SDSU to host trio of East River field days

Next week, the South Dakota State University College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences will host three field days in eastern South Dakota. Each one will feature SDSU researchers sharing their expertise on a variety of topics applicable to local farmers and community members.

“Our field days give South Dakotans the opportunity to hear from our experts firsthand about the work they’re doing and what it means for South Dakota,” said John Blanton, associate dean of research for the college and director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. “For our researchers, it gives them the opportunity to talk with farmers and community members, to hear what challenges they’re having and what research would benefit them. We look forward to these days every year because of those interactions.”

Registration for all of the field days is available online.

The first of the three field days is the Southeast Research Farm Grain and Horticulture Crops Field Day on Tuesday, July 7, at 1:30 p.m. near Beresford (29974 University Road). Attendees of this field day will be able to choose from multiple farm tours and hear relevant research presentations, and the day will end with a family fun evening put on by SDSU Extension. Specific topics will include crop sequence after grazed rye, nutrient management in corn, wildlife on production fields, soil health for horticulture production and a 2026 weather outlook, among many others. Full details about all the tours and speakers can be found online. There will be another field day at this location focusing on forage and livestock on Sept. 10 from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

All are invited to learn more about conservation efforts in the Coteau des Prairie region at the Oak Lake Field Station Field Day, taking place Thursday, July 9, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. near Astoria (19862 483rd Ave.). While most of SDSU’s field stations conduct conservation research in some capacity, Oak Lake is unique for its focus on research to conserve native plants and animal species. Specific topics to be covered at the field day include an artificial intelligence tool used to identify insects, the impact of a changing climate on plant-pollinator interactions and an overview of how the SDSU Department of Natural Resource Management uses the field station to enrich the undergraduate student experience, among others. More details can be found online.

Rounding out the trio of eastern South Dakota field days is the Northeast Research Farm Field Day, happening Thursday, July 9, from 4 p.m.-dusk near South Shore (15710 455th Ave.). The northeast part of South Dakota has a cooler climate than much of the state, meaning farming may look a little different than other regions. Research conducted at the farm is directly applicable to local farmers’ fields and operations, which is why topics covered during this field day will be focused on what farmers are seeing in their fields this year and strategies that work in this unique area of the state. Continuing education credits will be available for certified crop advisers. More details about the field day can be found online.

All field days will include a meal and SDSU ice cream. Attendees will receive a South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station giveaway item and can enter to win a cooler backpack. While there is no cost to attend the field days, registration at this link is highly recommended in order to get accurate counts for food and resource materials.

The Southeast Research Farm, Oak Lake Field Station and Northeast Research Farm are all South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station research stations. These field days are part of a series hosted by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences taking place across the state of South Dakota this summer. More information about all of the field days is available on the SDSU website.