Purdue News
Purdue News
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May 11, 2004 'Hay' kids! Purdue Forage Day adds children's programWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - A Purdue University field day is reaching out to the next generation of farmers, as well as the future consumers who'll be buying their products. For the first time, Purdue Forage Day will offer a children's program. The educational session runs concurrent with the field day's morning forage production workshops that are intended for adults. Forage Day takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. EST on June 10 at Southern Indiana-Purdue Agricultural Center (SIPAC), 11371 E. Purdue Farm Road, near Dubois, Ind. There is no admission charge. An optional noon lunch is $6. The children's program adds a new dimension to the annual field day, said Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage specialist and Forage Day coordinator. "On-farm educational events do not have to be just for adults," Johnson said. "With this field day being at a Purdue Agricultural Center, it seemed like a good place for a children's program. "The children's program is geared for anyone age 7 to around 14. It doesn't matter whether they've got an agricultural background. We hope we'll have some kids attend who haven't been exposed to the science of agriculture. "The session will start with the soil and work up to the plant. Then we'll talk about the care of forage plants, utilization of forage by livestock and then, ultimately, what that means in regard to the production of meat and milk." While kids are learning about forage and livestock, dad, mom and other adults will be picking up production tips from Purdue specialists. Five workshops are scheduled between 9 a.m. and noon. "Some of the topics we have planned include a discussion on why a producer might consider changing to a rotational stocking grazing program, where cattle are moved from paddock to paddock instead of a whole acreage that we call pasture," Johnson said. "We'll also look at the use of a tuber, which takes large, round bales of hay and puts a plastic wrap around them. Producers are then able to make silage instead of dry hay out of the bales and do it in a more timely fashion because they don't have to get the forage down to 20 percent moisture. Tubing can be done at a moisture of around 50 percent." Other workshops will cover innovative approaches to delivering water to animals, the importance of determining moisture in making high-quality hay or silage and the role of quality forage in cattle diets. "We have a couple of years of data from the Feldun-Purdue Agricultural Center that tell us forage type makes a difference in the performance of beef cows and their nursing calves," Johnson said. Workshop speakers include Johnson; Stephen Hawkins, assistant director of Purdue University Agricultural Centers; Kern Hendrix, professor emeritus of animal sciences; Jason Tower, SIPAC superintendent; and Jody Welsh, Purdue agricultural economics graduate student. Forage equipment demonstrations take place from 1:15-4 p.m. About 16 manufacturers will display and operate mowers, tedders, rakes, balers, wrappers and related machinery. Farmers are invited to enter the Hay Quality Contest. Participants must bring an unbroken bale of grass, legume or mixed forage. Entries will be accepted until 11 a.m. Winners in the three divisions will receive a certificate and forage-related products. For more information about Purdue Forage Day and a map to SIPAC, log onto the event Web site. Writer: Steve Leer, (765) 494-8415, sleer@purdue.edu Source: Keith Johnson, (765) 494-4800, johnsonk@purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722; Beth Forbes, forbes@purdue.edu Related Web sites: Purdue University Department of Agronomy
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