Start your morning with a free breakfast and a hands-on look at weeds in the field.

At this Story of the Weeds plot tour, you'll learn how to identify common and emerging weeds, explore control strategies, and ask your toughest questions during a Q&A session with our weed specialist. Whether you're dealing with hawkweed, thistles, or other problem plants, this session will give you real-world tools you can apply right away.

We'll also share updates in the classroom on our thistle rust fungus project—a biological control option for Canada thistle.

After breakfast and a short classroom session, we’ll head into the field to tour our 2025 weed suppression trial, where we're comparing several approaches to weed control on Dark Grey Chernozemic soils. Treatments include:

• A weed suppression polycrop blend

• A conventional herbicide application (glyphosate)

• A biological product (Eco-Tea)

• A check (no treatment)

Field Demo: Yellowhead County will also be showcasing a non-chemical weed control option using high-temperature steam. This emerging technology targets weeds without herbicides and may offer a practical tool for spot treatment or sensitive areas.

What to expect:

• Free breakfast and networking

• Hands-on weed ID and control discussion

• Q&A with a weed specialist (bring your questions!)

• Guided tour of our weed suppression trial plots

• Live demonstration of steam-based weed control

• Classroom overview of our thistle rust fungus research

• Practical takeaways for your own pasture or field

Who should attend:

Farmers, ranchers, landowners, and anyone interested in weed management and soil health in west-central Alberta.