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Turnip Greens in Garden

Greens are about as Southern of a food as you’ll find. Growing up, my grandparents almost always had a bowl of greens at the lunch table. 


A woman stirs balsamic glazed carrots cooking on the stove.

The Food Factor: Balsamic Glazed Carrots

March 17, 2025

Have extra carrots you need to use? Try this recipe with balsamic vinegar.

People put trash into a trash bag.

Litter: Not Just an Eyesore

March 14, 2025

Litter is a common problem around the state, and all of that trash eventually makes its way to our oceans. But there are ways to help keep your community clean.

A woman stand in front of the camera.

5 Tips to Celebrate National Nutrition Month

March 12, 2025

It’s March, and that means it’s National Nutrition Month! One of my favorite times of the year. This year’s theme is all about how food connects us. And when you think about it, food is much more than what’s on your plate.

Three raccoons.

How to Identify Raccoon and Opossum Tracks

March 5, 2025

Have you ever been on a walk in the woods, park, or backyard and noticed animal tracks in the mud or dirt? Some tracks are easy to identify, while others are a bit harder to tell which animal they belong to. 

Red Crawfish

Meet the Louisiana Red Crayfish

February 28, 2025

The Louisiana Red Crayfish goes by many names. Whether you call it a red swamp crawfish, Louisiana crawfish, Louisiana mudbug, or a crawdad, Procambarus clarkia is a striking invertebrate!  

Fire engulfs a forest.

Wildfire: Is Your Property at Risk?

February 25, 2025

Did you know that wildfire is a common occurrence in Mississippi? If you live in the rural-urban interface – areas where human development moves into rural areas – your risk of being affected by wildfire increases.

Green and purple lettuce.

Harvest of the Month: Lettuce

February 21, 2025

Did you know lettuce was one of the first vegetables brought to America by Christopher Columbus? What a great fun fact!

A woman stands in a kitchen and holds a bowl of soup.

The Food Factor: Vegetable Cheese Soup

February 18, 2025

Swiss cheese and curry powder amp up the flavor in this quick soup.

Lovebug on green leaf with green background

What are Lovebugs?

February 14, 2025

In honor of Valentine’s Day, let’s talk about love… lovebugs, that is!

A woman stands in a kitchen.

7 Tips for Heart Health

February 12, 2025

Show your heart some love —because a healthy heart means a healthier YOU! Heart disease is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. But the good news is that, in many cases, heart disease can be prevented. 

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About Extension for Real Life

Extension for Real Life is a product of the MSU Extension Service’s Office of Agricultural Communications.

That’s a long way of saying we are professional communicators who get to talk about food, families, 4-H, flowers, and farming for a living.

Blog content is created by a core team of communicators, including Susan Collins-Smith, Ellen Graves, Natasha Haynes, Qula Madkin, Michaela Parker, and Jonathan Parrish. But we get by with a lot of help from our friends in Ag Comm and Extension!

You can reach us at 662-325-2262 or extreallife@msstate.edu