Squash Field Trial Twilight Meetings – 6:00 – 8:00 pm
Wednesday July 11, John Wilson in Virginia Beach, VA (Rescheduled)
Wednesday July 18,- Mitch Wapner, Paradox Farm in Lexington, VA
Wednesday July 25, - Earrett Parson in Elberon, VA (Surry County)
Wednesday, August 1 - New Earth Farm in Virginia Beach
The focus of these event will be the Organic Summer Squash Production and Pest Management trials that VABF is conducting with a Specialty Crop Block Grant. These three farms are hosting the trials that include a trap crop – a highly pest-attracting winter squash variety (‘Blue Hubbard’) that is used to divert pests from the production crop (four varieties of summer squash) and allow botanical pest control sprays to be applied to just the trap crop rather than the whole field. The farms are also using beneficial habitat plantings of buckwheat and oilseed sunflower to enhance biological control of the main squash pests – squash bug, squash vine borer, cucumber beetle, and (possibly) brown marmorated stink bug.
Project coordinator Charlie Maloney will attend each of these events and will provide handouts with information on the project. These events are free and open to the public.
Wednesday July 18 – Mitch and Cindy Wapner’s Paradox Farm,
86 Moores Creek Rd, Lexington, VA.
Directions from north: take I-81 exit 191 onto I-64 west, immediate exit onto Rt. 11 south, continue on Rt. 11 bypass to stoplight, continue straight for 10 miles, initially on Rt 251 south, then Rt 677; turn right on Moore’s Creek Road, go 0.1 mi to first driveway on right (#86).
Directions from south: Take I-81 to exit 168, turn left off ramp, cross interstate to stop sign, right on Frontage Road and go 3 miles, left on Buffalo Road for 8 miles, Left on Spring Branch Road for 3.5 miles to stop sign, right on Bluegrass Trail for 1.1 miles, left on Moore’s Creek Rd for 0.1 mi, then right into driveway at #86. Lost? Call 540-460-2516.
Wednesday July 25 – Earrett Parson’s Farm, 1409 Walkers Road, Elberon, VA.
Directions from I-64: Exit onto Rt. 31 south, through downtown Williamsburg to ferry across the James River (no charge). Continue on Rt. 31 south for 7.1 miles, turn left on Runnymede Road (Rt. 622) and go 4.0 miles. Turn right on Walkers Road (Rt. 605) and go 0.9 miles; the farm is on the right.
Directions from Rt. 460: Turn north onto Rt. 31 in Wakefield (about 30 miles southeast of Petersburg), go about 10 miles, turn right on Runnymede Road, go 4 miles, right on Walkers Road and continue as above. Lost? Call 757-207-3680.
Wednesday August 1st - John Wilson’s New Earth Farm in Virginia Beach.
Directions: From I-64 east or US 460 east, take I-264 east to London Bridge exit, turn right at bottom of ramp. Stay on this road until Dam Neck Road, turn left on Dam Neck, then right on London Bridge again. Turn right on General Booth Blvd, left on Princess Anne (at Nimmo Church and a 7-11). Stay on Princess Anne as it veers right at a light, then turn left on Indian River Rd. Farm is one half mile on right. Park out front. It is advisable to look at a map before coming as some of the turns are tricky. Lost? Call John’s cell, 757-536-6102.
