Field Days show off ISU research

The phrase “having a field day” takes on new meaning starting next week. Iowa State University is hosting what it calls “field days” for visitors beginning Tuesday at its research and demonstration farms all across Iowa.Denny Shannon is manager of the I-S-U Research and Demonstration Farms program, which includes about a dozen farms, most of which are slated for tours over the next several weeks. The first is on a sheep farm near Chariton in Lucas County on Tuesday. Shannon says there is a new feature in this year’s field day series which should attract a new audience. He says they’re going to an acreage and garden field day.The above-mentioned acreage and home garden field days are slated to begin in August at nine locations. Shannon says the onset of foot and mouth disease in other countries has forced I-S-U to change its field day policies. They’re asking anyone who’s been overseas in the last five days to not come to the field days.Other field days scheduled for this month include: June 20th near Kanawha, June 21st near Castana, June 26th near Nashua, June 27th north of Cherokee and two on June 28th near Atlantic and near Crawfordsville. Many more are planned during July and August. For more information, surf to “www.ag.iastate.edu/farms/fielddays.html” or call (515) 294-1608.