SDSU Extension is offering western South Dakota residents a hands-on agricultural learning opportunity at one of its research farms.
The West River Field School is from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. MT on June 18, 2024, at the SDSU West River Research Farm near Sturgis. It is free, and lunch will be provided.
Space is limited and registration is required. To register, visit the SDSU Extension Events page and search “school”.
The field school is held every other year and combines educational sessions with a farm tour. Patrick Wagner, SDSU Extension Entomology Field Specialist, said this year’s presentations focus on the agricultural diversity in western South Dakota.
Presentations are:
- Grazing cover crops/soil health – Dave Ollila, soil health technician with the South Dakota Soil Health Coalition and Tanse Herrmann, state grazinglands soil health specialist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Entomology – Patrick Wagner, SDSU Extension Entomology Field Specialist
- Climate update – Laura Edwards, SDSU Extension State Climatologist
- Drone demonstration – Logan Vandermark, SDSU Extension Precision Livestock Field Specialist, and Ira Parsons, SDSU Department of Animal Science assistant professor
- Farm tour (optional) – Chris Graham, associate professor and SDSU Extension Agronomist
Except for the climate update, each presentation will be held outside to give attendees opportunities for hands-on learning experiences. Wagner, for example, will show people how to use sweep nets to catch and identify insects.
“They’re not going to be sitting in a classroom,” Wagner said. “It’s a nice opportunity for people to get some real experience with what we do at the farm and to learn things they can take back to their own operation.”
The West River Research Farm is part of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station at SDSU. The farm tour is scheduled to last about an hour and will show attendees the different research plots underway at the farm. Wagner added that experts will be available throughout the day to answer questions.
Reference material will be provided to attendees, and certified crop advisor educational credits are available.
Source : sdstate.edu