March 29, 2024

Agronomy Days events planned

URBANA, Ill. — Multiple events have been scheduled for the University of Illinois’ Agronomy Days.

The Department of Crop Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and U of I Extension will host a series of events all season long. They will include traditional field days, as well as new pop-up tailgate events and shade-tree talks throughout the summer and across the state.

A small grains field day is set for 8:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 8, on the South Farm in Urbana. The tour will include visits to wheat and oat research plots.

Participants will learn more about our genetics and the breeding process and hear directly from researchers on the latest findings.

Registration for the June 8 field day is available on the Agronomy Days website at https://tinyurl.com/yv9ahtbc.

Field days and shade-tree talks will be listed in a calendar on the Agronomy Days website at tinyurl.com/mb5k2nz3.

Tailgates offer an in-the-moment, behind-the-scenes look at crop science research as it is happening.

Up-to-the-minute tailgate announcements will be available on the Agronomy Days calendar at tinyurl.com/yc38u9vd and social media at tinyurl.com/4tf5pnzv.

More information is available on the Crop Sciences YouTube channel at tinyurl.com/bdfxp8z9. The channel features presentations from past Agronomy Days and many other practical resources, making it a great choice for the cab or the recliner.

The following Agronomy Days events have been planned so far with other both scheduled and pop-up activities to be announced:

• Thursday, June 9 — Illinois State Horticulture Society summer horticulture field day, Eckert’s Belleville Farm, 951 S. Green Mound Road, Belleville; 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.; registration required.

• Friday and Saturday, July 8-9 — U of I hemp research open house, Fruit Farm, 2711 S. Race St., Urbana; 9 a.m. to noon; visit hemp research and breeding plots and production facility tour.

• Friday, July 15 — Climate-Smart agriculture field walk, Zumwalt Acres, 3105 E 2000 N Road, Sheldon; 9:30 a.m.

• Wednesday, July 20 — Orr Research and Demonstration Center field day, 37804 State Highway 104, Baylis; 9 a.m.; highlighting agronomic crops research.

• Thursday, July 28 — Ewing Demonstration Center field day, 16132 N Ewing Road, Ewing; 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Thursday, July 28 — Putting crop rotations to work on organic farms, Beck Agricultural Center, 4550 US-52, West Lafayette, Indiana; all day.

• Thursday, Aug. 4 — Crop physiology field day, location TBA; 9 a.m. to noon.

• Thursday, Aug. 11 — Corn rootworm plot tours, Agricultural and Biological Engineering Farm, 1304 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Urbana; 8 a.m. to noon.

A specialty crop field day will be held at the Sustainable Student Farm in Urbana with date and time to be announced.

Tom Doran

Tom C. Doran

Field Editor