Green Times

WSU’s Green Times: Cider, Water, Cultural Diversity, and Grains

November 2014 Promising technology could expand hard cider industry A new study by researchers at Washington State University shows that mechanical harvesting of cider apples can provide labor and cost savings without affecting fruit, juice, or cider quality. The study, published in the journal HortTechnology in October, is one of several studies focused on cider […]

WSU’s Green Times: Beetles, bees, beef & bread

October 2014 NEW! sustainable ag online graduate certificate Washington State University will launch an online graduate certificate in sustainable agriculture in the spring. The nine-credit certificate provides expertise in researching, assessing and improving sustainable agriculture, said Lynne Carpenter-Boggs, the professor directing the program. It is designed for researchers already enrolled in graduate-level agriculture programs and […]

WSU’s Green Times: Monarchs, honey bees, dairy footprints, food economy

Wanted: Monarch butterflies, last seen heading south Researchers at Washington State University are calling upon the public throughout the western U.S. to report sightings of tagged monarch butterflies that are making their way from Washington State to as far south as Mexico. WSU entomologist David James has released close to 1,500 butterflies so far with […]

WSU’s Green Times- Butterflies and Cattle, CSA, Global Health

Cattle could protect butterflies, conserve prairies Butterflies, cattle, and the military may seem like unlikely bedfellows, but for native prairies — some of the most threatened habitats in the world — the trio are closely connected. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the improbable pairing of cattle grazing and native prairie conservation is not only compatible, but […]

WSU’s Green Times – Benefits of organic, quinoa in Rwanda, food preservation

July 2014 Major study documents benefits of organic farming The largest study of its kind has found that organic foods and crops have a suite of advantages over their conventional counterparts, including more antioxidants and fewer, less frequent pesticide residues. The study looked at an unprecedented 343 peer-reviewed publications comparing the nutritional quality and safety […]

WSU’s Green Times – Mobile Garden, Bread Lab, Pesticide Residues

June 2014 Mobile garden drives students to learn When Ciara Dahm brought her dresser to Washington State University as a freshman, she envisioned it holding her T-shirts, socks and sweaters—not chickens, worms and mushrooms. The dresser, which turned out to be too big for her college apartment, now serves a new purpose as the framework […]

WSU’s Green Times- OFoot, Barley, 10 years

Putting local barley, flavor on the horizon Using traditional breeding techniques, scientists at WSU are developing new barley varieties for the microbrewing and distilling industries. Brewers and distillers like Emerson Lamb of Westland Distillery and Charles Finkel of The Pike Brewing Company can’t wait to get locally grown, custom malted barley into their mash tuns. […]

WSU’s Green Times- Tilth Producers, Quinoa Harvest

Growing quinoa in the Pacific Northwest Growing quinoa where few have grown before, Hannah Walters and Adam Peterson are learning important lessons about what the protein-packed seed crop requires to fare in the Pacific Northwest: starting small in unfamiliar territory, choosing the right varieties, irrigation based on microclimate, and heat tolerance. At a test plot […]

WSU’s Green Times- Farmers Markets, Home Garden, Organic Matters

Shining a light on Washington farmers markets The number of farmers markets in the state have more than doubled in the last decade, from nearly 80 to more than 160, according to a recent report by Washington State University. The report is based on a 2010 study that examined economic and community impacts of farmers markets […]

WSU’s Green Times- Cultivating Veterans, Quinoa Innovators, Improving Farms

Cultivating veterans: finding peace with a hoe and pitchfork Military veterans on the Olympic Peninsula are healing invisible wounds of war by digging in the dirt. They are part of a trend taking root across the country called agrotherapy, which helps veterans not only overcome difficulties like post-traumatic stress syndrome but also gain skills to […]