Day 2 - Friday, January 6

“Up and at ‘em!” Chris Grams, Curtis Welsh, Mitch Oswald, Dylan Haas, Tim Hashman and Logan Sheets prepare for the first big day in Costa Rica at CATIE.

“Up and at ‘em!” Chris Grams, Curtis Welsh, Mitch Oswald, Dylan Haas, Tim Hashman and Logan Sheets prepare for the first big day in Costa Rica at CATIE.

Thank you to the CATIE cafeteria for some great meals!

Thank you to the CATIE cafeteria for some great meals!

LEAD 40 at the CATIE Botanical Gardens. Front Row L-R: Director Terry Hejny, Rachel Prosser, Stephanie Schuler, Tee Bush, Blake Wohlers, Hannah Swink, Stephanie Nelson, Chris Grams, Logan Sheets, Curtis Welsh, Tim Hashman, Eric Coufal Back Row L-R: Cole Lewandowski, Abe Smith, Nate Parde, Kurtis Harms, David Moss, Dylan Haas, Andrew Bellamy, Austin Benes, Steve Landon, Mitch Oswald

The botanical gardens tour presented the diverse flora, fauna, and cropping systems of Costa Rica.

CATIE staff took a hands-on approach to demonstrating and discussing the value of the research and academic work conducted at their institution. CATIE is celebrating 50 years of work in researching tropical agricultural practices in cropping, conservation and livestock systems.

CATIE staff took a hands-on approach to demonstrating and discussing the value of the research and academic work conducted at their institution. CATIE is celebrating 50 years of work in researching tropical agricultural practices in cropping, conservation and livestock systems.

CATIE staff took a hands-on approach to demonstrating and discussing the value of the research and academic work conducted at their institution. CATIE is celebrating 50 years of work in researching tropical agricultural practices in cropping, conservation and livestock systems.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

LEAD Fellows enjoy time to explore the botanical gardens of CATIE under supervision. Pictured: Nate Parde, Chris Grams, Mitch Hashman, Rachel Prosser, Stehphanie Schuler, Logan Sheets, Hannah Swink.

Good reason for supervision! Hiding in the foliage are many of Costa Rica’s birds, bugs, mammals, and reptiles. Some are industrious like the leaf cutter ant and others highly venomous like the green viper…an especially small but dangerous critter. Pictured: Eric Coufal.

Good reason for supervision! Hiding in the foliage are many of Costa Rica’s birds, bugs, mammals, and reptiles. Some are industrious like the leaf cutter ant and others highly venomous like the green viper…an especially small but dangerous critter. Pictured: Eric Coufal.

Good reason for supervision! Hiding in the foliage are many of Costa Rica’s birds, bugs, mammals, and reptiles. Some are industrious like the leaf cutter ant and others highly venomous like the green viper…an especially small but dangerous critter. Pictured: Eric Coufal.

Good reason for supervision! Hiding in the foliage are many of Costa Rica’s birds, bugs, mammals, and reptiles. Some are industrious like the leaf cutter ant and others highly venomous like the green viper…an especially small but dangerous critter. Pictured: Eric Coufal.

The striking flora was a favorite photographic subject of fellows.

The striking flora was a favorite photographic subject of fellows.

Caught in action: Kurtis Harms captures a shot of the river at the CATIE Botanical Gardens

Dr. Hejny and fellows are greeted by another Nebraska traveler who’s group visited CATIE seeking to discover the rich and vibrant agricultural industry of Costa Rica!

CATIE is also home to one of the largest germplasm seed banks in the world. Preserving dried, dormant seeds from thousands of species of maize, cucurbits, melons, beans, and other crops helps prevent the extinction of many varieties. In the event of a global catastrophe, seed banks like this one may be called upon to help feed the world. Pictured: Curtis Welsh,Cole Lewandowski, Mitch Oswald, Edgar (CATIE), Chris Grams, Logan Sheets, Rachel Prosser, Kurtis Harms, and Stephanie Nelson.

CATIE is also home to one of the largest germplasm seed banks in the world. Preserving dried, dormant seeds from thousands of species of maize, cucurbits, melons, beans, and other crops helps prevent the extinction of many varieties. In the event of a global catastrophe, seed banks like this one may be called upon to help feed the world. Pictured: Curtis Welsh,Cole Lewandowski, Mitch Oswald, Edgar (CATIE), Chris Grams, Logan Sheets, Rachel Prosser, Kurtis Harms, and Stephanie Nelson.

CATIE is also home to one of the largest germplasm seed banks in the world. Preserving dried, dormant seeds from thousands of species of maize, cucurbits, melons, beans, and other crops helps prevent the extinction of many varieties. In the event of a global catastrophe, seed banks like this one may be called upon to help feed the world. Pictured: Curtis Welsh,Cole Lewandowski, Mitch Oswald, Edgar (CATIE), Chris Grams, Logan Sheets, Rachel Prosser, Kurtis Harms, and Stephanie Nelson.

Enter the seed bank. It was a small space and the group was warned of the frigid temperatures. Inside they discovered “frigid” was approximately the same as low temperatures fellows experienced at home roughly two weeks prior to the seminar! Pictured: Curtis Welsh and Stephanie Schuler.

Enter the seed bank. It was a small space and the group was warned of the frigid temperatures. Inside they discovered “frigid” was approximately the same as low temperatures fellows experienced at home roughly two weeks prior to the seminar! Pictured: Curtis Welsh and Stephanie Schuler.

Enter the seed bank. It was a small space and the group was warned of the frigid temperatures. Inside they discovered “frigid” was approximately the same as low temperatures fellows experienced at home roughly two weeks prior to the seminar! Pictured: Curtis Welsh and Stephanie Schuler.

Enter the seed bank. It was a small space and the group was warned of the frigid temperatures. Inside they discovered “frigid” was approximately the same as low temperatures fellows experienced at home roughly two weeks prior to the seminar! Pictured: Curtis Welsh and Stephanie Schuler.

Enter the seed bank. It was a small space and the group was warned of the frigid temperatures. Inside they discovered “frigid” was approximately the same as low temperatures fellows experienced at home roughly two weeks prior to the seminar! Pictured: Curtis Welsh and Stephanie Schuler.

CATIE operates a fully functioning commercial dairy. They utilize feed resources (forages and sugarcane) from onsite production and focus research efforts on studying which breed crosses provide the best hybrid advantage for tropical production. Additional research is conducted on clean energy and conservation efforts. Here the fellows Abe Smith, Tee Bush, Hannah Swink, Cole Lewandowski and Tim Hashman are pictured as they learn about the bio-digester in place to process effluent waste from the dairy barns.

CATIE operates a fully functioning commercial dairy. They utilize feed resources (forages and sugarcane) from onsite production and focus research efforts on studying which breed crosses provide the best hybrid advantage for tropical production. Additional research is conducted on clean energy and conservation efforts. Here the fellows Abe Smith, Tee Bush, Hannah Swink, Cole Lewandowski and Tim Hashman are pictured as they learn about the bio-digester in place to process effluent waste from the dairy barns.

CATIE operates a fully functioning commercial dairy. They utilize feed resources (forages and sugarcane) from onsite production and focus research efforts on studying which breed crosses provide the best hybrid advantage for tropical production. Additional research is conducted on clean energy and conservation efforts. Here the fellows Abe Smith, Tee Bush, Hannah Swink, Cole Lewandowski and Tim Hashman are pictured as they learn about the bio-digester in place to process effluent waste from the dairy barns.

Cattle graze at the CATIE Beef and Dairy Sustainable Tropical Research facility. Almost feels like home - minus the volcano.

Pictured is Curtis Welsh meeting one of the CATIE dairy calves also studied to determine growth rates and early-stage development advantages of crossbreeding.

Pictured is Curtis Welsh meeting one of the CATIE dairy calves also studied to determine growth rates and early-stage development advantages of crossbreeding.

Abe Smith: Taking out the trash!

Stephanie Nelson thanks Edgar for a wonderful tour of CATIE!

Nate Parde says “buenos noches” from all of us at LEAD 40.