Lunchbox Meetings

The Lunchbox is a series of virtual meetings with partners of the Southeast Organic Partnership at Tuskegee University. These meetings bring together collaborators on the Organic Research and Extension Initative grant with the 36 farmers who are hosting organic research plots on their farms. Topics have included: tracking research data with grower data logs, dealing with the weather blunders of 2018, pest/disease management for each study crop, harvesting recommendations and there will be more to come. Click on the pictures to watch the recordings.

The Lunchbox #1: Grower Data Logs
Partner Dr. Jeanine Davis of North Carolina State University goes over the Grower Data Logs. The Logs are used for the on-farm variety trials on over 30 farms throughout Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. Watch

The Lunchbox #2: Weather Blunders
The 2018 growing season has proven to be especially challenging to grower partners in the Southeast. Heavy rains and high winds thwarted or delayed many growers' planting efforts. Karen Wynne, Extension Specialist for the project, leads the discussion. Watch

The Lunchbox #3: Spotlight on Squash
Partners discuss pest and disease considerations for each of the project crops. This meeting, project Entomologists Dr. Franklin Quarcoo and Dr. Anitha Chitturi of Tuskegee University, focused on regional issues specific to Squash. Watch
 

The Lunchbox #4: Spotlight on Tomato
Partners discuss pest and disease considerations for each of the project crops. This meeting, project Entomologists Dr. Franklin Quarcoo and Dr. Anitha Chitturi of Tuskegee University, focused on regional issues specific to Tomato. Watch

The Lunchbox #5: Spotlight on Sweet Potato
Partners discuss pest and disease considerations for each of the project crops. This meeting, project Entomologists Dr. Franklin Quarcoo and Dr. Anitha Chitturi of Tuskegee University, focused on issues specific to Sweet Potato. Watch
 

The Lunchbox #6: Spotlight on Southern Pea
Partners discuss pest and disease considerations for each of the project crops. This meeting, project Entomologists Dr. Franklin Quarcoo and Dr. Anitha Chitturi of Tuskegee University, focused on issues specific to Southern Pea. Watch
 
The Lunchbox #7: Harvesting Considerations for Squash, Tomato, Southern Pea and Sweet Potato
It's not always intuitive to know the right time you should harvest your produce. Partner Margaret Bloomquist of North Carolina State University takes time to go over some harvesting considerations for the research crops in the study. Watch
The Lunchbox #8 Cover Cropping with Dr. Casey Barickman

The Lunchbox #8: Cover Cropping with Dr. Casey Barickman of Mississippi State University - Download PDF
Fall is the right time to plant your cover crops. Dr. Barickman advises us in this Lunchbox meeting to plant earlier than later in the fall in order to establish a good cover crop for spring. This is a detailed explanation along with practical information you can use! Watch

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The Lunchbox #9: 2019 Grower Data Log and Planting Tips - Gearing up for another great growing season in 2019, the Southeast Organic Partnership at Tuskegee University team discusses the new grower data log. Our grower partners engage with the research team and each other to ask and answer questions related to planting their crops. Watch

Lunchbox #10 The Lunchbox #10: Organic System Pest Overview - Spotlight on Tomato - Download PDF
Dr. Franklin Quarcoo presents general pest-related information related to organic vegetable crop systems. He then focuses on organic tomato. Watch

The Lunchbox #11: Organic System Pest Overview - Spotlight on Squash
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Dr. Anitha Chitturi presents important information on organic Squash pests. She stresses the importance of a systems approach when dealing with organic squash pests. Watch

The Lunchbox #12: Organic System Pest Overview - Spotlight on Southern Pea 
Dr. Franklin Quarcoo presents important information on organic southern pea pests. He answers questions from organic growers along with Dr. Kokoasse Kpomblekou-A. Watch
The Lunchbox 2020 Season Kickoff Meeting: Planting Info and Data Logs for On-Farm Trials
Margaret Bloomquist of North Carolina State University leads the Southeast Organic Partnership partners through the 2020 season kickoff meeting. She reviews planting info, data logs and harvesting considerations for the study. Watch