NDSU Offers Free Soil Testing at Big Iron

North Dakota State University Extension Service soil health specialists will test producers' soil for salinity on Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Big Iron farm show at the West Fargo Fairgrounds.

Producers can bring a soil sample to the NDSU Extension table for the free test.

"Salts are native to North Dakota's glaciated mineralogy," says Chris Augustin, area Extension soil health specialist at NDSU's North Central Research Extension Center near Minot. "The past 20 or so wet years have moved these minerals to the topsoil. Water then evaporates, leaves salts behind and creates the white spots that reduce crop yields.

"Salinity management is water management," he adds. "We need to dry down soils so salts move below the root zone. Farming practices that do this include cover cropping, perennial cropping, no-tilling and subsurface drainage."

To provide soil for the test, take samples from a handful of spots in a field, mix the soil and take a sample of the mixture. That sample should contain about a cup of soil. Place the sample in a small dish on a sunny windowsill for a few days to allow the sample to dry. Then place the sample in a zip-top plastic bag and bring it to Big Iron.

"The test will take only a few minutes," Augustin says. "We see white scars across North Dakota and know that salts are lowering crop yields. We hope this quick test gives our farmers an idea of how bad it is and that they know we are here to help them fix these issues."

Soil Salinity Field Day Set for Sept. 5 Near Grand Forks

The David Burkland farm near Grand Forks is the site for a soil salinity field day on Sept. 5.

The event is free and open to anyone interested in soil salinity, according to Abbey Wick, North Dakota State University Extension Service soil health assistant professor.

The day begins with registration at 8 a.m. At 9 a.m., Lionel Olson, NDSU Grand Forks County Extension agent, and Paul Bjorg of the Natural Resources Conservation Service will discuss soil salinity issues in Grand Forks County.

Other topics and presenters are:

* Soluble salt movement and accumulation --Wick and Chandra Heglund, NDSU Soil Science graduate student

* Crop/variety selection and cover crops for saline soils -- Ross Rivard, Rivard's Turf and Forage Co.

* Fundamentals of iron deficiency chlorosis -- Sarah Lovas, West Central Inc.

* Cover crop rooting (soil pit) -- Chris Augustin, NDSU Extension area nutrient management specialist

* Tiling and water management -- Tom DeSutter, NDSU environmental soil scientist and professor

* Tile design and management issues -- Tom Scherer, NDSU Extension water quality and irrigation specialist

* Economics of tiling -- Dwight Aakre, NDSU Extension farm management specialist

A free lunch will be provided following the presentations. Those wishing to attend the field day are asked to preregister before Sept. 3 by contacting Linda Hammen at the Grand Forks County Extension office at (701) 780-8229 or email at linda.hammen@ndsu.edu.

Three continuing education credits in soil and water management will be offered to those attending the event.

The salinity field day is sponsored by the NDSU Extension Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Grand Forks County Soil Conservation District, AgCountry, and Rivard's Turf and Forage Co.

NDSU Horticulture Research Field Day Set for Aug. 20

If you are interested in learning more about woody landscape plants, tree diseases and small-fruit research, plan to attend the North Dakota State University Horticulture Research Field Day.

The tour begins at 5 p.m. at the NDSU Horticulture Research Farm and Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum near Absaraka. Beverages and cookies will be provided.

The tour will include NDSU tree and shrub selections, ongoing research, common and exotic species, and the dwarf conifer collection. Research trials on Juneberries and grapes will be featured. Information on hybrid poplar diseases, emerald ash borer and pine/spruce diseases also will be presented.

The 80-acre farm includes the 35-acre Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum, which has the largest collection of woody plants in the northern Plains, plus additional plot research areas.

Todd West, NDSU associate professor in woody plant selection and introduction research; Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, NDSU professor in high-value crop research; and Jared LeBoldus, NDSU assistant professor in tree pathology research, will do presentations on their research activities.

Joseph Zeleznik, NDSU Extension Service forester, and Aaron Bergdahl, North Dakota Forest Service forest health specialist, will provide updates on issues relating to North Dakota's woody plants.

Directions to the NDSU Horticulture Research Farm:

>From the east/west: Take Interstate 94 and turn north at Wheatland exit 324. Follow the pavement to the north. The road curves to the west shortly after passing through Wheatland. Turn north (right) on Cass County Road 5 (paved road). At the Absaraka corner, the road changes to gravel at a slight curve. Go north about three-fourths of a mile (sign posted). Turn east (right) on a field road and proceed one-half mile to the Horticulture Research Farm, which is bordered by trees.

>From the north: Take Interstate 29 south to Argusville exit 79. Go west approximately 20 miles on Cass County Road 4 (paved). Turn south on County Road 5 (gravel, sign posted) for approximately four miles. Turn east (left) prior to the Absaraka corner (sign posted) and proceed one-half mile to the Horticulture Research Farm, which is bordered by trees.

NDSU Master Gardener Classes Set to Start Sept. 27

North Dakota master gardener training is more convenient and flexible than ever, according to Esther McGinnis, the North Dakota State University Extension Service master gardener coordinator.

The core master gardener course will be offered online and in a traditional classroom setting. If weekday morning classes conflict with an individual's schedule, the classes can be watched online. Also, all assignments will be online.

The traditional classroom training will be conducted at several locations in the state, including Ashley, Bismarck, Cooperstown, Devils Lake, Dickinson, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, Napoleon, Wahpeton, Watford City and Williston.

The online and classroom sessions will run for eight weeks beginning Sept. 27 and ending Nov. 15. The training sessions will be held every Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (CDT).

"Topics will include annual and perennial flowers, selecting and planting trees and shrubs, soil health, plant diseases and pests, landscape design, vegetable and fruit production and so much more," McGinnis says.

The cost is $150 for those wishing to become a certified master gardener and $300 for those just interested in taking the class. Computer knowledge and Internet access is required. All handouts will be available online for participants to access and print.

Certified master gardeners are required to complete 48 hours of approved volunteer work through their NDSU county Extension agent. The volunteer work should be completed within 24 months following the completion of classes.

"The master gardener program goes beyond ordinary and invests in creating leaders to serve the needs of their communities," McGinnis says. "Master gardeners become ambassadors to assist the NDSU Extension Service in providing accurate and environmentally sustainable horticultural advice."

For more information, contact your local NDSU Extension Service office or McGinnis at (701) 231-7406.

To register, go to http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/mastergardener. All registration is done online and payment is by credit card or electronic check only. The registration deadline is Friday, Sept. 13.

Row Crop Tour Set for Sept. 5

Farmers, crop advisers and agricultural industry representatives are invited to attend a row-crop field tour on Thursday, Sept. 5, at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center. The tour will begin at 4 p.m. and conclude with a sponsored supper.

Participants will view field research trials and receive production recommendations on corn, dry beans and soybeans, according to Greg Endres, NDSU Extension Service area agronomist.

"Our objective is to concisely discuss as many production subjects and share as much research trial data as possible to give participants information they can utilize for their farms or farm clients," Endres says.

The tour agenda includes:

* Corn growing season review, plant establishment and intensive management

* Dry bean plant establishment and disease management overview

* Soybean variety selection and plant establishment

* Row crop disease management with emphasis on root rots, white mold (sclerotinia) and soybean cyst nematode

Tour speakers include NDSU agronomists and plant pathologists, plus industry agronomists.

North Dakota commodity organizations associated with the crops covered during the tour are refreshment and meal sponsors, and will provide brief updates on their activities during supper.

Continuing education credits will be available for certified crop advisers participating in the event.

Additional information about the tour is available from the Carrington REC at (701) 652-2951 or on the Web at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/CarringtonREC.

Stoltenow Named NDSU Extension Assistant Director

Charlie Stoltenow has been appointed the North Dakota State University Extension Service's assistant director and program leader for agriculture and natural resources.

Stoltenow has served as the interim assistant director and program leader for the past 11 months. He assumes the assistant director position Aug. 1.

"Agriculture and our natural resources are vitally important to North Dakota, so we are extremely pleased to have Dr. Stoltenow provide leadership to our Extension efforts in these areas," says NDSU Extension Service Director Chris Boerboom. "Charlie is passionate about the work of Extension and recognizes the importance of the teamwork and partnerships in all that we do."

Stoltenow grew up on a farm near Great Bend. He earned a bachelor of science degree in animal science from NDSU in 1981 and a doctor of veterinary medicine degree from Iowa State University in 1985. He worked in private practice and for the federal government before joining NDSU in 1996.

He has been the NDSU Extension veterinarian for 17 years and is a professor in NDSU's Animal Sciences Department. He also served as director of the NDSU Veterinary Technology academic program for two years and is a leader of the Extension livestock team.

"Agriculture and natural resources have been and will continue to provide a solid foundation for an economically successful North Dakota," Stoltenow says. "The NDSU Extension Service has been part of that success for close to 100 years, and I am excited to be part of the next 100 years."