UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa — Specialty crop producers can join fellow growers in a no-cost, evening field walk to explore practical strategies for fruit, vegetable and leafy greens production at an upcoming Penn State Extension event.

“Greenhouse and Berry Crops Field Walk” will be Oct. 9 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Twin Springs Fruit Farm, 936 Orchard Rd., Orrtanna. Attendees are asked to enter Rodney Lee Drive via the Orchard Road entrance only.

Twin Springs Fruit Farm is a diversified operation known for its tree fruits, berries, field crops and greenhouse production. Attendees will tour a portion of the farm, exchange ideas and explore practical strategies for successful fruit and vegetable production.

The meeting will start out in one of the operation’s vegetable production greenhouses, where Tom Childs, one of the farm’s managers, will talk about how the farm grows greens year-round. Participants then will move out into the field to discuss methods used for growing plasticulture strawberries with dormant plants as the planting stock. Organizers noted that this is especially timely considering current disease issues in parts of the strawberry plug plant supply.

Jesse King, Twin Springs co-owner, will show participants the farm’s bramble varieties and trellising methods, and Kathy Demchak, senior extension associate in plant science in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, will cover blueberry establishment practices, nutrition and current disease issues.

Among other topics, participants will explore:

— Techniques for planting bare root strawberry plants on plastic.

— Current issues affecting blueberry and raspberry production.

— Strategies for growing arugula and spring mix in greenhouse systems.

This no-cost session is supported by the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association and the Mid-Atlantic Strawberry Growers Association. Free refreshments will be served by The Cow to end the evening. Growers are welcome to stay and continue conversations informally afterwards.

Organizers encourage attendees to register before the event but welcome walk-in participants. They recommend that attendees wear sturdy shoes, as the tour will take place outdoors.

More information is available on the Penn State Extension website.