OSU Small Farms Conference

 On Sat Feb. 23, one thousand compact farmers piled into LaSells Stewart Center in Corvallis for the sold-out annual OSU Small Farms Conference. This conference was part of a series of associated farming events put on by OSU this week including the first-ever “Back to the Root-2019 Pacific Northwest Black Growers Gathering,” the “Pacific Northwest Flower Growers Association,” and the “Oregon Farmers Market Association Membership Meeting and Banquet.”

LBCC Horticulture faculty and students attended different workshops including sessions on legislative issues facing small farmers, successful seed-starting, and growing specialty-cut flowers.

Presenters Miranda Duschack and Mimo Davis, the two-woman-team of Urban Buds in St. Louis, Missouri (They have one employee besides themselves) were featured speakers at the Conference. Attendees could follow the “flower track” which, as well as Urban Buds, included talks by Diane Szukovathy of Jello Mold Farm in the Skagit Valley in Washington state, and Bethany Little of Charles Little & Company in Eugene.

There was also a “Spanish track” offered at the conference, according to the website, and being in mono-culture Corvallis, there was the added benefit of conference attendees who had dark skin, including Davis, who is partners with Duschack, who is white, (they got married in St. Louis) and they have a son and there were lots of other kids at the conference; all KINDS of diversity going on.

All of the “flower track” talks unexpectedly emphasized experimentation. The growers of this national trend of “local, specialty-cut flowers” are constantly trying out new kinds of flowers and new ways to grow them in the winter using “season extenders” like heated or unheated greenhouses. (Davis and Duschack bought their one-acre farm in the heart of St. Louis because of the its vintage glass greenhouse.)

The flower talks also emphasized the “ephemeral beauty” of flowers, which require very high standards of culling, cleanliness, and even refrigerated trucks to arrive looking lovely at the markets, wholesalers and florists where they are sold.

“We have very pretty compost piles,” agreed presenters Szukovathy and Little. The presenters are familiar with each other from other conferences and refer to each other’s talks. In one of Urban Buds’ talks, Duschack referred to spreadsheets she saw in a presentation by Szukovathy showing the relatively lucrative nature of selling perennials versus annuals, which need to be replanted every year.

Erin McMullen of “Raindrop Farms” in Philomath introduced each flower talk. “Raindrop Farms” sells at the Corvallis First Alternative North Co-op and Farmers Markets as well as locations in Portland and Seattle, and the minute you see the beautiful fresh colors of their columbines, you’ll never forget the “ephemeral beauty” of this area’s own particular version of specialty-cut local flowers.

According to Urban Buds’ website, horticulturist Mimo Davis had a first career in social work in New York City; “While her life in the Big Apple is far behind her, Mimo still knows and appreciates the emotional and healing power of flowers.”

The presentation on “Food Hubs,” attended by LBCC student Erin Day-Gennett, talked about expanding the assumption that everyone’s going to get their food from super-markets only.

And "Black Voices in Oregon Agriculture: Sharing our Experiences" looked at the history of farming in Oregon when you’re black. Part of the talk, according to attendee Ms. Penniman, catalogued Oregon’s history as the only Union state with apartheid, which had a law on the books that required all black people in Oregon to be whipped twice a year “until they left.”

The emotional nature of this information, said Penniman, who is white, caused a man who is a veteran as well as black as well as a farmer to decry this pattern of abuse; and an emotional and important conversation between attendees followed. Penniman bought the book Farming While Black at the conference, because she shares the same last name as the author: Leah Penniman.

“Are you the right age to remember Little Richard?” asked lay-person-not-author Penniman. “He has this last name too.”

Commuter Story Improved: Talent Grants are tuition scholarships available at OSU

phot courtesy of the LBCC Livestock Judging Team, a co-curricular activity

Talent Grants are available through LBCC Co-Curricular Programs and the Student Leadership Council, which is the Student Government at LBCC.  Talent Grants cover anywhere from 1-3 credits per term or more at the discretion of the advisor of the co-curricular program or student government.

LBCC Co-curricular programs include Livestock Judging, Diversity Achievement Center, the Commuter, and the Student Leadership Council (SLC).  A full list is online at linnbenton.edu.  By searching for "clubs" you can also access a list of co-curricular programs.  Keep clicking on the “co-curricular” links until you come to the list which includes contact information for all the advisors involved with co-curricular programs. Clubs are not the same as co-curricular programs.

If you are in a co-curricular program, you may be able to get financial aid for classes by working for the program in exchange for a Talent Grant that will pay for some of your credits. According to Heather Morijah, Program Assistant for Clubs, Co-Curricular Programs, and the Diversity Achievement Center, “it’s solely up to the [co-curricular program] advisor [to decide] who receives [the Talent Grants] and how many they get.

“Only co-curricular programs have access to Talent Grants; clubs do not,” says Morijah. “The number of Talent Grants any co-curricular program receives is up to the discretion of the Co-curricular Budget Committee.” Some clubs do become co-curricular activities. Morijah said that the active “Civil Discourse Club” is currently trying to become a co-curricular program. Other co-curricular programs, like the Art Galleries on campus, started right away as co-curricular programs and never were clubs.

For more information on Talent Grants contact Morijah. Her office is in Student Life and Leadership next to the Hot Shot Cafe in the mornings and in the afternoons her desk is on the left in the Diversity Achievement Center on the second floor of the Forum Building facing the quad. “Anyone can talk to me about clubs and co-curricular programs,” said Morijah, speaking from her cozy office in Forum 120. “That is my job here [in Student Life and Leadership.] The other half [of my job] is providing the same type of work for the Diversity Achievement Center (Forum 220),” said Morijah.

Advisors for the co-curricular programs award Talent Grants to some students within each program. Some of the co-curricular programs, such as Livestock Judging, use Talent Grants to recruit and support students in their related discipline to come to LBCC. Each individual Talent Grant is worth 12 credits for the whole year. A program like the Diversity Achievement Center has 9 Talent Grants to award over the year to be distributed among three student positions. In the DAC these students are then responsible for campus-wide programming showcasing the diversity of LBCC students.

In co-curricular programs such as Space Exploration and Remote Operated Vehicles, Talent Grants “are awarded to team leaders for projects they are working on,” said Morijah, sitting on her exercise ball surrounded by the twinkly lights of her office.

At a glance:

What: Students can earn free tuition (fees still apply) by working in co-curricular programs and Student Government (Student Leadership Council.).
Who: All LBCC students are eligible, regardless of financial status.
When: Available during all terms.
Where: Ask Heather Morijah about Talent Grants; her office hours are mornings in the Student Life and Leadership Office (Forum 120) next to the Hot Shot Cafe and afternoons in the Diversity Achievement Center on the 2nd floor of the Forum Building facing the quad.

FMI: search for co-curricular programs under “Clubs and Co-curricular programs” in the linnbenton.edu website.

Estudiantes del Sol

"Estudiantes del Sol" Club Vice-President Patricia Simon, Adviser Tania Mendez and Events Coordinator Yulissa Gonzalez

"Estudiantes del Sol" club officers sat down in the DAC (Diversity Achievement Center) in Forum 220 to talk about the “Estudiantes del Sol” Club. Advisor Tania Mendez, who is the LBCC Latino Outreach and Retention Specialist, helped start the club last Spring. Talking about how clubs can help the transition from high school to college, Club President Marta Nunez and Vice-President Patricia Simon agreed that whereas high school is a lot about fitting in, college is more about finding yourself as an individual, and being willing to be unique.

“Estudiantes del Sol” organizes events like the upcoming Preferentia LBCC, which is like College Night but which will be held out in the community at South Albany High School on Saturday April 20th from 5-7:30 p.m. The event will help high schoolers about to go to college and adults considering reentering school to know what resources are available.

The resource fair will include a booth on Extended Learning for non-credit classes, a booth on the Dual Partnership Program with OSU and LBCC, and a GED booth as well. Advisor Mendez said there will be a bi-lingual representative to help people who don’t speak English.

“We welcome everyone and everybody,” said both officers and advisor regarding the bi-weekly meetings and other events of “Estudiantes del Sol.” Although Mendez specializes in helping Latino students, she has an open office right in the main room of Forum 220 and helps all LBCC students answer questions about financial aid, leadership opportunities, etc.

The “Estudiantes” mission statement reads, “As LBCC's only Latino club, we're here to make a positive impact on our campus by presenting the culture and history of Latin America. Our mission is to be present and active on campus--but our purpose is to make a lasting impact on the Latino community. We welcome all students regardless of their cultural background.”

The club has had students from Guatemala, Mexico, and Sudan as well as the United States. Club President Marta Nunez said the club seeks to share information about the many types of Latino culture. People might think of Mexico when they think about Latino culture, but there are many culture, countries and shades of skin included under the umbrella of Latino culture.

An example of this is that Oregonians might usually think of a Mexican savory quesadilla when they hear the word “quesadilla,” but at the recent “del Sol” event “Coffee and Cake 101,” Simon shared that a Guatemalan “quesadilla” is a sweet pastry made with crumbly cheese.

At a Glance: Student Clubs
What: “Estudiantes del Sol”
Where: Forum Building 220 (DAC)
When: Tuesdays (12-1pm) and Thursdays (11:30-12:30 am)

At a Glance: LBCC/Community events
What: “Preferentia LBCC” college resource fair (like College Night but with Bi-lingual information)
Where: South Albany High School Commons Cafeteria, sponsored by “Estudiantes del Sol”
When: Saturday April 20 5-7:30 p.m.

For more information: contact Tania Mendez at mendezt@linnbenton.edu

Branches: A Profile of Ina Musafija

Ina Musafija poses after her French Club meeting at the Corvallis First Congregational Church

According to her daughter Tamara Musafija, Ina Musafija never wants family members to put anything off: if there’s a medical issue, go see a doctor. If there’s something else that needs attention, pay attention to it; don’t be in denial.

Tamara and her mother Ina sat down to talk on a wintry afternoon in February.

Ina, who turns 80 this month, takes the city bus regularly. One evening a few weeks ago she sat waiting patiently at the downtown bus station, a big bag on her lap.

Musafija had purchased a 2019 wall calendar of the Northern Lights and a metal mixing bowl to make a birthday cake for her grandson. It was evening and Musafija had just watched a movie at Corvallis’ Darkside Theater.

She sees movies at the Darkside regularly, including “The Wife” which she saw with Tamara. “I liked this movie,” says Musafija. “I liked this relationship [between the husband and wife]. They are so sincere with each other.” Musafija uses the word sincere regularly, and her daughter Tamara said that telling the truth is very important in their family.

In a family story that demonstrates the importance of telling the truth, when Tamara was a little girl, her teacher asked her who had done her homework. Tamara said, “I don’t know. I fell asleep. It was either my father or my mother.” The teacher was impressed that she told the truth, and so was Ina, who likes this story. Tamara said that her mother encouraged her to be a good student by promising her a bicycle. At this time she was eight or nine and she earned the bicycle in 6 months and has been a good student ever since, going on to earn her Masters.

Another family story tells of Ina's long friendship and then romance with her husband, Albert, who passed away in 2012.  They had known each other forever when as a young college student Albert had a party to celebrate getting his degree.  Ina brought red roses, thinking to show Albert she was in love with him, but he just put them aside, saying he would give them to his sister.

Ina remembers being in tears.  Later on, Albert realized he too was in love and the pair ended up eloping, since Albert's over-controlling mother would not approve.  A photo in Ina's album shows a young Albert and Ina, accompanied to the courthouse by their two best friends. 

In another photo, Ina proudly shows her own party celebrating her degree, and in it she hugs her three children as party goers and siblings enjoy the party.  In yet another memento in her apartment, Ina shows a painting done by her mother, who was an artist.

The arts played an important part in Musafija’s life in her native Sarajevo, Yugoslavia as well as her life here in Corvallis, Oregon. A week after watching “The Good Wife” with Tamara, she saw the famous guitarist Carlos Santana play for the “very professional” flamenco dancers at OSU’s LaSells Stewart Center with her youngest daughter Miriam and her children.

In 1992 Ina and her husband Albert Musafija left their native Sarajevo, Yugoslavia with Miriam. Their oldest daughter, Tamara, was studying in the United States and their son Mayo was grown up and encouraged the move. He was a journalist in Sarajevo at the time and now lives in Canada. Before making the difficult decision to leave, Musafija joined fellow citizens of all ethnicities who protested the sudden civil war that was tearing apart their country.

Rock stars and actors performed their repertoire in basements for free to keep up the spirits of the people. On a recent visit to Sarajevo, Musafija’s friend recalled the tremendous call to action, solidarity, and human kindness that arose among Yugoslavians at that time in the face of their great hardships.

Musafija, who worked in Sarajevo as a philosophy professor, keeps up with philosophy. In the magazine “Philosophy Now,” she points out an article about the french existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, who was the subject of her doctoral thesis. According to google, “Existentialism is a philosophical theory or approach which emphasizes the existence of the individual person as a free and responsible agent determining their own development through acts of the will.” According to wikipedia, “While the predominant value of existentialist thought is commonly acknowledged to be freedom, its primary virtue is authenticity.”

Musafija remembers hearing on the radio in Sarajevo, which was at that time in Yugoslavia and now is in Bosnia, a grandmother, pleading for peace for her grandchildren. The grandmother, says Musafija, was Muslim. Musafija herself is Jewish. She remembers attending synagogue on Yom Kippur with her grandmother. When Musafija heard her fellow citizen, the Muslim grandmother, pleading for unity on the radio, Musafija told her husband and daughter she had to go out to join the protests for unity, and she did.

A friend of Musafija’s son is an experienced marksman and he was recruited to join in the fighting but decided to leave the country instead, a decision Musafija is proud of him for. But leaving her country was hard for Musafija.

For decades, Musafija has attended a French conversation club in Corvallis. Longtime fellow member Marcia Shapiro says, “Ina is very much tied to her family. Family is everything I think to Ina. Ina is an interesting person, did her dissertation on Sartre, but I think family is everything to her, more than your average American anyway. She’s pretty amazing.”

In Musafija’s home, the calendar of Northern Lights hangs on the wall. Across from it are pictures from a previous year’s calendar. They are trees. One tree is absolutely gigantic, its branches spreading out into infinity, its trunk tied with bright ribbons. The trunk looks small compared to its incredibly huge candelabra of branches.

At a Glance:

Who: Ina Musafija, 80 years old
Where: Born in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, has lived for decades in Corvallis
Profession: Retired Philosophy Professor and Grandmother
Languages: French, Russian, Bosnian, English

Budget Forum and Student Leadership Council

Student Leadership Council Reps, including Rocky the Roadrunner, photo from Shelby Pick

Students are encouraged to be a part of College Budget Forum meeting and SLC’s weekly Wednesday meetings

At their Wednesday afternoon meeting on Jan. 30, the Student Leadership Council discussed how to keep tuition fees down for LBCC students. SLC President Shelby Pick said that although university students in Oregon have lobbied successfully for a 5 percent cap on yearly tuition increases, Oregon’s community college students are still vulnerable to bigger increases. For example, LBCC President Greg Hamann, said that a 7 percent increase is likely for LBCC students next year and the year after that.

Jess Jacobs, LBCC director of accounting and budget is set to talk at noon in Forum 104, Wednesday, Feb. 6, about the next two-year budget cycle for LBCC. There will be free sandwiches on a first-come first-serve basis.

As well as staffing events like the budget forum, the SLC staffs the LBCC Office, campaigns for students at the state Legislature, and allocates funds for student services. Their office is located next to the Hot Shot Cafe in the Forum Building.

At the Jan. 30 meeting, the SLC approved eight additional hours on Friday and Saturday for the Albany Learning Center’s tutoring hours during finals week. There will also be $200 worth of free printing available for students, as well as the usual snacks and pizza.

Elections for the new SLC reps are happening this term. Applications for half or full time reps are accepted through the end of winter term, but applications for President or Vice-President are due by 5 p.m. Monday Feb. 11.

For more information on the SLC and the application process please visit the SLC Office or use this link.

At a Glance:
What: LBCC Budget Forum
Who: SLC members and Jess Jacobs, LBCC Director of Accounting and Budget
Where: Forum 104
When: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Feb 4-6 noon-1 p.m.

At a Glance #2
What: Student Leadership Committee weekly meetings
Who: All LBCC students are invited to attend meetings
Where: LBCC CC-213
When: Feb. 6 and all Wednesdays 3-5 p.m.

Comedy Talk Show at LBCC: Tripp Live!

Upcoming Shows at the Tripp Theater, some of which were profiled at Feb. 8's "Tripp Live!"

Story by Karen Canan

Ready for some news that’ll make you laugh, not drain you? Come to “Tripp Live!” for comedy and sneak peaks of upcoming local theater, improv, and retro-movie shows.

The brainchild of LBCC Production and Events Coordinator Michael Winder, “Tripp Live!” will present its second show of its second year on Friday Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m in LBCC’s Russell Tripp Auditorium.

Last year, Winder and his co-host Leslie Hammond, LBCC Dean of Academic Foundations and Extended Learning, interviewed State Sen. Sara Gelser and Albany Mayor Sharon Konopa.

This Friday they’ll talk and joke with guests including the director and cast of LBCC’s musical “The Drowsy Chaperone,” the cast from Albany Civic Theatre’s play “Daddy’s Girl,” members of the Corvallis Majestic Theatre’s Improv Troupe, and interview Dorrie Board, host of this year’s showing of “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Majestic.

LBCC Associate Dean Oriana Mulatero is part of the Majestic Improv Troupe, which has an upcoming “Smackdown” Improv-Battle when Corvallis’ “Suggestions Only” will host Portland

Troupe “No Filter” Feb. 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre.

“My favorite thing about [this year’s first] 'Tripp Live!' [was] that they [had] this running theme of quoting inspirational sports movies. Everyone read it [the quotes] out loud so it was a combination of theater and sports," said Mulatero.  "It was hilarious and it introduced me to [guest Mark Majeski, LBCC’s new] Director of Athletics in a way that I would not have known him otherwise, in a very informal but welcoming way.”

Co-hosts and friends Winder and Hammond sat down to talk about "Tripp Live!" last Thursday. “We create comedy bits out of our shared interest in comics and movies,” said Hammond. “We go to movies together.” The last movie they saw was “Aquaman,” a DC comics movie. When asked how it was, they both paused.

“It was spectacular AND you really had to decide to suspend your disbelief,” admitted Hammond.

“It was a lot of fun for all the parts of your brain that don’t involve thinking,” added Winder.

Comparing “Aquaman” to “Spiderverse,” Hammond said, “‘Spiderverse’ is really thoughtful, and ‘Aquaman’---” she shook her head, turning to Winder; “What do ‘Spiderverse’ people give each other for Christmas? Camus novels.”

“‘Aquaman’ people give each other beer koozies,” Winder responded to a smiling Hammond as they continued to riff on "Aquaman" people versus "Spiderverse" people.

On Friday, the “Tripp Live!” hosts will be giving out free tickets to upcoming local shows to lucky audience members.

At a Glance:

What: Evening talk-show style show "Tripp Live!"

When: Friday, Feb. 8 at 7:30 p.m.

Where: Russell Tripp Auditorium at Linn-Benton Community College

Who: Co-hosts Michael Winder and Leslie Hammond interview actors from local shows including “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “Daddy’s Girl,” “Smackdown Improv,” and the host of an upcoming showing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” as well as riff on recent movies and family friendly comedic monologue and jokes.

For more information, contact: Michael Winder at winderm@linnbenton.edu

SIDE BAR “Three Rules of Improv”

According to Oriana Mulatero, the Basic Rules of Improv are

1. Saying “Yes, and” to your partner. [Acknowledge and improve on their suggestions.] 
2. “Listening,” [Don’t call them your sister if they just called you their mother.] 
3. “Making Your Partner Look Good.” [If they do the same for you the scene will work.] --

SIDE BAR #2 “Improv Activity”

Mulatero’s example of an improv activity that forces you to practice doing one thing while talking about another:

Person 1: [Starts with a motion like brushing their teeth.]

Person 2: “What are you doing?”

Person 1: “Riding a horse.” [still acting like brushing their teeth.]

Person 2: [Motions riding their horse.]

Person 1: “What are YOU doing?”

Person 2: “Climbing a wall.” [still acting like riding a horse.]

Person 1: [starts pretending to climb a wall.]

Person 2: “What are YOU doing?”

Person 1: “Planting a rose.” [still climbing a wal]

Person 2: [starts pretending to plant a rose] etc.

Because you have to name an activity that is different from the one you are doing, you have to NOT THINK which, says Mulatero, is one of the surprising aspects of Improv.