Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Capital press. (Salem, OR) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 7, 2018)
2 CapitalPress.com September 7, 2018 People & Places From Australia to Wenatchee Tobin Northfield studies pluses, minuses of insects that farmers face Western Innovator By DAN WHEAT Capital Press WENATCHEE, Wash. — In Australia, Tobin Northfield was on a team of scientists who found cocoa yields could be doubled by using cocoa waste to boost pollinators and natural insect predators. Now he’s the newest assis- tant professor and entomolo- gist at the Washington State University Tree Fruit Re- search and Extension Center in Wenatchee, where a career of innovation awaits him. The brown marmorated stink bug, spotted wing drosophila and codling moth are among the challenging pests facing the region’s growers. Northfield, 37, was born and raised in Enum Claw, Wash., and in 2003 received his bachelor’s degree in bi- ology from Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma. While in college, he planned to be a dentist but he enjoyed biology and during an entomology class decided “it was way too much fun to do anything else.” “I was also inspired by all the benefits to society that en- tomology can bring, like med- ical and agricultural improve- ments,” he said. His interest in science was aided by his father being a forester and his mother being a speech therapist. He earned a master’s de- gree in entomology at the University of Florida in 2005 and spent the next two years as a research associate there. A key focus was studying how Pierce’s Disease, deadly in grapevines, is spread by the Glassy-winged sharpshooter, a large leafhopper, that sucks xylem fluid, mostly water and nitrogen, out of plants and spreads bacterium. He also studied the spread of stink Tobin Northfield Age: 37 Born and raised: Enum Claw, Wash. Family: Wife, Kirsten; son, Micaiah, 3. Dan Wheat/Capital Press Tobin Northfield, WSU entomologist, center, looks at Honeycrisp apples growing in a shade netting field trial in Quincy, Wash., with WSU physiologist Lee Kalcsits, on Aug. 28. bugs from peanuts to cotton. Northfield returned to Washington and in 2011 re- ceived his doctorate from WSU and a master’s degree in statistics. He had a USDA post-doctoral fellowship in entomology and biological control at the University of Wisconsin and in 2013 took a position at James Cook Uni- versity in Cairns, Australia. ‘Fruit of the gods’ Cocao trees and beans, from which chocolate is de- rived, were cultivated in Central and South America as a “fruit of the gods,” long before the Spanish arrival in North America in 1492. The beans grow inside pods that look somewhat like papaya, ranging in size from a softball to a youth football. Beans are harvested from the pods or husks, and that waste is seldom left in orchards. But an Australia grower wondered what would happen if husks were left in orchards and talked about it with a student at James Cook Uni- versity. The student came to Northfield, who looked into it and found just one study in Africa showing cocoa husks increasing pollinators but not discussing yields. Northfield began field tri- als of letting husks rot at the base of cocao trees in 2014. It resulted in a proliferation of midges, tiny flies that then in- creased the pollination of co- cao flowers 10-fold, doubling and even tripling the yields of cocao fruit. “The original idea was that of an Australian cocao grower. So lesson learned was listen to growers,” Northfield said. The rotting husks also in- creased lizards and spiders that serve as natural predators to insect pests, he said. And as natural mulch, the husks add to soil quality. The study is continuing to determine if substances other than the husks can be used to increase the midge popula- tion. Opportunity knocks Northfield was planning to stay in Australia but “couldn’t pass up” the opportunity to move closer to home when an entomology position at the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center was adver- tised earlier this year. It was the position once held by Jay Brunner, former center direc- tor, who retired in 2015. Northfield applied, was hired and moved his family to Wenatchee in early August and began work at the center on Aug. 16. His wife, Kirsten, also grew up in Cle Elum, and they have a son, Micaiah, 3. Northfield will work in integrated pest manage- ment of tree fruit pests. It’s a long-practiced holistic ap- proach that relies on benefi- cial insects, predators’ habitat changes and other eco-friend- ly techniques to manage pests. Tools also include selective use of pesticides and biologi- cal controls such as the mating disruption of codling moth. Northfield’s statistics background will be used in improving WSU’s Decision Aid System used by grow- ers in the U.S. and Canada. DAS uses current and histor- ic weather data from WSU’s AgWeatherNet to drive insect and disease models to help growers know when to com- bat pests and diseases. Northfield plans to learn as much as he can from the center’s more experienced en- tomologists, Elizabeth Beers and Vince Jones. He also will Education: Graduated from Enum Claw High School, 1999; bachelor’s degree in biology, Pacific Lutheran University, 2003; master’s degree in entomology, University of Florida, 2005; master’s in statistics and doctorate in entomology, Washington State University, 2011. Occupation: Assistant professor of entomology, Washington State University Tree Fruit Research and Ex- tension Center, Wenatchee. Work History: Assistant professor of entomology, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia, 2013 to 2018; USDA post-doctoral fellowship, University of Wisconsin, 2012. learn from other professors, consultants and growers. “The size and shape of trees, trellises, shade netting, mulches — they all may in- fluence pest or predator be- havior,” Northfield said. “I’d like to focus on system levels management and how that alters pest abundance. If you focus on just one pest and ig- nore others you may end up with a whack-a-mole situa- tion where you knock down one and something else pops up. We want to look at the broader picture, which is not easy to do. “When you look at the ex- perience at the center it’s pret- ty amazing. I’m really thrilled to be here.” 4-H dairy club a lifestyle for couple By CRAIG REED For the Capital Press ROSEBURG, Ore. — Peggy and Alton Clark felt very comfortable surround- ed by dairy cows and calves at the 2018 Douglas County Fair in early August. The dairy scene has been part of the couple’s life for many decades. They have been co-leaders of the Umpqua 4-H Dairy Club for 15 years and have been co-su- perintendents of the dairy di- vision at the county fair since 1982. Peggy Clark, 75, cele- brated her 65th year in dairy and at the fair this year. As a 10-year-old member of the same club — Umpqua 4-H Dairy Club — that she now helps lead, Peggy showed Daisy, a Jersey heifer, at the 1953 fair. Alton Clark has been involved since the cou- ple’s engagement following their 1961 graduation from Oakland High School. “I think it was just the ex- Craig Reed/Capital Press Alton and Peggy Clark have been involved in 4-H and the dairy division at the Douglas County, Ore., Fair for decades. Peggy Clark showed a Jersey heifer 65 years ago when she was a 10-year-old member of the Umpqua 4-H Dairy Club. The Clarks are long-time leaders of that club and long-time superintendents of the dairy division at the fair. perience of 4-H that kept me coming back,” said Peggy, who was born and raised in the Umpqua area 15 miles northwest of Roseburg. “We milked cows, my dad sold cream to Umpqua Dairy (in Roseburg) so dairy was an obvious choice for me as a project. “I continued on with it be- cause I enjoyed it so much as a 4-H member,” she added. “When I was too old for 4-H, I didn’t want to be done.” Peggy said she remembers doing well with her dairy an- imals at fair during her teen- age years. One year, her fam- ily brought 13 head — cows, calves and a yearling — to show at the fair. “I remember being cham- pion dairy showman,” she said. Delmar Murphy, Peggy’s father, was both the dairy and sheep superintendent at the fair for many years. During Peggy’s college years at Or- egon College of Education (now Western Oregon Uni- versity) in Monmouth, she was home during the summer and helped her father with his superintendent duties at the fair. Peggy graduated from OCE in 1964 and then taught for 34 years in the Sutherlin, Ore., School District. Alton was an insurance adjustor. The couple helped Murphy at the fair for years and became the dairy superintendents when he retired. The Clarks live in the Umpqua area on a donation land claim that had been se- cured by earlier family mem- bers in 1851. They raise a few dairy animals that are avail- able for kids to care for and to show or for kids who need a last-minute replacement to show because their own animal has come down with some issue. “Kids learn a lot of re- sponsibility when raising an animal,” Peggy said. “They learn how to handle them- selves and their animal. They learn to make good decisions. “They have to learn to keep records on the animals, track the lineage, keep re- ceipts for feed, the income off calves sold and health records that include vaccinations, any diseases, dehorning…” “Most of the kids are eager to learn,” Alton said. “They listen when it comes to learn- ing how to take care of an an- imal.” Established 1928 Board of Directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Harrison Forrester Mike Omeg Cory Bollinger Jeff Rogers Corporate Officers Heidi Wright Chief Operating Officer Rick Hansen Chief Financial Officer Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Jessica Boone ........ Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Entire contents copyright © 2018 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. To Reach Us Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ Circulation@capitalpress.com Main line ........................... 503-364-4431 Fax ................................... 503-370-4383 Advertising Fax ................ 503-364-2692 News Staff Idaho Carol Ryan Dumas .......... 208-860-3898 Boise Brad Carlson .................... 208-914-8264 Cent. Washington Dan Wheat ........................ 509-699-9099 W. Washington Don Jenkins ...................... 360-722-6975 E Washington Matthew Weaver .............. 509-688-9923 Oregon George Plaven ................. 406-560-1655 Mateusz Perkowski .......... 800-882-6789 Graphic artist Alan Kenaga ..................... 800-882-6789 To Place Classified Ads Ad fax .............................. 503-364-2692 or ...................................... 503-370-4383 Telephone (toll free) .......... 800-882-6789 Online ......www.capitalpress.com/classifieds Subscriptions Mail rates paid in advance Easy Pay U.S. $3.75/month (direct with- drawal from bank or credit card account) 1 year U.S. ...................................$49.99 2 years U.S. .................................$89.99 1 year Canada .................................$275 1 year other countries ......... call for quote 1 year Internet only .......................$49.99 1 year 4-H, FFA students and teachers ....$30 9 months 4-H, FFA students & teachers .....$25 Visa and Mastercard accepted To get information published Mailing address: Capital Press P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo Index Calendar To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www. capitalpress.com and click on “Sub- mit an Event.” Calendar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 or emailed to newsroom@capital- press.com. Write “Calendar” in the subject line. ment and supplies on display. Cost: $19-$29 Website: www.pnwcta.org goats. Details: https://bit.ly/2N5Ymxg Eastern Idaho State Fair. Eastern Idaho State Fairgrounds, 97 Park St., Blackfoot, Idaho. Website: https://fun atthefair.com/ Oregon Farm Bureau Classic Golf Tourney. 1 p.m. Stone Creek Golf Club, 14603 S. Stoneridge Drive, Oregon City, Ore. Contact: tif- fany@oregonfb.org Through Saturday Sept. 8 Washington State Fair. 110 Ninth Ave. SW, Puyallup, Wash. Website: www.thefair.com/ 60th Annual Pacific Northwest Christmas Tree Association Tree Fair & Trade Show. Holiday Inn, Portland Airport, 8439 NE Colum- bia Blvd. Portland, Ore. The world’s largest trade show in the Christmas tree industry. Members have market exposure at the Tree Fair and Trade Show, where buyers and sellers meet. It also features industry equip- Capital Press Through Sunday Sept. 23 Tuesday, Sept. 11 Meat School 2018. 5:30-9 p.m. OSU Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center, Auditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point, Ore. The fourth session of a series on pro- ducing and marketing grass-fed and grass-finished meat animals. The program covers cattle, sheep and Tuesday, Sept. 18 Meat School 2018. 5:30-9 p.m. OSU Southern Oregon Research & Extension Center, Auditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Central Point, Ore. The fifth session of a five-evening class series on producing and mar- keting grass-fed and grass-finished meat animals. Details: https://bit. ly/2N5Ymxg Tuesday-Wednesday Sept. 18-19 Safety and Health in the Can- nabis Industry. Riverhouse, 3075 N. Highway 97, Bend, Ore. Topics for growers include OLCC requirements, grow operations, extraction methods, fire regulations, worker protection and Oregon OSHA consultation ser- vices. Website: osha.oregon.gov/ conferences Saturday, Sept. 22 Hood River Hops Fest. Noon-8 p.m. Columbia Lot, Fifth and Co- lumbia, Hood River, Ore. The Hood River Hops Fest is an annual cele- bration of beer’s bitter friend, freshly harvested hops. Hood River County is surrounded by world-renowned hop growing regions, and since 2003 brewers have gathered each Sep- tember in downtown Hood River to share their fresh-hop beer creations. The family-friendly event features more than 50 breweries with more than 60 fresh-hop beers, plus a va- riety of food vendors, live music, and an awesome collectible mug. Web- site: http://hoodriver.org/hops-fest/ Saturday, Sept. 29 Oregon Ag in the Classroom Fall Harvest Dinner and Auction. 5-9 p.m. CH2M Hill Alumni Center, Oregon State University. The silent auction starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner featuring food produced by Oregon farms and ranches. The oral auction is at 7:45 p.m. All proceeds from the dinner and auction will support the Oregon Ag in the Classroom mission: to help students grow in their knowl- edge of agriculture, the environment, and natural resources. Registration due by Sept. 14. Website: https://or- egonaitc.org/events/fall-harvest-din- ner-2/ Dairy .................................... 15 Farm & Ranch Safety ........ 9-10 Livestock ............................. 15 Markets ............................... 13 Opinion .................................. 6 Correction policy Accuracy is important to Capital Press staff and to our readers. If you see a misstatement, omission or factual error in a headline, story or photo caption, please call the Capital Press news department at 503-364-4431, or send email to newsroom@capitalpress.com. We want to publish corrections to set the record straight.
