, and they add a cheerful and colorful brightness wherever they are planted.

Image displays colorful gardening posters.
June 8, 2018 - Filed Under: The Story of Plants and People

Geoff Denny, an MSU Extension horticulturist, launched the storytelling series, The Story of Plants and People, hosted by the Mississippi State Trial Gardens. Monthly sessions cover such topics as azaleas, African crops in Mississippi gardens, and William Faulkner’s Rowan Oak.

June 11, 2018 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Field Scale Crop Assessment with Drones

Seed-applied technologies and seed treatment processes will be among the topics covered at this year’s MSU Seed Technology Short Course.

June 14, 2018 - Filed Under: Nutrition

Kelli Whitten recently joined the Mississippi State University Extension Service Office of Nutrition Education as a regional registered dietitian for the Delta. She will help in the fight against obesity and chronic disease in Mississippi.

A butterfly gathers nectar from a yellow flower in a group of yellow flowers.
June 15, 2018 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Herb Gardens, Places for Wildlife, Urban and Backyard Wildlife

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- Pollinators are important to flowering plants and the food supply, but dwindling numbers of some of these creatures, including monarch butterflies and bees, have captured the public’s attention.

Many people want to help. But what can homeowners do to support these important pollinators?

Jennifer Buchanan, senior curator at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, shared her top three tips for creating a pollinator-friendly garden.

June 18, 2018 - Filed Under: Leadership

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Three members of the Mississippi State family have completed a leadership program focused on strengthening relationships and advancing development in the Golden Triangle region.

Hosted by the Columbus Lowndes Chamber of Commerce, West Point Growth Alliance, and The Partnership of Starkville, the eight-month Golden Triangle Leaders program recently graduated 22 emerging and experienced leaders who were selected from a group of nominated applicants.

A gray-haired woman in blue shorts and a multi-colored striped shirt holds a pen over a pocket calendar to check appointments.
June 18, 2018 - Filed Under: Family Dynamics, Health

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Flight attendants instruct passengers to take care of themselves before helping others with oxygen masks for several good reasons that also apply to other caregivers and situations.

A floral arrangement with fall colors.
June 19, 2018 - Filed Under: Community, Economic Development, Floral Design
BILOXI, Miss. -- Floral enthusiasts can learn how to make a variety of fall floral arrangements and décor during several workshops from September to December.
 
Jim DelPrince, horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, and his special guests Julie Poeltler and Wanda Norton will show participants how to design several seasonal arrangements.
 
A hand holds a smartphone displaying finance apps on its screen.
June 22, 2018 - Filed Under: Technology, Basic Money Management

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- When there never seems to be enough money to cover the bills, trying to set up and follow a budget can seem like a pointless and stressful activity.

Bekah Sparks, Mississippi State University Extension Service instructor in the Center for Technology Outreach, said a variety of apps and electronic tools can help make it easier to save money and spend wisely.

June 26, 2018 - Filed Under: Forages

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service is offering its annual Forage Field Day July 17 to interested producers and agricultural agents.

June 26, 2018 - Filed Under: Family Dynamics

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Caring for someone with dementia can be overwhelming, but establishing routines is one way to make the process easier.

Judy Breland, county coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service office in Stone County, said planning set times for meals, baths, regular outings and even restroom breaks, helps to lessen the stress on caregivers and their loved ones. Breland is a caregiver for her mother, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease.

June 28, 2018 - Filed Under: Crops, Organic Fruit and Vegetables, Soils, Soil Health, Beekeeping, Herb Gardens, Vegetable Gardens

SAUCIER, Miss. -- Producers and gardeners looking for tips on growing herbs and improving their soil can attend a July 20 field day.

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