North Dakota Travel & Tourism Brouchers Are Issued

Pick up the trail of America's greatest legends in North Dakota. Whether you choose to follow legendary trails of Lewis & Clark, Sitting Bull, George Custer, Sakakawea and Teddy Roosevelt, or if you favor the more established trails of state parks, city streets and shopping malls, we invite you to enjoy all that North Dakota has to offer. The free Travel Guide will help you plan your legendary North Dakota adventure.

North Dakota Based Vacations

North Dakota Tourism/Jason Lindsey

North Dakota visitors can learn about the state’s culture and heritage in a new way: by getting out of their cars and tour buses and into fields, kitchens and canoes. Learning Based Vacations cater to groups or individuals looking to combine learning new skills with fun and adventure. Create your own customized learning-based vacation in a variety of areas such as agriculture, American Indian studies, art, birding, immigrant cultures of North Dakota, living history and paleontology. Search by keywords or click on the state map to begin your North Dakota Adventure!

If you have questions, or would like more information on the Learning Based Vacations program, please contact Annette Schilling, Cultural and Heritage Tourism Marketing Director.

North Dakota University Explained

Heat Stress a Problem, Even for Northern Plains Cattle
High heat can take its toll on cattle. Heat stress can be a serious hazard for cattle, even in northern Great Plains climates.

The past week’s extremely hot and humid weather conditions have resulted in some reports of heat stress problems in beef cattle, particularly from feedlot operations in regions where the weather has been especially humid.

Cows and nursing calves are less susceptible but also can be affected by the high temperatures, says Greg Lardy, the North Dakota State University Extension Service’s beef cattle specialist.

Symptoms of heat stress include rapid breathing or panting, increased body temperatures, drooling, salivation or foaming at the mouth. Cattle will tend to stand grouped together during the early onset of heat stress. In severe cases, cattle will breathe with their mouth open and stand with their tongues protruding from their mouth. Along with the heavy, rapid breathing, cattle will appear to be pushing from their flanks. In the latter stages of severe heat stress, cattle will stand with their head down and may be away from the herd.

Heat stress usually is more severe when nighttime temperatures do not cool. Night cooling allows animals a chance to dissipate excess body heat that built during the day.

Lardy says solutions for combating heat stress include:

Changing the cattle’s feeding time from morning to late afternoon or evening Sprinkling the animals with water Providing shade Changing the feeding time shifts the heat produced during fermentation to night, a when cattle are better able to dissipate the heat.

Sprinkling usually is the most immediate solution. It should begin in the morning prior to the heat of the day. Producers should sprinkle the cattle and the mounds or surfaces of the pen where they lie.

“Providing shade will also help,” Lardy says. “However, this is a longer-term investment and is generally not something which can be done immediately.”

Dark or black-hided cattle are more susceptible to heat stress because their coat color absorbs more solar radiation; however, cattle of all hide colors can succumb to heat-related stressors and suffer from heat stress. In addition, cattle nearing market weight and carrying the most body fat or condition also are more susceptible because they are less able to dissipate excess body heat due to their fat cover.

Water requirements also increase dramatically during heat stress. In some cases, producers may need to add water spaces to provide the extra water cattle need.

Lardy recommends producers refrain from processing, moving or working cattle when ambient temperatures are high or heat stress is a potential problem.

“Working cattle in the early morning hours or waiting for relief from the heat wave is the best option,” he says.

Producers also should use fly control to provide cattle relief from the pests during periods of high temperatures.



Red Sunflower Seed Weevil
The red sunflower weevil emergence peaks in late July. There have already been reports of high numbers in eastern Ward County. Female weevils deposit eggs inside developing pericarp (sunflower shell) then larva feed on the developing seed. Start scouting as ray flowers are beginning to show, and continue until 70% pollen shed when sunflowers are no longer susceptible to damage. The red sunflower weevil is a rusty red color, about ¼” long, with a long snout, or proboscis. Economic thresholds are roughly 3-5 weevils per head, although as market prices increase that threshold may be lower. NDSU recommends treatment when 30% of plants are just starting to shed pollen. Control levels decrease after most of the plants are past 40% pollen shed. For more information refer to the 2007 Field Crop Insect Management Guide.

Now What’s Eating the Sunflowers?
Sunflower maggot has been reported in several fields in the north central region recently. It can be found by prying open the sunflower bud; dark brown spots on immature disk flowers may be observed. The larvae are less than ¼” at maturity. The small, brown pupae are found in the face of the sunflower bud, usually surrounded by a small number of damaged disk flowers. Adults of sunflower seed maggot have brown lace‑like wings, and emerge during the first week of July and lay eggs on the corolla of incompletely opened sunflower inflorescences. The total larval period is 14 days. The first generation pupates in the head; the second generation overwinters in the soil as pupae. Economic damage from the maggot is rare. The magnitude of damage to sunflower seeds by sunflower seed maggot larvae largely depends on the larval stage and seed development. Seed sterility occurs when newly hatched larvae tunnel into the corolla of young blooms; a single larva feeding on young flowers will tunnel through 12 ovaries. Mature larvae feeding on older sunflower heads destroy only one to three seeds. Since economic damage is rare, there is no research on control of the adult, and control of the larva is impossible as it feeds inside the bud and would be untouched by an insecticide application.



Can we successfully straight combine Canola?????
Current North Dakota State University Extension recommendations and guidelines for canola is to swath at the optimum stage to reduce green seed and seed shatter losses. From 2004-2006 there have been a number of small scale and field scale studies comparing straight combining canola with traditional methods of swathing and combining. The results of this research indicate that canola can be successfully straight combined. All combine headers: rigid, flex, and draper all performed well with straight combining canola and did not cause any harvest loss compared to the pick-up head. When harvested at the optimum time, straight combining canola can be successful with equal to higher yield than traditional harvest methods of swathing and combing. There is also less green seed and generally higher oil content and test weight with straight combining verses swathing and combining. One important consideration with straight combining is that it is more vulnerable to seed and shatter loss when harvest is delayed past the optimum. It is very important when straight combining canola to harvest at the optimum time and does not allow the flexibility of swathed canola. The optimum harvest time is identified at the first time the harvest moisture fall below ten percent. Research indicates that seed loss due to shatter increases significantly approximately 10 days after the optimum harvest time was reached.

NDSU Extension Service, North Dakota State University of Agriculture and Applied Science, and U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Duane Hauck, Director, Fargo, North Dakota. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. We offer our programs and facilities to all persons regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, handicap, age. Vietnam era veterans status, or sexual orientation; and are an equal opportunity employer.

This publication will be made available in alternative formats for people with disabilities upon request, 701-662-7027

Where Amazing Potatoes Are : North Dakota !

Cultivar Selection

Potato cultivars vary in appearance, maturity, growing requirements and culinary quality, and are an excellent source of nutrients, such as potassium. Potatoes are versatile and convenient. You can prepare them as baked, boiled, chipped, fried and roasted, and use them in soups, salads and stew.

Choose cultivars that suit your culinary needs and those suited to your local growing conditions. Most early cultivars will provide you with “new” potatoes, often by the Fourth of July. Those with a later maturity will require 100 days or more from emergence to produce a potato crop with acceptable yield. Table 1 lists some of the cultivars suitable for production in northern Plains gardens.

Skin or flesh color does not necessarily determine the best use of a potato cultivar; instead, the texture of the tuber determines the best use. Cultivars that are high in starch content, or dry matter, are mealy, tend to bake with a fluffy texture and make excellent fries and chips due to low oil absorption and generally light color. Those with a waxy texture are lower in starch content and specific gravity, and frequently higher in sugar content. These cultivars hold together better during boiling and are preferred for salads, soups and stews.
Red-skinned cultivars

Red-skinned cultivars provide an attractive contrast to meat and other vegetables, and tend to have lower starch content and a waxy texture, making them most suitable for boiling, roasting, salads, soups and stews. They may have a sweet flavor, particularly after cold storage. Typically, they are round, although oblong or oval cultivars are becoming common. The majority have white flesh. Several new cultivars, particularly those from Europe, have varying shades of yellow flesh. Some consumers feel these have a “nuttier” flavor. Red-fleshed, red-skinned cultivars also are finding a niche in garden catalogs, garden centers, farmers markets and upscale restaurants.
White-skinned cultivars

White-skinned potato cultivars may be high or low in starch content. Those with high levels tend to have a mealy texture and are most suited to chipping or frying, particularly if they accumulate low levels of sugar during growth and storage. Those with lower levels have a more waxy texture, thus hold together better during boiling or roasting. Typically, white-skinned cultivars have white flesh; however, shades of yellow predominate the majority of cultivars popular in Europe, Mexico and South America. Yukon Gold, a very versatile, yellow-fleshed cultivar, is widely adapted and the most popular in North America.
Russet-skinned cultivars

Russet cultivars are characterized by their brown, netted skin. The majority of cultivars are oblong to long. Dual-purpose cultivars are suited for making french fries and other frozen processed products, as well as for baking. These cultivars tend to have high dry-matter content, and several accumulate low levels of sugar, making them suitable for processing. Some cultivars, such as Russet Norkotah, are widely adapted, but have lower dry-matter content, making them useful for baking and American fries.


Table 1. Potato cultivars suitable for garden production in the northern Plains.
Cultivar Use Description Maturity* Additional Comments
Dakota Jewel Boiling
Microwaving
Roasting
Salad
Soup Round to oval tuber type with excellent bright red skin. Yield potential is medium. Medium Tubers size early. Hollow heart occasionally has been noted if tubers exceed 8 ounces. Good storage properties and long dormancy.
Dakota Pearl Chipping
Mashing Very smooth, uniform, round tubers with bright white skin and flesh. Medium
Dakota Rose Boiling
Roasting
Salad
Soup Oval tuber type with bright red skin. Yield potential is medium. Medium tolate
Goldrush Baking Attractive, oblong, blocky tubers with medium russet skin and light pink eyes. Medium Resists hollow heart. Frequently forms hearts or glove-shaped tubers.
Kennebec Baking
Boiling
Chipping
Mashing
Lefse White skinned with oval to oblong tuber type. Very high yielding. Late Susceptible to scab, blackleg, growth cracks and hollow heart.
Red Norland Boiling
Roasting
Salad Round tuber type with bright red skin. Medium yield potential. Early Typical garden cultivar.
Red Pontiac Boiling
Mashing
Salad Oval to oblong tuber type with pale red skin and deep eyes. Medium late Susceptible to hollow heart.
Russet Norkotah Baking Attractive, long tubers with medium russet skin and golden eyes. Medium yield potential. Early Susceptible to heat and water stress. Does not tolerate hail damage well.
Viking Boiling
Mashing
Roasting
Salad Oval tuber type with red skin and very white flesh. High yield potential. Early Tubers tend to get large as few are set per plant. Resistant to hollow heart.
Yukon Gold Baking
Boiling
Mashing
Roasting
Salad
Soup
Stew Oval tuber type with white skin and yellow flesh. Eyes are pink. Medium to high yield potential. Early Tubers weighing more than 8 ounces may develop hollow heart.

What is the Census of Agriculture?

What is the Census of Agriculture?

The Census of Agriculture, taken every five years, is a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and many other areas. For America’s farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future and their responsibility.

Visit Bowman !

Bowman County is located in southwestern North Dakota. The Extension Office can be found at 104 1st ST NW in the town of Bowman. We are in the top floor of the Bowman County Courthouse, which can be accessed on the north side of the building.

Vacation Trips And Tips

Looking for that perfect North Dakota vacation? Let us simplify your planning by offering the perfect package or tempting trips-to-go. You can also build your own itinerary, customize your ideal trip, and learn the true essence of vacationing “North Dakota” style. Whether you seek a city experience, choose to walk the foot steps of legends, or prefer to blaze a trail through the rugged badlands, a legendary vacation awaits you … are you ready?