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Members of the WIU horticulture club. From left: Kenley Szell (Roscoe, IL), Halie Brinkman (Coatsburg, IL), Noelle Woodruff (Cuba, IL), Mitchell Woodside (Plymouth, IL), Gloria Lynn (Rushville, IL), Morgan McMaster (Canton, IL).
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Western Illinois University senior Noelle Woodruff placed first in a plant judging contest at the Mid American Collegiate Horticulture Society (MACHS) 40th annual conference, held at South Dakota State University in Brookings.
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WIU Student Places First at Horticulture Conference

November 1, 2012

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MACOMB, IL - - Western Illinois University senior Noelle Woodruff placed first in a plant judging contest at the Mid American Collegiate Horticulture Society (MACHS) 40th annual conference, held at South Dakota State University in Brookings.

Woodruff (Cuba, IL), an agriculture major with a minor in natural resource conservation, attended the MACHS conference with five of her fellow WIU horticulture club members and the club sponsor, Marietta Loehrlein, professor of agriculture.

Loehrlein explained that the plant judging consists of 20 stations. Each station has four versions of a given plant, which might include plants such as cut flowers, shrubs, trees or fruit. The students judge which version might be best to buy or sell.

"Even though it was a nine-hour drive, we got to get to know each other better, which was a great bonding experience for the club," Woodruff said. "It was a great experience, and we got to learn about a lot of different things while visiting some of the local businesses. We went to a garlic farm, a vineyard, botanical gardens and a wholesale florist."

The WIU horticulture club was created to educate and promote horticulture on campus. The club strives to provide fellowship among individuals with horticulture interests, as well as to beautify and preserve nature. The students involved have also helped with the Cans Across America food drive, Toys for Tots, the Angel Tree and some community service projects, such as adding different plants along local highways.

For more information regarding the conference or the horticulture club, contact Loehrlein at (309) 298-1089 or via email at MM-Loehrlein@wiu.edu.

Posted By: Alisha Looney (AA-Looney@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing