By Red River Farm Network

Last fall, the North Dakota State College of Science Agriculture Program received nearly 100 acres of land. With support from several businesses and organizations, corn, soybeans and wheat are now growing at the college’s Ag Land Lab. NDSCS Agriculture Program Chair Craig Zimprich says students will return this summer for spraying, scouting and precision agriculture training. “They’ll learn from experts in sprayer technology about why different nozzles are used and new technologies,” says Zimprich. “Agronomists will be on hand, helping students scout crops. Also, we know there are salinity issues in the fields. So, the students will look at variability in the different crops, weed pressures and make recommendations.” Students in the program come from a variety of backgrounds. About half plan to return to the family farm, while others will go into agribusiness careers such as agronomy or marketing. Hear more about the Ag Land Lab from Zimprich in the interview below.

Listen to the interview online at www.rrfn.com. 

The NDSCS Performing Arts department will present two concerts in April, with the Concert Band and Concert Choir performing on April 19 and the Jazz Band and Wildcat Singers performing on April 30. Both concerts will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Harry Stern and Ella Stern Cultural Center on the North Dakota State College of Science campus in Wahpeton. The concerts are free and open to the public.

The NDSCS Concert Band and Concert Choir will present their last concert of the season on Thursday, April 19. The Concert Band will perform several pieces including “Tis the Last Rose of Summer,” featuring trumpet soloist Madison Nelson-Gira. The Concert Choir will collaborate with the M State (Fergus Falls) Voice Ensemble on two pieces. “Ave Verum” and “Let Everything That Hath Breath” were featured on Minnesota Public Radio last fall, with students from both NDSCS and M State participating in the recording session. Both choirs will also perform separately at the concert.

The NDSCS Jazz Band and Wildcat Singers will conclude their North Dakota tour with a home concert on Monday, April 30. The groups will be on tour the previous week with school performances at Circle of Nations (Wahpeton), Wishek, Bismarck, Medina, Drake-Anamoose, Grand Forks, Cavalier and Thief River Falls (Minn.).