ES-Ag PFogteSs'Section, Larfslaster Fanning,-Satbirday,-August' L&, 2003 Get To Know ‘Good,’ ‘Bad’ Plants At Ag Progress Days ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) Corn, soybeans, ha> and other crops including weeds will be growing all around the Crops and Soils Tent at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 19-21 here at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center. Organizers say the plots will help farmers and others to understand the differences between the plants they want and the ones they don’t. New for this year is the Field Crops Garden 20 field and forage crops, including sorghum, various corns, and small grains. Sjoerd Duiker, assistant professor of soil manage ment, said the garden will show the great variety of crops grown in Pennsylvania. “A lot of people who visit Ag Progress Days don’t know what soybeans look like, for instance,” Duik er says. “People may drive by crops near the high way and not know what they’re looking at. Or they may know it’s a soybean field but they’ve I never seen one up close.” “Farmers who see the crops might be prompt ed to think of questions about production,” said Ronald Hoover, senior project associate in crop and soil sciences. “The new addition should en courage some one-on-one discussions between j producers and specialists. “Our faculty and staff enjoy talking about po tential production problems with producers. The | exchanges often are beneficial to all concerned. I enjoy it when they come in, point to something we are displaying and say, ’TVus looks like wkat I'm seeing at home. What’s going on?”’ A)r>n& with grain and forage Crops, PCIITI State crop and soil sciences faculty will be growing common weeds of Pennsylvania, including some invasive weed species. The area again will present the latest develop ments in forage, corn, and soybean production. In addition to demonstrations of new tillage practices and displays of crop research, Penn State specialists will be on hand to talk to pro ducers about crop-related production issues. This year’s tillage demonstration will focus on conservation of residue, with daily one-hour demonstrations of equipment from up to eight manufacturers. Duiker says the popular demon strations give exhibitors a chance to show their equipment in motion. “Growers appreciate seeing what happens when equipment goes to the field,” he said. “They get to see how several pieces of equipment they may be considering perform ’head-to-head,’ and they can ask questions of company repre sentatives.” The tilled area created by the demonstration also will be shared by the Natural Resource Con servation Service to show no-till and reduced tillage techniques of manure incorporation. Duiker said the techniques help control erosion, reduce odor and conserve surface residues. “Plowing manure under requires plowing the whole field,” he said, “but new equipment allows farmers to inject manure into the soil, protecting against soil erosion while conserving surface res idue.” Children again will flock to the ever-popular “A-Maze-N Corn” exhibit, which features an all new corn maze design. Within the maze, they’re asked a question at each station. The correct an swer sends them in the right direction through the maze. “It’s extremely popular tons of kids come through,” Hoover said. “We ask general ques tions about agriculture, so that as the kids wan der around and have fun, they're also learning more about crop production. Children can spend time in the maze while the adults can get advice on weed control, forages, corn, soils, soybeans, and small grains.” The region’s finest hay also will be selected at the exposition’s annual Hay Show. Visitors wish ing to compete for prizes in the Hay Show can submit their entries at the drop-off points near Lawn, Landscape, Gardening Advice Available at Ag Progress Days ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.) Is your landscape lacking? Do you have bugs on your begonias, or grubs got your grass? Gardening fans with questions can get answers to all their prob- the Ag Progress Days parking areas. Hay samples in 25 classes of variety and cutting will be judged on nutritional and visual quality by a forage specialist. Entries will go to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January. Also new this year is the “Mystery Crop Con test,” which challenges visitors to identify a crop grown in the U.S. but not in Pennsylvania. “We want to make people aware that crops have require ments,” Duiker says. “You can’t grow everything everywhere, before you plant something, you should know if the climate is suitable. It makes people think about agronomy.” For more information, call (800) PSU-1010 toll free until Aug. 21 or visit the Ag Progress Days Website at http://apd.cas.psu.edu/. lems at the Landscape, Lawn and Garden Tent at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, Aug. 19-21. Visitors can ask the experts questions on landscaping, horti culture, entomology, plant pa thology and turfgrass. You can learn about new products and get tips on managing your landscape and garden plants. “Penn State faculty and coop erative extension agents can help diagnose your plant and pest problems,” said Jim Sellmer, as sistant professor of ornamental horticulture. “Additional advice will be available on indoor plants, flowers, tree and small fruits, woody ornamentals, and vege tables.” Professional growers and home gardeners interested in cut flow ers can leam about varieties, weed control, and business op portunities. The variety trial includes more than 100 new varieties from as ters to sunflowers, as well as some unusual flowers not widely known in the market. Flower ar ranging demonstrations will be held daily in the tent at noon and 2 p.m., with an additional dem onstration at 7 p.m., Wednesday. Visitors can get information on starting and managing field grown cut flowers, or just enjoy a few quiet minutes walking through the flower beds. Visitors are encouraged to bring samples of turf, plants, dis eases or insects to receive an on the-spot evaluation. Exhibits outside the landscape, lawn and garden tent will feature examples of landscape mistakes, “green roof’ technology, and a high tunnel for extending your growing season. Because of concerns over the possible transmission of foot-and mouth disease and other foreign animal diseases, visitors who have been overseas within two weeks of attending Ag Progress Days are asked not to visit the event’s live-animal exhibit areas.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers