Extension for Real Life
Description
Extension for Real Life is a product of the MSU Extension Service’s Office of Agricultural Communications.
That’s a long way of saying we are professional communicators who get to talk about food, families, 4-H, flowers, and farming for a living.
Blog content is created by a core team of communicators, including Susan Collins-Smith, Ellen Graves, Natasha Haynes, Qula Madkin, Michaela Parker, and Jonathan Parrish. But we get by with a lot of help from our friends in Ag Comm and Extension!
You can reach us at 662-325-2262 or extreallife@msstate.edu
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How to Choose and Care for Poinsettias
Other than the Christmas tree, there’s no holiday plant more sought-after than the poinsettia. Although the most popular color for this winter favorite is Christmas red, you may find white, pink, yellow, maroon, and multi-color versions at your local garden store. Poinsettias are fragile and finnicky indoor plants, but they can add a bit of holiday cheer to any space with the right care! Here are a few tips on how to choose the best-looking poinsettias, and how to maintain them throughout the season.
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The Food Factor: Cinnamon Walnut Pecan Pie Bites
If you’re watching your calories this season, this Cinnamon Walnut Pecan Pie Bites recipe will satisfy your craving for pecan pie and help keep your portions sensible.
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Critter of the Month: Coyote
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Gardening Checklist for December
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3 Tips to Maintain Healthy Habits During the Holidays
If you always find yourself off track in the diet department this time of year, you’re not alone. But if we partake thoughtfully this holiday season, we can still enjoy our favorite things without the guilt.
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The Food Factor: Turkey Cranberry Quesadilla
Thanksgiving festivities have come to an end, and you probably have an abundance of leftover turkey and cranberry sauce. This Turkey Cranberry Quesadilla is a fresh take on the turkey sandwich and is just as easy.
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Five Types of Popular Live Christmas Trees
Choosing, cutting, and bringing home a real Christmas tree is a fun tradition for many families during the holiday season. Around 32,000 Christmas trees are sold in Mississippi each year! Whether you go to a Christmas tree farm or to a local retail store, you’ll likely be presented with a few options to choose from.
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How to Winterize Your Home
Take what’s left of this fall to make sure your home is ready for cold weather. Winterizing your home can save you money on your heating bills and help you avoid costly repairs.
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Five Plants for Winter Color
As cold weather makes it way to Mississippi, the vibrant colors of summer and fall begin to fade. Winter months are traditionally very bland in terms of landscape, but they don’t have to be! There are several colorful plants that work well in cold temperatures, and many of them are low maintenance. Here are five annual plants you can incorporate into your flowerbeds or containers to add a nice pop of color into your winter landscape: