Scott County Extension Office

06/03/2026

Welcome, Mika Beatty! Mika Beatty joined the Scott County Extension Office staff as the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Agent on June 1. The Extension Office staff also includes Rayne Arnold, County Coordinator and 4-H Agent, and Tristen Phillipson, Office Associate.

A native of Pulaski, Mississippi, Beatty graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor's degree in Horticulture. During her youth, she participated in 4-H, where she showed livestock and competed in numerous events. She has also served as a Scott County 4-H volunteer for 23 years and counting.

“I am so excited to be joining the Scott County Extension team and helping promote, educate, and implement the many opportunities that Extension has to offer,” Beatty said.
She can be reached at 601-469-4241, by email at [email protected], or in person at the Scott County Extension Office, located at 230 South Davis Street, Forest, MS 39074.

06/02/2026

We love seeing our 4-H'ers representing Scott County well at the State Level!!🍀🍀

06/01/2026

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.

05/22/2026

All Extension Offices will be closed this Monday for Memorial Day! We wish everyone a safe and fun long weekend.

05/13/2026

Congratulations to our senior 4-H’ers!!! We are so proud of you both!!🍀

05/08/2026

🎣 Take a Kid Fishing 2026 was a huge success! We loved seeing youth from across the area come together for a day full of fishing, fun, competition, and great prizes. Congratulations to all of our participants and winners!

A huge thank you to Mississippi State University Extension, U.S. Forest Service, Scott County 4-H, Scott County Board of Supervisors/Title III, Smith County 4-H, Walmart, Southside Mart, and Northside General Store for sponsoring this event.

We also want to recognize all of the incredible volunteers and mentors who gave their time and support to make this event possible. Your dedication helped create lasting memories for so many young people! 🐟💙

05/04/2026

🌿💧 Pond owners, this one’s for you! 💧🌿

Join us for a FREE Pond Management Workshop with Dr. Wes Neal and learn how to keep your pond healthy, productive, and thriving!

📅 Tuesday, May 12, 2026
⏰ 6:00 p.m.
📍 Leake County Extension Office, Carthage

05/01/2026

We can't wait to see you tomorrow, May 2nd for a day of family fun at Marathon Lake!

🎣 Take a Kid Fishing Day is almost here!
Join us at Marathon Lake on May 2, 2026, for a fun-filled morning of fishing, learning, and friendly competition! From casting contests to an educational program and prizes for all ages, it’s a great opportunity to get kids outdoors and enjoying the sport of fishing.
Bring your gear, grab a buddy, and come make some memories on the water! 🐟💙
📍 Marathon Lake, Raleigh, MS
⏰ Registration begins at 7:00 a.m.
We can’t wait to see you there!

04/29/2026

Sign up today for the Specialty Crops Short Course! All are welcome! Use the QR Code or Link to register!🍅🌽🥔🌾🌱

**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.

04/29/2026

Scott County Master Gardener Association has been planting seeds of knowledge in our communities all month long! 🌸🌞🌿🌻
Interested in becoming a Master Gardener in Scott County?
Give us a call at 601-469-4241 or message us on Facebook!