I take this opportunity to say farewell, so long and best wishes to a fellow with whom I’ve had the privilege to work for almost three years now. Mike Corley, owner/operator of the local radio station WQBC here in Vicksburg, informed me that he is making big changes with the radio station and will be moving on to other projects.
For the last several years, Mike and I have recorded a weekly radio show, which has aired on Saturday mornings at 7:30. I consider him the expert and the professional when it comes to working all the equipment in a radio station booth. In my opinion, he’s a very good interviewer, too. I’ve just been the guy with the other microphone talking about various things the Extension Service happened to have going on that week or the next. I am thankful to have had Corley’s help getting Extension’s programs, events and information out in yet another format. Read the rest of this post »
One of the e-mails I received this week was from the owner of a local equestrian center. The question the sender asked was why they seem to have armyworms in their pastures about this time each year. The truth is that armyworms have been so consistent about showing up the last few years, it seems that cattle and horse ranchers can almost plan on them appearing in late summer. From the looks of things, we need to be on guard again this year.
Trees are among the longest living things on this earth. Along with their long life is an exposure to risk over time. Yet as a forest landowner, you can take steps to lower your risk of growing a forest. The upcoming Master Tree Farmer Special Series will address these risks. The course theme is “Forest Risk and Risk Management”. This course will be held at the Warren County Extension office here in Vicksburg via our interactive video network. 
John and Mike Corley broadcast from the Brown Loam Experient Station 2008 Field Day. The Brown Loam Branch Experiment Station is located in Hinds County. It is southwest of Raymond and includes some 1,700 acres near Learned, Mississippi. During the event, row crop and cattle producers received valuable information and updates on their respective fields. 
Trees are among the longest living things on this earth. Along with their long life is an exposure to risk over time. Yet as a forest landowner, you can take steps to lower your risk of growing a forest. The upcoming Master Tree Farmer Special Series will address these risks. The course theme is “Forest Risk and Risk Management”. This course will be held at the Warren County Extension office here in Vicksburg via our interactive video network. 
The Extension Service has a couple of events on the agenda this week for crop and livestock farmers as well as home gardeners.
In just a week or so it will be back-to-school time for students in our area. I’m sure the K-12 kids are taking inventory of their school uniforms and getting anxious about whom their teachers are going to be. College students are making housing arrangements and perhaps figuring any way they can to cover the high cost of tuition and life away from home. But what about the folks who are not involved in formal education and who still want to learn new skills? 
If you called the Extension office this past week, you noticed I was out. I was attending the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) annual meeting and professional improvement conference in Greensboro, North Carolina. 
John and Mike Corley broadcast from the Kirk Fordice Equine Center site of the 2008 State 4-H Horse Championships in Jackson, Mississippi. John is also joined by Warren County 4-H coordinator Marcus Davis, Mississippi State University Equine Specialist Dr. Preston Buff, and by several 4-H particpants from aroudnt he state, as they discuss the event, the growing popularity of horses and horse events in the state, and the economic impact of the equine inudstry in Mississippi. 
One of my former college classmates started a new job last week. Effective July 1, Dr. Steve Martin assumed the role as head of MSU’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, MS. Prior to being named head of the center, Martin worked as an agricultural economist at Stoneville for about 20 years. Down through the years, Martin and I have worked together on several projects involving the economics of various agricultural practices. I found one of Martin’s most recent publications very interesting and guessed that some of this column’s readers may find some useful information in Martin’s findings, as well.
