Extension Matters: Volume 2 Number 1

  • Harvesting machine in a rice field.

    The More Things Change

  • A man and woman behind plants in a greenhouse.

    Extension Where You Are

  • Outside Expertise

  • A woman and two small children in a field with black cows grazing behind them.

    Back to Her Roots

  • MSU President Mark Keenum stands next to a young man in a green 4-H blazer.

    Finding His Voice

  • A girl on a brown horse led by a woman and man.

    Everlasting Therapy

  • A green forest of trees.

    From the Ground Up

  • A man stands in front of a rack holding meat.

    Meeting the Mark

Harvesting machine in a rice field.

Delta farmer Travis Satterfield reflects on 40+ years in the fields

The price of rice hasn’t increased much since Travis Satterfield of Benoit began growing it in 1974, but nearly everything else in the world of production agriculture has changed.

A man and woman behind plants in a greenhouse.

Turning a New Leaf: Jackson couple grows pesticide-free produce  

Leigh Bailey and her husband, Jamie Redmond, considered a number of options for a second career when the two real estate agents got married about four years ago

Extension helps Mississippi town balance its budget

Local governments and water associations often face the balancing act of meeting the infrastructure needs of the residents they serve and keeping costs for those services affordable.

A woman and two small children in a field with black cows grazing behind them.

Back to Her Roots

Although Greta Thornton’s children are adults, she could not give up the volunteer work that she says keeps her connected to agriculture.

MSU President Mark Keenum stands next to a young man in a green 4-H blazer.

4-H'er discovers his passion, gets big opportunities

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving found Tyler Packer packing up to head to Atlanta, Georgia, to attend the National 4-H Congress

A girl on a brown horse led by a woman and man.

Trauma survivor benefits from Extension hippotherapy program

General outpatient therapy is a major step in helping trauma victims on the road to recovery, but hippotherapy has emerged as an effective method of helping them regain mobility over time.

A green forest of trees.

Football coaching legend also known for success in timber industry

To many Northeast Mississippians who played high school football between the early 1960s and the late 1980s, Ben Jones is a coaching icon.

A man stands in front of a rack holding meat.

Meat processors maintain compliance through Extension training, assistance 

Enslin & Son Packing Co. in Hattiesburg features a variety of traditional and specialty sausages and smoked meats.

 

 

 

Extension Matters Volume 2 Number 1.
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Message from the Director

Dr. Gary
Jackson

As I reflect on 2015, I can’t help feeling grateful for the hard work and dedication of the Mississippi State University Extension Service family and excited about Extension’s future.

I am grateful for the past—for the way it has brought us to this point and continues to shape our future. For example, retired Extension Associate Director for Agriculture and Natural Resources Dr. Joe Street and his family recently created an endowed award for Extension agents and faculty. The award will encourage Extension professionals to continue to pursue excellence in communicating the latest research in agriculture and natural resources to clients across the state.

I am grateful for the present—for the men and women who contributed to last year’s Sunbelt Ag Expo, North America’s Premier Farm Show, in October. Mississippi was the spotlight state at the 2015 Expo, and I was proud of the way we worked together with our partners, Alcorn State University Extension, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, to demonstrate the Hospitality State’s use of technology in the fields and on the farm.

I am grateful for the future—for the youth, volunteers, MSU-ES employees, and parents who made this year’s 4-H Village possible. Every fall, young people from across Mississippi create the village to showcase their work and growth at the Mississippi State Fair in Jackson. These young people are not just Mississippi’s future leaders, but also, they are already leaders in classrooms and clubs across the state. Our staff and volunteers work tirelessly to help them hone those skills so that they will be even sharper in the days and years to come.

In this second volume of Extension Matters, you’ll see many more stories about Extension’s past, present, and future. Read on page 21 about how our hippotherapy program is helping Andi Webb beat the odds, and see how Extension helped Ben Jones, Leigh Bailey, and Jamie Redmond discover second careers in forestry and agriculture.

Find out how Greta Thornton’s work with 4-H helps her reconnect with her love of agriculture and form new bonds with the youth in her community, and learn how one 4-H’er is discovering how to lead effectively. See how the leaders of Tunica are using information from Extension to provide for the current and future needs of their residents. You can also read about the ways Extension information helps the Enslin family keep their specialty meats safe and their processes secure.

Finally, be sure to “meet” our new specialists and coordinators in “What’s New in Extension.” I hope you enjoy this copy of Extension Matters!

Sincerely, 

Gary Jackson
Director, MSU Extension Service