Registration is open for upcoming Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Register now for the Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day, an event featuring an array of demonstration stations featuring best management practices and highlights of research methods on the farm. On Thursday, July 25, attendees can learn about topics like companion plants and syrphid fly recruitment, high-tunnel sweet pepper and table grape production, raised bed gardening, strawberry production and propagation, postharvest wash/pack design, Peruvian bean and corn production, and onion and potato weed management updates. The event is presented by the Purdue Student Farm and the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

According to surveys from previous years, 80% of participants reported that they had experienced financial improvements after adopting new, recommended practices from the information presented at past field days.

“This field day brings together small farm and urban growers from all over Indiana. Its unique setup allows ample time for knowledge sharing and networking,” says Petrus Langenhoven, Purdue Student Farm director. “In past years, growers have been able to directly apply the knowledge gained at their own farms or urban gardens. The smallest details, things that we as educators take for granted, have a big impact on small farm or urban garden operations.”

Topics to be covered include:

• Insect dynamics in high tunnels
• Companion plants and syrphid fly recruitment 
• High-tunnel table grapes
• Advantages and considerations of raised bed gardening
• High-tunnel sweet pepper production strategies and variety selection
• Tarps, fire and cultivation — weed management updates and demonstrations
• Strawberry production at small-scale vegetable farms
• Growing open-pollinated corn on small farms
• Post-harvest wash/pack design for small farms
• Bringing the cuisine of the Andes to Greater Lafayette
• Digital tools for small farms
• Freight Farms container farming

The Purdue Student Farm is located at 1491 Cherry Lane, West Lafayette, Indiana. Register to attend here.

The Black Dog Barbeque Company will be on-site for attendees to purchase lunch and snacks. The Kona Ice truck will be on site with one free cup for each attendee compliments of Purdue Extension and Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a public research institution demonstrating excellence at scale. Ranked among top 10 public universities and with two colleges in the top four in the United States, Purdue discovers and disseminates knowledge with a quality and at a scale second to none. More than 105,000 students study at Purdue across modalities and locations, including nearly 50,000 in person on the West Lafayette campus. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue’s main campus has frozen tuition 13 years in a row. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap — including its first comprehensive urban campus in Indianapolis, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, Purdue Computes and the One Health initiative — at https://www.purdue.edu/president/strategic-initiatives

Writer: Nyssa Lilovich, 765-494-7077, nclilovi@purdue.edu

Source: Lori Jolly-Brown, ljollybr@purdue.edu

Petrus Langenhoven, plangenh@purdue.edu

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu

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