“Soil health is an area I’d like to see improved in this state, and to know as much as I can about the soil, and how we can improve that: with healthy soils, then we’ll have healthy crops.”
Tristan Morris is a practical young man; he quietly achieves his goals, one after another. This junior from Roanoke Rapids is pursuing his degree in Crop and Soil Sciences with a concentration in Soil Science, and has been awarded the William and Emily Stevens Soil Conservation Scholarship, as well as a scholarship from the North Carolina Foundation for Soil and Water Conservation. His advisor is David Crouse.
What’s on his mind? “The biggest thing now is soil health and, soil health improvement, including through use of cover crops. We do use cover crops, implement them on the farm. I have so much family here in the state involved in agriculture.”
Tristan grew up on a Halifax County farm that’s been in his family for five generations, and works summers and weekends with his father and grandfather growing cotton, soybeans, wheat and corn. His uncle also produces tobacco and peanuts.
What does he enjoy most about being part of Crop and Soil Sciences? “Being with like-minded students, all pursuing agriculture, promoting agriculture and how we can further that here in the state and make agriculture a profitable business for the future.”
How about free time? Tristan smiles. “I really like being part of the Agronomy Club, participating in the activities. We go out to our State Fair booth, participate in Operation Christmas Child, and work a booth at the Southern Farm Show.”
This past summer, Tristan was part of the Costa Rica Sustainable Tropical Agriculture Production Study Abroad course led by Lori Unruh Snyder and Charles Peacock.
“That was my first time out of the country, and it really opens your eyes to show you how pineapples are produced, how bananas are produced, and shows how much goes in to the production of fruits that sometimes we take for granted here in the United States.”
He’s definitely interested in crop production, but why did he chose soil science? “Soil health is an area I’d like to see improved in this state, and to know as much as I can about the soil, and how we can improve that: with healthy soils, then we’ll have healthy crops.”
What will Tristan do with his degree? “I’d like to be more of an agronomist, or a full-time farmer and consultant on soil conservation. I’d definitely stay here in North Carolina.”
Learn more about the NC State Agronomy Club at:
www.facebook.com/NCSU-Agronomy-Club-305649463296/
Written by Kaki Carl