July 8 - 9
Northern Plains Sustainable Agricultural Society
Summer Tour, Crookston-Fertile

Location: Organic Farms Near Crookston and Fertile
Registration is Friday and Saturday from 7:00-7:30 am at Seven Clans Hotel, Thief River Falls, MN. Registration fee is: Single day $35 NPSAS members and $45 non members; Full conference $55 NPSAS members and $60 Non members. There is an additional cost for bus ride. Contact NPSAS 701-883-4304 for registration form and details, or Email: tpnpsas@drtel.

July 11 through 15
Red River On-Farm Wheat Field Trials and
Wheat Fungicide Research Plot Tours

Five plot tours to review the University of Minnesota’s Red River On-Farm Yield Trials and Wheat Fungicide Research will be held July 11-15, 2005 at locations throughout the Minnesota wheat-growing region.

   2005 Wheat Tour Locations

July 12
Sugarbeet Plot Tour - Comstock, MN

Tim Thompson farm, Comstock, MN
Take the Hickson exit off I-29. Go eight miles east of Comstock, just east of the Buffalo River. South side of road.

9:30 am to 10:15 am Weed Control  . .. . . .  Dr. Alan Dexter
10:15 am to 11:00 am Disease Control   . . Dr. Mohamed Khan

July 13
Northwest Research and Outreach Center: Crops and Soils Field Day

The 2005 edition of the Northwest Research and Outreach Center’s Crops and Soils Field Day is scheduled for Wednesday, July 13. Visitors are asked to come to the NWROC’s North Agronomy Farm, approximately 1.0 mile north of the University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) campus on Highway 75. Parking areas will be clearly marked.

Registration and refreshments begin at 8 a.m. A complimentary lunch will be served beginning about 12 noon at the North Farm. Mark your calendars and plan to attend this exciting and educational program. In case of rain, a modified program will be presented and the speakers will be available for consultation. Additional details and a complete schedule are available.

For further information, Dr. Jochum Wiersma, Small Grains Specialist, NWROC, Crookston, MN 56716. Phone 218-281-8629

Sugarbeet Plot Tour - Crookston, MN

Sugarbeet weed plots are just north of the old Univ. Of MN. - Crookston campus, east of the horse barn and other buildings.

1:00 pm to 1:45 pm Weed Control . . . . . . . Dr. Alan Dexter
1:45 pm to 2:30 pm Crop Production. . . . . Dr. Larry Smith
2:30 pm to 3:00 pm Disease Control . . . . . Dr. Mohamed Khan

July 14
Organic Plot Tour, Comstock, MN

The Organic Plot tour will be held near Moorhead MN beginning at 4 p.m. on Thursday July 14th. The tour will start at the the Lynn Brakke farm near Comstock. His farm is located 1 mile south of Comstock on US highway #75 and east on Clay County #51 approximately 3.5 miles. Replicated organic wheat and soybean trials will be visited. Dr. Hans Kandel, who has conducted these experiments together with Dr. Paul Porter, will provide insights in the selection of the different crops. He will also provide an update on the research conducted on rye and work on soybean aphids Part of the funding for this research came from a Northwest Regional Sustainable Partnership grant. Wheat evaluation is a cooperative project with North Dakota State University researchers. There will be a hands on evaluation demonstration of the different wheat varieties. Lynn Brakke will talk about the latest GPS guided controlled traffic system that he has implemented to reduce soil compaction. Rick Abrahamson, U of M Extension will give a crop status update.

The tour will conclude around 6 p.m. with a light meal at the Lynn Brakke farm and informal learning. This tour is a must for those interested in organic crop production.

The event is organized by the University of Minnesota and sponsored by Northwest Regional Partnership and Clay County Extension Service. Participation is free and open to the public.

For more information about the tour contact Hans Kandel, University of Minnesota Extension Educator at 1-888-241-0781 or e-mail kande001@umn.edu Or Rick Abrahamson University of Minnesota Extension Clay County, 218-299-5020, 1-800-299-5020 or e-mail abrah195@tc.umn.edu

July 18
Forage Nutrient Plot Tour - Lake Park, MN

Alfalfa producers in central and northwest Minnesota are invited to participate in a Alfalfa Field Day in the Lake Park area on July 18, 2005. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with Triangle Agronomy Services sponsoring lunch and refreshments at the American Legion in Lake Park after the plot tour. This Field Day is free to producers and is sponsored by Triangle Agronomy Services, NDSU Plant Sciences, Agriliance, Mosiac Company, the University of Minnesota Extension Service and County Extension Service Offices of Becker, Clay, Mahnomen, Norman, Polk, Otter Tail and Hubbard County.

Kristal Rick Sales & Marketing Manager from Triangle Agronomy Services and Will Yliniemi Hubbard/Becker County Extension Educator, will host the Field Day. Dwain Meyer, Professor & Forage Specialist from NDSU and Ray Novak from Mosaic Company will discuss Fertility Management in Alfalfa Production; Jason Hanson , Agronomist from Agriliance will present information on Micronutrient Utilization in Alfalfa; Phil Glogoza, Extension Crop Specialist from Moorhead will discuss Alfalfa Pests.

Alfalfa producers should mark their calendars for this July 18 Alfalfa Field Day. The field day plot tour will be located at the Wesley Torgerson farm, 3.5 miles north of Lake Park on west side of Hwy 7. For more information please contact Will Yliniemi, Extension Educator; at the Hubbard (218.732.3391) or Becker (218.846.7328) Extension Offices; by cell phone at 1-218-252-1042; by email at ylini003@umn.edu ; or Kristal Rick, at Triangle Ag in Lake Park at 1.866.600.1007 or by email at kristal.rick@triangleag.net.

July 19 & 20
Polk County Soybean Growers Association Soybean Variety Plot Tours   -   10am to Noon at McIntosh & Crookston

The Polk County Soybean Growers Association Soybean Variety Plot tours will feature 42 Roundup Ready Soybean Varieties and 13 Conventional Soybean Varieties at each location.  Seed company representatives will be on hand to discuss their varieties entered into the trials. Ian MacRae, U of M Extension Entomologist will discuss the soybean aphid and other insect outlook at the tours. Char Hollingsworth, U of M Extension Plant Pathologist will give a soybean rust update for NW Minnesota soybean production. A complimentary noon lunch will be provided by the Polk County Soybean Growers Association and the participating seed companies following each tour.  The Crookston lunch will be at the Minakwa Country Club and McIntosh at the Community Center catered by Neil’s Quality Meats.

Tuesday, July 19th  the plot location is at the Dewayne “Punky” Ostenaa Farm which is located at the intersection of Polk County Roads #8 & #30 (east side of Co. Rd. #8) just north of the city limits of  McIntosh.

Wednesday, July 20th the plot location is at the Tyler and HD Ross Farm which is located    2 miles west of UMC (intersection of Hwy 2 & 75) on US Hwy 2 on the south side of the highway.

July 19 & 20
‘Winter Wheat as a Viable Alternative’ Plot Tours at Fosston & Crookston  

On July 19 and 20 the University of Minnesota Extension Service will organize two field tours to demonstrate winter wheat production in Northwest Minnesota. Winter wheat offers a number of advantages over hard red spring wheat with 1) an efficient use of labor and equipment by spreading out the labor film, 2) a reduced the need for selective herbicides, and 3) higher grain yield potential. Dr. Jochum Wiersma will discuss winter wheat variety selection and general winter production practices for the region. There is no charge to attend these plot tours, which are sponsored by the Minnesota Extension Service with support from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council’s wheat check off. Refreshments will be served.

Tuesday, July 19 – 1:30 – 3:00 pm, Fosston, Vig Farms:  From Fosston, follow Co. Rd. #1 4 miles west and south, then head 2.5 miles south on Co. Rd. #32 (gravel road), plot is on the west side of the road.
Wednesday, July 20 – 8:30 – 10:00 am, Crookston, AWG Farms Inc.:  From the intersection of US Hwy #2 & #75 north of Crookston, go 3 miles west on Hwy 2 and 1.25 miles north on township road.  Plot is on the east side of the road.

July 21
Soybean Field Day - Callaway, MN

Soybean producers in Central & Northwest Minnesota are invited to participate in a Soybean Field Day in the Callaway Area on July 21, 2005. The event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with an industry sponsored noon meal included. This Field Day is free to producers and is sponsored by: the University of Minnesota Extension Service, Becker County Extension Service, Midwest Bank, Triangle Ag, Callaway CHS Elevator, and soybean growers in the Callaway area. University Extension Educators and Industry professionals will participate in field discussions on soybean production issues. Extension Educator Lisa Behnken, Crop Specialist from Rochester, and former Becker County Extension Educator will give a talk on her recent USDA Soybean Rust fact-finding trip to Brazil.

July 22
Soybean Field Day - Elbow Lake, MN

Soybean producers in west central Minnesota are invited to participate in a Soybean Field Day and Soybean Rust Seminar in the Elbow Lake area on July 22, 2005. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This Field Day is free for producers and is sponsored by the University of Minnesota Extension Service and the County Extension Service Offices of Otter Tail and Grant County.

In the morning, University Extension Educators Phil Glogoza and Doug Holen will participate in field discussions on soybean production issues, sentinel plots, aphids and diseases.

Late morning at the community building, University of Minnesota Extension Educator Lisa Behnken, from Rochester, will give a talk on her recent USDA Soybean Rust fact – finding trip to Brazil and some information on understanding the threat of soybean rust to Minnesota soybean growers.

Soybean producers should mark their calendars for this July 22 Soybean Field Day. For more information, please contact Doug Holen, Extension Educator in Fergus Falls at (218) 998-5787 or by e-mail holen009@umn.edu.

Directions:

To Field- From Elbow Lake head east ½ mile on Highway 79 and field will be on south side of Highway 79.

To Elbow Lake Community Center- On the SW corner of the intersection between Central Ave. and Highway 79 (south of courthouse on Main Street).