24 February 2009

By James Knox (Crops Development Adviser, CAFRE)

Crops is one of the practical student learning project options available to Higher Education (HE) agriculture students at CAFRE’s Greenmount Campus.  As semester one drew to a close, students updated the Advisory Board on the progress of how they managed the crop enterprises.  They delivered an impressive selection of presentations, ranging from cereal and potato topics, through to maize production.  First year students delivered presentations, assisted by second and third year students. These same students were instrumental in tutoring the first year students throughout the semester especially in practical aspects of crop management.

Speakers’ presentations were scrutinized after each talk by the Advisory Board members, comprising CAFRE staff from education and technology disciplines. The overwhelming view of the board members was of the very high standard of technical knowledge and the “polished” delivery shown by participants, who have had limited experience of arable crops prior to taking this module.  

One of the student reports related to a winter wheat crop on the campus farm which the students have managed through the establishment phase. Given the very wet autumn, this provided the class with many tough decisions on variable seed rates and timing of inputs. As one student commented, “It gives us a sense of achievement when we can see how well it looks and know that everyone contributed to its success.”

For further information on student learning projects and HE courses at CAFRE Freephone: 0800 0284291

Crops enterprise management students who took part in their board day presentions at Greenmount;

Back L-R : Robin McMullan (Newtownards), John Craig (Crumlin), Paul McDonagh (Enniskillen), Sean Kearney (Newry), Andrew Blair, (Limavady), Andrew Bassett (Downpatrick), Alan Lockhart (Newry).

Front L-R : Dan Stockdale (Skipton, North Yorkshire), Richard Young (Seskinore, Omagh), Mairead McCullough (Ballynahinch), Mark Gilkinson. (Dungannon).