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The
Wilke Direct Seeding Project Cooperator Tour
Objectives:
The
Wilke Direct Seeding Project is a public-private cooperative effort
to adapt and develop annual cropping, direct seeding systems for
the intermediate rainfall area (12 to 17 inches annually) of eastern
Washington. The project goal is to demonstrate economically viable
rotations, including alternative crops to wheat, that enable annual
cropping and improved soil conservation in this region. This will
be a long-term project with evolving objectives and methods.
Currently
we are testing two crop rotations:
- A
four-year rotation that includes two cool season cereals, one
warm season grass, and one broadleaf crop.
- A
three-year rotation including crops all adapted to the region;
two cool season cereals and one cool season broadleaf
Location:
The project is based at the 320-acre
WSU Wilke Farm at Davenport, Lincoln County. Both rotations are
being grown at the farm in three replications of approximately 8-acre
strips. An important premise of the project is to use farm -size
equipment for all management operations.
The
Cooperators:
Members of the ACIRDS (Annual Cropping,
Intense Rotation, Direct Seeding) group were instrumental in initiating
and supporting the Wilke Project. The ACIRDS group comprises 8 to
12 growers, with an Extension facilitator, and formed in the fall
of 1996 so that growers interested in transitioning their farms
into direct seeding could meet, and share ideas and resources with
like-thinkers.
In
addition to the Wilke Farm, ACIRDS group members are replicating
each rotation on their farms at three sites across the region on
a forty-mile radius. These six sites provide valuable information
on the system performance in a variety of microclimates, which range
from 11 to 17 inches of precipitation annually.
The
on-farm plots are at least 25 acres per crop. While maintaining
the management principles and crop types of the system, each grower
can choose specific crops for his environment and marketing scheme.
He can also choose a drill that works best for his conditions; high
or low disturbance.
The
cooperators are listed with their location and drill type.
Three-year
rotation: Four-year rotation:
Deep Creek (Tom Zwainz - Concorde) Reardan (Hal Johnson - JD 750)
Sprague (Chris Laney - high disturbance) Egypt (Doug Reinbold -
Concorde)
Wilbur (Bill Dreger - Concorde) Harrington (Karl Kupers - JD 750)
Parameters:
The same data is collected at all
sites. Economics of the rotations are of paramount importance. We
also obtain economic information from conventional cropping systems
from three farms adjoining the Wilke Farm. We track the changes
associated with going to direct seeding and annual cropping by collecting
data on the Wilke Farm and on-farm sites for soil health and structure,
soil moisture, weeds, insects, and diseases, etc.
1998
Tour
On
the Wilke Project Cooperator Tour, three growers described their
experiences with direct seeding. The crops viewed included buckwheat,
safflower, corn, wheat, barley, sudangrass, oats, millet, and mustard.
Evaluation comments referred to the value of having a grower-oriented
tour with plenty of time for sharing among growers and also being
able to learn what practices had not worked, as well as the successes.
An example of this was a very high wild oat population where the
grower had not waited long enough before seeding warm season grasses.
However, this grower was able to recoup his loss by harvesting the
corn and sudangrass for forage as he had cattle as a component of
his operations.
Researchers
on the tour also interacted and offered their insight into disease
issues, which participants also noted as useful. All the university
and agency faculty attending the Wilke Project tours believed the
producer-cooperator research model would provide useful information
to this research project and that each producer's comments increased
their understanding of the complexity of introducing a new system
into a geographically diverse agricultural region? Comments included:
- I
especially liked what the growers were willing to admit and show
their shipwrecks. Example is the use of a hoe-type opener and
the resulting wild oat problem caused by disturbance. This leaves
a lasting impression that might not be conveyed by a researcher.
- That
Dale Dietrich (farmer cooperator for Wilke) is truly enthused
about direct seeding and diversified farming.
- Karl
Kupers (grower) is very intelligent and articulate. I always learn
from hearing his observations and opinions. He always has something
new to say.
- All
producers have different outlooks and goals. The diversity of
their farms and their farming strategies keep things interesting.
Tom
Zwainz, Doug Reinbold, Karl Kupers, and Ed Warner, producers, and
Diana Roberts, WSU Cooperative Extension provided concepts in this
report. Information is from the Wilke Direct Seeding Project Cooperator
Tour held July 15, 1998. Prepared by Diana Roberts, WSU Cooperative
Extension.
Agricultural
Sustainability. Highlights from a seminar series conducted by Washington
State University's Ag Horizons Team and funded by USDA Western Region
SARE.
Diana
Roberts
222 N. Havana
Spokane, WA 99202-4799
Phone: (509) 477-2048
FAX: (509) 477-2087
 robertsd@wsu.edu
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