Markets & Ag
In the past few days, we saw the first killing freeze of the year. Many of you have picked your last tomato and other vegetables this past weekend. The flowers will quit blooming too. However, many days of decent weather are ahead for you to be doing many projects outside. You can start thinking about…
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OSCEOLA, Mo. — Fall is the natural mating season for sheep and goats, and University of Missouri Extension has a new publication for producers: Breeding Season Considerations for Sheep and Goats. MU Extension small-ruminant specialist David Brown said peak fertility for sheep and goats is late September through November, but some breeds will cycle in…
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MACOMB, Ill. — On Saturday, Nov. 4, several Illinois Extension offices will be offering pumpkin smashes with local partners in communities across the state. A pumpkin smash gives a community an option to turn their spooky Jack-o’-lanterns into compost. In western Illinois, the nearest pumpkin smash will be in Macomb at Veterans Park in partnership…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Americans are projected to spend more than $800 million on Halloween pumpkins this year, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. The U.S. pumpkin industry can thank Irish immigrants and a mythical character named “Stingy Jack” for Americans’ rush to buy carving pumpkins in October. According to Irish legend, Stingy Jack…
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MILAN, Ill. — Two separate serendipitous events occurred recently that brought a plant back to the forefront of my attention. First, a few weeks ago a colleague asked me to confirm the species of a tree growing near a public garden. The garden was struggling to grow, and a cursory identification of the tree marked…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension and the Missouri Department of Agriculture are helping livestock producers find hay. Their websites are seeing increased interest from buyers and sellers post-drought, says Tony Hancock, MDA market news manager. Many of the listings come from sellers in states that have not seen back-to-back drought years. In a…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund invites you to explore the weird world of plants with terrifying names and demonic smells. In a press release, Warmund said, “Enter, if you dare, into the ghoulish side of the plant world.” Some of Warmund’s wicked good greenies: Brain cactus. This wonder looks like…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — With the arrival of color temperatures and shorter days, plants have begun the process of preparing themselves for the coming winter. One of the most notable ways this happens is the changing colors of our trees. From yellows, golds, oranges, reds, and purples, our landscapes will soon be, or perhaps already are,…
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PERRY, Ill. — Trent Loos, the United Kingdom’s Andrew Henderson and Jim Ferguson will share the microphone and engage in a discussion about the future of food production around the world as they record “Loos Tales” from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 22, at the John Wood Ag Center. The actual recording of “Rural Route Radio”…
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The fall weather is really in full swing now. With the daylight hours getting shorter each day and the nights getting cooler, many of your vegetables and flowers have stopped producing. Laura and I are still watering flowers, tomatoes and green beans. I like seeing how long each fall we can have fresh vegetables and…
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COLUMBIA, Mo.— Our ancestors couldn’t go to the hardware store or shopping mall to buy utensils and other household essentials. Instead, they improvised with items found in nature. The dried fruit of several members of the cucumber family proved useful for many purposes, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. We call these plants…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — To some, “Don’t let the bedbugs bite” isn’t just a quaint good-night wish. Bedbugs are a nightmare for people in the hospitality and housing industries, says Sam Polly, coordinator of University of Missouri Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program. With zero tolerance for these tiny pests, it is important to hire the right…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Autumn has arrived, and somehow I have more houseplants than I started with in the spring. As temperatures fall, I find myself hunting around my home for bright windows and saucers to go under the pots. With a home full of plants, you may think this must be good for our air…
Read Full Article February 22, 2025
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