Join Organic Seed Alliance and Warren Creek Farms at a variety trial field day to share results from the 2014 local organic silage corn variety trials. The field day will be held on September 17, 2014 at Warren Creek Farms in Arcata, CA.
Field day participants can expect to learn about the goals and methods of the trial, how to conduct their own on-farm variety trials, and which trial varieties performed best in the area.
Although silage corn is just a small part of the diet of local dairy cows, it is nonetheless an important local crop. Local silage producers face a couple of challenges. First, the Arcata area has a drastically different climate from the major corn producing areas. There are few varieties that are able to mature in the area because of the cool summers. Second, for the past decade or more, the major corn breeding companies have focused on varieties released with genetically engineered (GE) traits.
In order to provide coastal dairy farmers with better information about silage corn variety choices, Organic Seed Alliance is conducting a silage corn trial in 2014. This is a rigorous, replicated trial of 10 promising non-GE silage corns. Researchers and farmers will be looking at yield, maturity, and silage quality. This is being conducted in the Arcata Bottoms in partnership with Warren Creek Farms, and supported by UCCE-Humboldt, CCOF, Columbia Foundation, and Gaia Fund.
Warren Creek Farms is located at 1171 Mad River Road, Arcata, CA 95521. The event will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and is free and open to the public.
For additional questions, please contact Jared Zystro by email at jared[at]seedalliance[dot]com or by phone at (707) 502-9984.
