Field Day

Penn State Extension and Star View Custom Farming will offer information about alternatives to manure surface application during a Spreading Challenges field day Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 9640 Anderson Road, Mercersburg. The event is free and refreshments will be served. In addition to an on-site field demonstration, and a question-and-answer session with a custom applicator, a full-scale odor analysis will be completed by Robin Brandt from The Pennsylvania State University and his odor-analysis team.

Kindergartners at Smithsburg Elementary pull on a rope in a tug-of-war competition Wednesday during the school's annual field day. Makenna Crouch makes bubbles along with the rest of the students as part of the day's events.

The fourth annual Western Maryland Goat Field Day and Sale will be Saturday, Sept., 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center. The top-performing bucks from the 2011 Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test will be offered for sale by silent auction. The sale also will include a private treaty sale of does. The bidding period for the goats is from noon to 2 p.m. The field day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. Ken Turner, a research animal scientist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center in Beckley, W.Va., will be the speaker.

The Maryland Grape Growers Association will hold its summer field day at Knob Hall Winery Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Knob Hall Winery is at 14108 St. Paul Road in Clear Spring. The agenda for the day wll focus on bugs, borers and berries - managing vineyard pests. The event will include a Knob Hall Winery overview, a vineyard conditions assessment and other issues related to growing grapes. Speakers include Chris Bergh, Anne DeMarsay and Joseph Fiola.

The Washington County Holstein Association held its annual field day July 7 at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center off Sharpsburg Pike.  Judge for the event was Bryant Hlavaty of Stone Mill Farm in Manheim, Pa. Winning Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor was DeBaugh Farms of Boonsboro. Exhibited by Palmyra Farm, Palmyra-Creek DP Sassy, a 4-year-old, won Open Class Grand Champion. Open Class Reserve Grand Champion was Spots-Pride A Gemini, a senior 2-year-old shown by Emily and Amy Yeiser.

WAYNESBORO, Pa. -- Hundreds of students at Summitview Elementary School enjoyed dozens of activities outside and inside during the annual field day event.

Where is Thomas Nast when you need him? The great, late-19th century political cartoonist (who began Boss Tweed's demise in New York City with humor) would have had a field day in Washington County these last few months. We've had magical increases in school site property values, a ballpark springing like a deadly mushroom amid downtown concrete (with an appearing and then disappearing donor) and a high-tech industrial park offering jobs normally found only in the shadow of one or more front-time research universities.

Salem Avenue Elementary School students play tug-of-war at Field Day as the school year came to an end.

andrews@herald-mail.com On Tuesday, about 400 children borrowed "Sir Duke" - Stevie Wonder's Big Band salute - for a dancing display of minds at work and bodies at play. After many weeks of practice, the student body of Fountaindale Elementary School in Hagerstown kicked off its annual Field Day with a group groove. "Am I nervous? Yep," choreographer Toby Towson said as he hurried across the pavement. He had a stepladder in one hand and a video camera in the other.

o Click here to see a gallery of photos from Wednesday's Special Olympics competition. CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. -- Athletes and coaches cheering "Go, Dana!" A young man jumping and waving his arms in joy after hitting a line drive. Parents taking pictures and video. The Special Olympics event and Field Day held Wednesday at the Franklin Learning Center wasn't about speed or strength. The center's 170 special-needs students instead enjoyed the camaraderie and fair weather as they participated in nine events.

The annual Halfway Park Days/Family Fun Day has been canceled. The event was to be held Saturday at Martin L. “Marty” Snook Memorial Park in Halfway. The event, long known as Halfway Park Days and hosted by the Halfway Lions Club, has been traditionally held over the Memorial Day weekend. Samuel Key, president of the Halfway Lions Club, which sponsors the event, submitted the following: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Halfway Lions Club has found it necessary to cancel the 2013 Family Fun Day/Halfway Park Days.

Alexa Ochoa has always been a big supporter of her siblings' sporting endeavors, but Friday was her day to shine. With her parents Gregory and Jennifer cheering her on, the 18-year-old participated in the Franklin Learning Center's Special Olympic Field Day, on Loop Road in Chambersburg. For nearly 130 of the center's special-needs students who participated in the event, it wasn't about winning or losing. It was about participation and encouragement. “It's an incredible event,” Gregory Ochoa said.

Two Martinsburg brothers are among the many Eastern Panhandle students who qualified Wednesday for the West Virginia State Math Field Day in April. David Zollinger and Robert Zollinger took first place in their age groups to qualify for the state competiton. In addition, their brother, Matthew, is an alternate for the state competition. There were approximately 250 students in grades four to 12 who competed in the Regional Math Field Day at Potomac State College in Keyser. Participants represented Berkeley, Grant, Hampshire, Hardy, Jefferson, Mineral, Morgan and Pendleton counties.

Listed are the names of those who placed in the Berkeley County Math Field Day last week at Musselman High School. The students are listed in the order they placed, followed by the name of their school.                         Fourth grade                                 1. Nina Saluja, Potomack Intermediate School                    2. Reese Luckwick, Orchard View Intermediate School                    3. Chloe Sanders, Orchard View Intermediate School            4. Cole Edwards, first alternate, Orchard View Intermediate School                    5. Kaiden Crawford, second alternate, Mountain Ridge School            6. Ethan Misera, third alternate, Tomahawk Intermediate School        7. Ava Kilmer,Orchard View Intermediate School                        8. Jordan Steward, Orchard View Intermediate School                    9. Isaac Roames, Potomack Intermediate School                        10. Emily Hott, Faith Christian Academy                                                        Fifth grade                                1. Rebekah Avey, Orchard View Intermediate School                    2. Korey Whitener, Potomack Intermediate School                    ...

Where is Thomas Nast when you need him? The great, late-19th century political cartoonist (who began Boss Tweed's demise in New York City with humor) would have had a field day in Washington County these last few months. We've had magical increases in school site property values, a ballpark springing like a deadly mushroom amid downtown concrete (with an appearing and then disappearing donor) and a high-tech industrial park offering jobs normally found only in the shadow of one or more front-time research universities.

The Washington County Holstein Association held its annual field day July 7 at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center off Sharpsburg Pike.  Judge for the event was Bryant Hlavaty of Stone Mill Farm in Manheim, Pa. Winning Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor was DeBaugh Farms of Boonsboro. Exhibited by Palmyra Farm, Palmyra-Creek DP Sassy, a 4-year-old, won Open Class Grand Champion. Open Class Reserve Grand Champion was Spots-Pride A Gemini, a senior 2-year-old shown by Emily and Amy Yeiser.

The Franklin County Beekeepers Association is conducting a five-session short course on beginning beekeeping for anyone interested in becoming a beekeeper. The Thursday classroom sessions will be March 8, 15, 22 and  29, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Franklin County Ag Heritage Building, 185 Franklin Farm Lane in Chambersburg.   There will be a field day at a local apiary on Saturday, March 24. The cost for the short course is $35 per family.   Subjects that will be covered include an introduction to beekeeping, bee biology, beekeeping equipment, maintaining healthy bees, installing packages and apiary colony management.

The fourth annual Western Maryland Goat Field Day and Sale will be Saturday, Sept., 24, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center. The top-performing bucks from the 2011 Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test will be offered for sale by silent auction. The sale also will include a private treaty sale of does. The bidding period for the goats is from noon to 2 p.m. The field day will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. Ken Turner, a research animal scientist from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Appalachian Farming Systems Research Center in Beckley, W.Va., will be the speaker.

Penn State Extension and Star View Custom Farming will offer information about alternatives to manure surface application during a Spreading Challenges field day Tuesday, Aug. 2, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at 9640 Anderson Road, Mercersburg. The event is free and refreshments will be served. In addition to an on-site field demonstration, and a question-and-answer session with a custom applicator, a full-scale odor analysis will be completed by Robin Brandt from The Pennsylvania State University and his odor-analysis team.

The Washington County Holstein Association held its annual field day July 2 at the Washington County Agricultural Education Center. Judge for the event was Jamie Hartman. Winning Premier Breeder and Premier Exhibitor was DeBaugh Farms of Boonsboro. Exhibited by Palmyra Farm, Palmyra Pontiac Gemmi, a senior 3-year-old, won Open Class Grand Champion and 4-H/FFA Grand Champion. The Open Class Reserve Grand Champion was Windsor-Manor SMR Radar-Red, a senior 2-year-old shown by Cory DeBaugh.