News

GOODMAN – Commercial growers, farmers and home gardeners can get advice on the best crops to grow and the best equipment to use during the final field day of a year-long series at the Alliance for Sustainable Agricultural Production Demonstration Farm in Goodman.

On Dec. 13, experts from the Mississippi State University Extension Service will discuss crop selection, seed acquisition, and equipment selection, acquisition and maintenance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Cattle producers have access to a free app that calculates a variety of factors impacting their livestock management decisions.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service released the MSUES Cattle Calculator on Dec. 2 for Apple devices.

Brandi Karisch, an assistant professor of animal and dairy sciences at MSU, is the Extension beef specialist who provided technical information to develop the app at the request of Mississippi beef cattle producers.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Starting a small business can be challenging, but a workshop for new business owners can help them know what to expect once they open the doors.

A seminar for anyone interested in starting a small business will be provided by the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Government and Community Development beginning January 9th. MSU experts will repeat the workshop the second Thursday of each month at 2:00 p.m. at the Golden Triangle WIN Job Center near Columbus.

In their native Mexico, the bright red flowers of poinsettia are known as Flores de la Noche Buena – or Flowers of the Holy Night – as they bloom each year during the Christmas season.

If you’re a fan of poinsettias but like variety, you’ll find the range of poinsettia colors available is truly remarkable. Poinsettia is no longer simply “that red Christmas plant.” Colors range from red and white to even maroon for Bulldog fans, making it hard to choose. In addition to solid colors, there are bicolor, speckled and marbled poinsettias. There are even rose-flowered selections.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Aparna Krishnavajhala is a postdoctoral researcher at Mississippi State University who practices giving back year-round as she works from Starkville to aid the education of girls in India.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Building a habit of learning by doing is beginning early for some Oktibbeha County students.

Middle- and high-school students enrolled in the Studio School project founded by Mississippi State University professor Kay Brocato are serving as volunteer instructors with Body Walk, a hands-on exhibit that tours the state. Sponsored by the MSU Extension Service, Body Walk teaches elementary students about healthy habits, hygienic practices and the science behind the human body.

JACKSON – Fruit and vegetable growers can learn techniques to make their produce safer for the consumer during one of four upcoming Mississippi State University workshops.

Specialists with the MSU Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will conduct four separate workshops across the state on developing and implementing good agricultural practices and good handling practices.

Mississippi State University students in the Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising Program will host a futuristic fashion show, sponsored by the Cotton Incorporated Support Program.

The show will begin at 7 p.m. on Dec. 3 in the Foster Ballroom in the Colvard Student Union on campus. It will feature MSU students’ merchandising projects made of at least 60 percent cotton. General admission is free.

The merchandising and promotion strategies class is putting on the fashion show called “The New Age Traveler.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Pecans are a staple of the holiday season, but with so many options, some consumers find it hard to decide what to buy.

In addition to buying Mississippi pecans in the shell or already shelled, cooks find a dizzying array of nut sizes, colors, varieties and prices.

“When consumers are buying pecans, they should ask if the pecans are from the current year’s crop to ensure freshness,” said Max Draughn, owner of Pecan Hill Farms in Raymond. “The oil in pecans oxidizes, and the flavor and quality of the pecan deteriorates over time.”

Fall weather is always a treat because some of the plants that provide summer backgrounds step up and show off their stuff.

I’m not talking about flowers, although there are several plants that bloom in late fall and early winter. I’m talking about the landscape shrubs and small trees that put on dazzling displays of red berries. What can be more appropriate heading into the holiday season?

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Caregivers cannot neglect themselves without hurting the quality of service they give those who need them.

Bonnie Carew, assistant Extension professor in food science, nutrition and health promotion at Mississippi State University, said it is appropriate for the MSU Work-Life Balance Committee and Staff Council to sponsor a seminar on caregiving. The Family Care Seminar was held on campus Nov. 19.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – When people hear “Extension Service,” they typically do not think of cemeteries or archery contests, but Mississippi State University Extension agents and specialists are reaching out to clients with creative programs.

Mariah Smith, assistant Extension professor with the Center for Technology Outreach, uses seasonal themes and existing interests to design technology workshops with broad appeal.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Lucas Ferguson is a little different from most other Mississippi State University freshmen.

Ferguson, a Batesville native, got a head start on his goal to become a medical researcher last year while still a senior at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science in Columbus. Ferguson began learning basic biosafety and maintenance procedures by assisting Dr. Henry Wan’s graduate, Ph.D. and post-doctoral students with their research in the virology laboratory.

It’s not too late to plant your winter color, but when you go to the garden center, resist the temptation to head straight for the pansies and violas. Consider putting some colorful ornamental kale and cabbage in your landscape this winter.

These ornamentals bring so many different colors and leaf textures to add landscape interest. Don’t plant a single type. Mix and match your favorites to create a display all your own.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Scientists at Mississippi State University are transforming a piece of property in Oktibbeha County into a unique habitat for conducting research and teaching best land management practices.

In this forest, wildlife habitat and timber production are intertwined. Deer, turkey, quail and an array of grassland songbirds fill the land while healthy streams flow along its boundaries.

MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center experts began working on the 550-acre property this fall. The land is a living laboratory that showcases proper land management.

BILOXI – More than 6,000 eighth-graders got help deciding what they want to be when they grow up during Mississippi’s first Pathways2Possibilities career expo Nov. 13 and 14.

The interactive event introduced coastal-area students to 19 different career paths, including agriculture.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A wealth of county-level information is available in seconds through a set of profiles created by experts with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

A new app and website provide community stakeholders, business leaders and elected officials access to detailed socioeconomic statistics for each county in the state.