CELERYVILLE, Ohio — Farmers with muck soil can learn how to manage the soil type and produce top-quality vegetables during the Muck Crops Field Day July 27 at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center’s Muck Crops Agricultural Research Station.

“We will proceed down the stone lane, which divides the farm, and (Ohio State University) researchers will explain the ins and outs of their trials and answer any questions visitors have,” said station manager Rick Callendar.

Speakers will include plant pathologist Sally Miller, vegetable management scientist/specialist Matt Kleinhenz, entomologist Celeste Welty, weed scientist/specialist Doug Doohan and vegetable physiology scientist/specialist Bob Precheur, all with OARDC and OSU Extension; Casey Hoy, an OARDC entomologist; and Michele Giovannini, a plant pathologist with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service based on OARDC’s Wooster campus. Topics will include fungicides and herbicides in radish, mustard greens, winter squash, greens and green onion production; treatments for the production of broccoli, sweet corn, leafy vegetables, field corn, dry beans, cucumber; pesticide-residual trials on vegetables; insect monitoring; evaluation of bell pepper varieties; and evaluation of windbreak materials in muck soils.

The 15-acre station is in Ohio’s salad-vegetable growing area, which has rich soil with 20 times more organic matter than typical Ohio soils. It is at 4875 State Route 103, Celeryville – near Willard. Sponsored by OARDC and Ohio State University Extension, the free public event runs from 10 a.m. to noon and includes a free grilled lunch of hot dogs and hamburgers. Contact Callendar at 419-935-1201 or by e-mail at callendar.1@osu.edu for more information.

This farm news was published in the June 28, 2006 issue of Farm World, serving Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan and Tennessee.