Apr 21, 2022

Eckert’s to host Illinois Summer Horticultural Field Day in June

The Illinois State Horticultural Society has announced the annual Summer Horticulture Field Day at Eckert’s Belleville Farm in Belleville, Illinois.

The Eckert family is proud to invite guests to tour their farm and agritainment operation on Thursday, June 9. The Eckerts have been growing apples for over 100 years in rural Illinois, near St. Louis. Proud of their farming heritage and diligent stewards of the land, the Eckerts have cultivated and preserved their orchard business for eight generations.

Eckert’s Belleville Farm boasts a diverse offering of specialty crops including apples, peaches, strawberries, black raspberries, blackberries, vegetables, pumpkins, Christmas trees and flowers. The family’s commitment to sustainable agriculture is apparent through all crops grown on the farm. They will be highlighting the management techniques they use to improve crop health, protection and yield.

The field tour, led by Chris Eckert, will showcase many of their new growing practices in tree fruit including apples in super high density, summer hedging, graft over apples utilizing new varieties from the Midwest Apple Improvement Association, sunburn control with drape nets, insect and disease management, and more.

Field day attendees will also tour the other specialty crops on the farm with specialists in horticulture, plant pathology, entomology and weed & pest management from the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University and University of Illinois Extension as well as major industry supporters with new equipment, seed & nursery representatives, and other pertinent Agri-Industry members. For those not interested in the field tour, there will be a farm market session in the farm’s large Country Store to discuss their retail market & bakery.

Sign up today for a fun-filled day of farm tours, educational talks, great food and a chance to visit with vendors and friends both old and new! This event is sponsored by the Illinois State Horticultural Society, University of Illinois and the Illinois Specialty Growers Association. Advance registration is $30 and includes lunch. To register and find more information, visit www.tickettailor.com/events/ishs. For more information, email Jenna Spychal, Summer Hort Field Day coordinator, at [email protected] or call 217-254-5258.