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Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures and are adored by many people. If you’re a hummingbird lover, you’re probably giddy to have them flock to your yard again this season. 

Ruby throated hummingbird on a leaf.
Ruby throated hummingbirds beat their wings 50 times a second! (Photo from Canva)

The state’s corn crop suffered through a very hot and dry summer after a later-than-usual planting season, so yields will be lower this year -- but not much lower overall. The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated the crop was 71% harvested as of Sept. 11. Frequent rains in late August and early September slowed harvest considerably, but growers have been making tremendous progress when sunny weather allows.

A combine harvests corn.
An ear of corn is on a dried stalk.

Deer hunters are urgently needed to participate in the battle to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease among the state’s prized white-tailed deer population. Chronic wasting disease, or CWD, is a 100% fatal, transmissible, neurogenerative disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that deer infected with this disease should not be eaten. One challenge of detecting the disease is that until deer enter the last stages of CWD, they often appear completely healthy.

A man kneels beside a harvested buck.
A boy displays a harvested buck.

Did you know that some key lifestyle changes can help decrease our risk of cognitive decline or poor brain health? Check out these five tips to begin loving your brain better.

fruit smoothies
Healthy lifestyle changes, like eating more fruits and vegetables, can help reduce our risk of cognitive decline.

If you are a sports fan -- or even if aren’t but don’t want to let that secret out -- one way to show off your allegiance is in the garden. There may not be a better way to combine interests than through a creative display that can include blooms, foliage and even garden art.

A garden flag stands in the landscape.
White blooms cover a plant.

Pruning is one of the least understood gardening tasks and for good reason – it’s confusing. When, how, and if you should prune depends on the type of plant or tree you have and your goal for the plant. Check out these pruning tasks for the last one-third of the year.

golden rain tree
Early fall is perfect for removing damaged and dead wood from tress in the landscape.

September and October have many home gardeners wondering what to do with their landscapes for the next couple of months. Summer annuals are nearly worn out, and the weather is still too warm for winter color to be established. I have found fall mums to be an ideal bridge crop.

Red blooms and buds cover a plant.
Dozens of buds show flashes of color.

I really enjoy eating Mediterranean style food and this tasty, protein-filled salad with Greek seasoning is perfect for me.

Bowl of Greek Island Salad
This Greek Island Salad is packed with protein and you will not have to heat up the kitchen.

A few sassafras trees across Mississippi have started to show signs of dieback, and Mississippi State University is asking for help in identifying affected trees. The trees are suspected of having laurel wilt, a disease caused by a fungus that has already proven deadly to the state’s redbay trees. The fungus is carried by the redbay ambrosia beetle, an invasive species native to Asia.

A man uses small tools to work on a tree.
Close-up image of a tiny, brown beetle.

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