AgroExpo agricultural trade show a huge success
With the pandemic forcing the 2020 AgroExpo to go virtual, the 2021 AgroExpo was bigger than ever. On August 17 and 18, 3,000 people came to the North Central Research Station in St. Johns to see agricultural demonstrations, listen to speakers, visit vendors, and see exhibits.
“We were so pleased we were able to have such a successful event to bring farmers, vendors, and our community together,” said Burt Henry, AgroExpo Industry Relations and Promotions Manager.
The show also featured seven speakers talking about agricultural issues important to attendees. Kristin Poley, Clayton Irani, Mike Fraleigh, Richard A. Foltman, Jeff Schussler, Stephanie Smith, and Andy Stroop spoke over the two days, and their audience earned 120 RUP credits. Their presentations were all captured on Facebook live and can be viewed at any time on the AgroExpo page.
“It was a wonderful opportunity to visit with growers and reconnect with colleagues at the show,” said Chris Creguer, territory manager with Pioneer Seed. “One of the events I enjoyed most was Jeff Schussler’s presentation on the effects of climate change on our crop and production practices, as well as discussion on how some of those changes will actually be positive for crop production in Michigan.”
The more than 130 vendors showcased their businesses across the grounds. Manufacturers had rows of large equipment and demos of tillage and silage tools, agricultural companies and groups answered questions from their customers and potential customers, and all attendees had the chance to evaluate the 80 varieties of soybeans and 80 hybrids of corn.
“We’re so happy everyone came out to make the fifth AgroExpo so successful,” said Jay Eccleton, AgroExpo site manager. “We’re already planning how to make next year even better.”
For more information, visit theagroexpo.com.
Local student’s team takes top honors
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) earlier this month announced a first-place result for Ferris State University Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) students in their International HVAC System Selection Competition.
The purpose of the competition is to recognize outstanding student design projects, to encourage undergraduate students to become involved in the profession while applying their knowledge of practical design and to promote teamwork.
Teams compete in one of the three categories: HVAC Design Calculations, Integrated Sustainable Building Design (ISBD) and HVAC System Selection.
The Ferris HVACR team will receive the HVAC System Selection award at the 2022 ASHRAE Winter meeting to be held January 29 through February 2, 2022, in Las Vegas. Team members include:
Brian Van Schepen (Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada)
Cole Quinlan (Orangeville, Ontario, Canada)
Nicholas Schramski (Kinde, Michigan, USA)
Evan Eldred (Flint, Michigan, USA)
Cole Weber (Saint Johns, Michigan, USA)
Jordanny Williams (Ladyville, Belize)
This 2021 Student Design Competition focused on a new fictitious 50,000 square foot building located on a higher education campus in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. The building included a two-story cafeteria, associated offices, and a commercial kitchen with storage space. The teams were tasked with providing safe and healthy storage of food materials on the lower level in a manner that prevents spoiling and the growth of bacteria, while providing enough kitchen/server space and permanent seating to serve a peak occupancy of 720 students at any time with 3,000 students using the facility per day.
Joseph Pacella, the Ferris ASHRAE team’s lead advisor commented, “Since 1997, the projects the Ferris HVACR students work on continually become more challenging in the ASHRAE equipment selection competition. The HVACR team did an amazing job and should be commended for the considerable work and out of the box solutions for the competition.” He added, “It was quite the journey leading up to our first-place result, which has not occurred for the Ferris State University HVACR program in nearly fourteen years. The team members graduated in May 2021 and all are gainfully employed. This first place award is a significant achievement as they begin their professional careers and speaks to the tremendous amount of effort exerted by this outstanding group of students.”
ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of 55,000 persons. Its sole objective is to advance through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education the science of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration serving the evolving needs of the public.
Remember When – Elvis returns to St. Johns in 2009
Matt King is “Elvis” during the August 26 Concert in the Park season finale at the St. Johns City Park Performance Shell. The show begins at 7 p.m.; no admission charge.
King, who hails from nearby Leslie in Eaton County, was one of the most popular and well-received performers in the 2008 Concert in the Park series, prompting the return engagement this year. He’s earned national acclaim for the Elvis show he’s been performing on a professional level for the past 17 years.
King is known for his ability to bring to the “King” to life in his moves, mannerisms, looks and costuming – and, of course, that distinctive voice.
“Some guys choreograph every move – I try to capture the way Elvis expressed himself for the audience. The way he moved his hand, shook his leg or held the mic,” King says.
When he’s not performing at clubs and events around the U.S. and Canada, King is a frequent participant in Elvis contests. He took first place in 2007 at the Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort’s Elvis Contest.
Attention to detail – like the 30-plus Elvis costumes contained in King’s wardrobe – lend authenticity to his shows.
“They’re all here: the peacock, the Arabian, the sundial, the sunburst, the dragon,” he says.
Concert in the Park is sponsored by the Clinton County Arts Council and the city of St. Johns, with support from the Michigan Council for the Arts and Cultural Affairs and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Concerts are held each Wednesday evening, beginning at 7 p.m., in the beautiful outdoor concert venue at the St. Johns City Park. The St. Johns Lions and Lioness Club staff a concession stand each week that offers light refreshments. All concerts are held rain or shine.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – How to Read a Dog’s Body Language
courtesy of Victoria Schade, Pet Training and Behavior Specialist
Dogs express their emotions with their bodies, but we’re not always able to correctly interpret the messages they’re sending. Or worse yet, we misunderstand their intent, which can make a challenging situation even worse.
Learning to read what your dog is communicating is one of the most important things you can do to strengthen your relationship with them. While every dog will have their own unique nuances to their communication style, most dogs rely on similar postures to convey how they’re feeling.
When reading a dog’s body language, it’s important to note that the dog’s entire body plays a role in signaling; for example, a wagging tail doesn’t necessarily mean that a dog is happy, especially if the rest of their body is stiff.
Everything from your dog’s ears and expression on their face to the placement of their feet, and of course, the tail, work together to help communicate your dog’s emotional state.
Here are some dog body language basics to help you understand what your dog is trying to tell you.
Happy Dog Body Language
A happy dog is engaged in their surroundings and will have a loose, waggy posture.
Ears: Held in their natural position; pointed ears will stand straight, and floppy ears will hang slightly forward
Eyes: Soft, and the forehead is neutral (without wrinkles)
Mouth: Either closed without tension around the lips, or if the dog is active, open in a relaxed pant
Tail: Wagging in a wide, sweeping motion that is even with the spine, or if the dog is engaged in play, wagging slightly higher
The overall body posture will be soft and wiggly, and some of the dog’s movements might be overexaggerated, especially during play.
Alert Dog Body Language
An alert dog is assessing his surroundings for more information.
Ears: Perked up and pointed forward (look at the base of the ear for floppy ear breeds)
Eyes: Wide open and focused with a neutral, relaxed forehead
Mouth: Closed without tension at the lips or around the snout
Tail: Extended from the body, even with the spine and possibly wagging slightly
The dog’s overall body posture is distributed evenly between the four feet in a “ready” position as they determine their next steps. Below are examples
Stressed or Nervous Dog Body Language
A dog that’s stressed or uncomfortable will exhibit many of the same postures as a nervous dog but might also perform a series of behaviors called “calming signals.”
These movements are appeasement or displacement behaviors that represent an attempt to self-calm or reduce escalating tension.
Calming signals include:
– Looking away
– Turning away
– Moving in a curve
– Slow movements
– Yawning
– Freezing
– Lip licking
– Lip smacking
– Sniffing the ground
– Raising one paw
– Scratching
– Shaking off (like after getting wet)
Stressed dogs often avoid eye contact or look at the trigger, then quickly look away.
A distressed dog might perform exaggerated yawns, sneeze or lick their lips frequently. They might also shake their bodies as if their coat is wet, focus on self-grooming, or scratch themselves excessively.
Fearful Dog Body Language
A nervous or fearful dog will have a stiff posture and might hunch over so that their back is curved and their head is close to the ground.
Ears: Tucked back against the head
Eyes: The dog might turn their head away from a stressor but angle their eyes towards it, causing the whites of their eyes to show (referred to as “whale eyes”).
Mouth: The dog might keep their mouth tightly closed with the corners of the mouth pulled back, or they might begin panting without a temperature change or increase in activity.
Tail: A nervous dog will tuck their tail so that it’s pressed up against the belly, and they will distribute their weight so that they are shifted back and away from potential triggers.
The dog’s overall body posture is stiff and low, and they might shed more readily when nervous.
Submissive Dog Body Language
A submissive dog tries to appear small and as less of a threat. They might lower their body to the ground, or even flip over on their back to expose their stomach.
Ears: Pinned back
Eyes: A submissive dog will avoid eye contact and squint their eyes.
Mouth: There will be tension around the mouth, and the dog might pull back their lips to expose their front teeth in a “submissive grin,” which looks like a smile, but is a way of showing deference. The dog might also lick around their muzzle frequently.
Tail: Tucked or held low and moving in a slow, tight wag
The dog might also raise a front paw in an appeasement gesture. Their overall movement is slow, and their weight will be shifted backwards to appear less threatening.
Aggressive Dog Body Language
An aggressive dog is ready to react to a stressor.
Ears: Depending on the reason for a dog’s aggression, they will hold their ears differently. So this is a scenario where it’s essential to take a dog’s whole body positioning into account.
A fearful dog will typically hold their ears back and against their head.
An assertive, confident dog will prick their ears forward or to the side.
Eyes: Their gaze will be fixed on the stimulus with a hard, unwavering stare, with wrinkles across the forehead.
Mouth: There is tension around the mouth, and the dog might also have wrinkles across the muzzle or a raised upper lip, exposing the teeth.
Tail: Again, you will need to take a dog’s whole body into account here.
A fearful dog may hold their tail low or tucked before an act of a aggression but raise it during the act.
A confident dog may hold their tail high above their body and it will possibly be twitching from side to side in a tight wag.
The fur might be raised along the spine in piloerection (also commonly referred to as their hackles), particularly across the shoulders and at the base of the spine near the tail.
The dog’s weight will be shifted forward in a stiff-legged “ready” stance.
An aggressive dog’s overall body posture is rigid and tense, with minimal movement.