Feature Story

NEWTON, Miss. -- Landowners and producers who want to learn more about alfalfa production can attend a workshop next month in Newton.

The Mississippi State University Coastal Plain Branch Experiment Station will host an alfalfa hay production and equipment demonstration May 19.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Researchers at the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine pioneered a technique that can help advance the study of one of the deadliest foodborne bacteria in the United States.

Listeria monocytogenes, the bacterium that causes listeriosis, ranks No. 3 among the top five domestically acquired foodborne pathogens that cause death, according to 2011 estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- Gardening enthusiasts can learn how to attract pollinators during a two-part program at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum on May 21.

Heather Sullivan, a botanist with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, will kick off the program with a habitat walk through the arboretum grounds from 10 to 11 a.m. On the tour, she will focus on the pollinators and native plants in each habitat.

TYLERTOWN, Miss. -- Cattle producers in Louisiana and Mississippi can learn about animal handling and health issues during the Mississippi/Louisiana Beef and Forage Field Day May 21.

The event begins with registration at 8:45 a.m. at the Livestock Producers Sale Barn on Highway 98 East in Tylertown, Mississippi.

Experts with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will join industry professionals to discuss low-stress animal handling and new vaccination regulations.

POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi’s small towns and rural communities have a lot to offer visitors, and developing those tourism resources will be the focus of a two-day workshop at Pearl River Community College in Poplarville.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host a daylong queen-rearing workshop at the MSU Apiculture Lab on April 30.

The workshop will cover the benefits of raising queen bees, preparing a quality cell builder, troubleshooting problems with queen rearing, and grafting and non-grafting techniques. PowerPoint sessions will begin in the morning, followed by hands-on demonstrations and grafting practice in the afternoon.

COLUMBUS, Miss. -- The fear of being stung by thousands of swarming bees typically sends people running for a can of pesticide.

But swarming is a dramatic display of democracy in action and can be a source of wonder instead of panic for those who understand what is going on.

Reid Nevins, Lowndes County coordinator of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said bees swarm as part of the natural process of establishing new colonies.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Riders involved in the Mississippi State University therapeutic riding program will demonstrate their skills in a special event April 19 at the Mississippi Horse Park.

About 46 riders will take part in the second annual Therapeutic Riding Expo, which begins at 6 p.m. The horse park is south of Starkville at 869 East Poorhouse Road. The event is free and open to the public.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Family service providers know that parenting is never easy, especially when the children are not your own.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is teaming up with the Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Family and Children’s Services to provide workshops on topics such as parent/child communications, helping children cope with change, and coping with stress, depression and anger.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- One major cost of producing a good crop is ensuring plants are fertilized well, an operational expense that may consume a significant part of farm budgets.

Bryon Parman, an agricultural economist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said nutrient application and replenishment may consume more than 13 and 14 percent of total operating expenses for cotton and soybeans.

“For crops with high nutrient demand such as corn, this nutrient cost may comprise more than 40 percent of variable costs,” Parman said.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- From the drought in California to lead contamination in Flint, Michigan, water is on the minds of many Americans, Mississippians included.

In workplaces and homes across the Magnolia State, one question floats to the top: How do we know if our water is safe?

Jason Barrett, an assistant Extension professor in the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Government and Community Development, said water system operators and the Environmental Protection Agency have regulations and guidelines in place for testing and reporting test results.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- New research techniques learned at Mississippi State University through a scholar exchange program will help a cattle veterinarian from Egypt as she pursues a doctoral education in food safety.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Brandy Barnes’ excitement is building, but she keeps a cool head at the firing range.

In the summer of 2015, the 17-year-old Hinds County 4-H member scored among the top five .22-caliber rifle participants at the state shooting sports competition. The accomplishment earned her a spot at the National 4-H Shooting Sports Championship set for June 26 to July1, 2016, in Grand Island, Nebraska.

“It’s really starting to hit me now,” said Barnes. “I’m very excited.”

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Added sugar found in soda is not as sweet as it sounds.

David Buys, health specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service and researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said a 12-ounce can of soda may contain as much as 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar.

by Sarah Buckleitner
MSU Forest and Wildlife Research Center

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Each spring the woods are littered with antlers as deer shed their old racks to make way for new sets, and these “sheds” may reveal hidden health problems in the bucks that drop them.

To learn more about these lucky finds, many people bring shed antlers to the Mississippi State University Deer Lab, which specializes in deer biology and antler formation.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Families can celebrate the joy of early learning experiences during the annual celebration of the Week of the Young Child from April 11 to 15.

The Early Years Network, a program of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, will host daily activities at each of its 17 resource and referral sites across the state. From making musical instruments to crafts and dramatic play, Early Years Network staff members have planned hands-on fun for children, families and child care providers.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Even in a state that averages more than 50 inches of rainfall a year, water conservation is important, and some water recycling has true value to homeowners.

The term “gray water” applies to water that has come in contact with humans, such as from sinks, washing machines, dishwashers, showers and bathtubs. It can be filtered and reused for irrigation and other purposes. Blackwater goes down the toilet and is typically treated commercially.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Good health begins at home, and Mississippians can learn more about hidden dangers lurking in their household environments through workshops available from the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

David Buys, Extension health specialist, said agents across the state are ready to deliver workshops on 12 different topics as part of the Healthy Homes Initiative.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Many people are conditioned to think that any fire in the forest is a bad thing, but controlled burns prevent wildfires from being a problem in the woods.

Humans are the primary cause of forest fires in Mississippi. In 2015, there were about 1,800 wildfires in the state; lightning caused only eight of them. These fires affected an average area of 13 acres, for a total of about 23,000 acres burned. February and March face the highest risk of forest fire in Mississippi.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- While a good bargain is always thrilling, safety is the most important thing to consider when shopping online.

Jamie Varner, an instructor for the Mississippi State University Extension Center for Technology Outreach, said it is better to be safe than sorry when shopping on websites.

“Safety is a concern whether we are driving our car or making purchases online,” she said. “Keeping your information secure online requires you to take more time and care, but what you lose in moments, you will make up for with peace of mind.”