Plant Science Day News Release

Plant Science Day 1998

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station will hold its annual Plant Science Day open house at Lockwood Farm in Hamden from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesday August 5, 1998.

The free event will feature about 70 field plots, demonstrations and barn exhibits accessible throughout the day and several scheduled talks.

John Lyman III of Middlefield, vice president of Lyman Orchards, will deliver the Samuel W. Johnson Memorial Lecture, "A Vision of Connecticut Agriculture in the 21st Century: Why the Future is Bright" at 11:30.

Other talks will be "Lyme Disease and Tick Control" by Kirby C. Stafford III at 10:15; "Hydroponics: Growing Vegetables Without Soil" by Martin P.N. Gent at 1:15; "Protecting Connecticut Lakes" by Gregory J. Bugbee at 1:45; and "Growing Vegetables Without Insecticides" by Kimberly A. Stoner at 2:45. Todd L. Mervosh will give a demonstration on managing weeds at 10:45 and Mary K. Inman will give a demonstration on pruning of ornamental shrubs at 2:15.

The barn exhibits will be on mosquito trapping and testing for the eastern equine encephalitis virus; E. coli in cider; sources of lead in maple syrup, control of ticks on white-tailed deer, molecular cloning of corn, and a disfiguring disease of black birch.

A Question-Answer tent will be staffed with experts on insects, plant diseases and soils throughout the day. Visitors are encouraged to bring samples for identification.

The field experiments and demonstrations include a butterfly garden, a display garden of plants introduced by Connecticut nurserymen, and beekeeping, including live bees. Numerous experiments involving such plants as asparagus, tomatoes, grapes, eggplants, lettuce, and medicinal herbs will be displayed.

Visitors are encouraged to bring a picnic lunch. Coffee and punch are available free and hot dogs and hamburgers will be available for purchase. A shuttle bus will run around the farm. Parking is free.

Lockwood Farm is at the intersection of Evergreen and Kenwood Avenues, one block from Route 10 (Whitney Avenue) in the Mt. Carmel section of Hamden. For more information call (203) 974-8500. Click here for specific directions.