Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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WSU Small Farms Program Field Day - featuring pastured poultry, potatoes,
winter squash, cover crops, organic systems
Monday, September 20, 1-3 pm - WSU Puyallup Research and Extension Center
Growers interested in sustainable small-scale vegetable production systems
are invited to a field day sponsored by Washington State University's
Small Farms Program. WSU soil scientists plan to share their research
results on:



1) Integrating pasture into organic vegetable production systems. Field
day participants will see the equipment used in the pastured poultry trial
and hear about new experiments that evaluate pasture mixes for soil
building and poultry production.



2) Potato and winter squash varieties. Growers can compare winter squash
varieties transplanted into black plastic and paper mulches and direct
seeded into bare soil. Seven potato varieties are also on display.
Researchers will choose from among these varieties for cropping in the
organic systems experiment in 2005.



3) Interseeded cover crops. This is the second year of an experiment to
assess the feasibility of interseeding cover crops into vegetable crops.
This summer, researchers planted hairy vetch, woolypod vetch, and red
clover between the rows of sweet corn and snap beans. They broadcast the
red clover and are evaluating broadcast and drilled stands of the vetches.
Growers can compare the cover crops in the field and hear about results
from last year.



4) Organic systems experiment. This is also the second year of a long-term
organic systems experiment comparing the effects of different organic
management systems (cover crops, tillage, and soil amendments) on crop
production, weed management, soil quality and economics. The experimental
plot will be planted to late spinach this fall. Researchers will discuss
recent work on weed management and soil quality, and will introduce new
research on insect populations.



All growers and other members of the public are welcome and are encouraged
to bring questions and ideas to this free event. These trials were
designed through conversations with small-scale growers and will be most
effective with their continued involvement, according to WSU.



The event is set for September 20, from 1 to 3 p.m., rain or shine, at the
WSU Puyallup Research & Extension Center, 7612 Pioneer Way East, Puyallup.
The field day will be held on the north side of Pioneer Way, across the
street from the WSU sign and near the white barns. Directions are on the
web at: www.puyallup.wsu.edu/map.htm. More info on the research trials is
available at www.soils1.org.

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_________________________________________
For more info contact:

Richard Hines
Communications & Development Specialist
Small Farms Program
Center for Sustaining Agriculture & Natural Resources
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
(253) 445-4549
rhines@wsu.edu
On the Web: smallfarms.wsu.edu & csanr.wsu.edu

===============
>From or Forwarded by: Chrys Ostrander
Chrysalis Farm at Tolstoy
Grower of Organic Produce and Botanicals
33495 Mill Canyon Rd.
Davenport, WA 99122
Phone: (509) 725-0610
"The purpose of agriculture is not the production of food, but the
perfection of human beings" Masanobu Fukuoka - "One Straw Revolution"

Email: <mailto:chrys@thefutureisorganic.net>
URL: http://www.thefutureisorganic.net