FOLEY, Minn. — Questions always abound following the growing season. With this past year, there seem to be a lot of questions surrounding the issues that we faced in-field. While we have found answers to these questions for this year, next year will bring its own newer problems. This highlights the need to continue learning about the management systems employed on your farm. While not every workshop, update, and conference are applicable, I hope that you take the opportunity to participate in ones that are relevant to your farm. Outside of the two conferences listed below, there are also numerous other opportunities that will be announced over the next few weeks. These educational opportunities will cover topics from forages to row crops and weeds to diseases. Be on the lookout for announcements in the mail, over email if you are subscribed to the z.umn.edu/tricountycrops email list, over radio, and in articles such as this one.
Registration for the Crop and Pest Management Shortcourse is open. The three-day program will begin on Tuesday, December 7th and end on December 9th. The educational sessions will begin on the 8th from 8am to 5pm and continue the 9th from 8am to 2:20pm. The general session will start with the theme “Let’s Get Real. Going from 8am to 11am and then break into the concurrent educational sessions throughout the rest of the program. Topics covered will include: Corn rootworm status, Chlorpyrifos replacements, Options for Waterhemp control in a complete program, Gall Midge in soybean update, Soybean cyst nematode variety selection guidelines, conducting meaningful on-farm research, and soybean agronomics. The trade show and educational sessions will take place at the downtown Minneapolis Hilton Hotel. The University of Minnesota educational session agendas and session descriptions may be accessed at the Crop Pest Management Shortcourse website. Online registration and hotel information can be found at the Minnesota Crop Production Retailers website.
Registration for the Soil Management Summit is now open. The SMS emphasizes proven farmer experience and applied science. Straight from the fields, learn how heavier, colder soils aren’t necessarily the challenge they’re made out to be. Hear from long-time no-till, reduced tillage and cover crop farmers as they share their experiences, so you can be spared the same hard-earned lessons. Additionally, some of this year’s topics will include soil health, soil organic matter and water dynamics, and the conference staple – a panel of farmers sharing their own personal experiences with soil management. This year’s format will include both in-person and virtual opportunities. The SMS will take place December 14th-15th at the Mayo Clinic Event Center. For more information and to register go to z.umn.edu/SMS2021
— Nathan Drewitz, University of Minnesota Extension