News

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Landowners can learn about the use of prescribed fire to manage their property during a Feb. 19 workshop near Raymond.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and the Mississippi Prescribed Fire Council are partnering to offer the event to introduce landowners to the benefits of prescribed burning and how to safely do it.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- The Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center will host its annual Producer Advisory Council meeting Feb. 16 in Raymond.

Representatives of the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will hear feedback on and direction for their educational programs and research projects.

Agricultural producers served by the center’s 20 southwest county Extension offices and research stations are invited to attend the program from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the McKenzie Arena.

Since cold weather has finally arrived, the summer color plants are deciding enough is enough. My go-to, cool-season trio of Matrix pansies, Sorbet violas and Telstar dianthuses are glad because they’re tired of sharing the landscape stage with the summer hangers-on.

But before we know it, the siren call of spring will be heard, and the cool-season color will start to wear out its welcome. It will only take a couple of warm days before the spring color plants will start showing up in garden stores, whispering in our ears to buy and take them home.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Creating a reasonable spending plan and reducing debt should be top priorities when it comes to living a well-budgeted life.

Rita Green, assistant Extension professor and state specialist for financial management in the Mississippi State University School of Human Sciences, said developing a budget helps families establish a vision for their spending.

BILOXI, Miss. -- Individuals interested in floral design or floral marketing can attend one of four floral design demonstrations across the state in February.

Jim DelPrince, floral design specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, will offer the demonstrations as part of the Beautiful Things from Mississippi initiative, an alternative-crops floral design program. The program is intended to bring Mississippi-produced ornamental horticulture products to the early-adopter floral design market in 2017, DelPrince said.

By Sarah Buckleitner
Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station

Scientists at Mississippi State University are working to rid poultry products of bacteria that can cause foodborne illness before they leave the processing plant.

Foodborne illness is a serious concern among producers, processors and consumers. Each year, a million people in the U.S. contract foodborne illnesses from Campylobacter jejuni, or C. jejuni, common bacteria found in healthy poultry and cattle.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi high school juniors considering medical careers in their home state have the opportunity to take part in an intense and revealing summer program at Mississippi State University.

The five-week Rural Medical Scholars summer program at MSU aims to identify the state’s future primary care doctors and help them become members of the medical school class of 2025. Applications for the May 29 through June 30 program must be submitted by March 11.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Everywhere you look, you can see something that wasn’t originally part of Mississippi’s landscape.

From fire ants that came ashore in the early 20th century to a Eurasian sedge thought to have been transported by visitors to the grave of the Gypsy Queen in a Lauderdale County cemetery, Mississippi has a wide variety of invasive species. Kudzu, Chinese privet, cogon grass, Asian carp, pine beetles and wild hogs are other examples of plants and animals that have invaded Mississippi’s landscape.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- People can learn about metalsmithing during the annual Forge Day at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum on Jan. 30 in Pearl River County.

Area metal workers will demonstrate techniques for hobbyists and anyone else interested in learning the skill. Some artists will allow adults and children to participate in metal forging. Signed waivers are required, and protective equipment is provided.

Knife sharpening will be available. Products also will be available for purchase.

The event begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has awarded the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine a grant to support the college’s Mobile Veterinary Clinics.

The $20,000 grant will help offset some of the expenses incurred as the Mobile Veterinary Clinics travel to 20 north Mississippi animal shelters, where students spay and neuter homeless animals. The program is funded solely by grants and donations.

VERONA, Miss. -- Landscape contractors can learn about current practices in lawn maintenance, site design and pest management during an upcoming workshop.

Researchers and specialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Turfgrass Association will host the Turf, Lawn and Landscape Road Show Jan. 14 at the MSU North Mississippi Research and Extension Center at 5421 Highway 145 South in Verona.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University is offering a blueberry education workshop in Hattiesburg Jan. 14 to raise interest in growing this profitable and delicious fruit crop in the state.

"Much of Mississippi's climate is ideally suited to blueberry production, and those involved in the industry would like to see more people become growers," said Eric Stafne, event organizer and MSU Extension Service fruit crop specialist. "We designed this workshop to be useful to industry professionals and those who are just considering getting involved."

With cooler weather finally showing up over the Christmas holidays, I’m going to share a few thoughts and ideas to start in on the garden this first week of 2016.

It was 50 degrees and cloudy on the coast the first weekend of the year, and I thought it felt too cold to actually get out and take care of a few chores. Instead, I walked around the house and garden and made a list of things I need to do.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Most people don't like to think about what goes down the drain, but with rising costs for repairing broken pipes, clearing clogged lines, and upgrading or replacing old water treatment equipment, a little knowledge can save everyone money.

Jason Barrett, assistant Extension professor with the Extension Center for Government and Community Development, works with mayors, certified wastewater operators, and boards of city and county government.

Like many home gardeners, I believe I’ll always remember the name of every plant I bring home from the garden center.

Sadly, I found out early in my horticulture career that I was terribly mistaken. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve stood in my landscape scratching my head, racking my brain and wondering just what the name of that plant is.

At the beginning of a new year, perhaps the best resolution any home gardener can make is to finally use plant tags and markers.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Winter months bring short days of weak sunlight, cold nights and icy rain. Even though Southern states have relatively mild winters, the more extreme weather conditions make life more difficult.

We humans hide indoors in furnace-warmed air, put on layers of clothing to combat the chill and use insulated coats, hats and gloves when forced to go outside. But what about the creatures that live outdoors? How do they survive until spring’s warm breezes and sunshine once again return?

TYLERTOWN, Miss. -- An upcoming dairy conference will help Mississippi and Louisiana dairy farmers as they face more profit challenges in 2016.

The 26th annual Mississippi-Louisiana Dairy Management Conference will be Jan. 14 at the Southwest Events Center in Walthall County. The event begins with registration and exhibits at 8:30 a.m. Educational presentations begin at 9:15 a.m. and conclude with a sponsored lunch. The conference is free for dairy producers and managers, their family members and employees, and others with an interest in staying abreast of dairy farming issues.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- Staff at the Southeast’s premier nature conservatory now can spread the word about the facility and events to a broader audience.

The Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune received a $15,000 grant from Visit Mississippi and the Mississippi Development Authority. The arboretum was donated to MSU in 1997 by the arboretum foundation and is a unit of the MSU Extension Service.

The funds will be used to promote greater awareness of the public garden and increase site visits.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- While many humans anticipate making certain changes with the arrival of a new year, certain insects have much different life cycles.

Periodical cicadas may anticipate emerging from the ground in 2016, while others may simply have to wait a few more years to see the light of day.

Cicadas are curious creatures. From beady eyes on the sides of their heads to prominent veins stretching across their glassy wings, they seem to be created from the Twilight Zone. Yet, they produce one the most common sounds of summer.

We’ve been lucky so far to enjoy a fairly mild beginning to the cool season in the landscape.

In my coastal garden, my Rio Pink dipladenia continues to brighten my garden, growing in its half-barrel container. Other absolute stellar performers are my two large firecracker plants. They have provided nonstop bumblebee action, and the plants are actually humming as I walk by.