Bioenergy Field Day Wednesday 14 Sept

This event may be of interest to some of you:

Event: Western North Carolina Bioenergy Field Day

Date: September 14, 2011

Time: 12:30 Registration, 1:00-5:00 Educational Presentations and Demonstrations

Contact: Ron Gehl, ron_gehl@ncsu.edu, 828-684-3562 x129

North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services invite you to attend this event designed to provide a time for researchers to share the latest information of the work being conducted on energy crops in Western NC. Tours of research plots and processing equipment demonstrations will help extension personnel, growers, researchers, and private industry learn how we are working to meet the state’s renewable fuels and energy goals of the future. The afternoon event will cover topics including the science of cellulosic fuel production, production of energy grasses, cultural management of bioenergy crops, high-oil crops and biodiesel production, sorghum production for biofuels, breeding efforts and genetic improvements of biomass crops, and short rotation woody biomass and southern hardwoods for bioenergy. Speakers include NC State University researchers in Soil Science, Horticultural Science, Biological and Agricultural Engineering, and Forestry and Environmental Resources. Field demonstrations will include biomass pelleting, oilseed crushing and biodiesel production, and sorghum harvest, squeezing, and distillation.

The field day is free and open to the public. For more information, please visit http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/events/2011-bioenergy-field-day/index.html or contact Ron Gehl at ron_gehl@ncsu.edu of 828-684-3562 x129.

Also, the Western NC State Fair will be going on that week, about 2 miles from the station, so you can make an afternoon and evening enjoying NC Agriculture!

Fresh Market Vegetable and Tomato Field Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow, Thursday August 4 is the Annual Fresh Market Vegetable and Tomato Field Day at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Mills River.

The annual tomato field day at the Mountain Horticultural Crops Research Station in Mills River! This is your opportunity to see new up and coming varieties and learn the latest about disease, insect, and weed control for staked tomato production and vegetables in western North Carolina. As always, the afternoon field day will be followed by a pig pickin' at Lake Julian.

The field day begins at noon and pesticide credits will be offered.

To view the complete program click here.

Tomato field day is sponsored by North Carolina State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, NC Agricultural Research Service and NC Cooperative Extension Service, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the North Carolina Tomato Growers Association. For more information, contact Denny Thompson at 828.684.7197 or Jim Walgenbach at 828.684.3562.

Vegetable Production Workshop July 27, Mountain Research Station

Mountain Research Station

There will be a Vegetable Production Workshop on July 27 at the Mountain Research Station in Waynesville.

Please take this opportunity to see the exciting research being conducted on the test farm.

What: Vegetable Production Workshop

Where: Mountain Research Station, 265 Test Farm Road, Waynesville, NC. 828.456.3943

Agenda: 1:30-2 pm Registration

2pm - Welcome - Kaleb Rathbone, Superintendent of Mountain Research Station

2:15 pm - East Coast Broccoli Production, Dr. Jeanine Davis, NCSU Horticulture

2:35 pm - Tomato Insect Control, Dr. Jim Walgenbach, NCSU Entomology

2:50 - Drip Irrigation, Dr. Greg Hoyt, NCSU Soil Science

3:10 - Tomato Breeding Program, Dr. Dilip Panthee, NCSU Horticulture

3:25 - Organic Research Overview, Dr. Jeanine Davis

3:45 - Cucurbit Downy Mildew Forecasting, Mike Adams, NCSU Plant Pathology

4:05 - Pumpkin Variety Trial, Dr. Jonathon Schultheis, NCSU Horticulture

4:20 - Sweet Corn Variety Trial, Dr. Terry Kelly, Harris Moran Seeds

4:35 - Vegetable Disease Control, Dr. Kelly Ivors, NCSU Plant Pathology


Registration is free.

Pesticide credits are available. 1.5 hours N, O, D, X

Organic Vegetable Workshop in Waynesville August 31

Organic Vegetable Production Workshop at the NEW Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit

When: Tuesday, August 31, 2010 at 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Registration opens at 9:30 AM)

Where?: Mountain Research Station, 265 Test Farm Road in Waynesville, NC

Come visit the NEW Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit and see our first year trials with peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli. Do you have questions about varieties suitable for the western mountain region, or organic weed and disease management? We will be showing off (and tasting!) heirloom and heirloom-type tomato varieties along with several varieties of grafted tomatoes. See which barrier and cover crop methods do the best job managing weeds in peppers and also the opportunities and challenges of growing fall broccoli. At the end, enjoy a light lunch including a tomato testing, attend a trade show, and provide your input for the future plans of the Mountain Organic Research and Extension Unit. Also, help us come up with a good name for it!

This workshop is free and open to the public.

This project is led by Dr. Jeanine Davis in the Department of Horticultural Science and funded by a USDA Specialty Crops Block grant administered through the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services.

Sponsorship for lunch was provided by Brandt Consolidated, 5th Season Gardening Co., Reems Creek Nursery, Inc., the Waynesville Farmers CO-OP, and others.

For more information, contact Emily Bernstein, phone: 828-684-3562,
email: Emily_bernstein@ncsu.edu, or look online at:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/fletcher/events/specialtyhort-events-calendar.html.

Directions to the Mountain Research Station can be found online at http://www.agr.state.nc.us/research/MountainResearchStationWaynesville.htm.