Going native: Conference introduces locals to many plants of the Bootheel

SIKESTON -- Nearly 100 people attended the Minority and Limited Resources Farmers Conference Friday at the Clinton Building in Sikeston.

Sponsored by Lincoln University of Missouri, the free conference was geared to Southeast Missouri farmers, producers and those interested in sustainable agriculture.

"The idea is to introduce to people in the area -- farmers, people who aren't farmers yet and people who want to be farmers -- and give them ideas of the cultural enterprises -- from learning how to treat their land to learning about native plants growing on their land," said Dr. Nadia Navarrete-Tindall, associate professor for Lincoln University and Extension specialist in native plants.

Navarrete-Tindall presented information on the region's native plants, their uses and benefits.

"My favorite region is the Bootheel," said Navarrete-Tindall who resides in Jefferson City. "The vegetation (in Southeast Missouri) is so beautiful there when you let it grow."

Some of the native plants can even be used for food, she said.

"And there are some native plants that grow only in the Bootheel," Navarrete-Tindall said.

In addition to learning about native plants, soil health, conference attendees were introduced to honey bees on the farm and on-farm composting. They heard presentations about using effective, ecologically-based pest management tools on the farm, affordable practices and approaches to manage plant diseases and marketing vegetable crops.

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