UMN Southwest Research & Outreach Center

06/08/2026

2026 Cover Crop Field Day: Setting up for Success

When: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (Check-in starts at 8:30 am)
Where: UMN Southwest Research & Outreach Center (SWROC)
23669 130th St, Lamberton, MN
Cost: FREE (includes lunch!)

Important Details:
Lunch: Help us with the food count! Register by June 19 to ensure a meal is waiting for you.
Walk-ins are welcome, but lunch is only guaranteed for pre-registrants.

Weather: Rain or shine—the tour departs promptly at 9:00 am.

Register Here: https://z.umn.edu/covercropfieldday

Planned tour stops and topics include:
• Cereal Rye: Finding the "sweet spot" for seeding rates and termination timing.
• Soil Health: Measuring erosion impacts and soybean/pathogen interactions.
• Innovation: Comparing camelina strategies and interseeding into short-stature corn.
• Specialty Use: Demos for grazing, pollinators, and landscape implications.

Questions? Contact Liz Stahl at [email protected]

06/05/2026

Available soil water at SWROC declined from 6.65 inches on May 15 to 6.04 inches on June 1, reflecting increased crop water use and limited recharge during the second half of May. Current soil water levels are now 0.78 inches below the historic average of 6.82 inches for this time of year.

The greatest moisture reserves remain in the deeper soil profile, particularly below 24 inches, while the upper soil layers continue to dry. As crops enter a period of rapid growth, upcoming rainfall will play an important role in maintaining adequate soil moisture.

Rainfall during the second half of May dramatically changed the moisture outlook. Between May 15 and June 1, 2026 received 1.63 inches of rain, bringing the total precipitation for the period to 1.68 inches, almost exactly matching the historical average of 1.66 inches.

While 2026 remains well behind some of the wettest years on record—such as 2023 and 2024, which received more than 7 inches by June 1—it is a significant improvement over drought years like 1976, when only 0.44 inches fell during the same period.

05/28/2026

Is any of this true?
It is not too often – okay, it has never happened before – that I get an email with the subject line “Is any of this true”. However, that is exactly what I received last week.

By Liz Stahl, Extension Educator – Crops It is not too often – okay, it has never happened before – that I get an email with the subject lin...

05/26/2026

Meet Our Summer Field Support Crew!
We are thrilled to welcome this fantastic group of college and high school students to the Southwest Research & Outreach Center for the summer!

Throughout the growing season, they will be assisting with:
• Plot maintenance
• Sample collection
• Lab work
• Data entry

We appreciate the hard work and dedication they are bringing this summer. Welcome aboard, everyone!

Students shown (L to R): Leo Hovland, Trenton Blomgren, Grant Kuehen, Parker Kuehen, Olivia Reiner, and Annika Schmiesing.

05/19/2026

As of May 15, 2026, available soil water at the SWROC measured 6.65” which is slightly above the historic average of 6.59”. Soil moisture levels have remained relatively steady this spring, despite limited rainfall.

The biggest moisture reserves continue to be deeper in the soil profile, especially in the 36–60” range, while the topsoil layers remain more variable from reading to reading. Compared to April 1, total soil moisture increased from 6.61” to a peak of 7.38” on May 1 before settling back closer to average by mid-May.

More weather information including growing degree days and precipitation is available at https://swroc.cfans.umn.edu/weather/graphs.

05/18/2026

Our small grain research plots are up and showing! We are back at it this season with a packed field:
🔹 420 Wheat plots
🔹 444 Oat plots
🔹 444 Barley plots

Stay tuned as we track their progress through the season!

05/15/2026

Does spring application of potash impact soybean yield? https://blog-crop-news.extension.umn.edu/2026/05/does-spring-application-of-potash.html

University of Minnesota Extension nutrient management specialist Dan Kaiser recently finished a four year study on potassium (K) fertilizer application for corn and soybeans. The study aimed to determine the optimal K rate for both crops, assess if spring application of potash negatively impacts soybean yield, and evaluate the accuracy of current plant tissue and soil testing guidelines.

University of Minnesota Extension nutrient management specialist Dan Kaiser recently finished a four year study on potassium (K) fertilizer...

05/12/2026

The wind is incredible today! As of 2:50 p.m., the maximum wind speed since 12 am has reached 52.1 mph at 10 meters (32.80 feet) and 44 mph at 3 meters (9.84 feet). This data is from the MN Ag Weather Network weather station located at the SWROC. Data from the weather station is available at https://swroc.cfans.umn.edu/weather.

05/08/2026

July 28-30, 10-4 PM

From Soil to Supper: Agricultural Farm Science: Dig into the science and technology of farming!
• Grades 1–2: Tuesday, July 28 (10am–4pm)
• Grades 3–5: Wednesday, July 29 (10am–4pm)

Prairie Detectives: Soil, Science, & Small Creatures: Step into Minnesota’s native prairie and see how it benefits the farmland around us!
• Grades 3–5: Thursday, July 30 (10am–4pm)

The Details:
• Location: UMN Southwest Research and Outreach Center (SWROC).
• Cost: Special pilot program fee of $25 per day.
• Perks: Lunch and snacks are included!

How to Register:
1. Fill out the Google Form:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSctrzJnznPDo183rVnBPKiPf-5l9Vyck4S96WTm25eKDHmiWg/viewform
2. Complete your payment to secure your spot.

05/07/2026

2026 Cover Crop Field Day: Setting up for Success

When: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 9:00 am – 1:00 pm (Check-in starts at 8:30 am)
Where: UMN Southwest Research & Outreach Center (SWROC)
23669 130th St, Lamberton, MN
Cost: FREE (includes lunch!)

Important Details:
Lunch: Help us with the food count! Register by June 19 to ensure a meal is waiting for you. Walk-ins are welcome, but lunch is only guaranteed for pre-registrants.

Weather: Rain or shine—the tour departs promptly at 9:00 am.

Register Here: https://z.umn.edu/covercropfieldday

Planned tour stops and topics include:

• Cereal Rye: Finding the "sweet spot" for seeding rates and termination timing.
• Soil Health: Measuring erosion impacts and soybean/pathogen interactions.
• Innovation: Comparing camelina strategies and interseeding into short-stature corn.
• Specialty Use: Demos for grazing, pollinators, and landscape implications.

Questions? Contact Liz Stahl at [email protected]

Register now for the Cover Crop Field Day! When: Thursday, June 25, 2026 | 9:00 am – 1:00 pm Where: Southwest Research and Outreach Center, 23669 130th St, Lamberton, MN Note: Cover Crop field Day is free and includes lunch. Please pre-register so we can plan for lunch. The University of Minnesota...