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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

  • A group of sixteen students post for a picture on a stage.

    From the Field: 4-H Co-op

    School is out for the summer, meaning 4-H activities are in full swing! I had the privilege of leading the Media Corps Team at the 4-H Cooperative and Leadership Conference earlier this month. We discussed how our smartphones and social media have changed the way the media works, and then we worked together to “cover” the conference as the media would.
  • An array of ingredients in glass bowls, including romaine lettuce, onion, diced red pepper, Mexicorn, diced tomato, black beans, salsa, cooked diced chicken breast, and mozzarella cheese, surround a blue and white plate bearing four halves of whole wheat pita bread.

    The Food Factor: Southwest Chicken Pitas

    When the weather heats up, it’s good to have a plan for those nights when you just don’t want to heat up the kitchen. This recipe is perfect for summer nights, for picky eaters (because everyone can decide what they want in their pita), and for healthy eaters. #winning
  • Bright pink flowers in full bloom on a crape myrtle tree on a partly cloudy day.

    What To Do in Your Garden in August

    There’s always a lot going on in August. School is back in session, and everyone is trying to get back on their busy schedule. In the middle of the chaos, don’t forget your garden!
  • A small child runs barefoot through tall grass and has red insect bites on his calf.

    Chiggers: Step Away from the Nail Polish

    Being outside in the summertime can feel like a battle against nature. Mosquitoes. Ticks. Chiggers. (Photo by CanStock)
  • A man holds pruning loppers as he stands next to a tall blueberry bush.

    How to Prune Blueberry Bushes

    Pruning is a task I put off, and my blueberry bushes serve as a testament to this fact. Mainly, I am unsure how to do it correctly most of the time and don’t want to kill my plants.
  • A woman stands in a kitchen while holding a can of reduced fat cream of chicken soup.

    The Food Factor: 5 Favorite Ways to Cut Fat

    If you’ve ever been told you need to cut fat from your diet and wondered how to do it, this post is for you!

    Fat, especially saturated fat, plays a role in heart health. Increased blood cholesterol is tied to heart disease, so finding ways to reduce saturated fat is important.
  • A small, leashed dog walks on a sidewalk.

    Three Tips for Pet Food Safety

    My pets are part of the family, and I want them to have a healthy diet. There are many choices when it comes to what to feed your pet, and I always discuss this with my veterinarian when I add a pet to the family and at each pet’s check-up.
  • Large tomatoes in varying stages of ripeness ranging from light yellow to orange-red hang on green stems filled with green leaves.

    Plant Now for Fall Tomatoes

    If you love home-grown tomatoes, you can enjoy them into fall. Get your plants into the ground from July to early August, depending on where you live in the state, and you can harvest into October or November.
  • Two partially filled canisters contain rice and flour sit on a speckled black countertop.

    How to Keep Pests Out of Your Home

    Everyone deals with the occasional invasion of sugar ants in the kitchen. It’s just a fact of life.

    But when they do make their way in, you don’t want to lay out the welcome mat for them. Regina Boykins, Extension agent in Humphreys County has a few tips to help keep ants and other pests out of your kitchen.
Mississippi State University Extension 130 Bost Drive Mississippi State MS 39762

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