The WADO Field Day is taking place tomorrow near Melita and there still might be some room on the tour buses that will be transporting local farmers, presenters and representatives of Manitoba Agriculture to the local test plot sites. But you better jump on that fast!
The annual event is hosted by the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) in mid-summer, where multiple crops and their varieties, pests and disease, challenges and accomplishments are shared with stakeholders in the ag industry.
Applied Research Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Scott Chalmers, says they're eager to share their findings at the designated test crop sites with participating farmers.
This year the Melita team has 54 projects, "and what I call a project is a replicated trial and each trial has a certain number of plots, usually 3 or 4 replications of a certain kind of a treatment or a variety," explains Chalmers. "Overall, we have about over 2500 plots this year scattered over about 7 locations within about a 30-km radius. And you know these projects range from about 1/4 of an acre to maybe an acre. But in total, we probably cover about 30 acres."
Ag students are also encouraged to attend Field Day.
"If there are any CCA people out there who are in need of credits for their agrologist certification, we are offering some of those," he's quick to add, "and we have a biosecurity station on board here so that we can clean our feet off before we step into another field just to keep the bugs down. And so, we've got two buses coming out of Brandon and everybody will load on the buses."
"We have 100 seats available on the bus, so if you're interested in joining the tour, now is the time to get your name in. You can call my cell number or text to 204-522-5415," says Chalmers.
Registration begins at 9 am at the Melita ballpark at the site of the town's iconic banana that smiles at everyone who drives into Melita on Hwy 3. Buses will be ready to roll at 10 am.
Tomorrow's WADO Field Day will feature three different stops around Melita, with two separate locations in the morning and one in the afternoon.
For the list of presentations please see the poster below.
For more details on each of these test plots please listen to more with Scott Chalmers below.
"You know, being a diversification center, we've been able to do a lot of cool things," shares Chalmers.
"We have quite a little seed library here and you know we may not have it on the tour, but you're going to see some pretty cool things, like lupins for example. We have the yellow lupins, which will be probably in full bloom, just a bright yellow. And then there are blue lupins beside them and white lupins on the other side. The flax should be in full bloom too."
"And we have mustard, and lots of dry beans, lots of soybeans that are either herbicide tolerant or the conventional soybeans. You'll see things that maybe we won't have time to talk about, but are worth looking at," he adds. "We have quite a few specialists from the province also coming, so either they'll be speaking or will be attending and can help out with any questions the crowd might have."
With over 2500 plots over 30 acres Chalmers says there is no lack of work.
"It's not a big footprint, but it's starting to get significant, and believe me, it's a lot of work to bring all that together," he says. "Each plot has a number. And we track various things like emergence or weeds, flowering dates and maturity. And then most importantly, the bottom line is yield. So, every year we've got to harvest each plot and clean it, weigh it and understand what's going on."
"And then report on it, which is the most important part," adds Chalmers.
"So, you kind of get like the sneak peek during the tour. You can check things out, make kind of a judgment call, but it really comes down to the numbers at the end of the year, which you can view in our annual report online at the Manitoba Diversification website."
To register for the Thursday, July 17th WADO Field Day in Melita, contact Scott Chalmers:
Call or text: 204-522-5415
Email: Scott.Chalmers@gov.mb.ca