SNOHOMISH — Fifty years ago, Western Washington farmers always included small grains in their rotation and the market for local production was strong. As grain commodity prices fell, more farmers replaced cereal grain with other crops, and purchased what they needed for livestock and dairy production from farms hundreds or thousands of miles away.
Now, consumers are demanding sustainably raised and locally produced grains. In response, local growers — along with feed and flour distributors, bakers and distillers — are expanding into this new market. To aid these entrepreneurs, Washington State University Snohomish County Extension, in cooperation with local growers, has developed several demonstration plots to test the feasibility of supplying this new market opportunity.
WSU Extension and research faculty, Snohomish Conservation District and Chinook Farms will offer an on-farm demonstration from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 25 of organic wheat, rye, and triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye) production. Fall- and spring-planted varieties will be presented along with discussion of harvesting machinery and techniques. Basic principles such as first-time planting, soil preparation, fertility, protein content and disease issues will be among the topics covered by Drs. Steve Jones and Andrew Corbin of WSU. Research team members of the WSU Small Grains Breeding Program, cooperating growers with test plots from other farms, and seed industry representatives will also be available to participate in the discussion.
For successful Western Washington grain production, challenges to be met include cleaning, drying, storage, transportation and milling — all infrastructure needs that haven’t been available in this region since the 1970s. In addition, growers need to organize to ensure adequate production of a consistent quality and sufficient quantity to meet growing market demand.
If you are a grower ready for the next step — bridging the gap between local production and value-added product — this field day is an essential part of your progression to success.
Chinook Farms is a 132-acre certified organic grain and vegetable farm located at 10601 Elliott Road, Snohomish, about 1.5 miles east of Highway 9 in the Snohomish Valley.
Cost is $20 per person ($25 for those registering on-site the day of event) and includes light refreshments. To register, visit Brown Paper Tickets or contact Karie Christensen at 425-357-6039 or e-mail klchristen@cahnrs.wsu.edu.
For more information on the field day, contact Andrew Corbin, corbina@wsu.edu or 425-357-6012.
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