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The True Citizen, Wednesday, July 7, 2021 — Page 13
Never Stop Learning
MARY BETH MALLARD
marybethmallard@uga.edu
From the first breath we take
we are introduced to new skills,
ideas, cultures and situations
that keep us constantly learn
ing. At a very young age I was
told the world is my classroom,
but it wasn’t until I became a
student at UGA that I truly em
braced that concept and opened
my eyes to all I can learn.
UGA is not only a university
for higher education, it is a
research institution that encour
ages everyone to challenge
themselves, ask hard questions
and keep digging until you find
answers. This desire to never
stop learning is exactly why
the Southeast Research and
Education Center was estab
lished. This facility, commonly
referred to as the Experiment
Station, is located in Midville,
GA. It was founded in 1951 on
roughly 468 acres purchased by
Burke County, and then deeded
to the University. The original
mission of the Center was to
test enterprises or practices
which could be adapted to the
local area. All enterprises were
applied on a management scale
large enough to accurately as
sess cost and returns of these
enterprises. These enterprises
included dairy, swine, poultry,
pecans, and row crops (most
notably cotton production).
Today, it consists of 720 acres
of land total all managed by
Research Station Superinten
dent Anthony Black.
There are currently 61 re
search projects going on at the
experiment station, including
one by Burke County Agent,
Peyton Sapp. His study com
pares the effect of a no cover
crop, cereal rye monoculture,
cereal rye/crimson clover mix
ture, and a 5-species cover
crop mixture on soil health,
weed suppression, soil water
content, and yield in a cotton,
com, peanut rotation. Cover
crops are used along with crop
rotation and reduced tillage to
build soil health, reduce soil
erosion, suppress weeds and
increase habitat for pollinators.
There are still many questions
about the best cover crop or
mixture of cover crops to use in
a particular situation, and how
cover crop might affect farm
profits. Many ag. producers
say that the key to profitability
is the capacity to reduce input
costs.
Along with research, this
facility is host to several agri
cultural education events such
as insect scout schools, field
days for growers/producers,
and Ag in the Classroom for all
local 4th graders. The next field
day will be on August 11 and
Anthony would love for you
to join them. Recently Peyton
and I, along with agricultural
ists from across the state have
attended two workshops held
at the station. One covering
insect scouting and the other
an extension agent training on
sprayer calibration technology.
On June 10, UGA’s new Dean
of the College of Agriculture,
Nick Place visited the station
to see the operation and talk
with local farmers about their
reliance on the station. This
is an incredible resource and
huge asset to our county.
Without Anthony Black,
none of this would be pos
sible. Anthony, a native to the
Jenkins/Burke County area,
began his tenure at Midville
when he became Superinten
dent in 2008. He has worked
tirelessly on this station ever
since and has given it new
life. He accepted the position
to re-open the Center after a
3-year moth-ball period. Dur
ing this partial closure, all but
a few projects were moved to
other Centers and staff was
re-as signed. In late 2007, the
decision was made to re-open
and completely support the fa
cility. Since that re-opening in
January of 2008, the Center has
increased its workload every
year supporting projects across
several disciplines including
entomology, pathology, plant
breeding, and weed science. In
addition, the Center is a work
ing farm with most of its oper
ating budget coming from the
sale of commodities. Farmers
and UGA Staff are thankful for
his dedication to the station and
Burke County has benefited
greatly from his hard work and
devotion to agriculture.
In the 60 years that the
Southeast Research and Edu
cation Center has been mnning,
countless of research projects
have been conducted leading
to breakthroughs in row crop
production that farmers prac
tice today. Without a station
like this, our state would lack
the resources to have overcome
the agricultural challenges we
have faced. Thanks to this
facility, people young and old
are exposed to the agricul
tural industry, inspiring them
to support future agricultural
endeavors.
Community members attending a field day at experiment station in 1970s
Zeta lota Chapter presents scholarships
Zeta lota Chapter of Alpha Pi Chi Sorority Inc. celebrated Juneteenth by presenting scholarships
to its 2021 recipients: Janiya Brown, Kierra Beniefield and Laila D. Jackson. These students will
be entering college in the next few weeks. Chapter members in attendance for the presenta
tion were, from left, Lisa Stone, JannetteTindal, Anne Patterson, Marie Darling, Nancy Shubert,
Loretta Brinson, Princess Roberts, Maudice Farmer and Azalene Young.
Waynesboro
Exchange Club
The Waynesboro Excahnge
Club held its annual officer
installation and banquet on
Thursday, June 24. Pictured
is incoming president Tri-
netta Skinner as she presents
a plaque to outgoing president
Art Lively for his service and
dedication to the club. The
Waynesboro Exchange Club,
a nonprofit organization, meets
each Monday at 1 p.m. at the
Exchange Club Fairgrounds on
Manau Lane in Waynesboro.
Zero Turn Mowers & Repair Services!
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225 Old Millen Highway
Waynesboro, Georgia 30830
www.tayloroutdoorequipment.com
(706)551-5094
JvtTersou Coopurativ*
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Please join ue for-our 64th Annual Meeling of the Membert.
Thii y*ar ■wf+'ll be el ailing a new boord member and locking bock of 7020 und how JEC
mnrfnuB-d to--serve in member; best. We 11 also- :pea'< abcul the bright future w-e'rE
planning for you!
On* of ihfr mtfny benefits of bemg o port of out ooope ratine family H th* opportunity to
canned «-a:h year, This is n chance Far you to meaf our Board Members as well o* Iho
JEC family that serves you daily.
Lot your void counr as wo welcome a nsw mom bur ro our board and listen in on many
topics rhat affect you arid your family.
Early r*qiilKHion:
Eody rflgisltciion and voting wp|j bo ovailablt a1 all JEC offices From Juno 21- July 13,
AM febbies remom open until 7 pm July 0,9,12 and 1 %