Day 8: New Mexico State University Ag Science Center @ Farmington by: Sean

 Today we stopped at the New Mexico State University Ag Research Station in Farmington, New Mexico, which is about 450 miles from the main campus. This research station is the only one on Sovereign Navajo Land. They specialize in helping the natives and farmers in the surrounding area on how to continue farming in the dry area. They sit on 250 acres and are surrounded by the biggest native operating farm of 80,000 acres. 

The researchers there have multiple projects going, with their own research and partners. Some of the projects include bringing back native plants that got burned when the natives were forced onto reservations and finding ways to grow plants under solar panels, so it is not wasted land. The research is also extended to large scale farms to help the surrounding farms that grow chip potatoes and alfalfa which are grown under multiple center pivot systems. Another project they have is researching cover crops for when the land is not in use. Live cameras sit in small plot areas to monitor growth.

 

They are still looking to expand their research by getting funding for hydroponics, new equipment for soil science and potato farming.