UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Visitors to the Crops, Soils and Conservation Area at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days, August 12-14, can see a variety of exhibits, activities and demonstrations featuring crop management, renewable energy, conservation education, crop planting and natural resources. Specialists from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences and other organizations will answer crop production, weed identification and biofuels questions.
Much of the activity will take place in and around the J.D. Harrington Crops, Soils and Conservation Building on Harrington Lane near the end of East 5th Street. Some highlights follow:
• On the subject of ag energy, several interactive activities for visitors will be offered, including the solar energy virtual reality experience, biogas hats for the kids and a firewood identification test. Several new handbooks on farm energy topics will be available. Discussions during the show will cover anaerobic digestion, credit markets, energy forecasts and even answer the long-standing question: “What’s the best energy source?”
• For crop management tips, visitors can inquire about crop and variety selection, when to crop scout, and how much manure or fertilizer they should apply. Experts will be on hand to help producers identify plants and provide advice on how to manage any weeds of concern on their farm.
• For nutrient management advice, visit with representatives of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Nutrient Management Program and the Penn State Agriculture and Environment Center to find the latest information and best practices. Pennsylvania’s Manure Hauler and Broker Certification Program continuing education credits will be available Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 13, from 9 a.m. to noon, and Thursday, Aug. 14, from 9 a.m. to noon in the West Ninth Street Meeting Area.
• No-till machinery will be on display, along with cover crop demonstration plots and a warm seasons grass plot. A Planting Green demonstration will take place south of the Harrington Building and Conservation Area, showcasing new cover crop mixtures. Extension staff will host talks at 11:45 a.m. daily to discuss the new cover crop mixtures planted in the plots.
• Corn chopping demonstrations will be offered daily at 12:30 p.m. on the grounds at the equipment demonstration fields.
• Soybean demonstration plots also will be available to view just north of Route 45 across from the Gate J entrance.
• The Pennsylvania No-Till Alliance will feature rainfall simulator demonstrations showing infiltration at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily.
• USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service staff will feature an active livestock watering system with solar-powered pumps for grazing operations, a scaled concrete heavy-use area with roofed manure storage to address on-farm animal concentration areas, and a walk- through soil tunnel to demonstrate how soil health and its beneficial properties can impact farm operations.
