Carrington Research Center Field Day

The NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC) will host its 58th annual field day on July 18 starting at 9 a.m. with refreshments and introductions.

The morning field tours will depart at 9:30 and cover a number of topics and disciplines. CREC, in conjunction with the U.S. Organic Grain Collaboration (OGC), will host an organic plot tour in the morning that will review and view the organic research that is being conducted at the center. In the afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m., CREC and OGC will have an indoor workshop on the popular and important topic of soil health.

This field day will offer a diverse set of speakers and subject matter throughout the day. This year’s organic field tour will feature Dan Barber, author and chef, from Blue Hill at Stone Barn along with Fred Kirschenmann, Leopold Center and Stone Barn. They will provide insight and wisdom at both the morning tour and the afternoon workshop.

The morning organic plot tour, “Feeling our Oats, Giving Peas a Chance and Honoring our Elders” will focus on oats, field peas and local grains. Participants will learn about oat varieties and breeding from NDSU oat plant breeder Mike McMullen. Tom Rabaey, General Mills production research agronomist, will inform tour goers on oat production and current organic research being conducted. Representatives from General Mills will also provide insights on consumer needs and wants related to oats and cereal grains. Organic oat breeding at the University of Manitoba will be covered by Jennifer Mitchell Fetch along with the opportunity to view her lines that are being developed for organic production. Steve Zwinger, CREC research specialist, will talk on oats for forage use along with viewing an experimental oat line being developed for forage use. Noreen Thomas, Doubting Thomas Farms, will present on the topic of marketing oats for local markets.

Organic field pea variety development will be covered by Byron Lannoye, Pulse USA, and will feature new varieties developed exclusively for organic agriculture. These varieties have been developed and trailed in a multi-year project through a collaborative effort by the NDSU CREC, Pulse USA and the NPSAS Farm Breeding Club.

Fred Kirschemann will provide his insight on the future of organic agriculture while Dan Barber will cover a chef’s perspective on the use of local and organic grains. To round off the tour, Rich Horsley, NDSU barley breeder and Plant Science chair, will cover the subject and recent research related to cereal grains for local craft use.

After the morning tours, a meal will be provided from noon to 1 p.m. free of charge. At 1 p.m. an indoor soil health workshop will be held featuring a number of speakers including university researchers, farmers and ranchers and NRCS staff. Topics range and include information from livestock, cover crops, no-till, weed ecology, NRCS, and field and garden production and how each affects soil health. Feature speakers, Dan Barber and Fred Kirschenmann will give their views on soil health and how it relates to food production and nutrition, quality and taste. Additional speakers include, Marisol Berti and Greta Gramig, NDSU scientists, Darrell Oswald, rancher and NRCS staff, Theresa Podoll with Prairie Road Organic Seed, and Hal Weiser, NRCS Soil Health Specialist.

This organic tour at the NDSU CREC is being sponsored and/or advertised by the U.S. Organic Grain Collaboration, General Mills, MOSES and NPSAS.

The tour is free of charge and no registration is required.

Directions: Carrington Research Center,
663 Hwy. 281 NE, 3.5 miles north of Carrington
on Hwy. 281, west side, watch for signs.