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Feature Story from 2014

Appreciate holiday food displays, but do not get carried away with unhealthy options, including the beverage choices. (Photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto)
November 14, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Food and Health

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- ’Tis the season to forget troubles and be happy, but Mississippians top the list of groups who cannot ignore a life-threatening concern lurking around their tables and lifestyles.

Mississippi leads the nation in obesity and ranks second in diabetes, and Mississippi State University Extension Service health specialist David Buys said the two go hand in hand.

Frequent hand-washing is one of the best ways to prevent illness while travelling. While soap and water are best, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is an on-the-go substitute. (Submitted Photo/Kathy Lawrence)
November 14, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Health

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Keeping healthy over the holidays is all about the germs.

David Buys, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said frequent, proper hand-washing and a flu shot are the best prevention tools.

“Flu and respiratory illnesses are the most common sicknesses in the winter, and they are both transmitted by mucus,” he said. “Viruses and bacteria are transmitted when somebody coughs or sneezes on their hand, and you touch their hand or an object they have touched, such as a doorknob, and then touch your mouth or nose.”

Holiday giving opportunities are an excellent time for parents to model generosity for their children. On Nov. 13, 2014, Mississippi State University student Heather Dodd, left, of Winona, prepares bags of groceries to be distributed to charity along with Latham Blake and his father, John Blake of Starkville. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
November 14, 2014 - Filed Under: Family Financial Management

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Giving to good causes generates a wide range of happy feelings, and it is one reason why charitable organizations put such an emphasis on giving during the holidays.

Rita Green, family financial management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said studies have shown that giving money to other people makes the givers happier than spending that same amount of money on themselves.

Outdoor decorations, such as these on a Starkville home, brighten the holidays but should be unplugged at night for safety. (File photo by MSU Ag Communications/Scott Corey)
November 19, 2014 - Filed Under: Community, Family

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Holiday lights brighten the inside and outside of homes during this season, but these decorations should be treated with caution.

Mississippi State University experts have some safety tips every homeowner should know before hanging decorative lights this year. Homeowners should make sure lights intended for indoor use have been approved by a certified laboratory. Outdoor lights should be labeled for outdoor use only.

Mississippi State University Extension Service Child and Family Development agent Terri Thompson, left, gives Isabella Cornish a sample of an easy-to-make snack mix. The MSU Extension Service was one of several organizations participating in the Super Saturday healthy cooking event in Pascagoula, Mississippi on Nov. 15, 2014. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Susan Collins-Smith)
November 19, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Children and Parenting, Food and Health

PASCAGOULA -- Finicky eaters and hectic schedules make it hard for some parents to ensure their children have a well-balanced diet.

Children and parents who attended the healthy cooking fair at Pascagoula School District’s Super Saturday event sampled nutritious entrees and snacks and got recipes to try at home.

The Nov. 15 event was one of six Saturdays per year that the district partners with other organizations, businesses and industries to open its Aaron Jones Family Interactive Center to the public for a variety of learning opportunities.

Matt Wells, a senior football player at Mississippi State University, interacts with preschool children during his internship at the MSU Child Development and Family Studies Center. (Photo by MSU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences/David Ammon)
November 19, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Children and Parenting

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- In the midst of a historical football season at Mississippi State University, the spotlight shines brightly on the Bulldogs, many of whom serve as role models both on and off the field.

Senior football players Robert Johnson and Matt Wells connect with local youth while completing their internships in the MSU School of Human Sciences.

November 19, 2014 - Filed Under: Children and Parenting

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Young children can receive free developmental screenings at a one-day event in Petal on Dec. 2.

The Early Years Network’s Special Needs program is hosting a Developmental Screening Day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Petal School District Center for Families and Children located at 201 West Central Avenue.

A team of early childhood specialists will check children 6 months to 5 years for age-specific physical and educational milestones.

To register, call Leslie LaVergne at 601-266-6225.

November 19, 2014 - Filed Under: Wildlife, White-Tailed Deer

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Deer hunters can take wildlife biologists’ expertise with them to the woods this season by downloading free apps from Mississippi State University.

Three smartphone apps were developed by experts with the MSU Deer Lab, a collaborative effort of the MSU Extension Service and MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

Production agriculture experts and producers can learn more about effective irrigation practices, such as this furrow irrigation using polyethylene pipe, at the Irrigation and Water Conservation Summit in Stoneville on Dec. 10. (File photo by MSU Ag Communications)
November 20, 2014 - Filed Under: Crops, Irrigation

STONEVILLE -- Row crop producers, landowners and others interested in the latest research findings and technologies related to water management can attend a one-day event in Stoneville.

State and regional experts will gather Dec. 10 in the Capps Center, located at the Mississippi State University Delta Research and Extension Center, for the Irrigation and Water Conservation Summit.

Regina Hinton (center), owner of Little Pebbles Child Care, celebrates her success with her students. Clockwise from top left are Holli Young, Gabriel Hugger, Hayden Young, Raelynn Harris and Haleigh Young. (Photo by MSU School of Human Sciences/Amy Barefield)
November 20, 2014 - Filed Under: Children and Parenting

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Early Years Network at Mississippi State University is celebrating Regina Hinton, owner of Little Pebbles Child Care in Hattiesburg, as the network’s first provider to earn an important professional credential.

Hinton is the first in-home provider enrolled in the Early Years Network scholarship program to complete the In-Home Child Development Associate credential.

The Mississippi State University Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station was renamed in honor of E.G. "Gene" Morrison on Nov. 20, 2014, who served as its superintendent for 33 years. Morrison, third from left, is pictured with the new sign along with Mississippi Senator Perry Lee, far left; Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station director George Hopper; Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center Head Sherry Surrette; Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinar
November 21, 2014 - Filed Under: Agriculture, About Extension

RAYMOND -- E.G. “Gene” Morrison spent more than 40 years with Mississippi State University, where he devoted his career to research projects aimed at improving livestock production methods.

On Nov. 20, 2014, former colleagues, friends and family celebrated with him as the MSU Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station was named in his honor. Morrison, a native of Utica, served at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station facility as superintendent for 33 years, beginning in 1956.

Mississippi State University performs tests and accumulates data on numerous seed varieties each year to help farmers in their planting decisions. These corn seeds were being planted in an MSU lab on Nov. 18, 2014. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
November 21, 2014 - Filed Under: Crops

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Farmers can’t choose the weather or the prices they get for their crops, but they can choose the best seed for their growing conditions, thanks to research by Mississippi State University.

MSU conducts extensive official variety trials each growing season to document the performance of seed varieties under different growing conditions. MSU offers variety trial information on corn, cotton, grain sorghum, peanuts, rice, soybeans, wheat, oats and forage.

Valuable effort …

Experts say patience, care and communication are vital as families navigate grief during the holidays. (Photo by Getty Images/iStockphoto)
November 24, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Health

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Compounding the chaos of the holidays with the recent loss of a loved one can make the entire season downright overwhelming.

Experts from Mississippi State University recommend that those coping with the loss of a loved one slow down amid the hustle and bustle of the season.

Mississippi State University Horticulture Club President Spencer Waschenbach of Kahoka, Missouri, examines poinsettias in a campus greenhouse on Nov. 25, 2014. The club will be selling poinsettias, Christmas cacti, succulents, living wreaths, mistletoe balls and ready-made table pieces in the annual Christmas Plant Sale from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Dec. 5. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Linda Breazeale)
November 25, 2014 - Filed Under: Community

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Students in Mississippi State University’s Horticulture Club will host their annual Christmas Plant Sale on Dec. 5.

This fundraiser, which will take place from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., supports club activities throughout the year. Students will be assisting shoppers in the campus greenhouses on Stone Boulevard behind Dorman Hall.

Poinsettias, Christmas cacti, succulents, living wreaths, mistletoe balls and ready-made table pieces will be available.

For more information, contact the MSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at 662-325-2311.

A record number of agriculture professionals attended the Dec. 1-3 Row Crop Short Course offered in Starkville by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kevin Hudson)
December 5, 2014 - Filed Under: Crops

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A record number of agriculture professionals attended Mississippi State University’s 2014 Row Crop Short Course, which has rapidly become one of the region’s top educational opportunities.

The workshop was held Dec. 1-3 in Starkville and brought together more than 440 farmers, crop advisers, university experts and industry representatives. It was offered by the MSU Extension Service.

December 5, 2014 - Filed Under: Commercial Horticulture, Fruit

GOODMAN -- Fruit and vegetable growers can learn about the best seed for spring crops, equipment maintenance, and winter fruit crop activities during a Dec. 12 field day.

Experts from the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the MSU Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will present several educational sessions at the Alliance for Sustainable Agricultural Production Demonstration Farm Field Day in Goodman.

Holiday stress can trigger excessive drinking for alcoholics. Individuals in recovery from alcohol addiction should avoid gatherings with alcohol or make special arrangements if they must attend. (Photo from istockphoto/Chagin)
December 5, 2014 - Filed Under: Family, Health

RAYMOND -- Holiday celebrations that include alcohol can put extra stress on those battling or recovering from alcohol addiction and their families.

“Around the holidays, alcohol abounds at parties and family gatherings,” said David Buys, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “Being around alcohol and others who might be ‘old drinking buddies’ could drive temptation higher.”

Feelings of social isolation, whether perceived or actual, and anxiety can increase during the holiday season and trigger excessive drinking, Buys said.

High protein insects can be cultivated for human consumption and added to a variety of foods, such as this peanut brittle studded with black soldier fly larvae. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
December 5, 2014 - Filed Under: Insects, Pests

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The peanut brittle at John and Peggy Guyton’s house looks like it might be made from a special family recipe, but they are not keeping their unique ingredient a secret: insects.

In fact, the Guytons used black soldier fly larvae to provide additional protein to peanut brittle whipped up in the microwave in a matter of minutes. Peggy also bakes banana nut bread with crickets and has several recipes featuring mealworms.

Seed treatment and increased crop monitoring will be critical in preventing sugarcane aphids from causing major damage to future grain sorghum crops in Mississippi. (File photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
December 5, 2014 - Filed Under: Insects-Crop Pests

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Sightings of sugarcane aphids on sorghum crops, commonly known as milo, have increased rapidly from one Mississippi county in 2013 to the entire northern and central portions of the state this year.

Seed treatment and increased crop monitoring will be crucial in preventing the pests from causing major damage to future grain sorghum crops in Mississippi, said Angus Catchot, a row-crops entomologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

December 8, 2014 - Filed Under: About Extension

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service specialist is taking her financial literacy message to television -- and winning awards for it.

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