MSU Muscadine Field Day to be held Aug. 28

Published 12:33 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2025

CARRIERE, Miss. — Anyone growing muscadine grapes or interested in learning more about this fruit crop is invited to attend the Muscadine Field Day, hosted on Aug. 28 by Mississippi State University in Carriere.

The event takes place in the vineyard at the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s McNeill Unit. The event begins at 9 a.m. with an hour of instruction and questions and answers.

Eric Stafne, MSU Extension Service fruit crop specialist and MAFES researcher, is coordinating the event. He and Patricia Knight, director of horticulture research at the MAFES South Mississippi Branch Experiment Station in Poplarville, will welcome attendees on behalf of MSU. Blair Sampson, an entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture – Agriculture Research Service, will discuss the threat of the spotted lanternfly. Then, Jermaine Perier, an MSU Extension entomologist, will discuss vineyard insect management.

Jenny Ryals, an MSU doctoral student in horticulture, will give an overview of the USDA Transition to Organic Partnership Program, and Haley Williams, an MSU doctoral student in horticulture, will discuss wine blends with fruit.

At 10 a.m., guests can explore the MSU vineyard on their own, tasting and gathering fruit to take home in the bag provided. Stafne will discuss passionfruit production, Ryals will demonstrate planting a grapevine, and Williams will answer questions about enology and winemaking equipment.

There is no cost to attend this event. Registration begins on-site at 8:30 a.m. on the day of the event. The McNeill Unit is located at 7 Ben Gill Road, Carriere, Mississippi, across the road from Jack’s Fish House on Highway 11.

MSU is an equal opportunity institution. For disability accommodation, please contact Stafne at 662-769-9708 or eric.stafne@msstate.edu.