The Ill i n o i s S t a t e H o r t i c u l t u r a l Society’s
Summer Horticulture Day

Thursday June 17, 2004

Eckert's Country Store & Farms ¾ Belleville, IL

Eckert's Country Store and Farms will be the site of the Illinois State Horticultural Society Summer Horticulture Day, on Thursday, June 17, 2004. The first fruit trees were planted on the Belleville Turkey Hill farm in 1890.

Eckert's, family owned and operated since 1837, by seven generations, is the largest pick-your-own operation in the United States. The first roadside stand was started in 1910. Eckert's has farms located in Belleville, Grafton, and Millstadt, Illinois. Originally a fruit orchard, the operation has grown into family entertainment centers that feature special children's activities, annual events, festivals, the Country Store and Restaurant. The home place in Belleville features the Country Store, a Garden Center, a Country Restaurant, an old fashioned Custard Shop, and fruit orchards.

TENTATIVE AGENDA

8:00 A. M. REGISTRATION

8:30 A. M. WELCOME AND INTRODUCTION OF GUESTS

8:45 A. M. ORCHARD TOURS

Peaches: Brad Taylor-Prune & Production, Rick Weinzierl-Insects

Mohammad Babadoost-Diseases

Apples: Mosbah Kushad-Chemical Thinning, Weinzierl-Insect Evaluation &

Pheromone Trapping, Babadoost-Disease Forecasting

Brambles: Maurice Ogutu-Pruning and Maintenance

Vegetables: Elizabeth Wahle-Weeds & Weed Control in Pumpkins, Alan Walters-Pumpkin Cultivars for Illinois & Insect Pollination, Bill Shoemaker-Effective Plastic Mulching in Cucurbit Production

12:15 P. M. LUNCH & PRESENTATIONS

2:00 P. M. TOURS

WAREHOUSE-Chris Eckert

MARKETING-Angela Gordon

PYO & ENTERTAINMEMNT-Jill Tantillo

RETAIL FOOD SERVICE

Country Store- Judy Eckert

Country Restaurant- Jill Tantillo

Garden Center- Angie Eckert

The Belleville Farm is located at 951 S. Green Mount Road, Belleville, Illinois, 62220-4813, (618/233-0513) southeast of downtown. It is north of IL State Route 15 or I-64 exit #16 south.

On-site registration begins at 8:00 a.m. with a welcome and introduction of guests that will start at 8:30 a.m. Field visits will begin immediately after. The cost to attend is $20 advance or $25 at the door. Advance reservations are appreciated. For more information contact: Don H. Naylor, Executive Secretary at 15962 Old Orchard Road, Bloomington, IL 61704, telephone 309/828-8929 or email: fernwoode@yahoo.com.

Sponsors: The Illinois State Horticultural Society, the University of Illinois, Southern Illinois University, The Illinois Specialty Growers Association, The Illinois Department of Agriculture