Special presentations on improving energy use on the farm and micro-farming will coincide with tours of interest to beef, dairy and small farm producers as well as gardeners at the 51^stAnnual Field Day held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sept. 9 at the Southwest Research Center in Mt. Vernon.
In addition to the hourly tours on horticulture, dairy, beef, agronomy and viticulture research, there will be exhibits from agricultural products, a tree and shrub tour, a safe room display, a presentation on entomology and a sawmill demonstration.

The event is free and open to the public. The first 1,000 people who register that morning will receive tickets for a free lunch.

Dusty Walter, MU agroforestry research specialist, will operate a portable sawmill loaned to the university by Baker Products of Ellington, Mo. “We’ll be discussing all the values Missouri’s 14 million acres of forest provide, including lumber, fine furniture, bioenergy, carbon sequestration and clean air and water,” Walter said.

Ted Probert, MU dairy specialist, will present on the Missouri method of pasture-based dairy. The method is globally renowned, and was researched and developed by a team of experts from MU at the Southwest Research Center and proven in collaboration with area producers.

For beef producers, MU beef specialist Justin Sexten will discuss supplementation strategies for weaned calves. “Forage supplies have been limited this year due to drought, so it’s especially important to optimize efficiency and use strategies that promote good growth throughout the winter,” Sexten said.

Small livestock operations can also receive an energy-efficiency assessment by signing up during field day for the Missouri Agricultural Energy Saving Team–A Revolutionary Opportunity (MAESTRO) program. “The assessment includes specific recommendations on how the farm can reduce energy costs through equipment upgrades and practices that make more efficient use of energy,” said Patrick Davis, an extension associate with the MAESTRO Program.

Other speakers and tours will address topics like backyard poultry, sheep, growing tomatoes, manure management, body condition scoring for breeding stock, trich in bulls, managing nitrates in forages, strategies for making quality hay, vegetable grafting, tips for growing berries in Missouri, using biomass for energy, doing an energy assessment and more.

A complete list of speakers and topics is available online at http://extension.missouri.edu/greene.

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