Accelerate Weekly #91

Accelerate Weekly – Issue 91 (Week of September 22, 2025)

This week’s Accelerate Weekly shares updates from the field as Farming Forward wraps up the 2025 summer season. At the Lac Ste. Anne weed plot, the team began testing a rust fungus inoculation as a long-term biological control option for Canada thistle. Despite less-than-ideal weather, spores were collected from a naturally infected patch, processed into inoculum, and applied using a moisture-retaining method. Additional inoculations are planned over the coming days, with the first signs of infection expected by spring.

The issue also features a full recap and recording of the recent What a Waste seminar, which covered carcass disposal, on-farm plastics, grain bag recycling, compostable net wrap, and predator conflict management. Producers who missed the live event can now access speaker summaries, resource links, and the webinar on the website.

Field work continues at the bale grazing trial, where early observations show how residue levels influence oat maturity and overall forage performance. High-trash zones stayed greener and taller, while no-trash areas matured fastest. Sunflowers and the diverse forage blend remained strong throughout the site, contributing to ground cover and productivity.

Members also receive a Save the Date for Farming Forward’s major fall event, Gathering Ground: A Producer Development Day, scheduled for November 15 near Whitecourt. Early bird registration opens October 7. The newsletter wraps up with surveys on forage pricing and agricultural plastics, plus training and event opportunities including Jim Gerrish’s grazing course, the Young Agrarians Business Bootcamp, and the Alberta Sheep Breeders’ Symposium.