06/26/2003

All Farm Field Day Planned for Crossville

The Sand Mountain Research and Extension Center in Crossville will hold an All- Farm Field Day on Saturday, July 12, from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

The event kicks off with a welcome and tour overview at 8:30 a.m. The formal program begins at 8:45 a.m. and offers presentations on a wide range of farm and home topics, said Tony Dawkins, Center superintendent.

One presentation is a session on pond management and raising catfish in cages. This session offers information on pond fertilization, liming, weed control, sudden death of fish and other topics related to pond management and catfish production. The presentation includes a demonstration at the Center’s 1,200-catfish pond.

A vegetable tour that is useful to both commercial and home vegetable producers also is planned. This session offers information on using minimum tillage and cover crops in vegetable production, vegetable variety trials, seedless watermelon production, insects and diseases affecting vegetables, and biological control of nematodes.

A tour of the Center’s forage and beef cattle research also is planned. The tour provides information on pasture weed control, hay and pasture management, a new forage called Sand Mountain bahia and an update on Grazing School and Master Cattlemen programs. It also offers information on fly control, mineral supplements, other “summer” cattle management issues, managing fescue to sustain a stand and using forage soybeans as a hay crop.

A crop tour features information on no-till residue for soybeans and cotton, results of variety trials for agronomic crops (corn, soybean, cotton and small grains), a look at peanut production on Sand Mountain, new technology in corn production and information on growing crops for energy production.

A spouses’ program is offered on the topic “A Gracious and Welcoming Home,” which features fun, practical ideas and educational handouts.

Each tour and presentation will be repeated mid-morning, allowing attendees to attend at least two events, Dawkins said. The meeting will culminate with a fried catfish lunch.

The field day is co-sponsored by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and is free and open to everyone regardless of race, color, gender, religion or national origin. For more information or directions, contact Dawkins at 256-528-7133 or tdawkins@acesag.auburn.edu.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Tony Dawkins, 256-528-7133 or dawkira@auburn.edu

06/26/03

For immediate release