Farm, Garden & Outdoors calendar published Dec. 10, 2022
Dec. 10—Crop irrigation systems funding: The Natural Resources Conservation Service and Kandiyohi Soil and Water Conservation District is seeking to help agricultural producers who are currently using crop irrigation systems to implement conservation practices. This water-focused partnership helps landowners or producers to upgrade their crop irrigation systems in various ways that help protect groundwater and promote expanded precision irrigation practices. The project area for this grant opportunity covers all of Kandiyohi County and the application deadline is Dec. 16.
These conservation grants help to fund eligible improvements to crop irrigation systems including: the renovation of existing sprinkler systems, soil moisture sensors with data recorder and telemetry, motor upgrades, irrigation water management plan, and more. Certain secondary practices are also eligible for funding, such as cover crops, reduced/no till, and nutrient management, provided an irrigation practice is applied for on the same field. For more information, contact the Kandiyohi SWCD office in Willmar.
2022 Soil Management Summit: Dec. 15-16, St. Cloud, $125 early bird rate for farmers, $180 after Nov. 30. Kandiyohi Soil and Water Conservation District has two scholarships of 50% of registration fees for farmers in Kandiyohi County; first come, first served. Cultivating soil productivity and health emphasizes proven farmer experience and applied science. Straight from the fields, learn how heavier, colder soils aren't necessarily the challenge they're made out to be. Hear from longtime no-till, reduced tillage, and cover crop farmers as they share their experiences, so you can be spared the same hard-learned lessons. Additional topics will include managing controlled traffic, Kernza production, planting green, insect management, planter settings, farm economics, and more. There will be presentations and Q & A with researchers, farmers and agricultural advisers, information from sponsors, and conversations with farmers experienced in different soil health practices with opportunities to interact with experienced producers and researchers. Break-out sessions provide presentations from researchers and practitioners. Table talk discussions give you a chance to ask questions of practitioners and specialists and panels of farmers and agronomists will share their practical experiences. Those who attend the entire conference will be offered certified crop adviser continuing education units for a fee.
Women in Dairy: Jan. 12, 6:30 to 9 p.m., Crow River Winery, Hutchinson, $20, advance registration required by Dec. 22, call
320-484-4305
. Laura Daniels will speak on "Using Baler Twine & Barn Lime to Live a Life with Purpose."
Women in Ag Network Conference: Feb. 7, 8:30 to 3 p.m., Willmar Conference Center, $75, early bird through Jan. 16, $100 after, students $25, register at
. Theme is "Building resilience on your farm and in your family" with keynote speaker Monica McConkey and three breakout tracks and closing panel discussion.
Farmland rental: Rates are the largest input cost the farmer has. Determining a fair farm rent agreement is always challenging. Both in-person and webinar sessions will be held this year. Attendees will receive several informative worksheets and fact sheets that will help to determine what a fair 2023 farmland rental rate is. The remaining meetings set for this area are:
* Willmar: Dec. 15, 9:30 a.m., Mid-Central Research & Outreach Center
* Willmar webinar: Jan. 12, 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., Zoom presentation
* Hutchinson webinar: Jan. 26, 9:30 a.m. or 1:30 p.m., Zoom presentation
More information including location addresses and additional dates available at
Strategic Farming: Let's Talk Crops webinar series. This free, live, online program will provide up-to-date, research-based information to help optimize your crop management strategies for 2023. Sessions will be held over Zoom from 9 to 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Jan. 11 through March 29. Sessions will begin with a brief presentation by the discussion leaders for the day, followed by discussion framed around farmer/participant questions on the topic. Register at
for the entire program series. Sessions will be recorded and posted for viewing later. The date, subject and leaders for each session are:
Jan. 11: Forecast for the season — weather, economics and supply chains; Ed Usset, University of Minnesota Extension grain marketing economist, and Pete Boulay, assistant state climatologist, DNR.
Jan. 18: What's bugging my corn? An outlook on corn rootworm and more; Anthony Hanson, Extension educator in integrated pest management, and other IPM specialists.
Jan. 25: Climate factors and nitrogen management; Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist, and Brad Carlson, Extension educator in water resources.
Feb. 1: Semi-dwarf corn & soybean cyst nematode breeding efforts; Rex Bernardo, professor and endowed chair, corn breeding and genetics, and Aaron Lorentz, associate professor, soybean breeding and genetics.
Feb. 8: Are biologicals in corn & soybean logical? Seth Naeve, Extension soybean agronomist, and Dan Kaiser, Extension nutrient management specialist.
Feb. 15: Weed management in the era of increasing herbicide resistance; Debalin Sarangi, Extension weed management specialist.
Feb. 22: "Can I take an N credit?" and other cover crop FAQs; Anna Cates, state soil health specialist, and Matt Ruark, Extension soil scientist, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
March 1: Expanding your rotation with small grains; Jochum Wiersma, Extension small grains specialist.
March 8: Corn tar spot distribution, development and management; Dean Malvick, Extension plant pathologist, and Darcy Telenko, Extension field crop pathologist, Purdue University.
March 15: Alfalfa weevil and other alfalfa management challenges; Craig Shaeffer, Extension forage agronomist, and Anthony Hanson, Extension educator in integrated pest management.
March 22: Soybean pests — what's up with the new and old ... are they a big deal?; Bob Koch, Extension entomologist.
March 29: Get your planters ready; Extension researchers, educators and agronomists.
Creating your own pollinator habitat: Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., free, advance registration required, contact Tarah Young,
or
218-384-3511
. This three-part webinar series will cover how to create a pollinator-friendly garden on Jan. 31, a bee lawn on Feb. 1 and starting a pocket prairie on Feb. 2.
Gardening from the ground up: Feb. 20-24, 1 to 2:30 p.m., free, online; University of Minnesota Extension educators present the fourth annual webinar series. The free virtual workshops will focus on trees and shrubs in the home landscape. Webinars will cover topics ranging from tree establishment to proper pruning techniques, to tree pest management — all useful for any curious beginner gardener or yard owner. Recordings of the webinars will be sent out at the conclusion of the series.
Sibley State Park: A vehicle permit is required to enter the park and is available online. Sibley State Park is west of New London just off U.S. Highway 71. For more information, visit the state Department of Natural Resources website at
.
* Winter walk: Dec. 10, 2 to 3 p.m., at the Interpretive Center. Hike the Pondview Interpretive Trail, a 0.7-mile loop with a maximum 7 percent grade for 190 feet. Wear appropriate clothing for the weather.
* Skin and bones: Dec. 10, 11 a.m. to noon, at the Interpretive Center. See how many pelts and skulls you recognize and compare them to other animals found at the park.
* Owl pellets: Dec. 17, 11 a.m. to noon, at the Interpretive Center. Do you know what an owl's favorite food is? Find out by exploring the clues they leave behind in their pellets.
* Scats and tracks: Dec. 17, 2 to 3 p.m., at the Interpretive Center. Learn about the scats and tracks of resident wildlife and how to identify them.
* First day hike: Jan. 1, 10 to 11 a.m., at the Interpretive Center. Hike the Pondview Interpretive Trail, a 0.7-mile loop with a maximum 7 percent grade for 190 feet; wear appropriate clothing for the weather
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center: Trails at the rural Spicer center may be used during daylight hours at no cost. A bathroom with composting toilets is open by the pavilion. Pets should be on a leash. All equipment rentals (fat-tire bikes, kayaks, canoes) will be handled on a reservation basis, made at least 24 hours in advance. To reserve equipment for the weekend, please call by noon Friday. Two-hour equipment rental is $20 for adults, $10 for members and $5 for all youth. Call
320-354-5894
.