So last week I was in St. Johns all week to get caught up on important stuff. I went out to the NCRS one morning and took a pic of this cool sunrise through a grain storage system.
There are two faces at the North Central Research Station (NCRS). One is Mitch who started in January as the NCRS Operations Specialist. This means that he will be the general overseer of equipment and buildings at the NCRS. So don't you dare use a wrench and leave it sitting out on a bench when done. But we needed someone to keep up with vehicle and tractor maintenance and upkeep of buildings and property. Mitch has his bachelors degree in Crops and Soils from MSU, and was manager of a research station in the Michigan State University system for several years. He also farms and has his CDL besides. So he ought to be ready for anything that is thrown at him. (That's just a saying by the way, don't try it.)
Next is Dan who just started a couple of weeks ago as the Specialty Crops Research Coordinator. He will be working with Brian and Tim B on the specialty crop research plots, such as fruits and vegetables. But he will be working a great deal in the new apple orchard. Dan is well qualified for that as he operates his own apple orchard at his home. Dan has a bachelors degree in Biology from Grand Valley State University and has worked for many years in a contract research business. So he comes well qualified for plot research. So you'll be seeing both of these new guys when you make it out to the Research Field Days this summer.
Well I think I might have said that there are many groups that use our new office building for meetings. There are various types of meetings going on weekly here. Mostly they just sit and talk or look at slides. You know, regular stuff. But this display for a training meeting of the Michigan Milk Producers Association was certainly eye-catching. So being curious, before their meeting started, I went in and asked the meeting coordinator what's up with this cow stuff? She said it was for dairy worker training on how to correctly apply cow teat dip. Now there's a class! Sorry I didn't sign up my own self. But it's an important part of milking to apply it correctly before and after milking to prevent infectious disease like mastitis and to keep the milk pure. She said one of the MMPA guys built all of these himself out of ceramic plaster. Look at the accuracy right down to the veins.
Naturally I had to try one out. Mmmm. Fresh from the tap!
Should have brought my Cheerios.
