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A closeup of a poplar tree showing its leaves and flowers

It’s in your kitchen, hallway, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. You probably sit on it, but it’s 200 feet tall! Have you figured it out yet? It’s the yellow poplar tree!


A closeup of grouped poinsettias with variegated red, white, and green leaves.

How to Keep Poinsettias Healthy and Beautiful

December 6, 2018

If you love adding poinsettias to your Christmas décor, you may have found it difficult to keep them looking good in the past.

That’s because these delicate plants are finicky when it comes to air temperature and water. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

Bright red and green ornamental peppers stand out against a background of green leaves and a small Christmas tree with multicolored lights.

Add Christmas Peppers to Your Seasonal Décor

December 4, 2018

If you want to spice up your Christmas décor this year, add some ornamental peppers to your indoor and outdoor displays. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

A young buck grazes behind four turkeys in a green, grassy food plot.

MSU White-Tailed Deer Apps

November 30, 2018

Chronic wasting disease is the hot topic in Mississippi’s deer-hunting circles, and for good reason. MSU Extension experts encourage deer hunters to participate in the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks program for sampling deer to get an idea of where the disease has spread. (Photo by Michaela Parker/Cindy Callahan)

How to Add Backyard Water Features for Wildlife

November 27, 2018

If you like to watch the birds that visit your yard, you probably have at least one bird feeder. Adding a source of water will offer birds and other wildlife a much needed refuge when the weather is hot and dry. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

A close-up of honey-cranberry granola bars that shows in fine detail the oats and cranberries.

The Food Factor | Homemade Honey-Cranberry Granola Bars

November 23, 2018

Making my own snacks gives me complete control over the ingredients. I love to use local honey in this recipe for homemade granola bars, which are lower in calories than most store-bought options, and are high in fiber. And the cranberries give this snack that sweet-tart combination I enjoy. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

A round peanut butter and jelly sandwich sits on a white plate. It is decorated to look like a turkey, with green, red, and yellow apple slices for feathers, chocolate chips for eyes, cheese for a nose and legs, and a small bit of bacon for a wattle. The plate sits on a multicolored floral placemat.

Thanksgiving Fun for Kids

November 20, 2018

Thanksgiving season, while full of fun, laughter, and family, can also be hectic. Having small children can add to both the joy and the craziness. (Photo by Michaela Parker/Cindy Callahan)

A group of people stand behind a waist-high, elevated raised gardening bed full of green potato foliage.

Salad Table Success

November 16, 2018

Not into conventional gardening? A salad table just may be for you.

With these elevated gardening beds, you can grow fresh vegetables and herbs throughout the year right at your fingertips. These tables work well in small spaces and eliminate the physical demands of an in-ground garden. (Photo courtesy of Carla Moore)

A thin, eight-point buck stands beside a wall with drool coming from his mouth.

Chronic Wasting Disease: What You Need to Know

November 13, 2018

Hunting is a Big Deal in our family, and the news in mid-October that a second deer in Mississippi had tested positive for Chronic Wasting Disease, or CWD, was met with dismay. (Photo by the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism/Michael Hopper)

A mixture of diced onions, green and red bell peppers, scrambled eggs, and shredded cheese on a flour tortilla.

The Food Factor | Breakfast Burritos

November 9, 2018

I’m always looking for ways to make healthy eating easier! This recipe for breakfast burritos makes eight tasty treats you can easily freeze for a low-cost, protein-filled breakfast on the go! (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

Fingers steady an upside-down flower pot as a drill bit pierces the bottom to make drainage holes.

So Why Do Plant Containers Have Drain Holes?

November 6, 2018

You’ve got a lovely container, and you want to put a plant in it. But if that container doesn’t have drainage holes, you’ll end up with a dead plant. (Photo by Jonathan Parrish/Cindy Callahan)

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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