Brothers Dwight and David Fry remember the day that they decided to build bedded pack barns for their dairy cows. They visited neighbor David Gray’s barns on a winter day when sleet was pounding down. “His cows were lying there in the barn chewing their cud and making milk,” said Dwight. “Ours were humped up and cold.” Gray’s experience, coupled…
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Triple Tiger
Jordan Thomas has received all three of his degrees from Mizzou
Like many students with an interest in animals, Jordan Thomas came to the University of Missouri intending to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. When he got more involved with the Division of Animal Sciences, however, Thomas quickly found a new passion – research. That passion, and the stellar faculty and staff in the Division of Animal Sciences, kept Thomas…
Keeping It Simple
Good grazing practices, strict protocols lead to success of heifer replacement program
Denis Turner, of Hartville, keeps his southwestern Missouri heifer replacement operation simple. For the most part, it is one man for 500 to 1,000 heifers at Turner’s Heifer Haven, a pasture-based operation where Turner raises heifers for others. “Make sure every task can be carried out by one person,” Turner says. “Two-man jobs are accomplished on time only about half…
Great Wines and Whiskey Begin in Missouri White Oak Forests
Missouri rolls out the barrels for spirits industry
Many of the world’s finest wines and whiskeys begin in Missouri’s hardwood forests. University of Missouri Extension forester Hank Stelzer shared Missouri’s role in wine and spirit production during the recent White Oak, Whiskey & Wine tour. Due to popular demand and positive reviews, Stelzer plans to make it an annual event. Tourgoers visited the Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area at…
Crafting the Perfect Brew
MU Extension horticulturalists researching hops
Most often used as a flavoring and stability agent in beer, hops have become more popular during the past few years, due in large part to the boom in the craft brewing industry. Hops, which are cone-shaped flowers, aren’t a new crop for Missouri, but it’s been years since hops have been a mainstay in the state. “If you go…
Blindness Doesn’t Stop Sixth Generation Farmer
District supervisor for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind serves on MU Extension's AgrAbility team
Jim Brinkmann’s blindness does not keep him from helping others with vision problems reach their potential. Brinkmann helps people with visual impairments succeed in agriculture, says Karen Funkenbusch, Missouri AgrAbility Project state director and University of Missouri Extension specialist. Brinkmann serves with Funkenbusch on the AgrAbility team. He is mid-Missouri district supervisor for Rehabilitation Services for the Blind (RSB), one…
MU Extension Master Gardeners Build Mini-Greenhouses
Low-cost, low-maintenance greenhouses fund activities throughout the year
Ozark Prairie Master Gardeners know that good things come in small packages. That is why mini-greenhouses are growing throughout the Lake of the Ozarks region. The mini-greenhouses are the brainchild of Dan Britton, president of the Ozark Prairie Master Gardeners chapter in Morgan County. University of Missouri Extension horticulturist Joni Harper says members appreciate the convenience of the greenhouses. Master…
Picking Through the Feed
Graduate student searching for pigweed in bird feed
Finding the unique ways that weeds can spread has become a calling card for the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources Division of Plant Sciences’ weed science program. For the past year, graduate student Eric Oseland has dug through more than 60 bags of bird feed, looking for which weed seeds show up in the various…
Growing Knowledge Among Hmong Farmers
MU Extension teaches beginning bi-lingual Hmong farmer
More than vegetables grow in Fue Yang’s high tunnels. It is where opportunity grows for area Hmong farmers. Yang runs a teaching farm for University of Missouri Extension, Lincoln University and the Webb City Farmers Market. The collaborative effort is part of a grant from the Missouri Department of Agriculture. MU Extension horticulturist Patrick Byers said the group helps Yang…
Weather Stations Help Farmers Know When to Spray
Research links off-target herbicide movements to temperature inversions
Nine Missouri weather stations recently received updates to help farmers and chemical applicators know when to spray herbicides to avoid off-target movement caused by temperature inversions. The Extension Commercial Agriculture Program of the University of Missouri operates 24 real-time weather stations throughout the state. The Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council recently funded updates for stations in Monroe City, Vandalia, Albany, Columbia,…