Feature Story

Fire ants are the most common pests of home lawns, but homeowners can manage them with the right approach, and spring is the perfect time to begin the process.

Many states are expecting an extra loud chorus of chirping cicadas this summer with the emergence of a massive 17-year brood of the insects, but Mississippi will not be part of this phenomenon.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi row crop growers are planning to plant more soybeans and corn in 2021 than they did last year but not as much cotton, rice or hay.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service, a branch of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, publishes its planting intentions report each year at the end of March. This report provides a state-by-state estimation of how many acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton farmers will plant in the upcoming growing season.

Mississippi’s recent bout of bad weather came at a critical time for producers of blueberries, the state’s largest commercial fruit crop. Blueberries can be easily damaged by cold weather, but the timing of mid-February’s icy weather limited the potential damage.

Mississippi weather can damage trees in many ways, making it crucial to select wisely when choosing trees for the landscape.

 Private well workshops in four counties this spring will help homeowners improve their drinking water sources.

Harrison County parents who hope to give their pre-kindergarten children a boost in school are encouraged to enroll them now for the upcoming school year with the Mississippi State University Extension Service Head Start Program.

PINEY WOODS, Miss. -- Farmers preparing for the growing season will benefit from a wide variety of topics at the Alliance of Sustainable Farms field day March 29.

Subjects include spring preparations for grazing, growing quality hay, cover crops, and native plants and pollinators. Participants will also learn how to calibrate a no-till drill.

Mississippi State University Extension Service personnel were honored in February for their work in support of horticultural science.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Registration opens March 1 for the newest class of Master Gardeners, who will receive their training online this year.

Master Gardeners are expert volunteers trained and certified in consumer horticulture and related areas by the Mississippi State University Extension Service. In exchange for 40 hours of educational training, participants are required to return 40 hours of volunteer service within one year of their training.

This year, all Master Gardener instruction is online and self-paced. The class begins May 1 and closes June 30.

PINEY WOODS, Miss. -- The Alliance of Sustainable Farms is celebrating its 10-year anniversary and unveiling its new demonstration farm during a virtual field day Feb. 19.

The event will feature a virtual tour of the new farm located at the Piney Woods school in Rankin County, Miss.

Topics will include crop and variety selection, seed acquisition, marketing risk and spring field preparation. The event also includes a seed starting demonstration. The program begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 2:30 p.m.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Each February marks the occasion for producers to share their research and programming needs with Mississippi State University agricultural specialists in person.

To comply with COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, the opportunity will be extended virtually this year.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Problem-solving and critical thinking are two prerequisites for competent animal care, and a new curriculum will help 4-H’ers learn those skills.

The Mississippi State University Extension Center for 4-H Youth Development and the MSU College of Veterinary Medicine collaborated on the Caring for Animals 4-H project. It is targeted toward 12- to 15-year-olds and designed to develop knowledge of the relationship between people, animals and the environment.

Two new architectural features at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune are now open to the public. The Mirror Perch Bridge and the adjacent Rosen Pavilion were formally unveiled during a ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony Jan. 23.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is leading a research project aimed at enhancing pollinator habitat in managed turfgrass of the Southeast.

Clothes manufacturers have made upkeep simple for many items of clothing, but owners may not always know how to handle pieces that need special care in the wash.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service has a new specialist to support the important small-ruminant industry in the state.

Leyla Rios de Alvarez began work at MSU in December as an assistant Extension/research professor of small ruminant production in the Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The saying goes that tough times bring out the best and worst in people. The COVID-19 pandemic is no exception, and consumers need to be wary of potential fraud related to the vaccine as it is rolled out.

Those who have not yet scheduled an appointment to receive their first dose will be waiting another month. On Jan. 15, the Mississippi State Department of Health reported that appointments may be limited until late January, as most of the state’s available vaccine inventory had already been scheduled or distributed.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Head Start Program in Harrison County is proving resilient in safely living up to its mission of easing the transition to school for families with young children.