Week Eight with Extension by Simala Wright

Sarah checking the runoff.

We began our professional development with a discussion on an extract by David Tilman

and Michael Clark entitled Food, Agriculture & the Environment: Can We Feed the World &

Save the Earth? As is projected, global agricultural production is on a trajectory to double by the

year 2050 because of both increases in the global population and the dietary changes associated

with growing incomes. They examined the environmental problems that would result from

dietary shifts toward greater meat and calorie consumption and from the increase in agricultural

production needed to provide food. They discovered yield gaps in production from poor

techniques. Greenhouse gases (GHG) emission accounts for 25% by the agriculture sector

worldwide. Meat production, especially in today’s economic environment is expensive. While

there are no easy answers, we proffer that the shift to plant base diet and a reduction in farmland

and mechanization as a starting point to save the ecology and ecosystem of the world.



The guest lecturer for this week was Dr. Jonathan R. Moyle, Principle Agent, Extension

Specialist, Lower Eastern Shore Research & Education Center (LESREC). Dr. Moyle has an

expensive resume` on working internationally. He has worked at both the state and federal

governmental levels, and was a farmer prior to transitioning employment to Extension. Working

and studying abroad affords an individual sufficient depth and breadth of institutional

knowledge. You are generally instructed in professional and non-governmental organizations

(NGOs) ethics, conflicts management, and engagement. In addition, you develop skills of

adaptability and flexibility, cultural and religious sensitivity, and humility.

On Tuesday, Sarah and I met at John Swaine farm in Wicomico County. In preparation of

the field day schedule for July 25, 2023. Mr. Swain identified the two fields to be used for the

demonstration. One field had been tilled and planted with corn and the second field was no tilled

and planted with soybeans. We conducted a soil resistance/compaction test using penetrometer.

The field that was tilled provided less resistance when compare to the no tilled field. After the

compaction test, we conducted a solubility and runoff test of both soil. We took soil samples

from both fields to perform active carbon test. We got back to the office and began organizing

the materials to be used for the field day, and put the soils on paper plates to air dry.

As part of the field day demonstration I will conduct a presentation on how to perform an

active carbon soil test. On Wednesday, I gather the materials with some of the soil from the day

before and performed an active carbon test. Two key takeaway is the potassium permanganate

and calcium chloride solution is sensitive to heat/light and the measurement must be accurate.

The soil on the left is loose and absorbs the water. 

The soil on the right is compact in layers causing the runoff.

The next two days Thursday and Friday were spent on working and gathering the

activities for the kids to participate during Somerset County fair schedule for July 29, 2023.

Taking into consideration the attention span, the kids will do some puzzles and glue designing of

agriculture animals. I also catalog more of the animals capture by the cameras were placed in the

miscanthus field.