COLUMBIA, Mo. — Backyard gardeners and small-farm owners can choose from 20 sessions on topics related to horticulture, landscaping, animal care, natural resources and more on Feb. 29 at the fourth annual Mid-MO Expo at Muriel Battle High School, Columbia.
Among the offerings:
Wildlife around your property can be beneficial, but what happens when critters are making a mess of things? University of Missouri Extension wildlife specialist Bob Pierce will explain effective techniques to control or prevent nuisance wildlife.
The Missouri River explored by Lewis and Clark is a lot different from the river we know today. Mike Dickey, site administrator for the Arrow Rock Historic Site, will compare historical descriptions of the river to the condition of the river today, after nearly 100 years of channelization and flood control projects.
Roxie Campbell, naturalist at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, will share tips to tackle bush honeysuckle and other unwelcome superweeds.
MU Extension viticulturist Dean Volenberg will offer tips for successfully growing grapes. Learn how to select the right cultivar and then meet its planting, pruning and growing requirements.
Missouri has more than 16,000 known sinkholes. Boone County alone has more than 800, including the biggest sinkhole in the state. Eric Lidholm of Crockett Geotechnical Testing Lab will talk about how sinkholes and caves affect construction projects in Missouri.
Other sessions will look at tomatoes, composting, pollinators, agritourism, rain barrels, drones and more, says Kent Shannon, MU Extension agricultural engineering specialist and one of the event organizers. A number of sessions have been approved as advanced training for the Boone’s Lick chapter of Missouri Master Naturalists.
The expo also features a silent auction, 4-H demonstrations, information booths and the Goats on the Go weed control service (motto: “No goats, no glory!”). The first 200 attendees will receive gift bags.
The event is 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29, at Muriel Battle High School, 7575 E. St. Charles Road, Columbia.
Registration is $12 with lunch or $6 without lunch. For more information and online registration, visit midmoexpo.com.
— Curt Wohleber, University of Missouri Extension
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