Markets & Ag
COLUMBIA, Mo. — As the world enjoys the 2024 Olympic Games, the use of performance-enhancing substances will be under scrutiny. University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein notes that garlic was given to the original Olympic athletes in ancient Greece to increase strength and stamina. Thus, this culinary staple was perhaps one of the…
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Many of you should be getting plenty of produce from your gardens now. Some of you should be getting fruit from your berries. We are even getting apples now. With the increasing humidity and temperatures, you need to be watering before 8 a.m. and after 6:30 p.m. to keep vegetables producing. The weather has been…
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NOVELTY, Mo. — The University of Missouri’s Northern Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center (NM-REEC) invites the public to its annual Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 1, where attendees have the opportunity for an in-person look at research conducted at the REEC. The event will take place at the Lee Greenley Jr. Memorial Research Farm…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Magnolias are popular trees and shrubs in many landscapes. Their large, showy flowers can range from white to pink to yellow and provide a burst of color in the spring. While they are relatively pest-free, one of the biggest pests is the magnolia scale (Neolecanium cornuparvum). What does magnolia scale look like,…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Though physically demanding and time-consuming, scouting fields for insect pests is essential to crop health, yields and profits, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Weekly scouting during the growing season helps producers identify and manage problems for early intervention, Valmorbida says. He advises more frequent monitoring when weather favors…
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MENDON, Ill. — The 24th annual market animal sale in support of youth in agriculture will be held Tuesday at the Adams County Fairgrounds. Dinner will be served at 5 p.m., and the market livestock sale will begin at 6 p.m. At this premium sale, exhibitors retain ownership and receive a premium for their animal.…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — There is an old Missouri saying, “On the 25th of July, sow your turnips, wet or dry.” This local proverb vaulted into the national spotlight during the presidency of Missouri native Harry S. Truman, said University of Missouri Extension state specialist David Trinklein. Evidently, the congressional session of 1948 was particularly contentious,…
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INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Patience and a bucket of soapy water are your best friends when fending off Japanese beetles in the garden, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Tamra Reall. Reall recommends tapping beetles off plants by hand and putting them in a bucket of soapy water to kill them. You can also shake them…
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Post-drought pasture improvement takes more than rain; four things to do after back-to-back droughts
LINNEUS, Mo. — Heavy rainfall throughout much of Missouri on July 2 may have lessened worries about drought damage in pastures, but one good rain won’t undo the damage to mismanaged pastures during two straight years of drought, according to two University of Missouri Extension specialists based at the MU Forage Systems Research Center in…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri corn and soybean growers are reporting growing numbers of Japanese beetles in crops in recent weeks, says University of Missouri Extension state entomologist Ivair Valmorbida. Valmorbida uses numbers from MU Extension’s Pest Monitoring Network, which gathers information from across the state. The highest numbers are reported in northwestern Missouri’s Gentry County.…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — A yield-robbing corn disease, tar spot, is gaining ground in Missouri. Tar spot has been confirmed in 19 counties in 2024, says University of Missouri Extension plant pathologist Mandy Bish. Corn growers in nearly half of the state’s counties have reported tar spot since Missouri’s first confirmed case in 2018. The counties…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mulches benefit gardens throughout the year, but they are particularly helpful during the heat of summer, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Maintain 2-4 inches of an organic mulch to keep the soil cool. This promotes root growth and curbs soil moisture loss. Mulch also prevents the germination of weeds…
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MILAN, Ill. — Generally speaking, native plants are considered desirable since they support wildlife, are can improve water quality while requiring less water themselves, are beautiful in the landscape, are generally more tolerant of climate conditions and soil types and much more. However, from time to time a native species is not as appealing as…
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Hope everyone had a great Fourth of July. Many of you should be getting a lot of produce from your gardens. Cool-season vegetables have been harvested, and warm-season vegetables are producing. Think about what vegetables and where you will be planting them in your fall garden. You can start planting fall garden vegetables in late…
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NEVADA, Mo. — Rain is always a wild card when deciding the right time to mow hay. “Pop-up showers and storms are a risk this time of the year,” University of Missouri Extension agronomist Hunter Lovewell said in a press release. This unpredictability makes it important to keep an eye on weather forecasts and understand…
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MACOMB, Ill. — We are stuck with the trees planted by those who came before us. At least I am at my house. Mostly because they are so expensive to cut down. One species I am left dealing with is Norway maple (Acer platinoides). Am I referring to the maple with purple leaves? Yes, that…
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The Summer Solstice — the first day of summer — was June 20. The daylight hours we have each day will decrease until the Winter Solstice on the first day of winter on Dec. 21. The weather we have been having the past few days reminds me of 2023. The hot dry wind and lack…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Gardening is an activity with many rewards, said David Trinklein, state horticulture specialist for University of Missouri Extension. “One of them is the satisfaction of sharing your plant knowledge with others,” Trinklein said in a press release. The MU Extension Master Gardener program was designed to do just that. “Its motto, ‘helping…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri’s landowners, agricultural lenders, rural appraisers and others with firsthand knowledge of land transactions are invited to respond to the annual Missouri Farmland Value Opinion Survey. This University of Missouri Extension survey captures information on land transactions that have occurred in the calendar year, including those for cropland, pastureland, timberland and recreational…
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OSCEOLA, Mo. — Sheep and goats are susceptible to heat stress in the summer, and a revised University of Missouri Extension publication updates management practices for producers to protect their animals. In a press release, David Brown of MU Extension said, “Heat stress in sheep and goats occurs when the animals are unable to regulate…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — There is scientific evidence suggesting that eating something spicy on a hot summer day will make you feel cooler, says University of Missouri horticulturist David Trinklein. “Consuming spicy foods leads to a phenomenon known as ‘gustatory facial perspiration,’ which ostensibly cools the body more quickly than a cold glass of lemonade or…
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PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Before members of the newly re-established Pike County 4-H Foundation met for the first time, CNB Bank & Trust presented a $1,000 donation, indicating the start of positive growth in Pike County 4-H. In a press release, Illinois Extension County Director Shelby Crow said, “This foundation will help members gain new opportunities…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — There aren’t many things more satisfying than going out to your garden and harvesting your produce. All the digging, watering, and weeding you’ve done in your vegetable garden suddenly become worthwhile when you’ve picked your first tomato. One of the advantages of having a garden is that you can pick your vegetables…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Biosecurity should be top of mind for those who show animals at county and state fairs, especially in the case of swine. University of Missouri Extension veterinarian Cory Bromfield said she’s noticed less concern overall about African swine fever (ASF) among pork producers and those who show pigs. She calls it “ASF…
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MILAN, Ill. — Summer, for many, it means melon season. According to the UDSA, in 2022, approximately 21.1 pounds of melon was available per U.S. consumer. Of the melons available and enjoyed by consumers, the three most popular melons ranked, in order of availability: watermelon (14.1 pounds), cantaloupe (5.3 pounds), and honeydew (1.6 pounds). A…
Read Full Article February 22, 2025
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