MU Central Missouri Research, Extension and Education Center

10/14/2026

Come out to MU Jefferson Farm and Garden and support the MU Agronomy Club! They have pumpkins for sale and are sponsoring a corn hole tournament this Saturday from 10:00 am-3:00 PM. MU Jefferson Farm and Garden is located at 4800 E New Haven Road, Columbia MO. For more information contact Jacob Heitman: [email protected]

10/05/2026

Good Morning, The Tomato Festival in August was a huge success and as many know with Tim's pending retirement in the spring that others will be in charge and this is a great time to reevaluate what is working well and what needs changed. If you can access this QR code and fill this short questionnaire out this will help us tremendously as we move forward to make the Tomato Festival even better.

09/24/2026

Sunrise on the Sunflowers. The sunflowers are at their peak and we hope that you can come and enjoy them one last time. We cut out some paths for you to enjoy. This patch was our first of the summer which came up voluntarily for last falls crop. After you enjoyed it we mowed it down and replanted. To our surprise many volunteers came up to give us this diverse mixture of tall and short sunflowers. What a special display for us to finish out the growing season. Come and enjoy and don't forget about the CAFNR Showcase on Saturday from 10-3:00 PM. This free event is fun for the entire family. We are located at South Farm, 3600 E New Haven Road, Columbia MO. We are open from sunup to sundown each day.

09/22/2026

Hey folks, the last sunflower patch of the year is in full bloom. It won't last long so come on out and get your last photos of the year. I will see if they students can cut a path through it if you like, just let me know. This is free and open to the public at South Farm, 3600 E New Haven Road, Columbia MO. It is open 7 days a week from sunup to sundown. Please respect the nearby research. It has been a pleasure bringing you these beautiful sunflowers over the years and especially this year.

09/18/2026

The large patch of sunflowers are about done ☹️but the new and last patch for the year is just starting to bloom. It is located just as you turn into South Farm on your left and should be starting to come on this weekend and be really pretty next week when it cools off. Just remember not to disturb the research that is next to the new patch or we will have to shut down the sunflower patch. Also don't forget the CAFNR Showcase on September 26th from 9:00 am-3:00 pm.

09/11/2026

The annual South Farm Showcase is September 26th from 10:00 AM-3:00 PM. This is a free and fun event for the entire family. There will be animals to see and pet, games, pumpkins, wagon rides and much more. So mark your calendars!
CAFNR Showcase at South Farm, 3600 E New Haven Road, Columbia MO.

09/10/2026

Hey folks the sunflower patch is getting pretty each day and will be peaking this weekend and early next week so come on out. We have also cut a maze through the sunflowers so it will be even easier to come out and stroll through the patch. We are located at 3600 E New Haven Road, Columbia Mo, open sunup to sundown seven days a week and it is free and open to the public. When you come into the main drive follow the road and you will see the sunflower patch on your right.
Don't forget to let us know your thoughts on the sunflower field since we enjoy bringing it to you.

https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9QNzRjU8OxGOPXw

This the authors and sponsors last year before retiring and it has been a pleasure bringing the sunflower patch to you for the past several years. It is our gift to the community. I hope that my successor will continue to do so but in the meantime I hope that I have brought some sunshine into your lives. Take care,

09/09/2026

The warm temperatures have sped up the 3rd sunflower patch that was supposed to peak out on Sept. 26th instead will be in full bloom this weekend almost two weeks early! So make preparations to come out this weekend and all next week to get your family photos. This is the large field where we have had the sunflower patch in the past so you can't miss it. The hours are from sunup to sundown seven days per week and our address is 3600 E New Haven Road, Columbia MO. Come into the main gate off of New Haven and follow the road and you will see the patch on your right.
As always we love for you to share your photos! And if you can please let us know your thoughts on the sunflower patch.
https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9QNzRjU8OxGOPXw

09/03/2026

Good Morning, the sunflowers still look good for today and probably tomorrow so come on out and get your photos. If you want to pick and take some home that is fine too. The next patch will be ready the end of this month so this is your last chance for a few weeks.

08/31/2026

Learning isn't just in the classroom, this group of students have learned by taking the lead and using what they have learned at Mizzou. The Central Missouri REEC give these students and many others opportunities that they will never get anywhere else.

At Mizzou’s annual Tomato Festival, students gain hands-on experience growing more than 200 tomato varieties before sharing what they learn with Missourians.