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I am a big fan of incorporating unique native plants into the landscape due to their ecological, aesthetic and practical advantages. Native plants are exceptionally well-suited to the local soil, climate and environmental conditions, making them more resilient and easier to maintain than non-native species.

Three purple flowers bloom in a small cluster.
Small, green seed pods are shaped somewhat like stars.
A white water lily blooms in front of a small, garden waterfall.

When it comes to lawn care, summer is one of the busiest times of the year.

A well maintained landscape.
It's important to stay on top of your turf and landscape tasks during summer months. (Photo by Adobe Stock)

June is National Dairy Month! As the temperatures rise, it is a great time to cool off with a tasty and nutritious dairy-based smoothie.

Two women and a child stand behind a kitchen counter filled with ingredients to make a smoothie
Celebrate dairy month with a tasty, nutritious, and hydrating smoothie!

Blueberry leaf rust has been identified on blueberries in Perry County, and everyone in the state with blueberries is cautioned to be on the lookout for this disease.
Alan Henn, plant pathologist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said leaf rust is not a common disease of blueberries in Mississippi, but it has been identified occasionally in several Mississippi counties during the last 10 years.

Green leaves are scattered with black spots.
Yellowed leaves on a stem have brown spots.
Leaves have curled edges and brown splotches.

Dr. Kim Klunk expected a certain level of stress when she began practicing veterinary medicine two years ago near her hometown of Magnolia, Mississippi. “It’s one of those things that you hear other people talk about when you’re in vet school, but you don’t realize the complexity of all of it until you experience it yourself,” said Klunk, who works with her mother Dr. Rachel Bateman at her mixed-animal clinic in McComb. It’s a common realization for many veterinarians who deal daily with financial concerns, work-life balance, compassion fatigue and client relationships among other stressful challenges of the profession.

A veterinarian loads a syringe with medication for an animal.

My friends, Ben and Kelly Boerner, have a charming home and gardens nestled in the picturesque countryside of Carriere, Mississippi. When I visited them, I found myself immersed in the beauty of their meticulously curated landscape, which features eye-catching wildflowers.

Delicate flower heads bloom in white and purple.
Tiny purple flowers bloom in a cluster.
Tiny white flowers bloom in a cluster.

If you have ever wanted to be a vet or wondered what it was like being a vet, you’ll want to hear from Dr. Joe Pluhar.  Joe is a native Texan who, along with his wife Lauren, owns and operates Freedom Equine Performance, a mobile vet service based out of Navasota, TX.  Joe is such a positive person and here he discusses the 4 pillars of his business model, some of the positives and negatives of business ownership, and the life of being a veterinarian.   

 

Closed captioning can be viewed on Taking the Reins-Mississippi State on YouTube.

There is nothing like the taste of a sweet spoon of honey. The versatility of honey makes it a very useful item to have around the kitchen, and for that reason, raising honeybees and selling the honey has become increasingly popular.

Honey in a jar.
Always be sure you label it correctly for the safety of your consumers. (Photo by Adobe Stock)

Carmen Grubbs Collins, a well-respected businesswoman in Simpson County who recently obtained her childcare license, is one of many Mississippians who are improving the quality of childcare they offer working parents. Receiving licensure was a significant milestone for Collins, and one she achieved with the support of the Nurturing Homes Initiative, or NHI, program. The NHI program is offered through the Mississippi State University Extension Service and funded by the Mississippi Department of Human Services.

A woman stands outside in front of a playset.
Five women stand in front of a business sign.

Cotton planting has all but drawn to a close in Mississippi for the year, with the state seeing an increase to an expected 500,000 acres in 2024. The U.S. Department of Agriculture made that acreage estimate and said the crop was 94% planted by June 9, 2024. Of that acreage, 80% was either in good or excellent condition, with 19% in fair and just 1% in poor condition.

A cluster of small plants have green leaves on reddish stems.
A cotton plant displays a single yellow bloom.
Small cotton plants grow in rows in a muddy field.

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