The How-Tos of Silvopasture Fact Sheet
Silvopasture intentionally combines trees, livestock, and forage into a single system on one site. The forage, trees, and livestock are managed and integrated to complement one another to increase productivity of the site. As a dynamic, symbiotic, and intensively managed grazing system, silvopasture is the sustainable (long-term) production of timber, forages, and livestock on the…
Read MoreSilvopasture in Minnesota Fact Sheet
Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land. The trees, forage, and grazing livestock are managed intensively and must complement with one another to increase overall production. The sales of livestock provide annual income to the producer while fostering long-term economic benefits from trees such as sawtimber. In…
Read MoreAdaptive Grazing & Silvopasture
Silvopastures are complex agroecosystems with the potential to provide an array of sustainable products and services. From healthy pasture-based foods and forest products to clean water and carbon sequestration, highly skilled grazing management is critical to the success and optimization of these systems. This webinar will present an overview of Adaptive Grazing Management and a…
Read MoreWinter Bale Grazing at Cloverleaf Grass Farm
Dayle & Ivan Reinke of Cloverleaf Grass Farm demonstrate how they move their cattle to a different paddock for bale grazing in winter at their farm in Wadena County, Minn.
Read MoreSFA ‘Dirt Rich’ field day: soil microbes & dung beetles
Dr. Allen Williams & Rice County Extension soil specialist Claire LaCanne discuss soil the importance of soil microbial life and inspect a cattle pat for dung beetles.
Read MoreDirt Rich Episode 57: Fundamentals of Adaptive Grazing
Today, a presentation that our Soil Health Specialist Jonathan Kilpatrick gave on adaptive grazing at a recent field day. He’ll bring you through the fundamentals, always keeping in mind the importance of context in grazing management. Jonathan believes that grazing is one of the most powerful forces we can have to regenerate our soils. A topic…
Read MoreSilvopasture Case Studies
SFA recently published a compendium of five case studies featuring farmers who practice silvopasture and agroforestry. Researched and written by Jared Luhman, SFA’s Soil Health Lead, these case studies feature farmers throughout Minnesota who have been using silvopasture practices for three or more years and whose stories offer tangible examples, support, and encouragement to others.…
Read MoreBeginning Grazier Handbook
The BEGINNING GRAZIER HANDBOOK (PDF) is designed to assist the beginning grazier in implementing a grazing system, or experienced graziers looking for additional resources. Click here for the web version of the handbook
Read MoreDirt Rich Episode 59: Enchanted Meadows – In Transition
Chad Crowley firmly believes that for those who want to get into dairy or farming in general, grazing is the way to go. That route has certainly gone well for him. He was told many times that he couldn’t find success in farming because he didn’t grow up on one, but today he and his…
Read MoreDirt Rich Episode 19: Family Dairies & Apprenticeships
My hope for dairy in the future…is trying to keep these small family farms alive.” Angie Walter runs an organic, grazing dairy farm with her family in central Minnesota. The family of four raises 100 Norwegian Red, Red Holstein, and Guernsey crosses on 370 acres. Angie is also the Central Minnesota Education Coordinator for the…
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