Explore the details around conservation and production including fall covers after harvest and other related projects!
Ashley Wagenaar is hosting three events this winter to share information learned from a year of research into potato production. Discover the best off-season practices to protect your soils and learn about the cover crop options available to you!
The chinook winds in Alberta erode bare fields throughout winter, especially those with loose soil. Growing potatoes leaves fields with a thick layer of loose soils and most growers will leave that exposed in the off-season. Cover crops help to mitigate these loses, though the timing of potato harvest doesn’t leave much time for seeding.
This year, Wagenaar worked with growers around southern Alberta to evaluate effective responses to the winter wind erosion problem. You are invited to discover the answers firsthand and learn how you can optimize your potato operation.
On October 8 & 10, Wagenaar hosts pop-up events with the participating farms where you can observe the results of timings and seeding rates in winter wheat post-potato. While these two events have different titles, the information from both projects will be shared at each – so you only need to come to one!
Come out and ask the farmers about the process, or how you can integrate these practices into your farm. Registration isn't needed for these events, feel free to reach out to Ashley if you're interested or have any questions by email or call at 403-915-3961
October 8 – Populations of Cover Crops After Potato Harvest
Join Ashley Wagenaar and North Paddock Farms to discover the optimal seeding populations of effective cover crops. An established cover crop throughout the off-season protects your field and provides multiple benefits to your next year's crop. In a windy, arid region like southern Alberta this should be a top priority for all growers. However, removing wasted inputs is paramount to running a successful operation.
This project addresses the knowledge gap in post-potato cover crops, aiming to identify the optimal seeding rate for fall cereals after potatoes. Because potato harvest is so late in the season, there isn't much time for producers to wait before getting back in the field before the first frost falls. Wagenaar and North Paddock Farms invite you to visit for a quick chat and find the answer to optimize your farm.
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Stop by either pop-up event to join Ashley and the participating farm to master winter wheat as a cover crop after potato harvest! See you on October 8 or 10! |
October 10 – Timings of Covers After Potato Harvest
Join Ashley Wagenaar and 845 Spud Farms to discover how you can protect your fields from winter wind erosion and effectively trap soil moisture after potato harvest. Establishing reliable ground cover throughout the off-season is an Alberta farmer's top priority after harvest. Unfortunately, there isn't much time for growers to take seed these cover crops, which means time is of the essence.
This project conducted strip trials, seeding cover crops on consecutive days to assess feasible timings for growers to establish a resilient cover crop for winter. Winter wheat stands out as a strong option, but finding the right timing is crucial to allow for acceptable soil coverage.
Wagenaar and 845 Spud Farms invite you to visit for a quick chat and see the effectiveness of this practice yourself to evaluate if it's right for you and your farm!
November 13 – Reflection on a Year of Learning (Online)
When we do something new, we can benefit from looking back at our progress before continuing.
Conservation Agronomist Ashley Wagenaar invites you to join her in reflecting on a year of field trials around southern Alberta, November 13. Pause your winter work and enjoy a conversation on innovation and implementation with Ashley and her partnered farmers.
The conversation will be hosted online in Wagenaar’s Conservation Agronomy Discord server from 1pm – 3pm. It’s your chance to catch a review of her trials and discuss the successes and challenges and potential future projects!
Join the server today: https://discord.gg/v6xWfnur
We hope to see you at one of these three great experiences!
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The Fall 2024 edition of the Farming Smarter Magazine lands on doorsteps Monday, Oct. 28. Be one of the 10,000 households to receive the latest news from the field in southern Alberta agriculture!