You can find additional program information including a link to registration at: http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/commercialag/progevents/tour.html
The complete program is listed below:
Purdue Farm Management Tour
The public is invited. All times are (EDT). Pre-registration is required to participate in either or both sponsored lunches at the Unger and Villwock Farms. There is no fee for the tour. Pre-register at: http://www.agecon.purdue.edu/extension/programs/farm_tour.asp, or call 765-482-0750 or 1-888-EXT-INFO by Tuesday June 14. Separate registration is required for the Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Banquet described in item 3 below. A fee of $20 will apply to the banquet1) Del Unger Farms – Sponsored Lunch at Noon – Family Interview at 1:00 p.m. – Mini-tours at 1:30 p.m. on maximizing planter performance, fine-tuning nutrients with plant tissue testing and foliar fertilization, and enhancing land owner/tenant relationships through leasing options.
Del Unger Farms grows corn, wheat, double-crop corn, double-crop soybeans, seed soybeans, sweet corn, and green beans with a high-output production approach that includes site-specific management with variable rate applications, foliar nutrient and fungicide applications, and irrigation scheduling. By maximizing output, they aim to minimize costs on a unit-of-production basis. They also operate a cow-calf operation on some of their rolling land. Del and Tammi began farming together not long after they met at Purdue. As the operation has expanded in size and complexity, they have organized into several functional units that involve various combinations of owners, equipment, and land to manage risk and pave the way for the farm’s passage to their two children.
2) Melon Acres – Interview at 3:00 p.m. – Mini-tours at 3:30 p.m. on packing shed management and management of a large seasonal workforce.
Southwest Indiana is home to many melon growers, but few have achieved the scale of production that Melon Acres has. In their highly diversified operation, the Horralls grow hand-picked produce on 1,000 acres and cash grains and green beans for processing on 1,500 acres. A first-mover in technological investments such as forced air cooling and their asparagus, cantaloupe, and watermelon packing lines, Melon Acres has invested heavily in produce-packing technologies. Moreover, because all of the produce is hand-picked, they need 250 seasonal workers for whom Melon Acres provides housing and meals. The Horrall family’s long-term succession planning efforts have made it possible to welcome back third generation family members.
3) Indiana Prairie Farmer Master Farmer Banquet –
The reception starts at 5:00 p.m. in Vincennes University’s John Deere Building at the Southwest Purdue Ag Center followed by dinner program. E-mail debby@purdue.edu at the Purdue Ag Alumni Association, or call 765-494-8593 to register.
Wednesday June 29, 2011
4) T. S. Boyd Grain – Interview at 8:00 a.m. – Mini-tours at 8:30 a.m. on high yield continuous corn technologies and machinery trading strategies.
T. S. Boyd Grain is a 7,500 acre farm operated by Tom and Marsha Boyd, their son Trent and his wife Kim. The farm produces continuous corn, popcorn, wheat, double-crop soybeans, single-crop soybeans, and earlage. They have 4,700 acres in continuous corn with yields of 200+ bushels per acre. They have over 20 years of experience with continuous corn. You will learn about the high-yield technology they use. Popcorn and earlage are two specialized crops. Their relationships with employees, lenders, landlords, and technical advisors are a key to their success. You will learn how they have successfully grown the farm while also building a 100+ truck freight and warehousing business and operating two grain elevators. Finally, you will see how they manage such a large and diverse set of businesses.
5) Carnahan & Sons – Interview at 10:00 a.m. – Mini-tours on the farm’s quarter horse venture and prescription farming practices at 10:30 a.m.
Change is a key management feature of Carnahan & Sons, Inc. Some of the changes can be easily spotted. Other changes (probably the more important changes) are less visible. Our visit to this farm offers a chance to learn about changes they have made, changes they are planning, and reasons behind the changes. This stop provides a study in shared management, a management organization focused on helping members of the management team succeed and empowering them to make decisions while enjoying their work. For horse lovers, this will be an opportunity to learn more about breeding and training.
6) Villwock Farms – Sponsored Lunch at Noon –Agricultural Outlook Update by Dr. Chris Hurt at 12:45 p.m. – Villwock Farms interview at 1:30 p.m. –Mini-tours of Villwock Farms at 2:15 p.m.
The opportunity to start over to design your farmstead from scratch doesn’t come along very often. Having lost their Hoosier Homestead (1907-2007) farm to the threat of eminent domain in 2007-2008, the Villwocks have experienced the ups and downs of designing a new farmstead. Learn about their strategies for navigating the process and designing a facility from scratch and their efforts to ensure that key management practices prevail regardless of geography. In addition, the long-term viability of Villwock Farms appears tied to a future succession plan involving their current farm manager, a process they are already working to address. You will have the opportunity to tour the antique tractor barn, shop, and other features of the new farmstead. Or you may choose to participate in an optional mini-tour of the grain handling and chemical storage facilities, which are located on a nearby farm. You will also learn about grain drying energy audits on this optional mini-tour.
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