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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

  • Two women smile as they enjoy colorful potted ornamental plants.

    Volunteer in the New Year
  • Snow covers a split-rail fence and trees near Mount Locust on the Natchez Trace in Jefferson County, Mississippi on Dec. 8, 2017.

    From the Field: Winter Wonderland

    The wintery weather last week caught us off guard! Several of our Ag Communications team members were on the road . . . including our photographer Kevin Hudson. On his way home he captured this beautiful scene.

    We wish all of you a wonderful holiday season. Our offices will be closed from Dec. 21 to January 2, 2018.
  • A mixture of rice, apples, raisins and almonds is displayed in a colorful bowl.

    Add local rice to your holiday menu

    Looking for something a little different for your holiday menu this year?

    Consider adding Orange Wild Rice with Raisins and Apples to your lineup. Apples, raisins and orange juice add some sweetness to the savory rice, and the almonds give it a bit of added texture. Leaving out the parsley will allow more of the fruity notes to come through.
  • The FARMtastic logo depicts a red barn with a brown wooden fence and features a tan horse, a white and brown cow, a pink pig with gray spots, a corn plant on the left of the fence and a wheat plant on the right.

    From the Field: Behind the Scenes of FARMtastic

    Looking in from the outside, FARMtastic appears to function like a well-oiled machine. Delighted children move in a choreographed dance from station to station to learn where their food, fiber and fuel comes from.

     
  • Extension for Real Life header image

    Adjusting binoculars for birdwatching

    Teaching your children or grandchildren about nature can start in your own backyard. Birdwatching is a simple, inexpensive way to start a conversation about our natural resources and their importance in the ecosystem.

    But first, you’ll need a set of binoculars that you can actually see through clearly. If you have only one set, you’ll want to adjust them properly for each user. 
  • Dunes with grass appear in the foreground with the sun shining on the blue waters of the Mississippi Sound at Graveline Bayou in Jackson County.

    From the Field: Managing Stress

    Take a deep breath. It’s December 1.

    The year is almost over, which feels impossible.

    Your “To Do” list may cover several pages. Your calendar may be full.
  • Bud vases filled with greenery, holly berries and roses

    How to Make a Christmas Bud Vase

    With Thanksgiving celebrations behind us, we’re beginning to decorate our homes for Christmas, and calendars are filling up with Christmas parties. That has everyone thinking about hostess gifts, parting gifts and thoughtful gifts for friends.

    Our floral design specialist Jim DelPrince has an easy, inexpensive bud vase that can meet all those needs. He’ll show you how it’s done.
  • Colorful turkey

    Happy Thanksgiving
  • Several varieties of lettuces grow in a raised bed.

    From the Field: Growing Your Own Food

    I have a confession to make: I have garden envy.

    This week I took a walk and stumbled upon this delicious looking plant.
Mississippi State University Extension 130 Bost Drive Mississippi State MS 39762

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