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African violets help chase away winter blues
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Just in time to brighten the dull, dreary days of winter, the National Garden Bureau has named African violet as its houseplant of the year for 2024. The choice is an excellent one, says University of Missouri Extension state horticulture specialist David Trinklein. African violets thrive in most interior settings, provide nearly continuous color and are inexpensive.
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Prune oak trees this winter to avoid oak wilt
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The leaves are down, winter is upon us, and that means it’s prime time for pruning oak trees, which can be infected by the oak wilt fungus if they’re pruned during the high-risk period mid-March through mid-July.
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Research leads to potential increases in Missouri soybean yield
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri soybean yields have the potential to reach or exceed national averages, says University of Missouri Extension state soybean specialist Andre Reis. Nationally, soybean yields have grown at a pace of 0.4 bushel per acre per year over the past 80 years, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Illinois growers saw a 0.47 bushel per acre per yield upturn, while Iowa boasted a 0.48 bushel per…
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What to feed when there's nothing to feed
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Many Missouri beef producers found themselves trying to pull a rabbit out of the hat as they rang in 2024 with low hay supplies, says University of Missouri Extension beef nutrition specialist Eric Bailey. Bailey says post-drought feeding woes leave producers challenged with “what to feed when there is no feed.”
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Be on guard for older soil-borne and look-alike soybean diseases
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Farmers often struggled during the drought of 2023 to identify what was happening in their soybean as plants showed similar symptoms with different causes. University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish calls some of these causes doppelgangers, look-alikes that mimic other diseases with confusing similarities and perplexing differences. In addition, old soybean foes and emerging threats combined to create…
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Adult high school becomes a Recovery Friendly Workplace
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries Excel Center in Columbia is the first school in Missouri to become a Recovery Friendly Workplace. This designation recognizes employers that promote workplace cultures that reduce stigma and provide recovery resources to address the challenges surrounding substance use disorders.
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MU Show-Me-Select program had successful 2023
University of Missouri Extension’s Show-Me-Select Replacement Heifer Program had a successful year in 2023 for both buyers and sellers, even with some impact on fall sales from drought. The fall 2023 sale season wrapped up with 928 Show-Me-Select heifers marketed through six sanctioned sale locations with gross sales of $2,544,825.
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A flood of support
ST. PETERS, Mo. – From flood-ravaged fields to productive gardens, University of Missouri Extension Master Gardeners in St. Charles County show how volunteers help communities flourish.
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5th year of Neighboring 101 features nationally known authors, leaders
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Neighboring 101 is not just for new homeowners or people new to community life. The ongoing program is for anyone wanting to improve their neighborhood or community as well as their personal life and health. Over 800 people across the United States are enrolled in this University of Missouri Extension class. Individuals who register can attend the monthly class via Zoom or access recordings of the previous classes.
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Protecting sheep in winter weather
OSCEOLA, Mo. – Sheep need extra protection in harsh winter weather. “The end goal for the producer is to ensure sheep and goats thrive through cold winter months,” said David Brown, University of Missouri Extension small-ruminant specialist.
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Winter weather resources from MU Extension
Editors: University of Missouri Extension has compiled a list of websites, extension publications, news releases and other online resources for coping before, during and after winter storms. MU Extension news releases
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2023 was likely Earth's warmest year on record, Missouri's third
COLUMBIA, Mo. – September-November 2023 will go down on record as Earth’s warmest such period on record, a substantial leap – 0.70 F (0.39 C) – above the previous record from 2015, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The report uses historical climate data going back to 1850. NOAA says there is a 99% chance that 2023 will be the warmest year in 174 years of records.
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MU Extension helps young fisherman make a difference
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Thirteen-year-old Jack Murphy is out to make a difference in his Kansas City neighborhood. An avid fisherman and environmentalist, Murphy was just 10 when he began advocating to improve North Terrace Lake in Kansas City’s 1,800-acre Kessler Park. Three years later, his determination remains as fierce as ever. He wants the park cleaner and safer, for people and fish.
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Tips and resources for the winter holiday season
However you celebrate these December weeks of light and gratitude — including Hannukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa — we have tips to share. Pull up a chair and start scrolling for our experts’ advice on safety, personal security, physical and mental well-being and more. Food safety
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Leaving the leaves saves pollinators, other beneficial insects
KINGSTON, Mo. – The “Leave the Leaves” movement could just as easily be called “Save the Pollinators,” says University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist Manoj Chhetri.
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Lawrence County 4-H'ers raise funds for 14,892 Wreaths for Warriors
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The wreath that Payton, age 12, and Aria Duwe, 9, will lay on their great-grandfather’s grave is just one of thousands that Lawrence County 4-H’ers plan to leave at the Springfield National Cemetery during this year’s Wreaths for Warriors ceremony 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 16.
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10 tips to bulletproof your beef operation
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – Beef producers can use a window of profitability to make their farm business more bulletproof. University of Missouri Extension agricultural economist Joe Horner says successful beef producers can make small changes in three areas to make their farm less vulnerable to risks: plants, animals and business. Being good in just one of those three areas is not enough.
Harm reduction advice for safer holidays
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Use of legal and illegal substances sometimes increases during the holidays. It might be extra celebratory cocktails with friends or self-medication to deal with depression or stress. While there is no safe way to use any substance, health experts have developed an approach to help people engage with substances in safer ways, said Michelle McDowell, senior coordinator for University of Missouri Extension Community…
Beating the winter blahs at work
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Winter days are shorter, darker and colder. Holidays and their aftermath can add stress. This seasonal shift can leave employees more apt to hibernate than focus on work. And that can affect a business’s productivity and bottom line. Bryana Larimer, business trainer for the Missouri Training Institute, part of University of Missouri Extension, has a handful of tips to help your team beat the winter blahs:
Banish the holiday blues
MOBERLY, Mo. – Holidays can be some of the happiest times of the year, but they can also pose special challenges. “Having to plan or host events can be hard,” says Candace Rodman, a nutrition and health specialist with University of Missouri Extension in Randolph County. “For some people who aren’t close to their family personally or geographically, or for those who are grieving the loss or absence of loved ones, this season can…
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Holiday food safety tips
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If you’re hosting a holiday meal, make food safety a priority or you might end up with ungrateful guests. “Hosting a holiday meal often means having more people at the table, serving a wider variety of dishes and perhaps tackling some unfamiliar recipes. If you’re not careful, all those ingredients can add up to foodborne illness,” says Londa Nwadike, food safety specialist for University of Missouri Extension and…
Keep safety in mind when donating food
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Donating to food pantries, food banks and soup kitchens this time of year is a way to reduce food waste and aid families in need. But be mindful of what you donate and who will eventually receive the donated items.
Cook and freeze now to avoid holiday stress
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. – One way to reduce holiday stress is to prepare some of the food ahead of time and freeze it. From casseroles to cookies, you can have a large portion of your holiday food ready before the actual day arrives.
One pixel at a time, MoRAP looks at urban tree needs
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Researchers at the University of Missouri Resource Assessment Partnership (MoRAP) are creating digital maps to help state and federal agencies and nonprofit groups study which St. Louis neighborhoods need more trees. Research shows that urban residents who live in neighborhoods with trees are happier and healthier than people who live in barren areas. Trees also benefit neighborhoods by making them cooler and quieter.
Missouri farmers invited to apply for agroforestry incentive funds
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Eligible producers are invited to apply to the the Expanding Agroforestry Incentive Payment Program. Over five years, the program will pay producers $36 million to transform 30,000 acres spanning 30 states into agroforestry systems.