Training News from BWSR

Train Tracks NEW

August 2024  


In this issue:


Announcements

BWSR Academy Oct. 29-31

Hold the date for the annual BWSR Academy on Oct. 29-31 at Cragun’s Conference Center near Brainerd. BWSR Academy registration is $75 per day which includes lunch. Lodging at Cragun’s is $106.30 per night. Registration is scheduled to open Sept. 12. Check the BWSR Academy webpage for updates.


Technical Training & Certification Program Updates

Technical Training & Certification Program Logo

Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Field Day

On Friday, Aug. 30, the Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center will host their annual field day. This free, family friendly event features a “ride and drive” of agricultural equipment, drones, research updates, and other topics related to agriculture and technology. A complimentary lunch includes sweet corn produced at the Ag Center!

For additional information please visit the Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Field Day page.

 

Cover Crop Seeding Equipment Field Day

A field day is scheduled for Sept. 4 near Blooming Prairie. This event will feature various ways to seed cover crops, and different types of equipment will be on site for live demonstrations. This event is a great opportunity for producers considering planting cover crops to see a variety of methods.

For additional information and a link to register, please visit the Cover Crop Seeding Equipment Showcase page.

 

Agroforestry Institute

Agroforestry is a land management approach that provides opportunities to combine productivity and profitability with environmental stewardship, resulting in healthy and sustainable agricultural systems that can be passed on to future generations.

The Minnesota Agroforestry Institute, which includes classroom workshops and field visits, will be held Sept. 17-19 in Wabasha. Participants will learn about agroforestry options and how to apply agroforestry practices in their educational and technical assistance programs. Participants will also be able to discuss agroforestry options with colleagues and policymakers, and have an opportunity to integrate the concepts learned into a practical farm plan.

For additional information and a link to register, please visit the Agroforestry Institute page.

 

In Field Soil Health Assessment Trainings Planned for Fall

Field training on completing In Field Soil Health Assessments is being planned for eight locations around the state during the last week of September and throughout the month of October. The cropland In Field Soil Health Assessment worksheet and guide are used to complete 11 evaluations and identify soil health related resource concerns. When registration is open it will be sent directly to those who have identified “Soil Health” as a training need in their IDP (maybe you want to add it?) and a link will be posted on the Training Calendar.

 

Save the Date: Basic Soils and Landscapes for Conservation Planners

A Basic Soils and Landscapes training is being planned for Oct. 9 and 10 near Pipestone. This two-day course will provide an overview of the soil survey program, methods, soil maps, Web Soil Survey, interpretive information, and other soil resources that support technical staff with the conservation planning process. Soil genesis, properties and soil-landscape relationships will all be outlined. Participants will have hands on opportunities in the field with guides, tools and survey methods to gain confidence and a better understanding of how soils are evaluated and applied to conservation planning.

 

Prescribed Grazing Training

The second, day long classroom and field training on Conservation Practice Standard 528, Prescribed Grazing, will be held on Oct. 1 in Detroit Lakes. The classroom portion will cover the information that should be collected during the planning process to develop a grazing plan, and how to calculate the forage requirements for livestock. The field session includes monitoring of applied grazing systems to determine if they meet the standard.

For additional information and a link to register, please visit the Prescribed Grazing page.

 

Tech Talk Webinars

After the usual summer break our Tech Talk webinars are returning. These informal virtual trainings are held on Mondays at 1 p.m., and feature a wide variety of technical topics from subject matter experts. Some of the upcoming sessions include:

  • Aug. 19 will be a discussion of organic no till systems and how they work, or don’t work.
  • Sept. 9 will be a repeat of our TTCP Onboarding. This is an excellent opportunity for new employees and supervisors, or anyone that wants to learn more about TTCP, to get an introduction to the training resources and support available to them.
  • Sept. 23 will be and introduction to In Field Soil Health Assessments with Stephanie McLain (NRCS).
  • Sept. 30 will feature Jeppe Kjaersgaard (MDA) discussing slow release nitrogen products and BMPs.
  • Oct. 21 will feature Thomas Zimmerman (NRCS) and John Stoltz (Carlton SWCD) discussing the basics of micro irrigation including terminology, components, planning, and resource concerns associated with this practice.

Going forward we are looking to host these session using Teams rather than Webex. Additional information on these and other Tech Talk sessions, including a link to join live, can be found on the Tech Talks page.

 

2024 Shared Training Calendar

An updated working version of the 2024 training calendar is now available. This 12 month view of training offerings is regularly updated and provides information about upcoming training events, including potential dates and locations. Please see the legend at the top and note that the further out a training is proposed the more likely adjustments will need to be made. The dates, locations, and other details are always tentative until the event is posted on the Training Calendar.


Upcoming Training Events

BWSR Sponsored Training Events

  • Oct. 29-31: BWSR Academy, Cragun’s Conference Center/Brainerd HOLD THE DATE
Minnesota Wetland Professional Certification Program

Minnesota Wetland Professional Certification Program

Upcoming MWPCP Course Schedule:

 

Wetland Regional Training: Redwood Falls Community Center – Aug. 27-28 (Full)

Introduction to Wetland Delineation and Regulations: Brainerd – Sept. 9-13 (Full)

Introduction to Wetland Delineation and Regulations: Arden Hills – Sept. 30-Oct. 4 (Full)

Antecedent Precipitation Tool: St Cloud MNDOT Training Center – Oct. 22 (2 sessions)   

 

More information on each course — including how to register — can be found at the MWPCP website.


Technical Training & Certification Program Trainings

Tech Talk Webinars: Mondays at 1 p.m.

  • Aug. 19 Organic No-Till Systems: Can it work?
  • Sept. 12 TTCP Onboarding
  • Sept. 23 Cropland in Field Soil Health Assessment and Its Role to Evaluate Soil Function
  • Sept. 30 Slow Release Nitrogen Products and BMPs

 

August

 

October


Related Partner Trainings


Program Contacts

Barbara Radke
Training Coordinator
(507) 844-0442
 barbara.radke@state.mn.us 
  Jon Sellnow
TTCP Coordinator
(218) 340-3521
jon.sellnow@state.mn.us

David Demmer &
Ben Meyer
MWPCP Coordinators
(218) 464-8289 &
(612) 201-9806
david.demmer@state.mn.us & ben.meyer@state.mn.us