News Release
For Immediate Release — July 12, 2010
UT AgResearch Plans Steak and Potatoes Field Day for August 3rd
Event should appeal to cattle producers, commercial fruit and vegetable growers, and home gardeners
CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Variety is on the plate, so to speak, at this year’s University of Tennessee Steak and Potatoes Field Day hosted by the Plateau AgResearch and Education Center.
The topic-packed program includes presentations by experts in the production of beef cattle and the production and processing of fruits and vegetables for commercial or home use. An added feature will be presentations on ponds for fish and woodlots for wildlife on your land.
The beef portion of the program will include talks on the abnormal presentation of calves during calving (dystocia) and what to do in these situations, guidelines for the management of deceased animals, the progress of the Beef Checkoff program, forage alternatives for summer production, and variety testing.
Fruit and vegetable topics to be explored by UT subject matter experts include soil management for quality vegetables, producing tomatoes in greenhouses, and chemical mowing and weed control. Organizers expect the talks on garden insect pest management and fruit tree production to be popular.
The landowner talks will focus on pond management, including restocking ponds, leaking ponds and pond weed management. Using fire on woodlots to benefit wildlife will also be explored.
The free event, which includes a sponsored lunch, begins at 8 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Aug. 3, and will be held at the main unit of UT's Plateau AgResearch and Education Center on U.S. Hwy. 70N west of Crossville. A map and complete directions are available online at http://plateau.tennessee.edu/location/ For more information, call the center at 931-484-0034.
The Plateau AgResearch and Education Center in Crossville is one of 10 outdoor laboratories located throughout the state as part of the UT AgResearch system. UT AgResearch is a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. In addition to its agricultural research programs, the UT Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction, research and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.
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Contacts:
J. Walt Hitch, Director, UT Plateau AgResearch and Education Center, 931-484-0034, jhitch@utk.edu
Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications, 615-835-4570, pmcdaniels@tennessee.edu