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.