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Ounce of prevention in fall is best medicine for garden success in spring
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Ben Franklin’s adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” could be gardeners’ theme song for November. Gardeners should close the curtain on this season and begin looking forward to the next, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Next year’s success is influenced greatly by this fall’s cleanup.
Minor bulbs make major impact in spring gardens
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Minor bulbs make a major splash in early spring.
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MU FRTI receives new specialized mobile fire training simulator
A mobile fire training simulator brings hands-on education in vehicle, dumpster, spill, and gas fires to communities statewide.
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Stink bugs try to find warm home for the winter
Brown marmorated stink bugs seek to overwinter indoors; prevent entry with caulking, screens, and vacuuming to reduce nuisance infestation.
MU receives USDA grant to help veterans, Latinos, women and others to farm
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The U.S. Department of Agriculture has awarded a $179,614 grant to the University of Missouri to support efforts to help veterans, Latinos, women and socially disadvantaged persons to farm or go into agribusiness. The grant will fund eight workshops over the course of a year, said MU Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch.
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The black walnuts in your backyard are healthy
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – It's the time of year when walnuts will start dropping off their trees."Picking these walnuts up to sell can be a great moneymaker, but don't forget that you can actually eat those nuts," says Tammy Roberts, University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist."Black walnuts are a tasty, healthy addition to your diet," she says.
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Tulip history is as colorful as its flowers
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many spring flowerbeds awaken with the vibrant colors of tulips. Once a valuable currency, tulip has a history as vibrant as its petals.
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MU Extension offers mobile energy education unit
COLUMBIA, Mo. – A new classroom on wheels is designed to help Missourians better understand home energy efficiency.The University of Missouri Extension Efficient Energy Education Unit offers a hands-on look at ways to make homes more energy-efficient. MU Extension specialist Bob Broz says the unit will be on display at the MU South Farm Showcase on Oct. 1.
Teach children farm safety
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Agriculture-related incidents injure 33 children every day, and every three days a child dies from one, says University of Missouri Extension safety and health specialist Karen Funkenbusch.“Protecting our future generation needs to be a top priority!” she says.Funkenbusch urges farm families to talk about child safety on the farm and to follow these three tips to protect the next generation of farmers:
Protective gear helps prevent respiratory problems
Agricultural workers reduce lung disease risk by wearing dust masks or respirators and following best practices for fit, care and use.
Myths and facts about food safety
Separate myth from reality with facts about food handling, cross-contamination, refrigerator safety, leftovers, microwave tips, and illness prevention.
Good soil makes for green thumb gardening
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “You don’t need to have a green thumb to be a good gardener, but it certainly helps to have good soil,” said David Trinklein, University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist.
Fall is a good time to plant garlic
COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Take two cloves of garlic and call me in the morning,” Most of us likely haven’t heard that from the family physician lately.
Nutrition plays an important role in eye health
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – There is evidence that nutrients can play an important role in treating and preventing age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 60 in the United States. Macular degeneration affects the tissue in the eye that is responsible for central vision, says Tammy Roberts, University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist.
Some flowers strut their colors in fall
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Like peacocks, some flowers strut their vibrant colors in fall.
Saving seeds not a good investment
Learn why saving home garden seeds—especially from hybrid varieties—often leads to disappointing results in future seasons.
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AgrAbility helps woman with MS find ways to keep farming
A farmer with MS uses adaptive tools and clever solutions to keep growing produce, raising poultry and welcoming visitors on her small farm.
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Hot plants that are cool
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Plants and people are alike when it comes to sizzling temperatures. Some wilt. Some rejoice in the summer sun.
Off-target herbicide movement: What you see is not what you get
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Off-target herbicides may be invisible, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.Off-target herbicides damage crops, ornamentals and other vegetation in nearby fields when droplets move off of the soil or intended plants and onto nontarget plants, says University of Missouri Plant Sciences research specialist Mandy Bish.
Pigs can’t sweat to cool off; give them help on hot days
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Pigs can’t cool themselves through sweating and need special attention during heat waves, says University of Missouri Extension swine nutrition specialist Marcia Shannon.Pigs take priority over any other animals on the farm when temperatures rise, Shannon says. Pigs have few working sweat glands to remove body heat.Shannon offers these tips:Provide an adequate, constant supply of fresh drinking water cooled to room…
Asparagus: low in calories, high in nutrients and flavor
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Nothing says spring like fresh asparagus. The flowering perennial is an interesting and low-calorie, high-nutrient spring vegetable, says University of Missouri Extension nutrition specialist Susan Mills-Gray.
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Marshall Stewart is new MU vice chancellor of extension and engagement
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Interim Chancellor Hank Foley announced today that Marshall Stewart, director of college leadership and strategy at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has been named vice chancellor of extension and engagement at MU, effective Aug. 15, 2016.
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Play helps farmers talk about succession planning
CHILLICOTHE, Mo. - University of Missouri Extension will present a free play to help farmers talk about succession planning, 7-9 p.m. Friday, June 10, at the Gary Dickinson Performing Arts Center at Chillicothe High School. “Map of My Kingdom” gives members of farming communities a look at the difficult process of transferring farmland from one generation to the next, says MU Extension community development specialist Tracy Daugherty.
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MU Extension guide lists first, last frost dates by region
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Spring and fall can be anxious times for gardeners. At the beginning of the growing season, you want to start the garden as early as possible, and at the end you hope for a few extra harvest days.
Don't be shallow when planting corn
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Yield potential drops when corn is not planted at the right depth, says University of Missouri Extension corn specialist Greg Luce.The right planting depth improves the chance of a good stand, Luce says.“The old rule of thumb—or index finger in this case—is to plant corn at a depth equal to the second knuckle on your index finger,” Luce says. That sounds simple enough, except the length of index fingers varies from…