WCI and SFA Farm Tour and Funding Resources Evening Sept. 7 in Alexandria SFA and West Central Initiative are partnering again for an evening of learning and networking including a free farm tour and dinner from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thurs., Sept. 7. The evening starts with a diverse tour of Naima’s Farm, 2204 E…

In 2018, Tom and Amanda Murphy purchased an old farm in Aitkin, MN. Once the land was used to graze sheep, dairy cows, and cattle but was left to naturalize after the farmer retired. Weeds and trees grew in the pasture and the fences were no longer functional. Tom & Amanda designed a multi-species grazing…

Harry and Judy Worm will lead a tour of their farm operation. Topics include: Adaptive grazing beef cattle, NRCS-funded water system, outwintering, commercial maple syrup operation, silvopasture, and innovative shop-build tools including a bale unroller, passive solar winter waterer, and firewood processer. The pasture walk is free to attend. Advance registration requested, walkups welcome. This event is…

Owners Jim and Audra Chamberlin will lead a tour of their farm operation. Topics include: Adaptive grazing- cattle, hogs, poultry; Agroforestry- vegetable alley cropping, forest farming (maple syrup, shitake mushrooms, hazelnuts, lumber), windbreaks and shelterbelt, silvopasture; keyline water management, and hedge laying. This tour is a 1/2 mile walk. Please wear proper footwear. Contact the Forage…

Roger Moon, University of Minnesota professor of Veterinary Entomology out of the Morris campus, will lead a pasture walk to disect manure pats in search of dung beetles and other insect life. He will also be discussing best management practices when using dewormer meds to protect dung beetle populations. The pasture walk costs $10 to attend. Advance…

Join SFA’s Kent Solberg and Doug Voss along with Lake of the Woods Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) staff for an afternoon in the field. We will be looking at ways we can evaluate whether or not our soils are functioning properly. Hosted on Bill Bendickson’s farming operation, we will discuss…

Interested in sheep or goats but intimidated by their fencing requirements? Come spend an afternoon learning from experienced graziers how to manage the fencing needs of small ruminants. We will cover the basics of electric fencing, geared towards small ruminant producers, but anyone using electric fencing will benefit. This is a great experience for folks…

Are you intimidated by the thought of building your own fences? Or, have you tried and need a refresher on how to do it? Join Kent Solberg and Jonathan Kilpatrick, along with members of the Crow Wing River Basin Forage Council, for a day in the field learning about and building permanent fence systems. For…

What are the possibilities around using Kernza for both a forage and grain? Come hear from Brad Heins, Extension Specialist and Professor for Dairy Management at U of M Morris and West Central Research and Outreach Center, discuss the Kernza plots that they have been grazing for over 5 years. We will discuss what they…

Organic dairy grazier Angie Walter will demonstrate PaddockTrac, a grazing tool being developed by the University of Missouri. Guests will see how it works in the field and hear about what the Walters have used while using it on their 100-cow organic dairy. There will also be information on NRCS programs. This pasture walk is free to attend.…