Summer Station Research Roundup - West Badger

Wednesday, August 11th, 2021

The OFFER program cooperates with Ohio State Agricultural Operations to maintain organic production space for field research. Most of the land is located at the West Badger Farm in Wooster and is managed organically when not active in research projects. Facilities include dedicated organic equipment, grain storage, and staff to assist with farm and certification management. Researchers or cooperators interested in reserving organic research land or cooperating for trials or demonstrations should contact Brian Gwin, OFFER coordinator. Multiple small and large grants are available for this work. Find more resources around this topic at https://offer.osu.edu/resources/resources-researchers

This summer, West Badger is home to organic variety trials for corn and oats, year 2 of a perennial wheatgrass trial, and cultivation equipment trials in partnership with Tilmor. Plans for additional variety trials are underway.

Cultivation Equipment Trials  
Cultivation trials with Tilmor Cultivation trials with Tilmor

OFFER is pleased to partner with Tilmor for equipment trials on our West Badger research station. Based in Orrville, Ohio, Tilmor specializes in affordable tools and equipment for smaller farms. Read more about Tilmor at tilmor.com/en-us

Organic Variety Trials  
planting oats trial past oat trial

Oats were planted in early spring along with organic corn variety trials.

Variety trial results are archived at u.osu.edu/perf/. Results from 2021 oats should be added soon.
Perennial Wheatgrass Trials  
Year 2 Kernza trial at West Badger - SU21 harvest West Badger kernza in head

Kernza seed and forage was harvested in late July at the Wooster (above) and Fremont (below) sites. Kernza is a potential dual purpose crop for grain and forage. This work is part of a multistate project to track productivity, quality, and soil health under various fertilization and harvest timing treatments

Weed pressure remains high at the Wooster site, but the Fremont trial was virtually weed free this second year. Leader researcher Steve Culman will continue to monitor this potential crop's competition with weeds to see if this crop might be useful duing organic transition or as an effective weed management tool with soil health benefits. 
fremont kernza harvest fremont kernza ready for harvest

 

August 11, 2021 - 10:39am -- brown.1844@osu.edu

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