MU Extension in Adair County

Join the Master Gardeners and Master Naturalists on June 30 at 6 pm at the Ray Klingensmith Amphitheatre in Rotary Park in Kirksville, for an evening of learning about pollinators, pollinator plants, the Veteran's Memorial Display Garden, All-America Selections and MU Extension horticulture and natural resource related programs.

Show-Me 4-H Club members took pets and livestock to Kirksville Manor Care Center on June 14 for pet therapy, a club service project. Residents got to pet the animals and ask questions. During the business meeting, the members learned how to properly write a thank-you card and practiced writing cards. Show-Me is led by Extension horticulture specialist, Jennifer Schutter, with help from parent volunteers.

Those tall plants with delicate white flowers popping up along roadsides and field edges may look harmless. They are not. Poison hemlock is a toxic plants in Missouri and every part of it is poisonous, whether green or dried. This plant spreads aggressively, with a single plant producing up to 38,000 seeds.

How to identify poison hemlock:
• Height: Can reach 6 feet or taller
• Stems: Smooth, hollow, hairless with distinctive purple blotches or streaks
• Leaves: Fern-like, finely divided, with a strong unpleasant odor when crushed
• Flowers: Small white flowers in umbrella-shaped clusters
• Growth cycle: Low rosette the first year, tall flowering plant the second year
• Poison hemlock is often confused with Queen Anne’s lace, but that plant is shorter, hairy and not toxic

How to get rid of it safely:
• Hand removal: Only for small infestations and with full protective clothing
• Mowing or tillage: Can help reduce spread
• Herbicides: Most effective in the early rosette stage before flowering

Safety tips:
• Wear gloves, long sleeves and eye protection when handling
• Avoid inhaling plant material during removal
• Never burn poison hemlock — inhalation can be dangerous
• If unsure, do not touch the plant

Get more info: https://brnw.ch/21x3ms4

Consult the W**d ID Guide for additonal photo of Poison Hemlock and Queen Anne's Lace: https://brnw.ch/21x3ms3

Registration for Garden 'n Grow, our youth gardening program, is now open! Register at https://pears.io/events/mu/7457/

Want to stay independent, active, and confident as you age?

Join the next online session of Stay Strong, Stay Healthy — Level 2, starting June 22 at 3 p.m. This course builds on the progress you made in Level 1, helping you continue to build muscle, strengthen bone density and feel more confident in everyday movements, all guided by MU Extension specialists from the comfort of your home.

Classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays, June 22–August 12, from 3 – 4 p.m.

Keep moving forward this summer with a practical, supportive program that delivers real results.

Register and learn more: https://brnw.ch/21x3iHx

Four individuals of the North Star Master Naturalist Chapter were recognized at their chapter meeting on June 10 for completing all their requirements to be a certified Master Naturalist. After completing the course last fall, these four have also completed their required 40 volunteer service hours which includes a capstone project, and 8 hours of advanced training. Congratulations!

The 4-H floriculture project met this morning to learn how to make boutonnieres, corsages, and a bridal bouquet, instructed by horticulture specialist Jennifer Schutter. They also used fresh cut lavender to make sachets and lavender wands. The girls will enter these projects in the NEMO Fair in July. Blue ribbon items will go on to the Missouri State Fair.