Crow Wing River Basin Forage Council

Learn, explore, and network

Contact: foragecouncil@sfa-mn.org or 1.844.922.5573 Ext. 714.

Since 2000, Crow Wing River Basin Forage Council, a Networking Group of the Sustainable Farming Association, has provided thousands of people with opportunity to learn, explore, and network through winter workshops and summer land and water tours. The group is open to all who wish to participate.

Upcoming Events

Grazing School

Fri., Sept. 15 - Sat., Sept. 16

Join Isaac Tappenden from Green Pastures Farm, Missouri and the Greg Judy Regenerative Rancher YouTube channel for a two-day grazing school in central Minnesota! Issac is Greg Judy’s farm manager and oversees the day-to-day operations of the grazing and livestock.

This in-depth grazing school will be led by Tappenden and three Minnesotan grazing leaders. Both beginning and seasoned farmers alike will benefit from this comprehensive, in-field experience.

Each day, we will spend time in the classroom taking a deep dive into grazing before we head to the pasture to see it in action. Come prepared to network and ask questions.

This event is limited to 60 people to allow for the best student:instructor ratio.

Topics will include:

Soil Health & Grazing
Adaptive Grazing principles
Knowing your context
Financial principles of grazing
Grazing definitions: Stocking Rate, Stocking Density, Carrying Capacity, etc.
Estimating dry matter availability
Fencing for multiple species
Watering systems
Multi-speces grazing (managing a flerd, sheep and cattle together)
Brix and nutrient density
Livestock guardian dogs
Drought management
Winter feeding strategies
Rest vs Recovery
Secrets to increasing productivity...and more!

Registration is required. No walkups will be available.

SFA Members: $125
Nonmembers: $150

Additional people from the same farm may register for $75/person.

Members, please log in first to see member pricing.

Lunch and refreshments will be provided each day at no additional cost.

Speakers

Isaac Tappenden - Farm Manager, Green Pastures Farm, Missouri

Kent Solberg - SFA Senior Technical Advisor, Seven Pines Farm

Jonathan Kilpatrick - SFA Soil Health Lead

Schedule

Note that we will meet at a different location each day. Start/end times have changed from those previously announced.

Friday, September 15: 8 AM - 4:30 PM Address: Verndale Lions Community Center, 109 1st Ave SE Verndale, MN 56481

Saturday, September 16: 7:45 AM - 1 PM Address: George Heller Farm, West 80 South Polls, 18884 145th Ave Wadena, MN

About Isaac Tappenden
Originally from a small town in Southern Michigan, Isaac was born and raised in Rural America. He developed an interest in agriculture, specifically regenerative agriculture, at a young age. Isaac worked at various farms in high school including a vegetable farm and a bull semen collection facility, and was the President of his local FFA Chapter.

After high school, Isaac applied for the internship at Green Pastures Farm and was accepted and brought on in the Spring of 2020. After working for the Judys' for a year and a half, he was offered the full-time position of farm manager where he oversees day-to-day operations, coordinates various livestock sales, assists on consultation trips, speaks at their annual grazing school, and much more. Isaac has a passion for regenerative agriculture and for teaching others methods that help farmers improve their environment and profitability simultaneously.

Farm Host:
Hosted by West 80 South Polls in Wadena, MN, George Heller and family have been building a regenerative grazing enterprise for the last couple of years.

They run South Poll cattle, hair sheep, and graze them together in a flerd (cattle herd + sheep flock).

Lodging:

AmericInn Wadena room block is under Jim Chamberlin's name.

Eastwood Inn of Wadena room block is under "Grazing School".

For more information or sponsorship inquiries contact:

George Heller: 218-371-6547
Jim Chamberlin: 218-831-0528