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Check home inside and out after spring storms
MOBERLY, Mo. – Spending few hours now on spring home maintenance can save you many hours and dollars later, says a University of Missouri Extension housing specialist.Tom Fuhrman says it’s time to take care of any problems caused by winter weather and spring storms to protect your investment.
For something different, consider growing citrus trees indoors
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Home gardeners who want to try something different might want to grow a sour orange or other citrus tree indoors, said a University of Missouri fruit researcher."There are many different types of citrus trees that can be grown indoors," said Michele Warmund.
Bulbs forced to bloom indoors require special care for replanting in your garden
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Bulbs forced to bloom indoors during winter months need special care for replanting in your garden, said a Missouri horticulturist."Outdoor planting of forced bulbs after they have faded is never a sure thing," said Mary Kroening, an MU Extension horticulture specialist. "Forced bulbs that have bloomed indoors have been through an exhausting process and may not re-bloom in your garden."
Higher-priced compact fluorescent light bulbs pay for themselves in the end
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Consumers may feel sticker shock when paying $4 to replace that burnt out 50-cent incandescent light bulb, but that pricey new bulb can last for years."While Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) cost more than incandescent bulbs, they last up to 10 times longer and use about one-fourth the energy. CFLs are the kind of light bulbs people take with them when they move," said Barbara Buffaloe, University of Missouri Extension…
Landowners should make sure that abandoned wells are properly sealed
COLUMBIA, Mo. - With spring and warmer weather soon drawing children outdoors, it is a good time for farmers and rural landowners to check abandoned wells."There are an estimated 150,000 to 300,000 of these wells in Missouri. If left unplugged, these are a physical threat to children and a potential source of groundwater contamination," said Bob Broz, a University of Missouri water quality specialist.
'Don't bag it' approach can make lawn mowing easier
COLUMBIA, Mo. - You can save yourself some yardwork this year and do your lawn a favor by not bagging those grass clippings you mow, said a University of Missouri Extension turf scientist. "Grass clippings do not have to be removed to have a healthy, vigorous lawn," said Brad Fresenburg. "With a few simple steps, you can have a beautiful lawn without collecting your grass clippings."
Holiday entertaining without breaking your budget
KIRKWOOD, Mo. – As the holiday season approaches, many will face the daunting task of keeping up family traditions without breaking their budget.“Saving money doesn’t have to mean missing out on all the fun,” says Damaris Karanja, nutrition and health education specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “With some creativity and planning ahead, you can still make this season fun and memorable.”
Snowbird season for houseplants
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Your houseplants may look like they need CPR after you bring them inside to protect them from falling temperatures.
Consumers gobble up heritage turkeys grown on small acreages
WINIGAN, Mo. – There is high demand for Missouri-raised heritage turkeys from Winigan Farms.The turkeys are part of Rod Belzer’s small-acreage farm efforts, says Dan Downing, state specialist for University of Missouri Extension. Downing works with farmers who grow products for farmers markets and specialty markets such as public institutions. He says Belzer’s operation is a good example of how landowners can make income even on small…
Send your plants on a tropical vacation
COLUMBIA, Mo. –The end of the growing season does not have to signal the end of tropical container plants that have brought months of enjoyment.
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.
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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
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The University of Missouri Extension Fire and Rescue Training Institute (MU FRTI) recently took delivery on a new specialized mobile fire training simulator system. The simulator is designed to provide training in fire scenarios involving vehicles, dumpsters/trash receptacles, liquid spills and gas cylinder fires.
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Gunters adapt dairy farm until the cows come home
CONWAY, Mo. – Like many dairy farmers, Lloyd and Jane Gunter are retirement-age. Jane is a retired home economics teacher and her husband has run Gunter Farms since 1963.Yet they are modernizing and expanding their dairy farm for the future.They added a 6-acre pumpkin patch and 8-acre corn maze 16 years ago. They harvest enough pie pumpkins for the 5,000 schoolchildren, teachers and others who visit the farm each year.
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Stink bugs try to find warm home for the winter
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Brown marmorated stink bugs are hunting homes for the winter.The agriculture pests are a nasty nuisance indoors, but are otherwise harmless to pets and humans, say University of Missouri Extension entomologist Richard Houseman and Lincoln University Cooperative Extension integrated pest management specialist Jaime Pinero. They do not bite, sting, suck blood or spread disease.
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
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Without protective gear, working around grain dust can cause severe respiratory problems, says University of Missouri Extension safety and health specialist Karen Funkenbusch. Conditions such as farmer’s lung are serious but preventable, she says. The need to protect against grain dust increases when farmers combine, load, unload and dry grain. The dust contains plant materials, mold spores, insect parts and…
Myths and facts about food safety
BETHANY, Mo. – The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that almost 50 million people get sick from foodborne diseases in the U.S. each year.To help you and your family avoid joining those numbers, University of Missouri Extension nutrition and health education specialist Janet Hackert shares some myths and facts about food safety from Fight Bac!, the Partnership for Food Safety Education.
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Cellphones and rural roadways do not mix at harvest
COLUMBIA, Mo. - Fall harvest and texting do not mix, says University of Missouri Extension safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch. Turn your cellphone to TTYL (talk to you later).Rural roads are full of hazards in the fall.Farmers move large equipment from one field to another during harvest. They make wide turns, and large equipment reduces visibility. School buses make frequent stops on their morning and afternoon runs.
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.