February 17, 2000

Bowling Green, Ky. -- Western Kentucky University's Agricultural Research and Education Complex isn't your typical farm.

If you've traveled along U.S. 31-W south of Bowling Green, you've seen the barns, livestock and crops. If you've visited the L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center, you've seen horse shows, rodeos and other events.

But you haven't seen what makes the WKU farm different. Now the WKU Agriculture Department is giving you an opportunity to take an inside look with a self-guided tour of the Agricultural Research and Education Complex.

"We felt like the public should be aware it's used for teaching and research," said Dr. Jenks Britt, head of the Agriculture Department.

Visitors will see that Western is responding to changes in the agriculture industry and is conducting numerous research projects. In recent years, the department has increased its training for nontraditional farm enterprises, including horticulture and golf course and turf management. Of the department's record 519 majors enrolled last fall, half didn't grow up on a farm, Dr. Britt said.

The farm has offered guided tours for school groups, conventions and other large gatherings, but the self-guided tours will give families and others the opportunity to view farm activities at their own pace.

"We want it to be as convenient to the public as possible," Dr. Britt said. All tours are free and visitors are encouraged to take the tours during daylight hours and during good weather.

The self-guided tour begins at a large sign just inside the farm entrance on Nashville Road. Visitors pick up a map and a list of the 32 sites along the tour. The tour normally takes between 45 and 90 minutes.

Among the highlights along the tour are:

• Turf/golf course management. WKU's turf/golf program has about 40 students who are being trained to manage golf courses, including grass selection, irrigation, operation and repair of mechanical equipment.
• Wetlands site. Western is the only university in Kentucky with a wetlands that is designed to purify water from livestock operations or small towns.
• Dairy/beef cattle. Western has a 70-cow dairy herd and 100-cow beef herd and is conducting research into breeding management. At the dairy barn, visitors can observe the cows being milked at 4:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.
• Agronomy/crop production. The farm produces cool season and warm season grasses for livestock forage and for research projects and produces corn, wheat and soybeans. During the growing season, visitors can see 100 crop varieties and the types of pest controls used.
• Coal research. The farm is the site for research and analysis being conducted by Western's Applied Physics Institute.
• Mulch site. This is one of the areas many homeowners and gardeners have visited. Western recycles leaves, manure and other materials into mulch. Proceeds from mulch sales are used for scholarships.
• Greenhouse. Horticulture students get hands-on experience and conduct research in the greenhouse. The department may add picnic tables to this site for family outings.
• Riding arena. In the past three years, Western has received more than $1 million for construction projects, including a new arena that gives the complex another facility to host riding events and other activities.
• L.D. Brown Agricultural Exposition Center. The facility is the site of more than 200 events per year and attracts more than 100,000 people to the Agricultural Research and Education Center.

Other stops on the tour include houses where farm managers and student workers reside, sheep and swine units and other research facilities.

The self-guided tours may be limited when the Agricultural Research and Education Complex is hosting major events or is busy with seasonal farming activities.