SU & LSU Ag Center’s set to host St. Helena Agriculture Day & Sustainable Farm Tour

File photo from a previous St. Helena Ag Day

Baton Rouge, LA – The Southern University Ag Center, along with the LSU AgCenter and the Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (S.A.R.E.), will sponsor an Agriculture Day and Sustainable Farm Tour in St. Helena Parish.

                              

The event will be held from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. on June 13 at the St. Helena Multi-Purpose Facility, 31676 Hwy. 16, in Amite, La. 70422.

The Ag Day will consists of commercial and consumer horticulture farm tours, beef cattle forages, and a program for youth and adults.

Participants are advised to dress and plan appropriately. Hats, sunglasses, long pants, closed toe walking shoes, drinking water, and sunscreen are recommended. The tours will involve standing and moderate walking.

The Agriculture Day and Sustainable Farm Tour are free and open to the public, but registration is required.

To register, request ADA accommodation or additional information, contact Ahmad Robertson at ahmad_robertson@suagcenter.com, 985-748-9381 or 225-222-4136 by June 5.     

                               

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SU Ag Center to host Youth Summer Cooking Camp

C.H.E.F. Camp to provide youth with cooking principles and nutrition education

     

Registration Form

           

Baton Rouge, LA – The Southern University Ag Center, in collaboration with the LSU AgCenter, will sponsor its “Creating Healthy Enjoyable Foods” (C.H.E.F.) youth cooking camp for youth ages 9-11 on June 13 – 16 and for ages 12-15 on July 18-21.

The C.H.E.F. cooking camp is designed to teach youth basic cooking principles and nutrition education based on the USDA’s, “MyPlate” food guidance system and Dietary Guidelines.

Each day, participants will work together to create an entire meal while learning healthy eating and physical activity principles, food preparation, kitchen and food safety, common cooking terms, proper food handling, measuring techniques, critical thinking and team building skills, planning and time management.

Both sessions will be held on the Southern University Baton Rouge campus in Pinkie E. Thrift Hall from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Only 12 participants will be accepted for each session. Participants are required to bring a bag lunch and healthy snack each day.

Registration for the camp is $30 and must be accompanied with a completed registration form and mailed to: C.H.E.F., Nutrition Education Program, Southern University Ag Center, P. O. Box 10010, Baton Rouge, LA 70813. Payment must be made in the form of a money order payable to the Southern University Ag Center.

The deadline to apply for both camp sessions is Monday, June 6.

To enroll or for additional information, contact Kiyana Kelly or Marquetta Anderson-Reynolds at 225.389.3055 or via e-mail at, kiyana_kelly@suagcenter.com or marquetta_anderson@suagcenter.com.

                               

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Southern University Ag Center staff participate in ‘Red Nose Day’

SU Ag Center staff members, from left, Angela Jackson, Kim Butler, Ellen McKnight, Joyce Tubbs, Tiffany Franklin, Kelli Hollins, Decobea Butler, Kendrah Selders and Milissia John-Baptiste participated in Red Nose Day. The event is held to bring aware and raise funds for child poverty in the U.S. and poor communities throughout the world.

Baton Rouge, LA – Several Southern University Ag Center staff members participated in ‘Red Nose Day’, a national campaign to bring awareness and raise funds to fight child poverty in the United States and in some of the poorest communities in the world.

The event, held on Thursday, May 26, will conclude with a live television special on NBC at 8 p.m. (CT). 

Over the past 25 years, the campaign has raised over $1 billion globally. The 2015 campaign raised $23 million that funded programs designed to keep children and young adults safe, healthy and educated.

A ‘red nose’ can be purchased at a local Walgreens or Duane Reade store.

For additional information about ‘Red Nose Day,’ visit http://rednoseday.org/.

  

                               

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SU Ag Center Research Scientist Janana Snowden mentioned in EGO Magazine

Discusses the importance of mentoring students

Recent Southern University graduate Mar'Lesha Hollins (seated) poses for a photo with her mentor, Dr. Janana Snowden, while the two examine the antibacterial soap Hollins made with hibiscus sabdariffa extracts for her thesis.

                

Baton Rouge, LA – Southern University Ag Center’s Dr. Janana Snowden was mentioned in an article that appeared in the Fall 2015 Edition of EGO Magazine.

The publication, which is the official student magazine of the Southern University and A&M College, provides students with the opportunity to publicize activities and events relevant to the university. In the article, Mar’Lesha Hollins, a recent graduate who has held many titles during her tenure at Southern University including: senior level ambassador in the Dolores Margaret Richard Spikes Honors College, Freshman Class Senator, Freshman Class President, Sophomore Class Vice-President, Chief of Staff and Miss Junior; was asked, “Is there a certain professor or administrator you’d like to recognize who has been a great mentor or extremely helpful,” in which she acknowledged Dr. Snowden, her research mentor.

Snowden is a research scientist at the SU Ag Center investigating the medicinal properties and functions of natural products. Mar’Lesha and Snowden became acquainted last summer when Snowden served as an adjunct Genetics instructor for the Department of Biology in which Mar’Lesha stated was her favorite class. She enjoyed Snowden’s teaching tactics so much that she asked her if she would serve as her Honor’s Thesis mentor.  

Mar’Lesha investigated the antibacterial activity of soap formulation utilizing hibiscus sabdariffa extracts at the SU Ag Center. She defended her thesis on May 3 and graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s of Science in Biology on May 13, 2016, making her the second to graduate with an Honor’s Thesis under Snowden’s mentorship.

“Since 2006, while working on my doctorate in Environmental Toxicology, I’ve served as a Research Mentor for the Upward Bound Math and Science Program. After graduating and beginning my career as a Research Scientist with the Southern University Ag Center, I’ve continued mentoring not only students in the Upward Bound Program but university-wide with most of my student’s being from the Dolores Spikes Honors College. As a mentor, I feel the most important aspect is being that listening ear or that positive voice needed in stressful or difficult situations,” said Snowden.

She went on to explain that she teaches her mentees to apply the problem solving tactics used in the classroom to real-life situations. She also provides encouragement to students by sharing some of her experiences.

“I share some of my own life experiences to show that everything may not go according as planned or be measured justly but if they keep God first and work hard, they can achieve anything they set their minds to,” stated Snowden.

She also discussed how serving as a mentor can become a challenging but rewarding experience.

“Mentoring several students at once keeps me “on my toes” and knowledgeable as they all receive different projects and I have to stay on top of each one.   The most rewarding part of serving as a mentor is seeing my students’ graduate college and bearing witness to their growth and success as young adults and professionals,” added Snowden.

Mar’Lesha’s full article can be found on page 23 of the EGO Magazine. 

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SU Ag Center to hold a Women in Agriculture Workshop in New Roads

Event Flyer

Workshop will teach women how to choose equipment for a farm or garden

                

Baton Rouge, LA – Southern University Ag Center’s Wisteria Alliance Program will hold a Women in Agriculture Workshop on Saturday, June 4 at the Episcopal Church Hall, 605 East Main St., in New Roads, LA.

The workshop, which will be held from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., will focus on helping women choose the correct equipment needed to maintain a farm or garden.

Additional workshop topics will include:

·         Machinery for Small and Large Jobs

·         Farm Equipment Demonstration

·         USDA/FAS Micro Loan Program

·         Networking Opportunities

The workshop is free and open to all women, but pre-registration is required. To register, contact Emily King at 225.718.3705 or via e-mail at emily_king@suagcenter.com.

All attendees are also asked to bring their most outrageous and outlandish work hat!

The Wisteria Alliance Program prepares women to own and operate their own farms and other agricultural based businesses. It began in 2012 as a pilot program aimed at providing practical, hands on training for women who live on farms, and those whose interest lie in starting a farm, and/or urban or community garden.

The program was named after the Wisteria, a lavender colored, very beautiful but hardy, steadfast flowering plant. The plant has many purposes, much like the role that women play in agriculture. 

All of the Wisteria Alliance trainings are designed for women, and the majority of the workshops will be conducted by women. Although men are welcome, the Wisteria Alliance is committed to creating an atmosphere where women will be comfortable to ask questions in a warm nurturing environment.

For additional information about the Southern University Ag Center’s Wisteria Alliance Program visit, http://www.suagcenter.com/PageDisplay.asp?p1=1450 or contact Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin at 225.771.2242.

                               

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SU Ag Center’s FF-News Teaches Nutrition Education to 100 Kindergartners

Evaluation Results

Marquetta Anderson teaching kindergartners how to choose healthy snacks.

The students surprised Kiyana Kelly with homemade thank you cards at the end of the school year.

Baton Rouge, LA – The Southern University Ag Center’s Families First-Nutrition Education and Wellness System (FF-NEWS) has concluded it Fall 2015-2016 Nutrition Education Curriculum for schools and communities across the state.

Nutrition Educators Marquetta Anderson and Kiyana Kelly, along with Extension Associate Ellen McKnight, conducted a pilot nutrition education evaluation series at The Baton Rouge Bridge Academy. The academy is a new charter school in East Baton Rouge Parish with a student body of 100 kindergartners.                                   

All evaluations were administered using Turning Point Technologies software (TPT). Students used TPT clickers that electronically captured and interpreted all data.  The pre–evaluations were administered in the early part of December 2015. Over a six month period, Ms. Kelly covered nutrition topics such as Exploring MyPlate, Water is Wonderful, Fun with Fruits and Veggies, Snacking Healthy, Handwashing, and Physical Activity. Students received and prepared food samples that coincided with nutrition topics such as fruit pizza, sparkling water, trail mix and yogurt.

Bridge Academy teacher, Courtney Peterson stated, “As a results of Ms. Kelly’s classes, my students were able to accurately identify foods from each food group when we were reviewing a unit on nutrition.”

Post-evaluations were then administered in the later part of May 2016. The data collected indicated that students scored an average of 59% on the pre-evaluation and 79% on the post-evaluation. As a result of the nutrition education series, nutrition knowledge increased by 20% among 100 kindergartners in a six month period.

The students enjoyed using the TPT clickers and were engaged in the nutrition lessons and demonstrations. At the culmination of the nutrition education series, the students surprised Ms. Kelly, and presented her with handmade fruit and vegetable thank you cards.

For information on the Southern University Ag Center’s Families First-Nutrition Education and Wellness System and other nutrition programs, visit http://www.suagcenter.com/nutrition or contact the SU Ag Center at 225.771.2242.           

               

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Article written by Ellen C. McKnight, SU Ag Center Extension Associate-Nutrition Evaluation & Publication.

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SU Ag Center Extension Associate Teaches Grandparents how Gardening Can Help Them Build Bonds with their Grandchildren during Grandparents Conference

Stephanie M. Elwood, SU Ag Center Extension Associate

Baton Rouge, LA – Southern University Ag Center Extension Associate Stephanie M. Elwood was one of the featured presenters during the 19^th annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Information Center of Louisiana (GRGICL) Conference. The event was held on April 22 at the Holiday Inn South Hotel in Baton Rouge.

Elwood’s presentation, “G³ Grandparents + Grandkids = Gardening,” focused on the use of gardening as an opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to spend quality time together.

“Working side by side with grandchildren is a great time for talks; getting to know one another; sharing what’s on each other’s mind, as well as, their hopes and dreams for the future. Cross generational gardening also provides an opportunity for both the grandparent and the grandchild to be the teacher and the student, thus increasing the lines of communication,” wrote Elwood in an abstract about her presentation. “So many lives and educational skills, such as leadership development, reading, mathematics, responsibility and compassion can be transferred from grandparents to grandchildren while gardening. Growing fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables may be the primary intended outcome of gardening, but the benefits are so much more,” she added.

Elwood is a Licensed Horticulturalist with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture. In her position at the SU Ag Center, she works with community and school garden programs within the Baton Rouge community, area schools and juvenile detention centers.

Currently, the SU Ag Center is implementing the, “Eradicating food deserts through the Development of School Gardens” program at several middle and high schools, the “Using Agriculture as a Fast Track Vehicle for Change through Experiential Learning” program at an alternative school and juvenile detention center, and the “Grow Healthy Program,” which implements gardens at SU Ag Center Nutrition Education sites throughout the state of Louisiana.

GRGICL is a non‐profit organization dedicated to offering both information and support to grandparents raising grandchildren and other relatives serving as parents to children who are not their own. The organization partners with other agencies to provide training and support to empower grandparents and kinship caregivers.  

For information about the Southern University Ag Center’s Community and School Garden Programs, call 225.771.2242.

To obtain information about the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Information Center of Louisiana, visit lagrg.org.

                               

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Baton Rouge, LA – Southern University Ag Center Extension Associate Stephanie M. Elwood was one of the featured presenters during the 19^th annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Information Center of Louisiana (GRGICL) Conference. The event was held on April 22 at the Holiday Inn South Hotel in Baton Rouge.

Elwood’s presentation, “G³ Grandparents + Grandkids = Gardening,” focused on the use of gardening as an opportunity for grandparents and grandchildren to spend quality time together.

“Working side by side with grandchildren is a great time for talks; getting to know one another; sharing what’s on each other’s mind, as well as, their hopes and dreams for the future. Cross generational gardening also provides an opportunity for both the grandparent and the grandchild to be the teacher and the student, thus increasing the lines of communication,” wrote Elwood in an abstract about her presentation. “So many lives and educational skills, such as leadership development, reading, mathematics, responsibility and compassion can be transferred from grandparents to grandchildren while gardening. Growing fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables may be the primary intended outcome of gardening, but the benefits are so much more,” she added.

Elwood is a Licensed Horticulturalist with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture. In her position at the SU Ag Center, she works with community and school garden programs within the Baton Rouge community, area schools and juvenile detention centers.

Currently, the SU Ag Center is implementing the, “Eradicating food deserts through the Development of School Gardens” program at several middle and high schools, the “Using Agriculture as a Fast Track Vehicle for Change through Experiential Learning” program at an alternative school and juvenile detention center, and the “Grow Healthy Program,” which implements gardens at SU Ag Center Nutrition Education sites throughout the state of Louisiana.

GRGICL is a non‐profit organization dedicated to offering both information and support to grandparents raising grandchildren and other relatives serving as parents to children who are not their own. The organization partners with other agencies to provide training and support to empower grandparents and kinship caregivers.  

For information about the Southern University Ag Center’s Community and School Garden Programs, call 225.771.2242.

To obtain information about the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Information Center of Louisiana, visit lagrg.org.

                               

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SU Ag Center holds Graduation Ceremony for School Garden Program Participants

Aalryah Doucet poses for a photo with her certificate of completion with SU Ag Center's School Garden Program Director Tiffany Franklin (left) and the program's Garden Instructor Stephanie Elwood.

Baton Rouge, LA – Nearly 40 middle and high school students received certificates of completion for participating in the Southern University Ag Center’s School Garden Program.

Students from Southern University Laboratory School, Scotlandville Magnet High School and Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Middle Academy, were honored during a graduation ceremony held at the SU Ag Center on May 4.

                                    

The yearlong program titled, “Eradicating Food Deserts through School Gardens,” was developed by the SU Ag Center in response to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) identifying Baton Rouge as a food desert; means there is limited access to fresh produce.

The center applied for and received funding through a USDA/National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Capacity Building Grant. Through this funding a training series dubbed, “Plant it-Grow it, Try it-Like it,” was introduced to teach students basic, transferable gardening techniques from the SU Ag Center's self-produced Community Garden Curriculum. Students were also given ownership of school garden spaces to ensure easy access to fresh produce.

Since 2016 marks the final year of the program, a teacher from each participating school was presented with a copy of the Ag Center’s curriculum to ensure that the program continues to thrive within the schools.

Six students from the schools also discussed their experiences during the program and expressed how the program and its garden instructor, Stephanie Elwood, impacted their lives.

“When I starting the program I wasn’t interested in anything Ms. Stephanie was talking about,” said Aalryah Doucet. “But the program and Ms. Stephanie have taught me so much that I have decided to major in Agriculture at Southern University. Thank you Ms. Stephanie, she added.

For information about the SU Ag Center’s School Gardening Program, contact Tiffany Franklin, Project Director or Stephanie Elwood, Garden Instructor at 225-771-2242.

                               

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SU and LSU Ag Centers Collaborate on Small Ruminant Field Day

Drs. Renita W. Marshall and Sebhatu Gebrelul discuss the SU Ag Center's Master Small Ruminant Certification Program and share research updates during the April 30 Small Ruminant Field Day at LSU.

Baton Rouge, LA – The Southern University Ag Center, along with the LSU AgCenter, hosted a small ruminant field day sponsored by the Kentwood Co-op, on April 30 at the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine. Officials from both institutions brought greetings to the nearly 100 field day attendees.

                                            

Researchers from the SU Ag Center presented information on the center’s newly established Master Small Ruminant Certification Program and shared updates on current research conducted on small ruminants.

The event had a fee of $5 per person or $10 per family to cover the cost of lunch and materials. Producers also participated in a FAMACHA certification course for an additional $10. FAMACHA (FAffa MAlan CHArt) is a diagnostic tool that helps farmers identify parasite infection in small ruminants, such as sheep and goats. The tool is a chart that matches eyelid color to anemia levels, an indicator of parasite infection. FAMACHA was developed in South Africa and is distributed in the United States through the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Pest Control.

Small ruminant experts from both the SU and LSU Ag Centers made presentations on forage management, nutrition and health interaction, distiller grains, infectious and parasitic diseases, small ruminant reproduction and drug use/off label issues.

The day also featured demonstrations and hands-on activities on injections, fecal and blood collection, body condition scoring and a question and answer session with veterinarians.

The lead collaborators were Dr. Sebhatu Gebrelul, who can be reached at 225.771.3841 or sebhatu_gebrelul@suagcenter.com and Dr. Ken McMillin, who can be reached at 225.578.3438 or kmcmillin@agcenter.lsu.edu. Representatives from the SU Ag Center included: Renita W. Marshall, DVM/Associate Professor, Animal Science; Dr. James Henson, research scientist; Malik Allen, a sophomore majoring in Agricultural Economics; Joshua Simon, a junior majoring in Urban Forestry; and Lamar Burton, a senior majoring in Animal Science.

                               

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