Harvest Open House at University of Illinois on September 20

By Andi Anderson

Looking for a family-friendly outing this weekend? The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is hosting the fourth annual Crop Sciences Harvest Open House on Saturday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crop Sciences Research and Education Center, located south of campus.

The event is presented by the Department of Crop Sciences and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) and promises a day full of interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, games, prizes, and delicious food for visitors of all ages.

Attendees can explore the Sustainable Student Farm, learn about popcorn genomics while enjoying the buttery snack, watch biological control of pest insects in action, paint pumpkins and flower pots, and see tractors and other farm equipment up close.

Additional activities include seed planting, shelling corn, digging in corn for prizes, turning wheat into pasta, and creating floral crafts.

“Harvest Open House brings the excitement of the harvest season together with hands-on learning activities in one location,” said crop sciences professor Andrea Faber Taylor. “Plus, nothing gives more ‘feelings of fall’ than being immersed in a farm setting with pumpkins, corn, and other crops harvested right in front of you!”

“The Harvest Open House is a nice opportunity to spend a fall day outdoors learning and playing with your family and friends in a living classroom. We look forward to welcoming the community this weekend,” said Adam Davis, head of the Department of Crop Sciences.

Beyond the games and snacks, visitors will gain insight into modern agriculture, which emphasizes sustainable and regenerative systems, climate-adapted crop breeding, precision agriculture using big data, and smart tools to manage weeds and pests showing that today’s farming goes far beyond traditional stereotypes.

The Harvest Open House is free to attend and will take place at 4202 S. 1st St., Champaign. Food will be available for purchase from La Paloma and the Sidney Dairy Barn’s Moo Mobile.

For more details, visit the Crop Sciences Open House website or email Harvest Days at harvestdays@illinois.edu.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-kali9