Media advisory issued March 21, 2003, effective immediately.
For media inquiries, contact Caroline Booth Lara, Communications Specialist, (580) 224-6379.
  email: cblara@noble.org.

Noble Foundation’s April 12 Agricultural Field Day Open to the Public

ARDMORE, Okla. — The Noble Foundation began its operations on the Red River Demonstration and Research Farm in 1973 — now, in celebration of 30 years on the farm, the Foundation is inviting the public to come and learn about its agricultural production and projects.

The free field day is set for Saturday, April 12, at the Red River Demonstration and Research Farm, which is located south of Burneyville, Okla. (Saturday, April 26, 2003 is the alternate date in case of bad weather.)

"This will be a great event for producers," said Shan Ingram, the Foundation’s education and special projects manager. "We have projects that address a wide scope of interests related to the agriculture of this region."

Registration will begin at 8 a.m., with the program starting at 9 a.m. After an introduction and overview, a progressive tour of cattle production, pecan processing, soil fertility technology and cattle grazing fescue will start. Lunch is provided at noon, and concurrent afternoon tours follow at 1 p.m.

The topics covered during the tours include:

Soil Fertility & Forage Varieties

• Small grain pasture management — establishment and fertilization
• Stockpiled bermudagrass — nitrogen fertilization, timing and forage management
• Long-term fertilizer trials
• Small grain variety trials
• Midland 99 bermudagrass

• Total herd management
• Stocker management considerations
• Backgrounding vs. preconditioning stocker cattle
• Effects of implants, muscling and frame size on cattle performance

• Pecan equipment & production management
• Understory grazing with stocker cattle
• Wildlife damage
• Native vs. improved pecans (compare and contrast)

• Cooperative wildlife management associations
• Buck antler development: display and discussion
• Wildlife habitat management considerations
• Eastern gamagrass management

"We have an interesting and full day planned," Ingram said. "We sincerely hope that people who have an interest in agriculture will take advantage of this opportunity. It should be well worth their time!" For more information about the field day, please call the Foundation at (580) 223-5810.

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Additional Field Day Information and Online Registration: www.noble.org/ag/events/redriverfieldday2003/

The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation, headquartered in Ardmore, Okla., is a non-profit organization conducting agricultural, forage biotechnological, and plant biology research; providing grants to numerous non-profit charitable, educational and health organizations; and assisting farmers and ranchers through educational and consultative agricultural programs.

To learn more, visit the Noble Foundation Web site at http://www.noble.org.

More news releases available at www.noble.org/Press_Release