News From 2014

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Starkville will host one of three major spring gardening events in the state this March.

The sixth annual Everything Garden Expo will take place March 21 and 22 at the Mississippi Horse Park, located south of town at 869 East Poorhouse Road.

Gary Bachman, horticulturist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said March is a good month for Mississippians to plan their 2014 gardens.

A fertilization program can greatly increase fish production in fishing ponds.

Adding nutrients stimulates the growth of the microscopic plants, or algae, that feed the small animals that feed the fish. Fertilization can increase fish production by three to four times, resulting in more fish, bigger fish or both in properly managed ponds. Also, these tiny plants can shade the bottom and prevent aquatic weeds from taking over.

JACKSON – A segment of Ask This Old House that was filmed in Biloxi premiers this weekend. The show demonstrates how to install a high tunnel to extend the growing season of backyard gardens.

Two Mississippi State University horticulture scientists served as consultants for the traveling home improvement show. They helped the crew with region-specific information and coordination of the site and materials.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi Saves launched its first America Saves Week campaign Monday to promote financial responsibility throughout the nation.

As part of the national America Saves effort, Mississippians can save money for a rainy day by taking the pledge to become a Mississippi Saver.

Bobbie Shaffett, a family resource management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said an American Saves study found 63 percent of Americans were making only “fair” or “no” progress in meeting personal savings needs.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Making a living in agriculture is a tough job and something that builds bonds among those who work in the industry, a fact that brought 45 women together for a late February conference at Mississippi State University.

The 75-member Mississippi Women for Agriculture organization meets to discuss important agricultural developments and to draw encouragement from shared experiences. Mary Jane Coign, who owns a cow and calf operation in Oktibbeha County, is the organization’s 2014 president.

RAYMOND – More than 150 central Mississippi agricultural producers gathered Feb. 18 to discuss priorities and ideas with Mississippi State University experts.

Producers and industry professionals met with MSU Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station agents, specialists and researchers to provide input and direction for educational programs and research.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University food scientist Sam Chang has been elected a fellow of the International Academy of Food Science and Technology and will represent MSU in this field’s largest academy in the world.

A certified food scientist, Chang is professor and head of the MSU Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion. He was elected as a fellow based on his outstanding contributions to the field of science and technology.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – With all the stress and excitement of an Olympic sport, a team of north Mississippi 4-H youths pulled off an amazing, come-from-behind victory to qualify for a regional robotic competition this spring.

Mariah Smith Morgan, an assistant professor in the Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Technology Outreach, said the eight-member team and their coach attended the 4-H Robotics Academy last August.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi producers who rely on Mississippi State University for information have some valuable new information to help them better time their insecticide applications in 2014.

Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station researchers spend a lot of time counting insect pests and calculating the damage they cause. They compile the data to determine at what point a producer should use insecticides to maintain a crop’s profitability.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Since consumers expect the fresh produce they buy from Mississippi growers to be healthy, learning how to handle fruits and vegetables from seed to sale properly is vital.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Registration is open for three summer camps for young people interested in wildlife, natural resources and outdoor recreation.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service and the MSU Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture are hosting two residential camps and one day camp.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The more than 2,000 chicken growers in Mississippi can now save money on an annual test required to meet federal and state regulations and keep their samples in the state.

The Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory has lowered its fee for testing chicken litter to $35 to be more in line with fees charged by labs in neighboring states. Many of the state’s growers have been sending their samples to Louisiana and Arkansas.

There’s a mystique about heirloom tomatoes that causes me to get several phone calls each spring from gardeners interested in growing these fascinating plants.

Let’s set one thing straight right now. There isn’t just one heirloom tomato; there are literally hundreds. These are not the perfect mass-produced hybrid tomatoes found in the seed racks and transplants at the garden center or in the bins of the grocery store.

They’re colorful, with a range from bright red, orange and yellow to mahogany brown. They even have stripes. Many are lumpy and bumpy.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Youth with an interest in animals and veterinary medicine are invited to apply for a camp offered by Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

MSU Veterinary Camp will provide a hands-on experience on its main campus in Starkville. Campers will participate in interactive labs and learn about veterinary medicine from MSU instructors and students. Young people considering a career in veterinary medicine, scientific research or animal health are encouraged to apply.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- High school students with a passion for fashion can learn about career options at FashionPrep14, a new camp at Mississippi State University.

The School of Human Sciences will introduce 14- to 17-year-old campers to the fashion industry May 30-June 6 on the Starkville campus.

Campers will attend workshops taught by industry professionals and MSU faculty in apparel, textiles and merchandising. Current MSU students in the apparel, textiles and merchandising and human development and family studies programs will serve as counselors for the week.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – In a world where technology is always advancing, consumers must know how to keep their online information safe.

Internet hacking and phishing scams are becoming common problems. Having a secure password and knowing what to do if an online account is compromised will help consumers protect themselves from financial loss.

Randy Loper, head of the Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Technology Outreach, explained how hackers can gain access to different accounts through a brute-force method.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Young women interested in careers based on their love of the outdoors, wildlife and science can learn about job options from mentors and professionals at an upcoming event.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is sponsoring Conservation Careers Discovery Days April 4-5. High school girls in ninth-twelfth grades can enjoy camping, bird watching, water sampling and other activities related to wildlife biology, ecology, research and land management. The event begins at 4 p.m. April 4 and concludes at 6 p.m. April 5.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi farmers and landowners have three opportunities to learn the costs and benefits of implementing sustainable woodland management practices during a Lunch and Learn program available through the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Steps Toward Woodland Certification is a Mississippi State University Extension Service “Lunch and Learn” program. It is offered from noon to 1 p.m. via webinar on Feb. 21 and 26, or through interactive video on March 4.

There is no cost to attend, but preregistration is required.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The Mississippi State University Extension Service and its partners are providing a two-day educational and networking opportunity for women involved in agriculture in Mississippi.

The Mississippi Women for Agriculture 2014 annual conference will be Feb. 20-21 in the Bost Extension Center at MSU.

While American athletes are headed for the winner’s podium at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, a flowering perennial, a vegetable and a fruit made the podium as 2014 Mississippi Medallion winners.

These are going to be some outstanding plants for our Mississippi gardens.