A recent donation to the Wilke Research and Extension Farm allowed the facility to upgrade several necessary pieces of large equipment for the first time in more than 20 years.
“Time is the most limiting resource we have, in terms of what research we can do,” said Aaron Esser, a WSU Extension agronomist who oversees the farm, located near Davenport, Wash. “The more time we have to address issues critical to farmers, the more we can meet their needs when it comes to research.”
The new (to the farm) equipment includes a 2021 pickup truck, a small Kubota tractor for small plot work, and a 1999 grain truck that can be converted to hold water when not hauling grain.
The new machinery is safer for workers, allows the farm to bring in more money to cover costs, and helps reduce time spent refilling or changing equipment. The grain truck can travel farther, meaning the farm can sell its grain to facilities that may pay more, while the water tank conversion allows farm workers to refill the sprayer on the go instead of returning to the well every time it runs dry.
“This donation, and previous funding from this donor, has really taken my program in Lincoln and Adams Counties to the next level,” said Esser. “We added work on yellow mustard, which we couldn’t have done without the new grain truck. Support like this is invaluable to helping farmers around the region through our research findings.”