extension

Cary Oshins, program manager for the Rodale Institute's Rural/Urban Initiative, leads an on-farm composting workshop for extension agents and farmers during a sustainable agriculture training week.

Sustainability movement changing agriculture • b_y Grace Truman

If it's not sustainable, it's not good agriculture.

That's the philosophy behind a national mandate to retrain all

agricultural extension agents, pre­paring them to teach the concepts of sustainable agriculture. Called "the quiet revolution," the move­ment to sustainability is changing the way farmers work and live.

Just what is sustainable agri­culture? Here is a definition devel­oped by West Virginia's experts­the first five West Virginia Univer­sity extension agents to complete intensive training in that area:

"Sustainable agriculture is a site-specific agricultural system that is economically viable, envi­ronmentally sound, and socially acceptable for this and future generations."

In other words, sustainable agriculture focuses on the long term. Farmers look beyond this year's harvest and this year's balance sheets. Preserving and improving natural resources are not mere wishes but basic tenets. The goals are healthy profits, healthy crops and animals, healthy environment, and healthy families.

"This approach stresses soil health and working with the envi­ronment to produce high-quality products," explains extension agent Cathy Brown of Marshall County. "We are not turning our backs on technology, but we are

continued on page 3

This space is set aside for the director to share any thoughts and to introduce each edition of Vision. As I prepare these lines, I have thoughts on a wide range of topics. As the searches continue at West Virginia University for a new president and associate pro­vost, extension faculty are hard at work on a variety of winter programs and planning for a busy spring and summer. Just as their work is quite diverse, so are these comments.

On Feb. 1, the transition of returning the Office of Off-Cam­pus Credit Programs to the Ex­tension Service was completed. The unit merged with "Bridging the Gap" in a new unit to be known as the Office of Extended Learning. This change will mean much to West Virginia. Off-cam­pus coordinators soon will reach

audiences statewide, rather than just in the northern and eastern counties. The new unit will offer both credit and noncredit classes and workshops. The move also reduces administrative costs and builds a stronger tie between extension and the academic com­munity.

By the time you read this, I expect the feasibility study con­cerning expansion of the Jackson's Mill State 4-H Confer­ence Center will be completed. The study will help establish what is needed to preserve Jackson's Mill as a state treasure to serve both the youths and adults of our state. Once the re­port is received, it will be widely shared and broad input will be sought before any decisions are made. Whatever course of action is decided upon, it will be pur­

sued in a man­ner that will best serve the 4-H and youth groups and the many adult audiences who come to Jackson's Mill.

WVU President Neil Bucklew, left, discusses the new Extended Learning Office with Susan Day-Perroots, director, and Charles Morris, interim associate provost for extension and public service and interim director of

Among the good things about exten­sion in West Virginia today is our strong ties around the campus. This issue of Vision puts the spot­light on the WVU College of extension.

2

Human Resources and Educa­tion. Not only does the college provide excellent preparation for new teachers, it also serves the state in many ways. Our report is but a brief introduction to its many contributions. It should also be noted that we have two joint appointments with this col­lege, an extension specialist for science and technology and an extension specialist for postsecondary education.

Reflecting on the work of the College of Human Resources and Education leads me to an obser­vation about higher education in West Virginia. As I write this, state government is looking at ways to strengthen our higher education system. Regardless of what changes are made, it is essential that we remember the value of higher education. Some­times thai value takes the form of a student pursuing a degree. Other times, it's a faculty mem­ber helping solve a community or state problem. For many, it's being in touch with the local ex­tension agent. For all, higher education is worth investing in and using. Anytime we in the Extension Service can serve you, let us know.

Charles G. Morris Interim Associate ProvostJor Extension and Economic Development Interim Director. Cooperative Extension Service

Extension Vision: Winter 1994-95

continued from page 1 integrating the new with environ­mental consciousness."

Brown was one of the five WVU agents trained this year. The others were John Miller of Ohio County, Glenn Runions of McDowell, Mingo, and Wyoming counties, Brad Smith of Grant County, and Ron Swope of Marion County. A second group of agents will be tmined in 1995.

The 1990 farm bill laid the groundwork nationally for this new emphasis. The bill directed the U.S. Department of Agricul­ture to address site-specific, envi­ronmental and resource manage­ment problems that challenge today's farmers.

Congress also directed the Extension Service to organize and administer a national training program in sustainable agricul­ture. The farm bill provided for competitive grants to encourage land-grant colleges and universi­ties to develop regional training centers.

The WVU Extension Service picked up the beat, establishing a Center for Sustainable Agricul­ture in 1993. The center's direc­tor, Keith Dix, collaborated with other WVU agricultural extension specialists to design an innova­tive , on-farm training program. Their proposal, competing with others throughout the Northeast, was awarded a $41 ,000 imple­mentation grant this year from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"The technical reviewers liked our proposal so much that, even though we had re­quested funding for only one year, they extended it and gave us funding for two years. Plus , they actually increased the amount funded over what we had asked," Dr. Dix noted.

Joel Satalin, right, shows the extension agents his in-the­field slaughter facility, where he prepares broilers for market.

Extens1on Vis1on Winte r 1994·95

West Virginia's first extension agents to complete intensive training in sustainable agriculture are, from left, John Miller, Ron Swope, Brad Smith, Cathy Brown, director Keith Dix, and Glenn Runions.

WVU's four-week sustainable ag training program is the only one of its kind in the country and may well serve as a model for other states, Dix added. What makes it unique is its emphasis on hands-on farming experience. The agents trained this year worked side by side with farmers, teaming directly from them about production and marketing tech­niques in sustainable agriculture.

Take, for example, George Shell's integrated poultry and beef cattle operation in Peters­burg. There, the agents teamed firsthand how farmers in the

Potomac River basin can success­fully handle serious waste man­agement and groundwater quality challenges. Shell's strategy in­cludes nutrient management, flood plain management, pasture rotations , crop rotations, riparian management, and composting.

The agents also explored a modified hydroponics greenhouse specializing in herbs and toma­toes. They discovered some inno­vative rotational grazing systems at the poultry farm of Joel Salatin in Swoope, Va.

Kip Mortenson's 700-acre organic farm near Moyers, Pendleton County, became an outdoor classroom for the agents, who spent five days there working and learning. The host farmer presented the agents a list of 18 chores with which he needed help. The list included gate mending, barn cleaning, fall pickup of irrigation equipment, and sorting, packing, weighing, and delivering of 40 cases of pumpkins to a Charlottesville, Va., supermarket. Sandwiched in between these chores were dis­cussions and presentations on sustainable agriculture.

The agents said their experi­ences and the frequent, personal contact with farm families were eye-openers.

"This will change the way I do my job," said Miller. "''ve learned a good bit about the marketing and management aspects from people who are suc­cessful and are doing a good job."

Miller's interest in reducing fertilizer and pesticide inputs made sustainable agriculture appealing to him. He also saw the training as a way to help him better serve Ohio County's two certified or­ganic farmers. Now, he realizes the concepts apply to all farmers and all crops.

Runions said he's learned that "we have a lot of sustainable agriculture going on in West Vir­ginia." Beyond profitability con­siderations. he sees sustainability

Above: Kip Mortenson, left, explains how he turns cow manure, poultry litter, straw bedding, and other farm wastes into soil-enriching compost.

Left: High-technology meters and gauges and the low-tech "squeeze test" tell farmers when compost is ready to use.

Below: Keith Dix, leader of the sustainable agriculture training program, examines herb and tomato plants at a modified hydroponics greenhouse in Charlottesville, Va.

Vision. Winter 1994-95

Elevated tubes secure organically grown plants started from certified seed that costs as much as $1,000 an ounce. Lady beetles are the main means of pest control.

as a quality of life issue for rural families. "Every farmer we've met is vitally interested in ecology and in what they will be leaving for the next generation," he observed.

Because many West Virginia farms are small, part-time opera­tions, it may be easier for farmers in this state to adapt new prac­tices, Runions added. This is particularly true in his southern counties, where the average farm is just 25 to 40 acres.

The WVU training program was built around the simple premise that seeing is believing. Dix said this training is especially useful for newer agents who may be well-prepared academically but have little actual farming experience.

"This firsthand exposure to sustainable farming gives these agents the information and inspi­ration to fully understand sustain­able agriculture and to promote it in their respective counties and among their peers," said Dix.

It's a sound training strategy, said Brown, who asserts "this is different from what we learn in ag schooL"

Buttressing the on-farn1 ex­periences, the training included meetings with federal agriculture

Extension Vision: Winter 1994-95

and environmental officials, tours of farm and research institutes, and study at the WVU campus in Morgantown and the National Agriculture Library.

The agents trekked through hairy vetch research plots at the USDA Agricultural Research Ser­vice facility in Beltsville, Md. At the Rodale Institute Research Center in Pennsylvania, they learned of studies on farm man­agement, soil health, compost, perennial crops, reduced tillage, and cover crops.

They were briefed on interna­tional developments by Roger Blobaum, director of the World Sustainable Agriculture Associa­tion. A legislative representative with the American Farmland Trust discussed policy issues related to sustainable agriculture and the urban/farm interface.

The newly trained agents recognize that some farmers and some of their own peers may question the new focus on sustainability. Nonetheless, they are confident that sustainable agriculture is not simply the new­est fad. It is, instead, the future of farming and food production.

"I was skeptical in the begin­ning, too, but the farmers who

have adopted this approach say it's the best thing they've ever done," Brown said. "They say that they're making more money, their health is better, their animals and crops are healthier, and they're seeing their families more. You just can't beat that."

•

5

\

Roland Daniels, WVDMA president, declares that diversity is the key to success in direct marketing. His greenhouse with 1,000 poinsettias extended his growing season.

W. Va. groups sup'-ort dired marketing • by .JerT.v Kessel

Consumers who want local products need to know when and where to get them.

Producers seeking an alterna­tive to more traditional markets need to know where the buyers are. how to package products, the variety desired, and when items have to hit the market in order to be wanted and attractively priced and, therefore, profitable.

To assist West Virginians in marketing their products directly to the consumer, the West Vir-

6

ginia Direct Marketing Associa­tion organized in 1985.

The WVDMA demonstrates a "bootstraps" organized effort by extension and producers to en­courage, support, and educate people, according to Del Yoder, West Virginia University Exten­sion Service resource develop­ment specialist and ex-officio member of the WVDMA board.

Dr. Yoder continued, "Mem­bers are excited and involved. Over 29 members are involved in the planning committee for the Feb. 17-18 conference at the Ramada Inn in Morgantown. Membership is very much a part of the design of these conferences and other association activities."

The association is a loose­knit group of people who direct market a variety of products: horticultural crops, livestock, honey, arts and crafts, and value­added products such as ham from hogs and cornmeal from corn.

Roland Daniels, WVDMA president, believes "strongly that it is quality, value, and service that keep customers coming back for more."

Since 1988, he's been co­owner of Little Green Apples near Waynesburg, Pa., and a WVDMA member. "I prefer to go down to West Virginia," he said. "It's a lot closer. The association has a good group of people. They're a diverse group and they cooperate."

Yoder cites three factors that led to the climate to do direct marketing.

Markets for agricultural pro­duce have been depressed.

• Many "niche" markets such as low-cholesterol beef and organically grown produce developed.

A growing awareness and the concern of consumers about

rxten'IOr Vis.c r Wi~ter 994 95

health, food safety, and nutri­tion translated into an eager­ness to get fresher, higher quality foods.

Historically, West Virginia did not have a highly developed tradi­tion of "farmers' markets" as did Pennsylvania. The people were more natural resource extractors. Therefore , two simultaneous ac­tions were called for- develop consumer awareness and mar­kets for such produce, and de­velop and improve the product so consumers will want to buy.

"Extension's goals were to educate consumers, participants, and producers in what was in­volved in direct marketing and get it going," Yoder explained. "Vari­ous organizations such as the West Virginia Farm Bureau and the West Virginia Department of Agriculture pooled resources with extension to help producers im­prove production and market skills."

To be a direct marketer you have to understand the conse­quences. You need to ask: Do I like people, like to sell, want to learn how to price and how to make my produce better than store produce? Choosing whether to sell from home or at a farmers' market or to develop a "niche" market is another needed mar­keting skill.

Extension helps through newsletters, programs, and an annual conference. An individual effort can be organized on the county level by agents arranging educational sessions and tapping state and local resources, Yoder said.

As the WVDMA starts its lOth year, the group follows five objectives:

Round and round the jugs go at Nu-Mint Springs Inc. in Peterstown, where spring water from Peters Mountain is distilled, bottled, and marketed in various sizes. NuMmt Spring Water was the official drinking water for the 1994 West Virginia State Fair.

At Morgan Orchard in Monroe County, direct marketers Marshall and Addie Ritter of Sinks Grove believe they're stewards of the land. Consumers have a choice of picking their own or selecting inside the orchard's market.

• to encourage good marketing practices and inspire public confidence in direct marketing;

• to provide members with information, publicity, and merchandising materials that will assist in promoting the direct sale of West Virginia farm products;

• to provide a medium for ex­changing information and experience among members so that the industry as a whole will be more successful;

• to provide support and direc­tion to education and re­search activities related to direct marketing;

• to serve as a voice for the industry and cooperate with public and private organiza­tions in promoting the sale of West Virginia farm products.

To accomplish these objec­tives, the association publishes a newsletter, sponsors the annual direct marketing conference, and arranges tours.

An outgrowth from the WVDMA came in 1989 with the formation of the Mountain State Organic Growers and Buyers

Association. Its goal is to certifY organic growers and promote organic production and markets.

MSOGBA has grown to 100 members and has 16 certified growers. To be certified one must follow a set of standards. Basi­cally, the producer works the soil without toxic chemicals for three years, and follows various strate­gies to build the soil and to con­trol disease and pests. To main­tain certification, each grower must agree to annual inspections and reapply yearly.

Regulations of the 1990 Farm Bill, yet to be in effect, will set standards for organic farm certifi­cation. Keith Dix, WVU visiting assistant professor and MSOGBA adviser, notes that "MSOGBA standards are in compliance, and the association will work closely with the bill to maintain high standards."

MSOGBA sponsors an annual conference and keeps members informed via a newsletter.

Typically, an organic grower believes in providing a safe food supply and has a strong interest in preserving the environment. Most economic markets for these products are in large metropoli­tan areas. MSOGBA helps with marketing, but most early mem­bers have marketing strategies already "in place," particularly in the Washington-Baltimore area.

"Improving the quality of pro­duce and encouraging the entre­preneurial spirit tie the two direct marketing groups," Yoder said.

\

Gary Midkiff, center, grows blueberries and raspberries with assistance of his wife Mary and daughter Shelia, on their Bob Pond farm on the Virginia­West Virginia border. "We have pick-your-own repeat customers from Virginia, West Virginia, and North Carolina," they said.

The key to mar­keting is providing a high-quality product that the consumer wants and keeping your name in front of the public.

As consumers seek new products, expect direct market­ers to keep on chang­ing.

"It's the true na­ture of our business that our work is never finished," Daniels said.

• Harvey Christie, center with gift package, of

Diversified Nature Associates Inc. at Pickaway, has a mountain crop-herbs that go into the

much-prized Greenbrier Gourmet herbal vinegar.

The WVDMA board and planning committee began working in April

1994 on the annual confer­ence scheduled for

February 1995.

Collaboration key to HR&E's

• serv1ce • Note: Although the Extension Ser­vice is the major SPrvice arm of West Virginia University, other university units also provide ser­vice to state residents. The follow­ing is one in a series ofVision articles highlighting their service efforts. This story covers some of the service activities o.f the College of Human Resources and Educa­tion.

"·' .Jt•tTJ Kt•ssPI

Collaboration. That's THE word in the West Virginia Univer­sity College of Human Resources and Education (HR&E) where faculty are more than trainers of teachers.

Why collaborate? Because dynamics of today's society make yesterday's education insufficient to prepare the present population for tomorrow's world. In other words, it's cooperation time.

HR&E reaches beyond cam­pus-based students to affect the lives of West Virginians through service in a multitude of ways.

For instance, there's the Benedum Project, a collaborative education reform effort that en­ables elementary and secondary teachers and WVU faculty to meet on common ground.

Funded by a $2.5 million grant. the project has begun to create a new vision for schools and for teacher education in West Virginia. This vision is based on the best research and practice

Benedum Project Director Perry Phillips, East Dale Principal Janet Crescenzi, and Project Assistant Director Jody Wolfe share positive feedback.

Extension Vision Winter 1994 95

Etta Zasloff of East Dale Elementary School in Marion County shares her viewpoint with PDS colleagues.

available. The cornerstone is col­laboration between higher educa­tion and the public schools. It brings together educators from a variety of settings to work as partners on shared educational concerns.

In 1989, the program com­petitively selected five schools in three counties (Marion, Mononga­lia, and Taylor) close to Morgantown to become Profes­sional Development Schools (PDS}, where administrators, school teachers, WVU faculty and students, and members of the business community work to-

gether. This past summer, the program expanded to eight more schools and added Preston and Harrison counties for a total of 13 PDS in five counties. PDS work to carry out site-specific activities designed to achieve strategic goals.

"Active involvement in the change process, though labor­intensive and time consuming, is bearing positive results," points out Jane H. Applegate, dean, College of Human Resources and Education. "Ideas and ideals that are shared by project participants

Right: Small group discus­

sions continue even when

classes conclude.

Below: PDS participants wear many

hats.

embody the values of reciprocity, experimentation, systematic in­quiry, and student diversity."

"The Benedum Project is re­form that works because its par­ticipants believe in what they are doing. Our shared efforts have yielded many improvements in teacher education and in schools .... By continuing our work at WVU and in our PDS, and by establishing new partner­ships that will enable others to achieve educational reform, we believe that we can help make a difference in the future of our state," notes Perry D. Phillips, director of the Benedum Project.

"Providing teachers with the opportunity and time to share ideas and learn new skills is im­portant in fostering continuous learning. Change involves creat­ing new norms. Only by acquiring new strategies and learning about new options can true change take

10

place," says Sarah Steele, PDS associate director.

The viewpoint of Jody Wolfe, project assistant director, is "our customary ways of doing things and relating to one another in our organization provided little oppor­tunity for significant innovation or for widely shared decision making. Now, thanks to the Benedum Project, norms and roles are changing to support reform and collaboration."

Katherine Lovell, assistant dean, says the Benedum Project "is about renewal and restructur­ing to join forces for what all of us want to achieve." An out­growth of the Benedum Project is the Center for the Renewal for Professional Preparation and Practice. It isn't considered a traditional research and develop­ment center, but as a place link­ing the best of research with the best of practice.

Along with new directions, HR&E builds on long-standing successes. For 27 years, the Re­habilitation Research and Train­ing Center has done research, development, and training to assist people with disabilities and the professionals who work with them. Their work is legislatively mandated through the U.S. De­partment of Labor and the De­partment of Education. They've worked with 90 agencies in 25 countries. The center's primary service is provided through the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).

Nationally acclaimed, JAN works directly with businesses and institutions throughout the United States and Canada to pro­vide information about how work­places can accommodate special needs of employees with tempo­rary or permanent disabilities. Much of the work is done through a toll-free phone number, which sometimes receives several thou­sand calls a week! In fact, last year JAN answered 61,000 calls. Of the 29 staff. 10 are consult­ants. Many of the staff are dis­abled. Director Barbara Judy has been named to the Disabled Per­sons National Hall of Fame.

Accommodations can cover a wide range. The bottom line is that the employer needs an em­ployee who can get the job done in a cost-effective and high-qual­ity manner. The employee with a disability needs the proper tools and environment to accomplish the job.

The result is a win-win situa­tion. Employers receive a quali­fied, stable, diverse work force. Employees with disabilities per­form jobs in which they can apply their skills and talents. And, the government and taxpayers save the money that previously funded public benefits and services to such individuals.

Dean Jane H. Applegate, HR&E Prof. John Paterson, and Grafton High School Principal Greg Cartwright confer during a PDS breakfast session.

On campus, the Speech and Hearing Clinics annually help an average of 150 children and adults with communication disor­ders through diagnosis, counsel­ing, and training. Coming from throughout the state, all clinic patients receive services regard­less of their ability to pay.

The Reading Clinic, operated on campus by faculty and gradu­ate students in Curriculum and Instruction, helped 27 young people with reading problems last year. A summer clinic is held as well.

HR&E responds to "requests for professional development" and, in the last year, reported a total of 243 service and outreach activities.

Numerous special workshops are held for public school educa­tors, community members, and other professionals. "Collabora­tion occurs among colleges across campus as well," Dean Applegate said. "Faculty from the college work with faculty in the School of Medicine , and the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Business and Economics on projects both school related and nonschool related."

Some collaboration has had nationwide impact. For seven years, a National Science Foun­dation (NSF) grant and a subcon­tract through the National Radio Astronomy Observatory have attracted teachers nationwide to Green Bank to study and re­search individual projects using the telescope. Included are semi­nars with nationally renowned scientists and astronomers.

In 1994, the project was funded for three more years, but

A need to know. Debbie Johnson, left, and Donna Peduto of East Dale Elementary display information for grade school students.

A JAN consultant answers the phone via a TDD (telecommuni­cation device for the deaf).

with a new angle-West Virginia teachers and preservice (not yet graduated) teachers will be paired with peers who have completed the program.

Patricia Obenauf, who over­sees the NFS grants, also helped to reestablish the West Virginia Science Teachers Association whose membership had dwindled to a handful. Now 600 strong, the association meets annually for an update on science education.

Another NSF grant over the past three years has helped 24 West Virginia and Pennsylvania middle school teachers transform their science classrooms, making the subject more relevant to stu­dents. A curriculum developed about global warming incorpo­rated the use of the Internet for the teachers.

Although nearly over, the project may see a second phase if the next grant is funded-it would bring all science teachers

11

in West Virginia "on-line" on the information superhighway. Bell Atlantic is offering a matching grant to run fiber optics to all West Virginia schools if HR&E receives the $4.5 million NSF grant. The results will be known in the spring.

Also off-campus is a unique academic service in Education Administration-a cohort doctoral program. This nontraditional program pairs a practicing pro­fessional with a graduate stu­dent. The "cohorts" meet regu­larly. and students have reported that their learning experiences have been deeply enriched.

A rural internship program in speech pathology helps familiar­ize students with rural communi­ties and pairs them with a profes­sional speech pathologist in the field. The program gives students a firsthand opportunity to work with clients in a rural setting.

The WVU Student Literacy Corps encourages community service as part of the WVU experi­ence. The one-year project ended in December, but organizers hope for funding from other sources. In conjunction with undergraduate

coursework. more than 40 WVU students were each assigned a classroom at rural Cool Springs Elementary School, east of Morgantown. The students worked under teacher direction with the 92 children (grades 1-6) in various activities centered around reading and writing.

Summer on-campus offerings include the Governor's Honors Academy in Math and Science. an interdisciplinary experience for outstanding public school stu­dents; the West Virginia Writing Project, open to public school teachers to encourage research and writing relevant to their own classrooms; and a computer camp for public school students and their parents.

The list goes on and on. Collaborators are enthusias­

tic. Said one PDS teacher, "It's great to be a collaborative partner with the university. Together, we do the best for the community and the children. That's such a nice feeling! I love the feeling that when you go to the university. it's not what you can do for me, but what we can do together."

•

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Charles G. Morris Interim Associate Provost for Extension and Public Service Interim Director, Cooperative Extension Service P.O. Box 6031, Knapp Hall Morgantown, WV 26505-6031

Helping you put knowledge to work.

Nonprofit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Morgantown, WV

Permit No. 34