Stiles Farm Field Day June 18 will feature soil health strategies

THRALL – The Stiles Farm Field Day set for June 18 will feature presentations on soil health, fertilization and weed control strategies.

The field day is hosted by the Stiles Farm Foundation and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. There is no registration fee courtesy of the Williamson County Farm Bureau. Lunch and door prizes will be provided to field day participants courtesy of local agribusiness sponsors.

“This year’s field day will feature topics on soil health and stability,” said Ryan Collett, farm manager and AgriLife Extension specialist. “With the heavy rains of the past few years, keeping our soil in the field and minimizing washouts has become a constant concern. We will have a few soil scientists at the field day, and I hope to learn strategies on improving our long-term soil structure in the Blacklands.”

Registration will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the program and field tours beginning at 8:30 a.m. Speakers include:

– Dr. Tony Provin, AgriLife Extension soil chemist, College Station, discussing pH and compaction issues in the Blacklands.

– Dr. Michael Peterson, Orthman Manufacturing Inc. agronomist,  discussing fertilizer placement and strip tilling.

– Dr. David Kerns, AgriLife Extension entomologist, College Station, discussing latest integrated pest management developments and reviewing 2019 plot work.

The program will move to the Knights of Columbus Hall in Taylor at 11:45 a.m. for lunch and afternoon programming. Perry Cervantes, coordinator for pesticide certification and compliance with the Texas Department of Agriculture, Austin, will give a laws and regulations update. Scholarships and the Agriculturalist of the Year Award will also be presented.

        The field day will conclude at 1:30 p.m. Three continuing education units will be offered for Texas Department of Agriculture pesticide license holders: one unit each in laws and regulation, integrated pest management and general.

The Stiles Farm Foundation was established by the Stiles family at Thrall in Williamson County. According to the foundation, J.V. and H.A. Stiles wanted to commemorate their father, James E. Stiles, and the land he worked. They also wanted to help neighboring farmers and others throughout the Central Texas Blacklands region learn new farming practices.

In 1961, the Stiles Farm Foundation was established and became part of the Texas A&M University System. The farm is used by AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife Research, which conduct field experiments and use the facility as a teaching platform.

For more information in  the Stiles Farm, go to https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/programs/stiles-farm-foundation/  

-30-