Soybean partners share research at Hanson Farm
Farmers and leaders from Minnesota’s agricultural groups count among the most engaged of Extension’s many partners. At a field day held at the Hanson Farm in Gary, Sergio Cabello Leiva, Soybean Research and Promotion Council’s director of research, joined the lineup of Extension educators.
Producers learned the latest information about nutrient management and integrated pest management in small grains; iron deficiency chlorosis and soybean cyst nematode in soybeans; and using cover crops to combat soil salinity.
The field day featured Extension Educators Heather Dufault, Anthony Hanson and Angie Peltier. Producers were encouraged to bring struggling soybean plants in a bucket for diagnosis. The program was free to attend, thanks to many sponsors, including the Norman County Corn and Soybean Growers Association.
Highlights
- In 2023, Extension delivered “A Deep Dive Into the 4 Rs” as part of the Nitrogen Smart program (Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time and Right Place). This curriculum goes into detail on the types of nitrogen fertilizer and how they are best managed, and includes a detailed look at how to determine the best nitrogen rate for a field in a specific year.
- RSDP impact: With support from a CERTs Seed Grant, Wimmer Homes, built in the 1960s for low-income, elderly people, will conduct an HVAC pilot project to add a high-efficiency cold climate mini air source heat pump with storage heat in the shared laundry unit.
- Extension in Norman County prepared youth for 4-H officer roles in Ada. Hands-on activities helped them train and practice various leadership roles.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: John and Lorraine Jossund and family grow wheat, barley, soybeans, corn and sugar beets. They volunteer with the Norman County Historical Society and have been active in 4-H.
- Six sessions of Annie’s Project classes, designed to empower women in agriculture, were made available through Extension Norman County Agriculture Production programs at Valley Technology Park in Crookston.
- A local Master Gardener volunteer stepped up to add a pollinator garden as well as perennial and annual beds to one corner of East Side Park in Ada, encouraging walk-by learning with signage and enhancing green spaces for health and wellbeing.
Norman County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Norman County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.