Forage Council Grazing School
Sep 27, 2024 9:00AM—Sep 28, 2024 3:00PM
Location
Wadena, MN
Cost $280-$300
Event Contact Jim Chamberlin | Email
Categories Field Day & On-Farm, General Networking & Education, Networking Group Event, Workshop
Topics General, grazing, Livestock, Soil Health
Registration closes at 4 PM CT on Wednesday, September 25.
The 2024 Forage Council Grazing School is scheduled for two full days, Sept. 27 & 28, in Verndale. Greg Judy and Isaac Tappenden with Green Pastures Farm will be our guest speakers. We will be offering a mix of sessions on basic grazing techniques as well as in depth sessions for advanced grazers.
Clinicians & Presenters
Greg Judy, Green Pastures Farm, Missouri
Internationally-known grazing expert Greg Judy operates multiple grass farms with two objectives: healthy farms, healthy farmers. Judy fosters practices that mimic nature, working with it to keep inputs low and land healthy.
Isaac Tappenden, Farm Manager, Green Pastures Farm
Isaac will return to our Grazing School, this time with his boss. He keeps things running smoothly at Green Pastures and brings lots of knowledge on regenerative agriculture.
Jordan Meyer, Wholesome Family Farms, Minnesota
Jonathan Kilpatrick, Farmer Education Director, Sustainable Farming Association
Dr. Roger Moon, Department of Entomology Professor Emeritus, University of Minnesota
Schedule
Friday, Sept. 27
Begins at the Verndale Community Center (109 1st Ave SE)
8:00 AM Registration
8:30 Welcome & Introductions
9:00 Greg Judy – “Building healthy soils with ruminants”
10:30 Break
10:45 Isaac Tappenden – “Animal performance management”
11:45 Q&A with Greg and Isaac
Noon Lunch travel to George Heller Farm
1:00 PM Greg Judy – “Securing long-term leases”
1:30 Breakout Session One
2:45 Breakout Session Two
4:00 Adjourn. Return to Verndale Community Center.
4:30 Table topic discussions
6:00 Dinner by Chef Joel London
**If you cannot attend the Grazing School but are interested in the dinner, you can purchase a ticket for that separately here.
Saturday, Sept. 28
Begins at the Verndale Community Center (109 1st Ave SE)
8:30 AM Recap of Friday
9:00 Greg & Jan Judy – “Stacking enterprises and direct marketing
10:30 Break
10:45 Isaac Tappenden – “Preparing for and managing through drought
11:45 Q&A with Greg, Jan, and Isaac
Noon Lunch travel to George Heller Farm
1:00 PM Isaac Tappenden – “Building a grass genetic cow herd”
1:30 Breakout Session Three
2:45 Breakout Session Four
4:00 Q&A and discussion
4:30 Door Prizes; Adjourn
Breakout Sessions
Fence and Paddock Design – Learn tips and tricks on permanent and temporary fence installation and how they can be used in effective paddock design. Led by Greg Judy.
Stockmanship and Low-Stress Cattle Handling – Better understand animal behavior when moving and handling cattle to reduce stress on them and you. Led by Isaac Tappenden.
Managing Small Ruminants – Fencing and management techniques specific to small ruminants, including multi-species grazing. Led by Jordan Meyer and Jonathan Kilpatrick.
The Dung Pat Ecosystem – Explore the role of dung beetles in breaking down dung pats. Learn best management practices to support a healthy dung pat ecosystem as the foundation for soil health. Led by Dr. Roger Moon.
Registration
Registration includes lunch on Friday and Saturday, and supper on Friday evening. Lunches will be provided from BBQ Smokehouse (Wadena). Want to join the group for dinner only? Click here.
Advance registration required. No walkups. The registration fee is $280 for SFA members, and $300 for nonmembers.
Members must log in to see member pricing. Learn more about joining SFA here.
A limited number of scholarships are available for those with financial hardship. Email jim@sfa-mn.org for more information.
Hosted by the Crow Wing River Basin Forage Council. Sponsored by Grassland 2.0 and MN Pollution Control Agency.
Info: Jim Chamberlin (218) 831-0528; George Heller (218) 371-6547
Refunds for cancellations can be requested up to 48 hours prior to the event.
SFA staff and volunteers occasionally take photos during our workshops, cafe chats and field days for promotional purposes and to use as documentation of events to share with our funders. If you do not wish to be photographed, please let our event host know — we’ll make every effort to make sure you are not photographed.