BRODHEAD - Controlling weeds and labor costs by mulching vegetable crops is the focus of a field day held 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Scotch Hill Farm, 910 S. Scotch Hill Road. The program is free and open to the public.
Tony and Dela Ends, in their 20th year as subscription fresh produce growers, are hosting the educational event. The pair have been studying ways to use prairie grass mulch in two Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) projects over four years.
In their first SARE applied producer grant project, the Ends compared oat and wheat straw mulch with switch grass in vegetable crops with Dr. James Stute, formerly of University of Wisconsin-Rock County Extension. Comparing round and square bale use with black plastic mulch is the focus of the second study. Stute, now Michael Fields Agricultural Institute soil and crops research director, is helping with the second study.
Tomatoes, broccoli and cabbage transplanted from greenhouses into black plastic and round bale switch grass mulch will be shown on the tour. A comparison with the same crops mulched with chips of square bales of switch grass after transplanting is also on the tour.
Brian Buenzow, with the Wisconsin DNR field office in Rock County, helped the Ends establish a small field of switch grass for the study. The Ends have been harvesting mulch from the field for four years.
Wisconsin Farmers Union, Fair Share CSA Coalition, the Farley Center and Dane County Extension are co-hosting the upcoming field day. For more information, call 608-897-4288 or email tony@scotchillfarm.com.
Tony and Dela Ends, in their 20th year as subscription fresh produce growers, are hosting the educational event. The pair have been studying ways to use prairie grass mulch in two Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) projects over four years.
In their first SARE applied producer grant project, the Ends compared oat and wheat straw mulch with switch grass in vegetable crops with Dr. James Stute, formerly of University of Wisconsin-Rock County Extension. Comparing round and square bale use with black plastic mulch is the focus of the second study. Stute, now Michael Fields Agricultural Institute soil and crops research director, is helping with the second study.
Tomatoes, broccoli and cabbage transplanted from greenhouses into black plastic and round bale switch grass mulch will be shown on the tour. A comparison with the same crops mulched with chips of square bales of switch grass after transplanting is also on the tour.
Brian Buenzow, with the Wisconsin DNR field office in Rock County, helped the Ends establish a small field of switch grass for the study. The Ends have been harvesting mulch from the field for four years.
Wisconsin Farmers Union, Fair Share CSA Coalition, the Farley Center and Dane County Extension are co-hosting the upcoming field day. For more information, call 608-897-4288 or email tony@scotchillfarm.com.
