When I last posted I was in Oregon watching a winter storm move in. It was interesting talking to people in McMinnville because I just didn't see the issue with the 3 to 5 inches of snow that they were predicting until I was informed that the town doesn't own a snowplow. OK, I finally understood all the concern, but in the end the snow wasn't too bad and the Oregon Society of Soil Scientists (OSSS) and Northwest Forest Soils Council (NWFSC) winter meeting went on as planned and was well-attended. I was especially impressed with the number of students in attendance! Over lunch on the first day there was a student mentoring/networking session that was a lot of fun. Professionals were mixed with students to talk about goals, questions, etc. It was sort of a speed networking session as they switched the students around about every 5 minutes so they could talk to more mentors, but I think we all enjoyed it and then were able to talk more as the day went on.
The title of the winter meeting was Soil Carbon and You: It's Complicated. OSSS/NWFSC did a great job with the meeting with some very interesting talks that ranged from climate change to biochar to carbon sequestration. Speakers came from the NRCS, USFS, EPA, ARS, and the University of British Columbia. The meeting finished with a field tour on Friday afternoon entitled "From Fir to Ferment" and included much talk of terroir and some wine tasting at several vineyards. Unfortunately I was unable to attend this portion since I had a plane to catch. If someone who was on that tour wants to post a comment to this blog - please do and let us know how it went!
The talk I did for the meeting was aimed at several things and included licensing, understanding the disconnect between students, academics and employers, changes that the Soils Certifying Board is instituting over the next year, and an update on legislation in Oregon that includes soil scientists. We had some lively discussion on some topics that continued into the evening. I also spent some time with students from both Oregon State University and Portland State University. Much like K-State and KU there are students that are doing soils in both institutions, but there are differences in the programs and where the students are housed in departments. Interesting discussions on how to interpret soil science and areas of expertise - a discussion that will, no doubt, continue as we look at how to include everyone.
I want to thank the soil science societies in both Georgia and Oregon for making last week a truly wonderful experience. I learned a lot and met a lot of great people who have a lot of wonderful ideas and are excited and passionate about what they are doing. Thank you for sharing your time with me and inviting me to talk with you!
One last note: Oregon is host to the National Collegiate Soil Judging competition April 26-30th and it sounds like it will be a great experience for those attending. I wish everone the best!
Wired for Soils
Monday, February 28, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
On the Road
Well, I left for my cross country trip on Sunday to visit with soil scientists in both Georgia and Oregon. As per usual when I have to travel the weather wasn't exactly supposed to be great for the trip to Columbus, OH to catch my flight. It turned out to be OK in the end since the bad weather wasn't moving in until the afternoon and I left in the morning. However, I had to fly through Chicago (ORD), which was getting the weather that Ohio was expecting - freezing rain. I was lucky this time because my flight to Atlanta went on time. Once in Atlanta I rented a car and was off to Athens and aside from the fact that I was trying to read directions in the dark, I made it to the hotel without too much trouble.
The Soil Science Society of Georgia (SSSGA) meeting was at the State Botanical Gardens (part of UGA) and it was a beautiful setting - even in the early spring. Of course, the 70 degree weather didn't hurt! I got to the meeting early and was invited to sit in on their Executive Committee meeting and listen to their discussion on current legislation that affects soil scientists. The bill discussed had to do with consumptive use/water conservation. The SSSGA Executive Committee is well-informed and in-tune with what is going on in their legislature. This might be expected since the group has gone to the legislature in the past to support a bill for licensing soil scientists in GA, and they have been successful in moving the bill through the legislature. Unfortunatley the Governor wouldn't sign the bill when it got to his desk. However, now they have a new Governor and are contemplating trying it again. This will be something that they will be discussing and trying to figure out how to finance -as they know a good lobbyist is worth the money, but they do cost a lot of money.
After the Executive Committee meeting we had lunch prior to starting the conference. I was treated to a good southern lunch of barbecue, Brunswick stew, and sweet tea. I still think my favorite barbecue place is a roadside place near Pittsboro, NC, but this was good too. I also got to see a few people that I hadn't seen in awhile, which is always nice!
The conference started with a student presentation (undergraduate) that was working on understanding erosional landscapes and sources of sediment. It was an interesting talk and there were several questions asking about how to use it or scale the methods to be useful for consulting. After the student presentation was a talk by the Department of Community Health. This talk covered a fair amount of information regarding septic systems, current regulations, and how the department lists consultants. I followed with a talk about licensing and certification, with some information SSSA's strategic plan, and information on our 75th Anniversary and meeting in San Antonio.
I had to fly out of Atalanta yesterday morning, but was invited to stay with friends on Monday night so as not to have to live in hotels all week long. They own a horse farm and own greyhounds and whippets - which is how I know them. Their house sits on 60 acres and is the quintessential southern home and is one of my favorite places to just relax on their sprawling front porch - well, actually it is more of a veranda. In any case it was a wonderful place to wind down. I also got a treat in sleeping with the windows open since it was warm - talk about a little piece of heaven for the northern girl in February! I should note that conversations about soil come up when you least expect it and part of the conversation that evening was directed at discussing what type of soil(s) would best support the footing and proper vegetation for running dogs - lure coursing or racing. It was an interesting question since soil that is hard an dry can tear up a dog's pads badly. The person I was visiting had seen dogs run in England several times and said the peaty soils that they run on seem to work well. His wife brought up that the soils in KY seem to be good, especially for horses but perhaps for a different reason with nutrition. It was an interesting discussion with two people who aren't soil scientists, but have learned how soil is a significant factor in their hobbies.
So now I am in McMinnville Oregon! I had a meeting with some state agencies this morning in Salem talking about soil scientists, their talents, and legislation. Tomorrow I will be speaking to the Oregon Soil Science Society (OSSS) at their winter meeting. The title of my talk for them is SSSA: 75 Years and Looking Forward. I will report more on this part of the visit later; but I am here until late Friday. Oh, and they are supposed to get the worst weather of the winter tonight and tomorrow. Today hasn't been bad, but you can tell its gearing up and the President of OSSS has been keeping constant communication to ensure people know what is going on - although she has said that the meeting will go on! Today has been mainly off and on rain/sleet/snow with a lot of wind. However, now as I look out the window it is sunny with a great big rainbow. That should give us some luck - right?
The Soil Science Society of Georgia (SSSGA) meeting was at the State Botanical Gardens (part of UGA) and it was a beautiful setting - even in the early spring. Of course, the 70 degree weather didn't hurt! I got to the meeting early and was invited to sit in on their Executive Committee meeting and listen to their discussion on current legislation that affects soil scientists. The bill discussed had to do with consumptive use/water conservation. The SSSGA Executive Committee is well-informed and in-tune with what is going on in their legislature. This might be expected since the group has gone to the legislature in the past to support a bill for licensing soil scientists in GA, and they have been successful in moving the bill through the legislature. Unfortunatley the Governor wouldn't sign the bill when it got to his desk. However, now they have a new Governor and are contemplating trying it again. This will be something that they will be discussing and trying to figure out how to finance -as they know a good lobbyist is worth the money, but they do cost a lot of money.
After the Executive Committee meeting we had lunch prior to starting the conference. I was treated to a good southern lunch of barbecue, Brunswick stew, and sweet tea. I still think my favorite barbecue place is a roadside place near Pittsboro, NC, but this was good too. I also got to see a few people that I hadn't seen in awhile, which is always nice!
The conference started with a student presentation (undergraduate) that was working on understanding erosional landscapes and sources of sediment. It was an interesting talk and there were several questions asking about how to use it or scale the methods to be useful for consulting. After the student presentation was a talk by the Department of Community Health. This talk covered a fair amount of information regarding septic systems, current regulations, and how the department lists consultants. I followed with a talk about licensing and certification, with some information SSSA's strategic plan, and information on our 75th Anniversary and meeting in San Antonio.
I had to fly out of Atalanta yesterday morning, but was invited to stay with friends on Monday night so as not to have to live in hotels all week long. They own a horse farm and own greyhounds and whippets - which is how I know them. Their house sits on 60 acres and is the quintessential southern home and is one of my favorite places to just relax on their sprawling front porch - well, actually it is more of a veranda. In any case it was a wonderful place to wind down. I also got a treat in sleeping with the windows open since it was warm - talk about a little piece of heaven for the northern girl in February! I should note that conversations about soil come up when you least expect it and part of the conversation that evening was directed at discussing what type of soil(s) would best support the footing and proper vegetation for running dogs - lure coursing or racing. It was an interesting question since soil that is hard an dry can tear up a dog's pads badly. The person I was visiting had seen dogs run in England several times and said the peaty soils that they run on seem to work well. His wife brought up that the soils in KY seem to be good, especially for horses but perhaps for a different reason with nutrition. It was an interesting discussion with two people who aren't soil scientists, but have learned how soil is a significant factor in their hobbies.
So now I am in McMinnville Oregon! I had a meeting with some state agencies this morning in Salem talking about soil scientists, their talents, and legislation. Tomorrow I will be speaking to the Oregon Soil Science Society (OSSS) at their winter meeting. The title of my talk for them is SSSA: 75 Years and Looking Forward. I will report more on this part of the visit later; but I am here until late Friday. Oh, and they are supposed to get the worst weather of the winter tonight and tomorrow. Today hasn't been bad, but you can tell its gearing up and the President of OSSS has been keeping constant communication to ensure people know what is going on - although she has said that the meeting will go on! Today has been mainly off and on rain/sleet/snow with a lot of wind. However, now as I look out the window it is sunny with a great big rainbow. That should give us some luck - right?
Friday, February 18, 2011
From Ice to Mud in Two Days, but Ahh the Smell of Soil in the Spring!
Up until a couple of days ago my deck, yard and driveway were still covered in several inches of ice overlain by several inches of snow. In fact I was chopping ice on my driveway on Wednesday so that I could actually drive out of my driveway. Now I have mud. And lots of it. Don't get me wrong, the thought of spring is is always welcome this time of year- and better yet the smell of the soil. However even as a soil scientist who loves playing with soil, I have to say wiping mud off of my dogs is already getting old. It would be one thing if they just left it at mud on the paws, but like everyone, they are happy to be able to run again, which means dripping muddy long hair on dogs that all weigh over 70 lbs. In case you really want to understand what I am experiencing - I have borzois - look up a picture and then you will understand what I mean with dripping muddy coats!
But back to the wonderful smell of the soil in the spring - at least those of us up in the white and frozen north recognize it after the stale smell of winter! I remember when I found out what that smell came from and was absolutely thrilled since I had identified that smell with spring my entire life. I was, believe it or not, in graduate school at the Univ. of MN in a Soil Biology class taught by Dr. Peter Graham. Funny how you remember these little things, but when he talked about smelling soil and really what we were smelling was the actinomycetes it was just one of those things I would never forget. Who knew soil bacteria could smell so good? Perhaps I am weird or strange in that I notice smells, sounds and sights in the world around me that many other people I think forget to acknowledge in the busy rush of their lives. I put a rule in my own life long ago where I literally stop and look around at least once per day to see and experience what is going on in the natural world around me. Perhaps that sounds silly or geek-like, but try it. The rewards are definitely there for the taking, especially this time of year!
Next week I will be busy with traveling to both Georgia and Oregon. I am looking forward to talking with people in both places and will report on it here! In the meantime... have a great weekend AND take some time to smell the soil!
But back to the wonderful smell of the soil in the spring - at least those of us up in the white and frozen north recognize it after the stale smell of winter! I remember when I found out what that smell came from and was absolutely thrilled since I had identified that smell with spring my entire life. I was, believe it or not, in graduate school at the Univ. of MN in a Soil Biology class taught by Dr. Peter Graham. Funny how you remember these little things, but when he talked about smelling soil and really what we were smelling was the actinomycetes it was just one of those things I would never forget. Who knew soil bacteria could smell so good? Perhaps I am weird or strange in that I notice smells, sounds and sights in the world around me that many other people I think forget to acknowledge in the busy rush of their lives. I put a rule in my own life long ago where I literally stop and look around at least once per day to see and experience what is going on in the natural world around me. Perhaps that sounds silly or geek-like, but try it. The rewards are definitely there for the taking, especially this time of year!
Next week I will be busy with traveling to both Georgia and Oregon. I am looking forward to talking with people in both places and will report on it here! In the meantime... have a great weekend AND take some time to smell the soil!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Consultants and Students - San Antonio Z-Session!
Consultants – have you ever felt like the project you are working on would be a candidate for a CSI type of show? Students - have you ever wondered what it takes to be a consultant and solve a wide variety of problems for clients? Well, we have just the session for you in San Antonio at the annual meetings this year! There will be a Z Session on Monday afternoon that is designed to get everyone talking about how to solve “cases” in agronomy, soils and environmental science.
So what is a Z Session? It is a special session that doesn't really fit anywhere else in the structure of how the annual meetings are organized. In this case the Z Session that I would like to generate interest in is a joint session on Monday afternoon between our Consultants and the Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Science (SASES). The point of this session is to bring the consultants and students together for the afternoon to share experiences and talk about the different types of issues that consultants deal with in their careers. The theme is to provide a CSI-like atmosphere where the consultant can spend about 10 minutes introducing the "case" and then hand the case over to the audience to discuss and solve and at the end the consultant will reveal what actually happened. We plan to have 5 cases presented during the afternoon (30 minutes of time for each) and the cases will range from agronomy to soils to environmental science.
While the annual meetings in San Antonio may seem a far way off, abstract submissions are open now. I want encourage consultants that would be willing to help out with the session by presenting a case to contact me - or at least plan to participate by setting some time aside on Monday afternoon of the meetings. Students – we will be talking with you prior to the meetings about helping facilitate the discussions, but if you have questions now, please also feel free to contact me. This is a great opportunity to join in the discussion about solving real issues and to have a dialogue amongst professionals and our future professionals. Look for more information in the coming months. Again – please contact me if you are interested in participating with an example “CSI” project!
So what is a Z Session? It is a special session that doesn't really fit anywhere else in the structure of how the annual meetings are organized. In this case the Z Session that I would like to generate interest in is a joint session on Monday afternoon between our Consultants and the Students of Agronomy, Soils, and Environmental Science (SASES). The point of this session is to bring the consultants and students together for the afternoon to share experiences and talk about the different types of issues that consultants deal with in their careers. The theme is to provide a CSI-like atmosphere where the consultant can spend about 10 minutes introducing the "case" and then hand the case over to the audience to discuss and solve and at the end the consultant will reveal what actually happened. We plan to have 5 cases presented during the afternoon (30 minutes of time for each) and the cases will range from agronomy to soils to environmental science.
While the annual meetings in San Antonio may seem a far way off, abstract submissions are open now. I want encourage consultants that would be willing to help out with the session by presenting a case to contact me - or at least plan to participate by setting some time aside on Monday afternoon of the meetings. Students – we will be talking with you prior to the meetings about helping facilitate the discussions, but if you have questions now, please also feel free to contact me. This is a great opportunity to join in the discussion about solving real issues and to have a dialogue amongst professionals and our future professionals. Look for more information in the coming months. Again – please contact me if you are interested in participating with an example “CSI” project!
Monday, February 14, 2011
The Land of White Limestone
Well, Kansas is usually referred to as the Land of Oz or the Sunflower State, but K-State is definitely the campus of white limestone. If you haven't been there it is worth a look as it is beautiful with all the buildings being constructed of white limestone, except two dorms that are red brick, but they have now made it a rule that new buildings need to match the old. I was told, during my visit last week, that K-State is the oldest land grant university in the U.S., although apparently Michigan State ranks right up there, but due to the Michigan legislature taking a break at the wrong time K-State was approved first.
My visit with faculty and students (undergrad and grad) was really very productive for me as I learned a lot about what types of programs and activities K-State offers. I wasn't there to only talk soils, but also agronomy. While I spent a fair amount of time talking with faculty, my first "talk" was with the undergraduate students on Tuesday evening. It had been snowing all day and being from the north I didn't really think too much about it until someone mentioned that they hoped students would show up for the meeting that night. I was happy to see that the room was full when we arrived! I talked to the group about certification and licensing, although primarily certification since Kansas is not a licensing state. I covered certifications in soil, agronomy and the certified crop advisor. At the end of the talk there were several questions - all of them good! I hope to see some students take the certification exams this year! As I was finishing up I was presented with a K-State Agronomy baseball cap - purple of course! I will wear it proudly.
I met with a large group of graduate students on Wednesday and they were interested in a lot of things, but one of the things we talked about is what it is like to be a consultant. I told them my experiences and what they needed to think about before starting a career as a consultant, but also encouraged them to speak to others. I also encouraged them to take the certification exam that pertained to their field of interest. The research interests of the grad students was diverse, but I have to admit that I was happy to hear that several were focusing on urban soils. This just supports the point that soil scientists are vital in many different settings.
I also met with some graduate students from KU, a non-land grant institution that is located in Lawrence, KS. Chuck Rice invited them to talk with us. These students considered themselves to be soil scientists (and I didn't disagree with that), but they were located in either the geography or biology departments on that campus. It was interesting listening to the types of courses availalbe to them as well as what their research projects are. They are definitely doing soils work, but in some cases missing what we might refer to as some of the basic courses that we tend to have access to in a land grant institution. Interesting! I would be interested in hearing opinions about how SSSA can reach out to these students and involve those programs and their students/faculty more within SSSA.
Overall I had a great visit! I talked about many things with different faculty members, especially how SSSA can help fill in education gaps. I'm not sure K-State has a lot of those gaps with the large and diverse program that they house, but one of the things that I will be pursuing is facilitation of regional field courses to help provide opportunities for students or recent graduates to gain time in the field and become familiar with the typical instrumentation and methodologies used. More on that as we start planning the specifics!
I do have to mention one thing that impressed me. I was talking about the importance of networking and internships when I was informed that most undergraduate students have completed two or more paid internships prior to graduation. Paid! That doesn't happen everywhere. Furthermore, they cannot produce enough agronomy graduates to fill all the job openings that K-State knows about through their contacts with employers. They have a great program that really works on keeping the network going and focusing on relationships with employers. Again - that doesn't happen everywhere.
I think there are some good ideas and messages that I took away from my visit with K-State. We do have the current SSSA President on the faculty there as well as the President-Elect! Hopefully the exchange of ideas went both ways and we can continue to learn from each other.
My visit with faculty and students (undergrad and grad) was really very productive for me as I learned a lot about what types of programs and activities K-State offers. I wasn't there to only talk soils, but also agronomy. While I spent a fair amount of time talking with faculty, my first "talk" was with the undergraduate students on Tuesday evening. It had been snowing all day and being from the north I didn't really think too much about it until someone mentioned that they hoped students would show up for the meeting that night. I was happy to see that the room was full when we arrived! I talked to the group about certification and licensing, although primarily certification since Kansas is not a licensing state. I covered certifications in soil, agronomy and the certified crop advisor. At the end of the talk there were several questions - all of them good! I hope to see some students take the certification exams this year! As I was finishing up I was presented with a K-State Agronomy baseball cap - purple of course! I will wear it proudly.
I met with a large group of graduate students on Wednesday and they were interested in a lot of things, but one of the things we talked about is what it is like to be a consultant. I told them my experiences and what they needed to think about before starting a career as a consultant, but also encouraged them to speak to others. I also encouraged them to take the certification exam that pertained to their field of interest. The research interests of the grad students was diverse, but I have to admit that I was happy to hear that several were focusing on urban soils. This just supports the point that soil scientists are vital in many different settings.
I also met with some graduate students from KU, a non-land grant institution that is located in Lawrence, KS. Chuck Rice invited them to talk with us. These students considered themselves to be soil scientists (and I didn't disagree with that), but they were located in either the geography or biology departments on that campus. It was interesting listening to the types of courses availalbe to them as well as what their research projects are. They are definitely doing soils work, but in some cases missing what we might refer to as some of the basic courses that we tend to have access to in a land grant institution. Interesting! I would be interested in hearing opinions about how SSSA can reach out to these students and involve those programs and their students/faculty more within SSSA.
Overall I had a great visit! I talked about many things with different faculty members, especially how SSSA can help fill in education gaps. I'm not sure K-State has a lot of those gaps with the large and diverse program that they house, but one of the things that I will be pursuing is facilitation of regional field courses to help provide opportunities for students or recent graduates to gain time in the field and become familiar with the typical instrumentation and methodologies used. More on that as we start planning the specifics!
I do have to mention one thing that impressed me. I was talking about the importance of networking and internships when I was informed that most undergraduate students have completed two or more paid internships prior to graduation. Paid! That doesn't happen everywhere. Furthermore, they cannot produce enough agronomy graduates to fill all the job openings that K-State knows about through their contacts with employers. They have a great program that really works on keeping the network going and focusing on relationships with employers. Again - that doesn't happen everywhere.
I think there are some good ideas and messages that I took away from my visit with K-State. We do have the current SSSA President on the faculty there as well as the President-Elect! Hopefully the exchange of ideas went both ways and we can continue to learn from each other.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl Champions!
While I know this is off the topic of soils, I post this for all those Packer fans out there - especially those in our Madison, WI headquarters. They have been having tailgate parties (complete with bison burgers) for the last few games - OK, the actual 'tailgating' was inside, but they did grill outside!
Nice Job Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl Champions!!!
I'll be back with more soils blog later this week!
Nice Job Green Bay Packers - Super Bowl Champions!!!
I'll be back with more soils blog later this week!
Friday, February 4, 2011
Mother Nature, the NACD Conference, a Good Article to Read, and the Packers
I feel like I have been away from this blog forever! Actually I was in Nashville, TN for the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and then Mother Nature deemed it necessary for me to stay a couple of extra days due to blizzard conditions in the north. I have to say that for a northern girl the experience of 68 degrees last Saturday and Sunday in Nashville felt pretty good, but reality hit yesterday when I finally made it home to the several inches of ice here in Ohio. (I actually currenlty work out of Ohio and not Wisconsin.) Having spent most of my life in Wisconsin and Minnesota I have to say I really am not amused by the ice thing and I am still trying to figure out how to deal with it, if you actually can. But on to other things...
The NACD conference was interesting; most of the attendees were members of the respective Boards from all over the U.S.and attendance at the various sessions was good. ASA/SSSA had a booth and we were answering questions about the societies and our certification programs. I have to say I was a little dismayed that most people didn't want to talk about soils! (OK, I admit I am biased.) I think most were more familiar with agronomy and so the conversations centered around that. However, it did show me that we need to spend some time and effort really educating the public as to why soils are so integral to everything else, and in this case agronomy. Many people were interested in yields and fertilizer recommendations and how to better understand how to apply only what is needed to be more environmentally sound. A few asked about soil tests and how they related to predicting maximum yield with the right fertilizer recommendation. I was also glad to see that there is an awareness of the changing climate, differences in the past few years with precipitation and a curiosity on how this would affect agriculture in the future. I do want to thank Marta Krist from our certification staff for making the whole experience fun, even when our flights were cancelled and we found ourselves with extra time to get familiar with Nashville.
Given my experience at NACD, I did want to address a comment on a blog from last week where a person had referenced an article that just came out in the Soil Science Society of America Journal (SSSAJ) entitled "Global Prospects Rooted in Soil Science". You can download the article from our website and I would recommend you read it if you get a chance. For those reading this that are thinking this is a research paper - it is not. It is a good read for anyone! It is based pretty heavily on agriculture, but definitely strays outside the ag field and brings up many other places that soils are critical to the issues that the world is facing today including energy, climate change and biodiversity. Seriously, take the time to read this - SSSAJ Volume 75: Number 1 pages 1-8 by H.H. Janzen et al.
Next week I am off to Kansas State University to meet with their student groups and talk to faculty about licensing/certification and how this fits with the university's goals in preparing students for a career as well as what the societies are planning as we look to the future. I am looking forward to spending some time meeting and talking with people (especially students) about the future of our profession and how to facilitate better communication between our universities and employers.
And now for a very important point. This Sunday is the Super Bowl and as you have figured out by now I am a Cheesehead and Green Bay Packer fan. So please join me in cheering for the Pack this weekend as they beat the Steelers in the big game! (My apologies to Chuck Rice, SSSA President, who is cheering for the Steelers. If they by some slim chance actually win, he will get to give me grief next week since he is on the faculty at K-State.)
Have a great weekend!
The NACD conference was interesting; most of the attendees were members of the respective Boards from all over the U.S.and attendance at the various sessions was good. ASA/SSSA had a booth and we were answering questions about the societies and our certification programs. I have to say I was a little dismayed that most people didn't want to talk about soils! (OK, I admit I am biased.) I think most were more familiar with agronomy and so the conversations centered around that. However, it did show me that we need to spend some time and effort really educating the public as to why soils are so integral to everything else, and in this case agronomy. Many people were interested in yields and fertilizer recommendations and how to better understand how to apply only what is needed to be more environmentally sound. A few asked about soil tests and how they related to predicting maximum yield with the right fertilizer recommendation. I was also glad to see that there is an awareness of the changing climate, differences in the past few years with precipitation and a curiosity on how this would affect agriculture in the future. I do want to thank Marta Krist from our certification staff for making the whole experience fun, even when our flights were cancelled and we found ourselves with extra time to get familiar with Nashville.
Given my experience at NACD, I did want to address a comment on a blog from last week where a person had referenced an article that just came out in the Soil Science Society of America Journal (SSSAJ) entitled "Global Prospects Rooted in Soil Science". You can download the article from our website and I would recommend you read it if you get a chance. For those reading this that are thinking this is a research paper - it is not. It is a good read for anyone! It is based pretty heavily on agriculture, but definitely strays outside the ag field and brings up many other places that soils are critical to the issues that the world is facing today including energy, climate change and biodiversity. Seriously, take the time to read this - SSSAJ Volume 75: Number 1 pages 1-8 by H.H. Janzen et al.
Next week I am off to Kansas State University to meet with their student groups and talk to faculty about licensing/certification and how this fits with the university's goals in preparing students for a career as well as what the societies are planning as we look to the future. I am looking forward to spending some time meeting and talking with people (especially students) about the future of our profession and how to facilitate better communication between our universities and employers.
And now for a very important point. This Sunday is the Super Bowl and as you have figured out by now I am a Cheesehead and Green Bay Packer fan. So please join me in cheering for the Pack this weekend as they beat the Steelers in the big game! (My apologies to Chuck Rice, SSSA President, who is cheering for the Steelers. If they by some slim chance actually win, he will get to give me grief next week since he is on the faculty at K-State.)
Have a great weekend!
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