4-H alumnus profile: Richard Maltsbarger
“In good times, 4-H is a wonderful resource to help develop the youth of America and around the world. In hard times, like what we’re going to feel through this crisis and into the coming recession, that value expands exponentially,” said Richard Maltsbarger, president and CEO of Pet Retail Brands, a multinational pet products company.Maltsbarger is also a 4-H alumnus from Pettis County, Missouri, and member of the National 4-H Council…
Show-Me-Select fall-calving heifer sale draws first-time buyers
PALMYRA, Mo. – The Northeast Missouri Show-Me-Select Bred Heifer Sale at Palmyra’s F&T Livestock Auction May 30 saw a large turnout and active bidding on most lots, according to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Daniel Mallory.Sales receipts topped a quarter million dollars.
Gooey, orange tree slime grows after wet, cool days
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Some Missouri trees are producing a gooey, orange slime that seeps and grows.Bright orange tree slime brings wonder to the woods after cool, wet spring days, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall.This slime from Mother Nature grows from a number of fungi, including budding yeasts that feed on the sugary sap flowing from tree wounds, says Hank Stelzer, MU Extension forester.
Reduce food waste to save money
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With the COVID-19 pandemic causing disruptions in the food supply chain, it’s more important than ever to reduce food waste, says a University of Missouri Extension food safety specialist.“In 2014, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service estimated that 30% to 40% of edible food in the United States went to waste,” said Londa Nwadike. “At the household level, the average U.S. family of four…
Nostoc, wicked witch of wet lawns
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s wickedly dark and goopy as the melting Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz.Nostoc, sometimes known as witch’s butter, looks like it sound, says University of Missouri Extension turf pathologist Lee Miller.Even your mangy little dog likely whimpers when it sees the unsightly blob take on a life of its own during cool, wet weather. Despite its gruesome appearance, this genus of cyanobacteria does not harm plants or animals…
MU Extension helps with feed mill training
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, offers Missouri feed mill operators training to help them comply with federal Food Safety Modernization Act guidelines.
Virtual town halls meet producers where they are
LAMAR, Mo. – When COVID-19 paused face-to-face programming, University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Jill Scheidt knew producers would still need assistance with the growing season. Living by MU Extension’s mission of taking university research and knowledge to the people, Scheidt began brainstorming on ways her team could help.
New COVID-19 tracking tool monitors continuous 14-day trends as nation, states reopen
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new tracking tool developed at the University of Missouri provides a continuously updated 14-day snapshot of new cases of COVID-19 in every county in the nation, helping the public monitor trends in cases as local stay-at-home restrictions are lifted and other measures are gradually repealed.
Master Gardeners fight food insecurity
HILLSBORO, Mo. – Master Gardener chapters throughout Missouri are accustomed to donating produce from home and community gardens to those in need. To further assist Missourians fighting food insecurity at this uncertain time, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist and Master Gardener state coordinator David Trinklein reached out to chapters across the state to see if members would plant an extra row of produce in their gardens…
Law enforcement training adapts to COVID-19
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the Law Enforcement Training Academy successfully graduated 25 students this spring. The graduates earned peace officer certification as well as certification in 12 other topic areas.
Watch for poison hemlock
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Poison hemlock, a poisonous plant that can cause death in livestock, is especially toxic in spring, says Gatlin Bunton, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy.It can also cause birth defects in the offspring of pregnant animals.
Buttercup: Blistering beauty poisons cattle
COLUMBIA, Mo. - The buttercup’s beauty belies its blistering poison.All parts of the perennial pasture crop are poisonous, says University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agronomy Sarah Kenyon.
New fall-calving Show-Me-Select Heifer Sale draws first-time buyers
KINGSVILLE, Mo. – The Show-Me-Select Bred Heifer Sale at Kingsville Livestock Auction May 16 saw a large turnout and active bidding on most lots, according to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist David Hoffman.The 151 heifers averaged $1,713. The AI-bred heifers averaged $1,752, fetching more than $110 more per head than 52 bull-bred heifers at $1,638.
Leadership Lessons from the Uncertain Adventure of Ernest Shackleton and Crew on the Endurance Apply to Today
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – In September of 1914, Anglo-Irish explorer Ernest Shackleton set out on the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, intending to be the first man to traverse the Antarctic continent.
Young entrepreneurs share inventions, hone pitches in 2020 Pitch Challenge
A crime-fighting alert bracelet that looks like a smartwatch. A simple way to sanitize toilet brushes.
An open letter to the Missouri agriculture community
Rebecca Mott and John Tummons, University of Missouri professors, researchers, livestock producers and parents, share their insights — including Mott’s research on youth livestock production — about handling disappointment and focusing on caring connections in the time of COVID-19.
Missouri 4-H'ers exceed 250,000-meal food drive goal
COLUMBIA, Mo.
How to do a food demo for 95 in a pandemic
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A few shoppers glared at Jasmine Cobb, thinking she was one of those people hoarding supplies in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. But instead of toilet paper, her cart brimmed with precisely 95 of each item on her list: sweet potatoes, red onions, cans of black beans and much more. That many jars of chili powder really turned heads.
Ponding creates potential for crop damage
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Intense or recurrent rainfall creates the potential for damage from ponding, saturated soils and flooding for corn and soybean crops, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Bill Wiebold. Some parts of southern Missouri have received 25-30 inches of precipitation since the beginning of the year, says MU Extension climatologist Pat Guinan.
Castrating, Dehorning and Implanting
“Calf processing prior to sale that reduces work for the buyer after sale potentially makes that calf more valuable at sale time,” says Patrick Davis MU Extension Regional Livestock Field Specialist. The added value can lead to improved profitability of the cattle operation. Below, Davis provides thoughts on a few calf processing strategies that can add value to your calves.
Layoff aversion & strategies to maintain your workforce
The economic shock from the coronavirus is something we have not experienced in recent memory. The sudden stoppage of the economy makes it difficult to remember that until March one of the primary concerns for many business owners was finding a workforce to meet their needs.
Show-Me-Select heifer sale in Joplin shows solid results
JOPLIN, Mo. - The May 15 Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Sale at Joplin Regional Stockyards saw a large turnout and active bidding on most lots, according to University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Eldon Cole. The 215 heifers averaged $1,687.“The sale started off hot with four of the first six lots topping the $2,000 mark,” said Cole. The top price of $2,200 was paid for two red Angus heifers consigned by Kunkel Farms,…
A consistent presence
Eldon Cole has served Missourians through MU Extension for 50-plus years. A lot has changed in the 56 years that Eldon Cole has served as a University of Missouri Extension specialist, but one thing has remained incredibly consistent – Cole’s desire to build relationships with the Missourians he continually serves.
Reading Role Models
Families are reading role models and promote the importance of literacy in a child’s life. Modeling engaged reading helps children form their beginning literacy skills. Children learn to use verbal and nonverbal communication including speech and sign language through early literacy skill development.