Departmental Newsletter, Spring 2003
- NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT HEAD
- by Thomas Monaco
- I want to welcome all of you to the 2003
version of our departmental newsletter. We were very
fortunate for many years (1996-2002) to have Roy
Larson serve as editor of our newsletter which
he published on a monthly basis. Roy was dedicated
to the newsletter and there is no way we can replace
his wit, humor, and charm. We cannot also meet a monthly
publication as he did, so we have settled on a quarterly
newsletter and I greatly appreciate the department
newsletter committee under the leadership of Todd
Wehner taking on this task. I hope all of you
will contribute to the newsletter when called upon
to do so.
- This will be my last column in our departmental
newsletter as your department head. I would like to
take this opportunity to thank you and the administration
for allowing me to serve as head of our department
for the past 15 years. It has been a great honor and
privilege to do so. We have a great faculty and staff
and I have been very proud to be part of this organization
over the past 36 years. Thanks for the fantastic support
I have received from you during my tenure as department
head and I hope you provide the same level of support
to the new leadership of the department.
- I will not be leaving the college entirely as I
will continue employment beginning June 1, 2003
in a 20% appointment to work with the Southern Region
Small Fruit Consortium. Bob Lyons has been
gracious enough to allow me to share his office at
the McSwain Educational Center in the JC Raulston
Arboretum so you will be able to find me there occasionally.
- SPECIAL NOTE
- by Dennis Werner
- A signing ceremony for the Thomas J. and
Virginia S. Monaco Horticultural Science Graduate
Fellowship Endowment for Diversity was held on
Monday, February 17 at the JC Raulston Arboretum visitor’s
center. In spite of the ice storm, nearly 30 people
turned out for the late afternoon ceremony.
Tom and Jenny have set up this endowment
"in an effort to continue their support and
affection for the Department of Horticultural
Science". At a recent meeting of Dr. Monaco
and Dr. Werner with the Horticulture graduate
students, Tom shared with us the impact NCSU has
had on the lives of his entire family. As many
of you know, Dr. Monaco received his Ph.D. degree
from NCSU. Tom also related to us that all three
of his sons have bachelor's degrees from N.C.
State University: Dr. Thomas J. Monaco Jr., B.S.
in Biochemistry; Dr. Joseph W. Monaco, BS in Electrical
Engineering; and Michael A. Monaco, BS in Computer
Science. Additionally, all three of the Monaco’s
daughters-in-law have NC State BS degrees. Tom
also related, that NO, the popular 1960s TV show
"My Three Sons", was not based on his
family.
"NC State University has been very good
to the Monaco family," said Monaco at
the signing event. "We established this endowment
in honor of my career, and the diversity aspect
of the award is in honor of my wife's career.
This is a joint endeavor and we feel that the
endowment in some small way pays back the institution
for the educational opportunities afforded the
Monaco family." Income from the endowment
will be used to provide fellowship awards for
graduate students enrolled in the Department of
Horticultural Science at NCSU. The purpose of
the award is to attract underrepresented groups
to the graduate programs in the Department.
Tom and Jenny, the Department and College
sincerely appreciate your kindness and generosity
in creating this endowment. Thank you very much!
- DEPARTMENTAL HIGHLIGHT
- by Todd Wehner
- The Pesticide
Safety Education Program is a partnership between
federal and state agencies to provide growers, applicators
and the public with information and training on the
proper, safe and effective use of pesticides. Training
provided through Pesticide Safety Education Program
primarily targets those applicators that use or supervise
the use of restricted-use pesticides. A pesticide
bears a restricted-use classification because it can
cause adverse effects in the environment or to human
health, if it is used incorrectly. North Carolina
farmers, foresters, nurserymen, and greenhouse operators
must be certified as private applicators under the
North Carolina Pesticide Law if they use restricted-use
pesticides to protect their crops. Under the same
law, commercial applicators are required to become
certified and licensed before they apply any pesticide
(restricted- or general-use) to the property of another
for financial compensation.
 As
the Pesticide Education Specialist, Dr. Wayne
Buhler is responsible for developing and distributing
educational materials that are used for the certification
and re-certification (continuing education) of private
applicators, commercial applicators, and dealers of
restricted-use pesticides. A network of 98 county
agents (County Pesticide Coordinators) implements
the Pesticide Safety Education Program at the local
level. Training provided within this framework enhances
personal contact between certified pesticide applicators
and staff of NC Cooperative Extension. The NC Pesticide
Safety Education Program program provides training
and continuing education for approximately 26,000
private and 13,000 commercial applicators.
- PEOPLE IN THE NEWS
- by Todd Wehner
- There is a section of the departmental web page
dealing with HS People
in the News. It is constantly being updated,
and is available for you to browse.
- FACULTY NEWS
- by Sylvia Blankenship
- A national search for a new department head is
underway.
- Mike Parker spoke at the SW Michigan Hort
Days in Benton Harbor Michigan on February 5-6 on
peach and apple production and at the North Alabama
Fruit meeting on February 19th in Athens, AL on apple
production in the SE. Sylvia Blankenship spoke at
the Virginia Grown Conference and Trade Show in Richmond,
VA, on postharvest physiology of apples.
- Joe Neal is on sabbatical leave in New Zealand
until mid-September.
- The position previously held by Dick Unrath
is now open; interviews of two candidates will be
held during the week of March 10 and March 24.
- Tom Monaco gave an outstanding presentation
on the changes that have taken place in the department
over the years at the 20th annual Eastern North Carolina
Vegetable School in Kinston, January 24. He indicated
that many things have changed in the department, for
example in the last 10 years our funding has gone
from 50-50 state funds to grants to 17-83 state funds
to grants. He thanked the growers for their support
and encouraged them to expand the support both with
the state legislature and through private funds. Bill
Jester commented on the help Tom has been to the industry
from his days of testing chemicals and new weed management
techniques for vegetables and small fruits, to his
presentations at grower meetings, teaching classes
and graduate students and finally his leadership of
the department and its relationship with industry
service.
- Tom Monaco's retirement dinner will be held
Friday, April 11, starting at 5:15pm, at the University
Club.
- Dennis Osborne, Doug Sanders and Donn Ward
(Food Science) have been very busy educating the industry
about food safety. They have made presentations at
the Eastern and Western Vegetable Schools and displayed
posters at both locations. They are also movie stars
and have made a 12 minute video explaining the Good
Agricultural Practices in Food Safety. Dennis won
the Extension Blue Ribbon Publication Award at SR-ASHS.
They also had a display at the Southeast Fresh Produce
Food Safety Education Program at the United Fresh
Fruit and Vegetable Association meeting in Long Beach,
CA,
Feb. 21-24.
- Doug Sanders and Frank Louws (Plant Pathology)
received a grant from NC Vegetable Growers Association
for Demonstration of TSWV resistant tomato varieties.
- Doug Sanders and Kirk Creel presented poster
on their research results on Fresh Market Carrots
An Opportunity Crop for North Carolina and Long Day
Onions An Opportunity Crop for North Carolina at the
Western Vegetable School in Asheville, Feb. 19 and
20.
- At the American Society for Horticultural Science
- Southern Region meeting, extension communication
awards were given to James
L. Gibson and Lane
Greer for their website 'Retail Reflections';
to Richard Hassell and Jonathan
Schultheis for their publication 'Seedless
watermelon transplant production guide'; to Barclay
Poling for his publication '2002 preplant
meetings-plasticulture strawberries-berry agent';
and to Dennis
Osborne, Douglas
Sanders and coworkers for their publication
'Good agricultural practices for the production and
handling of citrus fruit, green beans and peas, peaches,
fresh carrots and root crops, melons, and tomatoes'.
- Karen Hardy has been hired as a Research
Assistant T-L to work with Dr. Jeanine Davis effective
March 3, 2003. Karen will provide technical support
for the NC Specialty Crops Program in western North
Carolina. Karen earned her BS degree from Duke University.
- Freya Hopswood was hired February 17 as a
Research Assistant TL to work with Dr. Dennis Werner.
She will be involved in Dennis' breeding and cultivar
development of herbaceous and woody landscape plants.
Freya
earned her BS from our department in 2001.
- Dr. Yong
Xu began his research as a visiting scientist
with Todd
Wehner on Fusarium wilt and virus resistance
in watermelon. He will be here from December through
April. His office is 105 Kilgore Hall.
- STAFF NEWS
- by Barb Amos
- Welcome to the department!
- New hire: Tim Ketchie, January 1, 2003,
Agricultural Research Technician working with
Brad Holland at the Horticulture Field Laboratory.
Tim graduated in December with his BS degree in
Horticulture from our department.
- New hire: Joel Mowrey has been hired
effective March 3, 2003 as an Agricultural
Research Assistant TL to work with Dr. Tom Ranney.
Joel received his
associate degree from Hocking College in Nelsonville,
Ohio.
- New hire: Jon Roethling, December 9,
2002, Arborist working with Todd Lasseigne at
the JC Raulston Arboretum. Jon also received his
BS degree from our department.
- Congratulations and best of luck to recent retirees
of the department!
- Retirement: Don Brewer, December 31,
2002, Facilities Maintenance Coordinator for the
Mountain Horticultural Crops Research & Extension
Center located in Fletcher, NC. Don transferred
from the Research Stations Division to work with
us in 1997.
- Retirement: Dennis Adams retired January
31, 2003 with over 30 years of state service.
He has been re-hired to work in Jonathan Schultheis'
program on a part-time basis. A retirement reception
was held on February 18 at the McSwain Education
Center at the JC Raulston Arboretum to celebrate
Dennis' retirement.
- Retirement: Newell Hancock retired January
31, 2003 with over 30 years of state service.
He is working with the sweetpotato breeding project
for Craig Yencho.
- Farewell!
- Farewell to Mitzi Hole who has been the
Arboretum technician since 1996. She has gone
to work for a private landscape firm in Raleigh.
- Other staff news
- Dot and Sonny Duke have a new granddaughter.
Her name is Lauren Grove, daughter of Hunter and
Amy. Lauren was born around 10 am on March 6,
and is 8 pounds. Mother and baby are doing fine.
- UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS
- by Bryce Lane
- Student ALCA Team Heads for Mississippi
- For the thirteenth straight year NC State Horticulture
students will be participating in the Associated
Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) Student
Career Days Even March 12-16. Thirty-two students
will be traveling to Hinds Community College near
Jackson Mississippi to participate in workshops,
career fair and competitions. Companies representing
many facets of the "Green Industry"
donate their time and resources to sponsor these
events. Following the competition the team will
travel to New Orleans for two days to tour botanical
gardens, arboreta and other attractions. The event
provides our students with a great opportunity
to learn more about horticulture, the industry,
and performing under pressure!
- More importantly, the ALCA Team XIII has
raised more than $20,000 to cover the costs
of their expenses for the whole trip. The team
organized during the fall semester and coordinated
various fund raising activities. They solicited
donations from the industry with a letter writing
campaign, designed and installed landscape jobs
for residential customers, provided baked good
for the coffee cart, secured funding from NC Sate
Student Government, and secured sponsorship for
two team t-shirts that they will wear during the
competition. The team will be flying out of RDU
on Wednesday March 12, and returning Wednesday
March 19.
- ALCA Team XIII Places Fourth
- Thirty-two Horticultural Science students have
returned back from Hinds Community College in
Jackson, Mississippi where they competed in the
27th annual ALCA Student Career Days competition.
“ALCA Team XII” participated in industry-sponsored
workshops on Thursday, March 12th, a career fair
on Friday and a competition of 13 different events
on Friday and Saturday. When the dust settled
on Sunday morning, the team placed fourth in the
nation out of 51 schools and 750 students competing.
The following students placed in their events:
- Tim Ketchie: First Place, Interior Plant
ID
- Tyler Sime, Billy Carriker: First Place,
Paver Installation
- Brad Rollins: Second Place, Woody Plant
ID
- Lindsey Heise, Tony Williamson: Third Place,
Land Surveying
- A large number of students placed in the top
ten of their respective events making for a strong
overall showing as a team. Sunday afternoon the
team left Jackson and traveled to New Orleans
for a couple of days to tour gardens and other
attractions in the local area. They arrived home
Wednesday evening.
- Vance Whitaker Named Outstanding Student
- Vance Whitaker, a Landscape Horticulture senior
was selected by the Teaching Faculty to be the
NC State recipient of the ASHS Outstanding Horticulture
Student Award. The American Society for Horticultural
Science allows each university wishing to participate
to select one outstanding student to be recognized
in their newsletter as an outstanding horticulture
student. The awardees’ name and photograph
will be published in the spring newsletter. Vance
is a Park Scholar, double majoring in Ag. Business
Management. Congratulations Vance!
- Spring Graduation Approaching
- Twenty-nine undergraduate students will be graduating
this spring on May 17. University graduation ceremonies
will be held at the RBC Center, in the morning,
and our Departmental graduation ceremonies will
be held at the Ruby McSwain Education Center following
the University ceremony. We will have a luncheon
after the ceremony for graduates, faculty, family,
friends and staff. Betty Coleman will be sending
out information about attending the ceremony and
luncheon.
- Important Dates
- April 12-13: PAX/Horticulture Club Plant Sale,
JCRA
- May 2: Horticulture Club Spring Banquet, Ruby
McSwain Education Center
- May 16: Agricultural Institute Graduation, Stweart
Theater
- May 17: Graduation Ceremonies
- GRADUATE PROGRAMS
- by Dennis Werner and Rachel McLaughlin
- Six new graduate students joined the department
in spring, 2003. We welcome these new students, and
wish them well in their academic pursuits.
- Juliana Buckelew. Juliana was born in
Davenport, Iowa. She received her BS from Iowa
State University majoring in Horticulture. Specific
work experiences have included internships evaluating
and caring for Mediterranean-climate plants at
Longwood Gardens Research Greenhouses, Kennett
Square, PA and consulting home gardeners on the
Iowa State Horticulture Extension state-wide toll-free
help line. Her job positions have included Special
Gardens Coordinator at Seed Savers Exchange in
Decorah, IA and Horticulture Research Technician
for Oregon State University at North Willamette
Research and Extension Center located in Aurora,
OR. Juliana will be working on her MS degree with
David Monks with a weed science concentration.
- Margaret ‘Peg’ Godwin. Peg
was born in Lubumbashi, Zaire. She received her
BS from NCSU majoring in Horticulture in 1981.
Since graduation, and because of her husband’s
career, she has worked at a wide variety of jobs
across eastern NC. She has worked for a large
garden center in Raleigh, a small nursery with
a landscape business near Albertson in Duplin
County and heading up the grounds crew for an
ocean front condominium in Carteret County. She
is currently an Agricultural Extension Agent in
Lenoir County. Peg will be working on her MHS
degree with John Dole with a cut flower production
concentration.
- Brian Krug. Brian was born in Pella,
Iowa. He received his BS from Iowa State University
majoring in Horticulture. His studies focused
on greenhouse management and floriculture production.
While at Iowa State, he spent two semesters out
of the classroom on internships. The first was
at DeJong Greenhouses, Inc. in Pella and Oskaloosa,
IA, where responsibilities included assisting
in geranium propagation and the production of
many other Spring crops such as hydrangeas, begonias
and cyclamen. The second internship was completed
at Yoder Brothers in Parrish, FL. He was involved
in chrysanthemum, aster and poinsettia propagation,
as well as caring for impatiens stock plants.
After graduation, Brian returned to DeJong Greenhouses,
Inc. as Manager and Head Grower of the Oskaloosa
facility. Brian will be working on his MS degree
with Brian Whipker with a focus on plant nutrition.
- Jennifer Leonard. Jennifer was born in
Princeton, New Jersey. She received her BA from
UNC-Wilmington majoring in Anthropology. After
graduating, she moved back home to Belle Mead,
NJ. Her first job was working for Boca Inc. --
a company that imported roses and other flowers
from Ecuador. While working with Boca, she decided
she wanted to change fields and do something that
would make use of her artistic talents. So she
took a class in landscape design at a local community
college. She also was accepted to the Landscape
Architecture program at Rutgers University. The
summer of 2000 brought Jennifer to North Carolina
and she began taking horticulture classes at NCSU.
Jennifer will be working on her MHS degree with
Will Hooker focusing on small-scale design.
- Brian Singleton. Brian was born in Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania. For most of his life he wanted to
be a doctor. As Brian said, “In a way, this
is kind of what I want to do now, except instead
of people as my patients, I want to look for cures
to ailments involving the use of plants and land
scenarios that are not utilized to their full
potential.” He received his BS from Wake
Forest University majoring in Biology. He originally
began his MLA degree in the College of Design
at NCSU Fall semester, 2001. Brian has transferred
into our graduate program and will be working
on his MHS degree with Pat Lindsey with a concentration
on residential design, plant propagation and nursery
management.
- Carroll Williamson. Carroll was born
in Darlington, South Carolina. He received his
BS from the University of the South located in
Sewanee, TN, majoring in Natural Resources. His
employment experiences include Infantry Platoon
Commander in the US Marine Corps (1998 to present),
an Assistant Manager at Oaklyn Plantation Nursery
in Darlington, SC, and an Urban Forestry Project
Manager in Franklin County, TN. Carroll will be
working on his MHS degree with Ted Bilderback
focusing on native species.
- Two of our graduate students won awards at the American
Society for Horticultural Science - Southern Region
meeting:
- Danielle
Treadwell, working with Nancy
Creamer, received the Warren S. Barham
Ph.D. Graduate Student Award (first place) for
their paper 'Sweetpotatoes under cover'.
- Third place award was given to Jeffrey
A. Adkins, working with Dennis
J. Werner, for their paper 'Comparative
molecular analysis of floricaula/leafy homologues
in Buddleja davidii and B. lindleyana'.
- NEWS FROM AROUND NORTH CAROLINA
- Horticultural Crops Research Station (Castle
Hayne)
- by Susan Rooks
- The 37th Annual Open House of the North Carolina
Blueberry Council was held in Clinton, NC
on January 13-14. We had an attendance of 178
growers and vendors. There were a total of 36
vendors represented at the trade show. The North
Carolina Blueberry Council voted to fully fund
all the research requests submitted. Research
project leaders funded were Dr. Jim Ballington,
Dr. Mike Mainland and Susan Rooks (Horticulture),
William Cline and Z.Pesic-VanEsbroeck (Plant Pathology).
- The North Carolina Blueberry Council also voted
to give an Endowment to the Horticulture
Department in Research and Extension. The signing
ceremony occurred February 26 with Ralph Carter,
Jr. (President) and Willie Moore (Secretary-Treasurer)
from the NC Blueberry Council in attendance.
- Four blueberry cultivars were released
this year by Dr. Jim Ballington and Susan Rooks
from the NC State Horticulture Blueberry Breeding
Program. These were 'Columbus', a rabbiteye, 'Craven',
'Lenoir', and 'Pamlico', all southern highbush.
In the last 15 years, 20 cultivars have been released
from the Horticultural Crops Research Station
in Castle Hayne.
- A Strawberry Field Day is planned for
May 8 at the Horticultural Crops Research Station.
It will be promoted by Jamie Driver from Plant
Pathology. A Blueberry Field Day is being
discussed for May, but is still in the planning
stages.
- JC Raulston Arboretum (Raleigh)
- by Robert Lyons
- Welcome to the first installment from the JC
Raulston Arboretum within the Departmental Newsletter!
Each issue I'll try to update readers on all facets
of JCRA activities, news, and upcoming events.
Perhaps the first item on my list this time is
to encourage you to visit our web site
for many more details about the JCRA.
Here you'll find membership information, programmatic
specifics, highlighted plants, and one of our
most important offerings, the ability to search
for plants within our collections inventory. We've
got lots of photos and an easy way to sign up
in the "Lyons Den," our free email service
which sends out timely, periodic JCRA news items
to help you keep our calendar of events front
and center in your email box. Click on the Updates
section along the left margin of the our homepage
and head to the Lyons Den. Most announcements
go out via this service first and can often mean
the difference between getting into a workshop
or getting on a waiting list.
- The recent past most definitely includes a winter
which just won't quit! Ice storms, cold temperatures,
and downpours have been our way of life for the
past few months, and we've dealt with it all with
one of the most capable staffs around. And perhaps
the most exciting has been the advent of new
plantings around the Ruby C. McSwain Education
Center. A magnificent Japanese maple, an understory
of bulbous species, and an assortment of new woodies
have all made an appearance. It will take some
time to complete our new beds but we're excited
about the initiation with no completion date in
sight.....watch us grow.
- While in the area, drop by the McSwain Center
for brochures, orientation information, timely
self-tour guides, and for a walk around our offices
and educational space. The book and gift shop
has limited hours, so check the door if it's not
open during your first visit.....and JCRA members
get 10% off all purchases. In closing, there is
increased security at the JCRA and our parking
lot gate is closed on the weekends. Not to worry,
just park along Beryl Rd. and walk through the
pedestrian gate. And in case you think you're
"caught" inside the parking lot after
dark, just drive up close and it will open automatically,
closing shortly thereafter on its own.
- LCPTRS-Cunningham Research Station (Kinston)
- by Bill Jester
- We have a new part-time secretary Lisa Barrow,
who started on March 3. Lisa has a wealth of experience
to share with us and we are glad to welcome her
to our team.
- So far this year, we have had 6.28 inches of
rain. The last 48 days have been cold and wet
and it appears there is more rain to come. The
lettuce trials that were planned for February
15 have not been planted as of March 3.
- On January 21, the Eastern NC Vegetable School
was held here at the Cunningham station.
- Nick Augostini and Keith Tyson attended
'United 2003' in Long Beach, CA and toured Melissa's
Fresh Fruit and Produce.
- On January 20, Bill Jester attended the
Annual Convention of the American Farm Bureau
Federation. The Specialty Crops Program was chosen
to exhibit at the 'Meet the Researcher' Forum
during the convention. The title of the presentation
was 'The Specialty Crops Program: Fast-tracking
Niche Crops to the Market.'
- In February, Bill Jester gave presentations
at alternative crop schools in Whiteville, Concord
and Monroe, NC and a snap bean production presentation
in Holland, VA.
- In January and February, Bill Jester
spent time interfacing with area lenders concerning
the new crops that area farmers are now producing.
- Irish potato trials were established
at Tull Hill Farms which consisted of a cultivar
evaluation and a nitrogen fertilization evaluation.
- Many trials are being planned for the
coming year. Highlights of these trials include:
- On the farm testing and marketing of a new
purple-skinned, yellow-flesh Irish potato
line from the USDA
- Evaluation of several edible gourd and squash
varieties for economic feasibility
- Cantaloupe variety evaluations
- On the farm market evaluations of various
colored snap beans for consumer-friendly,
microwavable packaging
- Evaluations of new varieties of seedless
'personalized' watermelons
- Specialty melon screening trials
- Mountain Horticultural Crops Research and Extension
Center (Fletcher)
 by
Thomas Ranney and Laura Walters- Jeanine Davis gave a presentation on
organic production of medicinal herbs at the Mid-Atlantic
Fruit and Vegetable Convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania
in early February. There she had the opportunity
to visit Chocolate World and the Hershey Museum
with Jonathan Schultheis and his family. Jeanine
Davis and her research associate, Jackie Greenfield,
are directors of the brand-new N.C. Natural Products
Association. This organization was initiated in
response to demand from this growing industry
in North Carolina. A three day conference is being
planned for late October at the NC Arboretum in
Asheville.
- Tom Ranney and his staff at Fletcher
have been working with John and Danny Allen of
Shiloh Nursery to release a new weeping river
birch named 'Summer Cascade'. The tree, which
was discovered by the Allens, is a dramatic form
of our native river birch - it's easy to propagate,
fast to produce, very adaptable, and pest resistant.
'Summer Cascade' is ideally suited for production
in North Carolina and has world-wide market potential.
A patent has been applied for and licensing will
be handled through the North Carolina Foundation
Seed Producers. There are currently 15 licensed
growers producing 'Summer Cascade'. A portion
of the royalties will be returned to support research
at NC State. Assistance in marketing and releasing
this plant was provided from the North Carolina
Specialty Crops Program, the Golden LEAF Foundation,
and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture.
- Small Fruit Program (Morganton)
- by Andy Allen
- The North Carolina Winegrowers' Association
held their Annual Conference on February 15 at
the Airport Marriott Hotel in Greensboro. There
were 268 in attendance. Concurrent sessions were
held in viticulture, enology, and marketing. Andy
Allen moderated the viticulture session and gave
a presentation on early results of the vineyard
research being conducted at the Upper Piedmont
Research Station in Reidsville.
- The North Carolina Grape Council held
their annual retreat on February 21 and 22. The
Council voted to approve the grant proposal to
continue funding of the vineyard research projects
at Reidsville.
- Interest in winegrape production is continuing
to grow. On February 6, a multi-county meeting
for prospective growers was held at the Cooperative
Extension Office in Lexington. Speakers included
horticulture agents Amy-Lynn Bartel of Randolph/Davidson
Counties, Greg Hoover of Davie County, Jack Loudermilk
of Yadkin County, and Andy Allen of the Department
of Horticulture. Over 80 people braved the rain
(which quickly turned into snow and ice) and came
out to learn about the prospects for vineyard
production in the central Piedmont region.
- Vernon James Research and Extension Center
(Plymouth)
- by Gina Fernandez
- So far, 2003 has been extremely wet and cold
in eastern NC. The Tidewater Research station
recorded 6.06 inches of rain February 2003 compared
to only 2.13 inches in 2002. Monthly average high/low
temperatures for January were 56/35F in 2003 and
47/29F in 2002.
- Construction on State Highway 64 has
begun at the Tidewater Research Station. Road
crews are constructing a four lane highway that
will pass just 600 ft behind the James Center.
For those of you who have not been out this way
lately, the four lane highway is completed up
to Williamston. The road will continue on its
current path through Plymouth and then pick up
as a four lane highway again near the Tidewater
Station, and continue on as a four lane road to
the Outer Banks. The entire project is should
be completed by 2005.
- Mark Clough and Craig Yencho are gearing up
for potato planting season. Wet soils have
already postponed one planting date. Strawberries
are waiting for warm weather to start growing.
In the past we have been close to full bloom by
mid-March.
- Drs. Fernandez and Yencho continued tag team
parenting during the months of January through
March. Some of the more interesting meetings they
attended included trips to Mexico and California.
In January, Craig hosted the NE 184 (Potato collaborators
meeting) in the Research Triangle Park. At the
end of that meeting, possession of children was
transferred to Craig in a hotel room in Raleigh.
Gina set off early the next day for Puerto Vallarta,
Mexico. She attended the North American Bramble
Growers Association annual meeting as Program
and Research Committee Chair. Her arrival was
acknowledged by mother nature with a 5.6 earthquake
that was centered about 150 miles south of PV.
In February, Craig was off to California to visit
with Bodger Seed Company. In between trips they
celebrated Yovnnes 5th birthday. She is by the
way, doing extremely well and continues to be
a great source of joy to her parents, as is her
little sister Anya.
- GRADUATE STUDENT FEATURE STORY
- by Megan Weddington
- PAX Initiation Banquet
- On February 28, new members were inducted in
the Iota Chapter of Pi Alpha Xi. Members and guests
enjoyed a birds-eye view of downtown Raleigh from
the banquet held at the Clarion State Capital
Hotel. The initiation ceremony followed the national
guidelines explaining the historical meaning of
our name and the goals of the society. New members
included 1 faculty member, 17 undergraduates,
and 10 graduate students. Tony Avent, PAX member
(1977) and local horticulturist, addressed (and
entertained) the attendees by relating his personal
observations and experiences with regard to the
use of ornamental plants in the landscape.
- New PAX Initiates 2003
- Jeff Adkins, Lee Barnwell, Nancy Brill, Douglas
Bryant, Kristen Cook, Michael Lee Davis, Jeremy
DeLisle, Adam Gardner, Gabriele Gusmini, Alice
Hinman, Jeff Jones, Wendy Kanable, Kristen Keenan,
Seth Levkoff, Amy McBryde, Per McCord, Denise
McKinney, Sara Millar, Raquel Nielsen, Jim Owen,
Dr. Mary Peet, Melissa Pline, Jenni Reaves, Shirley
Rodgers, Nick Sagan, David West, Tina Wilkinson,
Jennifer Yarbrough
- PAX Plant Sale
- Already many of the new initiates are involved
in organizing the Spring Plant Sale which will
be held April 12, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and Sunday,
April 13, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. The sale, featuring
over 400 species of traditional and unique woody
ornamentals and perennials, will be held at the
JC Raulston Arboretum. Profits from the plant
sale are distributed among horticultural scholarships,
area charities and school programs. For more information,
including a list of available plants, visit the
website: http://www.ncsu.edu/project/pialphaxi
- HORTICULTURE FACILITIES
- by Sylvia Blankenship
- Kilgore improvements this past year have
included a renovated elevator, renovated bathrooms,
a new air conditioning system and a new alarm system
to go with the new ceiling installed in previous years.
With the ramp at the northwest entrance, the new elevator,
and the new bathrooms, Kilgore Hall is now handicap
accessible.
- The Kilgore greenhouses will be taken down
when the new greenhouses are built on the other side
of the new Undergraduate Science Teaching Laboratory
building south of Kilgore. The biology and pathology
greenhouses south of Kilgore greenhouses were already
taken down to make room for the new USTL building.
- The greenhouses at Method Road have been
renovated and expanded as well to make room for faculty
being moved from other North Campus departments. Todd
Wehner moved from Method Road greenhouses to the
new greenhouses at the Horticultural Field Laboratories.
Also, 11 faculty moved from Kilgore greenhouses to
the new HFL greenhouses: Jim Ballington, John Dole,
Bill Fonteno, Helen Kraus, Bob Lyons, Paul Nelson,
Ken Pecota, Mary Peet, Dennis Werner, Brian Whipker,
and Craig Yencho.
- OTHER NOTES
- by Todd Wehner
- The Horticultural Science departmental
web pages have been expanded over the last
year to make them more useful. The web site has gone
from 4 Mb size in 2001 to 119 Mb today. Please visit
the site and browse through some of the new areas.
You may want to look at the departmental
history area that was expanded with assistance
from the graduate students taking HS 801 (Seminar
Techniques and Technology).
- We have updated the look of the web pages. The new
HS web page design will be wider and squarer to
work better with large computer displays. It will
expand to fit different display sizes, and have more
categories to help guide visitors.
- DEPARTMENTAL NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
- Editor / webmaster: Todd Wehner
- Printing and mailing: Rachel McLaughlin
- Newsletter design: Anne Spafford
- Administrative news: Thomas Monaco
- Faculty news / Facilities: Sylvia
Blankenship
- Staff news: Barb Amos
- Undergraduate news: Bryce Lane
- Graduate news: Dennis Werner
- Graduate student feature: Carrie
Judge
- Location news: Robert Lyons (Arboretum),
Susan Rooks (Castle Hayne), Tom Ranney (Fletcher),
Bill Jester (Kinston), Andy Allen (Morganton), Gina
Fernandez (Plymouth)
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