Want to improve the fish population in your pond? The Missouri Department of Conservation may be able to help. The Conservation Department provides fingerling fish at no cost to owners of new or renovated ponds. Not all ponds qualify, however, and the fish do come with a few conditions.

Pond owners who accept fish from the Conservation Department retain full rights to control access to their ponds. Accepting…[more]

Drinking plenty of water is an essential element to staying healthy in the hot summer months. Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, says being in the water should be another.

“The simple act of immersing yourself may be the best medicine out there,” McKinnon said. “You even burn more calories simply standing in water. Add exercise to the mix, and…[more]

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - I’d rather take a beating than get into discussions on the pricing of hay land and pasture rental property. There seems to be a 50-50, and sometimes a 100 percent chance that someone isn’t going to be happy.

Case in point: In early spring, several years ago, the market outlook for fescue seed appeared to be going through the roof. I was contacted by a…[more]

Warmer weather signals the start of many things – one of which is the City of Kansas City, Mo., Paint Program. In 2007, this program provided free paint and supplies to 310 homeowners.

“This program gives eligible homeowners high-quality, exterior paint for their homes at no cost,” said Bob Jackson, manager of the Property Preservation Division of the Neighborhood and Community Services Department. The Property Preservation Division staff…[more]

The mortgage is due, your paycheck is stretched and food and fuel prices are soaring. Do money problems have you down?

“If your income has not kept up with inflation, rising prices may be the reason you have trouble making ends meet. Rather than increase your use of credit to pay for a lifestyle you can’t afford, take some time to look at your spending,” says Katie Cobb,…[more]

Adequate soil moisture and warmer weather are making lawns grow a little faster than most people probably would like them to right now. “Just because lawns are doing well now does not mean the grass will continue to be healthy,” cautioned a University of Missouri Extension agronomy specialist.

As the season progresses, turfgrass diseases will begin to appear. “Homeowners often neglect to manage these diseases until they become…[more]

At first, you may think you have bumblebees zipping around near your porch, deck or carport. It’s a simple case of mistaken identity! Because of other similarities, as well as their black and yellow coloring, the carpenter bee is easily mistaken for the more ill-tempered bumblebee.

The situation can actually be worse since the carpenter bee, as the name implies, will bore into exposed, unpainted wood structures, resulting…[more]

Most doctors advise against overexposure to the sun. Likewise, trees are living organisms that also can suffer from sun damage – especially when their tops have been removed. Topping is the indiscriminate cutting back of tree branches to stubs or lateral branches that are not large enough to assume the terminal role. Other names for topping include “heading,” “tipping,” “hat racking” and “rounding over.”

Nature’s Sun Screen [more]

Families, individuals and businesses in Missouri that have suffered damage from the mid-March severe storms and flooding have less than one month to register for help from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

Deadline for registering for FEMA assistance in the 35 counties declared for Individual Assistance is May 27, 2008. To register or to check…[more]

Homeowners should put a lot of thought in selecting the right lawn-care service, said a University of Missouri turf grass scientist.

“You should always follow some basic guidelines in choosing a lawn-care company,” said Brad Fresenburg.

First, know what lawn- or landscape-care services you want. Ask several companies what services they offer and ask for client references.

Insist that a company representative visit your…[more]