A ‘spirited’ way to learn | https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/
A ‘spirited’ way to learn | https://agrilifetoday.tamu.edu/
A ‘spirited’ way to learn
The Department of Horticultural Sciences in Texas A&M’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has created a “spirited” way to bring students and the larger Texas A&M University community together with the Texas horticulture industry.
The program is part of the department’s tripartite mission of sustainability, wellness and food security to support the Texas horticulture industry, which has a nearly $60 billion economic impact on the state.
What is Spirited Learning
The Spirited Learning initiative is a collaborative and interactive experience in which participants learn about the state’s vibrant horticulture industry while celebrating Texas wines. The program was initiated in February 2022, with over 200 participants attending each event.
“Spirited Learning experiences feature a different Texas winery each month,” said Amit Dhingra, Ph.D., head of the Department of Horticultural Sciences, Bryan-College Station. “But the overall learning experience includes information about the five major Texas horticultural industries – green industry, pecans, fruits and vegetables, controlled environment horticulture, and the wine industry – that we hope will inspire young people to consider a career in this field.”
Students, horticulture industry members, Texas A&M faculty and administrators, and community members are all among event attendees. Through face-to-face networking around the featured wines, participants learn about the variety of possibilities related to pursuing a career in any of the horticulture industries. And through the presenting winery, the attendees also learn about their history, grape varieties, vineyard management and the winemaking process.
Spirited Learning events
Some of the wineries and vineyards that have been featured during Spirited Learning events include Bending Branch Winery, Comfort; William Chris Vineyards, Hye; Messina Hof Winery, Bryan; Pebble Rock Cellars, Johnson City; and Frio Canyon Vineyard, Leakey.
On Jan. 26, Bull Lion Ranch and Vineyard from Hico was featured as the first Spirited Learning event of 2023, bringing in more than 400 attendees and breaking all previous attendance records. Dates and wineries to be highlighted during spring 2023 Spirited Learning events, all held in the Shirley and Joe Swinbank ’74 AgriLife Center on the Texas A&M campus, include:
— Feb. 24 – Haak Vineyards and Winery, Santa Fe.— March 22 – 12 FIRES Winery and Vineyard, Johnson City.— April 27 – Hye Meadow Winery, Hye.— May 10 – Three wineries: Elisa Christopher Wines, Johnson City; Threshold Vineyards, Navasota; and En Gedi Vineyards and Winery, Calvert.
He said the department, university and Texas A&M AgriLife agencies have served the broader horticulture industry through research, teaching and extension.
“Now, through these Spirited Learning events, we are offering an even more in-depth look at Texas horticultural offerings and opportunities to our students and the larger A&M community,” Dhingra said.
For information about the Spirited Learning program or events, contact Dhingra at amit.dhingra@ag.tamu.edu.
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