Before taking the agricultural publications course, Murph worked in the CASNR Development and Alumni Relations office as a student assistant, where she currently works today, while also focusing on her studies.
Murph said she believes she was chosen as graphics editor for The Agriculturist because of her work experience.
“I really am thankful for the experience I got in that class,” Murph said. “I was able to learn a bit more than just the news writing side of things, which is all I had in my background. This took my writing to the next level.”

Texas is known for a variety of foods and their large, flavorful portions. Barbecue is a classic choice for many who reside in the great state and for some it is a source of pride. So, just any barbecue is not enough. The barbecue must be cooked to perfection by an indirect smoking method and be equipped with the perfect rub and sauce. A team of BBQ specialists in Lubbock, Texas, are working to deliver the best BBQ around.

In an effort to develop advocates and future leaders for the sorghum industry, the United Sorghum Checkoff Program created the Leadership Sorghum program. The program exposes sorghum farmers from across the nation to the issues impacting the industry at the local, state and national levels. Shelee Padgett, regional director for Sorghum Checkoff, has played a key role in the development of the program.

The Bayer Museum of Agriculture has changed the way agriculture groups are meeting in Lubbock and the South Plains area. The Plains Cotton Growers Conference Center was made possible with funding from its namesake. The cotton organization felt like the Lubbock and South Plains areas needed a meeting center that caters to the agriculture industry, Mary-Jane Buerkle, PCG director of communications said. Since opening day in the fall of 2014, the center has on average 100 events annually.  Kirby Phillips, event planner for the Bayer Museum of Agriculture, said in five years she hopes to be at over 365 events a year.

In a never-before-seen addition to the curriculum of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Texas Tech University, students will have the opportunity to study the trending local food and wine industry from the heart of the Texas Hill Country. The Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at Texas Tech University named the Illinois native, Ed Hellman, Ph.D., for a full professorship based in Fredericksburg.

As he walked out the front door of his farmhouse, he met the crisp winter morning with an eagerness that comes with a new beginning. While this farm was familiar ground to 21-year-old Layton Schur, this day was the start of something new. He may have grown up on this farm, but now he was a real farmer.

In 1971, the American Economic Association started a committee dedicated to tracking the number of women in the economics profession. Despite the committee’s hope of seeing the relatively low representation of women in economics increase over the years, a 2016 report from AEA suggested little progress had been made. However, the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Texas Tech is changing that stat.

The West Texas landscape holds a plethora of natural beauty that is often overlooked in landscape design. Utilizing native plants in landscaping architecture is a major factor in the care of the landscape. The West Texas Garden project is a collaborative effort aimed at creating a new standard of sustainable landscaping in West Texas.

Ten years ago, sorghum, an ancient gluten-free grain, rich in health benefits, was nearly non-existent on grocery store shelves. Now, sorghum is one of the top food trends of 2017. How did this grain known more for its use as a livestock feed, come roaring into the food spotlight?

Returning to the farm meant living out a life-long dream for Jeremy Brown. Yet, it was risky. He had a dependable desk job, but that wasn’t the life he wanted. Brown not only continued on the legacy of being a fourth generation farmer; he also attended college at Texas Tech University.

The hot and dry growing conditions that often accompany the growing season in Hale County, Texas, can really put farmers in a pickle. However, some farmers in West Texas say the tough growing conditions are no big “dill.” When driving through Hale County, one can expect to see cotton or wheat in the fields, but many would be surprised to see cucumbers growing.