Scott County Extension Office

09/02/2026

Fall is just around the corner! Check out this Green Tips for Bulldogs Newsletter for things to prepare for winter.

08/31/2026

Don't put your feeders up just yet!

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

08/24/2026

Did you know that August is National Catfish Month?

Catfish is the leading aquaculture species in the United States. Commercial catfish production generates 19 percent of the value of aquaculture production in the United States. From the first commercial production in ponds in the 1960s, catfish production has grown to reach annual sales of roughly 322 million pounds in 2023. Mississippi leads the U.S. in production with 29,900 acres in July 2024.

The rapid growth of the catfish industry in the 1980s and 1990s led it to become one of the most important agricultural activities in states such as Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama. The combined production acreage of these three states makes up 91 percent of all catfish production acreage. Mississippi leads the country in catfish production and has held this position since the late 1980s. The catfish industry generates an economic impact of billions of dollars and is a major source of economic activity and employment in a number of Mississippi counties.

The two major catfish-producing areas in Mississippi are 1) a relatively well-defined geographical area of the Mississippi River alluvial valley in northwest Mississippi that is commonly referred to as the "Delta" and 2) a less well-defined area of east-central Mississippi.

The Delta region accounted for the majority of the total land area devoted to catfish in Mississippi. The land is remarkably flat, with elevations of 100 to 150 feet above sea level. Most catfish ponds in the region are constructed on soils with a high clay content. Water for filling catfish ponds is pumped from the Mississippi River alluvial aquifer. Wells range from 50 to 250 feet deep. The topography and the availability of a high-yielding groundwater source are ideally suited for construction of "embankment" or "levee" ponds. After ponds are initially filled with ground water, water levels are maintained by inputs of precipitation and pumped water.

Most catfish ponds in east Mississippi are located in the western portion of the Blackland Prairie soil region which extends from just south of Montgomery, Alabama, to the west of Columbus, Mississippi, and ending near Tupelo, in northeast Mississippi. These soils also have a high clay content but differ from Delta soils in that they often overlie soft limestone, chalk, or marl. The elevation ranges from 75 to 300 feet above sea level and the land is nearly flat to moderately sloping.

High-yielding aquifers in the Blackland Prairie are considerably deeper than the alluvial aquifer along the Mississippi River, and this is reflected in water-use patterns and pond types in the region. About half the ponds in east Mississippi are watershed-type ponds that use rainfall and storm runoff for filling and maintaining water levels. The rest are embankment-type ponds or hybrid watershed-levee ponds, but nearly all use water pumped from nearby streams or other surface water supplies.

High feed prices, cheap foreign imports, and stagnant live fish prices have caused economic hardship for Mississippi producers resulting in a decrease in acreage from a high of 130,500 acres in 2001 to 29,900 acres in 2024. Improved technologies such as innovative production systems, the use of hybrid catfish, vaccines, and improved fish health management have also led to increased efficiency. Yield has increased from 3,900 pounds per acre in 2009 to 7,200 pounds per acre in 2023.

08/21/2026

‼️TODAY is the last day to sign up for the Scott County Invitational Livestock Show‼️
Don't miss the chance to win these buckles and banners!!
If you happen to miss this deadline, late entries will be accepted at a higher cost until Friday, August 28th.
If you need help navigating the Showman app, please give us a call at 601-469-4241 or stop by at 230 S Davis St., Forest, MS 39074!
https://showman.app/shows #/scott-county-invitational-livestock-show-3b55

08/20/2026

Now is the time to start getting ready for the Fall Garden!

Today our Master Gardener, Mrs. Vickie Hester presented a roundtable discussion on Fall Gardening at the Morton Public Library and passed out some resources and seeds.

For more information on Fall Gardens and what you can plant this time of year, contact the Scott County Extension Office at 601-469-4241 or stop by the office at 230 South Davis St., Forest, MS.

08/18/2026

The Scott County Forestry Association is proud to offer a $500 scholarship to help support local students as they continue their education! 🎓

To be eligible, applicants must:
🌿 Have a parent or grandparent who is a paid member of the Scott County Forestry Association
🌿 Be a high school senior or college-age student

📅 Applications are due September 20th!

For more information or to pick up an application, contact the Scott County Extension Office at 601-469-4241 or visit us at 230 S. Davis St., Forest, MS 39074.

08/14/2026

🚨 DEADLINE REMINDER! 🚨

Friday, August 21st—ONE WEEK FROM TODAY—is the deadline to sign up for the Scott County Invitational Livestock Show! 🐄🐑🐐

Don’t miss your chance to join us for a fun-filled day of livestock, competition, and community! Entries received after August 21st will be subject to a late fee, so be sure to get your entries in on time!

📅 Deadline: Friday, August 21st
🐮 Scott County Invitational Livestock Show

We can’t wait to see you there!

08/13/2026

🫎 Deer Food Plot Planting Guide for the Southeast🦌
This publication provides information on cool- and warm-season forages typically planted for deer food plots. Information includes forage class, cultivars/varieties, planting dates, planting rates (drill and broadcast), and inoculant strains for legumes. Click on the link below for more information: https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/deer-food-plot-planting-guide-for-the-southeast

08/12/2026