January 2024

NJ DEP Trout in the Classroom in Agricultural Science!

We participate in the NJ DEP Trout in the Classroom program. We raise rainbow trout from eggs  giving students an opportunity to learn about cold water species, learn and practice maintenance, and use learned skills and apply record keeping to earn honorary degrees and awards. NJ Trout Unlimited volunteers deliver about 300 eggs to us in October. About half of these hatch. After hatching many do not survive the first four weeks. By the end of December we are usually caring for a little over ten trout. We released the trout from their basket last week (late January ). They were in this small basket since hatching from eggs. They now have freedom to roam our tank and get stronger before we release them in spring. We have a NJ DEP license to release these fish in local stream water. Students participating in this project can learn animal science skills and possibly win awards for their associated record keeping.

Farm Bot

With the assistance of a Perkins grant, we were able to purchase an automated system that plants, waters, and weeds a 24 square foot plot. Agricultural Science students are constructing this system. So far we have designed and assembled a planting box according to specifications. We are currently assembling the gantry components. This step is quickly showing us how well machined the parts are and showing us how detail oriented we must be to properly assemble for best performance. Exciting to see this system go together even at this early stage.

4-H and SCVTHS Career Day

With the help of Somerset County 4-H and Rutgers staff, we organized and hosted a career day event which was held last week for Agricultural Science students. We invited and had speakers representing animal science, plant science, and environmental science and art. The below speakers shared with students their career path, made suggestions on how to get started, provided s short activity. and answered questions. 

We would like to again thank the presenters for their time and sharing experiences with us. Presenters we would like to thank are:

Alex Friedman -Rutgers PhD candidate 

Dr. Andrea Freeman - Veterinarian operating Kind Veterinary care in Martinsville 

Daryl and Julie Kobesky- Landscape Architects and Sunset Farmstead Nursery owners.

Bruce Crawford - Horticulture Manager Morris County Park Commission and Agricultural Science program Advisory Committee Member since "beginning of time"

Melissa Woerner- NJ DEP Senior Biologist and Regional Habitat Planner.

Dr. Jon Higgins - Veterinarian operating Acorn Embryo.

 December 2023

Lady Beetles, Mushroom growing research, and a Farmbot! 

We have aphids and spider mite populations beginning to proliferate so students released some lady beetles this week to control both. We will take a look at the control provided next week and determine if we are seeing control. Next time this happens we will be more formal and do pest population assessments to quantify before and after predatory release. These are native convergent lady beetles Hippodamia convergens and they eat both aphids and spider mites. Above is a photo of the roughly 1,000 lady beetles released to begin controlling the aphid and spider mite pests.

One of seniors is working with a local farm (Martennette Farms of Hillsborough - recently named SCVTHS Business partner of the Year for all they have done for this program) to investigate using a sustainable resource for growing edible mushrooms. Our seniors choose a project to complete a mini-masters of science like research project. In the photo above the student is sterilizing the media to be used to run a pilot test and and determine some testing parameters and find out what easy mistakes we can fix to make the testing strong.

Finally we have our Farmbot construction project to share. We have been piecing together time to construct a box in our hoop house (as well as do some needed repairs to the hoop house) where the Farmbot will be stationed. A senior student is leading the assembly of this while other students are chipping in to sift compost by hand and fill the planting box with a sustainable and economical growing media. Hope to share another construction update early in the new year.

Happy Holidays and have a wonderful New Year. Thank you everyone for your support!

Mr. Fargo

September 2023

Plant Science September 2023

soils unit

Pictured below are soil samples collected from around the Agricultural Science building. I chose to elevate the learning and go slightly beyond the learning the learning objectives to include a question of: how do maintenance practices impact soil texture?

Each container is labeled to give students an indication of how much maintenance is performed on that soil's vegetation. Students performed a soil ribbon test on all five samples to determine the texture (sand, silt, clay components). We will be discussing in class how, or if, maintenance impacted soil texture results students observed. 

Understanding soil texture is important for optimizing plant growth and production. Knowing the skill of ribbon testing is a simple very hands-on filed test with reliability. Students learned how to perform this ribbon test and received feedback on technique. What type of soil do you have at home and is it an optimal match for the plant material? Ask a student to assist! 

 

2020 - 2021 Success During Challenge

 Student success this year, during great challenges COVID, is something to be thankful for. Below is a medley of short stories of greater importance to share for the 20-21 school year in Agricultural Science.

SCVTHS Stellar Student of the Year: Agricultural Science student Jenna Shallop! Congrats Jenna!

Jenna began her Agricultural Science and FFA member career as a freshman with a bold statement by being recognized as NJ FFA "Most Outstanding Greenhand" degree candidate. She is now closing her High School career as the 2021 SCVTHS Stellar Student of the Year.

Two Agricultural Science Senior Students named 20-21 Scholar Athletes of the Year. 

Jenna Shallop (pictured above) and Jonathan Reynolds-Alvarenga (pictured below) senior classmates in the Ag Science program were named as Scholar Athletes. These classmates would frequently share game highlights with each other during class. 

Agricultural Research and Development (Senior Year) Projects

Topics this year are: 

1) Breeding Wisconsin Fastplants as a model for improving edible rice nutrition

2) Growing Edible Radishes for Longer Space Missions

3) Food Insecurity Within Somerset County

4) Improving Breeding Practices for Beef Cattle

5) Investigation of Road Salt Concentrations in Soils from various Road Uses

Somerset FFA Service Project

Edible Plants raised for local food pantry. 

During a January 4th advisory committee meeting, Bruce Crawford, Rutgers SEBS professor of Residential Horticulture, suggested we combine vegetables in planters and donate. I really liked that idea because it would give people with limited resources, limited space, and help boost gardening confidence.  The idea seemed to get some traction quickly from Agricultural Science students / FFA members, and Mr. Carrig. We began doing research and assembling materials shortly after.  I was then contacted January 11th by Delaware Valley University Animal Science Professor, and Somerset County resident, Joanne Powell to partner in creating gardening kits for a local food pantry. Since we had no idea who would benefit from us growing and creating these combined planters, in partnering with Joanne Powell we now had a home for our material. 

Seeds were donated by several sources including Belle Meade Coop. FFA Officers organized the program contributions. FFA Members / students began sowing seeds for red and green loose leaf romaine lettuce, peas, and spinach in mid March for our cool season planters. 'Super Sweet 100' cherry tomatoes, "California Wonder' peppers, and sweet basil were started in late March. Students then transplanted in mid April to the finish container / planters and began to apply nutrients at this point. Students assisted with providing proper environmental conditions with these plants by moving inside heated greenhouse facilities or out and monitoring for pests. Our only pest control was moving the plants outside to allow predators to do their thing. Students got to learn how quickly and effectively this can work. 

Early May we noticed that the tomatoes and peas needed support and Mr. Mazzetta's Carpentry and Building Trades class made some wooden stakes for us. Agricultural Science students placed the stakes and tied tomatoes and peas using these stakes.

After ten weeks of growing, forty finished planters were loaded and delivered May 19th to the Hillsborough Food Pantry for clients. Professor Powell was our contact with the food pantry and was responsible for finding us the empty planter containers from a donor.

This was an immensely beneficial project for students in that it gave students a hands on activity to do when electronic learning was at a surplus. It is also beneficial for the students in that it gave our FFA chapter officers a project to apply organizational skills and leadership in benefitting overwhelmed community members.

Agricultural Science hosts DVU Ag Science Student Teacher

Delaware Valley University Student Teacher Completes coursework for classroom instruction with us and ends with a robust animal experience.

Students in the Agricultural Science Program at Somerset County Vocational & Technical High School (SCVTHS) recently participated in an animal science lesson led by Adrianna Ruggieri, a Delaware Valley University student. 

Adrianna, who is completing her coursework to become an agricultural science instructor, has been assisting the SCVTHS Agricultural Science program since February. She brought in goats from her farm to work with the students and teach skills to the FFA Veterinary Science Career Development Event team.

“Students performed parasite analysis from sampling and microscopy work, matched appropriate medication to worm parasites identified, administered matching medication, and gave appropriate vaccination,” explained SCVTHS Agricultural Science Instructor Erik Fargo.

Mr. Fargo went on to add, “The Delaware Valley University connection is valuable in providing an avenue for students to apply CASE articulation credit and offering a local place for students interested in animal science to attend.”

FFA Members Campus Clean up Service Project

FFA Officers and members organized the third annual Campus Clean up. Students collected trash and debris from SCVTHS campus grounds and collected 20 pounds this year.

Great job everyone! And it was fun!

Donation to Skills USA Golf Fundraiser

Our students propagated and grew the plant materials placed in these two donated containers from Norz Hill Farm of Hillsborough. 

State Level FFA CDE Top Results this year:

• Madeline Bates First Place - Flat of Bedding Plants
• Grace McInerney Second place - Flowering Plant
• Meghan Caughron Second Place - Turfgrass Management practicum areas
• Emiliana Repreza & Madeline Bates Tied Third Place - Ag Technology & Mechanical Systems Practicum

Special Thanks to supporters:

Barbara Lane

Bridgewater Garden Club

Bound Brook Garden Club

Neshanic Garden Club

SCVTHS PTO

Advisory Committee members active this year:

Bruce Crawford - Director Residential Horticulture Rutgers SEBS

Everett Merrill - Parent of Graduate

Craig Tolley - County College of Morris Professor

Brian Oleksak - County College of Morris Professor and Program Director

Erin Noble - NJ State Agricultural Education Program Leader & FFA Advisor

Dr. Christine Jenkins - Senior Director Veterinary Medical Services & Outcomes Research, Chief Veterinary Medical Officer - US, Zoetis

Joanne Powell - Animal Science Professor Delaware Valley University

Great to be back!

 Great to be back!

After two days we are excited to be able to discover while in the classroom again.

Here is one of now Seniors carefully examining a carrot tissue culture under a microscope. This student skillfully snapped a photo of the carrot tissue from the microscope using his cell phone. I have tried it and the degree of difficulty here is infinite!

Plant Science students collected data from a soil pit outside today and then we finished an activity from a week ago to test the microbial life within the soil profile. We are testing and comparing soil microbes from the surface to several inches down and just over 12" down. You can make the same prediction we did in class: What do you think our results will be and why?

What Students are up to in Intro to Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Course

Year 1 Intro to Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources

I thought I would put together a blog entry to demonstrate what students are learning in the first year course (Intro to FANR). Below you you will find photos of activities and captions explaining along with a general outline of the topics covered.

Students enrolled in this course are laying a foundation for studying deeper subjects. The course they are learning from is Curriculum for Agricultural Science Education (CASE) and are working toward earning a certification indicating successful course completion.

In addition, we follow a three circle model ensuring students have access to career building opportunities through Classroom Instruction (CASE), Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), and FFA (leadership skills).

Here is a general outline of the topics covered.

So far this year the Intro to FANR students have completed Units 1.1 through 4.2.

In Unit 1.1 students are given perspective on the history, need, and breadth of agriculture. Unit 1.2 introduces students to career opportunities in agriculture and they begin a project including their first SAE which will be used to earn their first FFA Degree, the Greenhand Degree. Unit 2 establishes the knowledge and skill for communication and team work.

Once we begin Unit 3 the focus of foundation knowledge and skill switches to preparing students for lab experimentation. Students first learn about safety, equipment ID, and equipment use. Students learn about basic classification (to be applied later in plant and animal units), the process of science, begin a series of lessons on writing a well developed lab report (useful for the Agriscience Fair), identifying pH and using equipment to measure pH, and the importance of pH for living organisms. They conclude this unit by planning a skit to perform a mock experiment demonstrating science processes and safety.

Unit 4.1 includes lessons on soil texture and how texture impacts soil performance, how organic materials impact porosity, soil performance, and how to correct poor performing soil. In Unit 4.2 students apply soil texture knowledge to determine texture class, perform a permeability test and apply understanding or how texture and particle size impact performance, as well as measure pH buffering and determine which soil type buffers pH change the most. For the later activity students are required to write a lab report learning more about data collection and data transformation in the effort for communicating results and identifying patterns, trends, and/ or relationships.
Students are currently in the middle of unit 4.3 covering topics of the water cycle and parameters that impact water quality. They will conclude this unit by designing and conducting a water quality test using lab equipment to collect data and again writing lab report communicating their findings and adding on the layer of writing the Analysis of Data section.

Here students are introduced to FFA Career Development Events (CDE's) by doing a two day activity and getting experience in ten different CDE's including Dairy Products, Floriculture, Horse Evaluation, Landscape, Agronomy. Part of Unit 2.

Owners of Sunset Farmstead Nursery (above) are working with students to force perennial plants into growth and flowering for trade show season. All plants are in our greenhouse and students have been learning about and performing vernalization (chilling treatment to initiate flowering), soil moisture data collection, seasonal cut backs, water programs, fertilizer application, and pest control. This would be an extension project for unit 5.3 and a potential SAE project for students interested in pursuing a plant science career.

Four of our FANR students attended the NJ FFA LEAD conference to learn about leadership skills, team building, and communication. Great experience for students with great energy. Above is one of several hand on team building activities Greenhand track participants completed. This extends student exposure to FFA.

Can you guess who these hands belong to? Hint only two pairs of hands belong to FANR students, the other two are Seniors who completed this event for their final time. Above are the hands of the four students competing in the NJ FFA Landjuding CDE. Part of the event is judging the soil for agricultural suitability and a second part for establishing a home (Homestite). One of the senior ladies took 2nd place for Homesite this year! An amazing way to complete attending this event for four years. Congratulations Maria!

Thank you for reading and visiting!

Triple Trip!

Triple Trip 2019

(actually four stops)

Stop #1 We left campus at 7:55 am and went to Puskas dairy farm in Somerset on South Middlebush and Bennetts lane. Only dairy farm in Somerset county at this point.  Hard to believe this. Fun visit and learned a ton. We learned about Dairy cow judging. Some anatomical terms were: Hock, utter, pelvis area, pin bone, hook bone, thurl, pastern, hoof, short ribs, and the desired position or relationship for several. Also explained by Mr. Puskas, a 4-H Fair judge, were the importance of each aspect. Both and Mr. and Mrs. Puskas were both very knowledgeable and generous with their time.

Stop #2 From there went to Rutgers Food and Nutritional Science. Eye opening experience there. Not expecting a formal presentation, an experiment, and such great student hosts representing the Rutgers Food Science. For the experiment Our students did a fun activity/experiment learning about hydrophilicity, and hydrophobicity in foods.  The experiment materials were milk, food coloring, and detergent.  Some students had done the experiment in the past and already knew what to expect but still excited to see it again and show others. We were lead on a tour of the building including a renowned PhD's research lab and several experimental apparati. 

Stop #3 From Food Science we took a short walk then to Lipman Hall to learn from my Biochemistry professor at Rutgers, Dr. Peter C. Kahn. He always had a great knack for explaining the complex, abstract, can't see what you're talking about, on a common everyday level so all relate and "get it".  Dr, Kahn still has this skill. That was an exciting visit, students used a computer 3D model to see how a cancer drug (Methotrexate) / chemotherapy works with Dihydrofolate reductase, a molecule responsible for producing thymine, a DNA base. When Methotraxate and combine with Dihydrofolate reductase, DNA synthesis stops, and cancer is controlled. Dr. Kahn then took us to his research lab to show how he tested the drug. He designed and built the testing chamber himself. Really neat! 

Stop #4 (we were in a hurry! no time for pictures) And since it was only 12:10 we traveled 37 miles up to County College of Morris to see their Landscape and Horticultural Tech program where we have an articulation agreement with. Good to see and what beautiful facility. We just made it back at 2:17 only 2 minutes after students were released from classes to buses! YIKES!

Just in case anyone was wondering where the misnomer Triple trip came from, two years ago we did a similar route with different stops, that time was three stops. And since Triple trip is more memorable than Quadruple trip (actually a clunky word combo) Triple trip labeling wins.