Weed control for commercial scale farming was the theme of the event which, free and open to all farmers, was held in collaboration with CCE's Eastern New York Commercial Horticulture Program (CCE-ENYCHP).

Visiting representatives from Germany and Holland joined Farm Hub director of farmer training Jean-Paul Courtens, director of farm operations John Gill, and Chuck Bornt of CCE-ENYCHP for a presentation and discussion that began under a large tent adjacent to the vegetable plots. The program was designed to place mechanical weed control in the context of farm efficiency, economics, and productivity, as Courtens encouraged farmers to think about weeds and how to manage them long before the first crop seed is planted.

Participants then moved to the field - from carrots to parsnips to corn, beets, beans and cabbage, as different pieces of equipment were hooked up and put into motion. Finger weeders, hoeing machines, row cultivators and tine weeders from both US and European manufacturers I & J, Einbock, Kress, and Hak were, one by one, described and employed in the field while everyone was invited to ask questions and to follow along the rows on foot.


Field Cultivation Day (pdf; 9278KB)