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2008 Twilight Meetings, Tours and Field Days
Besides sponsoring its biennial statewide field day at Penn State's Russell Larson Agricultural Research Center on July 23, PVGA is also partially sponsoring the following twilight meetings, tours and field days being planned by Penn State extension educators across the state. Plan now to attend those in your area or one that sparks your particular interest. These grower meetings are valuable not only for the opportunity to hear the speakers but also to visit the farms where many of them are held. And, like any other grower gathering, just the opportunity to talk informally with other growers can be well worth the time. There is no better way to stimulate your thinking that to hear and/or see first hand what other growers are doing.
June 5 - Organic Produce Meeting - Lackawanna County
The Organic Produce Growers’ Meeting is planned for June 5, 2008 and was held at the Donald Banyar Farm in Shickshinny, Pa, Luzerne County. Growers participated in a tour and discussion of organically grown blueberries, a tour of a greenhouse which uses only biological pest control, and a demonstration of grafting vegetable transplants.
June 30 - Kutztown Auction Summer Twilight Meeting
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Berks County and the education committee of the Kutztown Produce Auction will be hosting the annual Summer Twilight Meeting at the Kutztown Produce Auction, Fleetwood, June 30, 2008. Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with the program following from 7:30 – 8:30 p.m. The program will feature Michelle Casella, Rutgers Cooperative Extension, speaking on “Tomato and Pepper Growing”, and “A Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fashion Show” by local extension educators. John Berry, Extension Educator, will lead a discussion of “Good Agricultural Practices (GAP)” at 5:45 p.m., as a pre-program before the regular meeting that is open to any grower. Contact Mena Hautau at 610-378-1327 or mmh10@psu.edu.
July 23 – Pennsylvania Vegetable and Small Field Day
This biennial field day is set for July 23, 2008 at Penn State’s Russell Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rock Springs. Observe first hand the numerous research projects, many partially funded by PVGA and the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program. Further details will be available later in June.
July 31 (tentative) - “Are You Crazy?” Farm Market Tour
This annual bus tour of farm markets sponsored by the Pennsylvania Retail Farm Market Association will feature farm markets in the Pittsburgh area. Further details will be available at www.pafarm.com.
August 14 - Landisville Vegetable Field Day
This Field Day will provide the opportunity for growers to view the numerous vegetable and small fruit research projects being undertaken at Penn State’s Southeast Research and Extension Center in Landisville/Manheim. Many of these projects are partially supported by PVGA and the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program. There are also extensive bedding plant variety trials at the farm. Contact Steve Bogash at 717-263-9226 or smb13@psu.edu or Tim Elkner at 717-394-6851 or tee2@psu.edu.
August 14 - No-Till Cut Flower Field Day
This Field Day will be held at Frankenfield Farm Market in Souderton, Montgomery County from 4 to 6pm. It will feature a comparsion of no-till to conventional plastic mulch production of sunflowers, zinnias, snap dragons and lisianthus. Contact Andrew Frankenfield at 610-489-4315 or adf13@psu.edu.
Late August – Early September - Regional Potato Field Day
This regional Field Day for potato growers will be held at the James Hite Farm, in Patton, Cambria County.
Sessions will focus on the Snack Food Variety Trials planted at the farm as well as Insect & Disease Management in Potatoes and Pesticide Safety. Contact Thomas Ford at 814-940-5989 or tgf2@psu.edu.
September 3 - Southwest Pepper Variety Twilight Meeting
A pepper variety trial funded by PVGA and the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program will be located at Janoski’s Farm in Clinton, Beaver County. A twilight meeting will be held at the farm to discuss variety selection, pest management, and probably also nutrient management. Depending on how a curcurbit trial at the farm goes, the twilight meeting may also over downy mildew in cucurbits. Contact Lee Young at 724-837-1402 or ljs32@psu.edu.
September 4, 2008 - Vegetable and Pest Production Walk
Penn State Cooperative Extension in Berks and Lehigh counties will host a Vegetable and Pest Production Walk, emphasizing organic farming practices, on two vegetable farms in Berks and Lehigh counties. The featured speakers will be Brian Caldwell, Research Technician with Cornell University’s Organic Cropping Systems Project and Elsa Sanchez, Penn State, Department of Horticulture. The tour hosts will be Old Earth Farm (http://www.oldearthfarm.com/) Oley, Tom Paduano, vegetable grower (10 a.m.- Noon) and Jeff Frank, Liberty Gardens ( http://www.libertyorganic.com/) Coopersburg, (6:00-8:00 p.m.). The two main goals of the walk will be to review current pest problems and discuss organic solutions and nutrient cycling in organically managed systems. Contact Mena Hautau at 610-378-1327 or- mmh10@psu.edu or Emelie Swackhamer at 610-391-9840 or exs33@psu.edu.