Wrapping up the Semester

Last week proved to be busy as always. Monday we took a trip up to Farm Links, where me and my fellow new students got to meet Jimmy Pursell over lunch. After lunch, Mr. Pursell showed us around their beautiful property before we gave presentations over the trips we've taken this summer. I am thankful Mr. Pursell was gracious enough to treat us to lunch and to show us around his beautiful golf course! We had a great time and look forward to seeing him again.

View from Hole 5 at Farm Links.

Tuesday saw the day many of us were dreading for our Plant Nutrition class: presentation day. Each of us in the class gave twenty minute presentations on various topics, such as different tillage practices and the effects of prescribed burns. The experience was not too bad though; Mrs. Eakes made some of her famous biscuits and Dr. Eakes provided chicken and fresh fruit for us to eat. Those biscuits were definitely the highlight of the day!

Friday was our final garden tour for Public Gardens Management at Calloway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. Our class met with the Director of Landscape Operation, Tim Banks, who provided us with lots of information about Calloway Gardens and their operations. We were able to see several different areas of Calloway's 2500 acres. The Cecil B. Day Butterfly Center was one of my favorite parts. It is one of the largest glass-enclosed butterfly conservatories in North America and had hundreds of different butterflies fluttering around. I also loved the John A. Sibley Horticultural Center, through which were various interior and exterior displays of lush, beautiful plants. I particularly got excited about a wall that was mounted with epiphytic bromeliads that do not require soil to grow, some of my favorite plants!

Wall of epiphytic bromeliads.

This week is not full of as many activities as last, but we will surely keep busy getting in the last of our coursework before finals next week! Wish us luck!

-Jeremiah DeVore