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Farmers Enjoy Field Trip Despite Weather

By STEPHANIE BUNKER

Moapa Valley Progress

Farmers from throughout the Intermountain West gathered in the fields at Hardy Farms in Logandale during a Hay and Forage Symposium put on by Utah State University last week. PHOTO BY STEPHANIE BUNKER/Moapa Valley Progress.

Hay growers from all around the Intermountain Western United States gathered at the Hardy fields on Tuesday, Feb. 5 to study and learn about hay production and important cash crop. Utah State University (USU) conducts the Utah Hay and Forage Symposium every other year in St. George inviting farmers in the business to learn and get the most up-to-date information in the industry.

USU Extension Agronomist Earl Creech explained that in the last several conferences they started doing breakout sessions giving the attendees some hands-on examples where they could touch and feel. This year they broke out of the conference rooms in St. George to travel to Logandale.

“In Utah we are in a bind, all the alfalfa has gone dormant,” Creech said. “Here it stays green all year; we have something to look at. It really does our hearts good to see green living plants.”

USU started planning this event two years ago with the help and sponsorship of the Utah Farm Bureau. They prepared the soil and crops for their demonstrations well in advance.

Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City played the role of middle man; SUU works with USU and has a connection to the Hardy Farm which is how the Utah Hay Symposium attendees ended up there.

Two years ago SUU installed a few water monitoring systems in the fields and gathered information to use. They also sprayed different kinds of herbicides in patches to show effectiveness.

The group had four rotations 30 minutes each taught by the professors from USU. In the rotations, they studied soil and forage sampling, antamology, soil moisture monitoring and weeds or herbicides.

There were about 70 people that came to study the Southern Nevada alfalfa crop, which was less than anticipated. This year’s event landed on during a winter storm up north.

Because of the weather about 30 travelers weren’t able to get past Cedar City due to I-15 closures. Those who did make it endured wind and an occasional rain while out in the fields.

Creech kept a sense of humor while introducing visitors to farming in Moapa Valley.
“Water runs downhill, except in Nevada where water runs toward money,” he said.

Farm owner Stan Hardy explained to the group that he didn’t need rain to grow his crop; in fact rain didn’t help much. He strictly uses irrigation water that comes out of a well that isn’t influenced by snow pack or rain.

Hardy also said that he can harvest the alfalfa eight times a year, which is double the amount of cuttings of those living in colder areas. He told a little about his crop saying he grows toward the equine market which is looking for low protein and low carbs. He also explained that in Logandale he doesn’t have much of a bug problem but he fights with the weeds.

Following the demonstrations given in the Hardy Field the group relocated to the Moapa Valley High School Agriculture Farm for a lunch of Navajo tacos catered by the Moapa Valley FFA.

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