Rankin County Extension Office

05/22/2026

New Soil Testing Information! Soil testing is the first step to healthy soil and productive crops, pastures, turf and gardens.

Follow the steps below to submit your soil sample:

Order online. Visit soiltesting.extension.msstate.edu and follow the instructions to complete your order. Enter your contact info, sample names and crop or intended use.

Choose payment. Cost is $12 per sample. You may pay by cash or check sent with your soil sample or choose to receive an invoice to pay by credit card. Your payment options are cash, check or invoice.

Prepare and label your sample. Collect the soil to be tested. Fill the sample collection container to the fill line and close the container. Write the “sample name” (and your name, if desired) on the outside of the container. Clearly write your order number and sample name on each container. This information must match what was entered online.

Ship or drop off your sample. The new shipping address and drop off location is:
Southern Soil & Plant Lab, LLC.
117 Haley Barbour Parkway
Yazoo City, MS 39194

Receive results. Results will be sent to you and your county Extension office. You can contact your Extension agent for assistance with the sample report and recommendations.

Important Reminders

Cost is $12 per sample.

You may pick up your soil sample containers from your county Extension office.

You are responsible for shipping samples to the soil testing laboratory.

Contact your local Extension office for help with collecting soil samples, understanding crop codes, interpreting soil test reports and general soil fertility questions.

05/21/2026

Canning seasoning is approaching don't forget to call our office and make an appointment to get your pressure canner tested.

05/19/2026

It’s a SALSA SHOWDOWN! Whether you were on Team Savory or Team Sweet, everyone left with a delicious reward! Extension Agent, Natasha Haynes show seniors how to have fun making fresh salsa.

05/18/2026

FREE workshop June 4 in Raymond!

The workshop is designed to provide practical education for individuals interested in agriculture, land management, and water use efficiency. Register: https://tinyurl.com/3vwwhy5u

05/14/2026

💵 Bank It! 💵

Pelahatchie Juniors learned real‑world money skills like paying and sending bills, making deposits and withdrawals, and giving correct change.

Mississippi State University Extension Service

05/10/2026

It’s not too late ⏰. Come on and joins us ! Let’s get moving!

Magnolia Moves Activity Challenge is an individual or team‑based health and wellness program that encourages people of all ages to increase physical activity and adopt healthier eating habits.

There is no cost to join this 6-week activity program, and you set the pace and choose the activities that you participate in throughout the six weeks. Open to participants of all ages, the program invites you to connect with your community, explore creative ways to stay active, and rediscover the joy of everyday movement.

The challenge officially kicks off on April 20!

Just download the MoveSpring app and it will seamlessly sync with a wide range of wearable devices, including your iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple Health, Android, Google Health Connect, Fitbit, and more. With automatic tracking, your movements and activities are captured by default, giving you a clear, real-time view of your progress and achievements. An alternative to the app is a desktop version that is available.

Need some encouragement? There will be weekly drawings for prizes!

Also, 4-H’ers and other young people who participate in this Magnolia Moves program can count their activity hours towards our nation’s highest youth honor, the Congressional Award.

Find out more about joining the Magnolia Moves Activity Challenge: https://extension.msstate.edu/magnolia-moves

05/06/2026

Congratulation to our Area Horticulture Extension Agent, Donna Beliech for 35 years of service. We are proud of the work you do in Rankin County. Donna will be retiring from the extension service in June.

05/05/2026

The native flowering dogwood, known scientifically as Cornus florida, is a cherished understory tree throughout the South with blooms that are truly iconic!

Unfortunately, these beloved trees have faced a serious decline in recent decades due to the spread of a fungal disease known as dogwood anthracnose. This disease thrives in cool, moist environments and causes leaf spots, stem cankers and dieback, eventually killing affected trees if left untreated.

Disease-resistant cultivars are available, and gardeners can choose these when setting out new dogwoods. They can also help protect existing specimens by avoiding overhead watering and ensuring good airflow and proper spacing.

Despite the challenges, when given the right conditions and care, flowering dogwoods remain one of the most graceful and rewarding trees for Southern landscapes.

Dogwoods have what appear to be large, four-petaled white flowers that are actually bracts -- modified leaves. These frame a tight cluster of tiny, yellow-green true flowers in the center.

The bracts are often pure white, but some trees may blush ever so slightly with soft pink tinges near the tips. Their gently notched ends give them a cross-like appearance, and when they blanket the tree’s horizontal branching structure, the effect is almost ethereal.

Dogwoods bloom in early spring, usually before the leaves emerge, making the blossoms even more striking against the bare branches and forest floor.

04/30/2026

**The registration deadline has been extended to Sunday, May 3, 2026!**

The 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond, MS. Commercial producers and home gardeners with an interest in specialty crops (fruits, vegetables, ornamentals) production are invited to attend! Presentations on marketing, budgets, fruit production, vegetable production, organic production, specialty crop options (ornamentals, hydroponics, etc.) for expanded farm offerings, pesticide use and safety, and disease and insect management will be delivered. The workshop will end with a series of hands-on workshops. This one-day program will begin at 8:45 AM and will end at 4:30 PM. Registration will begin at 8:00 AM. Lunch will be provided.

Registration and payment of the $35 registration fee by Wednesday, April 29, 2026, is required to reserve a spot in this workshop. Please note that short course attendance as well as space for each workshop is limited. Register early to guarantee a spot in the short course! When registering, please also rank the workshops with the workshop you would most like to attend first. We will do our best to place you in one of your most preferred workshops.

The online registration form and a copy of the agenda with topics and speakers are available at https://msuext.ms/specialtycrops.