News From 2023

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Anytime conditions allow soybean growers in Mississippi to begin planting in April, they have started on the right foot.

On the week ending June 4, 93% of the state’s crop was in the ground, and 87% was reported emerged; both percentages are just ahead of state five-year averages.

Junior high and high school students are invited to improve their kitchen skills at a culinary arts camp June 26-30 at Mississippi State University. Culinary Arts Kids Camp is focused on teaching young people about local foods, kitchen basics and easy recipes.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Edward Jenkins manages his family’s small farm in Grace, Mississippi. It’s property that has been in his family since the 1940s.

Like other farms, Jenkins’ family-run operation is a delicate balancing act of making the right decisions and dealing with issues that are beyond a farmer’s control, including weather and markets. It’s a high-pressure business.

I believe one of the easiest ways to add curb appeal to your home is to add beautiful ferns to the landscape. Ferns can also be brought inside to add greenery to indoor spaces. One of the best ways to highlight ferns is to plant them in hanging baskets or pots.

Tomatoes are in almost everyone’s garden and would easily be voted the No. 1 vegetable. However, as much as we love to grow tomatoes, we must admit that it’s not always easy to do it successfully.

STONEVILLE, Miss. -- After taking a break from rice last year, Mississippi producers who typically grow the crop have returned to it this year. Hunter Bowman, Mississippi State University Extension Service rice specialist, said growers in the state have planted 119,000 acres of rice. That’s well over the 84,500 acres planted in 2022.

Mississippi corn producers got off to an early start and have enjoyed mild spring weather in 2023, advantages that gave this year’s crop a good start.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimated that as of May 21, 98% of Mississippi’s corn was planted. To date, 69% is in good or excellent condition, with another 27% listed as fair.

A cross section of Belzoni society turned out to celebrate the opening of a new downtown attraction, a StoryWalk park that’s aimed at children but also welcomes adult interaction. Centennial Park on West Jackson Street in downtown Belzoni now hosts bright-yellow word art that invites visitors to “share.” Within the park is the area’s first StoryWalk, a combination of literacy and physical activity.

One of my favorite flowering landscape plants is lantana, and Lucky lantana is no exception. The Lucky series of lantanas have brightly colored flower clusters that cover compact mounds of dark-green foliage.

I don’t think there is anything more inviting or beautiful than a colorful combination container prominently displayed on the deck, porch or patio. I recently visited Bud and Blooms Greenhouse and Gardens in Wesson, Mississippi, looking at some of their beautiful combination containers. These elaborate containers come in all shapes and sizes, and they might seem challenging for the home gardener to make.

BILOXI, Miss. -- On April 21, beachgoers in Orange Beach, Ala., were enjoying a pleasant day of sun, sand and surf when they witnessed an incredible event they’ll never forget.

A deceased female great hammerhead shark, the largest of the three hammerhead species occurring in the Gulf of Mexico, suddenly washed ashore.

Mississippi cattle operations must constantly improve efficiency to remain profitable, as rising production costs are decreasing the benefit of high market prices. Brandi Karisch, beef specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said beef production is a significant component of the state’s agricultural economy, with a total estimated value of $318 million in 2022.

If you want to add a tropical feel to your deck, porch or patio, consider bringing in some tropical vines, such as mandevilla and black-eyed Susan vines. These annual beauties create impressive flowering displays and look incredible in containers.

While “marination” brings up images of resealable bags and special sauces for many home cooks and backyard chefs, it meant hard-core meat science and technological advances to 47 industry professionals who attended Marination 101 at Mississippi State University. In mid-April, MSU Extension offered the workshop “Marination 101: The Flavor of Science” to industry personnel from across the United States and Canada. Topics covered included meat marination, marinade formulations, breading, food chemistry, flavor enhancements, equipment and more.

Technology allows Jeremy Jack to implement management practices on Silent Shade Planting Co. in Belzoni that were impossible 15 years ago, and water use efficiency is just one way his operation has improved.

Fresh herbs have a lot of home uses, and I love growing them in containers. Herbs can be used for cooking, fragrance, landscaping, crafts and decoration, and they can have medicinal properties if you contact your doctor before utilizing them for this purpose. Many herbs also perform well in containers.

STONEVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension professor has received the U.S. Aquaculture Society’s Distinguished Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the aquaculture industry.

Jimmy Avery, an Extension professor in the National Warmwater Aquaculture Center at the Delta Research and Extension Center and director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture Southern Regional Aquaculture Center, received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2023.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Managers of forestland that was damaged or destroyed during the March 24 tornado outbreak in Mississippi now face questions about the short- and long-term future of their property.

Timber loss was recorded in six of the state’s counties after aerial surveys conducted by the Mississippi Forestry Commission estimated more than $13 million in losses on 23,155 acres, of which 9,281 acres were on nonindustrial private forestland. Storms also battered Enviva’s wood pellet production plant in Amory, suspending operations there.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum will hold its biannual music night May 6 in Picayune. Attendees will enjoy three live performances by area acts during Music Under the Stars. The event will be held on the Pinecote Pavilion from 6 to 9 p.m.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Community improvement starts with a volunteer spirit and a desire to serve as a role model for positive change.

In north Mississippi, plenty of teenagers are ready to step up. They just need to know how to help.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H program hosted 69 14- to 18-year-olds April 22 at the Mill Conference Center in Starkville to help some of these future leaders learn not just how to lead, but also how to take care of themselves and help their peers during challenging times.