UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Visitors can see a variety of exhibits and demonstrations on how best to manage our natural resources and wildlife at the J.D. Harrington Crops, Soils and Conservation Building at Ag Progress Days, Aug. 16-18.
Specialists from Penn State and other organizations will answer crop production, weed identification and biofuel questions. Visitors can ask questions about crop and nutrient management, no-till practices, organic farming and sustainable agriculture, and even bring a weed for experts to identify.
The 2016 Pennsylvania Hay Show, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council will take place in the Harrington Building from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Hay producers can bring samples to be evaluated during the conservation area's Hay Show. These samples must have been grown in Pennsylvania in 2016 by the exhibitor. Entries officially close at 10 a.m. Aug. 16. The brochure for this year’s Hay Show can be found online at http://agsci.psu.edu/apd/pdfs/2016-hay-show-brochure.
“The Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council is looking forward to another great year at the Ag Progress Days Hay Show. We always anticipate seeing the hay samples submitted from across the state and chatting with folks as they visit our display,” said Jessica Williamson, executive vice president of the council.
“We are proud to be a part of Ag Progress Days and we are always eager to add to the great exhibits found in the Harrington building.”
Several other demonstrations also will take place in and around the building. At A-Maze-N-Corn, kids and adults can spend time wandering a giant corn maze, which is stroller and wheelchair accessible. Representatives from the USDA will be present to discuss the features of the organization’s new conservation website, and Team Sorghum Cheese, a group of finalists from this year’s Ag Springboard Competition, will demonstrate their product idea.
The three-year-old Harrington Building — named for the late Joseph D. Harrington, professor emeritus of agronomy and former Ag Progress Days manager — is home to several exhibits and activities highlighting conservation and crops management. The structure, located at Harrington Lane and the end of East 5th Street, was dedicated in 2014 at Ag Progress Days.
Crop and conservation topics also will be featured in other areas of the Ag Progress Days site. Tours focused on managing deer and other wildlife as part of a Quality Deer Management system will leave daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
A tour on short rotation woody crops for biomass will leave daily at noon. All tours will leave from the corn crib at the top of Main Street.
Sponsored by Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences, Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, 9 miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 16; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 17; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 18. Admission and parking are free.
For more information, visit the Ag Progress Days website. Twitter users can find and share information about the event by using the hashtag #agprogressdays, and Facebook users can find the event here.