June 26, 2003

 

Field Day To Be Held At Dickinson Research Extension Center

The 31st annual Dickinson Research Extension Center field day is scheduled for Wednesday, July 9. The day-long activities will give participants a look at the research and activities conducted at the Center, says director Kris Ringwall.

"This is our annual open house for everybody and involves presentations on many of the activities from agronomy to landscaping," Ringwall said. "Our summer field day provides opportunities for education for all people who are involved or seek to get involved in the biology of plant growth."

The day will start with coffee and rolls at 8:30 a.m. (MDT). The morning agronomy tour will follow. Lunch will be provided and the afternoon malt barley tour will start at 1 p.m. At 4 p.m. a horticulture question and answer session will be held. A barbeque supper sponsored by nearly 100 southwest North Dakota businesses will be held at 5 p.m.

Pat Carr, Dickinson Research Extension Center associate agronomist, will host the morning tour which will give participants an opportunity to see spring wheat, durum, oat and barley variety trials. A discussion on transgenic crops will also be held.

The afternoon tour focusing on malting barley will feature a trip to an offsite location to update active producers on opportunities in malt barley production. This will provide insights into the opportunities that exist in the region for barley production.

Jim Nelson, Dickinson Research Extension Center scientist, said participants of the afternoon tour will see over 120 varieties of two row and six row barley grown under different conditions.

"In addition, we will have marketing, breeding and research leaders in the barley industry leading the discussions and presentations," Nelson said.

Stark-Billings County Extension agent Jerry Larson will lead the horticulture question and answer session. Participation from families and non-producers is encouraged in the horticulture discussion.

"Urban agriculture is a fast growing segment of our economy," Ringwall says. "Homeowners are invited to tour the grounds and see trials on many projects from grass to vegetables and landscaping."

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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483_2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Rich Mattern, (701) 231-6136, rmattern@ndsuext.nodak.edu