Farm & Agriculture

'Bee' mindful of pollinators when spraying fruit crops

Michele Warmund, 573-882-9632 COLUMBIA, Mo. – Bees are a fruit tree owner’s friend and need special protection from pesticides, says University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund. Bees are essential to pollinate many fruit crops, including apple, pear, Japanese plums, sweet...

How to Water-glass Eggs

How to Water Glass Eggs Author: Carolyn Thomas Preserving eggs by water glassing is a long-standing historical method that works wonderfully for long-term egg storage. Equipment 5-gallon food-grade bucket Ingredients 8 oz Hydrated Lime 8 quarts Filtered Water Fresh Eggs Instructions Start off with...

Water-glass Eggs

These are not pickled eggs. These are homegrown, unwashed eggs stored in lime water. The lime water fills in all the pores of the egg and encases them in a shell of "glass". Water glassed eggs can last stored at room temperature like this for up to 2 years. This method of preserving raw eggs...

The Outdoor Journal by Kyle Carroll

One of the more common requests Missouri Department of Conservation personnel get is for someone to come and “shock” their pond so they have some idea what kind of a fish population is lurking beneath the surface. The problem is, there are around 500,000 private ponds in the state. It would take...

Fight fatigue, stress on the farm with sleep for better bottom line

Source: Mary Engram, 573-683-6129 COLUMBIA, Mo. – Long hours during calving and planting seasons can cause fatigue and stress, leading to accidents and costly mistakes, says Mary Engram, University of Missouri Extension human development specialist. “Lack of sleep affects us physically and mentally...

Increasing fruit, vegetable production can help double value of Missouri ag

COLUMBIA, Mo. – With lower initial investments and higher returns, fruit and vegetable production could play a big role in doubling the state’s agricultural economy by 2030, according to a study by University of Missouri researchers. “Compared to row crops, you don’t have to have as many acres of...

Hydrangea nipped by the frost. Photo by Cindy Fickess

Low temperatures leave plants in the cold

Source: David Trinklein, 573-882-9631; Michele Warmund, 573-882-9632 COLUMBIA, Mo. - Winter-hardy perennial flowers likely will survive April’s historic low temperatures across Missouri, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein. Their tender annual counterparts, however...

Who's out there?

This baby fox is waiting for mom to bring his evening meal. The den is located under a barn in Hamilton.

Use sacrifice pastures now to spare best cattle grazing pastures for later

STOCKTON, Mo. – If not managed properly, muddy pastures can affect grazing the rest of the year, says University of Missouri Extension regional livestock specialist Patrick Davis. “Cattle producers need to evaluate their pastures,” Davis says. Identify pastures that are thin and in need of...

Keeping Missourians up to speed

Lifelong learning. It’s an essential part of MU Agriculture and Environment Extension’s goal of doubling the value of Missouri agriculture by 2030 while sustaining the state’s natural resources. When Ron Brown was approached to check out University of Missouri Extension’s Master Gardener program,...