Markets & Ag
MILAN, Ill. — As May flowers arrive and we celebrate the arrival of spring, we also turn our attention to Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial period dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health and promoting well-being. During this time, we acknowledge the highs and lows that life can bring, acknowledge the prevalence of…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Illinois is the 20th state to discover the Asian longhorned tick (Haemaphysalis longicornis). The tick, considered an invasive species, was found on April 12 during routine active tick surveillance in Morgan County as part of an Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) grant-funded active tick surveillance program. Additional surveillance in the area…
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ROCK PORT, Mo. — Decades-long research on corn and soybean plots at the University of Missouri Graves-Chapple Extension and Education Center in northwestern Missouri shows how tillage systems have affected yields. Four of the most common tillage systems were compared at Graves-Chapple in Rock Port: fall and spring disk; spring disk; no-till; and fall chisel…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Right after daffodils, tulips and hyacinths have spent their last flowers, many homeowners mow the plants down. That’s a bad idea if you want them to keep flowering year after year. Spring-flowering bulbs need to photosynthesize and produce food in order for the bulbs to enlarge and set the stage for the…
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You can find almost anything associated with corn in Adams County. Where? That’s for you to find out by watching this month’s Muddy River Gems, presented by Dot Foods.
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) encourages farmers and agrichemical facilities to take part in a free agrichemical container recycling program. Beginning in the middle of July and continuing into August, sites throughout the state will collect containers that are recycled to make shipping pallets. Locally, a permanent collection site will be…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Ticks! I can’t stand these parasitic arachnids. I have had far too many run-ins with ticks throughout my life. They seem to find me every year. So far this spring I have found one Lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) attached to me, and I have caught several other ticks headed my way…
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MILAN, Ill. — A few weeks ago, we began a discussion about color. We started with complementary colors, those that are opposite of each other on the color wheel. This week we explore analogous colors. Throughout this color exploration, we might be tempted to think only of floral color but many plants offer color in…
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The weather has been almost normal for this time of year. Many people got some need rain. Hopefully we will all get some in the coming days. With the day and night temperatures rising each day, we should start to plant some warm-season vegetables and flowers. I planted Bush green beans in raised beds in…
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OSCEOLA, Mo. — The benefits of spring lambing and management tips are part of a new University of Missouri Extension publication for sheep producers. In a press release, David Brown, MU Extension small-ruminant specialist, said, “Spring lambing has been found to be more profitable than fall and winter lambing. The abundance of spring forage lowers…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Soybean gall midge is appearing about 10 days earlier than usual in Nebraska crops, says University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension crop protection and cropping systems specialist Justin McMechan. That could spell trouble for Missouri soybean growers as well. First found in 2019 in Missouri, it is in the state’s far northwestern counties of…
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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — While no cases have been reported in Illinois, federal agencies confirmed the detection of H5N1 influenza virus in dairy herds in eight states across the U.S. The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) are working closely to monitor the situation and are jointly coordinating prevention…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Did you notice people’s lawns getting a little long last May? No Mow May has become a popular way to help pollinators. No Mow May began in the United Kingdom in 2019 as a way to help struggling pollinator populations. The idea is that if people don’t mow their lawns during May,…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. —Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a good, productive grass to include in forage mixtures in the Ozarks region, but having too much of this grass can limit production. Monitoring the amount of Kentucky bluegrass in the forage stand can be helpful to producers. This perennial cool-season grass is identified by the narrow, V-shaped…
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SALEM, Mo. — With cattle prices at record high levels and many forecasts projecting relatively high prices for the next couple of years, some producers feel they can do no wrong. In times like these, even less-productive cows and mismanaged calves are likely to make a profit. High prices are a welcome change for cattle…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Director of Veterinary Extension Craig Payne urges cattle producers to watch for signs of disease associated with Theileria orientalis (ikeda), a protozoal organism recently detected in Missouri. This organism, which primarily affects cattle, causes disease by infecting red blood cells. The immune system attacks the infected cells, resulting in…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri dairy farmers are urged to protect their dairy herds from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus as the USDA and other federal agencies investigate an illness among dairy cows in seven other states (Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas and North Carolina). The illnesses in those states have been confirmed…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — April is National Gardening Month and a good time to plant a garden, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Whether strictly for food production or beautifying the home landscape, gardening is one of the most popular activities among households in the United States. For those who have lacked the motivation…
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MACOMB, Ill. — Cicada-mania has been building to almost mythical levels in 2024. Nearly every story on my news feed references this historic event about to occur in Illinois. Despite the media frenzy, there are still lots of questions about the upcoming cicada emergence. So, I might as well hop on this cicada train answering…
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COLUMBIA, Mo. — University of Missouri Extension is recruiting farmers for a project aimed at improving the productivity of forage-based operations in areas dominated by tall fescue grass. Participating operations would work with extension specialists to implement grassland management practices that are known to improve productivity and provide environmental benefits, according to Harley Naumann, MU…
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I pray everyone had a blessed Easter while remembering that Jesus died to save us all. The weather is beginning to be more like spring with much-needed rain and warmer days. Hopefully, many of you have done some garden planting. In the community garden behind the Father Buhman Center in Shelbina, Mo. carrots, beets, lettuce,…
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — After three years of research, University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialists are learning how to successfully grow lavender in Missouri. The popularity of lavender’s fresh scent has endured since ancient times. Cleopatra reportedly used it to seduce Julius Caesar and Mark Antony. By the 16th century, people were using it to ward…
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JACKSONVILLE, Ill. — Callery pear (Pyrus calleryana) has been blooming throughout Illinois. Over the years, it has been a popular tree to plant, especially in residential areas. Trees produce numerous white flowers in the spring and have attractive glossy leaves that will turn a brilliant red-orange in the fall. However, they are also becoming increasingly…
Read Full Article February 22, 2025
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: BEN ROBINSON GUITARS
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