October 2023 | Issue No. 11
The Land-Grant Ledger Tennessee State University College of Agriculture
Inside this Issue:
Dean’s Message:
Dean’s Message
Dear friends and supporters,
Charlie Morrison Bio
I am pleased to announce that we are back to producing our monthly Land Grant Ledger after a 14-month hiatus. Mr. Charles Morrison, the newly appointed Editorial/Communications Specialist at the College, will be shepherding this newsletter going forward. See his brief bio inside. Our goal continues to be to give you a quick glimpse of what’s happening at the College and how we are striving to serve the stakeholders in Tennessee and beyond.
Small Farm Expo 2023
We began offering a master’s degree in Agricultural Business and Leadership both online and in-person. This semester, we also started a new doctorate degree program in Agricultural Sciences. The College continues to excel in garnering external grant funding and secured several multi-million dollar grants recently. You can read about one such grant inside this issue of the Ledger. The recently-held Small Farm Expo event on the main campus attracted farmers from all around the state. By all accounts, this was a huge success. This semester we began to once again host the Tiger Fresh Farmers Market on campus. The market, along with the Community Gardens we support at the main campus’ Agricultural Research and Education Center, goes a long way in promoting plant-based diets and nutrition. Finally, our county extension agents continue to deliver science-based education to improve farm productivity and the general well-being of the public and communities in general. Sincerely, Dean Chandra Reddy
Morgan County Extension Update Knox County Extension Update Hardeman County Extension Update Johnson County Extension Update Hamilton County Extension Update Tiger Fresh Farmers Market 12th Women in Agribusiness Conference Tiger Bay Wetland International Molecular Biology Meeting Tennessee Entomological Society
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
College of Agriculture Bolsters Communications Team Longtime Charleston, SC-based journalist Charles Morrison has joined the TSU College of Agriculture’s communications team in the role of Editorial/Communications Specialist. In joining TSU, the Vermont native left a journalism career that saw him write for the Charleston City Paper, the Daniel Island News, West Of and the James Island Messenger, which he also edited and published. A surfer, book lover, sports and Jeopardy! fan, Morrison lives in East Nashville with his wife Telalit and their beloved cat Shusha.
Former journalist Charles Morrison has joined the College of Ag. Communications team in the role of Editorial/Communications Specialist
The TSU College of Agriculture Communications Team has grown to four. The team is made up of (from left) Director of Marketing and Communications Rod Reed, Editorial/Communications Specialist Charlie Morrison, graphic designer Christina Jacob and Online Curriculum Specialist Jeremy Nance
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
TSU Small Farm Expo Director Finis Stribling, III led the College’s efforts at the 19th annual event, held last month at the Agriculture Research & Education Center on TSU’s main campus
A Celebration of Farming at 19th-Annual TSU Small Farm Expo The TSU College of Agriculture held its 19th-annual Small Farm Expo last month, hosting more than 250 farmers, students, and supporters for a day of workshops, presenters and discussion. The event, aimed at bringing together the small farming community and the College’s extension agent community, commemorated TSU’s nearly two-decade commitment to the state’s small farmers. This year, highlights included speakers from local, state and federal levels and workshops on topics such as urban agriculture, hemp research, organic agriculture, vertical gardening, bee keeping, food demonstrations and food crop production. “This is the very purpose of why we exist,” said the Dean of the College of Agriculture, Dr. Chandra Reddy. “As a land-grant institution, we want to support the producers.”
New Farmer Academy grad Danielle Buyton was named the winner of the 2023 TSU New Small Farmer of the Year award at this year’s Small Farm Expo
For more information on the TSU College of Agriculture Small Farm Expo go to https://www.tnstate.edu/smallfarm/. TSU graduate student Andru Jones gives visitors a tour of the organic vertical gardening research trial being conducted at the TSU organic farm
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
Extension
Graduates of UT-TSU Morgan County Extension’s seven-month 2023 East Tennessee New Farmer Academy series sit in on a presentation on farm management and goal setting
Morgan County Extension Wraps Up East Tennessee New Farmer Academy Series In September, the UT-TSU Extension Morgan County brought to a close its seven-month-long 2023 East Tennessee New Farmer Academy Series, graduating a class of 27. The series, spearheaded by County Director and TSU Agricultural Extension Agent Jenni Goodrich, featured seminars on farm planning and goal setting, who’s who in agriculture, organic production, vegetables, farmers markets and on farm sales, livestock production and sales, bees, flowers, forestry, niche crops, forages and weed control. The 2024 series will kick off in March, with registration open in November.
Knox County Extension Offers TN Smart Yards & Friends Event
(Photo: Dr. Andrea Ludwig) UT-TSU Extension 4-H, Horticulture and Master Gardener Coordinator Rylan Thompson trains members of the Knox County community
A crowd of over 300 community members attended the UTTSU Extension’s TN Smart Yards & Friends Event, held at the University of Tennessee gardens on September 16. The event, spearheaded by TSU’s Rylan Thompson, Dr. Andrea Ludwig from UT, and Knox County Master Gardener volunteers including Smart Yards project leader Mona Yethiraj, featured lectures, discussions and plenty of community interaction.
Hardeman County Extension Hosts Growers for Cotton Field Day
TSU Hardeman County Extension Agent Clint Plunk leads a hands-on demonstration of the cotton plant and how it grows at the Extension’s Cotton Field Day event, held last month
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
TSU Hardeman County Extension Agent Clint Plunk teamed up with UT cotton specialist Dr. Tyson Raper in planning and facilitating an event they titled Cotton Field Day, held last month. During the event, created as an education session for both growers and students, Dr. Raper led several sessions of cotton production discussion including one with local producers and retailers about variety performance, growth characteristics and defoliation practices, and another with local high school students during which they were taught the basics of west Tennessee cotton production.
Extension
Johnson County’s New 4-H Archery State Champ Johnson County 4-H youth Nate Combs competed and won at the Tennessee 4-H Shooting Sports Invintational in September, taking home first place in the compound archery division. The competition, the top 4-H shooting tournament in the state, was held on September 16 at the Lone Oaks Farm in Middleton, TN. The competition featured competitors in seven disciplines including air rifle, shotgun and archery. Combs, a 9th grader, will compete in June at the national competition in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Photo: Johnson County resident Nate Combs took home the top prize in the Tennessee Invitational Shooting Sports Competition, winning 1st place in the compound archery division
Hamilton County 4-H Takes Home Fourth in State Consumer Decision Making Contest For the first time in years, Hamilton County 4-H has fielded a senior high Consumer Decision Making Judging team, and in their first state event, they did well. The county’s four-member senior high 4-H Consumer Decision Making Judging team finished fourth in the Tennessee 4-H State Fall Judging Day event held Oct. 7 at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. The group, made up of high schoolers Sophie Cook, Carolina Shank, Carter Johnson and John Wood, began training for the event in August and qualified for the state championship by finishing second in the regionals held in September. Consumer Decision Making tests participants’ abilities to make sound purchasing decisions in hypothetical consumer situations. Photo: Hamilton County’s senior high 4-H Consumer Decision Making Judging team finished fourth in the state at the Oct. 7 state contest in Knoxville. Left to right – Sophie Cook, Carter Johnson, Carolina Shank, and John Wood
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
Academics
Tiger Fresh Farmer’s Market Kicks Off The TSU Department of Human Sciences’ 2023 Fall Tiger Fresh Farmer’s Market is back in full swing after kicking off for the first time this fall on Sept. 28th. Attendees can check out local Tennessee fresh produce, crafts and even food demos each Thursday this fall. The second market took place on Oct. 12, and future markets will be held on Oct. 26th and Nov. 9th. The Tiger Fresh Farmers Market is open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located on TSU’s campus at the Humphries Building parking lot. For more information on the Tiger Fresh Farmer’s Market contact Dr. Veronica Oates at voates@tnstate.edu.
The TSU Department of Human Sciences’ 2023 Fall Tiger Fresh Farmer’s Market is back, with upcoming dates of Oct. 26th and Nov. 9th at the Humphries Building Parking Lot on campus
TSU Ag. Students Make Presence Felt at 12th Women in Agribusiness Conference Nashville played host for the 2023 Women in Agribusiness Conference at the end of September and TSU was represented well. The three-day event was well-attended, with more than 1,100 descending upon downtown Nashville for the event. More than 250 companies had a presence at the conference, which featured topic discussions led by more than 65 speakers. A group of TSU Agriculture students were among those who attended the conference, gaining valuable industry knowledge and networking with other women working in agribusiness. One of those who stood out at the conference was TSU student Dacia Ringo, who showcased her insight into and passion about all things agriculture while serving as a panelist on the “Ag to Gen Z” panel.
TSU Ag. student Dacia Ringo was one of a contingent of students in attendance for the 12th Annual Women in Agribusiness Conference, held at the end of September in downtown Nashville
USDA Awards $5 Million to TSUAg for Tiger Bay Wetland Restoration Project In September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced that TSUAg had been awarded a grant of $5 million to restore the forested environment around the Tiger Bay Wetland. The grant, part of over $1 billion awarded to community organizations across the country to plant trees, combat extreme heat and improve access to nature in America’s urban neighborhoods, was made possible by monies allocated to the USDA as part of the Inflation Reduction Act and is part of President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative. Dr. De’Etra Young headed up the submission process and she along with Drs. Bill Sutton, Tom Byl, Sarah Neumann, Yujuan Chen, Reginald Archer, and Jason de Koff will be contributing researchers on the project. October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
At TSU’s Tiger Bay Wetlands, Assistant Professor of Civil and Architectural Engineering Tom Byl recently played host for a visit from the Stratford High School environmental science class
Research
TSU sophomore Kyla Hughes (third from right) presented her research at the 2023 International Society of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions meeting in Providence, Rhode Island last month (Photo Credit: Dr. Korsi Dumenyo)
TSU Sophomore Presents at International Molecular Biology Meeting TSU sophomore honors student Kyla Hughes joined her mentor Divya Jain in presenting their research to attendees of the 2023 International Society of Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions meeting in Providence, Rhode Island last month. Hughes, the youngest speaker at the international conference, which featured over 700 participants from around the world, also participated in a panel discussion talking about the benefits and challenges of doing research as an undergraduate. Kyla is seeking a Bachelor’s in Agricultural Sciences with a concentration in Biotechnology.
A Golden Jubilee for the Tennessee Entomological Society
Paige Costello was recognized for her national award-winning beekeeping essay at the 50th annual conference of the Tennessee Entomological Society
The Tennessee Entomological Society hosted its 50th Annual Meeting from Oct 9-10 at the TSU Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, TN. The meeting featured a 50-year review keynote speech, student present competitions and updates on insects of interest to Tennessee. 4-H participant Paige Costello was recognized at the event for winning First Prize in the 2023 National 4-H Beekeeping Essay Contest.
October 2023 Newsletter | College of Agriculture
Editor/Writer: Charles Morrison Graphic Designer: Christina Jacob
Phone/Fax: 615-963-7561 Website: www.tnstate.edu/ agriculture
TSU-24-119(A)-12b-17095 – Tennessee State University does not discriminate against students, employees, or applicants for admission or employment on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, age, status as a protected veteran, genetic information, or any other legally protected class with respect to all employment, programs and activities sponsored by Tennessee State University. The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Office of Equity and Inclusion, 3500 John Merritt Blvd., General Services Building, Second Floor, Nashville, TN 37209, 615-963-7435. The Tennessee State University policy on nondiscrimination can be found at www.tnstate.edu/nondiscrimination.