The Ag & Energy Center … 50 years old

EDITOR’S NOTE: To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Ag & Energy Center DelRay Lecy is writing a history, recording the people and events that created it. He’ll show how it has evolved and changed to meet the challenges of the times. This is the third article in an occasional series leading to its release at the Ag & Energy Center’s Field Day Aug. 24. The first article appeared in the Staples World April 5, 2018, and the second one was published in the May 31, 2018, issue.

By DelRay Lecy

In the first two articles, we briefly discussed the beginnings of the Ag Center, the people involved in making it happen, connections to CMIC (Central Minnesota Irrigators Corporation), and a little about the crops irrigated.

The 1970s were a time of discovery for the center. The University had established research plots on site. Fred Bergsrud, Mel Wiens and Hal Werner were on the scene with both research and irrigation education. Others who came to the center included Jim Sutherland, Dennis Smith, Laraine Myers, Gene Ulring, John Martell, Bert Winger, Don Eikmeier and this writer.

Center staff were engaged and comfortable with steady irrigation growth and the education that went along with it. Edible beans were expanding, blueberries were being researched, potatoes were being tested, and traditional crops were on site. A rhythm had surfaced.

Then came 1976 …  Wayne Haglin had finished his time as director and Tom Kajer was the new guy. The rain did not come but, on field day, the people did. Over 2,000 people attended the 1976 field day, arriving in several buses, a few planes, and many, many cars. Hal Werner said it best: “…that field day had more impact on irrigation in Minnesota than any other one event that’s ever happened.” People still talk about what that day was like.

The 1980s were a time of challenge. The 80s opened with a Head Smut quarantine of the center which led to major research efforts and varieties resistant to the disease. The center was first thought to be the problem, which was inaccurate, but it turned out to be the location of the solution. The ethanol plant also came to the center through a federal grant.

Changes in the funding for the college resulted in the need for the center to be self-supporting. The “Farm Crisis” affected the center as well. Low prices and high costs made financing a public entity difficult. The director position went from a few day assignment for this writer to a full time position for Dale Williams and then Norm Krause. New sources of revenue were needed and that would come through new partnering. Shirley Judd, Shelly Johnson, Becky Sheets, Ron Nelson and Dallas Sams started in the 80s.

Crops such as asparagus, lupine beans, adzuki beans, cranberry beans, carrots, melons and strawberries were added. Drip irrigation and water quality testing began. Groups from Norway, Russia and India visited the center. Another drought year brings a new lateral move irrigation system to the center.

The 1990s could be considered a time of renewal. Past efforts with tillage trials and an enhanced stewardship focus resulted in the expanded use of no-till farming. A Natural Air Grain Drying demonstration begins, partnerships expand with the University and Department of Ag, and the center celebrates 25 years.

The college system merges to MnSCU causing questions about the center’s future. The University takes over for one year but one month short of the deadline it backs out of the agreement. Within 30 days, action was taken to move the land to the local school district and “The Farm” became the Central Lakes Agricultural Center, managed by Central Lakes College (CLC). Once again college, public school and concerned farmers came together to take a stand.

As the decade ends, there were 37 different university research plots and 20 demonstration plots. Those plots include items on numerous crops such as turkey manure fertility trials, Swedish brown beans, variety trials, diseases, plant populations and more. In 1999 the center adds a larger scale lateral move irrigation system.

The 2000s were a time of expanding the mission. The first was the start of Living Legacy Gardens. This was the brain child of Shirley Judd. In brief, the purpose of the gardens was to demonstrate plants that would grow in Zone 3. With the help of community organizations and volunteers, the gardens have flourished and now includes a children’s garden and an apple orchard as well.

Bob Schafer became director when Norm Krause retired. This brought in another addition, the area of energy crops. It was a time of great interest in biofuel and biomass. With crops like camelina, canola and miscanthus, the center was in the forefront of those discussions in the area. A multi-year NextGen grant targeting these crops guided this effort.

Partnerships had been building through the 90s and now by the 2000s there were six University staff and four Department of Ag staff on site. A vineyard was planted with a National Science Foundation grant. New to the center in the 2000s were Bob Rick, Keith Olander and Dennis Emslie Drummond.

The 2010s are a time of a new entity. The center has found a place of stability and works closely with AgCentric. A multi-partner effort called the Byron Project is a demonstration of working on an issue with all the key players. Keith Olander becomes director and new staff members include Thaddeus McCamant and Hannah Barrett.

We ran out of space for the rest of the story. Where is the center headed in the future? Did someone mention solar or drones? The complete story can be found in the written history. Please visit the 50th Annual Field Day or contact the Ag Center for more information.