Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Upcoming ISU field days highlight fruits and vegetables

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July 3, 2008

AMES, Iowa – Producers interested in fruit and vegetable production and marketing are encouraged to attend upcoming field days on July 21 and July 24.

The July 21 field day is located in Mitchell and Howard Counties. Producers will see tomatoes, green beans, watermelon and pumpkins on raised beds; cover crops and windbreak systems for vegetables; greenhouse production and alternative packing sheds. Lunch is provided at the Cedar Valley Produce Auction and will include an opportunity to watch the auction in progress.

The day begins at the Dan Zimmerman farm. From the town of Orchard, drive five miles east of the town on County Road B17. Turn south on Shadow Ave. and go one mile. The farm and greenhouse are on the corner of Shadow and Mitchell Line Street.

The July 24 field day is located in Shelby County, beginning at the Bill Buman farm. Participants will see a variety of fruit species grown in high tunnels, including peaches, raspberries and melons; tomatoes in high tunnel and outside production and a new tomato trellis system.

The field day begins at 9:30 a.m. at the Buman farm. Take Highway 44 west of Harlan four miles to County Road M16. Go south on M16 0.8 miles to Buman’s farm.

No pre-registration is required and lunch is provided on both days. Both field days start at 9:30 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m.

Field days are sponsored by the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Fruit and Vegetable Working Group including Iowa State University Extension Value Added Agriculture; Mitchell, Howard and Shelby County Extension Offices; ISU College of Agriculture and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

For more information, contact Margaret Smith at mrgsmith@iastate.edu, (515) 290-4456 or Malcolm Robertson at malcolmr@iastate.edu, (515) 294-1166.

For more info contact:

Margaret Smith, program specialist, ISU Extension Value Added Agriculture, (515) 294-0887, mrgsmith@iastate.edu

Malcolm Robertson, program specialist, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, (515) 294-1166, malcolmr@iastate.edu

Christa Hartsook, communications specialist, Agricultural Marketing Resource Center, (515) 294-4430, hartc@iastate.edu 

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