Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
University experts give talks
Farmers, politicians and Washington State University students examine the Wilke Farm wheat fields at Wilke Field Day Thursday, June 29.
DAVENPORT - Several dozen wheat farmers, Washington State University students, staff members and some state politicians crowded bleachers pulled by tractors and farm trucks through the fields of Wilke Farm during the annual Wilke Field Day on Thursday, June 29.
Attendees registered in the main barn east of the city, then were directed to one of two bleacher-style mobile seats that would pull attendees around the farm to different stations.
Groups were given talks on the effect of weeds in wheat crops, effective pest control, the importance of reading soil and various wheat varieties used by the Washington State University Extension Office staff and its effectiveness in yield and harvest.
Weed scientist Ian Burke spoke on herbicide resistant management, while Diagnostics Lab and Entomologist Cassandra Bates of Pullman and Dale Whaley of Waterville spoke on insect and disease control in cereal grain and brassica crops.
Regional Extension Specialist Aaron Esser of Ritzville gave general Wilke Farm updates, while Rachel Wieme of Walla Walla and Carol McFarland of Pullman spoke on soil pH in the intermediate cropping zone.
The final stop before lunch was a talk on cover cropping and the Washington Soil Health Initiative by Soil Scientist Haly Neely of Pullman and Soil Scientist Shikha Singh of Davenport.
After a catered lunch, Randy Fortenbery gave a talk on wheat marketing.
This was the second wheat-related university's Extension Office event this year. T
he Dryland Wheat Producers Meeting was took place Jan. 26 at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds.
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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