Explore wheat varieties at Graham County Wheat Field Day

HILL CITY -- Area farmers can learn the latest about wheat farming and wheat varieties at the 2008 Graham County Wheat Field Day at 8 a.m. June 4 at the FFA farm, about 9 miles south of Hill City on the east side of U.S. Highway 283.

Free pop, coffee and donuts will be served, and there is no charge to attend.

Those attending will be able to see about 20 varieties of wheat grown side-by-side at the FFA farm's test plot. These varieties include some of the most popular being grown today, such as Jagger, Karl 92, 2137, 2174, Tam 111, Jagalene and many others.

In addition, three expert speakers will offer their insights on wheat farming in our area today.

Brian Olson will talk about the varieties of wheat in the FFA Farm's test plot, and he also will discuss wheat diseases. Olson is the Extension agronomist for the Northwest Area Kansas State University Research and Extension Office, Colby.

Dan O'Brien, the K-State Northwest Area's economist, will give a talk on the wheat and grain market outlooks.

Dana Peterson, producer policy specialist with the organization Kansas Wheat, will discuss the producer assessment being invested into research, marketing and education. Kansas Wheat is a joint organization of the Kansas Wheat Commission and the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers.

The Graham County Wheat Field Day is hosted by K-State Research and Extension, Graham County and the Hill City High School chapter of FFA.

Other sponsors include High Plains Farm Credit of Hays, the Kansas Crop Improvement Association, Manhattan, and Kansas Wheat, also of Manhattan.

For more information, contact Graham County's K-State Research and Extension office at (785) 421-3411 or stop by the office in the Graham County Courthouse, 410 N. Pomeroy, Hill City.