Public invited to Graves-Chapple field day, Aug. 27

ROCK PORT, Mo. – On Aug. 27 the public is invited to Graves-Chapple Research Center’s field day. The annual free event is a chance to find about what is going on at the local research center and to learn more about better management practices and ways to improve the productivity of your farm or land.

A highlight of this year’s field day is the opportunity for landowners to get a soil test performed on the spot. University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources specialists will be on hand to analyze soil samples and provide feedback for better management practices. Data collected from the samples will assist in a study on soil health and drought mitigation. Anyone interested in participating should collect approximately one-half cup of soil from each field to be tested and bring it to the soil health field day booth. In addition, a soil sample should also be taken from a fence row or other undisturbed area on each farm to serve as a reference point. Participants will be asked for some general farm management information and can discuss further soil testing and participation in a Web-based database.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. and educational tours will start at 8:30 a.m., with the last tour departing at 11:30 a.m. A complimentary lunch, provided by Kent Fisher Insurance, will be served at 12:15 p.m.

Tour topics will include pest management practices, nutrition and herbicide applications, farm income prospects for input and marketing practices, cover crop varieties, and field scouting techniques.

“Our field day is a great way to get out to connect with the community,” says Jim Crawford, Graves-Chapple superintendent. “We get to share the findings of the research going on that can be very helpful to farmers and landowners.”

Each year, the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources sponsors the Graves-Chapple field day as an opportunity for the public to find out what research goes on in their community.

Graves-Chapple is near Rock Port at the toe slope of the loess hills. Its mission is to provide research and teaching in the specific soil and climatic conditions of extreme northwestern Missouri. This occurs through research and demonstrations on conservation tillage and soil conservation management practices in addition to turf, forage and crop production practices.

For more information on the Graves-Chapple’s field day, contact Jim Crawford at 660-744-6231 or [email protected]. Visit www.aes.missouri.edu/graves closer to the event for an updated schedule.