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Kim Lamb/LVN photo Farm manager Harry Buck, left, talks with Steve Perkins, plant materials center manager, at the experimental farm, future home of the Great Basin Plant Materials Center.
The Newlands Experimental Farm just south of town is now under the management of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, or NRCS, which will establish a new plant materials center to grow plants suitable for the Great Basin.
The Great Basin Plant Materials Center in Fallon will be one of 27 such centers around the United States. Previously, Nevada was serviced by a center in Aberdeen, Idaho, which covered parts of Idaho, Oregon, California, Nevada and Utah. The new Fallon center will cover a majority of Nevada, parts of Oregon and California and small pockets of western Utah.
The Newlands Farm was previously under the management of the University of Nevada, Reno's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources. According to the college's Web site, the 160-acre farm was established in 1906 as part of the Newlands Reclamation Project and has been used for agricultural research by growing crops and raising livestock in the irrigation district.
Two employees have been hired for the center and are now both working at the farm. Harry Buck, the new farm manager, started work on April 17 and Steven Perkins, the manager for the plant materials center, began work this week.
The Great Basin Plant Materials Center in Fallon will be one of 27 such centers around the United States. Previously, Nevada was serviced by a center in Aberdeen, Idaho, which covered parts of Idaho, Oregon, California, Nevada and Utah. The new Fallon center will cover a majority of Nevada, parts of Oregon and California and small pockets of western Utah.
The Newlands Farm was previously under the management of the University of Nevada, Reno's College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources. According to the college's Web site, the 160-acre farm was established in 1906 as part of the Newlands Reclamation Project and has been used for agricultural research by growing crops and raising livestock in the irrigation district.
Two employees have been hired for the center and are now both working at the farm. Harry Buck, the new farm manager, started work on April 17 and Steven Perkins, the manager for the plant materials center, began work this week.
Buck comes from Tucson, Ariz. where he ran the plant materials center for 15 years and Perkins comes from Victorville, Calif., where he was a range specialist for the NRCS.
"They will select the right equipment, help design the new buildings, lay out the seed plots and irrigation systems, and raise the plants to provide materials suited for the Great Basin geographic area," said Richard Vigil in a prepared release. Vigil is the state conservationist for the NRCS in Nevada.
Plants that will be grown include grasses, trees, shrubs and herbs. Although viable plants may not be ready for several years, the center is already planting some trees.
"In the next week or two, we'll be planting poplars in conjunction with a company looking at poplars for biofuels," said Perkins.
Buck and Perkins are in the process of cleaning up the existing buildings and getting utility services established. Buck is renting the residence on the farm and the administrative office will be renovated and eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
"They will select the right equipment, help design the new buildings, lay out the seed plots and irrigation systems, and raise the plants to provide materials suited for the Great Basin geographic area," said Richard Vigil in a prepared release. Vigil is the state conservationist for the NRCS in Nevada.
Plants that will be grown include grasses, trees, shrubs and herbs. Although viable plants may not be ready for several years, the center is already planting some trees.
"In the next week or two, we'll be planting poplars in conjunction with a company looking at poplars for biofuels," said Perkins.
Buck and Perkins are in the process of cleaning up the existing buildings and getting utility services established. Buck is renting the residence on the farm and the administrative office will be renovated and eventually placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Ron Pardini, associate director of the experimental farm for UNR, said the land will be leased for 50 years from UNR, which will retain about 30 acres for its own existing projects.
"When they get going, they will maintain our nearly 30 acres," said Pardini.
Pardini said UNR didn't have the necessary equipment to harvest seeds at the farm, other than by hand. The university has been conducting a native seed research project because of a lack of native seeds adapted to Nevada's environment.
He said the native seed project was established after a wild land fire in the Ely-Elko area in the late 1990s. He said he hopes to establish foundation seed and make it available to agencies like the Bureau of Land Management for land reclamation following fires.
"When they get going, they will maintain our nearly 30 acres," said Pardini.
Pardini said UNR didn't have the necessary equipment to harvest seeds at the farm, other than by hand. The university has been conducting a native seed research project because of a lack of native seeds adapted to Nevada's environment.
He said the native seed project was established after a wild land fire in the Ely-Elko area in the late 1990s. He said he hopes to establish foundation seed and make it available to agencies like the Bureau of Land Management for land reclamation following fires.
Perkins and Buck are both looking forward to being involved in the planning process for the future of the farm, but right now they're focusing on cleaning up the existing structures and determining what will be needed.
Perkins said the NRCS will hold a ground breaking ceremony in August for new buildings.
Christy Lattin can be contacted at clattin@lahontanvalleynews.com
Perkins said the NRCS will hold a ground breaking ceremony in August for new buildings.
Christy Lattin can be contacted at clattin@lahontanvalleynews.com
