Seasonal signs; Trunk or Treat at NCTA

By NCTA News

Fall fever is evident around the agricultural college campus in Curtis.

The scenery at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture features pumpkins, Halloween decor, and festive displays courtesy of Aggie student clubs.

On Friday, judges awarded first prize in the pumpkin decorating contest to a bear and honey pot themed entry created by the Safari Club, a student organization within the Veterinary Technology division.

For Halloween on Wednesday, from 6-8 p.m., Residence Life will host “Trunk or Treat” at the large parking area north of the Education Center.

“This is for the student's enjoyment and gives a venue for them to interact with the community,” said Erika Arambula, residence life coordinator.

“It should be a lot of fun to see local children and some pretty creative costumes from the college students.”

Aggie clubs or departments will distribute treats and provide activities for students and the youngsters from the Curtis area, she said. They provide the event as a community service project.

Earlier in October, the NCTA Horticulture Club had its annual pumpkin sale in downtown Curtis. Cold, rainy weather all day hampered sales for the club’s fundraiser so students took some produce home for the next weekend of Fall Break and sold them to friends and family.

Other pumpkins were supplied for an art night where students could unwind in the Student Union for a painting fest with fall produce. And, last week, pumpkins and gourds were turned into fall creations.

One bonus from the NCTA pumpkin patch was sharing harvest photos on social media for friends from Rwanda who are studying at the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources in Lincoln.

Nearly 50 students in the CASNR Undergraduate Scholars Program (CUSP) studied at NCTA in May. One of their early projects was tilling garden soil and planting pumpkin and gourd seeds for the fall harvest.

“Wow!  I can’t believe they got that big,” commented Alexis, one of the CUSP scholars.

The Curtis community may see some of the harvest creations at “Trunk or Treat” on Wednesday.