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February 26, 2007
Hands On
|
| I recently heard a presentation on CSU
Chico's College of Agriculture by the Dean
(Jennifer
Ryder Fox). She discussed the College's new cattle
manure inspection classes (shown above). Just kidding. It was an interesting
presentation. I graduated from CSU Chico with an engineering degree in 1995. I always felt like there was no exposure to industry during my time there. When graduation time came I started a business here in Chico, instead of heading down to the Bay Area to seek employment. That year only a few employers came to campus looking for engineers. Chico's College of Agriculture is one of four schools taking part in a California grant process focusing on agricultural science. They also operate a working farm that includes livestock and orchards. In other words this College provides hands on industry training by being part of the agricultural industry. The farm also works with Sierra Nevada Brewery to reuse byproducts of beer production to feed livestock. (happy cows really do come from California). The College of Agriculture also intends to restart its milk production facility by opening an organic milk farm. Apparently the farm also provides composted material to the public, although that service may be curtailed due to a need for the compost at the farm itself. The CSU Chico College of Agriculture is small by enrollment standards. But they seem to be providing very unique, hands-on, education opportunities for their students. I would have liked to see some of that during my college years. I do have one criticism of Ms. Fox. She said that the farm had an "all-mund" orchard. I would have hoped a North-State Ag school would have planted "ah-munds" since they are a locally important crop. |
Posted by Lon at February 26, 2007 09:03 AM