Farm and Home Field Day set Aug. 11

9:57 a.m., Aug. 5, 2004--Enjoy a day trip in the countryside for 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug.11, at UD’s annual Farm and Home Field Day at the Research and Education Center on Route 9 near Georgetown.

Now in its 56th year, the free public event offers fun and educational activities that highlight the latest in agriculture and environmental studies. The day’s agenda includes:

Field tours by hay wagon;
Farm animal petting zoo;
Interactive exhibits about Delmarva agriculture;
Nutrition demonstrations;
Child safety; and
Gardening demonstrations.

The 4-H Farm Animal Display will highlight animal care and production of cows, pigs, sheep, goats, ponies, chicks, rabbits and ducks. Animal owners and 4-H’ers will be on hand to answer questions.

This year’s Sussex County Safe Kids Day, which coincides with the field day, will cover many childhood safety issues, including bicycle road rules and safety sportswear by means of storytelling, interactive safety exhibits, costumed characters and live entertainment.

In the Sussex County Demonstration Garden, extension master gardeners will demonstrate new ways to make the garden and landscape easier to maintain and how to compost grass and fallen leaves. Free workshops will be offered on “Perennial Flowers from Seed” and “Preparing and Planting the Herb Bed.”

Field tours will run from 8:30 a.m. to noon. One stop will highlight an irrigation trial that minimizes water usage in seedless watermelon fields. Another stop will demonstrate herbicides commonly used to control weeds after they have emerged. Corn breeding and commercial corn hybrid trial studies for improved agronomic performance and pest resistance also are on the tour schedule.

UD scientists, who have been in the forefront of restoring the American chestnut tree as a commercially viable crop in the United States, will be on the tour to discuss this alternative crop in Delaware. In addition, tour-goers will see a presentation dedicated to the concept of “agritourism.” Participants will learn more about entertainment-farming strategies and have the chance to find their way through one of three mini-mazes, popular fall attractions on many farms.

Tickets for Farm and Home Field Day’s traditional noontime chicken luncheon are $6 and can be purchased at the registration table beginning at 8:30 a.m.

For more information about Farm and Home Field Day, call Barbara Stephens at (302) 856-1997.

Photo by Danielle Quigley

E-mail this article

To learn how to subscribe to UDaily, click here.