May 28, 2010

Producers can tour no-till production systems and learn from the experiences of other no-till farmers on two Panhandle bus tours this June.

“These are good opportunities for growers in the Panhandle to talk with no-tillers and share experiences,” said Mark Watson of Alliance, a farmer and no-till educator. In conditions similar to their own, growers can see what’s working in the Panhandle and how growers refined their systems based on experience.

“Growers can shorten up their learning curve by talking with other no-till growers,” he said.

The 2010 Panhandle No-till Bus Tours will be June 17-18 in the northern Panhandle and June 22-23 in the southern Panhandle. The tours will each include more than 10 stops with growers with a range of experience from those just starting out to more seasoned no-tillers.

Tours will include dryland and irrigated systems and wheat, corn and edible beans, sunflowers, milo, field peas, proso millet and some forage mixes, depending on location.

The northern no-till bus tour will leave at 9 a.m. June 17 from the Mark Watson farm at 1561 County Road, four miles east and 1/2 north of Berea.

The southern tour will leave at 9 a.m. June 22 from the Gering Civic Center.

For More Information and Registration

For more information about these tours contact Watson at 308-760-5259.

Registration for the two-day tour is $75 for a double occupancy room, $100 for single occupancy, and $125 for couples. It includes the bus ride, hotel, and two lunches. To register, complete this form and send to the appropriate NRD office listed on the form. The registration deadline is June 4.

These tours, and many other no-till educational activities in Nebraska, are supported by a grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund and conducted through a cooperative effort of Nebraska NRCS, UNL Extension, NRDs, RC&Ds, and No-till on the Plains.