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Protect your identity this holiday season
COLUMBIA, Mo. – It’s the season of giving, but make sure you don’t give identity thieves the gift of your personal information, says Andrew Zumwalt, University of Missouri associate teaching professor and Certified Financial Planner.
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Deck the halls with proper caution
Stealing a kiss under the mistletoe or hanging a holly wreath to welcome guests are both great holiday traditions. “What’s not so great is that both of these plants are toxic,” said David Trinklein, horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
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Planning can ease holiday stress for those with allergies, health conditions
Holiday celebrations can be stressful for people managing food allergies or chronic health conditions. Travel can also add stress. MU Extension state specialist Karen Funkenbusch says that planning and open communication can reduce anxiety and help everyone enjoy the season.
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The holidays make scents
Spices like cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg fill the holidays with comforting aromas and delicious memories, adding flavor to cherished traditions.
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'Tunnel to Table' webinar series for specialty crop growers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension will offer a webinar series to help specialty crop growers learn about growing in tunnels. The “Tunnel to Table” webinar series is 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Jan. 20-April 14, 2026, via Zoom, says Justin Keay, MU Extension field horticulture specialist.
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Great Plains Growers Conference helps fruit, vegetable farmers learn, connect, grow
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The annual Great Plains Growers Conference will bring together fruit and vegetable farmers, researchers and industry leaders to St. Joseph, Mo., Jan. 9-10, 2026.
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10 gifts for the gardener without spending a lot of green
MU Extension state Master Gardener coordinator Debi Kelly says you can find a great holiday gift for the gardener on your list without spending a lot of green. “Gardeners find joy in small packages that don’t cost much, and they understand delayed gratification,” Kelly says.
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Registration open for 2026 Heroes to Hives program
Registration is now open for the 2026 Heroes to Hives program. Veterans who want to learn about beekeeping can attend the self-paced online class, which runs March-November. Participants also receive on-ground training on hive handling, hive inspections, pest and pathogen management and beekeeping ergonomics from April to October.
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Paperwhites: Just add water for instant spring
During the dull, lifeless days of winter, gardeners long for a hint of spring. From the Mediterranean region comes a bulb that has given endless winter pleasure to plant lovers everywhere. The bulb is the paperwhite narcissus, one of the easiest bulbs to force into bloom during winter.
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Jan. 8 workshop covers CSAs
University of Missouri Extension offers an all-day workshop on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Jan. 8, 2026, in St. Joseph. The session is one of three preconference workshops before the Jan. 9 kickoff of the Great Plains Growers Conference.
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Numbers low but prices high at SW Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale
“The numbers were low, but the prices were high at the Southwest Missouri All Breeds Performance Tested Bull Sale on Oct. 27 in Springfield,” says Patrick Davis, MU Extension livestock field specialist. Twenty-one bulls sold for an average of $7,128 per bull.
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Theileria losses may qualify for USDA Livestock Indemnity Program
Beef producers who have lost cattle to Theileria orientalis may qualify for financial assistance through USDA’s Livestock Indemnity Program, says Craig Payne, MU Extension director of veterinary medicine. The program provides payments to livestock owners when deaths exceed normal mortality due to weather, predator attacks or eligible diseases.
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Full crowd for strong Show-Me-Select replacement heifer sale
STOCKTON, Mo. – “A full house saw a strong Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program sale on Nov. 21 at Joplin Regional Stockyards,” says Patrick Davis, University of Missouri Extension livestock field specialist. The sale saw 246 heifers sold from 13 consignors for an average price of $4,177 per heifer.
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Beating the winter blues
Feeling low as the days grow shorter? MU Extension human development specialist Maria Calvert shares practical tips to boost your mood and navigate holiday grief.
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4-H youth officers strengthen leadership and life skills at county training
More than 50 4-H youth club officers from Caldwell Lafayette and Ray counties dove into a lively leadership workshop that blended learning with plenty of fun on Nov. 16.
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New MU program promotes healthy woodlands
The Missouri Woodland Mentor program invites landowners to share their knowledge with other property owners who are exploring forest management practices for the first time.
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Cattle AI school equips producers with breeding skills
Producers sharpen cattle-breeding skills in a hands-on artificial insemination school, learning anatomy, semen handling, synchronization and herd-building strategies.
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New forage budgets help Missouri farmers plan for 2026
Updated 2026 forage-budget tools help Missouri producers estimate costs, yields and break-even prices for alfalfa, corn silage and native warm-season grasses.
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Beef cattle producers meeting set for Dec. 11 in Nevada, Mo.
Understanding financial tools that are available to cattle producers is helpful in planning for operational success in the future. MU Extension is partnering with FCS Financial to provide a cattle producers meeting to cover these topics 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at the Vernon County Fairgrounds Centennial Hall in Nevada.
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Cattle, hay management headline beef cattle producers meeting Dec. 15 in Lowry City
Forage is the main part of the diet for cow-calf producers, so economics related to acquiring that forage is important to an operation’s bottom line. MU Extension, with the help of Wheeler Livestock Auction, is providing a workshop to discuss these topics 6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15, in Lowry City.
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Thank a pollinator for your Thanksgiving dinner
When giving thanks this Thanksgiving, give a special nod to pollinators that make much of your feast possible, says University of Missouri Extension field horticulturist Tamra Reall.
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Guide clarifies farmers market sales tax exemption for holiday vendors
A new resource clarifies how Missouri’s farmers-market sales tax exemption applies to holiday vendors, outlining when sales must be taxed or qualify for exemption.
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Leave the leaves
Put fallen leaves to work: leaving them in place provides insulation, boosts soil health, and creates winter havens for pollinators.
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MU Extension uses NASA data to identify highway hot spots
Using NASA satellite data to map land surface temperatures in the St. Louis area, researchers highlight highway zones where green infrastructure can cool extreme heat.
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MU Extension hosts free soil health webinar Dec. 11
Join a free online workshop on Dec 11 — learn soil texture, nutrient roles, pH, sampling, and test-report interpretation to boost crop or garden productivity.