Purdue field day in southern Indiana to offer family fun, ag education

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue Extension and the Purdue Agricultural Centers are sponsoring a field day of family fun and agricultural education suited to livestock owners at the Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center in Dubois County.

The second annual SIPAC Family and Ag Field Day will be Sept. 6 and consist of two sessions, from 7:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. The center is at 11371 Purdue Farm Road in Dubois.

The morning will consist of  a fun run/walk across the farm; geo-caching for prizes in the fields; an open house in the diagnostic lab, where participants will learn the "ins and outs" of animals; a walk in the woods to learn about natural resources; and a bring-your-own-lunch picnic.

First session activities and times:

 * Four-mile fun run/walk: Registration is 7:15 to 8:15 a.m., and the race starts at 8:30. There will be winners from six age categories. Entry fee is $20 ($25 after Aug. 30).

* Geo-caching: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Participants will go on a treasure hunt to learn about the farm.

* Open house at the diagnostic lab: 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

* Educational session, "What Soils, Forages and Grazing Animals Have to do with Ice Cream," 10 to 11:30 a.m. Ice cream will be served. Speakers: Amanda Bough, Soil and Water Conservation District resource specialist in Dubois County; Brad Shelton, farm superintendent at the Feldun Purdue Agricultural Center; Sara Dzimianski of Purdue Extension, Perry County; and Janice Dougan of Purdue Extension, Dubois County.

* Walk in the woods: 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. led by Ron Rathfon, Purdue Extension forester at SIPAC.

* Picnic on the farm: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The afternoon session will be led by three Extension speakers, and an optional pasture walk will follow.

Topics and speakers:

* Farm pond management: Ken Eck, Extension educator in Dubois County.

* Small-scale tilapia production: Levi Berg, Extension educator in Orange County.

* Reducing feed cost: large round bales of hay: Jason Tower, SIPAC superintendent.

Registration is required only for the run/walk. Forms are available at https://ag.purdue.edu/arp/pac/Documents/sipac/SIPAC%204%20miler%202014.pdf. More information about the field day is at https://ag.purdue.edu/arp/pac/Pages/sipac-home.aspx or by contacting Tower at 812-678-4427, towerj@purdue.edu. 

Writer: Emma Hopkins, 765-494-8402, hopkine@purdue.edu 

Source: Jason Tower, 812-678-4427, towerj@purdue.edu

Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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