Fall 2009
W E L C O M E
2009 Distinguished Alumni
Jefferson Awards
Glasgow News
ASSET
KAS
Graduate Assistants
Melvin Jennette
State Grant
Veterinary News
Livestock Fellowship
Dairy News
Beef Unit
Agronomy News
Career Day 2009
Block & Bridle
Leichardt Professorship
Horticulture in California
Horticulture Club
Vineyards & Display Gardens
Turf Management
Collegiate FFA
Agricultural Ambassadors
Outstanding Students
President’s Diversity Award
Samuel Noble Summer
Research Scholar Program
Hello from the Hill! I hope this newsletter finds all of you well and surviving these difficult economic times. We have been very busy here in the WKU Department of
Agriculture. Because of the rain this summer, the ―Farm‖ never looked better and that was a real plus since, the University Regents spent a day at the ―Farm‖.
They had their business meeting in the morning followed by lunch provided by Mr.
Tim Jones, Expo Director and his staff. After lunch and a tour of the Expo, the
Regents boarded a bus and spent the afternoon touring the entire farm. They stopped at the compost site, the agronomy building, the beef pavillion, the riding arena , the pumpkin patch, the dairy barn, the Taylor Center, the golf course, and the vineyard. The dairy even had a cow calving just as the Regents‘ bus pulled up to the dairy barn. It was a great day even with the rain. Several of the Regents commented that they had no idea we did so much at the Farm.
We have a number of new projects going on at the Farm. Our joint bio-diesel project with mechanical engineering will start making diesel from waste cooking oil this Fall. Our pumpkin patch due completely to the efforts of Tracy and Travis
Coleman has produced several thousand pumpkins. The beef and dairy herds are in excellent condition due to the efforts of David Newsom and Jeremy Waddell. We are finishing up the next phase of our compost heated greenhouse. Our cheese making equipment will be delivered in October and we have already cleared a room in the Taylor Center to house that operation. Our vineyard is looking great after just two years, we should have a real grape crop in two more years.
Dr Willian has plans to expand the vineyard in the Spring. The annual flower garden between the vineyard and the Expo is a direct result of the efforts by
Roger Dennis and graduate students Will Galbreath, and Claudia Stetter and undergraduate Jason Lankford. There is much more to be said about what we are doing and planning. but the best thing for you to do is come visit.
See You at Homecoming 2009!
Jack L. Rudolph , Jr.
Department Head

P A G E 2
AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn University College of Veterinary Medicine has named three of its graduates as 2009 Wilford S. Bailey Distinguished Alumni in honor of their contributions to animal welfare, the profession, and their communities .
Jenks S. Britt, D.V.M., of Bowling Green is named as a recipient along with David McClary, D.V.M., of Auburn, Alabama, and R. Michael Thomas, D.V.M., of Indianapolis, Indiana.
―Dr. Britt is distinguished in the areas of private veterinary practice and academia,‖ said Timothy R.
Boosinger, dean of Auburn‘s College of Veterinary Medicine during the college‘s commencement ceremony on May 5.
A 1970 graduate of Auburn‘s College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Britt is a 1966 graduate of Western
Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Science in agriculture and biology. In 1998 he returned to
Western Kentucky University as an associate professor and head of the department of agriculture.
Today he continues to provide instruction that only an experienced veterinarian could offer our students.
Prior to 1993, Dr. Britt was in private practice in Kentucky specializing in animal health management, reproductive, and embryo transfer services. From 1993 to 1998, he served as a clinical assistant professor in the food animal production medicine section at the University of
Wisconsin, College of Veterinary Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Britt has received numerous awards including Auburn‘s El Toro Award for Excellence in Food Animal Medicine (2005),
Veterinarian of the Year from the Kentucky Medical Association (1993), Practitioner of the Year from the American Association of Bovine Practitioners (1992), and Western Kentucky University Alumni of the Year (1992). A diplomat of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Dr. Britt is a past president of the American Association of Bovine Practitioners. He has served on the board of directors for the National Mastitis Council, the International Embryo Transfer Society, the American
Embryo Transfer Association, and the Kentucky Holstein Cattle Club. He has authored or co-authored over 200 publications and presented over 200 invited lectures in the U.S. and internationally. A consultant in the areas of dairy nutrition, reproduction, and quality milk production, Dr. Britt continues his consultant work for large herds in the United States and Mexico.
The distinguished alumni award is named in honor of Dr. Wilford S. Bailey, a veterinary parasitologist, who held a 50-year continuous faculty appointment at Auburn University after receiving his veterinary degree in 1942, serving in positions from instructor to university president.
Story & Photo Furnished By: Tara Lanier: Communications and Marketing, College of Veterinary
Medicine, Auburn University
Ret. Col. Robert Spiller and his wife, Cora Jane Spiller, received the Jefferson Award for their efforts in the community, supporting the arts and working with veterans
.
The
Jefferson Awards, a product of the American Institute for Public Service, was presented by the Daily News and WBKO-TV after a selection was made from nominations submitted by area residents
Photo: Hunter Wilson , The Daily News
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

P A G E 3
Nine students got the opportunity of a lifetime to experience agriculture in a foreign country.
Lindsie Kinslow of Glasgow, Amy Jolly of Cave City, LaSandra Crawford of Tompkinsville, Tabitha
Potter of Glasgow, Ryan and Kasey Furkin of Edmonton, David Leslie of Edmonton, Nicole Ford of Horse Cave, and Katie Reid of Owensboro boarded a plane heading towards Quito, Ecuador on March 4, 2009. Agriculture Instructor, Kristie Guffey and Dr. David Coffey, took WKU
Glasgow Regional Campus students to Ecuador for a ten day agriculture tour.
They arrived in the beautiful capital of Quito, Ecuador. They witnessed the magnificence of the majestic Andes Mountains that punctuates the landscape of the country. A rare treat that many of the native people rarely get to witness, five volcanoes were in clear view throughout the journey. The students visited a well known Ecuadorian artists‘ studio, walked through ancient
Catholic churches, and traveled 14,000‘ above sea level to an overlook of the capital. The trip headed south to the agricultural region of Tunghurua. There the students got to participate in the country‘s second largest animal livestock market. They got to see fruits, vegetables, flowers and even meat at another market near the town square. The amazing and exotic fruits, the pristine flowers, and the varieties were astounding. They traveled on to a town known for Inca warriors, Pillaro. The students were able to dig potatoes and enjoy the hospitality of local farmers as they prepared Locra de Papa, the local potato soup. The students then traveled the far reaches of the Amazon. In Puyo, they witnessed wildlife that was beyond our imagination and got to trek through the mud to a working dairy farm in the jungle. They saw the importance of sustainability not just in the Andes but also in the jungles of the mighty Amazon.
The Glasgow students saw first hand how preservation and restoration of our earth enables biodiversity to strengthen and prosper.
Regardless of the heights, the views of natural habitat, wildlife, and the beauty of the country were magnified while traveling through the rainforest. They saw the popular, active Tunghurua
Volcano. Its immense presence and the steam that rose from its massive peaks were phenomenal.
We traveled from the Andes to the
Amazon and from Volcanoes to the jungles of the Amazon. This experience was a life changing educational adventure for these Glasgow students. A special thanks goes to Dr. Juanita Bayless for her continued
LaNisa Volcano support of agriculture and international travel at the
Glasgow Regional campus.
Article and Photos Provided By: Kristie Guffey
Left to Right: David Leslie, Kasey Furkin,
Ryan Furkin, Nicole Ford, LaSandra Crawford,
Lindsie Kinslow, Amy Jolly, and Tabitha Potter.

P A G E 4
Everyone enjoys receiving a preview or trial version before they purchase an item.
From test driving a new vehicle to snacking on taste samples at the grocery store,
Americans like to know just what they are getting before they get it. However, one of the most important decisions of a young person‘s life, which college to attend, is often a nearly blind leap of faith with very little direct experience. This common situation is one of the reasons for the creation of WKU Department of Agriculture‘s
A.S.S.E.T. program. Agricultural Students Striving for Effective Tomorrows allows incoming high school seniors to live a week as a
WKU student by staying on campus in the residence halls, discussing majors with professors, touring campus and the University Farm, meeting different people from around Kentucky, Indiana,
Tennessee, and other states, and of course getting their fill of pork chops and hamburgers prepared by the Agriculture Department‘s clubs and faculty. All of these opportunities are offered at no charge to accepted participants.
A.S.S.E.T. 2009 was held from May 31 – June 4, and consisted of thirty-three participants and ten counselors, whose names and home towns are listed below. The conference participants were housed in Bemis Lawrence Hall, where the group first became acquainted with each other during the registration process.
Linda and Doc Gonzales hosted the Wednesday night dance at the Taylor Center
During the week, there were several team building and leadership exercises which included utilizing the
Ropes Course on the University Farm, a campus scavenger hunt for WKU‘s landmarks, and participating in a version of Block and Bridle‘s Barnyard Olympics. Various tours were conducted during the conference, including the hatchery belonging to The Equity Group in Franklin, KY, Chaney‘s Dairy Barn just south of
Bowling Green, Lost River Cave, and a few expeditions to downtown, which were conducted by the counselors. The Department of Agriculture was also very fortunate to host Roger Thomas, Billy Ray Smith,
Wilson Stone, and David Givens for an etiquette dinner and political forum in which issues concerning agriculture and college experiences were discussed. Overall, the week provided excellent opportunities for high school students to participate in activities that otherwise would not have been possible until after starting college.
Programs such as A.S.S.E.T. are a great benefit to both potential students and Western Kentucky
University. Even if a student decides not to attend WKU, he or she will have a good idea about college life and hopefully a positive attitude toward WKU. Of course, the Department of Agriculture would like to retain all of these high-caliber students, and campus visits and promotion by conference participants has been a great recruiting stimulus for the Department of Agriculture.
If any Alumnus would like more information about the
A.S.S.E.T. Conference, contact the Western Kentucky Department of agriculture at 270-745-3151.
Barnyard Olympics
Photo furnished by
Daily News
Photo: Hunter Wilson
Joshua Dennis - Upton, KY
Katherine Richard - Kokomo, IN
Elijah Ernst - Buffalo, KY
Seth Shelton - Rockport, IN
Kaidy Richardson - Monticello, KY
Shephanie Sherman - Bristow, IN
Micah Farmer - Upton, KY
Rebecca Taylor - Derby, IN
Brandon Gabbard – Bowling Green, KY
Laramie Stone - Bowling Green, KY
Amber Phillips - Hardinsburg, KY
Nicole Goecke - Augusta, KY
Gabrielle Burgess - Gamaiel, KY
Shelby Blevins - Mt. Sterling, KY
Justin Vaughn – Auburn, KY
Chelsie Allen - Rineyville, KY
Paige Florence - Paris, KY
Tyler Daming - Richland, IN
Caleb Thomas - Buffalo, KY
Dylan Barber - Campbellsville, KY
Kendra Kelly - Franklin, KY
Katarina Lawrence - Carrollton, KY
Allison Branger - Elizabethtown, KY
Nicole Crittenden - Elizabethtown, KY
Nathan Martin - Clarksville, TN
Megan Fields - Glasgow, KY
Megan Felps - Lexington Park, Maryland
Jessica Brooks - Glendale, KY
Ryan DeMuth - Lexington, KY
Justin Allen - Russellville, KY
Mary McKinney - Glasgow, KY
Sabrina Heinrich - Radcliff, KY
Megan Copass - Fountain Run, KY
Tyler Burysek
Erin Day
John Hurley
Molly Jehlik
Jessica Penrod
Cortney Scott
Amber Weaver
Arlee Danhauer
Kyle Porter
Mary Stewart
Michael Kleaving
D E P A R T M E N T O F

P A G E 5
At the Kentucky Academy of Science Meeting in Lexington, the Department of
Agriculture won three awards for their presentations.
2nd Place Undergraduate Oral Presentation: Brandon Burchett* for his talk,
―Impact of Red and Black Plastic Mulch on Yield of Field - Grown, Staked
Tomatoes‖ Brandon Burchett, Stephen Flomo, Diana Edlin, Elmer Gray, Martin
Stone, Western Kentucky University, Nathan Howell, University of Kentucky.
2nd Place Graduate Oral Presentation - Diana Edlin* for her talk, ―Heirloom and
Hybrid Tomato Yield in Organic and Conventional Production Systems‖, Diana
Edlin, Stephen Flomo, Elmer Gray, Martin Stone, Western Kentucky University,
Nathan Howell, University of Kentucky.
2nd Place Poster Undergraduate - Tara Holaday and Crystal Walker* for their poster ―Evaluation of Baby Corn as a Niche Crop for Kentucky‖, Tara Holaday and Crystal Walker, Transylvania University, Martin Stone, Elmer Gray, and
Todd Willian, Western Kentucky University.
Back Row: Pramod Gupta, Stephen Flomo,
Dr. Stephen King, Diana Edlin, Brandon Burchett
Front Row: Rick Heavrin, Dr. Martin Stone.
Also presenting but not necessarily entered in a competition were:
―Effects of Early Spring Growth Annual Ryegrass Consumption of Parameters Associated with Laminitis in Horses‖, Morgan
Akers, Charles Anderson, Linda Gonzales, Elmer Gray, Dept. of Agriculture, Western Kentucky University.
―Life Expectancy and the Human Sex Ratio‖, Pramod Gupta, Elmer Gray, Department of Agriculture, Western Kentucky
University.
Poster ―Human Sex Ratio and Family Size for Selected Sample for the China Population 2008‖, Zheng Wang and Elmer Gray.
Poster ―Conifer Decline and Potential Causes at Baker Arboretum‖, Rick Heavrin and Martin Stone.
―Investigation of Yield and Quality of Grafted, Heirloom and Hybrid Tomatoes‖, Stephen Flomo, Diana Edlin, Elmer Gray, Martin
Stone, Department of Agriculture, Western Kentucky University and Nathan Howell, University of Kentucky.
Diana Edlin - Diana is from Vevay, Indiana. She is the oldest of 6 children. She was raised on a dairy and tobacco farm. She graduated in 2008 with a BS. She is married to Chris Edlin. She will Graduate with a MS in
December 2009.
Will Galbreath - Will is from Goodlettsville, TN. Will started his agriculture career in high school. He was FFA president and has pursued horticulture as his area of concentration. He graduated in 2008 with a BS. He expects to graduate with a MS in May 2010.
Zheng Wang - Zheng is from Shenyang, China. Both Zheng‘s parents are medical doctors. Zheng became interested in agriculture while he was in high school. He attended the Shenyang Agricultural University in China and graduated in July of 2007.
He expects to graduate with a MS in December 2009.
Stephen Flomo - Stephen is from Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. He graduated in 1996 with a BS in Agriculture. He worked for Firestone for 6 years and was manager over 250 workers on a 365 acre rubber plantation. Stephen has a leadership certificate. He also work for the UNCOR Refugee Organization. He expects to graduate with a MS in
December 2009.
Melvin Jennette retired on June 30,
2009. He has worked for Western
Kentucky University for 20 years.
Melvin has done a great job taking care of the Environmental Science and Technology building. We will all miss him.

P A G E 6
Last fall we were pleased to have Governor Steve Beshear at WKU to present Dr.
Jenks Britt with a $26,257 check to fund a research project. The series of trials, still ongoing, designed by Dr. Britt intends to measure the effectiveness of Re-Borne,
Inc‘s liquid supplement on livestock. This colostrum based product, named
Re-Borne, was developed by Dr. Steve Allday. Re-Borne, Inc is headquartered near
Simpsonville, KY. The cattle portion of this trial has been conducted with calves being back-grounded at LAEC ( L ive A nimal E valuation C enter) on the university farm.
Photo By Miranda Pederson/Daily News
Article Provided By : David Newsom
Governor Steve Beshear and Dr. Jenks Britt
Caitlyn Abell, a WKU graduating senior, received one of 16 Travel Fellowships awarded to seniors and graduate students to attend the International Livestock
Congress from July 8 to July 11 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Other US universities represented included, Washington State University, Texas Tech University,
University of Nebraska, University of Florida, Colorado State University, and the
University of Georgia. The remaining 8 students included 8 from Canadian universities and 1 from Brazil. These fellowships are sponsored by the
International Stockmen's School Educational Foundation.
For the students, the Congress involved an intensive 3 days of seminars and travel to study the beef industry in Canada. The travel included visits to several cattle ranches, commercial feedlots, beef packing plants, and an animal health research center. The program concluded with the students attending the Stockman's School
Forum on the economic conditions in the beef industry, and the students were challenged to suggest solutions to beef industry problems.
Caitlyn graduated from WKU in the Summer of 2009 with a major in mathematics and minors in animal science and biology. In addition she completed the WKU Honors program by doing an
Honors thesis on the Economic Impact of Parity Management in Commercial Swine herds.
Caitlyn has accepted a graduate assistantship in the Animal Science Department at Iowa State
University where she will be studying Quantitative Genetics and Statistics. Her major professor will be Dr. Ken Stalder, who completed his MS degree in Animal Science at WKU in 1992.
Article by: Dr Gordon Jones
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

P A G E 7
Southern Region North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge
The North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge has 5 regional contests and a national contest. The Southern Regional Dairy Challenge (SRDC) is scheduled for November 19-21, 2009 is co-hosted by WKU, University of
Kentucky and Eastern Kentucky University. SRDC is an opportunity for students from various universities in the southeast region of the United States to gather and learn about dairying. Students from different schools, and of varying skill levels, are placed on teams. Each team must judge a dairy farm and present their findings to a panel of judges comprised of experts and dairy producers.
WKU has been participating in the Dairy Challenge since 2003.
Three Southern Kentucky dairy herds have agreed to serve as contest herds, two as primary herds and a third will serve as a backup herd. Contest teams are allowed 90 minutes to visit the herd and observe facilities, cows, replacement animals, workers, procedures and other aspects of dairy management. They are given a complete set of production and financial records from the herds along with a drawing of the facilities. Students then must evaluate herd management and present a 20 minute presentation to the judges regarding their findings and recommendations. We expect up to 80 or more students from as many as 18 universities to participate in the contest. Dr. Jenks Britt – Dairy Challenge Team Coach
The crew at the Beef Unit has been active on the front half of 2009!! We exhibited the reserve champion pen of 3 commercial bred-heifers at the
Kentucky Beef Expo in March and an Angus show heifer that was 2 new owners. nd in class.
Those cattle sold well and we look forward to hearing positive results from their
June contained a couple big events: the Kentucky Angus Preview Show and our
Breeder‘s Resource Sale. Both of our entries, WKU Troubador 8203 & WKU
Proven Queen 8204, were class winners. The ice cream social and private treaty sale on the farm worked out extremely well. We were excited to showcase our program that evening and the opportunity to offer high quality cattle to our valued customers. Thank you for continued support!!!
We enjoyed promoting WKU and exhibiting cattle at the Kentucky State Fair
(Louisville, KY) on August 29 th and are looking forward to exhibiting cattle at the
Georgia National Fair (Perry, GA) on October 13 th . Additionally, we have 2
Hereford heifers selling in Green Meadow Farm‘s (Jasper, IN) annual production sale on September 26 th and bulls selling at the North Alabama Bull Test (Cullman, AL) on December 12, 2009. We look forward to visiting with each of you at those events.
Lastly, we invite you to visit our website www.wkubeef.com
periodically throughout the year. This website features our genetics, upcoming events, activities, customers, alumni, show results, freezer beef program, and student employees.
Article Provided By: David Newsom
Natural Wood Chips
Leaf Compost
Leaf Compost/Manure Mix
$20 for Small Truck Load
$25 for Large Truck Load

P A G E 8
Student News
Joshua Bennett, Phillip Cox, Eric Ferguson and Alex Seaton were involved in the 2008 Southern Regional Soil
Judging Competition which was hosted by Virginia Tech. Darwin Newton and Becky Gilfillen went with the group to help with coaching. The students placed 10 placed 2 th in the contest at Virginia Tech. Joshua Bennett and Eric Ferguson along with Kaylissa Horton, Buck Hulsey, Bill Penick, Phillip Rogers and Molly Jehlik competed in the
NACTA Contest hosted by Ohio State University at Wilmington, Ohio in April 2009. The students nd on pit 4 at OSU with an overall finish of 6 th and 9 th places. Eric Ferguson received 2 nd place individual on Pit 4. Congratulations to Eric! Eric will be attending Louisiana State University this fall to work on a Master‘s Degree in Soils. We wish him the best of luck as he continues his soils education.
Todd Ballard finished his Master‘s Degree in December of this past year. He is currently pursuing his
PhD at Kansas State University in Agronomy. Congratulations & best wishes to Todd!
The Agronomy Club traveled to Hopkinsville to tour the Ethanol Plant in November. The Soil Fertility
Class along with the Agronomy Club had a field trip to Miles Enterprises and Water‘s Agricultural
Laboratory this spring. In addition, Southern States provided a demonstration of GPS mapping in soil sampling and variable rate fertilizer application at the WKU Farm. We appreciate all of the support from our local Agricultural Industries.
Research
The Agronomy Faculty continues to focus on research in the area of Waste Management in cooperation with the USDA-ARS unit located at the WKU Farm. Research projects include the use of poultry litter as a fertilizer source to grow forage and field crops. Dr. Becky Gilfillen made a presentation at Houston, TX last
October at the American Society of Agronomy Meetings.
Our research continues this summer – we are assisted in our efforts by our Technician Naomi Rowland who directs the efforts of Undergraduate Assistants: Eric Ferguson, Buck Hulsey, and Molly Jehlik. We have added a new member to our research team with Annesly Netthisinghe, our new Research Scientist. We welcome Annesly and his family to Bowling Green. He recently finished his PhD in Agronomy at Texas Tech University. Our ongoing research projects include the following:
Soil Dynamics and Corn Grain Yield and Quality when fertilized with Inorganic and Organic Fertilizers.
(Drs. Gilfillen and Willian)
Influence of Broiler Litter Application History on Soil Nutrient Status and Corn Grain Yield and Quality
(Drs. Gilfillen, Gray and Willian).
Effect of Poultry Litter Application Rate and Timing in Bermudagrass Hay and Turf (Drs. Gilfillen and
Woosley)
Use of Soil Amendments to Enhance Phosphorus Availability (Drs. Gilfillen and Willian, in cooperation with
Southern States)
Kixor ® Weed Control Program in Field Corn (Dr. Willian in cooperation
with BASF)
Evaluation of Interrelationships between Residual Weed Control and
Fungicides in both Corn and Soybeans (Dr. Willian in cooperation
with BASF)
Evaluation of Non-Selective Burndown Herbicides plus Sharpen ®
(Dr. Willian in cooperation with BASF)
Kixor ® Soybean Preplant Efficacy (Dr. Willian in cooperation with BASF)
Evaluation of Various Weed Management Strategies in a Newly
Established Vineyard (Will Galbreath M.S. Research, Mr. Dennis, and
Dr. Willian)
Evaluation of Field Crops and Vegetables under Adverse Growing
Conditions (Zheng Wang - M.S. Research, Drs. Gray and Willian)
Article By: Dr Todd Willian and Dr. Becky Gilfillen
Above: Will Galbreath
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

P A G E 9
The Block and Bridle club was founded on the principles of leadership, character, and community service. This concept has proven successful over the years through exceptional service, and educational programs. WKU‘s Block and
Bridle prides itself in continuing traditions from the past including events such as the Little North American and of course the famous pork chop sales.
With these traditions come very busy semesters for members. During the fall both new and old members enjoyed recruitment week at the L.D Brown Expo Center, then many pork chop sales were held along with community service projects. National Convention was held in San Antonio, TX and 15 members jumped on the opportunity. Soon after convention it was time to start planning for the Little North American. This past spring was an exceptional year for participation during the week. The showmanship clinic that is provided for local 4-H and FFA members to come gain experience with all species was the highlight for Block and Bridle members. Mr. Warren Beeler was the guest speaker and provided great tools for success in the showing to all who attended. Afterwards members had the opportunity to meet with those kids one on one and provide hands on experience in their given species. After a great week of hard work on the farm with animals and a very successful show the year was ended at the annual banquet. It was a great conclusion and reflection of the year for all members.
The team is looking forward to another successful year. We invite all alumni to our events. If you would like to receive information about upcoming events or be updated to our mailing list please respond:
Western Kentucky University, Department of Agriculture
ATTN: Block and Bridle Club
1906 College Heights Blvd., Bowling Green, KY 42101
Executive Board
President- Ashley Quiggins Horse Cave, KY
Vice-President- Celeste Laurent Princeton, KY
Secretary- Cortney Scott Sparta, KY
Treasurer- Aaron Harned
Reporter- Molly Beeler
Paducah, KY
Caneyville, KY
Committee Chairmen
Alumni- Jesse Evans
New Member- Kaylissa Horton
Dumor, KY
Carlise, IN
Social- Molly Jehlik
Marie Weldon
Mt. Sterling, KY
Schochoh, KY
Matthew Isaacs Munfordville, KY
Back Row: Aaron Harned, Matthew Issacs, Tom Nichols,
Wes Korthaus , Brian Reynolds and Molly Jehlik
BBQ- Brian Reynolds
Wes Korthaus
Tom Nichols
Magnolia, KY
Smithfield, KY
Rockport, IN
Front Row: Kaylissa Horton, Marie Weldon, Cortney Scott,
Ashley Quiggins, Celeste Laurent, Molly Beeler, and Jesse Evans
Article By: Ashley Quiggins

P A G E 1 0
The Department of Agriculture has been awarded the Leichhardt Professorship in
Horticulture. The professorship was established to enhance both faculty and student learning and involvement in the field of Landscape Horticulture. There are only a few such endowments throughout the university.
The award includes a $1,000,000 gift to the university to support teaching, research, and the administration of the Baker Arboretum. The anonymous gift was given in honor of Mitchell Leichhardt, a Bowling Green landscape architect and nationally renowned horticulturist. Mitchell has been an advocate for horticulture at WKU for decades and it is fitting that the endowment carries his name.
Dr. Martin Stone is the inaugural holder of the professorship. In addition to teaching and research in the department, he will be the administrator of the Baker Arboretum, a local 15-acre botanic garden used for learning the culture of and displaying of exceptional landscape plants as a form of both science and art. At the arboretum students learn about growing and displaying landscape plants at the arboretum.
Several work as interns during the school year and summers. One of our own graduates, Leah Hopwood Dickerson, is the curator of horticulture displays. The garden also includes a large, recently-constructed art museum dedicated to the life work of Bowling Green native, the late Joe Downing. For more information, please visit http://www.wku.edu/bakerarboretum/
Wells Fargo
Article by:
Claudia Stetter
Once again the horticulture students made the long haul to California, with special thanks to instructor, Roger Dennis, AIFD, KMF. The two week long adventure started in Pasadena, CA. Volunteering for Charisma Floats, the students helped work on two floats, the City of West Covina and the
International Rotary Club. Various tasks and duties were divided between the students, which ranged from floral arranging, to processing flowers, to laying sod, even to gluing beans onto a dragonfly. The two floats were in the 120 th Tournament of Roses Parade, held on January 1, 2009.
Although it was a long five days up until the parade, much was learned and it was a great experience for all. The next stop was to Sequoia National
Park, that is home to the General Sherman, the largest (by volume) tree in the world. Moving down the state of California, Yosemite National Park awed the students by it’s beauty. Onward down the coast two days were spent in San Francisco. Visiting the Golden Gate Botanical Gardens and
Conservatory, many plants identified by the students were the poinsettia, amaryllis, and aloe vera. The Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman’s Warf were an immense highlight to the trip. Next was a tour of an 8 acre cut flower production, mostly roses, called Euphoria near Santa Barbara. The last two days were spent in Hollywood. The Los
Angeles Farmer’s Market was a great experience due to its wide range of diversity and culture.
Roger Dennis showed his students the Kodak
Theater where he designs floral arrangements for the Oscars. The Los Angeles Flower
District was in a 9 by 9 block radius, with thousands of different vendors selling abundant amounts of flowers. Last but not least the students visited Huntington
Gardens. The Huntington is based on research, education, and beauty. Some gardens visited by students were the Japanese
Garden, Chinese Garden, Australian Garden,
Palm Garden, Lily Ponds, Jungle Garden,
Shakespeare Garden, and the museum that holds the Guttenberg Bible. The trip was a great learning experience and overall success.
The horticulture students received 3 credit hours for the trip. Each student was required to make a journal and design a brochure of one destination along the trip. With two trips to California under their belts, the horticulture students will be making there way to Hollywood again!
From Left to Right: Kristin Goodin,
Shelton Slack, Jennie Danks, Katie Reid,
Brandon Burchett , Jake Hart, Debbie Gabbard,
Roger Dennis, Claudia Stetter & Will Galbreath
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

It has been a full year for the Horticulture club. Early in the fall semester new officers were elected and several new students joined the club. In late November, the club has an annual poinsettia and
Christmas tree sale. Just as the spring semester begins preparations are made for the rose sale during the week of Valentine‘s Day.
Classes are held at the greenhouse on WKU‘s farm, where flowers are grown for the club‘s annual plant sale in May. All of the sales have been a great success and enable the club to do various activities. Not only does the club work for profit, but also volunteer in the community. Several members of the club were able to participate in Bowl for Kids Sake this spring to support Big Brothers
Big Sisters. The club hopes to be involved in activities such as this and many more. With the money raised from sales over the past year some members were able to go on the spring trip. The club visited the Biltmore Estate and Gardens, Rock City Gardens, and the
Chattanooga Aquarium. Not only was the trip fun, but a great variety of landscapes and horticultural were enjoyed. The
Horticulture club is looking forward to another great year!
Article by: Claudia Stetter
Back Row: Tony Smith, Chris Edlin,
Claudia Stetter and Will Galbreath
Front Row: Katie Reid, Jade Buffenberger, and Diana Edlin
Faculty members Roger Dennis and Todd Willian, along with graduate student Will Galbreath and several undergraduate students, established a ¼ acre demonstration vineyard at the University Farm in
2008. This vineyard will be utilized as an outdoor teaching area in conjunction with the Spring 2010 offering of a new Introduction to
Viticulture course. Students enrolled in next spring‘s course will receive hands-on training in pruning techniques, canopy management, trellis construction, fertilization, etc.
Second –year graduate student Will Galbreath continues to collect data for his thesis research project. Will‘s research seeks to quantify the relationship of vineyard weed management practice (chemical, tillage, mowing) to vegetative growth and winter hardiness of two grape cultivars. Will is on schedule to finish his M.S. degree in May
2010.
First – year graduate student
Claudia Stetter will begin her graduate coursework this Fall 2009 semester. Claudia‘s research will focus upon the development of
Above: Will Galbreath, Roger Dennis,
Jason Lankford, and Claudia Stetter
Educational Display Gardens on the
WKU Farm. The gardens will be located near the Brown Agricultural
Exposition Center and will be open to the public when completed. Some of the gardens that will be developed are: a French kitchen garden, a vegetable garden, a butterfly garden, an herbal garden, and a beautiful display of annual and perennial bedding plants.
Article by: Dr. Todd Willian
Left: Jason Lankford and Claudia Stetter
P A G E 1 1

P A G E 1 2
Dear Alumni,
Unlike the previous two years, timely rains have made for an excellent turf growing season. The two-hole course at the Taylor Center is in the best condition since my tenure at WKU. This is good timing for the visit from the WKU Board of Regents this July. Though the weather has been great for cool season grass, it has been a hard year for bermudagrass. This past winter was the coldest winter in the past several years in Bowling Green. We did experience minor winter kill on the 419 bermudagrass in the lower fairway, but it since has recovered. Our new ultradwarf bermudagrass green that was established last summer was only about 40% green in May. At the first of July, it is possesses 90% cover. It is coming in nicely. I hesitate to think about how the ultradwarf green would have fared if it wasn‘t covered with straw this winter.
Some other activities this past year at the Taylor Center included moving the small engines lab to the shop. A section of the shop was partitioned off for the lab. The new cheese making facility will be taking the room in the Taylor Center previously occupied by the small engines lab. Current research at the Taylor Center has been focusing on early establishment of seeded bermudagrass for turf and forage. Finally, the biodiesel plant behind the shop is completed. The biodiesel project is a collaborative project between the Agriculture and Engineering Departments. It is hopeful that plant will be up and running this fall semester.
I would like to talk about the most important part of our program, our students. Six students traveled to New Orleans for the GCSAA Conference. This past spring, Wes Mobley and Sam Gardner graduated with 4-year degrees. John Benefield, Jason Hopkins, and Travis Harrison graduated with 2-year degrees. In addition, Kylie Farison graduated with a minor in Agriculture which included several turfgrass management courses. Mr. Mobley and Mr. Gardner took assistant positions at golf courses in Louisville, KY and outside Orlando, FL, respectively. Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Benefield are working at golf courses here in
Bowling Green. Mr. Harrison has his own lawn care company in Franklin, KY and Miss Farison went to work for her father‘s lawn care company in Louisville, KY. It is good that all are employed in today‘s economy.
Finally, I would like to close on a personal note. I was notified of my promotion and tenure this year. I am very excited and grateful to be working in the Department of Agriculture at WKU. Few people work in a career that they enjoy. Maybe fewer people enjoy working with fellow colleagues. I am a blessed individual. I love to teach and love my students. Also, I enjoy working with the department‘s faculty and staff. I look forward to a long career here at WKU. I hope to see you at Home Coming 2009!
Sincerely,
Paul B. Woosley
It is a very rare occasion when faculty, staff, students, and families can all come together in any venue. However, on April 28, 2009 at 7 p.m. students and professors alike gathered and dined at the Western
Kentucky University Exposition Center; for the first annual Western
Kentucky University Collegiate FFA Banquet to celebrate a year of service, commitment to agriculture, and the importance of leadership.
Not only did this event allow WKU‘s collegiate FFA members recognize Outstanding
Agriculture Students among their peers; but also members were able to recognize
Outstanding Faculty and Staff for their support of the WKU‘s Collegiate FFA organization.
As voted by their peers Outstanding Students included freshmen Caleb Smithson and
Kayla Caudle, sophomores Tyler Burysek and Ashley Crabtree, juniors Tom Nichols and
Elliot Bowman, and seniors Haley Pendleton and Maegan Webb. The collegiate FFA also had the esteemed honor to recognize members of WKU‘s faculty and staff for their support throughout the year, these recipients included Gabrielle Hunt, Melvin Jennette, Dr. Elmer
Gray, and Dr. Jenks Britt.
As a collegiate organization the WKU FFA recognizes the hard work and time each student puts into pursuing his or her own degree; and as an organization founded to promote the student, the WKU FFA for the first time recognized the establishment of the WKU Collegiate FFA Scholarship Fund at this year‘s Banquet. The funds of said scholarship were raised through the donations of community and FFA members. Not to mention all of the proceeds from the first annual silent auction held at the Banquet.
This year was a year of many firsts for WKU‘s FFA officer team. From officer retreats and community service events to banquets and scholarships; WKU‘s Collegiate FFA is sure in full swing.
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

P A G E 1 3
For eight Western Kentucky University (WKU) agriculture students,
7 a.m. is a prime meeting time, homecoming is more than just a football game and recruiting future Hilltoppers is not up to their professors.
These devoted students make up the Agriculture Ambassadors, a group dedicated to improving the experience of current WKU agriculture students and sharing those unrivaled opportunities with prospective students.
Easily distinguished by their red blazers, the ambassadors‘ responsibilities include organizing the annual Welcome Back cookout for department students, holding an Open House for incoming students, contacting prospective students by telephone, and representing the department at university and industry events.
―Everyone knows we help in recruitment but we do a lot more than people realize,‖ explained returning ambassador Ashley Quiggins of Horse Cave.
―We are the ‗Face of WKU‘ at events across the state. People in the agriculture industry recognize the red blazer and know that we‘re passionate about the next generation of agriculturalists,‖ Quiggins said.
2008-2009 Agricultural Ambassadors
While ambassadors are awarded a small scholarship in compensation for their time, most agree that the money had nothing to do with their decision to apply for the position.
Above: Sarah Head, Adam Thomas,
Celeste Laurent, Ashley Quiggins, Alex Seaton,
Jessica Penrod, John Hurley and Sarah Thomas
―I wanted the opportunity to reach out to students across the state to show them what Western has to offer,‖ said Quiggins.
The 2009-2010 ambassadors were selected by the agriculture department faculty through a rigorous interview and application process.
Serving as 2008-2009 Agricultural Ambassadors: Sarah Jane Head - Madisonville, KY; Adam Thomas - Alvaton, KY;
Celeste Laurent - Princeton, KY; Ashley Quiggins - Horse Cave, KY; Alex Seaton - Caneyville, KY; Jessica Penrod - Lewisburg, KY;
John Hurley - Spencer, IN, and Sarah Thomas - Utica KY.
Serving as 2009-2010 Agricultural Ambassadors: Whitney Churchman - Cecilia, KY; Arlee N. Danhauer - Waverly, KY;
Aaron Harned - Paducah, KY; Sarah Jane Head - Madisonville, KY; John Hurley - Spencer, IN; Celeste Laurent - Princeton, KY;
N. Kyle Porter - Hustonville, KY; Jessica Penrod - Lewisburg, KY; Ashley Quiggins - Horse Cave, KY; Cortney Scott - Sparta, KY; and
Bailey Walter - Bowling Green, KY.
Jennifer Bowen Poole
Sara Jo Greene
Jeremy Hill
Jessica Johnson
Sheldon Pence
Jessica Pharis
Joshua Tubbs
Kellie Burch
Jeffrey Campbell
Robin Dalton
Craig Howard
Bradley McKinney
Andy Joe Moore
Amanda Mullins
John Reynolds
Emily Wallin
Jonathan Tubbs
Lindsey Cottrell
Ryan Critser
Greenhouse manager at Kentucky BioProcessing
Teaching agriculture education at Boyd County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Union County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Lincoln County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Montgomery County High School
Teaching Agriculture Education at Logan County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Ryle High School
Teaching agriculture education at Apollo High School
Teaching agriculture education at Logan County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Roane County High School (TN)
Teaching agriculture education at Daviess County High School
Teaching agriculture education at Todd-Central High School
Teaching agriculture education at Barren County High School
Teaching agriculture education at New Washington High School (IN)
Adult Young Farmer Instructor (Logan and Butler County)
3 rd year veterinary student at Tuskegee University
Teaching agriculture education at Gallatin County High School
Teaching Agriculture Education at Henry County
2 nd year veterinary Student at Auburn University

P A G E 1 4
Rhonda is an outstanding student in the Department of Agriculture. Rhonda is expecting to graduate Summa Cum Laude in
December 2009 with a major in Agriculture with an emphasis in Agronomy.
Adam is an outstanding student in the Department of Agriculture, exemplified by his engagement in extracurricular activities.
Adam graduated in May 2009 with a major in Agriculture with an emphasis in Animal Science.
Diana Edlin received her B.S. in Agriculture, concentration in Horticulture and was the outstanding senior in horticulture, on the Dean’s list each year, and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She began her Masters research during her senior year and will graduate one semester early but with two completed field seasons as a result of her dedication to her studies.
Ashley is an outstanding student in the Department of Agriculture. Ashley graduated in May 2009 with a major in
Agriculture and a minor in Business Administration.
This year’s recipient of the Outstanding Agronomy Student is Alex Seaton, a Senior from Caneyville, KY. Alex graduated this
May with a B.S. in Agriculture with emphases in Agronomy and Agri-Business.
John Hurley came to Western Kentucky University from Richland, Indiana. John will complete his major in Agriculture with a concentration in agriculture education in the Spring of 2010.
Kristin Goodin, a native of Columbia, Kentucky (Magna Cum Laude Dec. '08), earned her B.S. in Agriculture with a concentration in Horticulture and a minor in Biology.
Wes Mobley is a senior from Maceo, KY West graduated this May with a B.S. in Agriculture with concentration in Turfgrass
Management. Wes plans to pursue a career in the turfgrass industry.
Dr. Linda Gonzales and
Rhonda Walker
Adam Thomas and Dr. Gordon Jones Alex Seaton and Dr. Todd Willian
Dr. Stephen King and Ashley Pardue Dr. Jack L. Rudolph Jr. and
John Hurley
Dr. Martin Stone and Kristin Goodin Wesley Mobley and
Dr. Jack L. Rudolph Jr.
D E P A R T M E N T O F A G R I C U L T U R E

We would like to congratulate Dr. Elmer Gray on receiving the President‘s Award for
Diversity this fall. Many of you have been blessed to be associated with Dr. Gray over the years as students, workers, and as a mentee. Many may not know Dr.
Gray‘s history so I hope to provide a brief summary of his life in a few short paragraphs.
Dr. Gray was born in the Appalachian Region of Eastern Kentucky. He attended undergraduate school at Berea College in Berea, KY. There he was able to meet and interact with a greater diversity of people including having one roommate who was
African-American and another from Taiwan. He was able to interact with fellow students in his graduate career at UK and Cornell University who were from India,
Latin America and several other countries. His desire to work with a diverse group of students began early in his career preparation.
He came to WKU in 1968 as an Associate Professor in Agriculture. At that point in his career, he had worked at UT-Knoxville for 6 years, mostly as a researcher in
Plant Breeding. While at UTK he was able to work with an International Exchange
Program which brought several scientists and students from India. Since being at
WKU, he has been an Associate and Full Professor, Assistant Dean and Dean of
Graduate Studies and currently is a faculty member in the Agriculture Department on optional retirement. In his tenure at WKU he has worked with a wide range of students in all of these different roles. He has worked to initiate programs for
President Gary Ransdell and
Dr. Elmer Gray
African-American Students such as the Minority Assistance Program (MAP). He works closely with the International Office and Graduate Studies to increase
International student enrollment and improve life in Bowling Green for these students. He has been involved with the English as a Second Language (ESLI) Program at the International Office. He currently is working with several students from India and one from China. His research has been focusing on ways to increase diverse food crop production in this region to provide a better selection of foods used in native dishes. He also helps many international students by providing transportation and helping to locate jobs on campus.
Dr. Gray has been involved with the international community not only at work, but also in his personal life. He and his wife have sponsored three children from the Philippines with the Christian Children‘s Foundation. He also has one child who works in missions and two grandchildren who were adopted from Nepal.
Dr. Gray‘s initial hope was to work over seas to increase crop production through plant breeding. Due to some health problems within his family, he was unable to go overseas. However, he has ―bloomed where he was planted‖ and WKU has been the fortunate beneficiary of his life‘s work. He is an exceptional mentor and friend to his students and provides excellent insight and guidance to his colleagues. We are very thankful to have Dr. Gray in the Agriculture Department and his dedication to increasing diversity at WKU. Congratulations to Dr. Gray for winning this distinguished award from the
President‘s Office!!!!
Article by: Dr. Becky Gilfillen
P A G E 1 5
Rhonda Walker completed a 10-week internship with the Noble Summer Research
Scholar Program in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Her work involves studying the isolation and functional characterization of a particular set of genes which may be involved in lignin biosynthesis. Lignin is a structural component in plants that can influence animal nutrition.
On Aug. 4, she was one of five scholars chosen for the research institute among students from Princeton University, New York University, Purdue University and the
College of William and Mary who made presentations about their work. Rhonda‘s presentation on her research and subsequent reports may be accepted for publication.
In addition to these achievements, after completing her agriculture degree, Rhonda plans to continue her education and obtain her master‘s in agronomy.
Article: WKU News
Photo: David W. Smith/Daily News

November 7, 2009
12:00 p.m.
AG EXPO CENTER
Tickets $15.00