Cummings and Goings in Agriculture
MSU Should Prosper Under Keenum’s Leadership
By Steve Cummings
The Mississippi Institute of Higher Learning announced Dr. Mark Keenum as the preferred candidate for the next President of Mississippi State University. We have no reason not to believe that Dr. Keenum will be our next president. I have known Dr. Keenum since he was an Extension Ag Economist, and many of our farmers and agriculture people have known him just as long. Mississippi State should prosper under his leadership.
The State Championship Horse Show is in Jackson this weekend. The Coffeeville Saddle Club is a member of the Tri-Lakes Western Horse Show Association. The Tri-Lakes Association has more entries in the state show than the other twelve associations. It is a good bet that the Coffeeville Saddle Club has more entries in the state show than any other saddle club. Results will be given in the next column.
On Thursday, November 20, there will be a Quick Bites program entitled “Mechanics for Silk and Dried Floral Designs.” This program will be presented by Dr. Jim DelPrince, Associate Professor/Plants and Soil Sciences from MSU, and will add information to the previous sessions on mechanics in floral design.
Mechanics are the items used to fix/hold floral placements within a design. Providing secure mechanics in design is of the utmost importance, but because they are often concealed within finished designs, many floral design enthusiasts do not know how to construct them. As always, these programs are free and open to the public, so please bring a sack lunch and come join us for a fun and informative program.
Horticulture Tips:
Armadillos – as lawn pests
In one night a manicured lawn can be severely damaged from the voracious and destructive digging caused from armadillos. These small nine-banded armor-shelled animals with long snouts and strong claws can rip up a lawn in only hours looking for morsels of their favorite foods of frogs, mole crickets, insect larvae, ants and any other tasty invertebrates.
So what can we do to keep them from destroying our lawns? Basically it comes down to only a few choices, elimination of the food supply, exclusion, shooting or trapping, even though you may hear of many other tales for their control. Fencing can be effective but often does not lend well to the landscape. Shooting can become a controversial subject and is not allowed in many areas. Therefore, your choices may only be eliminating the food supply with insecticides or trapping. Trapping can be effective but takes some skill and patience. Adding temporary wings (fencing or boards) to a small live animal trap helps herd the critter into the trap. Baits put inside the trap such as overripe fruit (apples or bananas) or live mole crickets or earthworms held in a thin netting or panty hose will help lure them into the trap.
Cutline: Yalobusha County Tax Assessor, Linda Shuffield, Senator Gray Tollison, and other guests visited the Yalobusha County Extension Service at its annual Accountability Breakfast. The Extension Service hosted the breakfast on November, 3 at the Yalobusha County Multipurpose Building where Extension employees highlighted events from the previous year.
