Browsing: Living

The Cleveland Farm Toy Show is an annual event in Cleveland, Mississippi, that brings together collectors and enthusiasts to buy, sell, and trade vintage and modern farm toys, including tractors, trucks, and RC models. It features vendors, displays, and handmade items at the Bolivar County Expo Center. It’s a family-friendly event where people can relive memories and see detailed farm scenes, with proceeds supporting local initiatives like FFA (Future Farmers of America) and offering a fun experience.

In its thirteenth season, The Cleveland Farm Toy Show got its start in Clarksdale, Mississippi, which was inspired by a show in Memphis, Tennessee.  

“This is a hobby I’ve had for a long time,” shared Blake Andrews, owner and director of the Cleveland Farm Toy Show. “I did it with my parents and my grandparents. And when the previous show promoter decided it was time to hang it up, I came along and decided I wanted to do it.”

Many children, especially in agricultural communities like those in the Mississippi Delta, grow up “carpet farming,” a beloved imaginative play activity where children use toy farm equipment, often on a carpet or rug, to mimic real-life farming operations.  The nostalgia is one reason people of all ages will drive from all over to attend, hoping to find a piece left out of their collection or take home something timeless for the children in their lives.

“People from Mississippi to Arkansas, Louisiana, even from Texas and farther away,” shared Andrews.

Collectors and children aren’t the only fans of Farm Toys. Some who grew up “carpet farming” go on to create works of art, creating highly detailed, often custom-built miniature displays of rural dioramas designed to replicate real-life farming operations, which are then judged at specialized shows.  Competition often focuses on creativity, accuracy, and scale, frequently at events like the National Farm Toy Show in Dyersville, Iowa.

“I always grew up carpet farming with out-of-the-box toys from John Deere,” shared Ethan Hildabrand. “My dad and I were looking at the Delta Farm press one night, saw Blake’s Farm Toy Show, and asked to go. I started getting into custom models, and finally, I built my first display.”

Participants who compete with their farm displays rarely use toys directly off the shelf. Instead, they “tweak” toys or hand-build them to create unique, realistic models. Displays are often built in specific scales to provide a realistic replica. Competitors get creative with materials to mimic real farm elements.  Winning displays often feature specific, complex agricultural tasks, such as lagoon pumping, harvesting, or robotic feeding systems.

“Whenever I set out to build a display, I like to ride around my farming community between Bentonia and Satarsha, Mississippi, and look at stuff,” shared Hildabrand. “When I get inspired, I’ll take a picture of it, and have that laid out on my table when I display, and provide a story about how it relates to me in real life.”

You don’t have to be a farmer to enjoy these events or dabble in display competitions. It is a fun opportunity for any agricultural enthusiast.

MOSS POINT—In marketing, a product has hit big when the brand name is used for all brands and varieties of a product.  For instance, the word “Kleenex” is used to refer to any tissue in a box or package meant for cleaning dirty noses.

In Vicksburg, the Mississippi River doesn’t just flow — it speaks. It moves slowly and deliberately, thick and muddy, carrying…

BILOXI—Laissez les bon temps roulez! While Mardi Gras season is only celebrated between January 6 and Fat Tuesday, the celebration continues year ‘round in Biloxi with a visit to the Mardi Gras Museum.

This Saturday at 3:00 p.m., a group of Pike County performers will take the stage at the Ford Center in Oxford as part of the Mississippi Theatre Festival. The production is free and open to the public, with ASL interpreters present. What makes the performance especially meaningful, however, is who is standing under the lights.

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) has a lot going on this month – as always. But the MDWFP wants Mississippians to remember two important dates, both of which involve hunting.

BILOXI—Many people make New Year resolutions, but Sandra Moss doesn’t.  Instead, she makes life resolutions and listens to her inner calling.

“If something in you keeps calling, listen,” she said. “Sometimes the bravest thing you can do isn’t starting over; it’s finally starting true. And remember: age isn’t the barrier; hesitation is.”

Some Mississippi traditions are built on competition. Others are built on community. And then there are the special ones—like Biloxi’s annual Arbor Day Run—that manage to do both while making room for everyone along the way.

In downtown McComb, Pike School of Art – Mississippi is steadily building something rooted in community, access, and shared creativity. Rather than operating as a traditional gallery space, Pike School of Art focuses on classes, workshops, and community-centered programming designed to bring people together through hands-on learning and conversation.

Students throughout Mississippi (somewhat reluctantly, for the most part) headed back to school this week, but before we know it, the 2025-2026 school year will officially come rushing to an end in just a few short months.

MOSS POINT—The All-American Soap Box Derby youth gravity racing program has been operating since 1934, and the only way residents of Mississippi can get to the current International Soap Box Derby in Akron, Ohio, is through Moss Point.

Rarely does Mississippi experience a New Year filled with snow and flashy parties, but that doesn’t stop the people from gleefully ringing in the New Year. 

There’s something charming about the way Mississippi rings in the new year. Sure, other places watch a polished crystal ball fall in Times Square, but we prefer seafood, anchors, glowing signs, and celebrations that feel like home. In Mississippi, we drop what we love — and sometimes we keep it classic too.

Chicago has its deep-dish pizza, and foodies flock to Philadelphia for Philly cheesesteaks. Down in New Orleans, the po-boy has a long and storied history. In Oxford, the iconic food most identified with the town is the humble chicken on a stick.

Christmas traditions are important. 

They strengthen family and personal bonds. They also link one generation to the next. When parents pass on activities such as baking tasty treats, watching holiday specials, or decorating a Christmas tree, they pass on values, faith and identity. These experiences allow families to slow down, reconnect and appreciate one another. For children, traditions provide a sense of stability and joy. By sharing traditions with the next generation, it ensures that the message of Christmas endures.

Every Christmas, I find myself thinking less about what’s under the tree and more about what surrounds it. The familiar faces, the shared stories, the traditions that don’t come from a store but from years of being passed down. As the season slows just enough for us to notice, it becomes clear that the most meaningful gifts are often the ones we didn’t realize we were being given all along.