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A woman stands on a sidewalk in a red sweatshirt and festive holiday-themed necklace.

The holidays are here! With all the activity, it's easy to skip your daily exercise. But these tips can help keep you active.


Eastern redcedar needles and berries

Tree of the Month: Eastern redcedar

December 6, 2024

The Eastern redcedar, scientifically known as Juniperus virginiana, is a versatile and resilient evergreen tree native to North America. 

gifts wrapped in fabric scraps, recycled paper, raffia, and homemade embelishments

Tips for a Green Holiday

December 3, 2024

It’s the holiday season, and many of us like to celebrate this time of year by decorating our homes and gathering with friends and family to enjoy fellowship, food, and gift giving. But it is also a time of increased household waste. These tips can help you have a more sustainable holiday.

Snowman christmas cookies on wood cutting board

Holiday Food Gift Safety

November 22, 2024

Whether you’re gifting cookies, jams, breads, or savory treats this holiday season, here are a few quick tips for keeping your food gifts safe.

 

A person stirs a skillet of turkey gravy cooking on the stove.

The Food Factor: Turkey Gravy

November 19, 2024

This traditional holiday gravy recipe is easy and fast.

Water dripping from faucet

Tips to Winterize Your Home

November 15, 2024

Colder weather is just around the corner! Do you have a plan to winterize your home for when freezing temperatures arrive? Preparing your home for the cold not only ensures comfort, but also helps protect your home from damage. 

A woman stands in a kitchen

4 Tips to Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar

November 12, 2024

Incorporating healthier eating habits into your daily routine can help prevent and manage diabetes by helping you maintain healthy blood sugar levels. Check out these tips to help you get started.

Thanksgiving food on a table.

Holiday Food Safety Tips

November 8, 2024

The holiday season is a time for social gatherings and sharing meals together! If you’re like me, you enjoy hosting events at your home. I host an annual Thanksgiving dinner for my friends, and it’s always one of the highlights of my year! 

A closeup of sweet potato and apple casserole

The Food Factor: Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

November 5, 2024

Sweet potato and apple casserole is delicious, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season.

Ginkgo yellow leaves in the fall

Tree of the Month: Ginkgo

November 4, 2024

The ginkgo tree, scientifically known as Ginkgo biloba, is an incredible species that stands out because of its unique characteristics and beauty.

Black Widow spider

Brown Recluse vs. Black Widow Spiders

October 25, 2024

It’s spooky season, and there’s nothing as spooky to some people as a creepy-crawly spider! Many people have arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders.

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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