Rain and the threat of the thunderstorms didn’t stop people from heading out to the University of Wyoming’s Research and Extension Center Farm Tour last Thursday.

One UW researcher noted that while the weather may not have been great for the field day, the moisture was pretty good for a lot of the farmers out to see the trials.

It was a chance for people to see the trial fields planted by UW researchers to determine the effects of new methods on local crops. They’ve determined, for instance, that dry beans don’t need added nitrogen to thrive.

Dr. Jim Heitholt, director of the Powell Research and Extension Center, noted that many of the recent trials have been done less to find ways to increase yields, but instead to cut costs.

“They’re really doing a lot of good research here,” said Eric Webster, director of the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station.

The tour focused on irrigation trials, including furrow and sprinkler irrigation, and looked at issues with dry beans, barley, corn and sugar beets.

— Zac Taylor