GrassWorks

GrassWorks Grazing Conference
2026-01-22 12:00 - 2026-01-24 17:00 (America/Chicago) | La Crosse Center, 300 Harborview Plaza, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 54601, United States
Registration is officially open for the 2026 GrassWorks Grazing Conference being held at the La Crosse Center in La Crosse, WI! We are looking forward to an event that is easier to navigate while still providing outstanding content and networking opportunities. This year’s theme, “Pastures to Prosperity: Building financially smart grazing systems for today’s land stewards,” focuses on improving profitability through smart grazing and business management, an exciting opportunity for attendees to sharpen their skills and grow their operations. The conference workshop schedule is live! Click here to find it! This year, we have two amazing keynotes that bring together our conference theme, Pastures to Prosperity. Keynote presentation by Melinda Sims, Ranching for Profit instructor and co-owner of the holistically managed Sims Cattle Company in McFadden, WY. Keynote presentation by Dwayne Estes, Executive Director of the Southeastern Grasslands Institute and Full Professor of Biology at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN.

We will have a variety of workshops and sessions including:– Breakout sessions led by our keynote speakers – Economics of grazing and farm finances – Grazing basics – Grazing with solar panels and solar shade systems– Robotic milking systems on dairy grazing farms– Virtual fence collars for grazing cattle and small ruminants– Animal handling and livestock healthBusiness systems to run your farm like a startup– Bale grazing for small ruminants– Working with multiple farm enterprises– Farmer well being and mindset tactics– Direct marketing strategies AND SO MUCH MORE!!

Are you ready to register already? As a bonus to our outstanding agenda, this year we are excited to offer a $20 discount per membership to the conference! If you are not a member yet, make sure to sign up for your GrassWorks membership before registering for the conference.

Farm Transition Course
2026-01-27 17:30 - 20:00, 2026-02-03 17:30 - 20:00, 2026-02-10 17:30 - 20:00, 2026-02-17 17:30 - 20:00, 2026-02-24 17:30 - 20:00, 2026-03-03 17:30 - 20:00 | Wisconsin
This winter, the Land Stewardship Project will be hosting their 2026 Farm Transition Planning Course, starting on January 27 and running through March 10. The deadline to register is January 9. This holistic course is offered online, and is scheduled for Tuesday evenings from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Each week, attendees will be guided through the planning process by resource professionals, experienced landowners, and LSP staff, with time allocated for your direct questions.

The Farm Transition Planning Course can play a key role in developing your farm’s future. Whether you need to plan for the next generation of farmers on your land or simply begin the conversation about the next steps with your family, this course will help guide you through the process.

The registration deadline for the 2026 course is Friday, January 9, with the first day of the course on Tuesday, January 27. LSP only offers this course once per year and class size is limited, so sign-up now!

2026 Farm Transition Planning Course

WHEN: Tuesdays from January 27 to March 10TIME: 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m. WHERE: OnlineWHAT: The focus will be on values and vision, financial and legal considerations, options for farm transitions, resources to guide the planning process, and communication tools. COST: $250 per farm family

School for Beginning Beef Production
2026-01-27 19:00 - 20:30 | Wisconsin
Maybe you are new to beef production or perhaps you are a dairy producer thinking about adding or transitioning to beef production. If so, join the School for Beginning Beef Production.

Jan 27: Business of beef: what are your options?

Jan 29: Setting goals and marketing

Feb 3: Perennial forage management and cow-calf nutrition

Feb 5: Veterinary, biosecurity, and recordkeeping skills

Feb 10: Herd reproduction to build your future

Feb 12: Annual forage management and intro to stocker, backgrounder, finishing enterprises

Each session will be held online via ZOOM from 7 – 8.30 pm (Central).

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to learn about beef production at no cost!

Participants will receive additional resources. Course registration closes on Jan 26!

Register Here: https://eventreg.wisc.edu/en/5f4YRxR7/g/extension/uw-extension-school-for-beginning-beef-production-2026-5a2TQr1B8Mf/overview

Registration Deadline! Farmer Appreciation Lunch
2026-01-29 00:00 - 23:59 | Chapparal Restaurant, 316 Dreamland Dr, Wonewoc, Wisconsin, 53968, United States
Farmer Appreciation Lunch

Thu, Feb 05 |

Chapparal Restaurant

Join us in celebrating the dedication, resilience, and vital contributions of local farmers who nourish our families and sustain our rural communities. Enjoy free lunch and get some swag and farm safety equipment. Guest Speaker: Morgan McArthur, DVM, UW Extension shares light-hearted tales.

Sauk Co. Pasture Walk
2026-01-31 13:00 - 15:00 | Echo-Y Farm, S7905 Sky View Rd, Loganville, WI, 53943
Our first pasture walk of the year is coming up SATURDAY, January 31st from 1:00pm to 3:00pm at Echo-Y Farm. Learn about how the Yankes are using virtual fencing, winter watering infrastructure, and pasture stockpiling in an to attempt achieve 365 days of grazing! S7909 Sky View RdLoganville, WI 53943

Winter Soil Health Workshop
2026-02-05 08:00 - 17:00 | UW-WHITEWATER COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT CENTER
Sheep markets remain strong across the Upper Midwest, making sheep an attractive diversification option that fits well into grazing systems and supports soil health.

At the Soil Health Winter Workshop, hear regional sheep market insights from Cody Heimke and Abdullah Hussaini, plus practical grazing and finishing tips from Dr. Greg Brickner. These field-tested perspectives will help farmers assess both the economics and management realities of adding sheep. Attendees will leave with actionable information on soil health, grazing management, and sheep market opportunities.

Farmer Appreciation Lunch
2026-02-05 12:00 - 14:30 | Chapparal Restaurant, 316 Dreamland Dr, Wonewoc, Wisconsin, 53968, United States
Farmer Appreciation Lunch

Thu, Feb 05 |

Chapparal Restaurant

Join us in celebrating the dedication, resilience, and vital contributions of local farmers who nourish our families and sustain our rural communities. Enjoy free lunch and get some swag and farm safety equipment. Guest Speaker: Morgan McArthur, DVM, UW Extension shares light-hearted tales.

REGISTRATION DEADLINE JAN. 29TH

Focus on Forage Management
2026-02-05 12:30 - 13:30 | Wisconsin
Focus on Forage is a FREE, 4-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. Webinar speakers include forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and extension educators. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits are available for each webinar.

Dr. Marta Kohmann, Dr. Natasha Rayne, and Dr. Luiz Ferraretto will present in the first Focus on Forage webinar of 2026, Feb. 5 at 12:30 p.m.

The forage management webinar will explore winterkill in alfalfa, nutrient management considerations for forage production, and feeding considerations without brown mid-rib (BMR) corn.

NWBPA Beef Brisket Buffet Lunch
2026-02-07 11:00 - 14:30 | Ridgeland Area Community Center, 200 Diamond St, Ridgeland, Wisconsin, 54763
You are invited to the Northern WI Beef Producers Beef Brisket Buffet Lunch and presentation on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at the Ridgeland Community Center.

We will be discussing “No Fence” virtual fencing, featuring guest speakers Brady Zuck from the Wisconsin Cattlemen’s Association and Bryce Kragness from Equity Coop.

Virtual fencing uses GPS collars to guide cattle with audio cues and pulses, allowing you to manage rotational grazing and utilize hard-to-fence acres directly from your phone without physical fencing.

Event Details:

– Date: Saturday, February 7, 2026

– Location: Ridgeland Community Center, 200 Diamond St, Ridgeland, WI

– Registration: 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM

For more information or to RSVP, please call or text Kate at (715) 642-0804.

Save a Calf, Save a Cow – Dairy Workshop
2026-02-11 09:30 - 12:30 | Education Center, 624 E. College St., Medford, Wisconsin, 54451
The University of Wisconsin Division of Extension is offering an in-person Save A Calf, Save A Cow – Dairy Workshop for dairy producers and dairy workers which is presented in English with English and Spanish slides and interpretation available by request.

This workshop provides information and techniques to boost your confidence in preparing the cow for calving, obstetric techniques and newborn calf care. From transition cow diets and body condition to recognizing key signs of labor and handling difficult deliveries with precision, this program equips you with practical strategies to support both cow and calf health.

Whether you’re seasoned or new to livestock care, you’ll gain hands-on expertise to approach calving with assurance, improve outcomes, and enhance the well-being of your herd.

For more information and the registration link, click here

Dane Demo Farms Winter Event: Soil Health Starts Here
2026-02-11 10:00 - 15:00 | Wisconsin
Join Dane Demo Farms for farmer-led results, practical ideas, and to boost your bottom line.

You’re invited: Farmer-to-Farmer Showcase

Hear directly from Dane Demo Farm growers who tested practices on their own fields

See real data from 2024 and 2025 cropping seasons

Learn what’s working (and what’s not) to improve soil health, yield, and profitability

Guest Speaker: Tom Cotter, Minnesota Farmer & 2025 Leopold Award Recipient

Event Highlights:

10:30 – Farmer Results

Hear from the farmers doing the research on their farms – Tom Ripp, Karl Sime, Tyler Duerst, Jeff Endres, and Tim Prosser

Get insights from Francisco Arriaga (UW) and the graduate student working on the project, Connor Schoelzel

12:00 – Lunch

12:45 – Beneficial Insects

Dane Elmquist (UW) shared new finding from demo farms research on beneficial insects and how to make it work on your farm

1:30 – Guest Speaker

Tom Cotter, Minnesota farmer and 2025 Leopold Award Recipient shares his journey in soil health and will challenge you to think differently about your soil.

#danedemofarms

Location

UW-Arlington Agricultural Research Station, Public Events Building

N633 Hopkins Rd, Arlington

Contact

Kim Meyer, 608-445-1474, meyer.kim@danecounty.gov

Focus on Forage Research
2026-02-12 12:30 - 13:30 | Wisconsin
Focus on Forage is a FREE, 4-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. Webinar speakers include forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and extension educators. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits are available for each webinar.

Phil Goldblatt, Mike Bertram, and Liz Gartman present during the second 2026 Focus on Forage webinar, Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m.

The forage research webinar will discuss forage research tools and ongoing trials in Wisconsin.

Focus on Managed Grazing
2026-02-19 12:30 - 13:30 | Wisconsin
Focus on Forage is a FREE, 4-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. Webinar speakers include forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and extension educators. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits are available for each webinar.

Jason Cavadini, Laura Paine, and Dr. David Jaramillo present during the third 2026 Focus on Forage webinar, Feb. 19 at 12:30 p.m.

The managed grazing webinar will explore pasture species selection and identification and the economics of pasture-raised heifers.

WI Grass-Fed Beef Co-op Annual Meeting
2026-02-21 13:00 - 17:00 | The Wisconsin Hotel, 60 Gasser Rd, Lake Delton, Wisconsin, 53940, United States
Meeting Agenda:

1-1:30pm: Annual Meeting Registration

1:30pm: Call to Order, Brett Danke, President

1:45pm: Business Summary, Rod Ofte, General Manager

2:00pm: Guest Speaker, Darren Jahnke, Extending the Grazing Season

2:45pm: 2025 Business to Consumer Results & Trends, Josh Miner

3:15pm: Board Member Introductions

3:30pm: Break & Networking

3:45pm: Board Member Nominations and Vote

4:00pm: Social Media and Marketing Results & Trends, Angie Lindloff

4:15pm: Producer Panel

4:45pm: Q & A

5:00pm: WGBC Protein Buffet Supper & Drinks (Complementary)

Farm Transitions: Holding Ground, Letting Go
2026-02-24 10:00 - 14:00 | Green Lake American Legion, American Legion Post 306, 518 Water St, Green Lake, Wisconsin, 54941
A guided approach to farm transition and legacy.

Holding Ground, Letting Go offers farmland owners a supportive space to talk through one of the hardest parts of farming: deciding what comes next for the land you care so deeply about.This workshop uses guided conversation to help you reflect on your connection to the land, clarify what matters most to you, and explore realistic options for transition at your own pace.

You’ll be met where you are—whether you feel ready, unsure, or conflicted—and supported in thinking through small, practical next steps that align with your values, your family or operation, and your hopes for the future of the land. Your farm transition planning journey will begin with two in-person workshops—February 24 and March 31—followed by ongoing individualized support from trained farm transition coordinators.

Free to participate. Register here

Beef Direct Marketing Workshops
2026-02-25 09:30 - 14:30, 2026-03-06 09:30 - 14:30 | Wisconsin
Workshops for Wisconsin farmers who are direct marketing beef, or considering it, will be held in four regional locations in the coming months. The workshops are offered by the Wisconsin Beef Council and are being held in conjunction with the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors, UW-Madison Division of Extension, and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture. This will be an opportunity to network with fellow beef producers who are direct marketing, as well as the processors who play a key role in getting beef to consumers.

The workshops will begin with a classroom session and then move to a local processor for a carcass cutting demonstration. The dates and locations are as follows:

February 25 – Plum City. Morning session – American Legion, 132 Pine Ave E, Plum City. Afternoon session – JM Watkins, W2431 US-10, Maiden Rock

March 6 – Viroqua. Morning session – Sheriff’s Office Training Room, 1320 Bad Axe Court, Viroqua, WI 54667. Afternoon session – Nordik Meats, E7342 Three Chimney Rd, Viroqua.

March 11 – Kaukauna. Morning session – Grand Stay Hotel, 1541 Arbor Way, Kaukauna, WI 54130. Afternoon session – Haen Meats, 600 County Hwy KK, Kaukauna.

March 17 – Clinton. Morning session – Boxcars, 108 Allen Street, Clinton. Afternoon session – Country Pride Meats, 109 Church St, Clinton, WI 53525.

Check-in of pre-registered attendees will begin at 9:15 am, and the program will start promptly at 9:45. Lunch will be offered at noon. Following lunch, attendees will travel to the processing plants for the cutting demonstration. The program will adjourn by 2:30 pm. There is a $25 registration fee, and space will be limited at each location to 30 participants.

Topics to be covered during the workshops include:

Carcass fabrication – watch a meat processor breakdown a half carcass, seeing how you get from primals to consumer-friendly cuts.

Easy to Use Marketing Tools – Kaitlyn Kesler with the Wisconsin Beef Council will share tips on free resources that can be used to create flyers, social media posts and other resources to help market your beef online, along with showcasing the recipes, cut charts and other resources available through the Beef Checkoff.

Licensing & Labeling Requirements – Whether your farm is looking to direct market quarters or halves or is ready to transition to retail sales of individual cuts of beef, this segment will bring you up to speed on the requirements for licensing and labeling. Speakers: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection, Bureau of Meat and Poultry Businesses Staff

Meating Consumer Expectations – UW-Madison Extension will discuss quality and yield grades, dressing percentage, understanding when cattle are finished, and considerations for animal size to match marketing plans. All these factors can affect consumer experience, expectations, and satisfaction.

Farmer-Processor-Customer Relations – a local meat processor will share tips on how to best communicate with those involved in the transaction, how to educate the consumer around pricing and cuts of beef, labeling and packaging options, and building the processor-farmer relationship.

Bull session – Bill Halfman, UW-Extension, will facilitate a group discussion covering topics like online sales, insurance, and collecting payments.

Direct Marketing Workshop

Marbleseed's 37th Organic Farming Conference
2026-02-26 08:00 - 2026-02-28 17:00 | La Crosse Center, 300 Harborview Plaza, La Crosse, Wisconsin, 54601, United States
We’re heading back to La Crosse this February — and we can’t wait!

Marbleseed’s 37th Organic Farming ConferenceAbundance Grows in Solidarity February 26–28, 2026 La Crosse Center, La Crosse, Wisconsin

Join us for three days of farmer-to-farmer learning, connection, and community-building at Marbleseed’s beloved organic farming conference. Our team is hard at work curating an inspiring lineup of workshops, expert panels, and hands-on sessions — plus plenty of space to connect with friends, make new ones, and enjoy some much-needed winter cheer.

Early-bird registration will open in early December. While you wait…

Submit your content proposal – Deadline to submit is Friday, August 29. Fill out the Content Proposal Form for fully formed workshop ideas, or use the Content Suggestion Form to let us know what topics you’d like to see.

Join the sponsor/exhibitor waitlist – Returning sponsors and exhibitors will be invited to sign up for the 2026 conference in early September. New sponsors and exhibitors are asked to join the waitlist – spots will open in early October if available. Learn more about the impact you can make and join the waitlist today.

Keep checking back for updates – We’ll be announcing our conference lineup throughout the fall on our conference website and Marbleseed social accounts (follow below!).

Reach out to partnerships@marbleseed.org if you have any questions – or if you just want to share your excitement!

See you in February!

Focus on Forage Cover Crops
2026-02-26 12:30 - 13:30 | Wisconsin
Focus on Forage is a FREE, 4-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. Webinar speakers include forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and extension educators. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits are available for each webinar.

Dr. Lisa Kissing-Kucek, Dan Marzu, and Bill Powel-Smith will present in the final Focus on Forage webinar of 2026, Feb. 26 at 12:30 p.m.

The forage cover crop webinar will discuss cover crop species and varieties for forage and grain systems, Wisconsin cover crop forage quality data updates, and using cover crop forages in dairy cow diets.

Farm to School Networking in Southwest Wisconsin
2026-02-27 09:00 - 13:00 | Wisconsin
The Holmen School District is hosting a Farm to School Networking Event and site visit to connect producers and school food service buyers.

At this event, attendees will hear directly from successful producer-buyer partnerships, see how local products are used in a school kitchen, and tour the school greenhouse. Producers and school food buyers will have the opportunity to connect in a speed dating format. Participants will have the opportunity to network, ask questions, and sample some of the locally procured ingredients Holmen School District uses in their school meals. Producers are encouraged to bring samples!

NCAT, National Farm to School Network, and Marbleseed are partnering for this event as part of the Bringing the Farm to School through New Connections project. After the event, attendees are encouraged to attend the additional farm to school content at the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference, taking place in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin, just 20 minutes from Holmen High School. There will be limited scholarships for attending the conference on a first come first served basis and special pricing for participants that missed the scholarship opportunity. For further instructions, choose the Marbleseed option below.

Date: February 27, 2026Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.Location: Holmen High School, McHugh Road, Holmen, WI

Pre-registration is recommended because limited space is available. Please use the form below to register.

Questions? Please contact Maura Henn, maurah@ncat.org

Bringing the Farm to School through New Connections is funded by a cooperative agreement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

https://www.ncat.org/wisconsin-farm-2-school/

WI Cattlemen's Winter Conference
2026-02-28 09:00 - 15:30 | The Lodge at Mauston, 104 Lodge Lane, Mauston, Wisconsin, 53948, United States
https://www.wisconsincattlemen.com/events/winter-conference

Protecting our Water: Community Conversation
2026-03-02 17:30 - 19:30 | Viking Bowl, 108 S Main St, Colfax, Wisconsin, 54730
Colfax Water & Health Community Forum

Clean water starts with an informed, engaged community — Come learn, ask questions, and help shape a healthier future for our community.

Meal provided — register to guarantee a meal:

Text/Call 715-619-7149 or email tbarone@dunncountywi.gov

Registration Link https://forms.office.com/g/wHm12N1uTD

Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit
2026-03-03 08:00 - 2026-03-04 17:00 | Willmar Conference Center, 240 23rd St SE, Willmar, Minnesota, 56201, United States
For 11 years, the Sustainable Farming Association has proudly hosted the Midwest Soil Health Summit, an educational event developed during a time when soil health was still a budding concept.

As the importance of soil health has become more widely recognized and soil health education more readily available, we are shifting the educational focus of the Summit and rebranding the event as the Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit.

More than just a name change, this evolution acknowledges and celebrates the deep connection between soil and livestock in building thriving ecosystems and communities.

This new emphasis allows us to explore the dynamic harmony between grazing and soil health—together, they create a regenerative path forward for farmers and ranchers.

2026 Presenters include Dr. Temple Grandin, Keith Berns, Jared Luhman, Jason Cavadini, and more!

Registration coming soon! More information on keynote speakers and more here!

Wisconsin Land & Water
2026-03-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Chula Vista Resort and Conference Center, Chula Vista Parkway 1000, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, 53965, United States
https://wisconsinlandwater.org/conservation/annual-conference

NW WI Graziers Network Winter Conference
2026-03-07 08:00 - 16:00 | UW-Eau Claire at Barron County, 1800 College Drive, Rice Lake, Wisconsin, 54868
Northwest Wisconsin Graziers Network, GrassWorks, Shell Lake-Yellow River Watershed Producer Led Council, and UW-Madison Extension would like to invite you to attend this year’s winter grazing conference in Rice Lake

This conference will continue our strong tradition of an informative and friendly networking environment to learn about beef herd planning, animal health care, nature’s way of grazing, livestock markets, economics of balage, workbook method for nutrient management, an update on bale grazing research, on-farm organic N production, and an afternoon workshop on fencing methods along with other helpful information. See agenda for more details.The conference should be of interest to new farmers, part-time or full-time operators, low-income startups, graziers or non-graziers alike. Several agency and commercial exhibitors will be available to network with throughout the day.Advance registration for the conference is due by Wednesday, March 4th, cost is only $20 and includes lunch, refreshments and materials. Late registration is $30. For credit card pre-registration go online to our webpage, nwgn.org.

Please call Lynn Johnson at 715-225-9882 with registration questions, or for more grazing and conference information.
