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Issue 54 | October 03, 2016 | Archive | Subscribe News & EventsTake Control of Your WeedsJoe DeFrank (TPSS) will be giving a talk on weed
control for the East O‘ahu County Farm Bureau on Tuesday, October 4, from 6 to
8 p.m., in the Kane‘ohe Extension conference room. He will discuss web-based
resources for weed, insect, and disease ID and pest control recommendations; herbicide
options for banana, papaya, and selected vegetable crops; topical application
of systemic herbicides in row crops; management options for purple nutsedge (pictured); geotextile
fabrics used for weed control with light exclusion; and new concepts for
no-till organic farming. Participants with HDOA pesticide applicator
registration cards will receive 2 CEU credits for Private 1, Commercial 1a and
10. The designated class number is 1525. Light refreshments will be provided.
The monthly meeting of the East Oahu County Farm Bureau will follow the
seminar. Be there or be weedy! Spotlight on Our CommunityPeaceful PeoplePearl City Urban Garden hosted the recent Peace Day celebration,
in which the O‘ahu Master Gardeners and FCE also participated. AD for Extension
Kelvin Sewake, along with O‘ahu county administrator Ray Uchida, UGC director Steve
Nagano, and junior Extension agent Kalani Matsumura were acknowledged for their
participation. At the event, Roy Sakuma, selected Distinguished Peacemaker in
2014, was also honored for his work with speaking to thousands of elementary,
middle, and high school students. He gave an excellent talk and gave away an
ukulele to fifth-grader Grayson Barnhill, Honorable Mention for the 2015 Association
of Conflict Resolution Keiki Poetry Contest. Giving Back with MacsMarisol Quintanilla recently gave a class to special-needs high
school students at Pahoa’s Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science. The class was
designed to help them manage their macadamia nut operation, assist them with
pest identification, and provide them with soil nutrient analysis advice. The students
grow the crop, process the nuts, sell them, and receive a payment check derived
from part of the profit. Marisol was able to identify the problem they were
having with the trees and provide the solution. She says, “It was really
exciting to help such eager students and workers with their farming operation!” New Faces: Ted FeitshansTheodore A. (Ted) Feitshans began serving as Hawai‘i
County administrator on September 1. He received his BS in Animal Science from
Cornell University, his MS in Agricultural and Applied Economics from the
University of Minnesota, and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center. Prior
to joining CTAHR, he taught courses in agricultural law and environmental law
in the undergraduate program in the Department of Agricultural and Resource
Economics (ARE) at North Carolina State University, where he served in both the
undergraduate teaching program and the Cooperative Extension program. From
2005, he served as the founding director of ARE’s distance education program.
He has been a frequent presenter at American Agricultural Law Association
(AALA) annual conferences and is a past president of the AALA. He is the
recipient of many awards, including the American Agricultural Law Association
2015 Excellence in Agricultural Law Award for legal scholarship, a 2006 AAEA
Distinguished Extension Program Award (team award), and a 2008 NC State
Outstanding Teacher designation. He also received a 2014 Outstanding Subject
Matter Program Award from the NC Association of Cooperative Extension
Specialists. Welcome to the college, Ted! Ice Cream Dreamin’At CTAHR’s 28th Annual Welcome Back Ice Cream
Bash, representatives from the college’s departments and administration vied
for top honors in the costume and ice cream-eating
contests. This year’s contests were Jeff Goodwin (FCS), Jenee
Odani (HNFAS), Michael Espiritu (MBBE), Tim Zhu (NREM), Brad Reil (PEPS), and
Chad Goldstein/Kealoha Moody (Admin). Congratulations to the moonshine-totin’
hillbilly Brad Reil for winning the costume contest and baseball player Jenee
Odani for downing her ice cream in record time, and pluckily recovering after a
spill during the three-legged race! Then CTAHR students, faculty, and staff
enjoyed free ice cream generously donated by Meadow Gold and donated to the NREM GSO, which provides grad students with
opportunities to connect with NREM faculty, local non-profits, community groups
and schools, professionals in the industry, and other grad students. Thanks
to all who attended the bash, the contestants, and those who donated. Big
mahalos go out to Meadow Gold for its continued support, Joannie Dobbs and
NREM for the use of their facility, Ray Uchida (O‘ahu Extension) and
Richard Fisher and Angelito Cacho (UGC) for tent coverage, and the
intrepid ice cream scoopers. Also, thanks go to co-emcees Brandon Ngao and
Sheldon Arakawa, ‘Olana Chow of the planning committee, the scholarship
recipients, ASAO, SAPFB, and everyone whose efforts made the Bash a huge success! Go Away, Gorilla Ogo!As a service-learning project, students from NREM/PEPS 210
Introduction to Environmental Science, led by Brent Sipes, gathered invasive
gorilla ogo (Gracilaria salicornia) from Kane‘ohe Bay on a Saturday
morning. The students collected 500 lbs of the invasive seaweed, which can also
be composted to make a great soil amendment. The seaweed density was noticeably
less this year, which suggests progress is being made in controlling gorilla ogo—in
part because of the tireless work of these classes! At Home With the Animals on MauiWelcome to the newest member of the HNFAS faculty on Maui,
Kyle Caires! Hawai‘i-born Kyle hails most recently from Berry College in Georgia, where he was an associate
professor in the Department of Animal Sciences. He earned his BS in Animal
Science at Oregon State University, and both his Masters and PhD, also in
Animal Science (reproductive physiology and stem cell biology) from Washington
State University. Kyle has earned numerous research grants and published many publications,
and he has extensive Extension experience. The college is fortunate to have
him! You can welcome Kyle to the CTAHR ‘ohana by emailing him at cairesk@ctahr.hawaii.edu, or feel free to drop by the
next time you’re on Maui! Welcome, Kyle! The Right Prescription for GrowersCTAHR faculty conducted a successful workshop for growers on
September 15 called “The Plant and Soil Doctor Is In! A workshop on soil
health, and soil and plant tissue sampling for nutrients and pests.” Alyssa Cho
showed how to collect tissue samples for nutrient analysis, Brian Bushe explained
how to collect and submit samples for pest and disease identification and
demonstrated common plant pest and diseases in Hawai‘i, and Marisol Quintanilla
presented on the topic of “Soil Health, Cover Crops, and Nematodes” and also laid
out the steps for collecting soil samples for nutrient analysis. The 45
attendees had an enjoyable and very informative time! Landscape MD Is “Cool”!A laudatory article in the Star-Advertiser discusses the new
Landscape MD app that helps home gardeners and landscapers diagnose common
diseases and pests on a variety of vegetables, ornamentals, and fruit and nut
tress. The article mentions makers of the app Scot Nelson (TPSS), Arnold Hara (PEPS
Emeritus), and Ruth Niino-DuPont (PEPS) and also describes some other apps Scot
created or collaborated on, such as Leaf Doctor and Pic-a-Papaya. As Scot, who
was interviewed for the article, points out, apps like this are also helpful
for Master Gardeners, who then help other members of the public. Hospitality and InformationCTAHRites met with US Rep. Tulsi Gabbard at Komohana Station
on August 29, providing presentations on CTAHR’s Extension programs and
research trials. Associate Dean for Extension Kelvin Sewake offered a warm welcome
and information about the college and what Extension does, then Susan Miysaska,
Alyssa Cho, Joanne Lichty, and Ruth Niino-DuPonte did an interactive sharing of
products being researched, including sweetpotato and macadamia nut varieties, anthurium
varieties, and invasive insects. Farm tours throughout the day educated her on
floriculture issues with quarantine and biosecurity, CBB in coffee, and mac nut
insect problems. Field presentations were given by Raymond Carruthers, Alyssa,
Andrea Kawabata, and Mark Wright, along with USDA-PBARC researchers and DOA
staff, to discuss such important issues as the ongoing efforts to control and
combat invasive species like rapid ‘ohi‘a death, the coffee berry borer, and more.
Rep. Gabbard got food for thought—and some tasty samples, too. Dine and Learn!The 21st
Annual Mealani’s Taste of the Hawaiian Range was held at the
Hilton Waikoloa. This year it was dedicated to the memory of Milton Yamasaki,
former farm manager at the Mealani Station and a founder of the Taste,
who passed away earlier this year. The event featured 29
chefs preparing locally raised meats, fruits, and vegetables, and lots of
useful information. Extension vet Jenee Odani (HNFAS) educated
attendees on farm food safety practices, government guidelines, and tasty beef
and pork dishes. The
new Hawai‘i County administrator Ted Feitshans was there meeting stakeholders
(and steak holders). Corie Yanger (NREM) provided
information on Rapid ‘Ohi‘a Death and how to prevent its spread. Sharon Motomura
Wages (TPSS, l) showed a video on preparing a healthy and great-tasting
sweetpotato salad. Susan Miyasaka (TPSS, m) provided three different sweetpotato
varieties to taste. Kiersten Akahoshi (TPSS) displayed vegetables produced by
Hawaiian Homelands farmers. Jana Bryan and Thais DaRosa represented the East
Hawaii Island Master Gardeners, expertly fielding queries about LFA, fruit fly
traps, and more. Patricia Andrade Stout and her daughter Leiana represented the
4-H program, providing families with information. Pictured (r) is Oriana Rueda-Kraus (NREM). Attendees
were filled with ‘ono foods and info! Organic in AfricaTed Radovich (TPSS) recently joined the growing number of CTAHR faculty who have volunteered for the USAID-funded John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer Program through Winrock International. Ted spent three weeks this August in Mboro, Senegal, to train and build the capacity of the International Center for Practical Training of Mboro faculty to develop a syllabus, training modules, and teaching methods on vegetable production—including aspects of organic and agroecological farming. Topics addressed included plant and soil management, ecological services, and pest management using organic methods. Because of the area’s high water table, Mboro is a major vegetable-producing region supplying fresh produce including cabbage, eggplant, sweetpotatoes, and peppers to the urban sprawl of Dakar, Senegal’s capital. Find out more information about the Farmer-to-Farmer program or other Winrock volunteer opportunities here! How Dry Is Dry Enough?Andrea Kawabata and Jen Burt (TPSS, Extension)
partnered with Gary Strawn (pictured) of the Kona Coffee Council for a hands-on
workshop that provided coffee farmers with an opportunity to properly calibrate
their moisture meters with parchment of known moisture content. Hawai‘i’s state
coffee standards require green coffee to have a 9–12% moisture content. If
coffee is improperly dried or tested, it can lead to rejection, as well as to quality
issues such as susceptibility to mold and pests. During this workshop, coffee
growers learned to fine-tune their coffee-drying techniques and learned when,
why, and how to test the moisture of their dried coffee samples. Some
coffee farmers use the “bite test” or their nails to see how hard their green
coffee is: if the coffee gives under tooth or nail pressure, it needs more time
to dry. Unfortunately, these methods aren’t nearly as accurate or consistent in
determining parchment or green coffee moisture content as using a properly
calibrated moisture meter. The event was so popular that another workshop was added for October! HPR Loves CTAHRWill Haines, who is maintaining his affiliation with PEPS
while now managing a new insectary for the DLNR, and Jason Graham (PEPS,
pictured) shared their work on re-establishing native Kamehameha butterflies
and yellow-faced bees on Hawaii Public Radio’s Bytemark Cafe talk show. Listen
to them here, about 20 minutes into the interview.
Also recently featured on HPR was Steven Chiang, director of the GoFarm Hawai‘i
program, discussing the program’s recent expansion to the Big Island’s Kohala
Center to help train even more beginning farmers in the Islands. Fired Up About PreventionClay
Trauernicht (NREM) is featured in a recent article in the Maui News about a field tour he and members
of the Pacific Fire Exchange did to discuss the impacts of an extensive
wildland fire that burned Kahikinui Homestead this past February.
Clay pointed out that around the state, brush fires are posing an
increasingly higher risk since flourishing nonnative grasses and declining
ranching operations have left fields unmanaged and susceptible to fires—in the
last three decades or so, the amount of area burned statewide has increased by
400 percent. He also commented that while fire season is a predictable time of
year, on the Mainland, large wildfires can happen year round in Hawai‘i. He explained that bringing livestock in to eat up the
grasses that pose a risk can be “a really useful tool for fire suppression,”
emphasizing that prevention of all sorts is “always cheaper in the long run” than dealing with the aftermath of a
raging wildland fire. Off on an Exciting AgventureBecky Settlage of East
Hawai‘i 4-H organized a first-time event in Waimea called “Agventure” designed
to expose fourth-graders to the wide world of agriculture, so that when they
dream of their future, they include farming, ranching, food science,
entomology, and more in the list of possibilities. Participating
organizations included CTAHR, NRCS, the Honeybee Company and PBARC (Pacific
Basin Agriculture Research Center) as well as many others. Activities
offered to students were diverse, everything from roping with a lariat to
hydroponics to extracting the DNA of strawberries and papayas. Master Gardeners
three Master Gardeners, Deb
Scrivens, Shin Matayoshi, and Nino Bachar, joined Master
Gardener and Extension agent Marisol Quintanilla-Tornel to cover how plants
grow, how to plant and raise a papaya, and an overview of “good” and “bad”
insects. A very good time was had by all! The next Agventure is scheduled in
Hilo on October 21. New Faces: Jenee OdaniExtension veterinarian Jenee Odani was born and raised on Maui and
first attended UHM for 2 years before graduating from the University of
Washington. She earned her DVM from UC-Davis and is board certified in Anatomic
Pathology. She worked for HDOA for 9 years in the Veterinary Laboratory. Now at
CTAHR, she’s an associate specialist in statewide veterinary Extension and teaches
Anatomy of Domestic Animals. She’s interested in all domestic species (except that
she has an aversion to amphibians!), diagnostic tests for diseases, regulatory
medicine, and outreach. With an 11-year-old son, she says she’s a true baseball
and soccer mom. Welcome to the college, Jenee! (Photo courtesy of Midweek
Magazine, which featured Jenee in a cover story a few years back.) New Faces: Jeff GoodwinJeff Goodwin, FCS associate specialist and state 4-H coordinator, comes
to CTAHR with an extensive
background in Cooperative Extension. He is excited to bring important youth
development and 4-H STEM programming, with program evaluation, marketing, and
volunteer leadership development, to the Hawai‘i 4-H program. Jeff received his
BS in Animal Science and MS in Agriculture at West Texas State University and
his Ph.D. in Ag Education at Texas A&M. He worked as a county Extension
agent in agriculture in the Texas Ag Extension System before moving to the
University of Idaho as a state 4-H specialist working in the areas of horse,
livestock, and shooting sports. For the last 12 years Jeff has served as the state
4-H director at Colorado State University. He’s has spoken to more than 50,000
people in the U.S. and Canada on topics such as appropriate use of animals in
agriculture, livestock show ethics, and leadership development and has produced
eight educational videos on these topics, which have been in use nationwide for
more than 20 years. Howdy, Jeff!! New Faces: Andre SealeFormerly at the Hawai‘i Institute
of Marine Biology at Coconut Island, aquaculture specialist
Andre Seale has research interests in the neuroendocrine system, environmental
adaptation, growth, metabolism, and stress in fish, especially Mozambique
tilapia. He has a PhD
in Zoology
from UH and a double-major BS in Marine Science and Biology from
the University of Miami. He has participated in numerous scientific and
photographic expeditions to tropical islands and atolls where he engages in
surveying and monitoring marine life. He’s also an avid underwater photographer
who has caught breathtaking pictures in Brazil, Australia, South Korea, Florida,
and Hawai‘i. His images have been featured in hundreds of publications in over
50 countries, and he had a winning entry at the 2006 Shell Wildlife
Photographer of the Year competition. Welcome to dry land at CTAHR! Bittersweet Farm Fair on Kaua‘iFrom the
opening ceremony to the final cleanup, CTAHR played a major role in the success
of the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau Fair that took place August 25–28 in Lihu‘e. The
entire Fair was dedicated to the memory of Mathew Stevenson, Kaua‘i’s former
livestock Extension agent, who was also active in the
4-H livestock programs both on Kaua‘i and statewide. A brief memorial for Matt
was held at the opening of the fair. Then the four days of “Family, Farming, Food and Fun”
featured an array of CTAHR-organized activities, including presentations by junior
Extension agent Joshua Silva and the Master Gardeners, a fruit and vegetable show
with entries judged by junior Extension agent Kathryn Fiedler, a petting zoo
and livestock 4-H activities organized by Laura Kawamura (FCS), and a fruit fly
information booth staffed by Richard Ebesu (PEPS). As always, the farm crew
from the Kaua‘i Agricultural Research Center, Frank Matsuno, Lou Nishida Jr.,
Randy Yamamoto, and Michael Carle, played a major role in building out (and taking
down….) structural components to make the fair function smoothly. CTAHR is
largely responsible for keeping farming in focus during the Farm Fair, and
continues a long and strong partnership with the Kaua‘i County Farm Bureau
supporting agriculture on the Garden Island. Photo courtesy
of Sen. Ron Kouchi. LFA, Go AwayTwo Little
Fire Ant (LFA) workshops were held at the Kona Cooperative Extension Service office.
CTAHR faculty and staff assisting with the workshop were Andrea Kawabata,
Alyssa Cho, and Jen Burt, along with Heather Forester and Kiyoshi Adachi of the
Hawaii Ant Lab (HAL), Grant Kow (pictured) and Kamran Fujimoto from HDOA, and Glenn
Sako of Hawai‘i County R&D. The workshop included an overview presentation
on LFA by Heather, a hands-on LFA survey at the research station with Andrea
and Alyssa, and a mixing and treatment application demonstration (for small-
and large-scale properties) by Kiyoshi, Kamran, and Grant. There has been an
increase in confirmed cases of LFA infestations on farms and residential
properties in West Hawai‘i. This was a great opportunity for farmers to become
informed and to gain a better understanding of the importance of prevention and
sampling and the proper use of applicators and LFA barrier and bait treatment
products. A new voucher program will be available soon to continue
educating Hawai‘i residents about LFA and aid them in purchasing LFA bait
products. FibermorphicCTAHR alumnae were
instrumental in FIBERMORPHIC, the 2nd Wearable Art Fashion Show, which was
presented at the Honolulu Museum of Art School as part of this year’s opening
reception of Hawaii Craftsmen’s biennial Fiber Hawaii Art Exhibition. Artists
and designers were inspired to create fashions that are unique works of
wearable art, utilizing a variety of fiber processes and techniques. The fashion show director was Tanyah Tavorn (pictured, left), and the makeup and art
manager was Jade Rabut. The show was fibertastic! New PublicationsAbout the KupunaJenjira Yahirun
and Hua
Zan (both COF) have produced a
demographic profile report on Hawai‘i’s older adults, which presents a snapshot of the older population in Hawai‘i, including their population
share and population projections for the future, their racial and ethnic diversity, their family and household characteristics, and their
socioeconomic status in Hawai‘i. Jenjira and Hua explain that older adults in
Hawai‘i face a number of unique challenges, such as high housing costs and a
dearth of affordable long-term care services, but they also have stronger family
networks and longer life expectancies than older adults in other parts of the US.
Jenjira is a family
sociologist and social demographer whose research focuses on the intersection
of intergenerational relationships, aging, health and migration, while Hua is a
family economist who researches economics of health behaviors, health care use
and expenditures, and health-related family decision-making.The profile can be downloaded from the COF website. Eat Healthy…Whatever That MeansJinan Banna (HNFAS), with other UH and international researchers, just
published an article entitled “Cross-cultural comparison of perspectives on
healthy eating among Chinese and American undergraduate students” in the journal BMC Public Health. The study describes perspectives on healthy eating among Chinese and
American young adults and identifies similarities and differences between these
groups using data that Jinan collected from students at UH and Hunan
Agricultural University. American students saw healthy eating as balancing food groups and balancing consumption with exercise. Physical activity was considered essential. They also stated that food
components such as sugar, salt, and fat should be avoided in large quantities.
Chinese students mentioned physical outcomes, such as maintaining immunity and digestive
health. They emphasized timing of eating, with regular meals and greater intake
during the day than at night. Similarities included principles such as
moderation and the understanding that fruits and vegetables are nutritious. Differences
included foods to be restricted and meal timing. Greater knowledge of
the ways healthy eating is viewed will allow for development of interventions
that are sensitive to the traditional values and predominant views of health in
various groups. Protect the Parks Protecting the WildlifeMegan
Barnes (NREM) is lead author of an international study just published in the
journal Nature Communications that
found that most protected areas around the world, most notably in
wealthier, more developed countries, are successfully safeguarding wildlife.
This suggests the continued need for adequate support of these parks, she
explains: “National parks are the cornerstone of most country’s conservation
plans, so it’s essential they work as well as possible.” The study, “Wildlife population trends in protected areas
predicted by national socio-economic metrics and body size,” is the
largest investigation of wildlife trends in protected areas to date. It
discovered that socio-economic conditions of the countries in which the
protected areas were located were far more important in influencing the success
of parks than often-cited factors such as protected area size, design, or type.
The study highlights the need for effective management of parks and suggests
that it is not sufficient only to create new parks to increase the area under
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