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This is our Annual Alternative Crops and Organics Field Day, but we are changing it up a bit this year! We are going to do THREE events in ONE day. You are welcome to come to one, two, or all three of them. And, Brandt is sponsoring a lunch for us.
Here’s the schedule:

8:30 am          Registration opens

9:00-11:30 am Organic Vegetable Research-How We Scout for Diseases and Insects and Strategies for Managing Them. This year we have the Tomato Organic Management and Improvement (TOMI) tomato breeding project, the TOMI tomato fungicide trial, the new Southeat Organic Partnership cowpea and summer squash insect management study, and tomato and onion variety trials with High Mowing Seeds. You will get to view all those and then with the assistance of some of our fellow entomologists and pathologists, we will show you how we determine what insects and diseases are present, whether we need to control them, and how we try to do so.

12:00-1:00 pm  Lunch-Sponsored by Brandt and served inside at tables so you can relax and mingle with the researchers and other attendees (the menu will be posted when it is available)

1:30-3:30 pm   Field Tour-climb on our covered trams for a tour of our East Coast Broccoli Project, Hops Breeding Project, our Black Perigord Truffle Orchards, and our Industrial Hemp Studies. You will have a chance to get off at each stop and walk around the field plots and see and hear about what we are doing to help our farmers produce these high value crops. In the broccoli field Margaret  Bloomquist will tell you about how we evaluate the latest breeding lines for broccoli production on the east coast. Breeder Luping Qu will tell you how he is breeding hops for disease resistance and high yields in North Carolina. Leonora Stefanile will tell you about the truffles we harvested in our filbert orchards last fall and the new studies we have initatied to improve production. And Jeanine Davis will walk you through our fiber, grain and floral parts (CBD) hemp studies where we are evaluating varieties and studying fertilization practices.

4:00-6:00 pm  Industrial Hemp Roundtable-We will held back to the Camp building to have a roundtable discussion about industrial hemp. We encourage all current and future growers to join us as we all share our experiences, brainstorm solutions, come up with topics that need more research, and try to build this new industry.

Little Details-Most of this event takes place outside in fields, so please dress accordingly (hat, sunscreen, field shoes, etc.). If it is pouring rain or there is lightning, we will move into the barn or camp building and discuss the projects until it is again safe to go back outside. But the event will take place regardless of the weather. The camp building where we will have lunch and the roundtable is big and comfortable with tables and chairs and restrooms. It has fans, but it is not air-conditioned.

Cost-Due to the generosity of Brandt, the event and lunch is free. We do, however, welcome donations in support of our program. You can make that donation HERE and we will have a donation box at the event.

Questions? Contact Leonora_Stefanile@ncsu.edu and put “Field Day Question” in the subject line please.

Credits-The research you will see is supported by grants from the USDA SCRI program, the USDA OREI program, the USDA Capacity Building program, the USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant program administered through the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the NC Agricultural Foundation. We give a big public thank you to the staff of the Mountain Research Station for helping us conduct these studies and maintaining one of the prettiest research stations in the state. And a big thank you to my staff who do an amazing job keeping a very busy program running efficiently and effectively.

More information-to learn more about our program, please visit our website.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND ADA ACCOMMODATION STATEMENTS

North Carolina State University and North Carolina A&T State University commit themselves to positive action to secure equal opportunity regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status or disability. In addition, the two Universities welcome all persons without regard to sexual orientation.

If you are a person with a disability and desire any assistive devices, services or other accommodations to participate in this activity, please contact Jeanine Davis at Jeanine_Davis@ncsu.edu or 828-684-3562.

Sponsored by:  Brandt