Alternative Agriculture Regional Project Results
Compiled by Jim Dyer, COPA, Fall 2005
Click here to download a PDF version of this brochure complete
with photos and graphics.
Over the last couple
years you probably heard about this joint project between CSU and COPA
(Colorado Organic Producers Association) to enhance the interaction between CSU
and alternative agriculture producers in Colorado. Several of you have been involved in regional working groups
as well. These groups of
producers, agents, and other community participants met to discuss how to
improve the flow of information and the collaboration between alternative
producers and CSU, and to select and plan a collaborative pilot project in each
region. CSU students performed the
research under the direction of CSU staff. This brochure is to provide a brief overview of the
four regional projects and point you to more information on each.
Front Range: Spinach Seed Trials
Frank Stonaker of
the CSU Specialty Crops Program provided this summary of the project carried
out with CSU student Jennifer Bernham:
“One
of the areas of interest — and concern — indicated by growers attending the Alternative
Ag meetings in the Front Range was performance of organic seed compared to conventionally produced seed. This concern stems from the issue that USDA organic rules require that
organic seed be used by growers if it is
available, but seed companies have been slow to
fill this new demand for a number of reasons. Seed quality, and variety
performance is of course very important to the success of organic growers, and as growers experiment with seed from
new sources, or even established sources that
are just beginning to move into organic seed,
there have been some bumps along the road. Varieties that have performed
very well with conventional seed treatment, and conventional production, may not be as well adapted to organic seed
production, seed treatment, or organic farm
production.”
The
2004 planting yielded some preliminary results, but not sufficient to draw
definitive conclusions. More
varieties were planted as a follow-up in 2005, but disease prevented meaningful
results. Additional plantings are
planned, and the investigation will continue.
For
more information:
· Contact Frank Stonaker at frank.stonaker@colostate.edu , 970-491-7068.
· Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation on this project.
Eastern Plains: Cover Crops, Green Manures, and Crop
Residues
The Eastern Plains group
identified cover crops, green manures, and crop residues as their project
topic. CSU student Bob Burris,
working with Bruce Bosley of Logan County Extension, interviewed area producers
and compiled the results, summarized here by Bruce:
“Twenty two farmers in
Northeastern Colorado were interviewed on their use of and experience with
cover crops, green manures, and crop residues. Benefits cited from these
included enhancing soil organic matter, weed suppression, soil erosion
protection, harboring beneficial insects, added fertility from green manure,
and enhanced crop microclimate. Eighteen farmers used green manures and cover
crops while five used crop residues.
The benefits listed by
farmers for cover crops were;
fertility – 27%, organic matter – 23%, erosion control – 14%, soil
protection – 9%, and harboring insects – 5%. Similarly the disadvantages to
cover crops were as follows; water use – 9%, rotational difficulties – 9%,
time, labor, and field work – 9%, and lack of direct financial return –
5%.” In all, respondents indicated
that benefits outweighed the challenges.
In a continuing effort, Bruce Bosley continues to provide education to and partnering with crop producers on no-till crop rotation farming systems. Many dryland crop producers have realized the advantage to these systems which maintain crop residues on the soil surface. The advantages to no-till crop rotations include increasing precipitation capture and retention, improving soil health through increasing soil organic matter and soil structure, and providing more stable income through diversifying crop enterprises and a higher annual percentage of harvestable acres.
For more information:
· Contact Bruce Bosley for a copy of, or comments and questions regarding this survey: 970-522-3200, or dbbosley@coop.ext.colostate.edu
· Click here to download a PowerPoint presentation on this project.
San Luis Valley: Enterprise Budgets for Grass-fed
Cattle
The San Luis Valley group
decided to work on marketing and production of grass-fed beef which is becoming
increasingly popular with growers in that area. Dawn Thilmany, Extension Marketing Specialist supervised
grad student, Josh Wilson in conducting the analysis. Their work is reported in a CSU Extension publication:
“Enterprise Budgeting: An Application to San Luis Valley Grass-Fed Cattle
Operations,” which makes the following points:
· Assessing the stage of production that secures the greatest returns is one possible outcome from budget planning.
· The San Luis Valley region has a comparative advantage at the cow-calf stage of production.
·
Enterprise budgeting is
a necessary step in production and
market planning.
In order to start
addressing the group’s questions about the marketing
of grass-fed beef, pertinent questions were added to a survey which was part of
an ongoing natural beef study.
Once the regional group has a chance to review the results of this and
similar studies being conducted by Dawn Thilmany, they should be in a position
to indicate what questions remain about how they can successfully pursue
grass-fed beef enterprises in the Valley.
For more
information:
·
Click here to download
the pdf file of the “Enterprise Budgeting” publication PFM-05-01 or find it on
the CSU-DARE website at http://dare.agsci.colostate.edu/csuagecon/extension/pubstools.htm
·
Click here to download
Dawn Thilmany’s PowerPoint presentation on marketing grass-fed beef.
Western Slope: Organic Weed Management
The Western Slope group
settled on organic weed management options as its pilot project. The idea was to compile information on
the organic methods that could be used to control several of the most
troublesome weeds in Western Colorado.
The draft fact sheets were then reviewed by several local producers and
agents.
Fact sheets were developed
by Sarah Doyle, Micaela Morgan, and Sandra K. McDonald for the following weeds
species:
·
Canada Thistle
·
Diffuse Knapweed
·
Hoary Cress
·
Field Bindweed
·
Quackgrass
·
Russian Knapweed
After a description of the
weeds’ impacts, propagation, and habits, control methods are addressed
including:
·
Hand weeding
·
Mechanical techniques
such as cultivation and mowing
·
Biological controls
·
Cultural practices such
as steam weeding, competitive plantings, and grazing
·
Organic herbicides
For more information:
·
Once we have had these
facts sheets reviewed for compliance with the Federal Organic Rules, we will
post them here on the COPA website to view or to download.
·
Sandra McDonald has
posted the current drafts on the CSU website at: http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/SoilCrop/extension/CEPEP/organic.htm
This project was funded by
the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education Program (WSARE) to
CSU, Jessica Davis, Project Director Jessica.Davis@ColoState.EDU.
For further information on this brochure,
contact Jim Dyer, COPA, at jadyer@frontier.net
or 970-588-2292.