Webster County Extension Office

08/31/2026

15 days.....Make sure you get pre-registered... 662-258-3971

🐝 Ready to Start Beekeeping? 🍯

Ever wanted to keep your own bees? Now's your chance! Join us for a Beginning Beekeeping Workshop with Ray Beeson and learn the basics of getting started in this rewarding hobby.

📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

⚠️ Preregistration is REQUIRED! You MUST register by Friday, September 11.

📞 Call 662-258-3971 or email [email protected] to reserve your spot.

Don't wait—spaces are limited! 🐝🌼

08/31/2026

🐝 Ready to Start Beekeeping? 🍯

Ever wanted to keep your own bees? Now's your chance! Join us for a Beginning Beekeeping Workshop with Ray Beeson and learn the basics of getting started in this rewarding hobby.

📅 Tuesday, September 15, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.

⚠️ Preregistration is REQUIRED! You MUST register by Friday, September 11.

📞 Call 662-258-3971 or email [email protected] to reserve your spot.

Don't wait—spaces are limited! 🐝🌼

08/31/2026

08/28/2026

Fall means ruby-throated hummingbirds will be leaving us soon and getting ready to migrate to warmer climates in Central and South America for the winter!!

Most of Mississippi can expect to see hummingbirds heading south starting around September 27–October 4. Coastal areas are a week later, October 4–11. (These dates and ranges are estimates from collected data by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The birds could arrive earlier or later than the expected dates.)

Dr. Adam Rohnke, MSU Extension urban wildlife specialist, has a few recommendations to help hummingbirds on their journey:

Clean all feeders from earlier in the year and fill them with a new batch of hummingbird food. Mix one part of refined white sugar with four parts water.

Keep a close eye on the feeders. The mixture will spoil within 2–3 days of sitting in hot temperatures. If you notice the mixture turning an opaque, milky white color, dump it out and clean thoroughly. To clean, submerge the feeder in a 10 percent bleach solution, rinse with water, and let it air dry.

If you're already thinking about how to improve your hummingbird habitat for next year, take a look at this helpful Extension publication. It explains flowering plants hummingbirds will love! Read here: https://extension.msstate.edu/lawn-and-garden/landscape-architecture/landscape-design-and-management/plants-and-wildlife/attracting-hummingbirds-mississippi-gardens

08/28/2026

Did you know that the classic orange carrot we all know and love is actually not the original color of carrots? Carrots are descendants of wild carrots, or Queen Anne’s lace. It is believed that carrots originated in Asia around AD 900 and were actually yellow and purple in color! Orange carrots didn’t come along until around the 1400s - 1500s.

Purple carrots are high in anthocyanins, which are rich in antioxidants.

Yellow carrots contain xanthophylls, which is linked to having good vision.

Red carrots are a good source of lycopene, which can help fight against heart disease and some cancers.

White carrots lack color, but not nutrients, as they are a rich source of fiber.

Orange carrots are rich in beta- and alpha-carotene, which are great for reducing your risk of eye diseases.

The taste of each color differs by variety, but there isn’t a drastic flavor contrast between them. Some varieties have a sweet and spicy taste to them, while others are sweeter than orange carrots.

08/28/2026

Is there something that looks like spiderwebs in your pecan trees? Chances are they’re not spiders--they’re fall webworms!

Light infestations usually won’t cause a lot of damage and are nothing to fret about. If you have only a few webs in small- to medium-sized trees, you can leave them be or use a coat hanger taped to a long pole to destroy the web.

Heavy infestations, which are more common in the southern part of the state, can severely defoliate trees and cause reduced nut production on pecan trees for a few years. Complete defoliation usually will not kill an otherwise healthy tree the first time it happens.

Webworms can be managed with contact insecticide sprays. If you use sprays on pecan trees, read the label to be sure the product is safe to use on pecans because they are a food crop.

08/28/2026

Please share!!!

08/28/2026

From blossom to boll! MSU Extension Cotton Specialist Dr. Brian Pieralisi snapped this picture showing the progression cotton goes through as it matures.

You start off with a first square, candlestick, white bloom, purple bloom and then the bolls, ranging from very immature to mature.

Extension is there every step of the way for growers who have questions!

08/20/2026

Why are trees dropping leaves in the middle of summer? The recent stretch of extreme heat and dry weather has many trees shedding leaves earlier than usual. This is a natural survival response that helps trees conserve water during stressful conditions. The good news? If we receive some rainfall and cooler temperatures soon, many trees should recover just fine.

📸 Desoto County Extension Office

08/20/2026

Ready to learn new skills and connect with fellow homesteaders? Join us at the Central Mississippi Homesteading Conference! From beekeeping and gardening to food preservation and livestock care, our expert-led workshops and live demonstrations have something for everyone.

Food trucks and vendors will also be there. We hope you will make plans to attend!

Dates and Time:
Friday, Nov. 6
1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Cost: $20/person for both days.

Location:
Central MS Research & Extension Center
1320 Seven Springs Rd.
Raymond, MS 39154

Vendors are welcome. Call 601-857-2284 for more info.

Register here: https://ow.ly/sKLT50ZBFQK