WWesternestern Kentucky Kentuc kUniversityy Unive rsity DepartmentDepartment of AgricultureAgriculture

Inside this issue: Alumni, I hope this newsletter finds you well and enjoying this much cooler autumn weather. It has been Alumni 1 another busy year for the WKU Department of Agriculture. The University purchased the Bennett Welcome Dr. Thomas Kingery farm this summer and turned it over to us. We had been farming the land but now we will have South Dakota & Nebraska 2 additional housing and storage facilities. With this addition the farm is now over 800 acres. Ecuador 2011 Dr. Anderson has been working with Facilities Management to bring the new stall barn to Scotland 2011 3 completion. The outside is finished but there is still much work left to do on the inside. Roger Dennis Honored We have been building fence for most of the summer and replacing high tensile electric with woven Floral Design Training Center 4 wire. We are trying to do a better job with our pasture management. We now have woven wire fences Goldwater Scholarship all the way down Bennett Lane. Turf Management 5 The spring storms brought down a large number of trees on the farm and took the roof off the Welcome Dr. Fred DeGraves Taylor Center. Through the efforts of facultfaculty,y, staff and students we have things cleaned up. We also have a new roof on the Taylor Center. WKU Vineyard 6 Leadership Bowling Green We have renovated 75 acres of pasture, and through the efforts of Dr. Garry Lacefield we received a generous seed donation. The renovation of the Taylor Center for cheese production should finally Agronomy News 7 begin in October. This has been a painfully slow process but hopefully we will be making cheese by January. We continue to improve our dairy facilities. This paspastt yeayearr we moved from a bedded pack to concrete If you would like to receive alleyways and waterbeds. The level of cow comfort seems to be paying off in the milk tank. We have IfIf youyou wouldwould like to receive a full-color version of the Dr. Jenks Britt and Dr. Ken McGuffey to thank for getting the waterbeds donated and installed. a full-color version of the a newsletterfull-color version by email? of the newsletter by email, The widening of 31W in front of the farm has begun. It may take as long as a year for this project to newsletter by email? reach completion. The best part of this project is that we received funds to renovaterenovate thethe entireentire frontfront Please send your email PleasePlease send your email of the farm that runs along 31W31W.. TThehe new entrance is being designed by one of our own graduates, Address to AddressAddress to Ms. Elinor Markle, a landscape architect here in Bowling Green.

[email protected]@[email protected] Please come to our homecoming luncheon at the Ag Expo Center, October 22, 2011 at 12:00 noon. Visit the farm, see old friends and make some new ones. ~ Jack L Rudolph, Jr.

Welcome Dr. Thomas Kingery Visiting Assistant Professor of Agriculture Education

Dr. Kingery comes to WKU from Indiana where he farmed and taught high school (Agri-science. (Agri-science & & Business Business in in grades grades 7-12). 7-12) HeHe grewgrew upup onon aa diversifieddiversified livestock and grain farm in central Indiana near Noblesville. His family farm consisted of a three crop rotation of corn, soybeans, and wheat on one-thousand acres as well as managing a one-hundred sow farrow to finish operation. The family farm also boasted ten shorthorn cows where offspring were sold as prospects and a flock of crossbred ewes were bred for terminal markets. He completed his undergraduate degree in Agricultural Education from Purdue University with a minor in Animal Production. He attained his graduate degrees from Indiana Wesleyan, Texas A&M and Texas Tech Universities. His 17 years of experience in Agricultural Education in public schools has allowed him to teach and coach numerous leadership and CDE teams from coast to coast. He is married to Becky, hhis is bride of five years, and has three wonderful children; Maddie 4, Ireland 2, and Liam 4 months. Pa ge 2 Department of Agriculture

Study Away - South Dakota and Nebraska

The Survey of US Agriculture class traveled to South Dakota and Nebraska in August of 2010. Highlights included a visit to the Haythorn Ranch, famous for breeding and breaking Quarter Horses, a tour of an ethanol production facility, a tour of Profit Maker Bulls, a visit to a 30,000 head feedlot for beef and an in-depth discussion and dinner at the 5 Trails Vineyard and Winery. These are just a few of the exciting educational activities experienced by the group. Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated stop was at Booty Rub Farm. The owner of Booty Rub raises peppers of many varieties on approximately ¼ acre. He and his family dry and mix the peppers in special combinations as seasonings for meats of Pictured above are Justin King, Alexandra Pennington all kinds. None of the peppers leave the and Erik Brown, in front of the famous Mt. Rushmore and Erik Brown, in front of the famous Mt. Rushmore farm unless packaged as a seasoning mix. In addition to agricultural tours, course participants get to stop at sites of historical and/ or cultural significance as well. On this trip, the class saw Mount Rushmore, the Crazy Horse Monument that is still a work in progress, Custer State Park, Deadwood and Stur- gis, South Dakota and other points of interest. The Survey of US Agriculture class travels to a different destination each time that it is taught with the express purpose of exposing participants to the great variety of Pictured above is the entire group that traveled to South agricultural enterprises that exist in our nation. There is a course fee associated with the Dakota and Nebraska in 2010, left to right are Chelsea class, which varies depending on travel costs and destinations. Williams, Tracy Coleman, Whitney Churchman, Dr. Linda Gonzales, Clay Chase, LeAnn Stinson, Justin King, Alexandra Pennington, Justin Tudor, Kyle Porter and Submitted by: Dr. Linda Gonzales Erik Brown.

Study Abroad - Ecuador 2011 A group of students traveled to Ecuador during the winter session on an agricultural study abroad experience. There were 18 students traveling along with Dr. David Coffey, Dr. Melissa Stewart, Kristie Guffey and Dr. Rankin Skinner, a dentist from Winchester, Kentucky. The group left the winter cold of Kentucky for the warm, tropical conditions of the south. They arrived in the capital of Ecuador and toured the museums, art, architecture, churches, and the culture of Quito. The group met up with Dr. Rankin Skinner in the city of Santo Domingo. There the students and leaders of the group learned how to administer dental sealant on the teeth of children and adults. Working withwith Dr.Dr. SkinnerSkinner andand PartnersPartners ofof the Americas, it is the com- combinedbined goal goal to improve to improve the theoverall overall health health of ofteeth teeth in thein the children children of of Ecuador. Ecuador. The The group went to two orphanages, two schools, and a small coastal village to apply the dental sealant and to give each one a toothbrush. The service learninlearningg project was magnified by the overwhelming majority of students who are now donating money, time, and dental supplies to the next study abroad trip that will be leaving on March 2, 2011. The group continued to travel from the magnificent mountains and volcanoes of the Andes to the tropical region and the Pacific coast of Ecuador. They traveled to bamboo, pineapple, cacao, beef cattle, palm oil, and hearts of palm farms; fishing villages; local markets; and witnessed a local group of indigenous people in their native culture. The group wrapped up their experience by walking on the equator and conducting exciting scientific experiments that proved they were in the middle of the world. Pre-PharmacyPre-Pharmacy major, Lashelle Courtney wrapped up the trip with these words, “To see mountains that touch the clouds, to witness farms and plantations of bamboo, bananas and palm oil, to be indulged into lifestyles that are new and different from our own, to touch peoples´ lives and have them touch ours right back, the study abroad trip to Ecuador was the trip of a lifetime.” Submitted by: Kristie Guffey Department of Agriculture Pa ge 3 Study Abroad - Scotland 2011 Ten students accompanied Dr. Linda Brown Gonzales and Mr. Roger Dennis on a study abroad trip to Scotland in May 2011. The group focused on horticulture interests, visiting the Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, many castle grounds and Arran Island. They were privileged to have a personal tour from the Head Greenskeeper at St. Andrews Golf Courses. One very lucky student, Blake Upchurch, had the unique opportunity to play the New Course! Students toured the Arran Island cheese creamery, observing cheeses being dipped in the wax covering that commonly contains cheese for shipment and sale. They visited Arran Distillery to learn about the conversion of grains to scotch whiskey in contrast to the Kentucky product, bourbon whiskey, and Arran Aromatics, a company that formulates and creates perfumes, candles and toiletry products. In the city of Edinburgh, in the shadow of the stately and imposing Edinburgh Castle, the group visited a Saturday morning Farmer’s Market. Fresh produce and value-added products, mostly from the local Taken in Edinburgh, Scotland, May 15, 2011, just outside of the Edinburgh Dungeon area, were available for purchase. Venison products were abundant since red deer are farmed in Scotland, but also Angus burgers, Buffalo meat, Left to right haggis and salmon were available. A popular candy was the Scottish Roger Dennis, Arlee Danhauer, Jared Carrier, Heather Brantley, “tablet”. Blake Upchurch, Loren Stinson, Chris Ferguson, Anna Stallings, Kyle Porter, Whitney Churchman, Zach Vincent, Linda Brown Gonzales Part of the experience of studying abroad is to be immersed in the culture and history of the country. With that in mind, the group stayed in bed & breakfast lodgings most of the time, rode trains and buses just like the locals do, and walked (a lot!) Historically important sites they visited include the famed Roslyn Chapel (featured in the final scenes of the movie “The DaVinci Code”); the home of golf, St. Andrews Old Course; the home of Robert the Bruce, StirlingStirling Castle; and the William Wallace Monument, built at the site of a significant battle in the fight for Scottish freedom from the British. Language and expressions are always interesting to observe in a culture that speaks the same basic language as we do but uses it in different ways. See if any of these terms or expressions are familiar to you: way out, give way, a queque for the loo, chips, a lift, stance, anything “wee”. (Answers: exit, yield, a line for the toilet, French fries, an elevator, the parking spot for the bus, and finally,finally, just about everything can be wee, as in “Could you keep a wee eye on the armor?” or “I’ll make a wee call for you.” Or “Its a wee walk - 20 minutes maybe.”) The success of the course has led the Study Abroad Office to invite the scheduling of the class for summer 2012! Roger Dennis has agreed to lead next year, with Gonzales serving as co-leader. Although dates and costs are to be announced, students interested in this opportunity should proceed to apply for a passport (these are good for ten years from initial purchase and remain excellent identification even after expiexpiration)ration) and should contact [email protected] or [email protected] to express interest. Submitted by: Linda Brown Gonzales Roger Dennis Honored By SAF (Society of American Florists) Roger Dennis was inducted into the Society of American Florists’ (SAF) Professional Floral Communicators – International (PFCI), the floral industry’s speakers bureau, and into the American Academy of Floriculture (AAF) in recognition of service to the floral industry and community.

PFCI applicants complete an extensive application that documents speaking experience, leadership activities and professional references. Candidates also submit an audition DVD of a live speaking engagement.

The AAF designation is a distinction recognized throughout the floral industry. In order to meet the Academy’s high standards, an individual must demonstrate commitment and service both within the floral industry and to his or her local community. - WKU News Pa ge 4 Department of Agriculture Pa ge 4 Department of Agriculture WKU Floral Design and Training Center WKU Floral Design and Training Center The Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the opening of the FloralThe Department Design Training of Agriculture Center and is pleased Floral Shop to announce located atthe 514 opening Regents of the FloralAvenue Design behind Training Gary A. Center Ransdell and Hall. Floral Shop located at 514 Regents Avenue behind Gary A. Ransdell Hall. TheAvenue purpose behind of Garythe Training A. Ransdell Center Hall. is to create a training facility for studentsThe purpose interested of the inTraining careers Centerin floral is design, to create interior a training design, facility and forhotel studentsrestaurant interested management in careers as well in as floral floral design, shop management.interior design, Courses and hotel using therestaurant facility managementare Introduction as well to Floralas floral Design, shop management.Advanced Floral Courses Design using and Weddingthe facility Floral are Introduction Design with to the Floral addition Design, of a AdvancedFloral Shop Floral Management Design and Weddingcourse being Floral offered Design in thewith near the future.addition Extended ooff a Floral campus Shop workshopsManagement will becourse conducted being offered offering in a the certificate near future. to florists Extended that arecampus interested workshops in a will advancingbe conducted their offering design askills. certificate The workroom to florists andthat classroomare interested lab spacein a is separateadvancing from their the design Floral skills. Shop The showroom workroom and and sales classroom area. Viewable lab space is workroomseparate from areas the allow Floral the Shop customers showroom to see and the sales expertise area. Viewablein creating a designworkroom and areasthe talent allow that the goes customers into a design.to see the The expertise lab space in icreatings used by a designstudents and enrolled the talent in floral that goesdesign into courses. a design. These The students lab space have iiss used a set by lab studentstime to go enrolled to the shopin floral to createdesign a courses.floral design. These The students student's have designs a set lab are evaluatedtime to go by to thethe labshop instructor to create and a floral the finished design. Theproduct student's is featured designs as area special that is sold in the Floral Shop. Theevaluated Floral by Shop the labis a instructorfull service and floral the shop finished located product on the is featuredcampus ofas Westerna special Kentuckythat is sold University in the Floral offering Shop. service to the campus and theThe Bowling Floral Shop Green is aarea. full serviceWe offer floral a full shop range located of products on the andcampus servi ofces, Western including Kentucky wedding University and funeral offering work. serviceIn addition, to the delivery campus and and thewire Bowling service isGreen available. area. OurWe offerinventory a full includes range of fresh products cut and and permanent serviservices,ces, including botanicals wedding as well andas a funeralline of giftwork.work. items InIn addition,addition,suitable fordeliverydelivery both theand wcampuswireire service and islocal available. community. Our inventory Also available includes are freshgreen cut plants and grownpermanent by students botanicals in greenhouse as well as a productionline of gift itemscourses. suitable for both the campus and local community. Also available are green plants grown by students in greenhouse production courses. Floral Design Training Center and Floral Shop Staff DirectorFloral Design - Roger Training Dennis Center AIFD, and CFD, Floral AAF, Shop PFCI, Staff KMF FloralDirector Designer - Roger – Dennis Larry Kramer AIFD, AIFD,CFD, AAF, CFD PFCI, KMF Floral ShopDesigner Coordi – Larrynator Kramer – Debbie AIFD, Gabbard CFD Floral Shop CoordiCoordinatornator – Debbie Gabbard For additional information, call (270) 745-3382 or check the website at www.wku.edu/floralshop For additional information, call (270) 745-3382 or check the website at www.wku.edu/floralshop Agriculture Student is Runner-Up in Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship Agriculture Student is Runner-Up in Prestigious Goldwater Scholarship WKU students have been recognized by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and WKUExcellence students in Education have been Program recognized. Since by 2007,the Barry more M. students Goldwater from Scholarship WKU have and been Excellencerecognized inby Educationthe Goldwater Program program. Since than 2007, from more any students other college from orWKU university have been in Kentucky.recognized by the Goldwater program than from any other college or university in Kentucky. ClariceKentucky. Esch, the daughter of Carol and Joseph Esch of Somerset, has been researchingClarice Esch,Esch, methods the daughter to utilize of lichensCarol and to reduce Joseph the Esch need of forSomerset, nitrogen-based has been fertilizers.researching She methods plans to utilizepursue lichens a Ph.D. to after reduce she thecompletes need for her nitrogen-based undergraduate career.fertilizers. According She plans to Esch,to pursue her researcha Ph.D. afterhas shaped she completes her thinking her undergraduate on her future. career.“Through According this project,” to Esch, she her said, research “I discovered has shaped a passion her thinking for conducting on her future. “Throughresearch and this intend project,” to continue she said, conducting “I discovered research a passion throughout for conducting the rest of my researchcollege career and intend and beyond.” to continue conducting research throughout the rest of my college career and beyond.” Martin Stone, Leichhardt Professor of Horticulture said that Esch is the most promising student that he has worked with in his career as aMartin researcher. Stone, “Her Leichhardt work ethic, Professor attention of Horticulture to detail, and said ability that toEsch grasp is thethe most conceptspromising of student our joint that research he has workedover the with past intwo his years career has as been a researcher. impressive. “Her But work beyond ethic, her attention intellectual to detail, abilities, and sheability is unassumingto grasp the and a conceptsgenuinely ofnice our person joint research to know over in both the thepast classroom two years andhas inbeen the impressive. greenhouse,” But he beyond said. “Students her intellectual like Clarice abilities, come she along is uunassuming nassumiinfrequentlyng and in a genuinelythe career niceof a personfaculty memberttoo know andin both I am the fortunate classroom to haand ve inwork theed greenhouse,” with her.” he said. “Students like Clarice come along infrequentlyinfrequently in -the WKU career News of a faculty member and I am fortunate to have workedworked withwith her.”her.” - WKU News Department of Agriculture Pa ge 5

Turfgrass Management Dear Alumni, It has been another successful year for our turf management students. Currently, Joshua Blaker is in Scotland completing an internship at St. Andrews Golf Club. Also, Josh had the opportunity to work the Masters Championship at Augusta National this past spring. He was in charge of Hole #13. This fall, four of our students spent a week in Augusta assisting in over-seedingover-seeding the course in preparation for next year’s Masters Tournament. Our students have been ververyy successful in obtaining quality summer internships this summer as well. WKU turf students are working at Valhalla, Victoria National, Idle Hour, UK Athletics, and Ole Stone, just to name a few. As mentioned, we have a student in Scotland, as well as students in Boston, MA and Denver, CO. Each year, our students are Boston, MA and Denver, CO. Each year, our students are Joshua Blaker—St Andrews obtaining more prestigious internships. I am extremely excited Golf Club in Scotland about these opportunities and proud of our students. Continuing with the student theme, JaJakeke Suttle and Josh Blaker received scholarships from the Kentucky Turfgrass Council and Jake was the recipient of the Outstanding Turfgrass Student Award here at WKU. Jake is currently working for a sports field construction company out of Nashville, TN. Including myself, six WKU ‘Turfies’ worked the Senior PGA Championship at Valhalla this spring. As always, it rained and flooded, but not near to the extent as in 2003. We did have some storm damage to 18 green due to an overturned media tent. WKU was well represented at this prestigious event, and was the only University that had students working the event. This past February, nine turfgrass students attended the GCSAA Conference in Orlando, FL. I would like to mentioned that my graduate student, Chelsea Williams, did complete her M.S. degree this spring and is going to be teaching Agriculture classes at Owensboro Community College. I am very happy for her and wish her well in her new career. Finally, I will close by congratulating our technician, Joey Reynolds, for completing his M.S. degree as well this spring. As always, I hope to see you this fall. Sincerely, Paul Woosley Associate Professor

Welcome Dr. Fred DeGraves - Assistant Professor of Animal Science Dr. DeGraves grew up in Michigan, where the family raised crops, beef cattle, and Christmas trees. While living in Michigan, he attended Michigan State University, receiving a B.S. degree in Microbiology and Public Health in 1974 and a D.V.M degree in 1983. Dr. DeGraves then moved to Wisconsin after taking employment with Dairyland Animal Health Inc., Weyauwega, WI. Dairyland Animal Health, Inc., a predominately dairy mixed animal veterinary practice that has played a leading role in the early implimplementationementation of novel dairy production medicine programs. During his stay in Wisconsin, Dr. DeGraves devoted considerable time dealing with issues involving bovine reproduction and developed expertise in bovine mastitis and milk quality as an area of specialization within the practice. This interest then led to North Carolina State University, where he received a Ph.D. degree that was focused on mastitis and milk quality, in 1991. While doing his graduate work, Dr. DeGraves met and mmarriedarried Barbara Davison, while she was working at the College of Veterinary Medicine as a medical illustrator. Graduate work was followed by a 12 year stint as faculty at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, where Dr. DeGraves worked as a food animal clinician/scientist specializing in dairy medicine. Their son and daughter (Jayson and Gina) were born while living in Auburn, Alabama. Dr. DeGraves then joined the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2003, where he focused on dairy medicine and veterinary public health. The DeGraves family recently moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Dr. DeGraves is now a faculty member in the Department of Agriculture, Ogden College of Science and Engineering, Western Kentucky University, where his expertise in dairy production and veterinary medicine is being put to good use. PaDepartment ge 6 of Agriculture Department of Agriculture Pa ge 5 Turfgrass Management WKU Vineyard News Dear Alumni, The past year has been a busy and productive one for the It has been another successful year for our turf management Viticulture program. Spring semester 2011 represented our students. Currently, Joshua Blaker is in Scotland completing an (Mr. Roger Dennis and I) second offering of our Introduction to internship at St. Andrews Golf Club. Also, Josh had the Viticulture class; 16 undergraduates and 3 graduate students opportunity to work the Masters Championship at Augusta completed the class this past May. We offered Advanced National this past spring. He was in charge of Hole #13. This Viticulture class for the first time this Fall 2011 semester. fall, four of our students spent a week in Augusta assisting in We’re excited to have several new members on our Viticulture over-seeding the course in preparation for next year’s Masters team. Nathan Howell (B.S., 2000) was employed as our Tournament. Our students have been very successful in VitViticultureiculture Technician in March 2011; Kellee Montgomery (B.S., obtaining quality summer internships this summer as well. WKU 2010) and Blake Layne (B.A., 2005) are pursuing a Master of turf students are working at Valhalla, Victoria National, Idle Science degrees in Agriculture with emphases upon Viticulture Hour, UK Athletics, and Ole Stone, just to name a few. As and Enology, respectively and Camille Hayden (B.S., 2012) was mentioned, we have a student in Scotland, as well as students in our Undergraduate Assistant during Summer 2011 vineyard Boston, MA and Denver, CO. Each year, our students are activities. obtaining more prestigious internships. I am extremely excited about these opportunities and proud of our students. 2011 vineyard activities began with dormant pruning in March Introduction to Viticulture class practicing their and April; the vineyards were utilized at this time to train Continuing with the studentshoot thinningtheme, Jake technique. Suttle and Josh Blaker receivedstudents scholarships enrolled from in the Introduction Kentucky Turfgrassto Viticulture Council class and in pruning Jake was the recipient of the Outstanding Turfgrass Student Award here at WKU.and Jake shoot is currently thinning working techniques. for a Aprilsports was field also construction the initiation of Kellee’scompany M.S. out thesisof Nashville, project TN.which Including is titled ‘myself,Influence six of BroilerWKU Litter‘Turfies’ Application worked Rate the onSenior Growth PGA Parameters, Championship Fruit Yield at Valhallaand Chemistry, this spring. and Sensory As Evaluationalways, it rainedof two Frenchand flooded, Hybrid Grapebut not Cultivars’. near to Maythe extent and June as in saw 2003. turbulent We did weather have some in Bowling storm damageGreen; ato late-May 18 green windstorm due to an overturnedand early-Juneearly-mediaJune tent. hailstorm WKU was damaged well represented our vines’ atshoots this prestigious and immature event, fruit and clusters. was the We only planted University our newest that had vineyard students on working June 7, thewe wwereevent.ere This fortunatepast February, that thenine young turfgrass plants students avoided attended the June the 5 hailstorm!GCSAA Conference Our new vineyard in Orlando, consists FL. of 75 ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, 50 ‘Malbec’,‘Malbec’, 50 ‘Syrah’,I would andlike 25to ‘Tannat’-‘Tannat’mentioned- all that of whichmy graduate are varietals student, of EuropeanChelsea Williams, origin which did complete will be utilized her M.S. for degree wine productionthis spring andwhen is maturegoing to in be 2014. Weteaching encourage Agriculture you to classes stop by at the Owensboro vineyards Communityfor a visit, they College. are located I am veryon both happy sides for of her the and front wish greenhouse her well in near her newthe L.D. career. Brown Finally, I Agriculturewill close by Exposition congratulating Center. our technician, Joey Reynolds, for completing his M.S. degree as well this spring. As always, I hope to see you this fall. Submitted by: Dr. Todd WiWillianllian Sincerely, Paul Woosley LeadershipAssociate Professor Bowling Green Program Visits WKU Farm

The Leadership Bowling Green program visited the WKU farm on May 18, 2011. This particular day was dedicated to Agri-Business. The 30 member group was given a comprehensive tour of the various farm operations with lunch provided by the Warren County Cattleman’s Association. Some of the highlights included a stop at the dairy where Jeremy Waddell gave an overview of the operation,operation, Welcome(and an opportunity Dr. to pet Fredthe new calves!), DeGraves a brief tour of -the Assistant new vegetable production Professor facility where of Travis Animal and Tracy Coleman Science shared Dr.their DeGraves knowledge grew of integratingup in Michigan, high tunnelwhere thegreenhouses family raised in the crops, community beef cattle, gardening and Christmas program trees. and a stop at the vineyard at which Nathan WhileHowell living introduced in Michigan, the participants he attended to Michigan some of theState research University, being receiving conducted a B.S. as partdegree of thein new viticulture program. MicrobiologyThe annual visit and was Public once Health again ina success1974 and in ashowcasing D.V.M degree the farm in 1983. not onlyDr. DeGravesas a production then movedfacility, to but also with a major function as a Wisconsin after taking employment with Dairyland Animal Health Inc., Weyauwega, WI. Dairyland research complex and serving as a location for development of the newest undertakings in modern agriculture. Animal Health, Inc., a predominately dairy mixed animal veterinary practice that has played a leading roleSubmitted in the early by : Timimplementation Jones of novel dairy production medicine programs. During his stay in Wisconsin, Dr. DeGraves devoted considerable time dealing with issues involving bovine reproduction and developed expertise in bovine mastitis and milk quality as an area of specialization within the practice. This interest then led to North Carolina State University, where he received a Ph.D. degree that was focused on mastitis and milk quality, in 1991. While doing his graduate work, Dr. DeGraves met and married Barbara Davison, while she was working at the College of Veterinary Medicine as a medical illustrator. Graduate work was followed by a 12 year stint as faculty at the Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine, where Dr. DeGraves worked as a food animal clinician/scientist specializing in dairy medicine. Their son and daughter (Jayson and Gina) were born while living in Auburn, Alabama. Dr. DeGraves then joined the Department of Veterinary Preventive Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio in 2003, where he focused on dairy medicine and veterinary public health. The DeGraves family recently moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky. Dr. DeGraves is now a faculty member in the Department of Agriculture, Ogden College of Science and Engineering, Western Kentucky University, where his expertise in dairy production and veterinary medicine is being put to good use. Department of Agriculture Pa ge 7 Agronomy News

Student News Buck Hulsey, Coty Johnson, Phillip Rogers, Anna Stallings, Josh Timbers, Marie Weldon and Phillip Wheet were involved in the 2010 Southern Regional Soil Judging Competition, which was hosted by The University Georgia - Athens. Darwin Newton and Becky Gilfillen went with the group as coaches. The students placed 11th in the contest at UGA. Buck Hulsey, Phillip Rogers, Anna Stallings, Josh Timbers, Marie Weldon and Phillip Wheet competed in the NACTA Contest hosted by Modesto Junior College in MModesto,odesto, CA in April 2011. It was a good trip to see all different kinds of soils in California and also the Agriculture Industries that exist there. Fortunately, one day we did get to see Yosemite National Park which was just amazing. During the November Kentucky of Academy Sciences Meeting, Marie Weldon placed 2nd in the Undergraduate Poster Contest and Gary Cundiff placed 2nd in the Graduate Student Presentations. Way to go Marie and Gary! Kaylissa Horton was the Outstanding SSeniorenior Agronomy Plant Science Student this year. She graduated in December and is working on a Master’s Degree in Agronomy at Purdue University. Buck Hulsey was the Outstanding Senior Agronomy Soil Science student this year. He graduated in May and is working with the USDA -NRCS currently. We wish both Kaylissa and Buck the best in their futures. The Soil Management and Conservation Class along with the Agronomy Club had a field trip to Roundstone Native Seed Company in November wwhichhi ch is located in Upton, KY. In the spring, the Soil Fertility Class and the Agronomy Club had a field trip to Crop Protection Services and Waters Agricultural Laboratory in Owensboro. We appreciate all of the support from our local Agricultural Industries. Gary Cundiff and Bill Penick are second year M.S. Agronomy Graduate Students in the Department. Gary’s project is using mycorrhizaemycorrhizae in tomato and snap bean production and is working with Dr. Becky Gilfillen and Dr. AnnesAnneslyly NNetthisinghe.etthisinghe. Bill’s research is looking into using a no-till tobacco transplanter in various crop residues and is working with Dr. Todd Willian. Chris Ferguson has started his M.S. studies this spring working with Dr. Gray. Research The Agronomy Faculty continues to focus on research in the area of Waste Management in cooperation with the USDA-ARS unit located at the WKU Farm. We have added two new studies this summer. One study looks at microbial survival in soil and fescue after poultry litter, dairy manure or inorganic fertilizer applications. Information about soil nutrient accumulation and fescue yields will also be determined in order to collaborate information between the study. Our second new project loolooksks at nutnutrientrient accumulation under a feedlot setting. In addition to soil samples, greenhouse gas samples are also being collected. The hopes of this project are to see where the excess nutrients from the field lot are accumulating and being released. Research projects include the use of poultry litter and dairy manure as a fertilizer source to grow field and forage crops. Dr. Annesly Netthisinghe made presentations at the American Society of Agronomy Meetings in Long BeaBeach,ch, CA and at the Southern American Society of Agronomy Meetings in Corpus Christi, TX. Dr. Becky Gilfillen made a presentation at the Southern American Society of Agronomy Meetings in Corpus Christi, TX. She has served as Vice-President/Program Chair this past year and will be President this coming year. In Agronomy Research this summer – we are assisted in our efforts by undergraduate student Patrick Scott and graduate students Bill Penick and Gary Cundiff . Buck Hulsey and Marie Weldon werwere e undergrundergraduateaduate student lab workers this past year.

Submitted by: Becky Gilfillen, Todd Willian and Elmer Gray

Please visit our new website: http://www.wku.edu/agriculture If you would like to see something added, let us know. Call: 270-745-3151 DepartmentDepartment of of Agriculture Agriculture WesternWestern Kentucky Kentucky University University U.S. POSTAGE 19061906 College College Heights Heights Blvd Blvd #41066 #41066 PAID PERMIT NO. 398 BowlingBowling Green, Green, KY KY 42101-1066 42101-1066 BOWLING GREEN, KY AddressAddress Service Service Requested Requested 42101

We are on the web: We are on the web: http://www.wku.edu/agriculture http://www.wku.edu/agriculture

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