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Volume 3 Number 4

  • •	(clockwise from top left) Smiling blonde woman; man wearing tan hat; man wearing maroon dress shirt; man wearing grey vest; woman wearing glasses; and woman in front of books

    Development Direction

    Since joining Mississippi State University as a development officer nearly 2 years ago, alumnus Will Staggers has been hard at work cultivating private support for the MSU Extension Service.

  • Three women and one man hold a large 4-H clover

    Doing the “Heart” Work

    When she started volunteering with Tate County 4-H almost 15 years ago, Joy Magness didn’t know much about the youth development program delivered by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

    She was home-schooling her two children, Samantha and Eli, and her fellow home-schooling parent and friend Adelia Gaines asked Magness if she’d like her kids to join 4-H and if she’d like to volunteer.

  • Pavilion surrounded by trees

    What's New in Extension

    Arboretum Celebrates 20 Years with MSU Extension • Plant Disease and Nematode Analysis Fee Changes • Improving Mississippi’s Fiscal Health • Know Your Roots to Attract More Customers

  • •	A man in overalls stands beside a man in a red T-shirt in front of a tree farm

    Working Together

    Dave Stewart may not have followed professionally in the footsteps of his grandfathers, both of whom operated sawmills, but he is building a legacy property that combines timber and wildlife habitat as a tribute to the men who taught him to love the land.

  • a red and blue ribbon from the Neshoba County Fair

    Hosting at the Houseparty

    When Mississippi’s Giant Houseparty kicked off at the end of July, hundreds of exhibitors displayed thousands of items that showcase their handiwork to the Neshoba County Fair’s many visitors.

    The Exhibit Hall, organized and operated by the Neshoba County office of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, annually displays the handiwork of adults and children in several categories, including fresh fruits and vegetables, field crops, food preservation, arts and crafts, posters, and food and nutrition.  

  • Five people, three men and two women, stand in front of a Farmers Market Building sign

    Where You Are

    Ruby D. Rankin spent 33 years leading, serving, and working hand in hand with the people of Kemper County. Her position with the Mississippi State University Extension Service linked her to the community and made her unforgettable to the people who knew her.

  • Two men, one in a yellow polo and the other in blue, stand in front of a portrait of a man

    Due Credit

    Publicity was not on the mind of Mike Sturdivant III in 1974 when he began farming, so his response to being named the 2017 Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Ag Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year for Mississippi was one of surprise.

  • Boll weevil sucks green cotton boll

    Changing History

    When Mississippi achieved statehood in 1817, its cotton industry was only beginning to take off. By 1917, boll weevils were devastating the state’s cotton crop and its economy.

  • Man in green dress shirt sits at a table with a woman in a white dress

    4-H: Where Are They Now?

    Tiara and Jeremy Brown, former 4-H’ers from Clay and Oktibbeha Counties, respectively, discuss how the 4-H youth development program has something for everyone.

    Tiara and Jeremy are both from families that were very involved in 4-H. They met while attending Mississippi State University, graduated, and married. Jeremy went on to work as a mechanical engineer at Yokohama Tire Manufacturing in West Point, and Tiara works as a special education teacher at Central School, also in West Point.

  • A little girl in a white chef’s hat stands beside her mother

    Tried and True

    For anyone relying on Pinterest, Facebook, or other online recipe sites to plan healthy meals, Marilyn Lunsford is encouraging those home cooks to look in a different, more local place.

  • Smiling man in gingham dress shirt leans on a tractor

    Making a Difference

    The people who know Virgil Walker look up to him. The Covington County native is a leader for his church and several local organizations. He loves his wife, his children, and his grandchildren, and he values his way of life.

    “It’s just in my blood to walk out and see a cow on my farm,” he says on a humid, late-summer afternoon. “It’s five generations, counting my son’s kids. The one who’s 9 or 10, I gave her a calf, and she wants to come every day to look at it. I believe she’ll be the one to come and live on the farm. It would be rewarding for me. Where I’m living, I’ve been here for 50 years.”

  • Woman with glasses stands smiling beside a flower arrangement

    Farmer Florists

    When Beth and Michael Foose decided to open Little Bluestem Farm in 2016, they knew they needed training to help them manage the business side of the farm.

    Beth first attended the Extension-facilitated Women in Agriculture Workshop Annie’s Project, a course that teaches problem-solving, record-keeping, and decision-making skills for agriculture-related businesses. 

  • White horse stands beside teen boy with blue dress shirt and black cowboy hat

    Hands-On Learning

    Noah Carpenter will tell you himself that he wouldn’t have the life skills he has today if not for 4-H.

    “My involvement in 4-H has taught me responsibility, teamwork, and leadership skills,” he says. “I’m better at communicating with others because I’ve built self-confidence through showing horses.”

  • Woman in glasses smiles in front of brick building

    Enhancing Services

    Eunice Blake has spent more than 35 years serving Amite County citizens in the tax assessor and collector’s office.

    In those years, she’s looked to the Mississippi State University Extension Service for support.

  • A combine and tractor in the center of a corn field

    Bringing the Harvest Home

Mississippi State University Extension 130 Bost Drive Mississippi State MS 39762