Events

14^th annual Greenhouse Tomato Seminar set for Feb. 26

The public can learn the latest about the greenhouse tomato industry at the LSU AgCenter Red River Research Station’s 14^th annual Greenhouse Tomato Seminar on Friday, Feb. 26 in Bossier City.

Dr. H.Y. Hanna, an LSU AgCenter researcher at the station, is the presenter.

There is no registration fee for the event, which will last from 1 to 5 p.m.

Among the topics are cutting costs without reducing yield, a new root media recycling method that saves money, research tips that produce results, productive greenhouse varieties, pollinating your vegetable garden by yourself for food and fun, and growing your own vegetables in a hobby greenhouse.

A tour of the station’s greenhouses will be conducted and a special training session on grafting will be held.

To register, call (318) 741-7430.

Pesticide recertification meetings set

Johnny LeVasseur will be conducting pesticide recertification meetings for those individuals whose pesticide applicator cards expire March 31.

The dates are Feb. 25 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. and on March 4 at 1 p.m.

DeSoto Parish dates are Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. and Feb. 25 at 6 p.m. at the extension office.

Sabine, Natchitoches and Red River dates have not been confirmed.

Natchitoches participates in Arbor Day

The Natchitoches Parish LSU AgCenter, in conjunction with the City of Natchitoches and Northwestern State University took advantage of Arbor Day as an opportunity to educate youth throughout the parish.

The theme and focus for the week was “Trees are Terrific.” Gwen Fontenot, assistant extension agent, and NSU students conducted educational blasts using Project Learning Tree material for the after-school program Kids City.

Students participated in a hands-on activity in which they learned the different parts and functions of a tree. Natchitoches Parish Junior Leaders assisted by producing a “Trees are Terrific” window display for the downtown Arts Center to help promote the benefits of trees.

The celebration ended with the planting of a live oak at a newly constructed city park.

Chefs in the Kitchen offered in Caddo

Chefs in the Kitchen, a five-week class, began Jan. 21 with 18 youth, ranging from 11- to 18-years-old.

This class is being conducted by Lola Boone and it is funded by the Wal-Mart “Fit 4 Life” grant. Students were given pedometers to track steps for the duration of the class as part of the “America on the Move” program. Students get to prepare and eat three different dishes each night.

Faculty members attend conferences

Dr. Patrick Colyer, Steve Micinski and Colleen Cookson attended the Cotton Beltwide Conferences in New Orleans. Micinski participated in the poster board session with “Bollworm/Tobacco Budworm Abundance in Pheromone Traps During the Past Twenty-Four Years in Northwest Louisiana.” Beltwide was held Jan 4-7.

Micinski and Jim Hayes attended the 13^th annual Conservation Systems Cotton and Rice Conference Jan. 12-13 in Tunica, Miss., and Dr. Blair Buckley attended the 53^rd annual Tri-State Soybean Forum in Stoneville, Miss., on Jan. 8.

In old news

Laura Haley won the Christmas door decorating contest in Caddo with her theme “Marshmallows for Toasting.” Elizabeth Jordan won second place with her theme “Parties for Hosting.” Third place was Dianne Glasgow with “Meaning of Christmas.”

4-H

McFarland named to National 4-H Convention Design Team

Daniel McFarland of Keithville, a junior at Caddo Magnet High School, is a member of 2010 National 4-H Convention Design Team.

He is one of a five youth who will be working with extension leaders from all over the nation to plan the 2010 4-H Club Congress, a national leadership conference for 1,200 teens from across the United States, said Karen Martin, regional coordinator of 4-H for the LSU AgCenter.

She said the team is made up of the nation’s most outstanding 4-H members. The first meeting of the team will be in February in Atlanta.

McFarland is president of the Louisiana Junior Angus Association, vice president of his school’s student government and former vice president of the Legislative Youth Advisory Council.

He is 4-H State Executive Board member, 2009 Caddo Parish Outstanding Male 4-H Student and Louisiana Junior Cattleman Association’s northwest director.

He showed the Louisiana State Fair Grand Champion Angus heifer, was the fair’s overall talent show winner and plays in the Louisiana All-State Orchestra.

His other honors include National Rice Federation scholarship recipient, Chesapeake Energy Discovering Tomorrow’s Leaders award, Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Ambassador, Omega Psi Phi Good Citizenship Award recipient and a member of the 2010 Top Ladies of Distinction Beautillion.

Caddo News

State Award of Excellence Medal Winners are Dixie Riser, Brooke Saulsbury and Breanna Saulsbury (Herndon); and Maegan Koch and Isaac McFarland (Quatrefoil).

State 4-H Key Club Pin Winners are Katherine Rashall (member-at-large) and Daniel McFarland (Quatrefoil).

William Kolodzey, Isaac McFarland, Daniel McFarland (Quatrefoil), Kimberly Rodriquez (member-at-large), Tommy Renick and Sawyer Sloan (Herndon) will represent Caddo at the LSU Spring Livestock Show in Gonzales.

Webster Celebrate Girls hear talk on safety, service

Bridget Rutherford of Shreveport, one of 12 Clarkes Jewelers “unsung volunteers,” addressed the 4-H Celebrate Girls club at the Webster Parish Extension office on Jan. 19.

She volunteers for Think First, and gets to wear “Gemma,” a diamond necklace, throughout the month of January. She is making appearances to discuss community service and safety, her passion. She encouraged the girls to spend three seconds to buckle their seat belts and shared her message of making choices in every aspect of their lives.

Red River Parish Livestock Show Team off to successful year

Exhibitors from the Red River Parish 4-H Livestock Show Team traveled to West Monroe on Jan. 16 for the 2010 Ag Expo Livestock Show which was held at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center.

In goat showmanship, placings were: Michael Arnold, second and Carmen Latiolais, third. In the market goat division: Michael Arnold placed second and third; Alyssa Woodard, fifth and tenth and Carmen Latiolais, sixth and seventh. In breeding goats, Michael Arnold and Madison Lewing placed second with their percentage does and Carmen Latiolais placed fifth and seventh.

In the commercial doe show, Madison Lewing came in third and fourth.

In the beef show, Rowdy Burleson placed third with his commercial heifer. Darrell McLemore won first in his class with his Brangus heifer and both of his Brangus bulls won first in their respective classes. Darrell also exhibited the champion Brangus bull and heifer and went on to win Reserve Supreme Champion Bull and Heifer in the championship drive.

If you are interested in joining the Red River Parish 4-H Livestock Club, call Joshua Salley, assistant county agent, at the Red River Parish Extension office at 318-932-4342.

Red River Shooting Sports supporters receive donation

The Red River Shooting Supporters group received a $1,000 donation from Tristate North Louisiana Midstream.

This donation is being used to further educate 4-H members in the Shooting Sports program. With the money received, the group will be able to buy more clay targets and safety equipment used during practices.

Red River sends a special thank you to John Wells and Mike Noack for recommending the group to receive this donation.

Employees

Salley new Red River agent

Joshua Salley, a new agent in Red River Parish, will be welcomed at a meet and greet from 1 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 at the Coushatta office.

Volunteers study, band migratory birds

Colleen Cookson was quoted in a story in the Marshall News Messenger on birds. She was involved with a group catching wild birds for banding with Dr. Jim Ingold and Tom Walker near Caddo Lake.

"We do winter philopatry to study birds coming back to the same place every winter. We've been doing this since the fall of 1996," Ingold, professor of biological sciences at LSUS, said in the story.

Cookson is an experienced bander and a former student of Ingold.

Calendar

Feb. 7—Super Bowl

Feb. 9—Dr. Hanna on Coffeetalk TV show

Feb. 10—Presentation on LSU AgCenter to Lions Club

Feb. 12—Presentation at Eden Gardens School on agriculture

Feb. 25—Lunch and Ag Discovery, Terry Foster, “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?”