Image
10 tips to keep the romance in relationships
COLUMBIA, Mo. – If you had to name the most important thing in your life, what would it be? Chances are it would be a relationship: with your significant other, children, parents, some other family member or good friends. Relationships are not just important in the “feel good” sense. They also have a strong impact on our mental and physical health, says Kale Monk, a University of Missouri associate professor and state extension youth…
Image
Reducing hay waste when supplies are low
After two years of droughts in Missouri, hay supplies are low, with many producers feeding hay during the summer months and lacking the pasture growth to get the tonnage comparable to previous year’s hay crops. Many producers in southern Missouri reported 50%-75% reductions in first-cutting hay crops in 2023. With such a low availability of hay in the state and high input costs, the price of hay has increased, which adds insult to…
Image
Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors recognizes winners
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors honored its 2023 winners in a special ceremony Friday, Jan. 26, 2024, said Gloria Johnson, executive secretary for the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors.
Image
What to do if you're short on hay this winter
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The recent cold snap increased hay needs for beef cows and is putting the squeeze on tight hay inventory. And without a wet winter to overcome soil moisture deficits, it is possible that grass growth rate will be delayed/slowed this spring.
Image
Students discover STEM, ag careers at day camp hosted by Missouri 4-H and Bayer
CREVE COEUR, Mo – In November 2023, almost three dozen students in grades 6-8 and their teachers from Marian Middle School in St. Louis joined Missouri 4-H and Bayer professionals for a day camp focused on STEM and agriculture careers.
Image
Billions of cicadas bring buzzy magic to Missouri in 2024
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Billions of cicadas will buzz this spring as two broods emerge at the same time. These broods last emerged together in 1803 and won’t appear together again for 221 years. That means that your grandchildren’s great-great-great grandchildren likely will be the next group to experience the dual emergence of these cicada broods that appear in 13- and 17-year life cycles, says University of Missouri Extension specialist…
Image
African violets help chase away winter blues
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Just in time to brighten the dull, dreary days of winter, the National Garden Bureau has named African violet as its houseplant of the year for 2024. The choice is an excellent one, says University of Missouri Extension state horticulture specialist David Trinklein. African violets thrive in most interior settings, provide nearly continuous color and are inexpensive.
Image
Prune oak trees this winter to avoid oak wilt
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The leaves are down, winter is upon us, and that means it’s prime time for pruning oak trees, which can be infected by the oak wilt fungus if they’re pruned during the high-risk period mid-March through mid-July.
Image
Research leads to potential increases in Missouri soybean yield
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soybean yields have the potential to reach or exceed national averages, says University of Missouri Extension state soybean specialist Andre Reis. Nationally, soybean yields have grown at a pace of 0.4 bushel per acre per year over the past 80 years, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Illinois growers saw a 0.47 bushel per acre per yield upturn, while Iowa boasted a 0.48 bushel per…
Image
What to feed when there's nothing to feed
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many Missouri beef producers found themselves trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat as they rang in 2024 with low hay supplies, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey. Bailey says post-drought feeding woes leave producers challenged with “what to feed when there is no feed.”
Image
Be on guard for older soil-borne and look-alike soybean diseases
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers often struggled during the drought of 2023 to identify what was happening in their soybean as plants showed similar symptoms with different causes. University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish calls some of these causes doppelgangers, look-alikes that mimic other diseases with confusing similarities and perplexing differences. In addition, old soybean foes and emerging threats combined to create…
Image
Adult high school becomes a Recovery Friendly Workplace
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries Excel Center in Columbia is the first school in Missouri to become a Recovery Friendly Workplace. This designation recognizes employers that promote workplace cultures that reduce stigma and provide recovery resources to address the challenges surrounding substance use disorders.
Image
MU Show-Me-Select program had successful 2023
University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program had a successful year in 2023 for both buyers and sellers, even with some impact on fall sales from drought. The fall 2023 sale season wrapped up with 928 Show-Me-Select heifers marketed through six sanctioned sale locations with gross sales of $2,544,825.
Image
A flood of support
ST. PETERS, Mo. – From flood-ravaged fields to productive gardens, University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners in St. Charles County show how volunteers help communities flourish.
Image
5th year of Neighboring 101 features nationally known authors, leaders
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Neighboring 101 is not just for new homeowners or people new to community life. The ongoing program is for anyone wanting to improve their neighborhood or community as well as their personal life and health. Over 800 people across the United States are enrolled in this University of Missouri Extension class. Individuals who register can attend the monthly class via Zoom or access recordings of the previous classes.
Image
Protecting sheep in winter weather
OSCEOLA, Mo. – Sheep need extra protection in harsh winter weather. “The end goal for the producer is to ensure sheep and goats thrive through cold winter months,” said David Brown, University of Missouri Extension small-ruminant specialist.
Image
2023 was likely Earth's warmest year on record, Missouri's third
COLUMBIA, Mo. – September-November 2023 will go down on record as Earth’s warmest such period on record, a substantial leap – 0.70 F (0.39 C) – above the previous record from 2015, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report uses historical climate data going back to 1850. NOAA says there is a 99% chance that 2023 will be the warmest year in 174 years of records.
Image
MU Extension helps young fisherman make a difference
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Thirteen-year-old Jack Murphy is out to make a difference in his Kansas City neighborhood. An avid fisherman and environmentalist, Murphy was just 10 when he began advocating to improve North Terrace Lake in Kansas City’s 1,800-acre Kessler Park. Three years later, his determination remains as fierce as ever. He wants the park cleaner and safer, for people and fish.
Image
Leaving the leaves saves pollinators, other beneficial insects
KINGSTON, Mo. – The “Leave the Leaves” movement could just as easily be called “Save the Pollinators,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Manoj Chhetri.
Image
Lawrence County 4-H'ers raise funds for 14,892 Wreaths for Warriors
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The wreath that Payton, age 12, and Aria Duwe, 9, will lay on their great-grandfather’s grave is just one of thousands that Lawrence County 4-H’ers plan to leave at the Springfield National Cemetery during this year’s Wreaths for Warriors ceremony 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16.
Image
10 tips to bulletproof your beef operation
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Beef producers can use a window of profitability to make their farm business more bulletproof. University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist Joe Horner says successful beef producers can make small changes in three areas to make their farm less vulnerable to risks: plants, animals and business. Being good in just one of those three areas is not enough.
Harm reduction advice for safer holidays
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Use of legal and illegal substances sometimes increases during the holidays. It might be extra celebratory cocktails with friends or self-medication to deal with depression or stress. While there is no safe way to use any substance, health experts have developed an approach to help people engage with substances in safer ways, said Michelle McDowell, senior coordinator for University of Missouri Extension Community…
Beating the winter blahs at work
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Winter days are shorter, darker and colder. Holidays and their aftermath can add stress. This seasonal shift can leave employees more apt to hibernate than focus on work. And that can affect a business’s productivity and bottom line. Bryana Larimer, business trainer for the Missouri Training Institute, part of University of Missouri Extension, has a handful of tips to help your team beat the winter blahs:
Banish the holiday blues
MOBERLY, Mo. – Holidays can be some of the happiest times of the year, but they can also pose special challenges. “Having to plan or host events can be hard,” says Candace Rodman, a nutrition and health specialist with University of Missouri Extension in Randolph County. “For some people who aren’t close to their family personally or geographically, or for those who are grieving the loss or absence of loved ones, this season can…
Image
Holiday food safety tips
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If you’re hosting a holiday meal, make food safety a priority or you might end up with ungrateful guests. “Hosting a holiday meal often means having more people at the table, serving a wider variety of dishes and perhaps tackling some unfamiliar recipes. If you’re not careful, all those ingredients can add up to foodborne illness,” says Londa Nwadike, food safety specialist for University of Missouri Extension and…