Issue 33
January 2001

Copyright
Prairie Grains Magazine
January 2001

Wheat road trip braves MN in January

When it comes to geographic size, Alaska ranks first among the 50 states, hands down. At 591,000 square miles, it is one-fifth the size of the entire lower 48. Texas is second in total land area, at 266,807 square miles. Minnesota comes in 12th, with 84,402 square miles. Minnesota sure seems a lot bigger than that, however, especially during winter. That’s speaking from experience: Living up here in Warroad next to the Canadian border, we put on a lot of miles if we want to go anywhere in the state. To get to the Twin Cities can take about eight hours, one way.

Each January, leaders of the Minnesota Wheat Council put on a lot of miles in producer meetings across western Minnesota. It can be an interesting experience, to have these meetings in the dead of winter. The prospect of 50-below wind chills sure doesn’t help in attracting out-of-state speakers either—A road trip? Minnesota? In January?

But we do nevertheless, and getting out and communicating with producers about the Council’s leading activities makes these meetings worthwhile. I encourage wheat producers in western Minnesota to make one of these meetings that are coming up. The Council’s Internet information system, Toolshed, will be discussed, along with wheat varieties, on-farm trial results, using regional wheat disease forecasting for effective fungicide application decisions, and wheat marketing in 2001. The meeting schedule:

• January 23 — Brecken-ridge 8:30 a.m., Hawley, 1 p.m.

• January 24 — Crookston 8:30 a.m., Ada, 1:30 p.m.

• January 25 — Hallock 9 a.m., Argyle at 1 p.m., Greenbush, 5 p.m.

• January 26 — St. Hilaire, 9:30 a.m.

For more details, go to http://www.smallgrains.org/SGUpdate/121400/SGUpdates/SGUpdates.ht ml

                   Art Brandli, Warroad, MN
                                                   MWRPC Chair