• " "
  • " "
  • " "
  • " "
  • " "

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!


Woman on an exercise machine

Get Moving with 12 Days of Fitmas

November 8, 2022

With all the upcoming holiday get-togethers around the corner, it can be easy to move less, sit more, and gain weight. This year, join our Walk with Extension 12 Days of FITMAS Challenge, which emphasizes moving more and eating more vegetables.

A charcuterie board.

Charcuterie Food Safety

November 4, 2022

Charcuterie boards are all the craze right now, and rightfully so! They’re fun to make and delicious to snack on. With the holidays coming up, they’re sure to be the talk of the party!

collage of cornucopia designs

How to Make a Cornucopia

October 31, 2022

The cornucopia, or horn of plenty, is most often associated with Thanksgiving. It is generally depicted with the fruits of harvest overflowing its horn-shaped form and serves as a reminder to be thankful and grateful. If you like do-it-yourself projects, making your own cornucopia is an easy project.

Frozen foods in a fridge.

Dos and Don’ts of Freezing Food

October 28, 2022

There are some weeks when I don’t feel like cooking dinner or am short on time to prepare a meal from start to finish.

Bats on a tree limb

Bats: Just the Facts

October 25, 2022

Bats have long been associated with Halloween, and this has fostered many myths about them. They may look spooky to some, but they perform critical tasks in the environment that help humans. The 1,400 species that are spread across six different continents serve an important purpose in our ecosystem. They pollinate plants, distribute seeds, and control insect pests, including mosquitoes. Fifteen different species of these small mammals live in Mississippi.

A bouquet of flowers.

How to Use Flower Food

October 21, 2022

I love filling my home with fresh flowers. I always have to browse the floral section at my local grocery store to see if there is a bouquet that must come home with me.

Turban Squash

Fall Produce Perfect for Eating

October 17, 2022

Pumpkins, gourds, and squash, oh my! With fall in full effect, I’m buying fall décor all the time. Do I already have several pumpkins on my porch? Yes. Will I be buying more? Also, yes. 

Japanese Maple Tree

How to Identify Trees

October 14, 2022

Being able to identify trees is an impressive skill to have. Some trees, like the magnolia tree, are easily recognizable. Others, not so much. Identifying a tree is like solving a mystery. There are several different puzzle pieces to put together before you know for sure what kind of tree it is. 

Woman tossing salad

How to Boost Immunity with Nutrition

October 11, 2022

Flu season is upon us, and there’s no better time than now to kick your nutrition up a notch! One easy way to strengthen your immune system is by adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet. Good nutrition plays an important role in fighting off illnesses, including the flu.

Campfire

Why You Shouldn’t Move Firewood

October 7, 2022

Fall is the perfect time to enjoy fire pits and camping trips! Firewood is a necessity for both activities, so it’s important to know how to properly collect and manage it. Be sure to get your firewood within 50 miles of where you will burn it whether that’s in your backyard or at a campground several miles from home.

Pages

Subscribe to Extension for Real Life

Fill in the information below to receive a weekly update of our blog posts.

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required

Mississippi State University Extension will keep your contact information confidential and will not sell or distribute the information gathered here to third parties.

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