Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) is welcoming the public to the Annual Alternative Crops Field Day on Wednesday, August 5, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The free event will be at MFAI’s new research farm at N8832 Pickeral Lake Road, East Troy. Education stations will highlight food and cover crop trials, agroforestry systems, and soil building conservation practices. Lunch will showcase alternative crops including millet, buckwheat, Kernza and mung beans – as well as several South Indian dishes. More information is at michaelfields.org.
“The MFAI Field Day has long been an annual tradition — a chance to bring farmers, partners, and community members together for practical, place-based learning,” says Ryan Martin, MFAI Executive Director. “This year is especially meaningful as we host a field day for the first time at New Farm, our recently launched crop trial site, where we’re excited to connect research, education, and policy in the field. We hope to see you there.”
The field day will feature tours of production fields and research plots, including varietal trials of proso millet and buckwheat, along with Pennsylvania Dutch popcorn, mung beans, Kernza perennial grain, agroforestry plantings, and a variety of cover crops employed in different settings. Five stations led by MFAI staff and collaborators will explore soil health, water quality, alternative crop production, and the process of bringing emerging crops to market.
New Farm is located in the Southern Kettle Moraine near The Nature Conservancy’s Pickerel Lake Fen Preserve. Pickerel Lake Fen is a protected State Natural Area and is one of the most biologically diverse fens in southeastern Wisconsin. Because water can travel through the surrounding landscape and enter sensitive groundwater systems, MFAI’s use of conservation practices – like prairie strips and cover crops – demonstrates how productive agriculture can help protect nearby wetlands and waterways.
“The MFAI New Farm is a beautiful property with views of the terminal moraine, glacial kettles, native forest and conservation pollinator strips. Nestled amongst these beautiful landscape features,” says Dr. Nicole Tautges, MFAI Research Director, who supervises the crop trials. “MFAI staff get to trial alternative crops and perform regenerative ag research that we’re excited to show to our guests, friends, and partners. We hope you are able to join us for this first year at the farm!”
Dr. Tautges completed her Bachelors degree in Agronomy at the University of Wisconsin Madison and earned her PhD at Washington State University, completing a project on soil fertility, weed, and soil microbial management in semiarid organic wheat production systems. At MFAI, her research focuses on organic production methods, biological nutrient cycling, and post-harvest quality flows in food grade grain systems. Dr. Tautges is leader in the development of Midwest Kernza, oat, and buckwheat food chains.
MFAI staff members will share a lunch that features alternative crops, locally produced goods, and dishes from their ethnic backgrounds. The planned menu includes South Indian millet cakes and dosai, Hungarian buckwheat crepes, South Indian chutneys, local cheese and honey, seasonal vegetables, and a salad topped with sprouted mung beans. MFAI’s retail business, Fields Best Small Batch Grains, will offer flours, baking mixes, cookies, and brownies for purchase.
Following the field day, MFAI staff will serve chilled herbal mocktails and take interested guests on a Hay Wagon Ride to explore one of the forested glacial kettles on the property.
The Annual Alternative Crops Field Day is free and open to the public. Advance registration is requested for meal planning. Event information and registration are at www.michaelfields.org/event-
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