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| Hi guys,
our plots are always open for guided or self-guided tours but in 2 weeks you can hear some good speakers, eat some delicious food and see our plots up close.
A press release is attached and copied below.
Email me j-gruver AT wiu.edu or call my office phone 309 298 1215 if you have any questions.
Joel
WIU Agriculture
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MACOMB, IL — "Taking Organic Agriculture to the Next Level" is the theme of Western Illinois University’s 2025 Allison Organic Research and Demonstration Farm field day, slated for Tuesday, Aug. 12. The field day will start at 9 a.m. in the Dakin Farm shop with presentations followed by a complimentary lunch at noon featuring local farm products. The field day will conclude with a tour of the research and demonstration plots at the Allison Farm starting at 1:15 pm.
The keynote presentation will be delivered by 2012 WIU Ag alum Austen Etherton who farms a mix of organic and conventional acres with his father in Sangamon County IL. The Ethertons began transitioning ~500 acres to organic in 2014 and have ~2700 certified acres of corn, soybeans and wheat in 2025. They have made many changes along the way and Austen’s presentation will highlight the challenges and successes they have experienced in taking organics to the next level. For more info about the Etherton farm, check out this profile.
The rest of the morning will include several short presentations related to using drones on organic farms and new developments in corn breeding for organic farming, a panel discussion featuring organic farmers representing a range of scales and enterprises who will share how they have taken their farms to the next level and an overview of recent research at the Allison Farm by WIU Ag Professor Joel Gruver.
After lunch, the field day will transition to the Allison Farm where Dr. Gruver will lead a walking tour of research and demonstration plots featuring organic corn, soybeans, alternative crops including seed crops and alternative cropping systems including solar corridors and diverse cover crop mixes.
On-site registration begins at 8:30 a.m. To pre-register or obtain more information about the Field Day, contact Andrea Venturi – Organic Agronomist and Research Technician at [email protected] or the WIU School of Agriculture at (309) 298-1080. Pre-registration is strongly recommended for planning purposes.
Directions to the Dakin Farm shop - 130 20th St., Roseville, IL 61473
If arriving from the north, travel on U.S. Rt. 67 five miles south of the U.S. Rt. 67 and IL Rt. 116 intersection in Roseville to County Rd. 20th Ave. N, then turn west at the Allison Farm highway sign and travel four miles on 20th Ave. to the southeast corner of the Allison Farm (intersection of 20th Ave. and 20th St.). Turn left and proceed south 0.7 miles on 20th St. to the Dakin Farm shop located on the west side of the road.
If arriving from the south, travel on U.S. Rt. 67 seven miles north of the U.S. Rt. 67 and IL Rt. 9 intersection in Good Hope to County Rd. 20th Ave. N (2 miles north of the McDonough/Warren County line), then turn west at the Allison Farm highway sign and travel four miles on 20th Ave. to the southeast corner of the Allison Farm (intersection of 20th Ave. and 20th St.). Turn left and proceed south 0.7 miles on 20th St. to the Dakin Farm shop located on the west side of the road.
Attachments
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 2025OrganicFieldDayPressReleaseNEW.docx (15KB - 23 downloads)
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WIU Organic Research Farm field day is in 2 weeks - Tuesday 8/12
