Learn how to Grow and Process Grains. Jack Lazor will provide a tour of his grain fields and   describe production techniques. We will learn about growing flax, wheat, barley, oats, spelt, and sunflowers. Take a tour of the Butterworks grain storage and processing facilities. See the new oat hulling machine.

Hear about current research in grain. Dr. Heather Darby and Erica Cummings from UVM will discuss research projects in the areas of variety selection, fertility management, and seeding rates.
View and learn about 19 heritage spring wheat varieties! UVM Extension and Butterworks have been evaluating heritage wheat varieties for yield and quality for baking. Three of these varieties were developed in Vermont by Dr. Cyrus Pringle in the late 1800s.
Learn about on-farm plant breeding from Dr. Steve Jones of Washington State University.  Dr.  Jones is a wheat breeder who focuses on improving wheat varieties for traditional and organic systems. Dr. Jones uses heritage and wild species as sources of genes for disease resistance, end-use quality and adaptability. Dr. Jones has been working with local farmers and UVM Extension to develop wheat varieties that fit our growing region.
Learn from John Melquist from TruckenBoard Bakery how to bake bread with locally grown wheat. John has been baking sourdough breads with flour milled at the Lazor farm for 5 years. He will discuss the challenges and advantages to baking with locally grown wheat. Come and sample bread baked from heirloom and modern wheat.
The workshop fee is $10.00 per person   Lunch will be provided by the NOFA pizza oven

For more information or to register by July 25,  please contact: Heather Darby or Erica  Cummings
Phone: 802-524-6501 or Email: heather.darby@uvm.edu or erica.cummings@uvm.edu

*If you require accommodations to participate in this program, please let our office know by July 15 so we may assist you.

Directions: At the junction of Route 100 and 58 in Lowell, take a left and head west on Route 58.  You will pass through the village of Lowell and proceed for about 2 miles. You will pass between a red barn and 2 story red house. At this point Route 58 will turn to gravel (Hazen’s Notch Road). Stay right (on pavement) and proceed north on Buckhill Road for 2 miles (look for field day signs). Turn right on Trumpass Road and the farm is on the left.

Many thanks to our sponsors for their generous support and contributions!

Northern Grain Growers Association
University of Vermont Extension
USDA Risk Management Association
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education

Sponsored by:
The Pasture Program at the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, UVM Extension NW Crops & Soils team, Northeast Organic Farming Association of VT, VT Technical College, and the UVM Plant & Soil Science Department

Download a pdf version of the brochure.

Ben and his wife Theresa have been growing organic grain and milling on their farm in Bridport for over 28 years! Join us as we tour their farm and milling facility.

Ben will talk about his experiences growing organic grain including; crop rotation, weed control, and plant fertility. One of the most challenging aspects of growing organic wheat is providing the crop with enough fertility at the right time. UVM Extension is currently collaborating with Ben on a SARE Partnership grant to address this issue. We’ll take a look at this organic fertility trial, investigating topdressing strategies and how they relate to wheat growth, production and quality.
We will then have the opportunity to tour Ben’s wheat processing facility, where he’ll discuss grain harvest, storage, seed cleaning, and his milling operation.
The workshop fee is $10.00 per person

Lunch will be provided by the NOFA pizza oven

For more information or to register by June 1, please contact:

Phone: 802-524-6501
Heather Darby or Erica Cummings

Research on the effects of variety and organic sources of fertility for winter wheat production and bread quality is currently in its second year at the University of Vermont. The study is being conducted at the UVM Horticultural Research Farm in South Burlington, VT and the Cornell Baker Research Farm in Willsboro, NY.

A randomized split block design with four replications was used at each site. The results reported in this article were recorded at the UVM Horticultural Research Farm from the first year. Soils at the Hort. Farm are a loamy sand, and the test plots were irrigated as needed. Winter wheat was seeded on September 19, 2007 at a rate of 2 bushels/acre in 4’ by 25’ plots. The wheat was harvested on July 29, 2008 with a small plot combine.

Three hard red winter wheat varieties (Harvard, Maxine, and Zorro) were compared within nine fertility treatments (see below). The three cover crop treatments were planted in mid June and plowed down in late August.

Fertility Treatments
1. Cover Crop of Soybeans, contributed 5,596# d.m./acre
2. Cover Crop of 25% Oats/ 60% Peas/ 15% Vetch, contributed 3,566# d.m./acre
3. Cover Crop of 60% Rye/ 40% Red Clover, contributed 2,502# d.m./acre
4. Finished dairy manure compost (tilled in just prior to seeding, at a rate to provide 50 lbs. of nitrogen/acre)
5. Fresh cow manure (same management and N rate as Treatment 4)
6. Chicken manure compost (same management and N rate as Treatment 4)
7. Chilean Nitrate – (50 lbs of N per acre, split application - half in the fall at seeding and half in the spring at pre-anthesis)
8. Chilean Nitrate - (50 lbs of N per acre, split application - half in the fall at seeding and half in the spring at post-anthesis)
9. Control—no treatment

Although it rained often last summer, the wheat did not lodge. Harvard’s average yield was 1,534 lbs/acre, significantly higher than both Maxine—1,327 lbs/acre—and Zorro—1,264 lbs/acre.

Wheat grown with the soybean cover crop and cow manure amendments was the highest yielding—both treatments yielded over 2,000 lbs/acre. Also high yielding was the wheat grown with chicken manure (1,926 lbs/acre) and the cover crop of Oats, Peas, and Vetch (1,875 lbs/acre). Further analysis on nitrogen availability throughout the growing season will aim to explain the differences in yield observed here. Look for future results on protein and grain quality based on the effects of these organic fertility treatments.

1 Graduate student and Associate Professor, Plant and Soil Science Dept., UVM