- Author: Mary E. Reed
When the Postharvest Technology Center first announced the availability of a scholarship to the 34th Postharvest Technology Short Course in February, a fair amount of interest was anticipated. However, we certainly did not expect to receive more than 50 applications for the scholarship, which was valued at approximately $5500.
It was a painstaking process to winnow through all the applications and select just one individual that we thought would best be able to implement the stated goal of taking the information learned back to their home country and sharing and utilizing that information to make improvements in the local and regional postharvest handling systems. We selected Mekbib Hilegebrile Seife,...
- Author: Mary E. Reed
Four Postharvest Specialists from the UC Davis Postharvest Technology Center traveled to Sarajevo, October 24-28, to present a week-long Postharvest Technology training. Drs. Beth Mitcham, Marita Cantwell, Mary Lu Arpaia and Michael Reid presented 39 instructional sessions over a three-and-a-half day period. Zdenec Svec from the Czech Republic also presented a talk focusing on regional marketing and trade issues. The training session was followed by a 1-1/2 day field tour visiting a number of postharvest processing facilities. The training was the result of a herculean effort led by Filip Stoyanovic, Director of a USAID Regional Competitiveness Initiative, and supported by eleven USAID projects as well as funding from the governments...
- Author: Mary E. Reed
In late June we sent an email out to our 2009 and 2010 Postharvest Technology Short Course participants. The Postharvest Technology Short Course is a week-long intensive study of a broad spectrum of postharvest topics, including lectures and labs, followed by an optional week-long tour of postharvest facilities around California. We were curious about the continuing impact made on those who had attended the course. We especially wanted to know if the information they learned had made a difference in their business practices, and if the course continued to provide an ongoing benefit to those who attended.
When asked if the information learned in the lectures was helpful to them currently, 87% of those who responded...
- Posted By: Mary E. Reed
- Written by: Carlos H. Crisosto
We just finished our two-week Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops short course which includes five days of lectures, discussions and demonstrations, and a five-day field trip to major production areas of California. A new group of 90 students received their certificate and joined the approximately 2,560 who previously graduated from this postharvest course. We greatly enjoyed the discussion of the different topics among students and teachers. As we have participants from all over the world and working at different steps in the postharvest handling chain, this enriches the depth of the experience exchange.
We are blessed that we still have 15 instructors from the University of California Davis, and two postharvest...
- Author: Mary E. Reed
The respect and professional camaradarie amongst the 92 participants from 25 countries was a remarkable aspect of the 33rd Annual Postharvest Technology of Horticultural Crops Short Course. The course started off with a breath of fresh air and new energy as Dr. Beth Mitcham, the Director of the Postharvest Technology Center, introduced the Center's new logo and web site.
As the intense first week of lectures and labs progressed, it was interspersed with opportunities for networking, the highlight of which was the BBQ which featured scrumptious barbecued chickens which were butterflied, then marinated in Dr. Michael Reid's secret sauce (soy sauce, corn oil, grated ginger root, and toasted sesame seeds). The...