REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
Attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors register here: Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day
July 25, 2024
The 2023 Purdue Small Farm Education Field Day was held at the Purdue Student Farm in West Lafayette, Indiana. With 105 participants registered, the in-person event featured an array of on-farm demonstrations and was a resounding success.
Nearly 84% of attendees reported that they learned something they didn’t know before. A third (34%) indicated they plan to adopt recommended practices for diversified farming systems, and a quarter (24%) plan to adopt recommended practices for creating, improving, or strengthening their business. Nearly half (45%) indicated they plan to adopt practices for horticulture and the environment or practices that will increase efficiency (42%). Over a third plan to adopt practices/technologies for the conservation of resources (37%). Nearly half (46%) of past field day attendees indicated that they had adopted new, recommended practices for their farm or operation. When asked what new practice they had adopted, participants responded:
- Alternate BT and Spinosad on brassicas.
- Pest scouting.
- Applied BT for brassica caterpillar complex control.
- Integrated pest management
Over three-quarters (80%) of participants reported that they had experienced financial improvements because of adopting new, recommended practices from the information presented at past field days.
Attendees commented ……
- “I recommend this event to any beginner small-scale producer.
- I brought my sons and my father to this event. It was a family education day for sure, and each one of us
learned several things we didn’t know. Please continue to offer these events. It’s very helpful! - Good information and a fun, interesting presentation
- I like the wide variety of topics, and I think that so much could be covered in such a short amount of time.
- Lots of helpful information covering a wide variety of topics.
- Always learn, gain knowledge, and learn from questions others ask. When I get home, I can read the literature provided and share it with family in Virginia who farm.
- Very informative and builds on previous research.
- Everyone should learn about these topics.
- It was a good way to be exposed to a variety of horticultural crops.
- I am just beginning to develop my vegetable garden. The information given at the Field Day program was
very useful, and I am confident I will create a beautiful garden space with plants that will give me a great
yield. Also, I appreciate learning what insects I should keep an eye on.”
The event featured an array of “demonstration stations” on the farm where participants learned about a variety of topics:
- High Tunnel Pepper Production and Variety Selection
- High Tunnel Table Grape Production
- Silage Tarps and Their Potential Uses on Small Farms
- Growing Grains on the Small Farm – Dry Edible Bean Variety Trial
- Predator-Prey Dynamics in High Tunnel Crop Production
- Biorational Pesticide Efficacy for Controlling Caterpillars and Flea Beetles in
Crucifer Crop Production - Black Soldier Fly Composting and Specialty Crop Production
- Raised Garden Beds for Vegetable Production
- Postharvest Food Safety Demonstration
- Choosing Fertilizer Injectors for Drip Irrigation for Small Plots
Educational topics for the 2024 field day will be available in May. To learn more about the field day, visit our webpage at www.purdue.edu/hla/sites/studentfarm/events/ or contact Lori Jolly-Brown or Petrus Langenhoven.
