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January 21, 2002 - Filed Under: Youth Projects, 4-H Safety Programs, ATV Safety

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many children don't want to wait until they are older to join in the fun to be had on off-road vehicles, but safety experts urge them to be cautious when they do.

With the proper training and protective gear, youth can drive more safely on properly-sized vehicles such as four-wheelers, but Choctaw County agent Dannie Reed said he sees many unsafe riders.

"We will continue to have accidents and the opportunity for fatal accidents, because many parents and youth are not following basic safety precautions," Reed said.

Ball Flora Plant, a division of Ball Seed, is introducing the Suncatcher series of petunias . These are large showy petunias that bring a bright, colorful impact to the garden or basket.
January 21, 2002 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Bountiful blooming baskets of color are becoming the rage all across the nation. You may have seen the baskets in British Columbia, Seattle and Portland and wondered if we could do the same but perhaps lacked the confidence to try.

January 21, 2002 - Filed Under: Farm Safety

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's unpredictable winter weather can leave people shivering in the dark without warning, so prepare for winter storms long before the first drop of freezing rain falls.

Herb Willcutt, agricultural engineering and safety specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said thorough preparations before you're iced in can provide important creature comforts.

Home considerations...

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Lawn and Garden

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two Mississippi cities will host major garden and patio shows this spring promising something for everyone.

The first event will be at the Orange Grove Lyman Community Center on Highway 49 in Gulfport on Feb. 23 and 24. The second show will be at the fairgrounds in Jackson in the Agricultural and Industry Building on March 9 and 10. Both shows will be from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. on the first days, and from noon until 5 p.m. on the second days. Admission will be $3 for people age 14 and older.

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Commercial Horticulture, Fruit

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Farmers from Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana will converge soon on Biloxi for a three-day conference that may yield solutions to the quest for profitable alternative crops.

The Ark-La-Miss Fruit and Vegetable Growers Conference and Trade Show will take place at the President Casino, Broadwater Towers Hotel from Feb. 6 through 8. Topics to be covered include establishment of farmers' markets and other marketing issues, irrigation and fertility, and food safety.

Bromeliads come in a wide variety of bloom shapes, sizes and colors, and they really are easier to grow than many think.
January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

This time of the year tends to make me a little grouchy, especially when I wake up to 16 degrees outside. My complaining makes gardeners from the north start tuning up for a chorus of "My Heart Bleeds for You." This season will make me love spring all the more, but when August comes, I will whine about the oppressive heat and humidity.

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Family Dynamics

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A couple's wedding day can give them high spirits, but receptions that include distilled spirits can cause headaches in ways many couples may not expect.

An alcohol-free reception can ensure that a wedding is memorable for the right reasons.

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Nutrition

By Bethany Waldrop Keiper

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many newlyweds find themselves going from happy couple to heavy couple within the first few years of marriage.

Excess post-wedding pounds are as notorious as the freshman 15, and often more difficult to lose. Pre-wedding diets may have an effect on post-wedding weight in some cases, said Rebecca Kelly, human nutrition specialist and registered dietitian with Mississippi State University's Extension Service.

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Family Financial Management

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Whether to have joint or individual accounts is one of the biggest questions newly married couples face when they decide how to handle family finances.

Each couple must decide whether to pool all money and pay the bills together or divide the bills and keep incomes separate. They also must decide what to do about credit cards and debt brought into the marriage.

January 14, 2002 - Filed Under: Family Dynamics

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Although the number of people getting married increased shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, prospective couples should make sure their reasons for marrying are the kind that can last a lifetime.

Some communities nationwide located near military bases reported some sharp increases in weddings in the days and weeks following the attacks. Many military personnel married in anticipation of being deployed, but Mississippi appears not to have been affected by that national trend.

Consider the white, summer-blooming Hymenocallis species.
January 7, 2002 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many books are written to build readers' self esteem, and I want to do the same for bold gardeners considering doing something radical by saying it is cool to have spider lilies.

Since the first of the year is kind of a down time in the garden, I want to give you something to ponder for spring. Consider planting one of the native spider lilies. The first spider lily you think of may be the red, fall-blooming Lycoris. Although they grow well here, these are from Japan.

Video conferences reduce the travel necessary for both the presenters and the participants.
January 7, 2002 - Filed Under: Technology

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Video conferences for distance education and for business meetings are providing options for meeting the travel challenges faced during these days of tighter budgets and increased concerns about flying.

Dan Brook, head of Mississippi State University's Computer Applications, said time has become a precious as money in today's society. Most people consider the time for travel as a part of the price for attending classes or meetings away from their immediate area. Video conferences provide face-to-face discussion immediately without extra hours of travel.

January 7, 2002 - Filed Under: Food Safety

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Much of the safety of the U.S. meat supply depends on veterinarians, a specialty area two Mississippi State University students are soon to pursue.

January 7, 2002 - Filed Under: 4-H

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- An online marketing site and a mischievous comic strip cat are teaming up to benefit Mississippi's 4-H youth organization.

In honor of the national organization's centennial year in 2002, eBay will auction limited-edition prints of a Garfield comic strip, hand signed by creator Jim Davis. Sales will benefit the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Caribbean Islands and the Pacific Islands. Proceeds from the Feb. 10 through 16 auction will go to Mississippi's 4-H Foundation to promote youth programs across the state.

Lavender Wave , an All-America Selections winner for 2002, has the same performance and habit as the Purple Wave, a 2000 Mississippi Medallion winner.
December 31, 2001 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Wave petunias keep pouring in -- much to the delight of gardeners everywhere. It was just a couple of years ago the Waves as a group (purple, pink, lilac and rose) were declared Mississippi Medallion winners and now there is Lavender Wave.

Love & Peace exhibits the classic hybrid tea form and shows a family resemblance to its parent, Peace, the most honored rose of all time.
December 24, 2001 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

As the New Year arrives, it is fun to see what new plants are being touted for spring. Rose lovers for sure are interested in the new All-America Rose Selections.

Two roses captured All-America Selection honors for 2002, Love & Peace and Starry Night.

Love & Peace will mesmerize the rose grower or garden enthusiast with both its fruity scent and appearance.

Kalanchoe is a member of the family known as Crassulaceae.
December 17, 2001 - Filed Under: Cut Flowers and Houseplants

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Cnter

Kalanchoe, one of the most beautiful holiday plants in the world, is showing up at garden centers everywhere. A native to Madagascar and Africa, kalanchoe will certainly display its outstanding features in many Mississippi homes this holiday season.

Values
December 17, 2001 - Filed Under: Agriculture

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Bolstered by increases in poultry and row crops, agricultural economists are predicting Mississippi's 2001 farm production value to remain near $4.8 billion, a 2.6-percent increase over the previous year.

December 17, 2001 - Filed Under: Cotton

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi cotton growers may not have battled drought-stress conditions at the levels of recent years, but the 2001 growing season was not without major challenges.

Timely rains throughout the growing season had cotton ginners searching for warehouse space in mid-August to accommodate the bumper crop. Unseasonable rains in late August and early September began impacting early-planted and early-maturing varieties. Seeds began sprouting in the bolls and regrowth was rampant.

December 17, 2001 - Filed Under: Forestry

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Forestry easily maintained its hold as Mississippi's second largest agricultural commodity, despite a 10-percent decline in value.

The 2001 farm value of forestry is estimated at $1.1 billion -- second to poultry's $1.5 billion level. Bob Daniels, forestry specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said 2001 was harder on the forest industry than it was on landowners.

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