Dry Farming Institute Enewsletter

Summer 2025 - Adaptation & Updates

Greetings!

We are going through a lot of changes this year collectively and within our organization. After the termination of our federal funding in May and new opportunities emerging from the ashes we are reimagining what our work ahead looks like. DFI is going through a strategic visioning and planning process integrating the input that many of you provided via interviews, focus groups or by filling out our survey that went out in July. Thank you! The results will be informing our pathway forward in continuing our work together in empowering growers to thrive with less water. In the meantime, amidst the abundance of harvest season we wanted to share some updates of what's in the field, upcoming events, and resources. Happy Harvesting!

What's in the field at DFI?

DFI's farm sites serve as a living laboratory for hands-on experimentation and educational demonstration. From crop variety trials and seed stewardship to soil health and water conservation strategies, our land-based work generates practical insights that ground and inform all we do . Below are a few examples of what we are doing in the field this year.

Breaking Vegetable Boundaries - DFI is participating in a plant breeding project led by Estelle Waterman with the Mazourek lab at Cornell University and Lane Selman (Culinary Breeding Network) by growing out and evaluating the following cucumber melon (cucumis melo) breeding lines in a dry farmed context.

‘Carosello Tondo de Maduria’, Cucumber Shop
‘Marketmore 76’, High Mowing
‘White Armenian’, TERRITORIAL
‘Striped Armenian’, Johnny's

Perennial Atlas Project with The Land Institute - DFI is in the second year of a 3 year project evaluating perennial crops, including Sainfoin (bottom left) and Silphium (middle) pictured here, in our dry farmed field in Albany. We are impressed by how well these two crops have grow so far!

Flagging 15 Dark Star Zucchini plants to save seed on for research project with OSA

Selecting, saving and quantifying dry farmed Dark Star Zucchini Seed. DFI and OSU are among 40+ organizations and farms across the U.S. that are participating in the Organic Seed Production Research on Economics and Yield (OSPREY) project, led by the Organic Seed Alliance (OSA). In addition to selecting the hardiest-looking plants for saving seed, we are also quantifying seed yield and evaluating seed quality, which will be compared with other project participants operating in diverse cropping systems and climates.

DFI is dry farming a 'Dakota Black' popcorn seed crop for Adaptive Seeds' Dry Farm Adaptive Seed Collection. This is part of our work to increase availability and access to standout varieties from dry farm trials in Western Oregon. Surplus will be sold through Lilliputopia's Farm Stand to raise funds for DFI. Popcorn for the people!

DFI In the Media

Farming with Less Water - Check out recent article by Heidi Roth

Upcoming Events

OSU Dry Farming Field Days

August 20th from 5-7pm in Corvallis, OR at the Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture. Free to attend, RSVP at: https://beav.es/NHu

September 16th from 5-7pm in Corvallis, OR at the OSU Vegetable Research Farm. Free to attend, RSVP at: https://beav.es/NHB

Pacific Coastal Dry Farming Collaborative

The Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (KPU) is inviting you to join us at upcoming Dry Farming Showcase and Field Days to:

Aug 22nd from 10:30am - 2:30pm - Comox Valley Field Day @ Yellow Boot Farm - Register HERE

Sept 20th from 10:30am - 2:30pm - South Island Field Day @ Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture -

Sept 27th from 10:30am - 2:30pm - Salt Spring Field Day @ Tardigrade Seeds -

*If registration fees are a barriers for you, please use discount code ISFS2025

Resources

Water Resilience in Action: Case Studies from the West Coast - Six case studies of farms exploring water resilient strategies.

Water Resilience Workshops for Western Ag Advisors - Recordings available of sessions on Water Rights and Rainwater Harvesting!

Identifying Climate-Resilient Warm Season Food and Forage Species in Western Oregon - Report by OSU's Shayan Gajar and Lucas Nebert highlighting study findings

Visit DFI's resource page for a curated list of dry farming resources including the Dry Farming Zine - pic to the right >>>>

Dry Farming Institute

dryfarming.org