Event

Organic Grain Field Day

We invite you to join WSU Extension and research faculty, Snohomish Conservation District, and Chinook Farms on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2010 from 6:00pm Ã¢Â" 8:00pm for an on-farm demonstration of organic wheat, rye, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye) production.

Fall and spring planted varieties will be presented along with discussion of harvesting machinery and techniques. Basic principles such as first-time planting, soil preparation, fertility, protein content, and disease issues will be among the topics covered by Drs. Steve Jones and Andrew Corbin of WSU. Research team members of the WSU Small Grains Breeding Program, cooperating growers with test plots from other farms, and seed industry representatives will also be available to participate in the discussion.

For successful Western Washington grain production, challenges to be met include cleaning, drying, storage, transportation, and millingÃ¢Â"all infrastructure needs that haven't been available in this region since the 1970s. In addition, growers need to organize to insure adequate production of a consistent quality and sufficient quantity to meet growing market demand.

If you are a grower ready for the next stepÃ¢Â"bridging the gap between local production and value-added productÃ¢Â"this field day is an essential part of your progression to success.

Chinook Farms is a 132-acre certified organic grain and vegetable farm located at 10601 Elliott Road, Snohomish, WA about 1.5 miles east of SR 9 in the fertile Snohomish Valley.