July 5, 2001

NDSU Hettinger Research Extension Center to Host Grass and Grazing Tour July 10

The North Dakota State University Hettinger Research Extension Center will host a field tour of cool-season and warm-season grass varieties, and a winter grazing trial on July 10 at 3:00 p.m. MDT. Individuals interested in the tour should meet at the cool-season grass site located 2 miles south of Hettinger on Highway 8 and a mile east.

During the tour Dwight Tober, plant materials specialist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bismarck, will discuss the establishment of cool-season grass varieties in southwestern North Dakota and northwestern South Dakota. Eric Eriksmoen, NDSU agronomist at the center, will review weed control in grass variety plot establishments. NDSU Extension Service rangeland management specialist Kevin Sedivec will present research results on the cool grass variety production and nutritional quality at different growth stages. Staff from the Adams county NRCS will be on hand to talk about the programs available for assistance in grass seedings.

On the second half of the field tour individuals will visit the winter grazing study site located 3 miles southwest of Hettinger. This study was established in the spring of 2000 and will be a long-term study looking at the effects of winter grazing on the plant community and production of native rangeland in southwestern North Dakota and northwestern South Dakota. Sedivec and Timothy Faller, director of the Hettinger Research Extension Center, will introduce the concepts of the study and lead a discussion on the topic of winter grazing.

Individuals are welcome to join the speakers and the Hettinger Research Extension Center staff in the Hettinger Park for supper following the tour.

Specialists at the center are also involved in planning the Sioux county crops tour at Selfridge July 12, the Regent crops tour at 5 p.m. July 17 the New Leipzig crops tour July 19 at 6 p.m. and the Scranton crops tour at 6 p.m. July 20. For more information contact the Hettinger Research Extension Center at (701) 567-4323.

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Source: Jack Dahl, (701) 567-4323, jdahl@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu