Join the 2025 Hay and Wheat Show by August 12

By Blake Jackson

Hay samples for the upcoming 2025 Hay Show must be submitted by noon on Tuesday, August 12, at the Ag Progress Days site. Samples can be delivered to the J.D. Harrington Building or the designated Hay Show drop-off zone at the east entrance.

Those wishing to arrange a local drop-off with a Penn State Extension representative should email PAForageGrassland@gmail.com.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the top five entries in each class: $20 for first, followed by $15, $10, $5, and $3. Every participant will also receive a complimentary forage quality analysis.

Entry is free for current Pennsylvania Forage and Grassland Council (PFGC) members, while non-members are required to pay a $12 fee per sample.

Detailed entry categories, submission guidelines, and the official entry form can be found in the 2025 PFGC Hay Show Brochure.

Join the PFGC board and members on Wednesday, August 13, for a picnic and guided forage research tour at the Rock Springs Research Farm. The evening begins at 4:30 p.m. with appetizers before embarking on a wagon tour of the research plots.

Penn State staff and researchers will offer insight into ongoing forage studies throughout the tour. The event concludes with a catered BBQ dinner and open discussion.

The event will be held at the Penn State Agronomy Research Farm, located at 1796 W. Pine Grove Road, Gate D, Pennsylvania Furnace, PA 16865. Adult registration is $20, with reduced rates available for children. More details and registration are available in the Picnic and Research Tour Brochure.

For questions about PFGC events at Ag Progress Days, contact Terri at 814-355-2467 or email paforagegrassland@gmail.com.

Penn State Extension’s Field and Forage Crops team is launching a Soft Red Winter Wheat Contest, assessing grain quality by test weight, moisture, protein, and falling number.

Submission kits are available and must be mailed by July 25, 2025, with forms included. Late entries arriving after July 29 will not be accepted.

Top entries will receive ribbons, and the winner will receive a printed copy of the 2025 Penn State Agronomy Guide. For kits or local coordination, contact Daniela Carrijo at dzc5792@psu.edu or call 814-863-2535.

Photo Credit: istock-zhaojiankang