On April 28th, the 2022 Organic Farming and Gardening Field Day event was held at the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center (ETREC) Organic Crops Unit. UT faculty and staff, as well as other experienced personnel, gave presentations to the public on a variety of topics, ranging from alley cropping agroforestry for vegetable production to creating pollinator habitats in gardens.

Entomology and Plant Pathology Assistant Professor and Extension Apiculture Specialist Jennifer Tsuruda, one of the featured speakers at the event, engaged the participants with her pollinator jokes while informing them about science-based information to help create pollinator habits in their home gardens and farms. The importance of site preparation and the need for research on the nutritional value of different plant species were highlighted. Tsuruda also had an exhibitor table to help advertise the Tennessee Master Beekeeping Program that she coordinates, which offers classes across TN that provide research-based information to beginner and experienced individuals to become successful and even more profitable beekeepers. To learn more about the TN Master Beekeeping Program or the classes that will be offered this summer, please visit https://epp.clientdev.us/masterbee/.

Field day attendees and speakers enjoyed lunch while listening to keynote speaker Randy Boyd, University of Tennessee System President. After lunch, President Boyd; Dr. Hongwei Xin, UT AgResearch Dean; and Dr.Tsuruda took a dive into a hive and discussed her research on improving honey bee health, the importance of pollinators for agriculture, and much more. Dr. Tsuruda even convinced everyone to smile for the camera while holding a frame of honey bees from the hive.

If you missed out on this year’s event but would like to stay up-to-date on field day events held by UT AgResearch and UT Extension, visit agresearch.tennessee.edu/field-days/.