EARC Irrigated Field Day, July 16, Sidney

The first days of summer have come and gone. Now, it is time for the field days, the Montana State University Research Center Field Days.

Every year, through June and July, the MSU Eastern Agricultural Research Center in Sidney, Montana participates, along with other MSU Research Centers across Montana, in the Field Days program. During a Field Day, farmers and the general public are invited to come to the research station to go on a tour of the facility, learn about the researchers, places and projects involved with agricultural research at MSU's College of Agriculture and the Agricultural Experiment Stations, attend presentations on new strategies to grow crops and livestock, and the progress of the research stations on various projects.

The Eastern Agricultural Research Center just had their Dryland Field Day on June 20 where farmers and the public learned about practices involving dryland farming. Their Irrigated Field Day is not too far off. July 16, 2019, from 8:45 a.m. to noon, farmers and those who are just curious and eager to learn can attend. Chen told me that during this Field Day attendees will see various research projects, including strategies to control pests, weeds, and more agronomic farming practices. Breeders will come to discuss new varieties of wheat and demonstrate the use of drones to keep track of crop varieties. There will be a field demonstration and discussion on the potential of new crops such as industrial hemp for CBD or hemp oil, the fertility and weed control of alternative pulse crops like mung and adzuki beans, as well as a specialty breed of canola. This breed of canola has high omega-3 oil content in its oil similar to fish oil. There will also be a how-to discussion on no-till sugar beets and one on strategies for raising the protein level in peas.

As always, the field days are free to the public. Lunch will be provided. The Eastern Agricultural Research Center is located at 1501 North Central Ave, a mile north of Sidney, Montana. Chen said. "We all appreciate the general public, children, and farmers coming to learn and the community's support of the research center."