Markets & Ag
MACOMB, Ill. — When the calendar turns from October to November, our toothy Jack-o’-lanterns start to look like deflated basketballs. This means millions of Americans need to dispose of billions of pumpkins. When many people toss these festive yet mushy winter squash into the trash, it adds an immense amount of organic material into the…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Not out of the woods yet” takes on new meaning during fall when chainsaw accidents increase. Chainsaw accidents are painful, expensive and preventable, says University of Missouri Extension state forester Hank Stelzer. Plan before entering the woods to avoid accidents, he says. “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” is…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — The days are getting shorter, and the temperatures are finally getting cooler, meaning fall has arrived. While many of our gardening activities are starting to wind down, it’s time to start thinking about planting our spring-blooming bulbs. Bulbs such as crocus, tulips, daffodils, as well as a host of others, can provide…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Find Your Spark” is the theme of this year’s National 4-H Week, observed Oct. 3-9. The theme celebrates the resilience of young people who have brought about significant innovations in agriculture and technology, says Lupita Fabregas, director of the University of Missouri Extension 4-H Center for Youth Development. “In Missouri 4-H, we…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – The Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health offers free podcasts on farm safety and health topics, says University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch, who serves on the center’s regional advisory committee. The twice-monthly “FarmSafe Podcast” kicked off a four-part discussion of ATVs on Sept. 1. “ATVs are not really all-terrain,”…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – “Farm safety yields real results” is the theme of the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety’s National Farm Safety and Health Week, Sept. 19-25. Busy rural roads are full of hazards in the fall, says University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch. The often rushed harvest season puts extra traffic…
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NOVELTY, Mo. A recent report through the Transforming Drainage project shows that drainage water recycling systems can improve corn yields and the environment, says University of Missouri Extension agronomist Kelly Nelson. Nearly two-thirds of the site-years evaluated in the study saw an increase in yield compared to free drainage, with an overall average yield increase of 19 bushels per…
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HUNTSVILLE, Mo. – When Amanda Quinn quadrupled the growing space at her Randolph County flower farm, she didn’t want to quadruple the time spent watering flowers. Quinn, owner of “bloom: Cut Flower Farm,” contacted University of Missouri Extension specialist Dan Downing for advice about drip irrigation systems. She had attended an MU Extension demonstration of…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Chrysanthemums, also known as mums, start appearing in nurseries and garden centers in September. These plants are a staple in many landscapes in the fall and can provide much-needed color to our landscapes when most other garden plants are starting to decline. While commonly treated as annuals, mums are hardy from zones…
Read Full Article It has begun. The corn has turned. Transforming much of the Illinois landscape into a sea of tan. The soybeans are following with their yellow hues. Combines churn away, as the heavy scent of plant debris permeates the truck cab. Bright seas of goldenrod sway in the wind, as if a welcome mat laid down…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — The warm, sunny days and cool nights of fall in Missouri provide ideal growing conditions for cool-season vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. “The Chinese cabbage group, which includes napa and bok choy, grows best under short days with temperatures between 60 and 70 degrees,”…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – September is prime apple picking time in the lower Midwestern states. Not only are new cultivars available in stores during September, but many heirloom apple cultivars are at their peak in farm markets and U-pick operations, says Michele Warmund, University of Missouri Extension horticulturist. Some of the heirloom apples – grown for…
Read Full Article February 22, 2025
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