Oklahoma State University Extension specialists gave farmers and agricultural professionals a hands-on look at crop production, pest management, soil health and irrigation technology during the recent OSU Extension Demo Day in Chickasha.
Oklahoma Farm Report intern Haden Snelson spoke with OSU Extension specialist Brian Arnall during the event about the demonstrations available to attendees and plans to expand the program in the future.
“We had a great range of demonstrations,” Arnall said.
One stop focused on integrated pest management, commonly known as IPM. Participants learned how to scout fields for insects and diseases using methods ranging from visual observation to tools such as drop nets.
Other demonstrations helped producers identify crop growth stages and understand how those stages can influence management decisions throughout the growing season.
“I think one of the fan favorites was the soil pit,” Arnall said.
The soil pit demonstration gave attendees a belowground look at how soils form and how different layers can affect crop production. Additional stops covered corn ear development and methods for controlling tumble windmill grass.
Producers also had an opportunity to learn more about evaluating declining alfalfa stands. Arnall said the demonstration placed participants in an alfalfa field and challenged them to determine whether the field should remain in production or be terminated and rotated to another crop.
Water management was another major focus of the event. Demonstrations covered both agricultural spraying and irrigation systems, including spray-tip selection and irrigation nozzle performance.
“We got to see really a lot of the water tech, both sprayer and irrigation side,” Arnall said.
Arnall said attendance was close to what organizers expected for an event held during the middle of July. Demonstrations were divided among three trailers, with organizers seeking to keep each group to roughly 20 people.
“The big goal was that no more than about 20 people per stop, because we wanted to keep it small and intimate where the questions were flowing, and we really had that,” Arnall said. “People were wandering around, really getting hands on and getting to see what we’re doing.”
OSU Extension is already planning additional Demo Day events. Arnall said a spring event is expected to take place in Lahoma when sorghum is beginning to emerge.
“We want wheat, corn, canola, sorghum, soybean,” Arnall said. “We’re going to go through all the crops.”
Organizers also plan to continue the program into the summer and take the event to a different part of Oklahoma in 2027. Arnall said a location has not yet been selected, but the next Demo Day could potentially move toward southeastern Oklahoma.
