Colorado State University 2021 wheat field days planned

There is nothing like seeing new wheat varieties growing in the field and attending a wheat variety tour in person. Colorado Wheat Field Days let farmers see new and traditional varieties side-by-side in our variety trial plots.

Dr. Jerry Johnson, a seasoned veteran of crop variety testing, leads off with a short introduction and selection information before our new Colorado State University wheat breeder, Dr. Esten Mason, discusses the pros and cons of the varieties in each of ten dryland locations and one irrigated trial. Brad Erker, Executive Director of Colorado Wheat highlights progress made in wheat breeding due to uniqueness of farmer support of CWAC and CWRF. A new director of CSU seed programs, Laura Pottorff, will bring us up to date on the Colorado Seed Programs. CSU experts on weed science, entomology and pathology will showcase their strong wheat research and extension activities.

The field days will be held on Thursday, June 10 at Walsh, Lamar and Brandon; June 11 at Burlington and Genoa; June 14 at Orchard and Roggen; and June 15 at Julesburg, Holyoke and Yuma. The Akron site is tentatively set for June 16 and will depend on Covid restrictions. The flyer with the full schedule and directions can be found at csucrops.agsci.colostate.edu.

Golden Plains Area locations are: Friday June 11 - 8 a.m. – Hinkhouse Farms, one mile west of Highway 385 and 24, south side of Hwy 24. Tuesday June 15 - 8:30 a.m. – Carlson Farms from Julesburg south on Hwy 385 about five miles; 12 p.m. – Sprague Farms from Julesburg south on Hwy 385 for three miles then east on CR 26 for 9.25 miles then south on CR 63.2 for half a mile then east a quarter mile on CR 76.5; 4 p.m. – Andrews Bros. Farms from Yuma north, five miles on Highway 59 then three east on CR 43 to CR J then south half a mile.