Purdue News
Purdue News
|
|
June 8, 2004 Farm Tour showcases Elkhart, LaGrange agricultureWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue University Farm Management Tour will give farmers the opportunity to visit successful farms in Elkhart and LaGrange counties and discover different techniques and practices while gaining valuable insight. "This year's farm tour highlights seed production, irrigation and a panel of Amish farmers located in a scenic area with rolling hills and small glacial lakes," said Alan Miller, a Purdue Extension farm management specialist and tour coordinator. The tour is free and takes place on June 30 and July 1. A lunch and dinner will be served; however, preregistration by June 18 is required for both. To register, call toll-free at (888) EXT-INFO, or the Elkhart County (219-533-0554) or LaGrange County (260-499-6334) Purdue Extension offices. The June 30 tour schedule includes: • 1 p.m., Crystal Valley Dairy Farm, 13519 County Road 20, Middlebury - Mike Yoder and Mike Lee will talk about farmland preservation zones, combining two farms into one and milking parlor/dairy facilities. The farm is a partnership between the two neighboring dairymen. • 3 p.m., Yoder Popcorn, 7680 W. 200 S., Topeka - Richard, Sharon and Rusty Yoder purchased Yoder Popcorn in 1999 to diversify their business. They sell their popcorn through specialty stores, the Internet and from their own retail store. • 4 p.m., Hoop Land Farms, 5165 W. 200 S., Topeka - Innovation and diversification have helped the farm survive through five generations. The Yoders farm 1,345 acres and grow popcorn, alfalfa, corn and soybeans. Tours will be given at 4:20 p.m., with a focus on irrigation and planter/ global positioning systems technology. • 5:30 p.m., Clearspring Produce Auction Building, 2050 S. 300 W., LaGrange County - The evening program, "Amish Farming Practices," features a panel of Amish farmers sharing their methods and workmanship, followed by an Amish haystack dinner. A donation of at least $5 to the Amish who provide the meal is recommended. Donations will be used to benefit the Amish community. The July 1 schedule includes: • 8 a.m., Lord's Seed, 6825 N. 375 E., Howe - A short program will take place, with mini-tours starting at 8:45 a.m. The tour includes pickle production; fertility, field mapping and weather data technology; seed corn production and processing; irrigation; and the farm office complex. The farm operation provides services to the seed corn industry. Lord's operates a grain company and manages a seed corn processing plant for Great Lakes Hybrids. • 10:45 a.m., Foxwood Farms, 5405 S. Indiana 3, Wolcottville - A brief program is planned, with mini-tours starting at 11:30 a.m. Tours include a woodland walk focusing on farm woodland management and a Golden Harvest corn yield test plot. R.D. Wolheter manages more than 2,000 acres with the help of his family and part-time employees. He has been named a "River Friendly Farmer of Indiana" for his use of production practices that reduce soil erosion. • Noon, Lunch at Foxwood Farms - Following lunch, an update on the outlook of grains, soybeans and livestock will be given by Chris Hurt, Purdue Extension marketing specialist. • 2 p.m., Perkins Twin Creek Farm, 11045 E. 425 S., Wolcottville - A program is planned, with mini-tours of dairy herd health management, milking parlor/free stall barn and farm supply business beginning at 2:45 p.m. Customer orientation to landowners and neighbors for environmentally friendly farming will be examined, as well as the Perkins family's plans to remain competitive in the dairy business. The tour is sponsored by the Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, the university's Department of Agricultural Economics and the Indiana Farm Management Association. Maps and additional information can be found on the Agriculture Economics web site. For more information, contact Miller at (765) 494-4203, millerwa@purdue.edu. Writer: Julie Douglas, (765) 494-8402, douglajk@purdue.edu Sources: Alan Miller, (765) 494-4203, millerwa@purdue.edu Ag Communications: (765) 494-8396; Beth Forbes, (765) 494-2722forbes@purdue.edu
|
