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A plate of PBJ Nachos

What are we going to eat? That’s a question I get almost every day – whether it’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack. If you are looking for a few new options, check out some of the recipes we’ve featured on The Food Factor.


Ginkgo yellow leaves in the fall

Tree of the Month: Ginkgo

November 4, 2024

The ginkgo tree, scientifically known as Ginkgo biloba, is an incredible species that stands out because of its unique characteristics and beauty.

Black Widow spider

Brown Recluse vs. Black Widow Spiders

October 25, 2024

It’s spooky season, and there’s nothing as spooky to some people as a creepy-crawly spider! Many people have arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders.

Homemade pumpkin, bat, monster Halloween decor with a toilet paper roll, tin can, and water bottle.

5 Tips for a Sustainable Halloween

October 18, 2024

Halloween spending is expected to reach $11.6 billion this year, and many of those purchases will become waste. Check out these tips for ways to have a more sustainable holiday.

A woman stirs cranberry turkey meatballs cooking on the stove.

The Food Factor: Cranberry Turkey Meatball Appetizers

October 15, 2024

The Food Factor crew loved these Cranberry Turkey Meatballs! Try them out for yourself. We think you'll love them too!

A woman stands in a kitchen with an electric pressure cooker.

How to Use an Electric Pressure Cooker

October 14, 2024

Check out these facts about electric pressure cookers and get some tips on how to use these popular countertop appliances.

Seafood boil.

Happy National Seafood Month!

October 11, 2024

October is National Seafood Month! Mississippi is proud to have a vibrant costal community supported by the seafood industry. 

Sun shining through red maple tree branches

Tree of the Month: Red Maple

October 4, 2024

In the fall, I love driving down the road to see beautiful trees changing color as they prepare to drop their leaves for the winter. My favorite trees, however, are magnificent, fiery red maple trees. Their color stands so boldly against the yellow and brown background of the other fall colors.

A hand is shown dipping a bell pepper strip into a bowl of garlic chickpea dip.

The Food Factor: Garlic Chickpea Dip

October 1, 2024

This dip is easy to whip up with a few ingredients you probably have on hand and a food processor.

White chickens.

Broilers vs. Layers

September 27, 2024

Did you know there is a difference in broilers and layers? Broilers and layers both serve important roles in the poultry industry, but their roles are very different.

Seven young children playing with legos in a small pool of water.

Join 4-H!

September 26, 2024

Mississippi’s 4-H program reaches youth with a variety of interests.

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About Extension for Real Life

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 [email protected]