188-18 On-Farm Farmer Research for Organic Production In Nebraska.

Poster Number 550

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems
See more from this Session: Organic Management Systems Community: II (Includes Graduate Student Competition)
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Henry Gonzalez Convention Center, Hall C
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Elizabeth Sarno1, Charles Wortmann2, Charles Shapiro1, James Schneider3, Douglas Anderson4 and Mark Hinze5, (1)57905 866 Road, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Concord, NE
(2)Department of Agronomy and Hortic, University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, NE
(3)University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Aurora, NE
(4)University Nebraska - Lincoln, Ogallala, NE
(5)University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Grand Island, NE
Organic farmers have diverse production interests using a range of practices which generates a vast information need. The Organic On-Farm Research Project in Nebraska enables organic farmers to evaluate production alternatives according to their interest but with sufficient rigor that the resulting information is of high quality and applicable by other farmers. Examples of such farmer research, with technical support from Extension educators, include: the use of a Rodale Design Roller Crimper to kill a cover crop followed by no-till planting; biochar as a soil amendment; milk and fish products as pop-up ‘fertilizer’; cover crops intersown with wheat and sown following wheat harvest; manure use; and relay sowing of proso millet strips into sunflower to create vegetative barriers to wind erosion following sunflower harvest. The farmer research is complemented by researcher driven on-farm trials including research on flaming for weed control, alternative practices for improving nutrient balances, and cover crops for weed suppression and improvement of soil productivity.  Poster will outline the mechanism to develop on-farm projects with organic farmers: develop proposal, collect data and share results.

 

See more from this Division: ASA Section: Agronomic Production Systems
See more from this Session: Organic Management Systems Community: II (Includes Graduate Student Competition)
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