Feature Story

By Allison Powe Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For brides who want a picture perfect wedding, bridesmaid dresses are an important accent.

Everlyn Johnson, apparel and textile program leader with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said selecting dresses that are satisfactory to both the bride and her maids can be a frustrating task, but starting early can ensure dress success.

"As soon as a bride finds her own wedding gown she should begin searching for the bridesmaids' dresses," Johnson said.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dreams of setting up housekeeping with a new spouse may turn into nightmares if a couple fails to carefully study all the details -- structural and financial -- before committing themselves to a housing agreement.

Careful study of all the details for purchasing or renting a home, including the physical layout of the building, and the legal and financial details, is essential for selecting a first home.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- To let the groom know he is more than a well-dressed escort at his bride's wedding, give him nontraditional wedding gifts that let him share the engagement spotlight.

The bride's schedule in the weeks before the wedding tends to be a hectic rush from one shower to the next -- most of which are for women only. While the groom also will benefit from the generosity of these friends and family, he may enjoy some gifts clearly selected with him in mind.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Honeymoons can be as simple as putting gas in the car and renting a hotel room, but when the trip is more elaborate, travel agents can become a couple's best friend.

Beverly Howell, extension family economics and management specialist at Mississippi State University, said professionals can help choose honeymoons that fit personal tastes and budgets.

"For a wedding trip to be meaningful and enjoyable, it doesn't have to be to an exciting place," Howell said. "There are other options people can use depending on their interests."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- For better or worse, few relationships have gotten as much "bad press" over the years as that of parents-in-law.

"Parents are often a major component in the happiness or unhappiness of a marriage," said Louise Davis, family and child development specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. The challenges may begin before the vows, during the stressful time of planning the wedding.

By Jamie Vickers Phipps

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Safe food handling at the wedding reception can prevent disasterous affects on the guests and honeymooning newlyweds.

When family and friends pitch in to help minimize reception costs, freshness and food safety are important issues.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The drought of 2000 hit Mississippi's farmers hard, with conservative estimates exceeding $300 million in lost revenues and increased production costs.

Charlie Forrest, agricultural economist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said many of the actual losses are near impossible to calculate. The hardest hit commodities were cotton, soybeans, cattle and forestry.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- More than $12 million in federal support provided by Congress through the Agriculture Appropriations Act will fund Mississippi State University projects in agriculture, forestry and rural health in 2001.

Sen. Thad Cochran heads the ag appropriations committee responsible for dividing the money among worthy projects. This year's ag appropriations is funding a variety of projects in the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU's Extension Service and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's timber industry took another hit in 2000 as prices and harvests continued to decline, giving the industry a lower value than last year.

Mississippi's timber harvest is estimated at $1.26 billion, a 1.3 percent decline from 1999. This value makes forestry the state's No. 2 crop in market value, behind poultry.

"This is the second small decline in timber harvest value since we set an all-time record high in 1998 of $1.36 billion," said Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

By Linda Breazeale

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Agricultural economists predict that miracles still happen. Despite a costly drought in 2000, they expect Mississippi's farm value to hold near the $5 billion level.

Charlie Forrest, agricultural economist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said some slightly better market prices and increased acres are helping offset the statewide economic effects of the drought. Some estimates show the impact of the drought on the state's agricultural economy to be around $311 million in lost revenue and added costs.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The state's poultry industry lost value in 2000 but easily held onto their ranking as the state's top agricultural commodity.

Mississippi's poultry industry is expected to have a value of $1.45 billion in 2000. This value is down about 2 percent from 1999 and down from a high in 1998 of $1.54 billion. Production is estimated at 1.58 billion eggs and 706 million broilers weighing 3.5 billion pounds in 2000.

By Crystel Bailey

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Hot and dry conditions made it tough for Mississippi cotton farmers in 2000 even though they managed to increase cotton acreage.

Mississippi's cotton's estimated value in 2000 was $518 million, which was up from $441 million in 1999. This makes cotton the state's No. 3 crop. Mississippi farmers planted 1.36 million acres of cotton in 2000, and harvested 1.28 million acres. Yields averaged 649 pounds per acre, compared to 708 pounds per acre in 1999.

By Crystel Bailey

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Poultry production can decrease the water quality in places where people like to swim and fish, but agricultural specialists are taking steps to manage this problem in Mississippi.

Poultry, Mississippi's No. 1 agricultural product, produces a massive amount of manure, or litter. To use this by-product, producers distribute the litter as phosphorous-rich fertilizer on pastures and forage crops. Excess phosphorous can move into the soil and eventually find its way into surface water.

By Chantel Lott

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Partygoers who tend to overindulge in the holiday spirits may need to learn the fine art of dawdling to decrease the effect of alcohol on their system.

Dawdling is characterized by mixing with other guests and friends, and maybe having a dance before heading to the bar at holiday festivities.

By Crystel Bailey

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- People would never send their family members out into the cold without a source of warmth and nourishment, and neglecting to provide for pets can be just as heartless.

"Animals need shelter from temperatures or wind chills below freezing.

By Bonnie Coblentz

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Owners of dogs that escape every chance they get don't have to feel like they're at the end of their rope.

Some dogs are content to live a lifetime within the confines of their yard with very little restraint. Others get the wandering bug, and dig, climb or jump fences, and break out to explore their world. Some stay close by while others roam for miles. This roaming risks their health and life, and often contributes to unwanted puppies.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi plants that survived the 100-plus temperatures last summer have new challenges arriving with winter's extremely cold days and nights.

Norman Winter, horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said most of the cold temperatures have been somewhat typical for the state and not as threatening for landscape plants.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University hasn't entered the poultry business, but it does have a new, state-of-the-art, working broiler facility for research purposes.

The 43-by-400 foot broiler house on the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station's South Farm took in its first chicks in mid-October. The climate-controlled facility is operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agriculture Research Service at MSU.

By Crystel Bailey

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Thad and Judy Buck, an attorney and a housewife from West Point, give the gift of hospitality to people from all over the world, and in return, the value of kindness is instilled in those they touch.

The Bucks, who live about 25 miles from Mississippi State University, open their home throughout the year to international students who attend MSU.

By Chantel Lott

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dalmatians can make great movies, but they are not necessarily the best pet choice.

With the latest dalmatian movie hitting theaters in time for Christmas, many parents may consider getting a dalmatian as a family dog. John Harkness, laboratory animal veterinarian at Mississippi State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, said dalmatians are not ideally suited for family settings.

"They have several characteristics that lessen their appeal as the family dog," Harkness said.