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Extension for Real Life

Description

Extension for Real Life is a product of the MSU Extension Service’s Office of Agricultural Communications.

That’s a long way of saying we are professional communicators who get to talk about food, families, 4-H, flowers, and farming for a living.

Blog content is created by a core team of communicators, including Susan Collins-Smith, Ellen Graves, Natasha Haynes, Qula Madkin, Michaela Parker, and Jonathan Parrish. But we get by with a lot of help from our friends in Ag Comm and Extension!

You can reach us at 662-325-2262 or extreallife@msstate.edu

  • Cinnamon Walnut Pecan Pie Bites on a plate

    The Food Factor: Cinnamon Walnut Pecan Pie Bites

    If you’re watching your calories this season, this Cinnamon Walnut Pecan Pie Bites recipe will satisfy your craving for pecan pie and help keep your portions sensible.

  • A coyote walking.

    Critter of the Month: Coyote

  • Frost on a plant.

    Gardening Checklist for December

  • People serve their plates at a buffet-style dinner.

    3 Tips to Maintain Healthy Habits During the Holidays

    If you always find yourself off track in the diet department this time of year, you’re not alone. But if we partake thoughtfully this holiday season, we can still enjoy our favorite things without the guilt.

  • Close up of a sliced quesadilla.

    The Food Factor: Turkey Cranberry Quesadilla

    Thanksgiving festivities have come to an end, and you probably have an abundance of leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. This Turkey Cranberry Quesadilla is a fresh take on the turkey sandwich and is just as easy.

  • Christmas trees on a farm.

    Five Types of Popular Live Christmas Trees

    Choosing, cutting, and bringing home a real Christmas tree is a fun tradition for many families during the holiday season. Around 32,000 Christmas trees are sold in Mississippi each year! Whether you go to a Christmas tree farm or to a local retail store, you’ll likely be presented with a few options to choose from.

  • Closeup of a person cleaning leaves out of a gutter.

    How to Winterize Your Home

    Take what’s left of this fall to make sure your home is ready for cold weather. Winterizing your home can save you money on your heating bills and help you avoid costly repairs.

  • Pink flowers

    Five Plants for Winter Color

    As cold weather makes it way to Mississippi, the vibrant colors of summer and fall begin to fade. Winter months are traditionally very bland in terms of landscape, but they don’t have to be! There are several colorful plants that work well in cold temperatures, and many of them are low maintenance. Here are five annual plants you can incorporate into your flowerbeds or containers to add a nice pop of color into your winter landscape: 

  • A woman stands at a kitchen counter with whole-grain products.

    What are Whole Grains?

    Not all grains are created equal and figuring out the difference can be confusing. Grains are divided into two subgroups: whole grains and refined grains. Qula helps you sort through the diffences and understand how to shop for whole-grain products.

Mississippi State University Extension 130 Bost Drive Mississippi State MS 39762