OXFORD, Miss. -- The next Alliance of Sustainable Farms field day will feature a roundtable discussion on farm management and tour of Yokna Bottoms Farm on Aug. 16.

This field day and training workshop is the fifth in a series geared toward farmers and ranchers. Topics include production, finance, marketing, food safety and farm policy.

There is no cost to attend the field day. Lunch is included, but preregistration is required. Onsite check-in begins at 8 a.m. The program begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m. To register for the field day, email AllianceofSustainableFarms@gmail.com.

Yokna Bottoms Farm is located at 26 County Road 471 in Oxford. It is a 6-acre, Certified Naturally Grown vegetable farm in the Yokona River floodplain that has been in operation for 10 years.

"Yokna Bottoms focuses on a large diversity of crops but transitions through multiple types of crops through the transitions of the seasons," said Alliance Manager Keith Benson. "The goal is to grow crops that are suitable for the moment and well adapted to seasonal cycles. Minimal use of fertilizers, pesticides, plastic mulch and row covers are offset by the use of cover crops, crop rotation, companion planting and hedge breaks."

Alliance field day partners and sponsors include the Mississippi State University Extension Service, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Alcorn State University Extension Program, University of Mississippi Transactional Law Clinic, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, and Mississippi Department of Education.

MSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, please contact Benson at AllianceofSustainableFarms@gmail.com.

Contact: Keith Benson, 601-988-4999