Fields of growing teff, unique harvesting equipment, and the latest research on the benefits of no-till farming will be showcased at the August 1, Teff Field Day hosted by the Solomon Valley Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Area and the Kansas Black Farmers Association. The Teff Field Day will begin at 8:00 a.m. at the Graham County 4-H Building in Hill City when the bus will depart to visit teff fields in Phillips and Graham counties. At the field sites, farmers will share their experiences with growing teff in the first year of a Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG). Five area farmers currently have nearly 50 acres in production of teff.

A Flail-Vac seed harvester will be demonstrated at the Logan field site and a comparison of conventional till and no-till seed beds will be featured near Nicodemus. The bus will return to the Graham County Fairgrounds for a free, catered noon meal and presentations. Carolyn Nichols, Coordinator of the Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategy (WRAPS) for the Waconda Watershed, will speak on the progress of the WRAPS project.

Featured speaker for the event is Dr. Merle Vigil, Soil Scientist with the Agricultural Research Service in Akron, Colorado. Dr. Vigil will share recent findings of the effects of different no-till crop rotations on soil nutrients.

The Teff Field Day is funded in part by the Solomon Valley RC&D, the Kansas Black Farmers Association, a U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, Farm Service Agency, K-State Research & Extension-Graham County, and the Kansas Grasslands and Forage Council.

Please RSVP by July 29 by contacting the Solomon Valley RC&D at 785-425-6647 or teresa.webb@ks.nacdnet.net . A flyer about the field day is available at www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/events .