NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

June 6, 1999

Summer Symposium to Feature Creative Marketing, Organic Production

A range scientist with the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station and two educators with the North Dakota State University Extension Service will take part in the annual summer symposium and farm tour sponsored by the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society. The day-long event is scheduled for Sunday, June 27, at a location about 50 miles north of Bismarck and is open to anyone interested in learning about organic greenhouse production, creative marketing, or sustainable options for pasture and crop land.

The symposium will kick-off with a panel discussion on creative marketing strategies involving farmers, marketers and retailers. Options for land coming out of the Conservation Reserve Program will be the focus of an afternoon workshop, with an emphasis on grazing options. Facilitators for that workshop are Paul Nyren, director of NDSU's Central Grasslands Research Extension Center located near Streeter, and Tom Hanson, sustainable ag coordinator for the NDSU Extension Service.

Hosting this year's symposium are neighbors Dwight and Patsy Duke and Keith and Terry Kadrmas, whose farms are located near Hensler, N.D. The Kadrmases operate a commercial-size organic greenhouse and raise vegetables for sale through farmers' markets, restaurants and grocery stores. The Dukes raise more than 30 vegetable crops for sale through retail and wholesale markets in the area, operate a greenhouse, and produce organic wheat, corn, sunflowers, flax, soybeans, oats, and barley.

Other symposium activities include the following:

• a tour of the Kadrmas organic greenhouse
• a farmer exchange of crop rotation strategies in wet versus dry years
• a demonstration of pest control using turkeys
• a discussion on modifying and building equipment for smaller-sized commercial operations
• a how-to workshop on saving and selecting seeds for field or vegetable crops, including information from Brad Brummond, agent in Walsh County for the NDSU Extension Service
• a workshop on developing markets for organic meat

The symposium will conclude with a farmer's market open to all farmers, gardeners and crafters, and a potluck social gathering. To obtain more information and registration materials, contact Tonya Haigh at (605) 627-5862 or Theresa Podoll at (701) 883-4304.

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Source: Paul Nyren (701) 424-3606

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136