July 27, 2007

Haskell Agricultural Laboratory, near Concord, part of the Northeast Research and Extension Center

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord will celebrate its 50th anniversary Aug. 14 with an open house, field tours, exhibits and hands-on educational activities for youth and adults.

Six field trips are planned both before and after lunch. They will include the arboretum, organic farming, riparian buffer, crop pest management, crop management and livestock production.

Displays are planned on such topics as building strong families, niche pork production, best practices in grazing management, bug and tree identifications, water testing and the national animal identification system. A shooting sports trailer will be on site, as will UNL Extension's BITmobile. Other hands-on activities will include robotics and Quilt Quest.

A prime rib sandwich lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m. Lunch speakers include J.B. Milliken, president of the University of Nebraska; John Owens, vice chancellor of the University's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Chuck Hassebrook, NU regent; and District 19 State Sen. Mike Flood.

The Haskell Ag Lab, near Concord, grew out of local interest that ag research be conducted in the region. The Experimental Farm Association took donation of a 320-acre farm from the C.D. Haskell family and turned it over to NU in 1957. About 10 years ago, the site, originally named the Northeast Nebraska Experimental Farm, was renamed the Haskell Agricultural Laboratory after the donors. The facility continues to conduct research in beef cattle, swine, crop production and crop nutrition, crop pest management and other ag and natural resources issues.

The Haskell laboratory, which is affiliated with the university's Northeast Research and Extension Center, also provides research-based extension information for youth, families and communities. From cooking and sewing demonstrations in the 1960s to online lessons and tools today, staff help inform youth and adults in the areas of 4-H youth development, nutrition and health, family and consumer science, and community development.

Events are planned from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 14. More information is available on the Web at http://nerec.unl.edu/50th.html.

The Haskell lab is part of the University's Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources.