UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- From golf greens to grain drills, visitors to the Crops and Soils Tent at Penn State's Ag Progress Days, Aug. 17-19, at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center, will have a variety of activities to choose from. This year's exhibition theme is "Strength in Diversity: Crops, Soils, Turf."

"This year, we wanted to emphasize the diversity of issues covered in our department," says Sjoerd Duiker, assistant professor of soil management in the department of crop and soil sciences. "New this year is a simulated, portable golf green made by our turfgrass colleagues. It allows visitors to see the rooting system and soil layers of a green. Also new is a display of soil and water management issues studied in our department.

"Like last year, we will have a Field Crops Garden with 15 field and forage crops, including sorghum, various corns and small grains. An exotic crop also is part of this exhibit. The common weeds exhibit and weed identification display will allow participants to test their knowledge of weeds in Pennsylvania. You can get personal advice on crop-management questions, check the best hay in the state, let your kids have a blast in the corn maze and show them the academic degree opportunities in crop and soil sciences at Penn State."

Along with the traditional demonstrations of hay-making equipment, up to six manufacturers of grain drills and row-crop planters will participate in a one-hour demonstration at 11:30 a.m. each day. Weather permitting, several plots will be planted by each machine two weeks before Ag Progress Days to enable farmers to see the results of planting with each machine. "The uniformity of spacing between plants and seedling plant height will be readily apparent in the conventionally tilled and no-till plots of young corn and soybeans," Duiker says. "Actual planting will be conducted by all machines during each of the three days of the show."

In another equipment demonstration, the Natural Resources Conservation Service will show manure injection techniques that help control erosion, reduce odor and conserve surface residues.

Children again can flock to the ever-popular "A-Maze-N Corn" exhibit, which features an all-new corn maze design. Within the maze, they're asked a question at each station. "It's extremely popular -- tons of kids come through," Duiker says. "We ask general questions about agriculture, so that as the kids wander around and have fun, they're also learning more about agriculture in Pennsylvania. Children can spend time in the maze while the adults get advice from the experts."

The region's finest hay also will be selected at the exposition's annual Hay Show. Visitors wishing to compete for prizes in the show can submit their entries at the drop-off points near the Ag Progress Days parking areas by 10 a.m. on Tuesday. Hay samples in 25 classes will be judged, with winning entries going to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in January.

Penn State's Ag Progress Days is held at the Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs, nine miles southwest of State College on Route 45. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 17; 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Aug. 18; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 19. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call 800-PSU-1010 toll-free until August 19 or visit the Ag Progress Days Web site at http://apd.cas.psu.edu.

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EDITORS: Contact Sjoerd Duiker at 814-863-7637 or by e-mail at swd10@psu.edu.

Writer/Editor: Gary Abdullah Office 814-863-2708