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17 Missourians recognized with statewide awards following first Missouri Good Neighbor Week
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The first statewide awards for Missouri Good Neighbor Week were announced Oct. 20 by the joint sponsors of the campaign, University of Missouri Extension in Greene County and The Hopeful Neighborhood Project, headquartered in St. Louis. Missourians from all walks of life celebrated the first Missouri Good Neighbor Week, Sept. 28 to Oct. 4, by doing and reporting neighboring acts and nominating others as the most…
Apple bobbing: British game of sweet, sour or rotten courting
COLUMBIA, Mo – Some traditions say apple bobbing can foretell love and heartbreak.
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Tight labor market challenges farm employers to rethink compensation
PARIS, Mo. – Today’s tight labor market makes it harder for farm employers to compete for workers, says Ryan Milhollin, University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist.
Why Agriculture is Important for Everyone to Understand
Why would the average resident of southwest Missouri want to read about agriculture? For starters, we need to be knowledgeable about the sources of our food and fiber products. Surveys continue to show that most Americans no little about their food or fiber sources. This lack of knowledge about agriculture can affect public policy that directly impacts producers and consumers. That means having an agriculturally literate society is…
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Demand for houseplants is thriving
CARTHAGE, Mo. – Spending on houseplants and office plants has flourished in recent years, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Robert Balek.The act of giving houseplants as get-well gifts surged in 2019, and the increase has continued since then, Balek says. According to a 2021 survey by the National Gardening Association, spending on houseplants grew a whopping 30% in 2021 compared to 2020.
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'Force' bulbs indoors for early spring beauty
COLUMBIA, Mo. – While we can’t rush Mother Nature, we can give her a gentle nudge by forcing spring bulbs indoors for an early show of color.“That gentle nudge requires planning in fall to induce spring bulbs to flower indoors long before their outdoor counterparts make their appearance,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.
MU videos share cattle management practices in drought
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Drought continues to plague growers and livestock producers in parts of Missouri, especially in the southwest corner of the state, raising concerns about feed availability.“It’s a perfect storm of high fertilizer prices, reduced fertilization of pastures lending to lower hay yields and drought in the southern half of Missouri,” said Eric Bailey, University of Missouri Extension state beef specialist. “Folks are eating…
Finding the courage to pursue excellence, Areté Contracting - Jefferson City, MO
Kyle Te had always wanted to go the self-employment route, but for a long time he didn’t have the courage to do it or a clear idea of what industry would be the right fit.Then he found his fit and that gave him the courage.
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October Farm Management News and Notes from MU Extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. – As the harvest season is underway, make time to work on your farm business to set it up for success next year. Fall is an excellent time to update your farm’s short-term operating plan, make pasture investments, check to see if you are in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and differentiate between family and business roles.Make a short-term operating plan
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More Missouri farmers growing peanuts
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – This is peanut harvest time in the Missouri Bootheel. Interest in the versatile legume has grown among Bootheel farmers since 2018, says University of Missouri Extension soils and cropping systems specialist Justin Calhoun.
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Plant bulbs in fall for spring beauty
JACKSON, Mo. – Nothing spells spring like blooms peeking out from the depths of winter.Planning and planting in fall will reward gardeners with blooms in spring, says Donna Aufdenberg, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.During a recent MU Extension Integrated Pest Management Town Hall, Aufdenberg gave tips on how gardeners can buy and plant bulbs now for future enjoyment.
Order apple trees in fall for spring planting
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is prime time for harvesting juicy, crunchy fresh apples at their peak of perfection.“While munching on those tasty fall treats, make sure to peruse the nursery catalogs and place an order for apple trees to plant in your own yard,” says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.
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Let the gourd times roll
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Fall is the time to harvest, cure and store ornamental gourds, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein.“Gourds are thought to be among the first domesticated plant species, dating back to as early as 13,000 B.C,” Trinklein said. “Through the years, dried gourds served many purposes – as ladles, birdhouses and luffa fibers used in diverse items such as oil filters, life preservers, scrubbing…
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Missouri 4-H places first at All-American Dairy Cattle Judging Contest
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Missouri 4-H’s dairy judging team finished first overall at the 2022 All-American Dairy Show Invitational Youth Dairy Cattle Judging Contest held Sept. 19 in Harrisburg, Pa.
Make sure bulls are ready for fall breeding season
STOCKTON, Mo. – Make sure bulls are physically and reproductively sound before the fall breeding season, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis.
MU Extension hosts regional leadership development program
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Twenty-seven leaders from 13 states graduated from the North Central Cooperative National Extension Leadership Development (NELD) program, hosted by MU Extension’s Missouri Training Institute (MTI).
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Pumpkin ushers in fall decorations, foods
STE. GENEVIEVE, Mo. – It is pumpkin time, when people celebrate the versatile vegetable that marks seasons, holidays and traditions.This member of the squash family has been grown in North America for thousands of years, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Katie Kammler.
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Off-farm income crucial to many ag producers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farm households increasingly rely on off-farm income. A report from University of Missouri Extension notes that, on average, 82% of farm household income comes from outside the farm. More than half of the principal operators of farms have primary jobs off the farm, said Alan Spell, MU assistant extension professor and a co-author of the report.
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MU Extension guide shows how cover crops can benefit pollinators, wildlife
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension recently released guidelines for managing cover crops to benefit pollinators and wildlife.
Family business overcomes loss, Mueller Industries - St. Louis, MO
When a family-run small business loses its leader and, shortly afterward, loses its largest client, it can send the company into a tailspin. “We were frantic,” said Christine Jeep, CEO of Mueller Industries in St. Louis, Missouri. “We didn’t know what was going to happen.”
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September is Suicide Prevention Month
COLUMBIA, Mo. – During drought, plants and livestock suffer.So do farmers. Life in rural America can be rough, especially when weather-related events such as drought and flood put crops and livestock at risk.University of Missouri Extension agronomist Valerie Tate knows this all too well. Tate has lost some friends and neighbors to suicide, a topic that still breaks her heart.
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Students compete on broadband expansion plans for NW Missouri
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Three teams of University of Missouri System students competed to develop plans for supplying access to affordable high-speed internet to residents and businesses in northwestern Missouri. In the Public-Private Partnership Broadband Business Plan Competition, students from backgrounds such as engineering, business, law and computer science used surveys, research and information from local stakeholders to develop…
NW Missouri broadband planning offers statewide model
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Efforts to expand broadband access and digital literacy in northwestern Missouri can be a model for the rest of the state, said B.J. Tanksley, director of broadband development for the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
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September farm management news and notes from MU Extension
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A farm’s approach to marketing often affects whether the operation has the potential to sustain itself for the long term. These farm management news and notes from University of Missouri Extension will help you choose products and product features to market, educate buyers about the purchase process and navigate product pricing.Weigh harvesting corn for grain or silage
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Sample fields for SCN after soybean harvest
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Right after soybean harvest is the time to test fields for soybean cyst nematode (SCN), the No. 1 pathogen of soybean in the United States.