KNOXVILLE – The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture will host an Organic Crops Field Tour on Thursday, October 23. Designed for commercial and small-scale producers interested in organic production, the event will focus on topics such as soil conservation, high tunnel production and organic pasture, free-range and small livestock production.

Home gardeners and hobby farmers are also welcome to attend.

The event is hosted on the grounds of the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center’s Organic Crops Unit off John Sevier Hwy. The 90-acre facility is dedicated to organic crop research, and the field day will highlight current research projects and discuss organic crop production techniques and recommendations. A complete copy of the program is available online at UT Extension’s Organic & Sustainable Crop Production website: http://organics.tennessee.edu/fieldtour.html

Activities begin at 9 a.m. and continue through 3:30 p.m.

The UT AgResearch Organic Crops Unit is located at 7315 Government Farm Road in Knoxville. The facility is approximately 7 miles south of the UT Agricultural Campus and downtown Knoxville. From the UT Agricultural Campus, visitors should follow U.S. Hwy. 129 and take the exit for Hwy 168 (Gov. John Sevier Hwy.). Government Farm Road will be 1.7 miles on the right. If traveling west on Gov. John Sevier Hwy. from U.S. Hwy 441, Government Farm Road will be 5.0 miles on the left.

The East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center is one of 10 outdoor laboratories operated by UT AgResearch, a division of the UT Institute of Agriculture. In addition to its agricultural research programs, the Institute of Agriculture also provides instruction and public service through the UT College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and UT Extension offices in every county in the state.