source: Farm and Food Report
Prince Albert’s Conservation Learning Centre (CLC) has made a habit of featuring new developments on farm-scale soil and water conservation technology since 1993.
The CLC Forage Field Day on June 28 promises to be just as revealing, according to Manager Laurie Hayes.
“This is a research and demonstration facility used for the evaluation and applicability of new research and technology. The CLC is located on 800 acres of land (457 owned; 343 rented) 18 km south of Prince Albert in the Parkland Region of Saskatchewan. In addition to 600 acres of cultivated, annually cropped land, the CLC has areas dedicated to forage production, dense nesting cover, shelterbelts, a shelterbelt garden, a woodlot, riparian areas, herbs and a nature trail,” says Hayes.
“Every year, we have between 30 and 50 projects — some are long-term and some are annual. This year, we highlight new varieties that include new legumes and grasses, as well as turnips and corn for grazing.”
The new forage varieties featured include PC perennial rye, New Hy RS wheatgrass and switchgrass, for which the CLC is engaged in a collaborative ethanol straw fermentation project.
The CLC features rolling topography, wetlands and remnant native upland areas rather than the very uniform landscapes characteristic of most research facilities. Because of the variable topography and emphasis on field scale activities, many scientists from federal, provincial, university and private research institutions undertake work at the Centre.
As well, the CLC has continued strong support from 25 to 30 agencies and corporations that participate in demonstration and research activities on the farm.
“Our annual crop ‘projects’ are field scale, with the forage demonstrations smaller, usually less than 10 acres in size. We use the same type and size of agricultural equipment to do this as producers themselves. We direct seed all our forages into standing stubble, whereas other operations might prepare the land the old-fashioned way.”
The CLC hosts between three and nine tours annually for local, regional, provincial, national and international producers, researchers and industry representatives, as well as extension personnel.
“Our Forage Field Days targets mixed farmers and livestock producers. We will tour sites on and near the CLC farm, and the representatives of each initiative and crop variety can interpret their own findings to participants. We will also be having discussions on fertility and weed control in forages.”
The CLC has a plan to attract new attendees – consumers – to future field days, says Hayes. “For our Canola Field Day, a nutritionist will talk about the value of canola and flax products to our health – with samples on hand to taste as part of the exercise. Because our approach is very hands on, we find this is an excellent way to communicate with our audiences.”
The Conservation Learning Centre is part of the Agri-ARM (Applied Research Management) network supported by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food. To find out more about the CLC and its activities, visit: http://www.conservationlearningcentre.com/index.html
For more information, contact:
Laurie Hayes
Manager, Saskatchewan Conservation Learning Centre
(306) 953-2796
Prince Albert’s Conservation Learning Centre (CLC) has made a habit of featuring new developments on farm-scale soil and water conservation technology since 1993.
The CLC Forage Field Day on June 28 promises to be just as revealing, according to Manager Laurie Hayes.
“This is a research and demonstration facility used for the evaluation and applicability of new research and technology. The CLC is located on 800 acres of land (457 owned; 343 rented) 18 km south of Prince Albert in the Parkland Region of Saskatchewan. In addition to 600 acres of cultivated, annually cropped land, the CLC has areas dedicated to forage production, dense nesting cover, shelterbelts, a shelterbelt garden, a woodlot, riparian areas, herbs and a nature trail,” says Hayes.
“Every year, we have between 30 and 50 projects — some are long-term and some are annual. This year, we highlight new varieties that include new legumes and grasses, as well as turnips and corn for grazing.”
The new forage varieties featured include PC perennial rye, New Hy RS wheatgrass and switchgrass, for which the CLC is engaged in a collaborative ethanol straw fermentation project.
The CLC features rolling topography, wetlands and remnant native upland areas rather than the very uniform landscapes characteristic of most research facilities. Because of the variable topography and emphasis on field scale activities, many scientists from federal, provincial, university and private research institutions undertake work at the Centre.
As well, the CLC has continued strong support from 25 to 30 agencies and corporations that participate in demonstration and research activities on the farm.
“Our annual crop ‘projects’ are field scale, with the forage demonstrations smaller, usually less than 10 acres in size. We use the same type and size of agricultural equipment to do this as producers themselves. We direct seed all our forages into standing stubble, whereas other operations might prepare the land the old-fashioned way.”
The CLC hosts between three and nine tours annually for local, regional, provincial, national and international producers, researchers and industry representatives, as well as extension personnel.
“Our Forage Field Days targets mixed farmers and livestock producers. We will tour sites on and near the CLC farm, and the representatives of each initiative and crop variety can interpret their own findings to participants. We will also be having discussions on fertility and weed control in forages.”
The CLC has a plan to attract new attendees – consumers – to future field days, says Hayes. “For our Canola Field Day, a nutritionist will talk about the value of canola and flax products to our health – with samples on hand to taste as part of the exercise. Because our approach is very hands on, we find this is an excellent way to communicate with our audiences.”
The Conservation Learning Centre is part of the Agri-ARM (Applied Research Management) network supported by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food. To find out more about the CLC and its activities, visit: http://www.conservationlearningcentre.com/index.html
For more information, contact:
Laurie Hayes
Manager, Saskatchewan Conservation Learning Centre
(306) 953-2796
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