Markets & Ag
MILAN, Ill. — According to songwriters and composers Edward Pola and George Wyle, this is the most wonderful time of the year, but research indicates it may be that and more. According to the American Psychological Association, two in five adults experience an increase in stress levels between November and January. A nearly equal number…
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Merry Christmas to everyone from Laura, Hillary, Sandra and me. This is a time of year to remember that Jesus was born to save us all. You should spend time celebrating the birth of Jesus with your family. Spring must be around the corner, because the South Shelby Adult Vo-Ag Class is starting at 5:30…
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QUINCY — “Your Land, Your Legacy” is a landowner workshop series on conservation programs and techniques. According to a recent Illinois Extension survey, western Illinois landowners want to learn more about establishing pollinator plots, managing their forests properly for ecological and financial benefit, controlling invasive plants, prescribed burning and restoring streams and ponds through skill-based,…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The holiday season is here, which means evergreens, poinsettias, amaryllis and other holiday plants have arrived in stores. Plants are often at the center of our holiday decorations and traditions and are frequently given as gifts. Whether buying them as gifts or for yourself, following a few tips can help you or…
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QUINCY — The Quincy Area Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its Agribusiness of the Year and Larry Fischer Ag Educator of the Year awards until 5 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 28, with the winners set to be recognized at the ag banquet scheduled for Tuesday, March 12. Bruce Guthrie, president/CEO of the Quincy…
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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. Chhetri, who serves northwestern Missouri from his base in Caldwell County, agrees that letting leaves do their thing is better than carting them off to a landfill. That has…
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Hopefully everyone enjoyed a great Thanksgivings Day with family and friends. This is a time of year when we need to be thankful for everything we have in this world. If you are like me, you overate and need to lose weight. The snow we had the other day has really helped the soil get…
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MOUNT STERLING, Ill. — The Niman Ranch Next Generation Foundation, the philanthropic arm of sustainable and humane meat pioneer Niman Ranch, recently awarded nearly $250,000 in scholarships and grants to young farmers and future rural leaders. This is the largest annual amount the foundation has awarded since the program started in 2006, supporting 53 young…
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri gardeners will find new guidelines in the updated USDA plant hardiness zone map. The map helps growers zero in on which vegetables and flowers will do best in different parts of the state, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall. Perennial flowers and bushes can be a big investment…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Pecan trees are shaking and shimmying as growers harvest pecans in Missouri, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund. During harvest, mechanical shakers are clamped around the trunk of pecan trees. They generate a vigorous vibration that causes the pecans to drop from the tree. After harvest, nuts are sorted from…
Read Full Article MACOMB, Ill. — Silky smooth potatoes, snappy green beans, bright sweet potatoes, deep green collards and turkeys the size of Volkswagens. It is that time of year when someone in your family cooks like a chef on a reality TV show. Once the yelling ends and smoke alarms are silenced, standing back from the table…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The annual University of Missouri Crop Management Conference, Dec. 6-7, will offer insight into how the 2023 drought will affect crops in the year ahead. MU Extension state climatologist Zack Leasor will give an update on weather and climate conditions that led to the onset and persistence of the 2023 drought across…
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Congratulations to all the local FFA Chapters represented their schools at the National FFA Convention Nov. 1-4 in Indianapolis. These schools competed at the national level against schools from all over the country. Many people may not know there are no different classes for the FFA and Vo-Ag contest. A school like North Shelby competed…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Cranberries have long been considered the crown jewel of Thanksgiving dinners, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. In a press release, Trinklein said, “This comes at somewhat of a surprise, since cranberries likely were not served at the first Thanksgiving in 1621.” Although the pilgrims undoubtedly were aware of the…
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