News

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

In the South, I hear people referring every now and then to snow in July. Of course we rarely get snow even in the winter, and it sure doesn’t fall in July, but we can have the illusion of snow with a new plant called Snow Princess.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The 20th annual KIDS COUNT Data Book was released this week and includes information on the needs and conditions of Mississippi’s children and families.

The book presents national and state data to determine the degree to which children and families benefit from and are supported by their local environments. The data helps each state determine how they are doing compared to other states and the nation as a whole. Data for Mississippi reveals that trends in child well-being have improved in some areas and declined in others since 2000.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – While Mother Nature is showing corn producers a little mercy after her relentless drubbing earlier this year, the futures market is not.

Excessive rainfall early in the season caused many problems for the crop, but recent showers and temperatures in the 80s have kept plants healthy, allowing them to fill out ears.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s 4-H Entomology and Horticulture Camp is one of the few of its kind to offer overnight stay for nocturnal collecting, which attracts participants to the event just like moths to light.

“We introduce campers to the technique of attracting night insects using black lighting, which opens up a new world for them,” said retired MSU Extension Service entomologist Mike Williams. “You could jokingly say we end activities with a last call for the appropriate type of alcohol.”

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

If you love hummingbirds, then let the Royal Purple Queen reign in your garden.

Many people have a renewed passion to create a “backyard wildlife habitat,” and I am regularly asked if certain plants will attract hummingbirds. While natives are naturals in this setting, there are some stalwart performers from other countries that make it fun to garden. One such plant is the Royal Purple Queen.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The top-notch security team at the National Governors’ Conference includes canine members, and Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine was on hand to lend them support.

CVM’s Disaster Animal Response Team works with the Mississippi Board of Animal Health’s Mississippi Animal Response Team to provide emergency care and services to animals around the state. The team gives support to companion animals and sometimes livestock during and after disasters such as hurricanes. They also participate in large events involving pets or livestock.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Low prices and below-average landings are making a poor season for shrimpers, but consumers are getting a great deal on high-quality Gulf shrimp.

Dave Burrage, professor of marine resources with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said Mississippi’s shrimp season opened late and in two phases. Normally the season opens in early June, and part did open June 7, but the rest did not open until June 25.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most high school students who attend Mississippi State University’s horticulture summer seminar do not become plant scientists or landscape architects, but the experience often shapes the way they approach their future vocations.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Hey, Tiger, there’s a new Blonde in town, and she’s a real looker. I’m neither joking nor talking about girls, but I am referring to two of the hottest ferns in the gardening world.

The Tiger fern has been climbing steadily in popularity, but the competition just got a lot tougher thanks to the Blonde. If you are a fern lover, then you will delight in having both.

By Rebekah Ray
MSU Delta Research and Extension Center

STONEVILLE – Even though Sean Horton’s father discouraged him from pursuing a career in forestry and agriculture, the Greenville teenager was determined to follow his dream.

Since 1993, the younger Horton has worked as farm manager at Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, the university’s largest off-campus research center.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – It is common in Mississippi to see cattle grazing in pastures surrounded by trees, but researchers at Mississippi State University are looking into the feasibility of bringing it all into one field.

The goal of silvopasture systems is to use space and the growing season more effectively by combining trees or shrubs with forage and livestock production in the same acreage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi’s 2.1 million acres in forage production have struggled from one extreme to the other, and farmers are hoping for a little help from Mother Nature to produce an adequate 2009 crop.

Rocky Lemus, forage specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said pastures and hay fields are just passing the midway point in the growing season.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The initial impact of the H1N1 flu virus on communities was minimal last spring as schools were preparing to dismiss for the summer, but health officials warn that may not be the case this fall and winter.

Jane Clary, health specialist with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service, said in the months since the initial outbreaks were detected, the virus has grown to become an official pandemic, a disease outbreak that spans the world.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Some parents use age to determine if children can stay home alone, but Mississippi State University experts say maturity level and problem solving skills are more important factors to consider.

Mississippi child protection laws back up this philosophy. The state sets no age limitation on children left alone at home, but guidelines issued by the Mississippi Department of Human Services emphasize the child’s maturity level as a gauge for parental decision making.

By Steven Nalley
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi has been a driving force in helping expand the National 4-H Council’s “Health Rocks!” program from a regional experiment to a national standard in less than a decade.

Health Rocks! began as one of 4-H’s Youth-Adult Partnership programs, in which two teenagers lead their peers with the help of an adult facilitator. Initially, the goal was to establish an anti-smoking program that would target 10- to 14-year olds.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- College students moving away from home for the first time are often amazed at how much it costs to eat every day, and high consumer prices can make it harder than ever to eat well on a budget.

College students can expect to spend as much as 30 percent of their budget on food, said Susan Cosgrove, Mississippi State University Extension Service family resource management area agent. Especially in tough financial times, college students should identify all sources of income, then stick with a monthly budget that covers all expenses.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University veterinary students are not satisfied learning about animals themselves; they want to lay the educational foundation for future pet owners, as well.

Pet Awareness With Students, or PAWS, is a pilot project initiated by third-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine students Shannon Vawter of Horn Lake and Katie Ebers of Jackson. The two students also are pursuing master’s in public health degrees in the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine’s dual-degree option.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – The interdisciplinary faculty at Mississippi State University’s Sustainable Energy Research Center, who are exploring how to convert plant biomass into renewable energy, will present their findings at the fourth annual MSU Biofuels Conference Aug. 6-7 in Jackson.

Researchers from the energy industry, other universities, laboratories, foundations and government agencies will join them at the conference to share information about sustainable, environmentally sound energy alternatives.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – As the economy continues to present challenges, an upcoming workshop will help new food business owners learn how to battle the stiff odds and have a better chance to succeed.

“Food as a Business” is a day-long video conference Aug. 11 with satellite locations at Mississippi State University and in Biloxi, Raymond, Verona and Cleveland. The $40 registration fee covers breaks, lunch and conference materials, and must be received by July 31.

By Norman Winter
MSU Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Black Thai banana was one of the most sought-after bananas at the early spring Mississippi Garden and Patio Shows. If you were like me, you missed the chance to grab one for yourself. My friend Barbara Harvey in Kosciusko did not miss out on the opportunity to brighten up her landscape with this banana.