FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2018
CONTACT
Cathleen McCluskey, Organic Seed Alliance, (360) 472-0247, cathleen@seedalliance.org
Learn How to Identify the Best Varieties for Your Farm
Workshop series in the Midwest will teach farmers how to conduct on-farm variety trials
Madison, WI – Organic Seed Alliance (OSA), the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) have partnered to deliver a workshop series to help farmers manage risk by identifying crop varieties that are optimal for their production systems and markets. Four on-farm workshops will be held throughout the Midwest this summer.
Participants will have the opportunity to tour ongoing trials and hear details about the trial from the farmer. Learn why they chose the crop they did and how they decided to design the trial. Each workshop will include time to network and walk the field with the farm hosts, and for refreshments. All workshops are being offered free of charge.
June 28 | 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
We Grow LLC | Westboro, Wisconsin
This trial location features hoop house broccoli. We Grow LLC is a produce farm providing pastured heritage breed pork and free-range broiler chickens along with a wide array of seasonal vegetables grown without the use of synthetic inputs in a community supported agricultural (CSA) system. They use certified organic seed. Register for this workshop here.
July 1 | 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
PrairiErth Farm | Atlanta, Illinois
This trial location features yellow potatoes for early vigor and yield. PrairiErth Farm is a diversified operation producing corn, soybeans, oats, alfalfa, and grass hay, as well as 20 acres of vegetables, fruits, and flowers. In addition, they operate 40 acres of pasture-raised beef cattle, free-range chicken for eggs, and heritage breed pigs. PrairiErth farm also has an acre of restored native Illinois prairie. In 2017, Dave, Hans, and Katie were awarded the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service Farmer of the Year Award. Register for this workshop here.
July 12 | 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Hughes Farm | Janesville, Wisconsin
This workshop will be held as part of the Practical Farmers of Iowa and Organic Grain Resources and Information Network’s Small Grains, Modest Gains field day. OSA staff will lead a workshop on managing risk through on-farm variety trials during the afternoon session of the field day, which will also include workshops on small grains production, organic transition, and cover cropping. This trial location features food-grade corn and cover crop combinations. Hughes Farm produces certified organic and conventional field crops on over 5,000 acres of owned and rented land. Learn more here.
August 7 | 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Riverbend Farm | Delano, Minnesota
This trial location features curly kale for mid-season palatability. Riverbend Farm is an organic vegetable farm that provides produce to a CSA, restaurants, food co-ops, and schools. Farmer Greg Reynolds also saves seed from, and works to improve, varieties of several crops. Register for this workshop here.
These workshops are part of a larger project that includes the newly published The Grower’s Guide to Conducting On-farm Variety Trials, an online tool for planning and managing on-farm trials, and a webinar series focused on conducting variety trials.
The training is intended for farmers, researchers, and agricultural students. Participants are encouraged to review OSA’s publications and tutorials before the course at www.seedalliance.org/all-publications.
This project is funded in partnership by USDA, Risk Management Agency, under award number RM17RMEPP522C027.
Organic Seed Alliance advances ethical seed solutions to meet food and farming needs in a changing world
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