Grain Growers Series 2022

This winter, the Northern Grain Growers Association and University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program brought our annual Grain Growers Conference to you! A virtual program was offered over the course of three weeks with presentations and hands-on activities, highlighting specific grain crops in the Northeast. Didn’t catch the live events? Don’t worry! …

2021 Organic Spring Wheat Variety Trial

In 2021, the University of Vermont Extension’s Northwest Crops and Soils Program evaluated 35 spring wheat varieties to identify varieties that perform well in production systems in northern Vermont. The trial was established at the Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. The 2021 growing season was slightly warmer and significantly drier than the 30-year average. …

Grain Growers Take Note of Powdery Mildew Alert

The cool wet weather throughout the spring has created the ideal growing conditions for a plethora of fungal pathogens. Several leaf diseases have been observed in our grain trials this season. One of the more easily identifiable ones is powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is a common disease of grain crops and can be observed periodically …

Preliminary Results from 2016 Winter Wheat Variety Trials Give Snapshot of Yields

This year, the University of Vermont Extension Northwest Crops and Soils team conducted an organic hard red winter wheat variety trial–both heirloom and modern day varieties–to determine those that perform best in our northern climate. The following provides harvest results from the trials at Borderview Research Farm in Alburgh, Vermont. The project evaluated 34 winter …

Getting Started in Grains: Recap of Field Day at Rogers Farmstead

On the first official day of summer, a crowd gathered in the barnyard of Rogers Farmstead in Berlin, Vermont. The topic was to learn the ins and outs of small grain growing and processing from beginning farmers Nate and Jessie Rogers. This event was the first in a series on grain production offered in collaboration …

Be On the Look Out for Loose Smut

As winter grains are heading out and flowering, it’s time to start scouting your fields for loose smut (Ustilago nuda, Ustilago avenae, and Ustilago tritici). Loose smut is found in winter and spring spelt, barley, and wheat, as well as oats. Spelt and barley are particularly susceptible to infection. Loose smut is one of the …

School may be out for Summer but the Testing Lab is In Session!

The University of Vermont Extension Cereal Grain Quality Testing Laboratory is run by our NWCS team. Since it opened in 2011, we have tested hundreds of grain and hop samples from our research plots as well as commercial samples from farmers throughout the region. The lab is now back open for the season and ready …

Be on the Lookout for Loose Smut!

As winter grains start to head out and flower, it’s time to start scouting your fields for Loose smut (Ustilago nuda, U. avenae, U. tritici). Loose smut is found in winter and spring spelt, barley, and wheat, as well as oats. Spelt and barley are particularly susceptible to infection. Loose smut is one of the …

Skip to toolbar