Missouri youths test skills at State 4-H Horse Judging Contest
FULTON, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension State 4-H Horse Judging Contest, held March 18, drew 105 competitors, said Maria Calvert, Missouri 4-H state agriculture educator. This year’s event was hosted at William Woods University in Fulton. After the contest, youths and coaches toured the facilities and learned more about the equine program from faculty and students.
Spring into April with season-inspired plants
COLUMBIA, Mo. – April is the season of new beginnings, especially for plant lovers. Outdoors, spring-flowering bulbs, shrubs and trees dot the landscape. Indoors, seasonal plants enliven and brighten dreary rooms, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
Survey will help guide state broadband efforts
COLUMBIA, Mo. – You can help guide broadband development efforts in your community by completing a short, anonymous online survey for the Missouri Office of Broadband Development. The survey, conducted by University of Missouri Extension, is at http://muext.us/MissouriInternetSurvey.
3 keys to emergency preparedness
COLUMBIA, Mo.– While security experts and law enforcement personnel are determined to make sure events like the Boston Marathon bombing never happen again, emergency preparedness and personal safety begin with the individual, says a University of Missouri Extension emergency management specialist. Whether it’s an explosion, flooding or a tornado, Eric Evans says there are three basic things people need to be prepared for any emergency…
Be prepared for spring floods
BLUE SPRINGS, Mo.–With the large snowfalls of the past winter, flooding is a potential threat in many parts of Missouri. And even if your house is not in a flood plain, you may drive through one on your way home, warns a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist.
May tomato school offers tours, updates
ST. LOUIS, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension’s annual Missouri Tomato School returns May 16-18 to give growers tried and true methods to improve their crops.“Tomatoes are Missouri’s biggest-selling specialty crop, but they can be challenging to grow successfully,” says MU Extension horticulturist Justin Keay. “We want to help Missouri growers take their tomato crop to the next level.”
Now is the time to apply spring preemergent herbicides on lawns
GALLATIN, Mo. – Missouri’s unpredictable spring weather makes it tough to decide when to apply preemergent herbicides on lawns, says Manoj Chhetri, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist.Preemergent herbicides, a form of chemical weed control, prevent germinated weed seedlings from growing. Preemergents must be applied at the right time of year to be effective, says Chhetri.
Youths test horse knowledge at State 4-H Hippology Contest
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri 4-H Hippology Contest, March 19 in Columbia, gathered 54 youths along with their coaches.A majority of participants reported that their knowledge in areas such as equine confirmation, behavior, equipment, diseases, anatomy, terminology and characteristics improved as a result of participating in the event, said Maria Calvert, University of Missouri Extension 4-H state agriculture and natural resources…
MU offers free biosecurity workshops for livestock, poultry producers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension is offering free biosecurity workshops in April and May on how to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks in livestock and poultry operations, including backyard flocks.
Longhorned tick found in 3 areas of Missouri
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri researchers are tracking the invasive longhorned tick, which causes weight loss, lost pregnancies and even death in cattle.Researchers from the MU College of Veterinary Medicine found the tick on a Linn County pasture in August 2022. The finding marks the northernmost appearance of the tick in Missouri. It also appeared in June 2021 near Springfield.
Horticulturist plants seeds of hope in community
JACKSON, Mo. – Retired engineer Lois Caron’s lifelong thirst for knowledge led her to the University of Missouri Extension office where she often bent the ear of MU Extension horticulturist Donna Aufdenberg.“She was a lifelong learner,” says Aufdenberg. “We had something that she wanted. We had knowledge, and she wanted that knowledge.”
Recovery Friendly Workplace designation: “A good business decision”
Becoming a recovery friendly workplace was a no-brainer, says Theresa Calvert, vice president of Ace Pipe Cleaning Inc., a Kansas City, Missouri, company with 200 employees. “It’s not only the right thing to do for our employees; it’s a good business decision, too,” Calvert said. Ace is among the first six companies to receive this designation since the University of Missouri Extension Recovery designation process has been available…
Goal of Turquoise Tables Is To Create Gathering Spot for Neighbors
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Getting to know your neighbors may be as easy as getting a picnic table, painting it turquoise, and creating a neighborhood gathering spot in your front yard. Sounds a bit crazy, but according to David Burton, a University of Missouri Extension community development specialist, the turquoise table movement that began in 2018 is still going strong nationwide.
Mini-grants support projects, collaboration on Missouri food system challenges
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Three new University of Missouri Extension projects will help address Missouri food system challenges while encouraging collaboration across teams.
Show-Me MO Success podcast: Tower Rock Stone Co. and Recovery Friendly Workplaces
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Substance use disorders affect workforces throughout Missouri. Addiction costs Missouri an estimated $34.5 million every day, or $12.6 billion a year.
MU Extension seeding rate trial looks at furrow-irrigated rice
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – Preliminary results from the first year of the University of Missouri Extension’s rice seeding rate trial are in.“Our seeding rate trials are conducted at two research farms – the Missouri Rice Research Farm on a silt loam soil and the MU Lee Farm on a Sharkey clay soil,” said Justin Chlapecka, MU Extension rice specialist at the Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center in Portageville.
MU rice cultivar trial shows stark differences in first year
PORTAGEVILLE, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension has completed its first year of rice cultivar trials on both flood-irrigated and furrow-irrigated production systems at the MU Fisher Delta Research, Extension and Education Center in Portageville.
Save money on fertilizer with soil tests
CLEVER, Mo. – A soil test can help forage producers avoid the costly guessing game of how much fertilizer to buy and apply, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg. He recommends testing every three or four years.“If you’re not soil testing, you’re already behind,” he said March 7 at the Christian County Livestock and Forage Conference in Clever, Missouri. Know what you need when you order fertilizer to avoid…
Annie's Project helps Ralls County woman navigate farm ownership
CENTER, Mo. – When Jan Golian’s husband died of a heart attack in the middle of harvest season in 2004, friends and family helped her get the crop in and the cattle sold.Her husband had always been the caretaker of the farm while she worked as a school librarian and teacher. She knew farm life and how to be a farm wife, but she didn’t know how to make informed decisions about the farm operation.
Clover Clays Charity Shoot benefits Missouri 4-H
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Individuals and teams gathered March 11 in support of the Missouri 4-H Foundation and the Missouri 4-H shooting sports program, raising more than $20,000 at the first annual Missouri 4-H Clover Clays Charity Shoot at Prairie Grove Shotgun Sports in Columbia.
MU agronomist gives post-drought pasture renovation tips
CLEVER, Mo. – While fall is the best time to consider pasture renovation, spring is the second-best time, so there is still time to help pastures get back in shape for the next season, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Tim Schnakenberg.First, evaluate stand issues. Look at density of desired forages and undesired forages such as weeds. Before you start spraying weeds, look at poor management practices such as incorrect…
Proper hay storage, feeding methods reduce waste
CLEVER, Mo. –Due to poor storage and feeding methods, only about half of Missouri hay reaches the cow’s mouth, says University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Andy McCorkill.This leads to waste and reduced profits, especially as producers reset their herds post-drought. “Make sure your high-value hay gets in the mouth of an animal,” says McCorkill.
Extension specialist gives 4 O's for 'crazy' cows
CLEVER, Mo. – Load ’em up and ship ’em out. That’s the advice University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist Andy McCorkill gives on “crazy cows.” He spoke to livestock and forage producers March 7 at the Christian County Livestock & Forage Conference at Clever, Missouri.
Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors recognizes 2022 winners
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors recently honored its 2022 winners in a special ceremony, according to Gloria Johnson, executive secretary for the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors.
'Sacrifice pastures' spare best cattle grazing pastures
STOCKTON, Mo. – So-called “sacrifice pastures” might be needed to help promote forage production the rest of this cattle grazing season, according to Patrick Davis, a University of Missouri Extension livestock specialist based in Stockton.“Cattle producers welcome the rain, but it leads to muddy pastures, and with limited forage resources following the drought, proper management is needed for optimum grazing the rest of the year,” says…