New Auburn, WI
Deb was raised on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Western Minnesota, attended Ridgewater Technical College and earned an AAS degree in Ag Business with a dairy emphasis.  After college, she took the chance and moved to Wisconsin with her childhood best friend (because Wisconsin has cows, right?!?!). She continued to work on medium to large confinement dairy operations until she started a family, at which time she worked in the insurance industry for 8 years.  Deb held the Membership Director position with Wisconsin Farmers Union for 8 years, where she was introduced to GrassWorks and the wonder of grazing.  Deb has since left WFU and is now a full time dairy farmer with her partner, Tom Moos on their 40 cow all grass organic dairy in Northern Chippewa County.  She has enjoyed applying the previously learned grazing ideals and seeing the rewards first hand on their farm and is excited to share them with others.

Rio, WI
Drew and his family own and operate Full Circle Farmstead located in Rio, Wisconsin. He strives to restore the soil and ecology of the land his family stewards while providing healthy food for his friends and community through holistic management practices. He will be entering his third year of raising grass-fed and finished Murray Grey stockers and is planning to expand his animal husbandry skills to other grass-fed livestock when the time is right. Drew plans to incorporate silvopasture practices on the family farm to provide shade and fodder in the form of pollarding/coppicing tree systems. In addition to farming, he owns and operates an ecological landscape design and installation business, Full Circle Designs, which helps property owners such as farmers, businesses and residents design the property they steward. He is a certified permaculture design teacher, has a bachelor’s degree in environmental ethics from UW Stevens Point and a master certificate in sustainability leadership from Edgewood College, has worked in the energy efficiency and renewable energy sector, and has experience organizing and leading grassroots based organizations such as the Wisconsin Permaculture Convergence. Drew looks forward to helping Grassworks evolve while staying rooted in its mission to provide education, leadership and resources to graziers.

Bruce, WI

Seymour, WI

Rick Adamski has been an active participant in GrassWorks from its beginning. He has attended most conferences.

The farm is located on historical Menominee tribal territory, in Shawano County and has been operated by members of the Adamski family since 1900. Along with his wife, Valerie Dantoin they farm with their son Andrew and his partner Heather Toman and their LLC partner Scott Rosenburg. The farm consists of 240 acres owned and 50 rented acres. Most of the land is for grazing. About 16 acres are dedicated for growing fresh vegetables. Almost all the production from the farm is direct marketed.

Rick has a Bachelor of Science degree in Soil Science and Resource Management from UW- Stevens Point. In the fall of 1987, he started managed grazing of the dairy herd and has been grazing since then. The farm has been Certified Organic every year since 2003.

He has been involved in many agriculture, conservation, and community groups.

Hancock, WI

Boscobel, WI

Joseph Childes grew up on a 60 cow dairy farm near Ferryville, WI. His family grazed their cows each day not because it was some new fangled way of farming, but because that is what you do as a farmer. He and his family have always grazed their animals as they knew no other way.

In the past decades, Joseph has seen less and less grazing and more and more confinement operations. He would like to be part of an organization that specifically targets the grazing movement and furthers the cause. He attended the 2023 conference and fell in love with the organization and its members.

Joseph has implemented a grazing program at his alma mater high school, North Crawford, in Soldiers Grove, WI. This program allows for the students to participate in the rotary grazing of sheep and to see the impact of grazing first hand.

Joseph also runs a custom grazing business.

Jefferson, WI
Kirsten Jurcek is a steward of the land with a passion for regenerative farms, local foods and the environment.  She and her family rotationally graze beef cattle at Brattset Family Farm, located within the rolling drumlin fields of Southeast Wisconsin. She also works as a grazing educator and planner helping other farmers achieve their dreams.

Peshtigo, WI
Aaron and his wife, Erin, run Pape Family Pastures, raising grass fed beef, pastured pigs, and pastured chickens near Peshtigo. Aaron and Erin are first generation farmers. Fervent conservationists, they discovered the power of managed grazing to heal the land and water, and they decided they needed to practice what they preached.  Aaron earned a BS in Land Use Planning from UW-Stevens Point and a MS in Natural Resource Social Science from Purdue University.  He previously worked in land conservation and UW Extension prior to becoming a Farm Business Instructor for Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Aaron is a passionate grazing advocate, and is especially interested in finding creative, cost effective ways to outwinter cattle in northern Wisconsin.

Belleville, WI

Deer Park, WI

Leslie Svacina owns and runs Cylon Rolling Acres, a grass-based livestock farm in Western Wisconsin where she raises Boer-Kiko cross goats and Texel sheep with rotational grazing practices. She sells the farm’s goat meat directly to customers nationwide online for shipping or pick up for local orders. 

Leslie is passionate about expanding her own knowledge, as well as sharing and helping others when it comes to raising goats and grazing practices. She has been involved with GrassWorks, Northwoods Grazing Network, and the River Country Graziers attending conferences and pasture walks, presenting workshops and serving on panels, and hosting pasture walks on her farm.

She’s also a Soil Health Academy graduate. Last summer the Nature Conservancy recognized Leslie as a farmer leader in conservation, as the only livestock grazer alongside 5 other Wisconsin farmers. 

Over the years other farmers have reached out to Leslie wanting to learn more about her farm, approach with grazing goats, and marketing goat meat. This lead her to build her educational blog, resources and digital courses related to goat meat and grazing at grazingwithleslie.com. She’s also spoken on related topics for various conferences and organizations. 

Leslie serves as the governor-appointed farmer representative on the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS) Board, WTCS Tuition Workgroup member, Northwood Technical College Farm Operations Advisory Board Member, St. Croix County Farm Bureau Board Member, a lifetime FFA Alumni member and past, Western Wisconsin Conservation Council board member..

Leslie has a B.S. in agricultural marketing communications, M.S. in education, and M.S. in agribusiness. Prior to farming she worked in corporate agriculture communications, corporate giving and in higher education. 

Neenah, WI
Melissa is specialized in organic and grass-based dairy farming systems. She has worked professionally in the agriculture and food industries for fifteen years and has over a decade of experience in farmer cooperatives and consumer packaged goods. She is currently the General Manager for SLO Farmers Co-op, a cooperative of organic vegetable and pastured meat producers based out of the Green Bay area. Alongside her career, Melissa has farmed her whole life, milking 130 cows and until recently was the herd, people and grazing manager on her family farm. She currently serves on the Wisconsin Organic Advisory Council and is the Vice President for the Oshkosh Food Co-op Board of Directors. Melissa was recognized as one of the Fox Cities “Future 15” Young Professionals for her contributions to and vision for a stronger NE Wisconsin local food system.