St. Charles Vegetable Grower annual Twilight Meeting
A twilight meeting for vegetable growers will be held Thursday, July 17, at 6:30 p.m. at the St. Charles Horticulture Research Center.
Commercial vegetable growers will be given a walking tour of the vegetable research being conducted by University of Illinois researchers at the facility. Vegetable variety trials at St. Charles this season include sweet corn, tomatoes, bell peppers, and pumpkins.
The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (www.newillinoisfarmers.org) will also be highlighted, and visitors will be given a walk-through of the reconditioned Hi-Tunnel system at St. Charles. Additionally, several faculty members and graduate students will be present to discuss their current research efforts at the center. Research demonstrations regarding urban agriculture, permaculture, biodegradable plasticulture, and cucurbit phytopathology will be presented.
Growers are encouraged to attend to learn about the specialty crop research and to ask specialists about current issues in vegetable crop production. Research Center staff enthusiastically receives their comments and feedback on programs at St. Charles.
To find the Research Center, it is 45 miles west of Chicago in St. Charles. It is located at the corner of Peck Road and Route 38, which is 5.5 miles east of Route 47, or 1.5 miles west of Randall Road.
The University of Illinois, College of ACES, Department of Crop Sciences, U of I Extension, and the Illinois Specialty Growers Association sponsor this event.
There is no fee or preregistration to attend. For more information, contact Dr. Shelby Henning at 630-584-7254, or shenning@illinois.edu.