VSU COA Small Farmer – Focused Field Day

4415 River Road Petersburg, VA, 23803

Join us forFREESmall Farmer-Focused Field Day designed to help you enhance your farm and protect the environment! Learn about various production systems to boost farm profitability and sustainability. Join us for informative sessions with our faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture to explore exciting opportunities in the field of agriculture.

What to Expect:

Blueberry and Organic Tomato in High Tunnels:Performance of 27 potted blueberry cultivars in high tunnels. The types of blueberry cultivars include Northern High Bush, Southern High Bush and Rabbiteye. The organic tomato stop will showcase practical, sustainable approaches for managing foliar diseases. Participants will observe disease-monitoring tools, biocontrol products, pruning practices, and weather-monitoring system.

Field Ginger and Turmeric:Ginger weed management research with 5 treatments. Evaluation of 13 ginger and 3 turmeric cultivars. Ginger transplants study with four types of transplants. Ginger storage study with 4 storage media. Comparison of tissue culture vs regular seed ginger sources. And comparison of field and greenhouse seed ginger sources.

Controlled Environment Agriculture: Aquaponics/Hydroponics & Cut Flowers:The tour will showcase various soil-less systems which include hydroponic, aquaponic, and aquaculture systems. Several system designs of varying sizes (DIY, research, and pilot commercial scale) will be displayed. These systems will be used to produce leafy greens, cut flowers, and fruiting crops. Additionally, tilapia production within aquaponic and aquaculture systems will be demonstrated.

Trojan Orange Tomato:Virginia State University is excited to showcase our newly developed Trojan Orange tomato line! Join us on June 26 for a Field Day at the High-Tech High Tunnel site. See the plants at their early growth stage alongside the popular ‘Sun Gold’ variety and observe the effects of biochar on performance. Learn more about the development of this new line and connect with our research team.

Introduction to VSU’s Beef Cattle Program:Join us for an engaging introduction to beef cattle production at Virginia State University. At this station, two new faculty members will provide an overview of VSU’s cattle program, including our selected breed—the South Poll—and its role in our research, extension, and teaching efforts. Participants will learn about upcoming projects designed to enhance animal performance and welfare, including studies comparing artificial shade and no-shade systems, as well as the development of a silvopasture grazing approach. The session will also highlight how innovative technologies—such as rumen boluses, smart ear tags, and virtual fencing collars—are being incorporated into modern cattle management and research. This field day marks the first public introduction of VSU’s new cattle herd, offering a unique opportunity to explore the future of sustainable, technology-driven beef production.

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Source: VSU Extension