Extension and Outreach

New River Valley Field Day at Kentland

Recent field days have focused on new agricultural technologies, cover crops, irrigation and chemigation for vegetables, seasonal grasses, sustainable fruit production, integrated pest management, small farm organic practices, livestock watering, body condition scoring, cattle working facilities, farm fencing, and GPS in agriculture. Agricultural history and farm tours were provided along with various demonstrations. 

This Virginia Cooperative Extension field day is planned, coordinated, and conducted by New River Valley agriculture Extension agents, along with assistance from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences farm operations staff.

Vegetable Production Field Day

This vegetable production field day targets primarily those with small farms and larger producers who wish to supplement their current income with alternative crops, such as vegetables. Recent programs have included cover crops, plasticulture, biological control of pests, fertigation, farmscapes, raised beds, no-till planting, drip and other irrigation, and various demonstrations. 

Youth Conservation Camp

Each year Kentland Farm provides a Best Management Practices tour for approximately 75 high school students and 10 counselors from across Virginia as part of Youth Conservation Camp sponsored by the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and the Skyline Soil and Water Conservation District. The group is transported across the farm on farm wagons as they see and hear about conservation practices that include stream crossings, riparian corridors, wildlife plantings, solar panels and pumps, spring developments, tire watering troughs, gravity lines, and other agricultural conservation management projects.

Kentland Folk Life Festival

The community is invited each year to this event held at the Manor House located at Virginia Tech’s Kentland Farm. Programs have included historic tours of the house and grounds, archeological excavation and techniques, oral histories, local agricultural history, and slave cemetery viewing. The long-range historical plan is to develop multicultural and community-based programs, establish an interactive agricultural museum, and continue to focus on integrating historic and futuristic agriculture.