Moss named director of OSU Student Farm

Moss named director of OSU Student Farm

Friday, October 25, 2024

Media Contact: Gail Ellis | Editorial Communications Coordinator | 405-744-9152 | [email protected]

The Oklahoma State University Board of Regents approved the appointment of Dr. Justin Quetone Moss as the director of the OSU Student Farm on Oct. 25.

Moss is head of the OSU Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and has provided Student Farm leadership since operations began in early 2023.

"Dr. Moss is a great fit as the director of the OSU Student Farm. His research interests in urban water use, conservation and quality of horticultural plants will further the development and advancement of Student Farm initiatives," said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. "It also dovetails nicely with the mission of OSU Agriculture and the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture to provide students with hands-on learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom."

The Student Farm is a project housed within the horticulture and landscape architecture department and in cooperation with the The Innovation Foundation at OSU. It was inspired by First Cowboy Darren Shrum, husband of OSU President Kayse Shrum. Produce grown and harvested on the farm's 5 acres is delivered to Pete's Pantry on campus and Our Daily Bread Food and Resource Center, which serves Payne County. The operation is located along Highway 51 across from the OSU Agronomy Research Station in Stillwater.

The farm is led by a small group of full-time university staff members and employs student workers. Modeled as a hands-on living classroom, employees and volunteers are involved in all aspects of the farm's vegetable and fruit production, from planting, irrigating and fence-building to weeding and harvesting.

This year, the Student Farm planted cabbage, Swiss chard, broccoli, cauliflower, squash, sweet corn, spinach, potatoes, onions, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes. Fall favorites include pumpkins and cool-season greens. More than 27,000 pounds of produce have been harvested in 2024, and more than 81,000 pounds have been collected since the farm was established.

New features this year include a post-harvest wash station to prepare fruits and vegetables for food bank distribution in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Also, graduate students have added an acre of certified naturally grown strawberries.

The original site of the OSU Swine Research and Education Center, the Student Farm is part of a 678-acre collaborative research park to be developed in southwest Stillwater. Known as The Innovation Park, the concept will connect the Student Farm, Botanic Garden at OSU and the Agronomy Research Station to serve as a crossroads for advancing OSU's land-grant mission through technology and commercial partnerships.

"Dr. Moss' leadership of the OSU Student Farm aligns perfectly with The Innovation Foundation's mission to foster collaboration and advance impactful applied research," said Elizabeth Pollard, CEO of The Innovation Foundation at OSU.

Moss is a professor of horticulture and landscape architecture in the Ferguson College of Agriculture. He joined the OSU faculty in 2008 and previously served as an OSU Extension specialist for turfgrass, water and environmental issues; he was named head of the department of horticulture and landscape architecture in 2020. Moss earned bachelor's and master's degrees from OSU in horticulture and a doctorate from OSU in crop science.

"His expertise in horticulture, water conservation and sustainable agricultural practices brings tremendous value to the development of The Innovation Park," Pollard said. "The Student Farm's integration with our broader research initiatives not only enhances hands-on learning but also strengthens our partnerships and commitment to addressing real-world challenges through innovative solutions."

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