Lakeland Agricultural Research Association

Lakeland Agricultural Research Association LARA is a local, producer-directed, not-for-profit applied agricultural research association in the Lakeland region.

We conduct agricultural research, demonstration and extension projects to provide regional, unbiased information to local producers.

What’s really in your hay?With this year’s wet conditions making hay quality harder to predict, feed testing is a simple...
09/04/2026

What’s really in your hay?

With this year’s wet conditions making hay quality harder to predict, feed testing is a simple way to know exactly what you’re feeding.

LARA offers 2 free feed tests per year for eligible producers in the MD of Bonnyville and County of St. Paul.

Need to collect a sample? We have a hay bale probe available to borrow!

Pick up the probe or drop off your samples at:
• LARA Fort Kent Office
• St. Paul Seed Cleaning Plant

Feed testing can help you make better decisions about rations, supplementation and winter feed planning.

Learn more at laraonline.ca

Don’t leave your feed to chance.

09/03/2026

TRIAL THURSDAY

The season waits for no calendar! 😂

We’re back in the spring-seeded winter cereal trial, and this time we’re looking at cut number three!

With Lance away on holidays, Alyssa stepped out of the office and got behind the wheel of the harvester to help bring in the third cut.

After three cuts, we’re getting a better picture of how these varieties are handling repeated harvests and how much forage they can produce throughout the season.

There’s still one more round to go- the final cut will be in September, and then we’ll crunch the numbers to see which varieties really stood out.

Field work first, calendars second. 😉

Municipal District of Bonnyville
County of St. Paul No. 19
RDAR

W**d ID Wednesday: Field Bindw**dIt may look like a delicate morning glory, but field bindw**d is anything but harmless....
09/02/2026

W**d ID Wednesday: Field Bindw**d

It may look like a delicate morning glory, but field bindw**d is anything but harmless. This persistent perennial vine can spread through both seed and its extensive root system, making it a tough one to manage once it gets established.

🔍Spot it by:
• Twining stems that can stretch 3 m or more
• Arrowhead-shaped leaves
• Small white or pink, funnel-shaped flowers
• Flowers that appear singly or in pairs along the stems

One thing that makes it especially tricky: its lateral roots can extend 60 m or more, with new shoots developing from buds along the roots.

Field bindw**d thrives in disturbed areas and can quickly form dense mats that compete with crops and other vegetation.

A small flower attached to a very determined plant!

County of St. Paul No. 19 Municipal District of Bonnyville

09/01/2026

TRIAL TUESDAY: Allelopathy Biomass Sampling

The plants have been growing, and now it’s time to see what the numbers have to say.

Angelica’s allelopathy trial is looking at hairy vetch, ryegrass, sunflower and rye—and we’re tracking both the good guys and the competition along the way.

The goal isn’t just to see what happens this year, but to put this season’s results alongside previous years to see what patterns start to emerge.

Different crops, different seasons, plenty of data… and hopefully some useful answers about what these cover crops can bring to the field.

Stay tuned—we’ll let the data do the talking!

Municipal District of Bonnyville County of St. Paul No. 19

08/31/2026

Alberta farmers dealing with excessive moisture this growing season will have more time to access support through the AgriStability program. The Alberta and federal governments have announced changes for the 2026 program year, including an extension of the enrolment deadline from April 30 to October...

Time to head back to school!To all the students (and teachers!) heading back to the classroom this week — good luck and ...
08/31/2026

Time to head back to school!

To all the students (and teachers!) heading back to the classroom this week — good luck and have an amazing school year! We hope it’s filled with new adventures, big questions, muddy boots and lots of learning.

And when you’re ready to take learning outside the classroom, LARA has you covered!

Our education programs let students dig in, get curious and explore the world around them through hands-on learning:

🌱 The Secret World of Soils — get your hands dirty and discover what’s happening beneath your feet.
🌿 Classroom Microgreens — grow it, harvest it and eat it!
🌲 Forest Inspired Shelterbelts — explore trees, wildlife and resilient landscapes.
💧 Riparian Area Program — discover the connections between water, wildlife, plants and agriculture.
🦌 Walking with Moose — follow the tracks and explore lakes, forests and local wildlife.

Now booking for the 2026–27 school year!

Even better — all LARA education programs are FREE for schools in our region, thanks to the support of our municipal partners, the Municipal District of Bonnyville and County of St. Paul No. 19 . 🙌

Ready to swap desks for discovery?
Email [email protected] to book!

Here’s to a new school year full of curiosity, discovery & growing minds.

And just like that, our summer students have wrapped up their time with LARA! From early mornings in the field to long d...
08/28/2026

And just like that, our summer students have wrapped up their time with LARA!

From early mornings in the field to long days collecting data, tackling projects and learning the ins and outs of ag research, they’ve been a huge part of our summer.

Thank you for all your hard work, curiosity and good humour - we’re going to miss having you around!

Know a local innovator who’s doing things a little differently? Rooted is looking for farmers, ranchers and rural innova...
08/27/2026

Know a local innovator who’s doing things a little differently?

Rooted is looking for farmers, ranchers and rural innovators with creative ideas, practical solutions and new approaches to agriculture.

Have a story worth sharing? Nominate someone - or yourself!

📩 Send your nomination to [email protected]

Let’s shine a light on the people finding new ways to grow, adapt and make agriculture better.

W**d ID Wednesday: Downy Brome You might recognize it by its drooping seedheads and long, bristly awns, but don’t let it...
08/26/2026

W**d ID Wednesday: Downy Brome

You might recognize it by its drooping seedheads and long, bristly awns, but don’t let its delicate appearance fool you. Downy brome is an aggressive annual grass that can quickly take advantage of disturbed, dry areas.

🔎 Know your w**d:
• Can grow 10–70 cm tall
• Often germinates in fall or early spring
• Produces 25 to 5,000 seeds per plant
• Seeds can spread through grain, hay, straw, soil, animals—and even your clothing
• Once established, it can compete with young perennial plants for moisture

The takeaway: Catch it early! Preventing seed production and controlling plants before they become established can make a big difference.

One to keep an eye out for as you’re out checking field.

Municipal District of Bonnyville County of St. Paul No. 19

08/25/2026

TRIAL TUESDAY: Silage Harvest

That’s a wrap on our silage trials for the 2026 season! 🎉

We successfully harvested all of our silage trials by mid-August—crops that were seeded in late May and harvested within just 2.5 months!

Our final harvest took us through two of Momna’s trials: the copper enrichment wheat trial and the fertilizer management barley trial. Both crops were at the ideal stage for silage, making it the perfect time to bring them in.

But the job doesn’t end when the crop hits the wagon! Every plot is weighed, a sample is saved, and the numbers head to the lab to help us compare yield, moisture and forage quality.

A whole season of growing, a few busy days of harvesting, and now… a whole lot of data to dig through!

2026 silage trials: officially in the books! ✅

Municipal District of Bonnyville County of St. Paul No. 19
RDAR

Address

5311/50 Avenue
Fort Kent, AB
T0A1H0

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

Telephone

7808267260

Website

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