Released May 12, 2008

LINCOLN, Neb. — Two University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension organic farm tours June 17 or 18 will cover topics ranging from winter wheat varieties to flaming for weed control.

The June 17 workshop Organic Winter Wheat Varieties and Integrated Pest Management will be at UNL's Haskell Agricultural Laboratory near Concord. The evening tour will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will conclude at 7:30 p.m. with a barbecue.

Speakers and topics include: Tom Hunt, UNL entomologist, integrated pest management, identifying and attracting beneficial insects, economic threshold development and resistance management; Richard Little, UNL organic wheat breeding specialist, organic winter wheat variety research; Santiago Ulloa, UNL graduate student, demonstration of flaming research on various crops to control weeds; and Liz Sarno, UNL organic project coordinator, update on the organic farming project and answer questions about organic farming.

The June 18 workshop Organic Winter Wheat Varieties and Various Methods and Equipment for Weed Control in Organic Crops will be at the Forestry Research Area at UNL's Agricultural Research and Development Center near Mead. The evening tour will be from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. with a picnic afterwards.

Participants also can view displays of various equipment used for weed control in organic crops and will discuss cultural practices.

Speakers and topics include: Richard Little, UNL organic wheat breeding specialist, organic winter wheat variety research; Santiago Ulloa, UNL graduate student, demonstration of flaming research on various crops to control weeds; John Quinn, UNL graduate student, conservation demonstration of native bird populations in working farm systems and discussion of the Healthy Farm Index, an assessment tool to help evaluate a farm's ecological and economic health; and Liz Sarno, UNL organic project coordinator, update on the organic farming project and answer questions about organic farming.

To get to the Forestry Research Area, start out on Highway 77 north of Lincoln toward Wahoo. Turn east on Highway 66 and travel seven miles to the top of the hill, just past the August N. Christenson Research and Education Building. Entrance to the Forestry Research Area is on the left next to a row of trees. Take the farm road north one-half mile to the buildings on the left. If coming from the north via Mead, take Road 10 south to Highway 66, turn west and go one-half mile to the gravel farm road on the right. Enter and go one-half mile north to buildings in the center of the section.

To make meal reservations at either tour, call Pat at (402) 584-3837.

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http://ianrnews.unl.edu/static/0805121.shtml

Contacts: Liz Sarno, (402) 584-3856

Sandi Alswager Karstens, (402) 472-3030