Last week on Tuesday, July 14 the CREC hosted its annual Field Day. We were fortunate to experience cooperating weather conditions with no rain to compromise the field tours and temperatures that were quite warm but very tolerable. More than 400 people participated in the CREC Field Day with all four morning tours very well attended.  We appreciated the attendance of so many visitors since this event not only provide the opportunity to share CREC project activities but often results in interactions and new ideas for future projects. After the morning tours, the local Prairie Inn provided a noon meal that was enjoyed by all. For many participants the day’s events continued into the afternoon with an additional agronomy tour, other meetings and the continuation of the open house for the CREC’s new Agronomy Laboratory & Greenhouse. On behalf of all the staff of the CREC, we wish to thank all of you who traveled to the CREC to participate in this annual event. We hope you had a positive experience and were able to gain some information that will be useful in the future. 

The agronomy tours had a great turnout this year. The morning tours covered plant variety topics for spring wheat, barley, durum, and dry beans, as well as basic production information for cool season pulses, corn, and soybeans. The afternoon tour was focused on precision agriculture, crop nutrition, herbicide-resistant weed management, and cereal and legume disease management. The tours went well and everyone had a good time.  --- Mike Ostlie, CREC Research Agronomist

The timing of this year’s Field Day provided a great opportunity to have an open house for the CREC’s new Agronomy Laboratory & Greenhouse. Throughout the day field day visitors toured the laboratory and greenhouse. The facility was completed in late June and the research staff is really looking forward to utilizing the enhanced capabilities and capacity that is provided by this modern lab. The CREC wishes to thank the North Dakota Legislature for providing the funding for this facility which will allow our research teams to be even more productive in addressing the many challenges facing our producers. ---Blaine Schatz, CREC Director & Agronomist

The CREC organic and sustainable ag program had a morning field tour that covered a number of topics from field peas, ancient grains, vegetables, oats, and fingerling potatoes, to cowpeas and radishes as cover crops. This was the fourth organic and sustainable ag tour held at the CREC and drew the largest crowd to date with approximately 75 attendees. The afternoon session included an indoor roundtable discussion to determine means to increase organic grain production in the Midwest to meet the increasing demand that is not keeping up with current supplies. The meeting was hosted by the US Organic Grain Collaboration, a group of national buyers, processors and distributers of organic grains, along with the Sustainable Food Lab. --- Steve Zwinger, Agronomy Research Specialist

The CREC livestock program is a diverse program that includes cow-calf, weaned calf growing and cattle finishing research. The Livestock tour at the 2015 field day encompassed and showcased the diversity of the program.  Researchers and guest presenters covered topics including alternative forage options for haying and grazing, producer feed-out program results and experiences, three recently completed feedlot nutrition projects, and drylot cow management research results and production economics.  The event was capped off by 3 breakout session stations covering body condition scoring, matching feed to nutrient analysis, and a beef quality demo and taste testing experience. ---Chanda Engel, Livestock Research Specialist

Approximately 70 people participated in the Fruit Project tour at the CREC Field Day.  The focus of this year’s tour was black currants; a well-loved fruit in Europe.  Participants tasted currants and Juneberries and especially liked the black currant jam.  We visited and discussed our other crops, such as grapes, honeyberry, Juneberry, and aronia, too. ---Kathy Wiederholt, Fruit Project Manager

For questions or comments about the 2015 CREC Field Day, please contact mary.berg@ndsu.edu.We hope you enjoyed our photo review!