Vegetable Crops Field Day, Crop-Livestock Field Day, Local Foods Buffet and Ag. Business Trade Show

Co-sponsored by University of Massachusetts Extension And Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
 
The UMass Crops-Dairy-Livestock program and the UMass-Vegetable Program are working together to bring you a full and exciting field day at the research farm. There will be two opportunities to view field plots and to interact with specialists from the Departments of Plant & Soil Sciences, Veterinary & Animal Sciences, and Entomology. There will be a local foods buffet prepared from food donated by Connecticut Valley farms and prepared by local restaurants and organized by CISA.

2:00 to 7:30 Agricultural Business Trade Show - Trade Show Open

4:30 – 5:30 Local Foods Buffet -- under the tent
Food provided and prepared by local farms and restaurants.
Food donated by: River Rock Farm, Brimfield; Golonka Farm, Whately; North Hadley Sugar Shack, Hadley; Riverland Farm, Sunderland.  Food prepared by: Apollo Grill, Easthampton; A Bottle of Bread, Shelburne Falls; The Olde Hadleigh Grille, Hadley Deerfield Inn, Deerfield. And more!

5:30  -7:30: Vegetable Field Tour with Plant and Soil Science and Entomology Specialists:

Production methods for water spinach: effects of irrigation rate, plastic, and transplants- Gideon Porth and Frank Mangan
Management of tarnished plant bug on water spinach –R. Hazzard
Hoop houses for year round growing – Anne Carter
Perimeter trap cropping systems for cabbage and butternut- Andy Cavanaugh and R. Hazzard
Trichogramma releases for control of European corn borer in pepper and sweet corn – Pamela Westgate, A Duphily and R. Hazzard
Flea beetles on Brassica crops: biology and management—Caryn Andersen
Demonstration trials for flea beetle control with row covers and spinosad: Chris Bergweiler
Asian brassicas: top choices from farmer trials – Caryn Andersen and Ruth Hazzard
New Irrigation system: using trickle for water and fertigation and overhead traveler –John Howell and Neal Woodard.

For more information, contact Ruth Hazzard or Nicholas Connor 413-545-3696 (massvegetable@umext.umass.edu).

Also we will demonstrate the farm’s new irrigation system with underground lines for trickle and overhead and our new traveler, donated by the Massachusetts Society for the Promotion of Agriculture.
 
There will also be Crop-Livestock Field Tours with Plant and Soil Science and Veterinary Animal Science Specialists
from 11:30 to 2:30 and also 5:30 to 7:30.  Topics include: corn hybrid selection, Brassica fodder crops, fall stock-piled grass, soybean for forage and  grain, weed control for agronomic crops, demonstration of paddy rice culture, beef and goats livestock programs, nutrient management planning, and alternatives for soil erosion control.Refreshments will be provided for those attending the noon tour. For more information contact Stephen Herbert (413-545-2250) or email cdl@umext.umass.edu

Directions: From I-91 north take exit 24 and turn right at the end of the ramp onto Rts 5 & 10 North. From I-91 south, take exit 24 and turn left at the end of the ramp onto Rts 5 & 10 North. Go north on 5 & 10 a few hundred yards to the traffic light and turn right onto Rt. 116 (toward Amherst). Proceed about one mile through another light and turn left (north) onto River Rd. just before the bridge over the Connecticut River. Go north on River Rd. past a housing development and left through the gate onto the Research Farm. Look for signs. From the Amherst-Sunderland-Hadley area, cross the Connecticut River on Rt. 116 and turn right onto River Rd. just beyond the bridge.

Event will take place Rain or Shine!