Learn how to design variety trials focused on culinary attributes
Conducting variety trials offer farmers an opportunity to work directly with plant breeders, seed companies, and the communities they feed. This intensive will walk participants through the basics of designing and implementing a variety trial, from articulating goals and selecting varieties all the way through analyzing and communicating the findings.
Importantly, this intensive will focus on evaluating varieties from a culinary perspective. In other words, how can tastings and culinary attributes (e.g., texture, color, flavor, and nutrition) be incorporated and evaluated as part of on-farm variety trials? More seed companies, researchers, and farmers are becoming interested in flavor and culinary quality as important components of variety decisions. Participants will gain hands-on experience in setting up a culinary evaluation and get the chance to interact with chefs and researchers who have been deeply involved in developing culinary evaluation methods.
This intensive will take place on Thursday, February 13 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the North Willamette Research and Extension Center located at 15210 NE Miley Road in Aurora, Oregon. The location is approximately 70 miles north of Corvallis. All participants are responsible for their own travel to and from the event location.
Looking to share a ride or room with other intensive and conference attendees? Visit the ride and room share page here.
Cost of intensive: $100 (includes breakfast and lunch)
Speakers: Micaela Colley, Organic Seed Alliance; Julie Dawson, University of Wisconsin-Madison and Seed to Kitchen Collaborative; Nicolas Enjalbert, SeedLinked; Solveig Hanson, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jonny Hunter, Seed to Kitchen Collaborative; Lane Selman, Oregon State University and Culinary Breeding Network; and Timothy Wastell, Chef
