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August 27, 2002

Farm Festival to showcase agricultural diversity

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Families can spend a "Saturday on the Farm" during the Hancock County Farm Festival on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The free tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All of the farms, located throughout Hancock County, are marked with signs to guide visitors to and from the sites. Visitors may begin at any site and go to as many as they want. A map and additional information about the festival is available online.

The Farm Festival will allow the public to experience agricultural diversity in Hancock County. Food items will be available for purchase at all of the sites.

"Farm Festival will give visitors that don't have an agricultural background an opportunity to learn more about how the seeds planted in the spring become produce that they eat throughout the year," said John Mesko, Purdue Extension Hancock County agriculture educator.

The festival rotates annually around seven counties: Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, Hendricks, Boone, Hamilton and Hancock.

The six sites on this year's tour are the Apple Family Farm, Brandywine Stables, Kingen's Round Barn, Phares Farm, Sunnyside Greenhouses and Tuttle Orchards.

• The Apple Family Farm is an organic grain, milk and cheese farm. Festival activities include composting and organic farming, wool spinning and weaving, sheep herding demonstrations and rotational grazing demonstrations.

• At Brandywine Stables visitors can learn about thoroughbred horses, including information on equine science and breeding. Other topics include thoroughbred racing and ownership, Brandywine Stallions and information on the Indiana Horse Council Foundation.

• Kingen's Round Barn features a round-barn tour and horse-drawn wagon rides. Other activities include antique tractor exhibits, wheat threshing, plowing and disking demonstrations and musical entertainment.

• At Phares Farm, families can find out about a modern grain farm operation. Visitors can learn about soil conservation, farm safety and alternative heating sources. There also will be square dancing and clogging, a no-till demonstration and a pedal tractor maze for children.

• Sunnyside Greenhouses offers tours and exhibits on forestry products and garden mums. Visitors also can learn about the Hancock County Herb Society, the county 4-H and Master Gardeners' programs and the "Make a Splash Event," project WET.

• Tuttle Orchards will feature demonstrations on making apple cider. Visitors can take tours of the orchard and learn about the packing line and cold storage systems. Other activities will include an observation beehive and a straw maze.

NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Purdue Extension of Hancock County will be hosting a media day from 1-3 p.m. Sept. 10 at Tuttle Orchards. Representatives from each farm will be available for interviews as well as photo opportunities.

Writer: Andrea Campbell, (765) 494-8402, news_students@aes.purdue.edu

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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