Summer 2008

NPARA NEWS

WHEAT VARIETY DEMO:

Soft White Spring: ANDREW

Prairie Spring: CRYSTAL, 5700

Hard Red: HARVEST, SUPERB, INTREPID, MCKENZIE, SPLENDOR, PRODIGY, JOURNEY

Hard White Spring: SNOWBIRD

Extra Strong: LASER

INTERCROPPING FOR GRAIN PRODUCTION:

Midas Peas & Ranger Barley

Snowbird Fababeans & Splendor Wheat

Midas Peas & 45H72 Clearfield Canola

BENEFITS OF GROWING PULSES:

Demonstration of the agronomics of growing fababeans (Snowbird), soybeans (90A01, 90M01 and LS0036 - light sensi-tive) & field peas (Midas).

MOLYBDENUM ON PEAS TRIAL:

Three different levels of Molybdenum were applied to the peas at seeding. The effect on nodulation & yield will be measured.

INTERCROPPING FOR FORAGE PRODUCTION:

Ranger Barley and Baler Oats with Prima Fall Rye, Osprey Winter Wheat and Fridge Winter Triticale

Barley and oats with peas

ALTERNATIVE FORAGES:

Three millet varieties: Red Proso, Golden German & Prairie Gold

Fenugreek - an annual legume

Cowboy, Ranger & Sundre barley varieties compared

Comparison of forage oat varieties: Baler, Murphy & Everleaf

GROW YOUR OWN NITROGEN DEMO:

In 2007 we demonstrated growing nitrogen on-farm (green ma-nure) in a zero-till system with 4 different pulses: fababeans, soy-beans, peas & lupins. These pulses were desiccated and mowed or rolled (to obtain plant to soil contact) at different plant stages. The plots were soil tested this spring and seeded to Splendor wheat - yield data will be collected this fall.

CAMELINA:

Also known as False Flax, we grew this crop last year and are allow-ing it to volunteer this year. It is a low input oilseed crop that has potential in the bio-fuel industry and as a feed source.

TREES, TREES & MORE TREES!!!!!!!!

We planted over 600 more trees this

spring adding to the Shelterbelt Tree

Project started last year. We now have

over1200 trees featuring 45 varieties

including: buffalo berry, lilac, sea

buckthorn, chokecherry, maple, green ash, 5 willow

varieties, 13 varieties of poplar, larch, mayday, bur

oak, American elm, dogwood, hawthorn, pincherry,

some fruit trees and a few ornamentals. They are all

signed so come out & have a look!!!!! We are also

demonstrating the benefits of using plastic

mulch which promotes faster tree growth

by providing weed control, conserving

soil moisture and preventing erosion.

NEW FACES AT NPARA Faces are changing at NPARA. In May we welcomed Jana Ungarian as Summer staff. Jana is a farm girl originally from the Hotchkiss area. She graduated from Lethbridge College this spring with her degree in Kinesiology. On June 2, we welcomed Janey Martens on staff as our full-time Research Technician. Janey originally hails from La Crete, but has resided in the Manning area for the last 1

Janey Jana

Volume 2, Issue 2

North Peace Applied Research Association

Page 2 NPARA NEWS

EVENT DATE TIME LOCATION CONTACT COST

Biofuel Debate June 16 8:30 am -

4:15 pm

Legion Hall

Grimshaw

NPARA: 836-3354 $25 includes

lunch

Tree Pest Workshop June 29 1:00 - 3:00

pm

NPARA Farm: 1 mile

west of North Star

NPARA: 836-3354 No charge

Pasture Schools with Jim

Gerrish

Week of July 21 TBA Various sites through

out the Peace

NPARA: 836-3354 TBA

NPARA Annual Field Day July 31 11:00 am -

3:00 pm

NPARA Farm: 1 mile

west of North Star

NPARA : 836-3354 $10 nonmembers

Western Canadian Grazing

Conference

Dec 3-5 Mayfield Inn

Edmonton

Joy Vonk : 780-416-6046 $190/person

UPCOMING EVENTS

BIOFUEL DEBATE

How Much Do You Know

About BIOFUELS?

Impacts & Markets...Where to From Here?

WHEN: June 16 8:30 am - 4:15 pm

WHERE: Grimshaw Legion Hall

NPARA wants to know what interests you. Call us or contact a board member: Bill Gaugler @ 836-3652; Arie Loogman @ 971-2103; Ed Schmidt @ 836-2107; Michael Scott @ 332-2848; Mark Ressler @ 836-2789; Teresa Tupper @ 981-3928 or Tim Burdick @ 836-3079. Our phone number is 836-3354 and we are locat-ed in the old ATB Building next door to Manning Custom Meats. Looking forward to hearing from you — Nora Paulovich, Research Coordinator, npara1@telus.net; Janey Martens, Research Technician and Jana Ungarian, Summer Staff

PASTURE

SCHOOLS WITH

JIM GERRISH Livestock Grazing Specialist

& Experienced Grazier from May, Idaho. Jim has a

wealth of practical experience in forage management and

livestock grazing to share. His experience includes over 20

years of beef-forage systems research and outreach plus 20

years of commercial livestock production on his family

farm. His research encompassed many aspects of plant-soil-

animal interactions and provided the foundation for many

of the basic principles of Management-Intensive Grazing.

THANK-YOU FOR SEED AND FERTILIZER

DONATIONS: John Russnak, Gene Kuhn, Cliff

Enders, Gordon Downey, Ed Schmidt, Leonard

Gordey, Ed Kamieniecki, Mike & Marianne Kniel,

Sam King, Nick Underwood, Peace Pedigreed

Seeds, Viterra & Cargill.

HUGE THANK-YOU TO

AND FOR ALL OF THEIR

YEARS AS NPARA BOARD MEMBERS. YOUR TIME &

EXPERTISE WERE GREATLY APPRECIATED.