Carrington Research Extension Center to host field tours on July 16

An organic plot tour with sustainable agriculture topics will be one of the featured events during the annual field tours July 16 at North Dakota State University's Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC).

The 60th annual field tour will begin at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome. The organic agriculture plot tour will depart at 9:30 a.m. and conclude at noon with lunch.

The morning organic tour will address production issues with raising crops organically. Topics will include buckwheat, intercropping, transitioning to organic crops, oats, legumes and emmer.

"This tour is unique for NDSU with the hands-on research being conducted at the center," says Steve Zwinger, organic research specialist at the CREC. "Having certified organic field plots for doing organic research helps the organic industry. Te annual organic plot tour is one of the ways we help the organic industry sustain and advance its knowledge."

Topics and speakers for this year's tour include:

• Transitioning to organics - Clair Keene, Extension agronomy specialist at NDSU's Williston Research Extension Center and North Dakota's Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program co-coordinator

• Buckwheat, production and varieties - Verna Kragnes, Northern Plains Sustainable Ag Society, Fargo, and Rick Mittleider, organic farmer, Tappen, N.D.

• Intercropping in organics - Jim Eckberg and Tom Rabaey, General Mills production research agronomists

• Legumes in organic crop rotations - Blaine Schmaltz, Blaine's Best Seeds, Rugby, N.D.

• Perennial weed management - Greta Gramig, associate weed science professor, NDSU Plant Sciences Department, Fargo

• Organic education programs: OATS (Organic Agronomy Training Series) and SARE -Keene

• Emmer production and variety development Kragnes and Schmaltz

•Organic research at NDSU - Gramig

Other events at the CREC on July 16 include agronomy, Northern Hardy Fruit Project and livestock production tours in the morning.

The tours will depart at 9:30 a.m. and run until noon. Topics for the afternoon session will focus on agronomy.

For more information about the organic/sustainable agriculture program, contact Zwinger or Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the center and North Dakota SARE co-coordinator, at 701-652-2951, or email Zwinger at [email protected] or Hoppe at [email protected].

The Carrington center is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project will be the focus of one of four tours offered during the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center's 60th annual field day set for July 16.

All field day events begin at 9 a.m. with a welcome from center director Blaine Schatz. Tours will begin at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Lunch will be served at noon. No preregistration is needed.

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project field tour starts at 9:30 a.m. Kathy Wiederholt, Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC) fruit project manager, will lead the tour of the center's fruit orchard.

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project was established in 2006 to introduce and demonstrate alternative, economically viable fruits that will grow in North Dakota. The project features black currant and Juneberry variety trials, as well as demonstration plantings of University of Saskatchewan cherries and haskaps; apples; aronia; red and black currants; grapes; honeyberries; and plums.

The CREC livestock, crop and organic production tours also begin at 9:30 a.m.

For more information on the tours that are part of this year's field day, contact the center at 701-652-2951 or visit its website at https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/CarringtonREC.

NDSU Agriculture Communication - June 27, 2019