An Apple A Day

The IPM Way at Hopkins County Field Day

Centered around the Kentucky Backyard Apple Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Orchard, the 1999 Hopkins County Extension Service Field Day offered something for everyone. Funded by the Kentucky IPM program, Master Gardeners under the direction of Amy Fultcher, Hopkins County Extension Agent for Horticulture, planned, created and maintained several educational displays and demonstration gardens to teach environmentally friendly ways to care for lawns and gardens.

Participants followed a program guide through the demonstration gardens. Each garden was manned by a Master Gardener who gave information about the garden or display. The summer's severe drought made the Turf Trials one of the popular stops at the Field Day. George Kelley, Hopkins County Agriculture Agent, worked this stop on the tour. The Turf Trials were designed to identify turf varieties for drought and heat tolerance in Western Kentucky and to compare varieties for tolerance of low maintenance sites. One of the more talked about stops was the Soil Amendment Trials which demonstrated the effect of poultry litter, cow and horse manure, city compost, or no amendment on plant growth. The most colorful stop was the Native Prairie Garden which showed how native perennials and grasses, when put in the correct site, can be very low maintenance.

Of the participants who completed a survey after visiting the demonstration gardens, 90% said they knew more about growing apples with little pesticide use as a result of attending the field day and geater than 90% stated that they plan on using less pesticides as a result of what they learned. The survey also found that the participants were inspired to try composting or would compost more as a result of attending the Field Day.

After completing the outdoor tour, participants could then go inside to view the Family and Consumer Sciences, Agriculture, 4-H/Youth Development, and Horticulture displays. Nancy Kelley, Family and Consumer Science Agent, provided a sample of fresh salsa and recipes for using fresh vegetables. Sally Snyder and Phillip Morgan, 4-H/Youth Development Agents, assisted with youth-oriented displays.

From compost to fresh vegetables, the Hopkins County Field Day offered something for everyone.

	Original document: 23 February 2000 Last updated: 23 February 2000