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Tips on selling your timber
Learn key steps to sell timber wisely, work with foresters, hire trained loggers, and maximize your woodland's value.
New regulations make weed management more complex in 2023
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Producers should prepare for more complexity in herbicide requirements and registrations in 2023 and beyond, says University of Missouri Extension weed scientist Kevin Bradley.The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed changes to atrazine labels that would have great impact, says Bradley. Atrazine is an effective and inexpensive herbicide used to kill broadleaf and grassy weeds in the majority of Missouri corn and…
Start the year on the right foot with your cattle record-keeping system
STOCKTON, Mo. – As the year ends, University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Patrick Davis urges cattle producers to evaluate their record-keeping system to determine if it was successful.“Record-keeping starts with proper cattle identification,” Davis said. Two nationally known identification systems are the four-digit system and the letter and three-digit system.
2023: Year of the sparkling amaryllis
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nothing brightens a windowsill in winter like amaryllis, the National Garden Bureau’s Bulb Plant of the Year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. The name “amaryllis” comes from a Greek word that means “to sparkle.” And sparkle it does, said Trinklein.
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Ring in the new year with black-eyed peas
Discover the tradition of eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day to invite luck, prosperity, and cultural meaning across time.
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Missouri can lead the way to a food secure future for all
By Marshall Stewart, chief engagement officer, University of Missouri System, and MU vice chancellor for extension and engagement. In a state where agriculture is the No. 1 industry, Missouri can be a powerful leader in making sure every Missourian is food secure. At its core, food security means no child goes to bed hungry and no adult must choose between buying needed medicine and putting food on the family table.
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Spices fill the holidays with aroma and memories
Spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg fill the holidays with comforting aromas and delicious memories, adding flavor to cherished traditions.
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Frankincense and myrrh: Ancient scents of the season
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Two of the three gifts of the Wise Men – frankincense and myrrh – remain in high demand more than 5,000 years after gaining popularity in religious rituals, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund. Ancient Egyptians used myrrh to embalm corpses and Romans burned it as a type of incense at funeral pyres. Ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman societies burned frankincense or myrrh incense during…
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Mistletoe: Menacing plant with an intriguing past
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Of all the plants used in holiday decor, few match mistletoe’s interesting history. And few equal its potential for harm. An evergreen plant with white berries, mistletoe is quite toxic, said David Trinklein, horticulture state specialist for University of Missouri Extension.
Reduce losses, costs when feeding hay
Learn strategies to reduce hay waste and feeding costs while improving livestock access and performance.
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100-year-old sells farm after 'work, work, work'
CARROLLTON, Mo. – Centenarian Wilda Cox knows hard work. She’s built barns, lugged 110-pound cans of milk, picked and husked corn by hand and bucked hay bales. But Cox endured no harder day than Oct. 31, 2022, when she sold the farm that had been in her family for more than a century.
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MU Extension offers tips to reduce hay loss
Implementing proper hay storage and feeding practices can reduce waste and preserve quality.
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Hannibal startup shines during sunflower oil shortage
Hannibal farm produces cold-pressed sunflower oil to meet demand during the global shortage.
MU Extension releases how-to videos for hiring on the farm
Learn how to hire and retain farm workers with step-by-step videos covering recruitment, onboarding, and management.
Build Neighbor Connections With Favorite Things Party
Parties are great ways to get to know your neighbors, especially if you do a "favorite things party."
Getting livestock through the winter
SEDALIA, Mo. – Pasture and hay supplies are short in many areas of central and southern Missouri. University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Gene Schmitz has a number of options for livestock producers to consider for feeding their livestock this winter.Test hay
Wind, drought contribute to fires at harvest
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Roadway accidents and combine fires make harvest the most dangerous time of the year for those who work in America’s most dangerous occupation – farming, says University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch.
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Giving thanks for the beautiful, bitter cranberry
Cranberries are a holiday favorite with a rich history, from their bitter taste to health benefits and uses in food, dye, and medicine.
Celebrate Thanksgiving with a 'turkey foot' hike
Enjoy a Thanksgiving hike through tallgrass prairie and spot big bluestem’s turkey-foot seed stalks for a festive outdoor adventure.
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Take poinsettia off Santa's 'naughty' list
Dispelling the myth that poinsettias are poisonous, this article shows how their bracts pose little danger and offers tips for safe care
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MU Extension helps farmers in the Bahamas
Specialists traveled to the Bahamas to teach farmers about soil, composting, crops, and hydroponics to boost local food production.
How you feed hay this winter is more important than ever
GALENA, Mo. – With a shortage of standing forage for cattle and the low availability of hay, it is more important than ever this winter to reduce waste when feeding hay.Hay waste is normal, but it can be controlled and minimized, said University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist Tim Schnakenberg.
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Long COVID in workers could be a challenge for Missouri employers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missourians report higher rates of disability and long COVID than the U.S. average, according to a study brief by University of Missouri Extension. Long COVID – ongoing health problems that last months or more following infection with the COVID-19 virus – could be keeping 2 million to 4 million U.S. workers out of the workforce. The brief, “COVID-19 and Paid Leave,” is available for download at muext.us/MEIOct2022.
Pastures, goats benefit from grazing an invasive species
Goats grazing on invasive sericea lespedeza improve pasture quality and gain natural anti-parasitic benefits, according to University of Missouri research.
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Heroes to Hives and other MU Extension programs help veterans
Programs train veterans in beekeeping and farming while connecting them with peers and new career opportunities.