Sweet synergy: K-State agriculture departments team up with veteran-supporting nonprofit for national baking competition
Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024
K-State students in the bakery science program are teaming up with the entomology department and local nonprofit Valor Honey for a national baking competition featuring honey as the primary sweetener. | Download this photo.
MANHATTAN — Kansas State University students are teaming up across departments and with a local nonprofit for a national baking competition, and the results are already sweet.
K-State bakery science students are collaborating with the entomology department and Valor Honey for the American Society of Baking's product development competition, which will feature honey as the primary sweetener.
The entomology department partners with Valor Honey, a local veteran-led nonprofit focused on using beekeeping to support the mental health of veterans, active-duty service members and other learners. Veterans and students harvest honey from hives at the agronomy department's North Farms that were built and installed by students in K-State's Intro to Beekeeping class.
Valor Honey and the department of entomology donated honey to the bakery science students for the competition. Equipped with honey, the bakery science student team diligently tested different recipes, looking to craft the perfect honey-fueled baked goods.
The team's students, who chose to remain anonymous due to the competition, said the focus on honey has been an intriguing learning experience.
"The competition's focus on honey has been so interesting," said one team member. "We're not just using it as a sweetener; we're learning about its functionality in baking and how it affects texture, moisture retention and flavor in our final product."
Another team member said the partnership between departments demonstrates how intertwined the fields of agriculture can be and how research in one area can benefit another.
"It's a great example of how K-State fosters a collaborative spirit," they said.
The K-State honey collaboration goes beyond the work for this competition. K-State 105, the university's economic growth and advancement initiative for all 105 counties in Kansas, is partnering with Valor Honey, the entomology department and the American Honey Producers Association to expand the American Honey Institute.
The institute features workforce training and education — including the Intro to Beekeeping course — to support world-class beekeeping training at K-State.
As the American Society of Baking conference approaches, K-State's bakery science team is excited to see where their honey-inspired product will take them. No matter the outcome, the project has already proven to be a sweet success in bringing the university's students, departments, resources and local partners together in the spirit of collaboration and innovation.
