Volume 6 Number 2

New endowment honors longtime Extension swine specialist

In his 34 years as swine specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, Dr. Mark Crenshaw was one of the state’s most prominent advocates for the pork industry. Now, an Extension endowment fund bears his name.

Master Gardener volunteers despite pandemic challenges

The sun was beating down, the humidity oppressive, and the flower bed dry. It was April 29, 2020, and the pandemic had closed the Mississippi State University Extension Service office in Washington County, where the snapdragons are.

Mississippi Small Businesses Receive Extension Support

When federal and state lending programs specifically geared toward small businesses were announced as part of the government’s response to natural disasters and COVID-19, Mississippi State University Extension Service personnel went into action to distribute information to Mississippi Main Street’s businesses, organizations, and farmers markets.

Originally from Port Gibson, Jonnese Goings is now an inventory control analyst at the Belk Inc. corporate office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her 4-H background taught her to be independent and committed to whatever she sets her mind to and helped her obtain several internships and leadership positions during her college years. The leadership and public speaking skills she developed in the 4-H youth development program coordinated by the Mississippi State University Extension Service continue to benefit her in her career today.

Extension helps clients with disaster recovery

Hulon McKenzie had various jobs over the years. He worked in the oil field, hauled cattle cross-country, and dispatched for a trucking company. But none of them matched the work he did on his small family farm in the Tilton- Sauls Valley community of Monticello.

Vardaman producer named Farmer of the Year

When Joe Edmondson surveys his farming operation at Topashaw Farms, he thinks about his more than 40 full-time employees and the hundreds of seasonal workers who work the acres.

The Lexington Food Pantry’s food giveaways in Holmes County came together because of a group of dedicated volunteers, many of whom are part of the AIM for CHangE coalition in Lexington. Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating for Community Health through Extension—AIM for CHangE—develops community-led groups that develop health solutions specifically for local residents.

4-H’er uses tech to unite club, serve community

Not many teens—or adults, for that matter—know the ins and outs of Robert’s Rules of Order, but 17-year-old Chasity Moses is making a habit of knowing and doing things that set her apart.

Extension supports city clerks during pandemic

Many things about the way Jo Ann Robbins did her job changed when coronavirus hit.

“The COVID-19 pandemic impacted my work and my personal life in ways I never dreamed possible” 

4-H’er creates instructional video

4-H’ers learn by doing, pandemic or no pandemic. So, even though Aaron Lampley could not meet with the Winston County Photography Club, he could leverage technology to increase his own skills and share his expertise with other photo enthusiasts.

Variety trials exemplify Extension’s service to growers through pandemic

For 10 years, a small portion of Moody Farms in Tishomingo County has been sectioned off for cotton variety trial plots. That streak continued in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.