LIND, Wash. — Wheat growers in the summer fallow areas of eastern Washington and north central Oregon have at least one thing in common with farmers in eastern Colorado: wind erosion.
“Growers and researchers in Colorado are trying some innovative farming strategies,” said Bill Schillinger, a scientist at Washington State University’s Lind Dryland Research Station. “They are enthusiastic about several economically viable cropping methods that control wind erosion.”
Schillinger and Gary Peterson, a cropping systems scientist at Colorado State University, have organized a three-day, whirlwind bus tour of farms and research plots in Colorado for Inland Northwest growers.
The tour includes visits to four dryland farms and the Great Plains Research Station at Akron operated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. Participants also will tour the site of long- term Colorado State cropping systems study, now in its 16th year.
The tour will leave the Spokane airport on June 17 and return the evening of June 19. Participants will pay for their air fare, two nights lodging and some meals. The bus and at least two meals will be provided at no cost. A special Spokane-Denver round-trip air fare of $327 is available through May 8.
Contact Schillinger at (509) 235-1933 or schillw@wsu.edu for more details. To reserve a space and make arrangements for the round-trip flight and motel reservations, call Cindy Warriner in Ritizville at (509) 659-3214. Registration is limited to 40 participants.
– 30 –
Sound Files
Schil1.mp3 (113 kb)
Growers in eastern Colorado are trying some innovative cropping strategies. Bill Schillinger, a Washington State University scientist, says:
(10 sec) ” … methods that control wind erosion.”
Schil2.mp3 (21 kb)
They’ve been at this a long time. Bill Schillinger, a Washington State University scientist, says:
(2.24 sec) “They’ve been at this a long time.
Schil3.mp3 (104 kb)
They have some real problems with wind storms out there in eastern Colorado. Bill Schillinger, a Washington State University scientist, says:
(8.6 sec) “…and continue to be so.”