At the national meeting of the Na-
tional Association of County Agricul-
tural Agents held in September,
Darrell Deneke was awarded the
Distinguished Service Award. Dar-
rell has been the SDSU Extension
IPM Program Coordinator since
1997. Prior to that his Extension
career included eight years as a
South Dakota County Agriculture
Extension Agent at Hutchinson and
Hand Counties. A highlight of his
IPM program includes the develop-
ment of the 3-day SDSU IPM Field
School for Agronomy Professionals.
Darrel works with many agencies by
developing IPM programs for grow-
ers and land managers.
Connie Strunk received two commu-
nications awards at the meeting.
She was the National Winner in a
category called Computer Generated
Graphics for my presentation titled
“Row Crop Disease Concerns” and
she was also a National Finalist in
the area of Publication with the
Chapter she co-wrote with Buyung
Hadi on “Wheat Diseases in SD” for
the Wheat BMP Manual.
October 2013
South Dakota State University Plant Science Department
Volume 2, Issue 10
Plant Science Newsletter
Deneke and Strunk Receive Awards at the National
Association of County Agricultural Agents Meeting
Photos by
E. Helms and
D. Malo
Upcoming Events
Oct 28-Nov 15 Spring 2014
Early Registration
Oct 31—Trick or Trees
Nov 11
Nov 18-19—SISMA 5th An-
nual Conference
Nov 27-Dec 1—
Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec 10—Last Day of Classes
October is National
Book Month
their trek at the McCrory Gardens Edu-cation and Visitors Center, located off 22nd Ave. At the end of the trail, enter into the McCrory Center where more family fun awaits inside with tattoos and games and costume photographs may be tak-en and entered into the McCrory Gar-dens Facebook contest. Each year, we look forward to the opportunity of edu-cating children about nature through this totally unique and fun, hands-on event, Hort Club Advisor Kim James said. Our attendees tell us they think
The annual Trick or Trees event will be hosted by the South Dakota State Uni-versity Horticulture Club at the McCrory Gardens Center and gardens. This family-friendly event allows kids 12 and younger to enjoy Halloween festivities and they will learn about trees and receive treats as they follow pumpkins throughout McCrory Gardens on Thurs., Oct. 31st from 4 to 6 p.m. Children and grown-ups alike are en-couraged to wear costumes and com-fortable walking shoes while starting
Page 2 Plant Science Newsletter
"Trick-or-Trees" Event set for Oct. 31 at McCrory Gardens
Trick or Trees is one of the best fall family events in town. For more information or if you would like to donate to this community event, please call SDSU horticulture instructor Kimberly James at (605) 688-5553 or email her at [email protected] or Special Events Coordinator Cindy Pe-terson, Email: [email protected] Phone: 605/688-6789
Featured Employees
Just for Fun
Favorite TV show: Criminal Minds & Big Bang Theory Favorite movie: The Proposal, Wild Hogs
Hobbies or interests: Golf, rodeo, & Hanging with Friends If you could have three wishes, what would they be? 1. Win lottery 2. Happiness for family & friends 3. Travel more
Education
High School: Brookings High School University/College & major: University of Minnesota Technical College, Waseca, MN
Work history
Number of years at SDSU: 12 yrs Previous jobs held:
Veterinarian Tech, Data Entry Spe-
cialist, Office Manager in the SDSU
Soil Testing Lab
Future goals: New business oppor-
tunity
Personal
Spouse: David Children: Miranda & Heather Hometown: Bruce, SD Places you have lived: Visited Georgia, Las Vegas, & Chica-go
General
Name: Lisa Ulvestad Title: Plant Science Secretary Office: SAG 244
Personal
Spouse: Nighat Khalil (works as a
substitute teacher with Brookings
School Board, Brookings, SD)
Children: Son (Haaris Ali, Junior
student, in North Dakota State
University, Fargo, ND)
Hometown: Lahore, Pakistan Places you have lived or visited: Lived in Pakistan and Canada; vis-ited Czech Republic, France, Ger-many, Netherlands, Poland, King-dom of Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and UK. I have also visited 42 states of the USA.
Just for Fun
Favorite TV show: The Funniest Videos
Favorite movie: Rush Hour
Hobbies or interests: Traveling &
Reading
If you could have three wishes,
what would they be? 1. Another Green Revolution to
eliminate hunger worldwide 2. My parents were alive 3. Peace across the World
Education
High School: Colony High School,
Bahawal Nagar, Pakistan
University/College & major: BS and
MS (Plant Pathology), University of
Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan;
MS (Plant Science), SDSU, Brook-
ings, South Dakota, and Ph.D.
(Plant Pathology) North Dakota
State University, Fargo, ND.
General
Name: Shaukat Ali
Title: Small Grains Pathologist
Office: 113B Young Brothers Seed
Technology Building
Work history
Number of years at SDSU: 1 year
(joined in June 2012)
Previous jobs held:
Research Associate, Department of
Plant Pathology, NDSU, Fargo, ND;
Cotton Pathologist, National Cotton
Research Institute, Multan, Paki-
stan, and Seed Pathologist, Punjab
Agricultural Research Institute,
Faisalabad, Pakistan
Future goals: Improve disease
management strategies to make
small grains production more prof-
itable in South Dakota and beyond
Featured Employees (cont.)
Page 3 Volume 2, Issue 10
Places you have visited: Lived -
Manhattan KS, Bozeman MT,
Stillwater OK, Jacksonville NC,
Pensacola FL, Visited - Copenhagen
Denmark,
Work history
Number of years at SDSU: 10 years
Previous jobs held: Manager, Kan-
sas Crop Improvement Seed Test-
ing Lab; Manager, Montana State
University Seed Testing Lab; Exec-
utive Director, Oklahoma Crop Im-
provement Association
Future goals: Be fair and have a
fulfilling life
Education
High School: Brookings High School
University/College & major:
SDSU BS Agronomy
Kansas State MS Agronomy
Montana State PhD Seed Physiolo-
gy/Agronomy
Other (military, tech school, etc.):
United State Marine Corps
General
Name: Neal Foster
Title: Executive Director, South
Dakota Crop Improvement Associa-
tion
Office: Seed Tech Room 136C
Personal
Spouse: Julie
Children: Harry and Chubster
Hometown: Brookings, SD
Just for Fun
Favorite book: Count of Monte Cris-
to, The Jungle Book
Favorite TV Show: NCIS, White
Collar
Favorite movie: The Sting, The
King’s Speech, The Trouble with
the Curve
Hobbies or interests: Furniture/
Cabinet making
If you could have three wishes,
what would they be?
1. Eliminate greed
2. Winters above 0
3. Summers below 90
SAG 244, Box 2207A Brookings, SD 57007-1096
Plant Science Department
Phone: 605-688-4600 Fax: 605-688-4602 E-mail: [email protected]
October storms erase drought in S.D.
Tribe’s passion for farming pays off
Timing and taste
How far can land price hikes go?
Interesting Links
http://www.sdstate.edu/ps/
Plant Science Food Drive
For the month of November, we will be collecting food
items for Feeding Brookings (www.feedingbrookings.org).
Their Food of the Month is Hearty Soups or Stews but
they will accept any type of
food or hygiene items.
Please drop off your non-
perishable items in the Ag
Hall main office room 244,
the Plant Science Building
main office room 117, or the
Biostress building main of-
fice room 247. Thank you!
Halloween Facts
The first Jack O’Lanterns were actually made from turnips.
Halloween is the second highest grossing commercial holiday after Christmas.
Fifty percent of kids prefer to receive chocolate candy for Halloween, compared with 24% who prefer non-chocolate candy and 10% who preferred
gum.
According to Irish legend, Jack O’Lanterns are named after a stingy man named Jack who, because he tricked the devil several times, was for-
bidden entrance into both heaven and hell. He was condemned to wander the Earth, waving his lantern to lead people away from their paths.
The largest pumpkin ever measured was grown by Norm Craven, who broke the world record in 1993 with a 836 lb. pumpkin.
Trick-or-treating evolved from the ancient Celtic tradition of putting out treats and food to placate spirits who roamed the streets at Samhain, a
sacred festival that marked the end of the Celtic calendar year.
The first known mention of trick-or-treating in print in North America occurred in 1927 in Blackie, Alberta, Canada.
“Halloween” is short for “Hallows’ Eve” or “Hallows’ Evening,” which was the evening before All Hallows’ (sanctified or holy) Day or Hallowmas
on November 1. In an effort to convert pagans, the Christian church decided that Hallowmas or All Saints’ Day (November 1) and All Souls’ Day
(November 2) should assimilate sacred pagan holidays that fell on or around October 31.
Black and orange are typically associated with Halloween. Orange is a symbol of strength and endurance and, along with brown and gold,
stands for the harvest and autumn. Black is typically a symbol of death and darkness and acts as a reminder that Halloween once was a festival that
marked the boundaries between life and death
With their link to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (a precursor to Halloween) and later to witches, cats have a permanent place in Hallow-
een folklore. During the ancient celebration of Samhain, Druids were said to throw cats into a fire, often in wicker cages, as part of divination pro-
ceedings.
Scarecrows, a popular Halloween fixture, symbolize the ancient agricultural roots of the holiday.
Halloween has variously been called All Hallows’ Eve, Witches Night, Lamswool, Snap-Apple Night, Samhaim, and Summer’s End.
Halloween was influenced by the ancient Roman festival Pomona, which celebrated the harvest goddess of the same name. Many Halloween
customs and games that feature apples (such as bobbing for apples) and nuts date from this time. In fact, in the past, Halloween has been called San-
Apple Night and Nutcrack Night.
Harry Houdini (1874-1926) was one of the most famous and mysterious magicians who ever lived. Strangely enough, he died in 1926 on Hallow-
een night as a result of appendicitis brought on by three stomach punches.
According to tradition, if a person wears his or her clothes inside out and then walks backwards on Halloween, he or she will see a witch at
midnight.
Halloween is thought to have originated around 4000 B.C., which means Halloween has been around for over 6,000 years.
Both Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota, are the self-proclaimed Halloween capitals of the world.
Children are more than twice as likely to be killed in a pedestrian/car accident on Halloween than on any other night.