When the corn is as high as an elephant’s eye at the J. Phil Campbell Research and Education Center, it can only mean one thing. It’s time to fire up the burners and boil some corn.
Conceived of as a way to introduce neighbors to the farm’s research when the 1,055-acre farm was operated by the USDA, the center’s annual corn boil is just what it sounds like — a feast made from the corn grown on the property.
The open house runs from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on June 27, with lunch service starting at about 11:30 a.m. Van tours of the farm will depart every 15 minutes.
Since 2013, J. Phil Campbell has served as the hub for the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences sustainable row crop and sustainable pasture research. From living mulch to rotational grazing for grass-fed beef, researchers here are working to make traditional agriculture more profitable and more sustainable.
The center currently houses about 30 ongoing UGA research projects on sustainable farming systems, nutrient cycling, water quality, organic production, livestock grazing systems, forage breeding and variety trials.
The Campbell Center also serves as a center for hands-on education through the office for UGA Cooperative Extension in Oconee County.
The event is free and open to the public. Call 706-310-2253 for more information, and send a RSVP message to bpowell@uga.edu to ensure that organizers provide enough food.
