Southwest Michigan Crop Production and Irrigation Research Field Day 2023

Aug 04, 2023

By Eric Anderson

Michigan State University Extension researchers and educators write grants, develop protocols and invest time to conduct on-farm research throughout the state in an attempt to show farmers and agribusinesses the outcomes of various agronomic and pest management practices at the regional and local level. These efforts are key to ensuring that not only are important research questions answered but that information is relevant and made readily available to the agricultural community throughout Michigan. That “extension” of agricultural research into communities is one of the three primary pillars on which Land Grant Universities are founded.

On-farm research and in-season crop scouting and pest monitoring are important tools that researchers and educators on the MSU Extension Field Crops Team use to make connections with local farmers and agribusiness professionals. At the Southwest Michigan On-Farm Research Field Day, several research projects and in-season observations from the south central and southwest region will be highlighted.

The field day will be held in the field at 70811 Lakeview Rd., Sturgis, MI (GPS coordinates: 41.770389, -85.407194) on August 23 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. including lunch. The event is open to all those involved and interested in the agricultural community in the region. The cost is FREE thanks to the generous support of the Michigan Soybean Committee and a grant from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Registration is required by August 17 to secure your seat and lunch, walk-ins will also be welcome but lunch is not guaranteed.

The day begins at 8 a.m. with check-in and a light breakfast. The first educational session begins at 8:30 a.m., and the day will conclude by 2 p.m. As the topic of on-farm safety and combine fires will be addressed, we will be giving away three fire extinguishers during a drawing at the end of the meeting. Continuing education credits — 3 RUP, 5 CCA and MAEAP Phase I — have been requested.

Agenda

Importance of Irrigation System Evaluation — Younsuk Dong, MSU Irrigation Specialist
Using Soil Moisture Sensors to Improve Water Use Efficiency — Brenden Kelley, MSU Research Assistant
End-of-Season Irrigation Management — Lyndon Kelley, MSU and Purdue Extension Irrigation Educator
15 Years of Michigan Soybean On-Farm Trials — Mike Staton, MSU Extension Soybean Senior Educator
Vole Management in Soybean Update — Eric Anderson, MSU Extension Field Crops Educator
Tar Spot, White Mold and Other Diseases in 2023 — Marty Chilvers, MSU Extension Field Crops Pathologist
Lessons from the LTER at the Kellogg Biological Station — Christine Charles, MSU Extension Regenerative Agriculture Educator
Strip Tillage: A Long-term Perspective — Henry Miller, Farmer
MAEAP Update and Focus on Farm Safety — Emily Haluda, MAEAP Technician, Cass County
Fire! Fire! Combine Safety and Fire Prevention — Rich Baker, Farmer and Volunteer Firefighter

Source : msu.edu

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.