Author Archives: Christina Lorenz

Food and Fermentation Science Club Presents Oktoberfest!

This fall’s Food and Fermentation Science Club Annual Oktoberfest celebration was held in Avery Park on October 15th and boasted more than 160 attendees, including students, faculty of the Department of Food Science and Technology, and food professionals. The goal was to welcome new students, provide a place for students to meet professors and professionals in a relaxed setting, and have an excuse to make and eat food.

Two days before Michelle McCafferty, a member of the club who is graduating with a minor in Food Technology this December, led a group of students to make 100 pounds of pork bratwurst in the Clark Meat Lab, part of the Animal Science Department. The brats were boiled in experimental beer donated by Jeff Clausen, Pilot Plant Manager. Dr. Andrew Ross of the Food Science and Crop and Soil Science Departments is teaching a Bread Fermentation class this term. His students produced 200 traditional pretzels to share with the crowd. Club Brewmasters Jeb Hollabaugh and Callan Vaccaro produced homemade rootbeer and raspberry soda.

Changes in the homebrew laws this year meant that the club could not produce their own beer for the event, so they turned to local breweries for support. Deschutes Brewery donated a fresh hop ale, Oregon Trail Brewery donated an imperial red, and Flat Tail Brewery donated a brown ale..

Local food companies got in on the donations as well. Kettle Foods donated 6 flavors of chips, Oregon Spice Company donated a custom blended seasoning for the brauts, Rogue Rover Creamery donated various cheeses, Beaverton Foods sent a variety of specialty mustards, Reser’s Fine Foods sent their Bavarian Potato salad, and Nearly Normal’s Gonzo Cuisine sent their delicious Sunburgers.

The Food and Fermentation Science Club is based out of the Department of Food Science and Technology in the College of Agriculture, however students from all majors are welcome to join. Meetings are the first Wednesday of every month at 5pm in Wiegand Hall. Get on the email list to find out about upcoming events by going tohttp://oregonstate.edu/dept/foodsci/food_ferm_sciclub/index.html

Collegiate FFA assists with Ag in the Classroom’s Annual Fall Harvest Dinner

Dressed in official black shirts and khaki pants, members of OSU’s Collegiate FFA club were looking classy as they assisted at the Ag in the Classroom foundation’s benefit dinner and auction held Oct. 16 at the Linn County Fairgrounds.  The Fall Harvest Dinner, as it has come to be known, is a major service project that OSU’s CFFA club proudly participates with annually.  The program’s founder, Tami Kerr, said, “Collegiate FFA has been an outstanding partner for our program.”

CFFA Secretary and Junior in General Agriculture, Leslee Crawford, has attended the event for the past two years and thoroughly enjoys the experience. “The Ag in the Classroom Dinner is an incredible evening filled with great food and amazing people who are very willing to help the youth of today through this program,” she said.

In preparation for the event, several dedicated CFFA members showed up the afternoon of the Friday before to help set up the event hall with fall-themed decorations and Ag in the Classroom (AITC) paraphernalia.  The tables, also set up the day before, were alternately adorned with warm colored floral centerpieces and submerged coral gladiolas.  Free calendars displaying Ag-related art, drawn by Oregon students, as well as the program’s textbooks entitled Get Oregonized, were placed on the tables to highlight the influence that AITC has on Oregon schools.

Saturday began with a great representation of 27 Collegiate FFA members showing up to help with preparations prior to the event.  Busy CFFAers filled water glasses, set up appetizer stations and sat ready at the door to check people in.  Soon after nearly 300 guests arrived to socialize and take part in the silent auction.  An amazing feast followed, with a menu of prime rib, turkey, ham, squash medley, green bean casserole, salad and many more delicious dishes.  An address by Tami Kerr, brought everyone’s attention to the impact of Ag in the Classroom, which reached more than 106,000 students last year.  She explained the many ways that AITC introduces basic concepts of agriculture into classroom settings.  They strive to make connections that are easily recognizable by children from any background. For example, asking a question like, “Where does your food and clothing come from?” allows direct linkage between the children’s lives and agriculture.  In closing for the night, there was an oral auction, during which several CFFA members carried items around to display to bidders.

In total, this year’s Fall Harvest Dinner raised more than $37,000 to benefit Ag in the Classroom. Of the dinner’s success, Kerr said, “Each year I am overwhelmed, and frankly humbled, by the generosity shown to our program. We couldn’t do it without all the people and businesses that support us.”

Dean’s Reception for Rising Scholars

Dean Sonny Ramaswamy hosted a banquet to recognize all of the scholarship recipients entering into the College of Agricultural Sciences. The following students were recognized: Mary Allen, Andre Borlak, Jessica Budge, Derek Burbank, Hayden Bush, Sarah Butte, Peter Cersovaski, Melissa cook, Jordyn Coon, Kathryn Darby, Francine Farla, Keirsten Forsyth, Lauren Furrer, Erik Glover, Lee Hofman, Chelsea Imdieke, Stephanie Jenck, Emily Johnson, Kristen Kaste, Matthew Keefe, Sarah Kellom, Megan Kelsch, Ryan King, Cody Lacy, Melanie Leschorn, Stephanie Lutz, Daniel Miles, Sara Mills, Kasey Moore, Gitanshu Munjal, Samuel Palacio, Kelsey Pizac, Jessica Riggin, Jana Schiely, Myriah Short, Josh Smith, Tyson Snider, Anna Spatafora, Leanna Van Slambrook, Nicholas Vora, Rebecca Walker, Lauren Watson, and Nicholas West.

Gregory Petrossian, an Ambassador for Agricultural Sciences, Forestry and Natural Resources, gave some advice to the new students in his speech stating, “getting involved sooner makes you more able to organize opportunities that most students miss out on.” Congratulations to all of the rising scholars! We wish you luck with your studies at Oregon State University.

Exploring World Agriculture

Some students think of summer as a time to take a break from school, but that was not the idea that this group from the College of Agricultural Sciences had for their summer travels. Twenty-two students signed up for the Exploring World Agriculture trip that was offered through the college. On Sept. 4, the group departed from Portland and headed off to Europe where they began their journey through Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and France. The students were given the opportunity to visit various types of agricultural industries throughout these countries including; wineries, vineyards, breweries, hop farms, greenhouses, chocolate factories, flower operations, brown coal mining, service farms, dairies, swine farms, beef farms, vegetable and flower auctions and other tourist attractions throughout Europe.

“The EWA trip was a once in a lifetime opportunity. We got to see so many things that the regular tourist would not get to see,” said Lyle Horton,  reflecting on his trip.

“The future of American agriculture will depend on the ability of its leaders to adapt to the ever-changing globalized economy,” said Thomas Griffin after returning home from Europe where he got to see agriculture on a global scale.

“We must be aware of what other nations are doing in our agricultural areas and analyze how that is going to affect our markets and viability.”

The Exploring World Agriculture program gives students the opportunity to experience cultures, meet people from other places in the world and understand agriculture’s global role.

Welcome back students!

The sun shined brightly the Friday before school started at the College of Agriculture’s fall gelato social. Dean Sonny Ramaswamy and Associate Dean Cary Green welcomed new and returning students to OSU for the upcoming school year. The social provides students an opportunity to reconnect after the long summer break. It gives the new students a chance to meet other students, connect with faculty members and talk to representatives from various clubs within the College of Agricultural Sciences. “It was extremely helpful having all of the clubs there to talk to. I enjoyed getting to see how I can get more involved on campus.” said Danielle Lorenz, a new student who is excited to join clubs and become active within the college.

New Fields is now a blog!

The Agricultural Executive Council would like to announce the recent changes that have been made to the New Fields Publication. It has been decided that the magazine will now be published as an Internet blog.  This Change was made in order to give our readers the ability to stay informed about events and activities that occur within the College of Agricultural Sciences as they happen. Ag Exec encourages all clubs in the college to inform us of any upcoming events to be featured in New Fields.