Back to your regularly scheduled programming folks! Things have been quiet this week, in part because we got very on top of things for last week’s events (and needed a little bit of recouperation time), partially because Chris finally fell victim to the bug that’s been going around the Horticulture department. He had to be banished from the premises. Unfortunate.
In other news, we had the final harvest of Petrus’ pepper variety trials this morning! The wind-down of our production continues with the help of the Small Farms class, as we’ve started to remove plants that were hit by our most recent frost. Gold Rush apples have also been on our minds, as it’s anyone’s guess at this point as to when they’ll finally be ready; We wait with bated breath. The new cooler is finally up and running, thanks to Nathan Deppe and his breaker array wizardry. As such, the pepper towers can, at long last, be dismantled.
Hope you’re all enjoying the flocks of redwing blackbirds and fuzzy caterpillars , even as daylight savings time looms ahead of us, definitely not at all ominously.
Purdue Student Farm Spotlight: Dr. Stephen Meyers Lab
Left to Right: Jeanine, Carlos, Lidysce, Helen, Celia, Steve, Josué
Dr. Stephen Meyers: The Horticulture Crops Weed Science Lab is led by Stephen Meyers (Associate Professor, HLA). They conduct applied research in weed biology, weed-crop interactions, and integrated weed management to address the needs of Indiana vegetable and fruit growers. They work across multiple crops, scales of production, and in both organic and conventional production systems. They share the results of their research directly with farmers to ensure that Indiana farmers can apply the most up-to-date research-based information and make informed decisions.
Hello everyone! I’m Josué Cerritos, a second-year master’s student in Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Purdue, and I have the privilege of working in Dr. Stephen Meyers’ Horticulture Weed Science Lab. My journey at the Purdue Student Farm began in the summer of 2022 when I was a visiting scholar. My first task? Hand weeding onions, a necessity if you’re growing them! I was surprised by how close the farm was to campus and the incredible variety of crops—many of which I was seeing for the first time. They were beautifully organized, with some thriving in high tunnels and others in the open field.
Little did I know that one year later I would return to the Student Farm as a master’s student, working with onions for one of my thesis projects. This project explores the use of silage tarps, specifically black plastic tarps—as ground covers before transplanting onions. The goal is to create a stale seedbed and reduce early-season weed emergence. We even conducted a small trial using these tarps for weed control on potatoes, which impressed Chris Adair enough to implement the practice on his own, expanding it to other crops!
The sense of community at the Student Farm has made my experience even more rewarding. The Meyers Lab team and I have always felt welcomed and supported by Chris and the student crew, who work tirelessly to keep everything running smoothly. I admire the dedication involved in the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. Coordinating the logistics to ensure a diverse array of vegetables is not an easy task, but it’s incredible to know that it’s supporting the local community by providing fresh, nutritious options. The Student Farm also offers a fantastic learning environment for students interested in different horticultural crops.
I also wanted to share some thoughts from some of my lab mates about their experiences working at the Student Farm:
Celia: “What I enjoy about working at the Student Farm is that, beyond our projects, there’s the chance to see a wide variety of crops growing, creating a colorful atmosphere in the summer. It’s fulfilling to know that the produce we grow is shared with the local community through the CSA.”
Helen: “I appreciate the wide variety of equipment available at the Student Farm, including new and experimental tools. It has been extremely helpful for our studies. I also admire how knowledgeable and supportive the station manager is, and I love having access to different workspaces, like the cold room.”
In summary, working at the Student Farm has been an enriching experience for me and my teammates. We’re excited to continue our work here and contribute to the vibrant community at Purdue!