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- Author or Editor: Cynthia Haynes x
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Beginning in 1998 students in the Dept. of Horticulture at Iowa State Univ. have been given an opportunity to enroll in a semester-long study abroad course, culminating in a two-week visit to the country of interest. Students participating in a recent study abroad experience to England were asked several questions prior to their departure including: 1) their motivation for participating and goals for the site visit; 2) fears or concerns related to the trip; 3) expectations about the course and trip; and upon arriving home 4) their overall evaluation of the course and trip. A questionnaire containing ten closed-ended and six open-ended questions was given to all 25 students enrolled in the course. We learned most students participated in the course to learn about and experience a different place and culture. Thirty-nine percent of responding students said issues related to packing for the trip was their biggest concern or fear. Twenty-six percent were concerned abut using a foreign currency while another 17% said interacting with other sudents on the trip was their greatest concern. A large majority (90%) of students felt the course and trip met their expectations and 80% said they would participate in another international experience. Other survey questions revealed students gained better insight about themselves, became more tolerant of people and other customs, felt they were better able to adapt to new situations, developed close friendships with traveling companions, and experienced an increased interest in horticulture.
The interest, use, and recognized benefits of gardens as educational tools for youth has increased in recent decades and has prompted the development of garden-based curricula for use in schools. Iowa State University Extension developed Growing in the Garden (GITG), a curriculum designed for use in kindergarten through third grade classrooms. This study examined the impact of the GITG curriculum on the awareness and interest of first graders in the areas of science, nutrition, and the environment. A survey was used to determine parental perceptions of their child's interest and awareness after experiencing three lessons from the GITG curriculum. Forty-seven parents (60.2% response rate) of first graders from four classrooms in Iowa completed the survey. A significant number of parents surveyed noted an increased awareness and interest of their children in the areas of science and the environment. Factors such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, and gender did not influence the outcomes.
The 2004 report from the National Gardening Association showed that 84 million people (78% of the U.S. population) participated in one or more types of do-it-yourself lawn and garden activities. This creates a substantial consumer group, and an important audience for Cooperative Extension to reach with educational programming. In 2003, a collaborative project between the Iowa State University (ISU) Extension Service, a regional gardening magazine, and regional television stations began as a new avenue to deliver educational programming related to horticulture. Gardening in the Zone is a series of 35 two-minute segments that are broadcast weekly March through October during local morning and evening news programs. Currently, the segments are shown on television stations across the state, resulting in over 95% coverage and reaching viewers in southwestern Wisconsin, northwest Illinois, southern Minnesota, and eastern Nebraska. In just 1 year, the number of stations carrying the segments has doubled. The segments are hosted by a broadcast professional and done in a question and answer format with an introduction, content on the particular topic, and a close. To close the segment the host refers viewers to the ISU Extension Gardening in the Zone website (http://129.186.89.193/gardening/) and the magazine website, which appear on the screen. This format provides a minimum of three potential contacts with the viewer including the real time broadcast, reference to the website, and ultimately, links to Extension publications from the website. These segments provide research-based information to a large audience that traditional Extension programming methods might not otherwise reach.
Freeze tests were performed on stem sections of Fraxinus americana, Lagerstroemia indica Magnolia gradiflora, Rhododendron `Red Ruffle', Zelkova serrata, and leaves of Magnolia grandiflora and Rhododendron `Red Ruffle' in the tinter and summer of 1993. Freeze injury was quantified using electrolyte and phenolic leakage techniques and compared to the lethal temperature range determined by visual method assisted by differential thermal analysis. Richards function was fitted to the electrolyte and phenolic leakage data by the modified Gauss-Newton method. The inflection point of the Richards function coincided with the lethal injury range for non-acclimated leaves, but overestimated the freeze tolerance for acclimated leaves and for both acclimated and non-acclimated stems. A proposed interception point of the lower asymptote and a line tangential to the curve inflection point provided an improved estimate of the lethal injury range in most of the species.
In 2004, the greenhouse and nursery industry was ranked as the fourth largest crop group in the United States based on farm cash receipts (USDA, 2004). The ornamental crop sector was expected to post total sales in excess of 15.3 billion dollars in 2004 (USDA, 2004). Landscape services within the green industry have risen from 28.9 billion in 2002 to 41.6 billion in 2004 (ALCA, 2004). In Iowa, recent surveys of turfgrass and edible food crop production and services have shown a combined net worth of more than 1 billion dollars. However, these surveys failed to include nursery and garden centers, greenhouse growers, landscape designers/contractors, arborists, and florists. Therefore, the objective of this project was to better understand the scope and scale of the ornamental horticulture industry in Iowa. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to 1293 horticulture businesses in Iowa. The survey instrument was developed with input from members of the Iowa Nursery and Landscape Association Research Corporation. Before mailing, it was reviewed by survey professionals and piloted to a select group of green industry representatives and edited per their suggestions. Three weeks after mailing, a reminder postcard was sent. Respondents were sorted as to type and size of business, number of employees, and annual sales. The percentage of gross receipts was categorized by types of plants sold and services provided. Respondents also were asked about the factors that limit their success, their strengths compared to competitors, and their expectations for future growth.