Rain and all, we had a wonderful turnout at our recent field day at Old Home Place Farm, and it was exactly the kind of day that reminds us why on-farm learning is some of our favorite work.
Joining Maggie were experts from several of our partner organizations, each bringing their own area of depth to the day. Kayla Preston from Grow Appalachia walked attendees through high tunnel construction, maintenance, and water collection and distribution strategies. Dakota Moore from Kentucky Horticulture Council led a tour of Maggie’s packing shed with a focus on best practices for safe post-harvest handling. And Sarah Geurkink from the Organic Association of Kentucky shared guidance on early pest detection and building good soil health. It was a rich day of learning, and we are grateful to each of them for making the trip.
CFA member and farmer Maggie Bowling opened up her farm and her knowledge to a full crowd, sharing the niche tips and tricks she has built over more than ten years of high tunnel production. Maggie manages a 75-member CSA and has navigated two major flooding events along the way. Maggie has the kind of hard-won, real-world experience you simply cannot get from a handbook. We are so grateful to her for hosting and for sharing so generously with everyone who came out.
Field days like this one are what CFA membership looks and feels like in practice: farmers, partners, and community members learning together, on the land, from people who are doing the work. If you are not yet a CFA member and want to be part of gatherings like this one, we would love to have you. Membership is how you stay connected to the network, the knowledge, and the people moving Kentucky’s food and farm community forward.
More field days are coming this summer, so stay tuned for dates and locations. In the meantime, follow CFA and Kentucky Horticulture Council to keep up with events, resources, and what is growing across the state.