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Applications open for Missouri 4-H Foundation scholarships
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Missouri 4-H Foundation is accepting applications for current or former Missouri 4-H members pursuing postsecondary study. Applications must be completed on or before March 1, 2023. Missouri 4-H youths are encouraged to showcase their personal growth and development as well as career goals on their scholarship applications. For details, visit muext.us/4Hscholarships.
MU Strip Trial Program sees results in foliar fungicide applications
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Integrated Pest Management coordinator Mandy Bish often hears farmers say, “A treated acre is an acre I’m not losing sleep over.”That is a good mindset for residual herbicide applications, she says, but it may or may not pay off when it comes to foliar fungicides, depending upon circumstances.
Emergency Response Is a Good Reason for Developing Relationships With Neighbors
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- When a disaster strikes, who are you going to call? Several residents in rural Highlandville recently answered that question with action when they reached out to their neighbors and came to help when a neighbor's home caught on fire. It all began with an effort by Echo Alexzander to meet her new rural neighbors, which turned out to be essential for an emergency response just a few weeks later.
Springfield's Tool Library a Model for Other Towns or Neighborhoods
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- The sharing economy has found its way to Springfield in the form of a tool library. Generally, people think of Uber, Lyft and Airbnb when they hear the term "sharing economy." But thanks to easy-to-use software, dedicated volunteers, and direction from Community Partnership of the Ozarks, Springfield can lay claim to a tool-sharing library.
Lasagna Love Needs More Volunteers in Springfield Area
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Nothing connects neighbors like food, and apparently, nothing says love like lasagna. Karen Harris of Springfield is the area volunteer coordinator for a neighboring movement known as Lasagna Love. Although her home is busy with the activities of her husband (retired Navy veteran) and three teenage daughters, Harris says it is not too busy to find time to use food to help others.
Winter is time to plan to beat the Summer Slump
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Winter is the time for livestock producers to prepare pastures for drought, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann. Drought is now the rule rather than the exception in Missouri, Naumann says. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, somewhere in the state experienced drought every year but one since 2000.
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New center under construction for MU Extension in Monroe County
PARIS, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension officials recently came to Monroe County to recognize county commissioners and others for their part in funding a new county extension center.
Farm management news and notes from MU Extension
Get the latest on tax tips, farm budgets, livestock planning, and agriculture trends to help farmers prepare for a successful year.
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Fescue foot reported in Missouri cattle
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension specialists recently received several reports of Missouri cattle dying due to fescue foot, says MU Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts.These significant losses show why beef producers should check herds for warning signs of fescue foot in early January, when it most often occurs, Roberts says.
Tips on selling your timber
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – There are important steps to take when considering selling timber, says University of Missouri Extension forester Hank Stelzer. In addition to providing additional revenue, harvesting timber can improve the health and vigor of woods and wildlife. Most landowners don’t know the value of their woodlands, Stelzer says. Too often, landowners make uneducated decisions on selling their trees and underestimate their 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
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Eating black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day is a tradition said to bring wealth and good fortune in the new year, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.
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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
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Livestock producers have options for reducing hay waste and feeding costs while improving animal behavior and performance, says University of Missouri Extension specialist Charlie Ellis. Farmers can choose from several methods to reduce waste based on their preferences, labor availability and climate, says Ellis. Here are four basics from Ellis:
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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
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Good-quality hay bales are like precious gems. They’re valuable and worthy of your safest storage, says Charles Ellis, University of Missouri Extension field specialist in agricultural engineering. Proper storage is one way producers can reduce hay waste. Ellis offers a few steps to consider when deciding what hay to store:
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Hannibal startup shines during sunflower oil shortage
HANNIBAL, Mo. – A northeastern Missouri farm is making sunflower oil amid a global shortage linked to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Family-owned and operated, Show Me HH Farms, of Hannibal, offers cold-pressed sunflower seed oil, a primary cooking oil in many parts of the world. Sunflower oil’s light yellow color, mild flavor and ability to withstand high cooking temperatures make it a favorite of cooks.
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