Research
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Community
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Impact
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Research ✩ Community ✩ Impact ✩
Research In-Field Conference
with Pfaltzgraff Farms
Bridging Research - Farms - Food
Photo credits: KW Design PhotograpyThe Dynamic of Soil, Farmer, and Community
Friday June 26, 2026 8am to 5pm
Haxtun, Colorado at Pfaltzgraff Farms
Pfaltzgraff Farms is known as a leader in innovation for dryland farming. 2025 has been no exception.
Mark your calendar for June 26, 2026 for an opportunity to see first-hand projects and research that are bridging soil health, farmers, and community.
We are still in the planning stages, but you can expect tours of the agrivoltaic shelterbelt, pollinator strips, mushroom grow, and possibly a vermicompost system (fingers crossed!)
Registration opens March 2026.
This event will be hosted and managed by the non-profit Seeding Circles. For more information on the 501(c)3 status, please email Emily@SeedingCircles.com
2025 Sponsors
May We Present….
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Roy Pfaltzgraff
Being innovative in farming has become a required skill to navigate extreme weather, funding restrictions or losses, and building a business that can thrive.
Roy will kick-off the Research Field Day sharing a few of the innovations that he’s implemented, including seeding on 3” row spaces, harvesting techniques to improve profitability, and doing farmer-led research.
He will also give an overview of Downforce Technology and how satellite imagery is helping to understand the impacts of specific practices on carbon. -
Dr Jerry Hatfield & Kevin Monk
Through the use of soil sampling, remote sensing, water and carbon use monitoring, and crop modeling, Dr. Jerry Hatfield will share with you the impacts of specific cropping systems in semi-arid and arid environments. You will learn what the ideal management practices are that you can implement for your operation as observed through this research.
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Tibor Hegedus, Longboard Power
Shelterbelts are vital in windblown areas to protect crops, but living shelterbelts require water and nutrients which compete with crops for these limited resources. Join Tibor Hegedus, designer of the one-of-a-kind dynamic agrivoltaic shelterbelt that produces renewable energy, protects crops, promotes soil moisture retention, and enhances plant water use efficiency. This presentation is for legislators and farmers looking for solutions to help conserve groundwater resources and increase crop production, data center representatives looking for off-grid options for data storage, and utility companies or co-ops looking for additional options for renewable energy. This presentation is part of The Heart of a Building fundraiser for PBS happening after the field day presentations.
EVENT SCHEDULE
EVENT SCHEDULE
Schedule coming soon! Please check back.
Event FAQs
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This is a field day, so you will be outside and exposed to the elements and fields. You will want to bring water, sunscreen, a hat, close toed shoes, and bug spray. We will have limited bathrooms (aka port-a-potties), water at the main site, and lunch will be provided. We have a lot of goat head stickers in the fields, so seriously, no sandals or flip-flops. Pfaltzgraff Farms is not liable for injury while on farm property, it is a working farm.
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YES!! We have secured a small room block at the Holiday Inn Express in Sterling. This is approximately a 40 minute drive from the farm, so please plan accordingly.
You must call 970.425.7414 option #2 for the front desk and mention Pfaltzgraff Field Day for the discounted rate. THIS IS ONLY VALID UNTIL JUNE 10th!
There is also the Cobblestone Inn in Holyoke that is also about 30 minutes from the farm. -
There will be different “tracks” moving from presentation to presentation. Please refer to the timeline on the main event page for details.
Each presentation will be tailored for the audience that is attending. If you’re a producer, please stick with the other producers in attendance. If you’re a legislator, stay with that group. We want to make sure that the data being presented is applicable to your area of expertise!
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YES!
We’d love to have you attend both events, plus you’ll get a double dose of excellent cuisine from Chef Pablo Aya and his team. -
The Heart of a Building Pledge Dinner will be held at the millhouse about two miles east of the farm. The location and directions will be in your email once you register.
Check-in for the pledge dinner will begin at 5pm. -
Denver International Airport is about two hours from Sterling, and an additional 40 minutes to the farm. If you would like to carpool with another attendee, please select that as part of your registration and your name and email will be added to a carpool list that is open for view by other registrants looking to carpool.
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YES!
We will have baking mixes and flour available from Haxtun Heritage Mills at both events.We will also have local honey from Hidy Honey available for purchase.
If you would like to preorder products from Haxtun Heritage Mills, please visit www.pfzfarmstand.com and select Farm Pickup at checkout, and choose June 26th as the date for pickup.
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As stated on the registration form, we will be able to provide a full refund less a $20 processing fee up to May 15.
From May 15 thru June 1st we will provide a 50% refund.
After June 1st, we cannot offer a refund.
HOTEL OPTIONS:
There is a Holiday Inn Express and Best Western in Sterling. Hotel blocks will be reserved closer to the date.
If you’re coming from the east Holyoke has a great hotel. The Cobblestone Inn is about 30 minutes from the event.
