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Oct 8th Field Day Registration at Beet Root Farm

Mechanical Weed Control Field Day

Tuesday, October 8th 9:30am-3pm

BeetRoot Farm in Carbondale, IL."

In this full-day workshop-style event, you will build your knowledge of weed management systems, view and try a wide variety of tools, and learn from a weed management expert and experienced farmer peers right in the field. You will leave with the strategies you need to develop a detailed, comprehensive, and actionable plan for managing weeds on your farm.

  • Examine many, adjust some, and operate a selection of tools in the field including:
    • Walk-behind tractors and implements from Planet Junior and Tilmor
    • Hand tools and stale-seedbed tools like flame weeders
  • Discuss and see examples of weed control techniques including stale seedbeds, cover crops, occultation with silage plastic, mulching with landscape fabric and straw, and reduced-tillage systems
  • Learn strategies to exploit the biological weaknesses of your problem weeds with the right tools, cover crops, and tillage in both tunnels and the field
  • Compare systems in the field including white ag plastic vs hilling, reduced-tillage vs conventional tillage; variable row spacing, and more.
  • Meet other farmers and learn from their weed management experiences, and use a detailed weed management plan template to gain a new perspective on your weeds.
We are pleased to announce that Sam Oschwald Tilton, an agriculture consultant at Glacial Drift LLC and the Training Developer for OATS, will be joining us at the event. Sam has a wealth of experience in vegetable farming and holds a master’s degree from Michigan State University with a focus on precision weeding tools. He has developed and sold weeding machines for the KULT-Kress company, visited farms throughout Europe and the U.S., and worked on and managed vegetable farms in WI. For the past 6 years, he has organized the Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day. Previously, Sam taught horticulture at Lakeshore Technical College and served as the Fresh Market Vegetable Specialist for UW-Madison Extension. He is also known for his expertise in teaching about weed management across the country. Sam's valuable insights and experiences make him a highly anticipated addition to our event.  

Beet Root Farm 

Beet Root Farm is situated on 14 acres of lightly rolling hills just south of Carbondale, IL near the intersection of Giant City Rd and Boskydell owned by Noah Scarelo. We are teeming with excitement as we prepare to begin farming this property in the spring of 2023. Noah has spent several seasons working on vegetable farms, both in southern IL as well as at Frith Farm in Scarborough, ME where he worked as an apprentice for the 2022 season. He is indebted to his farming mentors who have inspired him to farm with care and intent. He hopes BeetRoot can be a nexus for fellowship centered on good food, family and friendships, and a collective caring for the land and our local community.

Event Notes:

Cost of Registration: $20
(Will be refunded at arrival)

Lunch will be provided

Schedule:

9:30-10 - Arrival, registration, coffee and pastry 

10-11 - Farm tour, with a focus on weed management

11-12 - How weeds work, and the big picture of ecological weed management 

12-12:45 - Lunch, informal networking  

1-1:30 - Introduction to types of weeding tools 

1:30-2 - How to adjust cultivators to match field conditions  

2-3 - Hands-on tool time for participants to try tools in demo plots 

3 - Evaluations;Adjourn 

Mechanical Weed Control Field Day @ Beet Root Farm, Oct 8th

Sign up form for Field Day at Beet Root Farm on October 8th @ 9:30 am

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Food Works is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a sustainable food economy in Southern Illinois.
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