Extension Matters: Volume 5 Number 3

Mississippi’s Pine Belt Master Gardeners are extending their knowledge across state lines, with prize-winning results.

What makes Shandrea Jenkins unique is her giving spirit. The Port Gibson High School junior is an active member of 4-H in Claiborne County, and she appreciates the opportunities 4-H is giving her. She’s getting to serve others, travel around the state, and connect with other focused, ambitious 4-H’ers who want to make Mississippi even better.

For the first 15 years of their marriage, Ted and Janet Parker lived off of one income. She made the living, and nearly every penny he made as a beef cattle farmer went right back into growing their farm.

He joined the US Marine Corps to serve and protect the country, and, as a Marine in Iraq, Lance McElhenney felt 10 feet tall and bulletproof.

Natchez. Rich in history, beauty, and culture, it’s the oldest incorporated city on the Mississippi River. For Natchez Mayor Darryl Grennell, giving back to the town where he was born and raised just makes sense.

After a conversation with a fellow volunteer at St. Dominic’s Hospital in Jackson, John Malanchak decided to follow his heart.

“I’d always wanted to work with special needs individuals,” explains Malanchak, a retired geologist. “But I didn’t know what I could offer them.”

Dunn’s Falls, near Enterprise in Lauderdale County, features a 65-foot waterfall, a gristmill pond, and a natural wildlife refuge. Preserving the most beautiful, peaceful places in Mississippi aligns with the Mississippi State University Extension Service’s mission to conserve and sustain the state’s natural landmarks and environment.

He may be only 15 years old, but one Columbus High School sophomore is developing financial skills for his entrepreneurial future, thanks to his experiences at the 2019 Mississippi 4-H Cooperative and Leadership Conference.

In 2016, Abby Braman was a newcomer to Mississippi, and she began looking for places where she could enjoy the outdoors as she did growing up in New Jersey.

While Adams County native Monroe Sago has always loved the look of crape myrtles, he hasn’t always known how best to take care of them. His lack of knowledge was brought directly to his attention about 7 years ago.

When she started school in a New York kindergarten classroom and participated in her first “dress-up day,” Bridgette “Brie” Cerda-Marin chose the doctor costume.

And, in her own words: “I’ve wanted to be a doctor ever since.”

See what is new in Extension... Extension Holds New Agronomy Camp, Larry Alexander Fund Gives to the Future of 4-H, Extension Offers Ag Literacy Workshop for Teachers, Extension Offers Resources to Residents Affected by Backwater Flooding.

When most people think of mosquito control, they envision a large chemical tank in the bed of a pickup truck.

Spraying chemicals is actually the last resort in integrated pest management (IPM), a scientific process of preventing invasive insects from reaching adulthood. IPM uses environmentally responsible alternatives, such as habitat removal, structural barriers, and larval control, before using sampling and resistance management to determine treatment plans for adult mosquitoes.

AT&T Mississippi sponsors the AT&T Banner Club Awards, Mississippi 4-H’s annual awards ceremony to celebrate the state’s most impactful 4-H clubs, at the Legislative Appreciation Luncheon, which is part of 4-H Legislative Day in February.