Hello, CALS colleagues,
A wind-swept layer of snow this morning can’t hide our thoughts of spring. And spring break is only a week away! Soon the daffodils, tulips and other spring flowers will be making their appearance - some already are peeking through the soil.
I have to acknowledge our collective thoughts on the strife and suffering in Ukraine and wherever else it occurs, on the lingering shadow of COVID, and the tragic loss and damage of tornados in Iowa this past weekend (162 miles of tornado reports from Emerson to Tama). Additionally, the concerns from upcoming soil moisture during planting and the threats of the highly pathogenic Avian Influenza. These are all subjects we address at Iowa State, and among the global conditions we work and learn to improve.
Last week was the annual board meeting of the Iowa Crop Improvement Association, one of our CALS affiliates, the terrific ISCORE meeting, a college-wide meet-and-greet for new staff organized by Nate Dobbels and the CALS Staff Council and a quarterly board meeting of the ISU Research Park. Vice President John Lawrence and I made a trip to meet with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Board, accompanied by ABE professor Dan Anderson, to talk about fertilizer and carbon, green ammonia, and much more.
This week we’ll have our virtual Capitol Hill meetings with each congressional office to encourage our elected officials to support the land grant university system, and to tout the great work you all do. We do this with our CARET representatives, who give their time and energy to support CALS, Extension, our Experiment Station and the land grant system. Thanks to them – Don Latham, Katie Stutsman, Kevin Ross and Bob Petrzelka!
Among many other things happening this week is the annual gathering on campus of all the college farm system staff from around the state. Great crews, one and all.
Have a good week - Dan
Nature in Focus
Steve Dinsmore, NREM department chair, shared this image of one of the river otters that have taken up residence on Lake LaVerne as of late. As Steve shared: There has only been a single otter present for some time now – the other either left or died. It is highly unlikely they would remain at Lake LaVerne to breed, and most of us find it amazing that they appeared there at all. Let’s enjoy it while we can because it will probably disperse elsewhere once other waters thaw.
