CAFNR, Page 60

Emily Wawrzyniak had never heard of the National FFA Organization before her freshman year at Rock Bridge High School, in Columbia. She got involved in the organization right away, though, and soon developed a passion for agriculture, especially animals. That passion led her to the University of Missouri, where she was active at Jefferson Farm and Garden. Wawrzyniak’s involvement at JFG actually began during her senior year of high school, with the Center playing an important role in her supervised agricultural experience (SAE) project. Wawrzyniak received a lamb scholarship during her sophomore year at Rock Bridge, giving her a project centered on sheep.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: A Passion for Animals
In the early 2000s, the Forage Systems Research Center introduced warm-season grasses in an attempt to research pasture diversity. The Center took a whole-farm approach to the research, with mixed warm-season and cool-season grass pastures. That was just the beginning of the Research Center’s interest in warm-season grasses and how those grasses can work in the Center’s cattle grazing system.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: Researching Pasture Diversity
On April 10, 1978, Jon Schreffler drove up to the Thompson Research Center to begin his first day at his brand new, part-time job. The soon-to-be 19-year-old was offered a full-time position just five months later. As the calendar turned to 2019, Schreffler began his 42nd year as an employee at the Thompson Research Center. He has served in a variety of capacities and roles during his tenure, including farm manager of the Center since 2010.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: A Loyal Spirit
The University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources’ South Farm Research Center conducts a variety of research – from swine to turf – on its nearly 1,500 acres of land. More than 10 years ago, then-CAFNR Vice Chancellor and Dean Tom Payne put together a team to find the best way to showcase the assortment of projects taking place at South Farm. Not only did the group want to highlight the research, they wanted to make the showcase interactive, allowing the community to really see what was happening at the South Farm Research Center. The goal was to create an atmosphere where people of any age could come in and have fun while learning more about the agricultural world.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: Fun on the Farm
The Baskett Research Center is used as an outdoor laboratory for several classes, including dendrology, ornithology and resource measurements, and it has been the study location for more than 125 publications. Students and faculty work together on a variety of projects, including the development of strategies to mitigate invasive species, wildlife population research, investigation into predation and predatory patterns, the absorption of carbon dioxide in natural environments and much more.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: A View From the Top
Nitrogen application is an incredibly important part of achieving high crop yields in Missouri and elsewhere, but management of this essential plant nutrient is challenging because it is susceptible to environmental loss. The management of that nitrogen is also incredibly important, from yield and environmental standpoints. The Greenley Research Center is working on numerous projects related to nitrogen management, as well as agricultural lime placement, and the issues concerning that management and placement.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: Managing Nitrogen in the Soil
Matthew Burdick grew up in Kansas City and was interested in becoming a veterinarian when he came to the University of Missouri. He began working at Foremost in 2016 to get more hands-on experience with cattle.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: A Hands-on Learning Experience
Agroforestry incorporates trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems. The goal is to create environmental, economic and social benefits across the farm. One of those agroforestry practices is mushroom cultivation forest farming, where landowners can generate an extra income – or extra food – through growing their own varieties of mushrooms.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: A Unique Farming Enterprise
Due to its location on second bottom river soils, the Hundley-Whaley Research Center provides an optimum location for agronomic studies including testing and comparison of new varieties and new products. Jennifer Miller has looked for ways to build on those projects since she was named the superintendent of the Research Center in 2018. Her focus has been on small-acre entrepreneurship plots that are around five to 30 acres. After asking for feedback and doing her own research, Miller chose honeybees as a topic of interest.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: Beginning Beekeeping Analysis
The Southwest Research Center is home to a number of specialty crop projects, ranging from elderberries to pawpaws. That research includes a blackberry project led by Patrick Byers, a field specialist in commercial horticulture for MU Extension in Webster County. Byers is focused on researching blackberries grown in a trellis system. The project includes multiple blackberry cultivars and Byers has been able to showcase how a trellis can be extremely beneficial to blackberry growers.

Aug. 5, 2019

Research Center Magazine: Taking the Blackberry Message Across Missouri