This handbook is designed to acquaint researchers with the facilities and services available at the Hyslop Crop Science Field Laboratory. Included are descriptions and maps of the research farms as well as information concerning equipment and farm charges.
General Description of Hyslop Field Research Laboratory
The Hyslop Crop Science Field Research Laboratory is the Crop and Soil Science Department research farm associated with the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station and the College of Agricultural Sciences of Oregon State University. This outdoor laboratory includes three separate units of land (Hyslop Farm, Schmidt Farm, and East Farm) consisting of 316.7 total acres, laboratory and support buildings, and a variety of machinery and equipment for agricultural research. Hyslop and Schmidt farms are located about midway between Corvallis and Albany just off of U.S. Highway 20 and Lewisburg Road. East Farm lies less than a mile east of the Willamette River on U.S. Highway 34. The proximity of all three farms to Corvallis provides convenient access to Oregon State University scientists, students, and staff.
Purpose
Hyslop Field Research Laboratory provides scientists of Oregon State University and cooperating state and federal agencies with the land, facilities, equipment, and other support services required to conduct field research, extension, and teaching activities related to the development, production, and management of agronomic crops.
The primary objective of the farm staff is to help you conduct research. Through the years, the facilities of the field laboratory have been used in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Scientists from many departments in the College of Agricultural Science and the College of Science at Oregon State University have also conducted agronomic research using these facilities. If you have special requirements, contact the staff at Hyslop farm. Often equipment and facilities are already on hand that will meet your needs.
The field laboratory is administered by the farm manager and the farm committee, which meets quarterly to set general policy for farm operations. Day-to-day operations are handled by the farm staff based at Hyslop Farm.
Climate and Soils
The climate of this area is a modified marine type, being somewhat warmer and dryer in the Willamette Valley than a true marine climate. The winters are usually wet and mild, and the summers are typically dry and warm. Temperatures average 39.3°F in January (the coldest month) to 66.2°F in August (the warmest month), a range of less than 30°F. Extreme high temperatures, of 100°F or higher, are very infrequent, averaging less than once per year for the past 75 years. Extreme low temperatures, below 0°F, are even more infrequent and occur, on the average, only one year out of 15. The average length of time between killing frost during the growing season is 197 days (April 20 - November 2). The normal annual precipitation is 42.7 inches, with 70 percent of this occurring during the five months of November through March, while less than 5 percent of that total occurs during the three summer months. The average evaporation rate from an open pan is nearly 29 inches for the months of May through September. The total precipitation for this same period is 5.35 inches.
The elevation of the majority of the field laboratory is 225 feet above sea level, at a latitude of 44 degrees 38 minutes north and a longitude of 123 degrees 12 minutes west.
Most of the soils of Hyslop and Schmidt Farms are classified as a Woodburn silt loam. This is a well-drained soil derived from basaltic and sedimentary rocks as a part of the main valley floor. These soils are brown in color, with a brown to light-brown subsoil. They are naturally acid, with a pH range of 5.5 to 5.8, however, Hyslop and Schmidt Farm soils are regularly tested and limed to maintain pH of 6.0 to 6.4. Chemically, they are well supplied with most nutrients but do respond to nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur fertilizers.
The soil at East Farm is classed as Chehalis silty clay loam. This is also a deep, well-drained soil typical of the flood plains along both sides of the Willamette River. It is moderately permeable. Runoff is fairly slow, and the hazard of erosion is slight except during occasional, brief flooding that can occur during heavy winter rains. This soil has pH and nutrient characteristics that are similar to the Woodburn soils at Hyslop and Schmidt Farms.
The land on each farm is organized in a grid pattern of fields and ranges. An extensive system of gravel and grass roads allow year around access to research fields. As an aid to research planning, detailed maps of each farm are included in this website.
Buildings and Facilities
The buildings on the Hyslop Field Laboratory were designed to serve a wide range of research programs. The main complex on Hyslop farm supports a variety of functions including research laboratories, seed storage, seed processing, forage and seed drying, plant material storage, threshing, chemical and fertilizer storage, supplies storage, metals and woodworking shop, machine storage, and petroleum product storage. Contact the staff at Hyslop to determine the availability of equipment and space.
Laboratory and storage space is allocated at the discretion of the farm committee, and requests for space should be directed to the farm manager. One laboratory in the main building at Hyslop is kept free for use by projects with short-term needs for laboratory space. Contact Kevin Robb to schedule use of this space.
Hyslop Farm is also an official weather station for the U.S. Weather Service, and daily weather observations have been recorded for over 100 years. Weather information from Hyslop is supplied to the Department of Atmospheric Sciences where it is summarized and made available through the state climatologist (737-5705).
The Foundation Seed Warehouse and cleaning plant is located on the north side of the main Hyslop complex. While this facility is used primarily in the production of foundation seed, some seed cleaning equipment may be available for handling large seed lots. Contact Kevin Robb (740-9139) for information.
The Natural Resource Conservation Service Plant Materials Center office and research building was recently constructed near the entrance to Hyslop Farm on Granger Road. This facility includes office, laboratory, and greenhouse space as well as a conference room that can be reserved for meetings.