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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... CENTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY Seed donation helps grow SOU program Territorial Seed contribution makes possible more food, education for students Comment By Angelica Crimmins For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Angelica Crimmins For the Tidings Posted Feb. 24, 2015 at 8:56 PM Updated Feb 24, 2015 at 9:00 PM By Angelica Crimmins For the Tidings Posted Feb. 24, 2015 at 8:56 PM Updated Feb 24, 2015 at 9:00 PM » RELATED CONTENT What do you think? --> Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter or email [email protected]. » Read more X What do you think? Have an opinion on this topic? Send a letter to the editor at www.dailytidings.com/sendletter or email [email protected] . • So THIS is where food comes from • Bellview Grange rings up bumper crop of new members • SOU sustainability center takes root » Social News There will be twice as much local produce on the table this year for the Southern Oregon University community grown by its own Center for Sustainability, which expects to nearly double its level of food production thanks to a major donation of seeds from the Territorial Seed Company. The $3,000 gift is expected to generate about $30,000 worth of food this year. The contribution stems from the support of Tom Johns, president of the Cottage Grove-based seed company, and his wife, Julie. Both are SOU alumni who say they feel a kinship for Ashland.  Tom and Julie Johns attended a Farm to Fork event at the CFS site last June where they heard about and expressed interest in the center’s plans to grow. “We donated because we saw a need. This is a great way for students to learn about growing their own food, and for those interested in being small farmers and market growers,” said Tom Johns.  Johns sees the donation as a starting point in developing a long-term relationship with CFS. One idea that Territorial is considering is teaching CFS students about the seed industry while using their critical eyes for testing and experimenting with non-market seed production at the Ashland CFS farm.  Thanks to the donation, the farm will yield between one and one-and-a-half acres of annual crop cultivation and at least half an acre of perennial food production, according to CFS Farm Manager and SOU biology major Jessica Harper. Harper helped choose the types of Territorial seeds based on feedback from student surveys and SOU dining hall managers. CFS operates a campus-owned farm and outdoor classroom on a 3.5-acre plot just across from Ashland Middle School on Walker Avenue. Student employees and community volunteers gather there to grow organic food for the SOU community.  Fruits and vegetables they harvest are distributed in different ways to generate income for CFS, including a monthly Community Supported Agriculture subscription program for faculty, supplying SOU dining facilities through a collaboration with the company A’viands, and a weekly low-cost campus farm stand for students.  The Territorial Seed donation, along with other donor and volunteer support, helps CFS keep food costs low while also cultivating the physical space necessary for expanding education and business programming. Although only in its second year of operation after opening in the fall of 2014, CFS is evolving into a hub of collaboration extending beyond the SOU campus. “One of CFS’s goals is to become a living and learning laboratory, harboring a place in the community where people can gather and learn and research,” said Harper, the student farm manager.  This spring CFS will partner with Rogue Valley Farm to School to bring students from the Ashland and Medford school districts to CFS’s outdoor classroom, where students will participate in harvesting, cooking and various seasonal activities. Rogue Valley Farm to School is a nonprofit organization working with local school districts to educate students about local food sourcing. CFS will serve as one of four farm sites for Rogue Valley’s Farm to School Harvest Meal field trips.  “It’s an ideal partnership for us,” said Rogue Valley Farm to School program director Melina Barker, explaining that the farm’s Walker Avenue location allows the organization to coordinate more field trips since Ashland schools will not have to travel out of town. At least one SOU student employee or intern will be present at every Harvest Meal field trip for environmental education training, though Barker encourages more volunteers to tag along.  CFS is also working with the Oregon State University Extension Service to conduct research about possible techniques for growing grapes organically in the region. The farm is beginning this week to install a quarter-acre, donor-funded vineyard that will be used to test growing methods while also producing grapes for distribution. Results may prove useful to the burgeoning vineyard and wine industry in the Rogue Valley. Cultivating sustainable business through environmental research is a large part of what the CFS does, explained SOU Professor and CFS Faculty Director Vincent Smith. “Many of the environmental problems we face today will be solved through business and enterprise in some fashion, ” Smith said. CFS aims to generate solutions by offering a resource-rich space for students to pursue research in areas of sustainable technologies and business strategies. For example, one SOU student has worked with a corporation in California to develop and test agricultural solar panels. Another student is currently developing electric tractor technologies with the Oregon Institute of Technology, and another student is looking for funds to develop an aquaponics facility on campus And a group of Ashland High School students has been frequenting the CFS site to work on projects and develop their own ideas.  This model is intended to provide students with research opportunities and on-site experience while helping sustainable businesses grow. Passersby could easily mistake the CFS for a community garden. It is more than that. Smith identifies it as an endeavor in civic agriculture, where student farmers provide diverse food resources to the specificities of the local community.  The work at CFS is developed and driven by students with varying majors and backgrounds offering the center multidisciplinary insight. Both Harper and Smith credit much of CFS’s growth to the hard work of students and the support of volunteers and donors.  The public is invited to attend work parties from 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays at the farm at 155 Walker Ave. in Ashland. For more information, email [email protected]. Southern Oregon University student Angelica Crimmins is an intern for the Ashland Daily Tidings. By Angelica Crimmins For the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Angelica Crimmins For the Tidings Posted Feb. 24, 2015 at 8:56 PM Updated Feb 24, 2015 at 9:00 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. 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