The 2013 Big Iron show set for Sept. 10-12 in West Fargo will include exhibits, ask-the-expert sessions and presentations by NDSU Extension Service specialists and researchers.
Field demonstrations on innovations in planting equipment are scheduled from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. daily, beginning with a 30-minute educational session by NDSU Extension crop and soil specialists discussing aspects of planting corn, soybeans and cereal and pulse crops. Following the education session, participating industry representatives will discuss their equipment and conduct demonstrations.
The second part of the field demonstrations will focus on NDSU's newly formed soil health initiative. Six NDSU researchers and scientists who conduct soil health research and Extension Service efforts will use a soil pit as an aid to discuss the importance of managing land to improve soil health. They will discuss crop and range management strategies land managers can use in adapting to changes in climate, cropping systems and environmental situations.
Persons involved in the soil health initiative include Ann-Marie Fortuna, research soil health assistant professor; Abbey Wick, Extension soil health assistant professor; Chris Augustin, area Extension soil health specialist; Naeem Kalwar, area Extension soil health specialist; Jasper Teboh, soil scientist; and Ben Geaumont, wildlife and range science research assistant professor.
In addition, the NDSU Bison Pullers, a student group in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, will demonstrate its quarter-scale tractor in a pulling contest. The Bison Pullers team builds a quarter-scale tractor each year and competes with similar groups at the annual 1/4-Scale Tractor Student Design Competition, sponsored by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers in Peoria, Ill.
NDSU Extension displays will be located in the entry of the Ag Building staffed by NDSU and University of Minnesota Extension personnel. Display topics include subirrigation; horse bedding; telematics, optical crop sensors; handling late-season, high-moisture grain; and processing of energy beets.
NDSU Extension agricultural and biosystems engineering specialists will conduct a "visit with the engineers" session daily from 10 a.m. to noon. The personnel who will answer questions and their topics are: Igathi Cannayen, front-end processing of energy beets, infield bales collection strategies and economics, and biomass feedstock processing; Ken Hellevang, grain drying and storage, structures and building environment including energy efficiency, moisture and indoor air quality; John Nowatzki, agricultural machinery and precision agriculture; Shafiqur Rahman, animal waste management, animal bedding and composting; and Tom Scherer, irrigation systems, drainage, individual home sewage systems, and farm water supply and treatment equipment.
NDSU is is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.