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Cypress County Agricultural Services |
Demonstrations and Projects |
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Demonstration of new technologies has always been a primary goal of the Agricultural Service Board. Field scale plots help bring the latest research to their neighbourhood, so they can see first hand the benefits of adopting new technologies. Various key projects further encourage farmers to grasp onto the new ways of producing food in southeast Alberta. |
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 A
40 metre diameter Forage Wheel,
showing 32 different species of grass and legumes, was seeded in April,
1997. This plot, about 8 km northeast of the City of Medicine Hat,
shows the effect of row spacing on forage production in the brown soil
zone of SE Alberta. There are three rows of each species, 13 cm
apart at the centre of the wheel, 1300 cm on the perimeter. |
 The
Field Shelterbelt Establishment Program
assists landowners get trees started. The bare root seedling trees
come free from Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada (PFRA). County
summer staff plant the trees, water at planting and then weed the tree
rows for two years. Dead trees are replaced each spring. By
the third spring, clients are guaranteed an established field
shelterbelt. |
 The
Southern Applied Research Association (SARA) does many field trials
across southern Alberta. This 5 year pea-wheat rotation study is
being done south of Schuler. As fertilizer prices increase, the
wheat reaps more and more value from the nitrogen fixed by the peas.
The Agricultural Research and
Extension Council of Alberta (ARECA) had many similar type projects. |
A
Salinity Plot northeast of Schuler,
Alberta, demonstrating Garrison Creeping Foxtail and Alfalfa in
reclaiming land that was no longer producing annual crops due to high
soil salts. Established in 1993, both the recharge and discharge
areas are now producing hay. The foxtail barley (an unwanted weed)
is now being outcompeted.