SI Events

A silvopasture-pollinator field day at Mary Dirty Face Farm, co-hosted by Moses and the Xerces Society. A silviculture expert from the Savanna Institute will evaluate recently planted tree strips and talk about species selection, installation, and weed management. Farm host Rachel Henderson and Xerces pollinator specialist Sarah Foltz Jordan will discuss habitat value both in terms of forage/shade for livestock and food/nesting for pollinators, especially specialist bees, butterflies, and moths that require certain tree and shrub species to survive.

Join the Savanna Institute and Central Illinois partners for a field day exploring alley cropping design, establishment, maintenance, and expansion at the Memorial 4H Camp Demonstration Farm. This 35 acre site features a unique partnership that illustrates annual row crop productions between paddocks of native and timber trees, as well as an innovative groundcover experiment utilizing native grasses and forbs. Come prepared to walk the site and learn the many possibilities for agroforestry and alley cropping for soil health, water quality, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and profit diversification!

Savanna Institute visits Lily Springs Farm to learn more about the varieties of elderberries they are trialing, and how they manage pest and diseases for this up and coming crop. Farm tour begins at 10 am and concludes at 1 pm on Saturday, August 28th. For more information on Lily Springs, visit their website at : http://www.lilyspringsfarm.com.