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Green & Growing

One flower that often dec- land on the yellow blooms orates our homes during and pollinate them. Blue, the holidays is the purple, or other unusual Poinsettia (botanical name colors are achieved by Euphorbia pulcherrima). spraying cream-colored Like the Holiday cactus and leaves with paint and are Amaryllis, it can be kept also sometimes sprinkled after blooming, grown, and encouraged to rebloom in succeeding years. This native of Mexico is GREEN AND GROWING By Linda G. Tenneson with glitter. The Poinsettia gets its name from the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico Dr. triggered to have its upper- Joel Robert Poinsett, a botmost leaves turn red when the days anist and physician, who sent cuttings get shorter. The actual bloom is the of this plant to his home in South small yellow bud like formations in Carolina in 1828. Poinsett died on Dec. the middle of each set of red leaves. 12, 1851, and this date is celebrated as Hybridizers have also bred those mod- Poinsettia day in Mexico. Poinsettias ified leaves or bracts to turn red, grow wild in the lower altitudes of white, or shades of pink, as well as Mexico and may reach fifteen feet in variegated leaf patterns. Those leaves height. A large percentage of may remain colored until summer. Poinsettias are grown for sale are Their purpose is to attract insects to raised in California.

Calendar of Events

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Visit www.TheLandOnline.com to view our complete calendar and enter your own events, or send an e-mail with your event’s details to editor@thelandonline.com.

Dec. 11 — Dairy Goat Management

Meeting — Orange City, Iowa — The meeting will focus on dairy goat housing and ventilation, milking equipment maintenance and milk quality to improve overall milk efficiency on the farm. All dairy goat producers are welcome. Contact Fred Hall at fredhall@ iastate.edu or (712) 737-4230.

Dec. 11 — FEAST! Festival —

Rochester, Minn. — 100 regional food businesses on display. Most use locally-grown ingredients. Contact Elena Byrne at elena@rtcinfo.org or (608) 712-8340

Dec. 14 & 15 — Soil Management

Summit — Mankato, Minn. — The Summit features presentations and Q&A sessions with researchers, farmers and agricultural advisors, information from sponsors and conversations with farmers experienced in different soil health practices. Contact Jodi DeJong-Hughes at dejon003@umn. edu

Jan. 4 — Ag Outlook Meeting —

Willmar, Minn. — Topics include weather patterns for 2022, outlook for U.S. agriculture, and what’s ahead for commodity prices and how farmers adapt to changing markets. Contact Linder Farm Network at (507) 4449224.

Jan. 5 — Strategic Farming: Let’s

Talk Crops — Online — Crop fertility adjustments: Extension nutrient management specialist Dan Kaiser and Extension educator Brad Carlson will provide information based on up-todate research to help optimize crop management strategies for 2022. Register at z.umn.edu/strategic-farming.

Jan. 5 — Ag Outlook Meeting —

Marshall, Minn. — Topics include weather patterns for 2022, outlook for U.S. agriculture, and what’s ahead for commodity prices and how farmers adapt to changing markets. Contact Linder Farm Network at (507) 4449224.

Jan. 6 — Ag Outlook Meeting —

Mankato, Minn. — Topics include weather patterns for 2022, outlook for U.S. agriculture, and what’s ahead for commodity prices and how farmers adapt to changing markets. Contact Linder Farm Network at (507) 4449224.

This plant may be kept indoors where it will receive bright light or placed outdoors in partial shade. It should be moved back indoors before the temperature goes below 50 degrees. Regular watering and fertilization will encourage the plant to grow. It may also need to be moved to a bigger pot or container. Poinsettias may be pinched or cut back to maintain the plant in a manageable size. It will recover and grow new leaves if some leaves have shriveled due to a missed watering and dead branches may be easily removed.

Starting in mid-September, keep the plant in a room that is not used in the evenings or provide 12 to 16 hours of darkness to trigger blooming. The darkness prevents the plant from producing chlorophyll, which is the substance that makes leaves appear green. Continue watering the plant during this period so that it remains healthy. A cardboard box placed upside down over the plant or moving the plant into a closet will provide this amount of dark time. Short periods of light such as a streetlight shining through a window may interrupt the blooming cycle.

When purchasing a Poinsettia, make sure it is protected by a paper or plastic cone to keep cold outdoor air from causing the leaves to drop. Plants in bloom may be damaged by cold drafts or high heat from fireplaces.

The blooms may be displayed in a vase if the cut stems are first singed with a candle or match flame to keep the sap from emerging.

Poinsettias are toxic to pets but not poisonous to humans, but caution is advised when handling the plant because the sticky white sap can cause skin rashes. The University of Minnesota Extension and the Illinois Extension web sites have additional details about this plant.

Linda G. Tenneson is a University of Minnesota master gardener and tree care advisor. v

Talk crops with U of M Extension

Join University of Minnesota Extension this winter to discuss crop issues through its “Strategic Farming: Let’s Talk Crops” webinar series.

This live online program will provide up-to-date research to help optimize crop management strategies for 2022. Sessions will be held over Zoom and they’ll run from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesdays from Jan. 5 through March 30.

Each session will start with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer-participant questions on the topic.

For more details on each session, go to z.umn.edu/strategic-farming.

You need only register once for the program series. At registration, organizers request that you take a moment to let them know what questions you would like highlighted during the discussions. There is no charge to participate, thanks to sponsorship from the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Sessions will be recorded and posted for viewing later at your convenience.

This article was submitted by Liz Stahl and Phyllis Bongard, University of Minnesota Extension. v

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TALENT IN THE GREENSEAM By Shane Bowyer

Sometimes little things go a long do students and young professionway. The impact of doing something als meet others who are studying out of the ordinary might not be or interested in pursuing a career seen for a while; but can have a big in agriculture, they hear about the impact later in life. breadth of types of jobs in agri-food

As a college professor I under- and supporting industries.” stand education has an impact on Minnesota State University, students later in life. Although, I Mankato student James Ziegweid have also come to realize that for- commented on the AgriGrowth mal education is not always the Summit. “I had a blast at the best way to learn. For me growing Summit,” Ziegweid said. “I got the up I remember mimicking the opportunity to meet so many new things my role models did, listen- people and they were all so pasing to mentors, and never forget- sionate about agriculture and food. ting those people who did the little things to make I learned a lot by just being there. It piqued my me feel special. Sometimes it was as simple as going interest even more about careers in this industry.” out for lunch and just talking. Pioneer Bank CEO David Krause agrees with

I recently had the opportunity to hear from college Nelson on the impact industry professionals can students about their experience and what it was have on students. “The Rural Forum presented a like to be able to sit down for a meal with ag and unique opportunity for students in our region to be food professionals, attend a professional conference, exposed to issues impacting agriculture in a real and network in a social setting. world setting while allowing them to interact with Tamara Nelsen, Executive Director of the Minnesota AgriGrowth Council, has seen the impact of engaging the younger generation at industry events such as GreenSeam’s Rural Forum and AgriGrowth’s Food and Ag Summit. industry leaders, farmers and agriculture advocates,” Krause said. “It provides an enhanced opportunity for those students to explore the broad diversity of career choices available in the ag industry as they interact with companies engaged in agriculture.” “I truly believe that the leadership, examples, and passion shown for our industry by speakers, attendees, and sponsors at such events provides inspiration and fresh perspectives on the many career opportunities in agriculture,” Nelsen said. “Not only Minnesota State Mankato business student Breanna Novak was at the Rural Forum which attracted nearly 250 industry professionals. “Living in the small town of Le Center I knew a little about agriculture, but did not really understand the impact it has,” Novak said. “The Rural Forum opened my eyes to that. I also got to experience what it was like to attend a professional event and meet new people. It was a good learning experience for me as I am about to graduate.”

Nelson wishes she had a similar experience when she was in college. “As far as I am concerned, it took me four years of college and four years of professional experience to dovetail back into agriculture,” Nelson said. “If I had attended something like the Rural Forum when I was 19 to 21, I would have pursued this path a lot earlier because I would have seen the opportunity, passion and great people that work within it.”

As you know, Minnesota has a number of agriculture and food conferences and events all across the state — large and small. So next time you are planning to attend one of these conferences or events, think about what it would have felt like when you were younger if an adult invited you join them. Do something out of the ordinary and buy a ticket for a student and take them along. Little things do go a long way.

Talent in the GreenSeam focuses on developing talent and promoting careers in agriculture and food. Dr. Shane Bowyer is the Director of AgriBusiness and Food Innovation in the College of Business at Minnesota State University, Mankato and is on the GreenSeam Talent Committee. He can be reached for comments or talent ideas at shane. bowyer@mnsu.edu. v

Intern in the

Baylee Sorensen

Blooming Prairie, Minn. School: Minnesota State University, Mankato Major: Business Marketing with a minor in entrepreneurship and innovation Internship company name: FarmAmerica

How did you learn about your internship? Samantha Campa in the College of Business Advising Center at MNSU Mankato Have you always wanted a career in agriculture? I have always wanted to stick to the rural and small-town side of a business. I enjoy how this type of business creates a community instead of just a group of employees. Whether or not this job would be in the career field of agriculture, I was not sure. Why did you choose an internship in the ag industry? I chose this internship because I believe that to market a product or service I will need to support and believe in this product or service personally. Teaching the community about the history and importance of agriculture is definitely something that I support and will continue to support. What are you learning on the job you did not learn in class? I learned about how creating and growing relationships with the consumers of a product or service is super important. This allows me to see how I can improve the product or service and also more accurately market the product or service to the right consumers. Personally, I believe that personal relations are one of the biggest parts of marketing and it is also the part I am most passionate about. What surprised you about the internship? I was surprised by how much information I didn’t know about the history of agriculture in Minnesota. I grew up in the country surrounded by agriculture and learned a lot about it through the classes I took and the books I read in my free time. However, I was amazed by how much I did not know before my internship. In what ways has your employer worked with you to be flexible for your student life and classes? My internship was during the summer, so this wasn’t super relevant. However, Farmamerica did a great job of meeting with me regularly to see if I was learning everything I wanted to during the summer and allowing me to experience as much real-world experience as I could. What is your favorite animal?

Goat What is your favorite food?

Banana bread Who is you favorite musical artist/band?

Zach Bryan

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