FREEPORT, Ill. — Highland Community College Agriculture in partnership with University of Illinois Extension will be hosting a Crop Research Field Day on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2019, at Highland Agriculture’s research plot located at 3472 W. Loras Drive in Freeport, Ill. The free event will begin at 9 a.m. and conclude at 11 a.m. The public is invited to attend to learn about the research taking place at Highland as well as hear from Extension specialist throughout the state regarding 2019 crop production issues. A light breakfast is included.
The research plot is in its second year of production at Highland Community College through generous sponsorships from Hinrichs’ Family Farms, Stephenson Service Company, Ogle County Farm Bureau, Stephenson County Farm Bureau, and Forreston State Bank. The 15-acre plot serves as a land lab where students gain hands on experience with crop production and research design. Topics of research this year include tar spot fungicide trials, fungicide timing trials, effect of cover crops on corn performance, nitrogen rate trials, corn population trials, an industrial hemp variety demonstration, and a cover crop species demonstration. The college intends to share the progress of this research at this event and plans to report the final data to the public at the conclusion of the growing season.
University of Illinois Extension educators Phillip Alberti, Russ Higgins, and state specialist Nathan Kleczewski will share their knowledge as part of the demonstration. Phillip Alberti is a commercial agriculture educator and will discuss northwest Illinois production concerns from throughout the growing season. Crop science educator Russ Higgins will identify weed issues and control methods in corn. Nathan Kleczewski is an extension pathologist at University of Illinois and will be speaking about corn diseases and control options
The field day is free, however participants are asked to register by Friday,August 30th. Those interested in attending may register online at https://go.illinois.edu/HighlandResearchDemo or by calling the University of Illinois Extension-Stephenson County at 815-235-4125. For additional questions, contact Phillip Alberti, Crop Science Educator with University of Illinois Extension in the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences at palberti@illinois.edu, 815-599-3644 or on Twitter (@NorthernILCrops).
— University of Illinois Extension
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