PULLMAN, Wash. – The latest organic agriculture research and hands-on teaching methods will be the focus of this year’s Washington State University Organic Farm Field Day, Thursday, July 25.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. at the WSU Organic Farm at Tukey Horticultural Orchard northeast of the Pullman campus at the corner of Airport and Terre View roads. The field day is free and open to the public and runs from 8:30 a.m. until noon.
Presentations by students working at the farm as well as the farm manager will begin at 8:30 with a tour of the farm following. Kevin Murphy, assistant research professor, and graduate students from the WSU Department of Crop and Soils will review the progress of their research field trials on quinoa and other alternative crops.
At 10:30 a tour of the new Eggert Family Organic Farm will take place on Animal Science Road directly past the Grizzly Bear observation area off Terra View Road. Dr. Lynne Carpenter-Boggs will give an update on the farm’s progress and lead a tour of the newly planted orchard. Todd Beyreuther, Director of the WSU Integrated Design Lab, will present the latest designs for structures on the farm and current work in progress. Using smart design and engineering to research sustainable food and energy production, the Eggert Family Organic Farm is to be a place-based center of hands-on learning for WSU students.
WSU’s Organic Farm offers students the opportunity to earn university credit during the spring, summer and fall while working on an operational Community-Supported Agriculture – or CSA – farm. The farm produces more than 30 different vegetable crops as well as fruit, flowers and herbs from a 24-week harvest season.
A map to the farm is available at http://www.css.wsu.edu/organicfarm/Map.html