August 2024 Outlook
From Director Jodie Anderson:
Innovation is defined as the practical implementation of ideas that result in new goods or services.
In Cooperative Extension, we teach practical ideas, and when we do that, we are, in fact, fueling innovation in Alaska鈥檚 communities. We see this in Deanna Baier鈥檚 work bringing 4-H to the Bristol Bay/Dillingham region while integrating the needs and cultural practices of the communities with the resources of 4-H. We see this in Heidi Rader鈥檚 work promoting food sovereignty and security to Interior Alaska tribes through Tribes extension and expanding our reach to the Aleutian Islands through our new tribal extension faculty, Marisa McKasson.
On the research side, this year, we doubled our outreach by hosting two field days, one in Palmer and one in 海角论坛. These events and the one-on-one conversations we foster with our constituents fuel innovation. Our goal is for the public to use the information we create to build their home gardens, their farms and their businesses.
I鈥檝e asked our faculty and staff to keep asking themselves what they have done lately that they consider innovative. I believe that it is with this sense of wonder and creativity that we will continue to develop new ways to accomplish our work, overcome our challenges and serve Alaskans.
As we continue to move forward, I am excited to work with you all as we innovate together and shift into new ways to continue to improve the lives of Alaskans.
Be well,
Jodie
Research Field Days a success
Laura Weingartner
What do you get when you combine a bunch of knowledgeable researchers with curious community members and no rain? A couple of successful research field days! Over 250 farmers, gardeners, educators, community leaders and more showed up to tour the farms and gardens in Palmer or 海角论坛. They learned from the scientists doing agricultural and land management research that contributes to building a healthy food system in Alaska. Thank you to everyone who came out and helped make these events successful!
So much interesting research happens at the farms. to get a glimpse of what field day participants learned about.
UAF researchers aim for quality, quantity in small grains project
Tuesday, Aug. 6, was harvest day for the small grains trials project on the 海角论坛 Experiment Farm at the 海角论坛.
The combine harvester collected seeds from almost 80 varieties of barley, wheat and canola grown to find which varieties thrive in 海角论坛' short summer.
Meriam Karlsson wins multistate award
Meriam Karlsson is a member of the NCERA-101 team, which was recently selected as the national winner of the 2024 Excellence in Multistate Research Award for its Controlled Environment Technology and Use project. LEDs and lighting technologies are major research areas for the group.
North Central Extension & Research Activity鈥101 is a USDA project organized to help plant scientists understand how to use controlled environment technology effectively and consistently. A major activity at its annual meetings is the exchange of information on new technologies, their implementation, and encountered issues and problems in controlled environments.
Karlsson, who has been involved with the group for more than 20 years, said the award is for ongoing research covering many aspects of crop production in controlled and modified environments, including season extensions, high tunnels, greenhouses, and vertical and indoor farming.
Matney honored at agricultural agents annual meeting
Casey Matney attended the National Association of County Agricultural Agents Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference in July in Dallas, Texas. He presented a poster: Comprehensive Survey of Common Scab in Alaskan Potato Tubers, and was invited to present at their "How to obtain a grant Super Seminar" with his presentation 鈥淧roject/Research Idea Development.鈥
He also received two awards: Regional Winner - Communications Award: Audio Recordings; and Regional Winner - Communications Award: Website/Online Content.
On July 11, Matney helped plan and conduct a community weed pull for bird vetch at the Kenai Dena'ina Wellness Center with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe.
Commendation for Deanna Baier
Deanna Baier recently received this note from REE-NIFA: "Thank you for submitting your Annual Progress Report for your FRTEP project. I really appreciate the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of your report, especially the details you provided for all of your great work through your plant workshops, cultural presentations, 4-H activities, and camps! You also fed an impressive number of youth. Because of your classes, your students have learned how to identify poisonous plants which has kept their families and friends safe from harm. Thank you for sharing that story!"
鈥 Janyce Woodard, National Program Leader
Georgeson Botanical Garden a top Readers' Choice
Lacey Higham
The News-Miner stopped by the garden to award it the Reader's Choice Best Tourist Attraction鈥攕econd place! Woohoo! It鈥檚 the third consecutive time the garden has placed among the top three in the annual contest. First place in 2022 and second place in 2023 and 2024 (Riverboat Discovery placed first).
Higham writes, 鈥淚 shared this with the GBGF Board and our hardworking summer crew, but thought what a wonderful thing to share and celebrate as a unit.鈥
Upcoming events
- Far North Currant Festival highlights less-known Alaska berry: Currants are getting their day in the spotlight at the Far North Currant Festival. The festival, which runs from 1-4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, will include cooking demonstrations by Indigenous chef Flora Deacon, taste tests, activities for youth and much more. For more information .
- Workshops on saving seeds, breeding plants planned: Jim Myers, a professor of vegetable breeding and genetics at the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University, will lead three workshops on saving seeds and breeding plants. The one-day workshops, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., will be held in 海角论坛 on Aug. 26, Palmer on Aug. 28 and Homer on Aug. 30. .
- Leif Albertson will lead a workshop scheduled for Aug. 27 from 6-8 p.m. The cost is $35.
- Mycologist Gary Laursen will lead a three-day mushroom workshop in conjunction with UAF Cooperative Extension in Palmer from Aug. 30-Sept. 1. For more information, visit .
- Katie Spellman, research associate professor at UAF International Arctic Research Center, will delve into the changes affecting Alaska鈥檚 berries in a free statewide webinar hosted by the Anchorage Outreach office, Wednesday, Aug. 28, 12-1 p.m. Registration required at
- Debbie Hinchey will share her knowledge and experiences so that you can also understand the process of collecting viable seeds, safe storage, and germination requirements in this free statewide webinar hosted by the Anchorage Outreach office. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 12-1 p.m. Registration required at
- Space missions always have unseen hitchhikers, microbial companions who join humans in the exploration of space. These include fungi. These tiny life forms, just like us, face the extreme conditions of space, suffering changes and adapting to stress conditions. Marta Filipa Sim玫es will discuss the exciting new field of astromycology, some of the research conducted so far, and explore how fungi can aid or hinder our space exploration efforts. Studying fungi in this context will help ensure future sustainable and safer space missions. Wednesday, Sept. 4, 6-7 p.m. Registration required at
- Leif Albertson will discuss "Emergency Response: A First Responder Perspective" in a statewide webinar from noon-1 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 5. Registration is required at
- Jasmine Shaw will lead a series of gardening and food preservation workshops in Bethel Sept. 6-8. For more information, visit
- The August workshop in Anchorage has been rescheduled to 5:30-9 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10. The cost is $45.
In the News
- KTVF interviewed Jakir Hasan about his grain breeding research:
- Heidi Rader's gardening column in the Aug. 18 海角论坛 Daily News-Miner:
- Marla Lowder's Aug. 11 column in the 海角论坛 Daily News-Miner:
- Take note of this GVEA Ruralite story:
- Leslie Shallcross's July 28 column in the 海角论坛 Daily News-Miner:
- The 海角论坛 Daily News-Miner covered 海角论坛 Research Field Day:
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