Colorado State University Specialty Crops Program Calendar of Events
Upcoming Events:
Click here for more information about the Colorado Agriculture "Big and Small" Conference and Trade Show coming up on March 2, 3, and 4, 2006, in Greeley, Colorado.
Past Events:
2005
Organic and Specialty Crops Conference - March 3-4, 2005 - Past Specialty Crop Program Grower Research and Education Grant recipients presented their results in Brighton, Colorado at the Adams County Fairgrounds. On-farm research results from 35 different projects from the years 2002-2004 were reported. Over 100 people were in attendance at the conference. There was also an interesting program on compost tea, reports from the CSU-COPA Alternative Agriculture Program, and a Food and Agriculture Policy discussion. The Colorado Organic Producers Association also held their annual public meeting.
SCP Field Day - June 27, 2005 - A drip irrigation seminar was conducted in the morning of this field day by Doug Larson and Frank Stonaker. Drip irrigation history, system design, installation methods, and maintenance were discussed. The afternoon session involved discussions of the new CSU CSA program, the continuing lettuce bolting study, the hops and small fruit plots, garlic fertilization experiment, and the research plots for the study titled "Differentiating Small Farm Produce Offerings through Nutritionally Superior Cultivars, Marketing, and Extension Programs" - a USDA CSREES National Research Initiative Project. We are examining whether health benefits of nutritionally superior vegetables can be important to market competitiveness of small farms, and if organic or conventional management practices results in differing nutritional and market value of these crops. Antioxidant properties of 10 cultivars of potato, broccoli, garlic, lettuce, tomato, and spinach are being compared. Approximately 75 people were in attendance over the course of the day.
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Doug Larson from Larson Irrigation speaking about drip irrigation systems
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Discussion on planting into plastic mulch
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Lettuce harvester demonstration (watch out for the drip tape!)
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SCP Field Day - September 12, 2005 - This field day displayed vegetable and flower crops at their peak , 120 varieties of lettuce for the bolting study, late season green manure plantings, mature hops, the CSA washing/packing area, tomato trellising methods, and we had a melon taste test. Approximately 80 people were in attendance.
We also gave an update on the study examining whether health benefits of nutritionally superior vegetables can be important to market competitiveness of small farms, and if organic or conventional management practices results in differing nutritional and market value of these crops. (See this link for the current status of that research - "Differentiating Small Farm Produce Offerings through Nutritionally Superior Cultivars, Marketing, and Extension Programs").
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Studying green manures
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Picking hops off the vine
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Melon tasting frenzy
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CSA Field Days - We also hosted two field days in 2005 for our CSU CSA members in early August and the end of October. We caught insects, toured the fields, and picked pumpkins. A good time was had by all!
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Yummy strawberries
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Future entomologist
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Big pumpkins!
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Fun with grandpa |
2004
SCP Field Day - June 28, 2004 - The initiation of the Rocky Mountain Small Organic Farm Project was announced at this field day. The afternoon's events included displays of hundreds of vegetable and cut flower varieties, table grape, hop, raspberry, and blackberry varieties, green manures, and 90 lettuce varieties as part of a continuation of the lettuce bolting study. There were also demonstrations of weed flaming, plasticulture and drip irrigation, garlic harvesting, and lettuce seeding with a Can-duit seeder. Approximately 70 people were in attendance.
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Enjoying cookies and conversation |
Tomato trellising demonstration |
Even Superman comes to our field days! |
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Tomato variety display |
Flame weeding demonstration (photo by R. Koski) |
Plasticulture demonstration |
CSU Turf and Landscape Horticulture Field Day - July 23, 2004 - Both the Horticulture Research Center and the Plant Environmental Research Center were open to the public on this day to view research and demonstrations being conducted at CSU. Approximately 200 people visited the Specialty Crops Program demonstration.
SCP Field Day - September 13, 2004 - This late-season field day exhibited the above varieties at a later stage and results from the garlic study were displayed. Approximately 70 people were in attendance.
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Investigating cover crops
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Cut flower plot
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Leeks, brassicas, and visitors
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2003
Organic Vegetable Seed Production Short Course - January 13-14, 2003 - Dr. John Navazio introduced growers to the specialized area of organic seed production. Topics included: evaluating which crops are best suited to your area and production systems, cultural requirements, seed quality, maximizing production, and the seed market.
SCP Field Day - June 16, 2003 - This field day exhibited the garlic winter mulch and irrigation treatment experiment, lettuce bolting resistance variety trials, and a flame weeding demonstration. Approximately 40 people were in attendance.
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Dr. Thaddeus Gourd giving a weed flaming demonstration
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Lettuce bolting experiment
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Sue and Mark Parsons, happy garlic growers
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SCP Field Day - September 22, 2003 - This field day focused on the lettuce bolting study with demonstration of 50 varieties in various stages, and also artichoke and melon variety trials. Approximately 30 people were in attendance.
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Lettuce bolting study |
Frank Stonaker |
Evaluating lettuce varieties |
Last updated 2/6/06
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