The University of Georgia faculty and staff at the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Research and Education Center in Watkinsville will host the center’s annual corn boil and open house on June 28 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Every year the center grows acres of sweet corn as part of a sustainable farming research project. During harvest, the center invites the public to partake in the fruits of their effort and learn about the work that is being done at the center.

Guided farm tours, which are free and open to the public, will run from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. to noon. Attendees will learn about solar pumps for livestock water troughs, rainfall simulation and erosion, satellite guided tractors, living mulch systems and cover crops.

Lunch will begin at 12:30 p.m. and include corn, hot dogs and accompaniments. Attendees should park at 1420 Experiment Station Road for lunch and for tour shuttles.

After the U.S. Department of Agriculture closed the J. Phil Campbell Sr. Natural Resource Conservation Center in August 2012, UGA took over management of the facility.

It has since become a hub for researchers across disciplines to study ways to make farming more sustainable.

The center’s fields, pastures and labs allow UGA faculty to continue research into sustainable agriculture and natural resources conservation. It currently houses about 30 ongoing UGA research projects on sustainable farming systems, nutrient cycling, water quality, organic production, livestock grazing systems, forage breeding and variety trials.

The Campbell Center also serves as a center for hands-on education through the office for UGA Cooperative Extension in Oconee County.

For more information about the J. Phil Campbell Research and Education Center visit www.caes.uga.edu/center/campbell.html.