NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center Field Day offers variety of tours

Farmers, ranchers, crop advisors, horticulturists and others have the opportunity to see cutting-edge agricultural research come to life through a variety of tours and demonstrations at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC) Field Day on July 16. Topics of tours include beef production, agronomy and specialty crops, northern hardy fruit, and organic and sustainable agriculture.

The center's 65th annual field day begins at 9 a.m. with registration, coffee and a welcome address by NDSU leaders, including NDSU President David Cook, and special guests. At 9:30, attendees will have the opportunity to choose from four tour options that run concurrently. Lunch will be served at noon with an afternoon tour on specialty crops available from 1:15 to 3 p.m.

"This is the premier summer event to showcase our center's research in action and share new developments in agriculture," says Mike Ostlie, director of the CREC. "The best part is that the information is generated locally, which gives people a chance to see and hear real-world solutions that work in our region."

Morning tours include beef production, agronomy, northern hardy fruit, and organic and sustainable agriculture.

Beef Production Tour

Research results, feedout project results and precision technology highlight this year's beef production tour.

Topics and speakers are:

• Feedout project updates, Dakota Feeder Calf Show, and Angus University – Karl Hoppe, Extension livestock systems specialist at the CREC.

• Livestock research update – Colin Tobin, animal scientist at CREC.

The tour will include demonstrations of technology for livestock production. Demonstrations include:

• Camera sensors for estimating cattle condition – Tobin.

• Virtual fencing for cattle – Miranda Meehan, Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist, NDSU Department of Animal Sciences.

• Ear tags and other precision livestock technologies – Guillermo Scaglia, department chair, NDSU Department of Animal Sciences.

• Camera grading for quality grade at local locker plants – Shane Wendel, Dakota Angus LLC, Carrington.

Agronomy Tour

Crop agronomics, marketing and pest management are among the topics that will be covered during the morning agronomy tour.

Topics and speakers are:

• NDSU crop breeder updates on spring wheat and dry beans – Andrew Green, wheat breeder, and Juan Osorno, dry bean breeder, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences.

• Managing kochia and other difficult weeds in corn and soybean – Joe Ikley, Extension weed specialist, NDSU Department of Plant Sciences.

• Soybean marketing and crush facility updates – David Ripplinger, Extension bioproducts/bioenergy economist, NDSU Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics.

• Nitrogen and microbe fate in different cropping and tillage systems – Kelsey Griesheim, assistant professor in soil fertility, NDSU School of Natural Resource Sciences; Samiran Banerjee, assistant professor, NDSU Department of Microbiological Sciences; and Sergio Cabello Leiva, soil scientist at the CREC.

• Dry bean fungicide application recommendations for 2024 – Michael Wunsch, research plant pathologist at the CREC.

Organic and Sustainable Agriculture Tour

"Sustainable agriculture encompasses a wide range of crop production practices, including organic methods that are profitable, environmentally sound and beneficial to the community," says NDSU Extension agent Jeff Gale, one of the organizers for the organic and sustainable agriculture tour.

This year's tour will highlight the opportunities and challenges farmers face when raising row crops organically. The tour will start with an over view of the organic research program at the Carrington Research Extension Center and then delve into various aspects of organic practices, covering topics such as equipment, weed control and harvest techniques.

The tour's speakers include experienced row crop farmers with the Organic Academy Roadshow, along with staff from the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

Gale, Hoppe and Extension agent Lindy Berg organized the tour and also serve as co-coordinators of the North Dakota Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.

Northern Hardy Fruit Tour

The Northern Hardy Fruit Evaluation Project orchard will be the site of a tour featuring the project's latest research. This year's tour will focus on black rot disease in apple trees.

The featured presenter is Jim Walla, retired NDSU woody plant pathologist. Walla owns and operates Northern Tree Specialties, which provides selective tree health consulting, specialty trees and shrubs from a backyard nursery, and contract research. Kathy Wiederholt, 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 plantings include apples, aronia, hardy cherries, black and red currants, grapes, haskaps and honeyberries, juneberries, pears and plums.

Afternoon Specialty Crops Tour

After lunch, participants have the opportunity to attend an afternoon tour on specialty crops. Topics include lupin, kernza, pennycress, sorghum and cover crops. The tour will provide hands-on experience with these crops and share information about production, opportunities and pitfalls for these crops, all of which have emerging markets in North Dakota. Speakers include Ostlie, Leiva, CREC agronomist Kristin Simons, NDSU assistant professor in climate smart approaches in agriculture Lindsay Malone, and David Marks from Forever Green.

The noon meal is free of charge thanks in part to support from Green Bison Soy Processing and the CREC.

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

For more information, contact the center at 701-652-2951 or visit ndsu.ag/crec-field-day.