GrassWorks

West Central WI Spring Grazing Conference
2024-03-16 15:00 - 21:00 UTC | Wisconsin
All Things Soil and Forage FertilityTopics Include:

Why soil sampling is important: sampling methods
Different fertilizer methodologies: conventional, organic, and foliar feeding
Audubon Bird Friendly Beef Certification
Farmer Panel: fertility programs on their farms

Hosted by River Country RC&D and River Country Grazing Network
Register Here – or call/text (715) 579-4916
Visit River Country Event Page

Manure Mondays: Manure Additives
2024-03-18 18:00 - 19:00
Register Here
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs invites you to the 2024 Manure Monday Series. Sessions will be delivered through Zoom. The sessions are free. When you register, you will be registered for all sessions.

Manure Mondays: Composting Bedded Pack Barns
2024-03-25 18:00 - 19:00

Biochar Workshop & Demo
2024-04-02 18:00 - 20:00
Event includes:

Biochar Demo using Ring of Fire Biochar Kiln from GreenLake County
Kristin Foerhinger (NRCS WI State Working LandsClimate Smart Specialist) talking all things biochar:benefits, risks, when and where to apply, and NRCSprograms available in relation to biochar.
Find out how to rent the Ring of Fire Biochar Kiln, placesto buy biochar and other biochar resources.
Learn about how other Countries utilize biochar.’

This event is FREE! Snacks and refreshments provided.Please RSVP to brooke.patrick@goldensandsrcd.org by March 31st.

Regenerative Livestock Systems Symposium
2024-04-05 13:00 - 23:00
Register Here
Learn More Here
Agenda
8:00 – 9:00 AM – Welcome & Poster Session9:00 – 10:30 AM

Grazing Ecology and Restoration – Stephen Thomforde
Pasture resilience and environmentally friendly livestock farming – Azadeh F. Javazmi
Reintegrating Grazing Ruminants in Row Crop Country: Agroecological Benefits and Costs – George Boody

10:30 – 11:00 AM – BREAK + Poster session11:00 – 12:30 PM

Regenerative Grazing – Green Lands Blue Waters Project – Jane Grimsbo-Jewett
Grasslands 2.0 – Nicholas R. Jordan
Scaling up Regenerative Poultry – Diane Chistofore

12:30 – 2:00 PM – Lunch and Producer Panel2:00 – 3:30 PM

A Farm Journey to Grass-Fed Dairy and Beef – Kevin Mahalko
Reducing Methane Emissions in Grazing Dairy Cattle – Bradley Heins
Regenerative Farming Management in Pasture-Based Dairy Farms – Derek Schmitz

3:30 – 4:00 PM – BREAK + Poster session4:00 – 5:30 PM

Opportunities and Challenges of Silvopasture Systems – Eric Mousel
Bison Farming and Indigenous Livestock Practices – Paul Dressen
Audubon Conservation Ranching Program – Sarah Hewitt

5:30 – 6:00 PM – Final Thoughts & Poster session

Heart of Wisconsin Grazing Conference
2024-04-05 14:00 - 21:00
Register by sending in attached formAgenda9:00AM—9:30AM

Registration Opens! Come early to talk to exhibitors and other graziers and enjoy coffee and donuts.

9:30AM—9:50AM

Grazing Happenings in Wisconsin with Jason Cavadini

10:00AM—10:50AM

Salon A: Forage Species Selection & Weed Management with Brooke Bembeneck

Salon B: Update on WI Grazing Researchwith Dr. David Jaramillo & Dr. Marta Kohmann

11:00AM—11:50AMSalon A: Beginning Grazier Session—Tips & Tricks for

Getting Started with Rotational Grazingwith Farmer Panel
Salon B: Taking your Pasture Management Skills to the Next Level with Laura Paine

12:00PM—12:50PM

Catered lunch included with registration fee. Time to meet with Exhibitors and visit with conference attendees and speakers!

1:00PM—1:50PM

Salon A: From Good to Great – Strategies for Improved Small Ruminant Management with Austin Pethan
Salon B: Economic & Environmental Opportunities of Dairy Heifer Grazing with Grassland 2.0 & Mike Redetzke

2:00PM—2:50PM

Salon A: Multi-species Grazing Management with Farmer Panel
Salon B: Grazing Alternative Forages with Matt Oehmichen and Derrick Raspor

3:00PM—3:50PM

Salon A: Grazing with Grassland Birds
Salon B: Preparing for Winter Grazing with Nick Besasie

Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative: Navigating the Application Process
2024-04-11 20:00 - 21:00
Register Here
USDA NRCS has just announced $22M in funding for the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)! This program will fund partnerships that expand access to conservation technical assistance for livestock producers and increase the use of conservation practices on grazing lands.
Join us for a call where we’ll break down the Notice of Funding Opportunity, share best practices on crafting your proposal, and hear from current grantees implementing GLCI-funded projects.
Co-sponsored by the Wallace Center, National Grazing Lands Coalition, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, and the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.

Financial Review for Small Dairy and Pasture Options
2024-04-27 15:30 - 17:00
Financial review for small dairy and pasture options.

Hosted by Great River Graziers

E5463 State Hwy 82, Viroqua.
From hwy 27 turn onto 82 towards DeSoto. Barn is 1.3 miles on left.
**note: Google Maps gives weird directions to this address, we

Demonstration of Sheep Grazing for Restoration of Cross Country Track Area
2024-05-05 14:30 - 17:00
Hosted by Great River Graziers
Community project to bring livestock onto school grounds, fence under construction for grazing sheep around cross-country track. Story of the program, and discussion of contract-grazing as a pathway for youth to get into grazing. Guest: Carolyn Idhe, UW & Iowa Small Ruminant Outreach Specialist.

Setting Your Grazing Wedge
2024-05-07 19:00 - 21:00
Guest Speaker: Altfrid Krusenbaum, Krusen Grass Consulting
Register Here
Will teach graziers how to set the seasons grazing wedge.
Hosted by Glacierland RC&D

Small Scale Farming and Homesteading
2024-05-10 22:00 - 2024-05-11 00:00
Hosted by Golden Sands RC&D
Email brooke.patrick@goldensandsrcd.org to RSVP

Pasture Walk Featuring NoFence system, Bale Grazing Project, Forage Flush Management
2024-05-11 17:00 - 19:00
Light lunch provided
Pasture walks are meant to be a sharing of thoughts, ideas, and information in a production setting. This event will focus on a few different aspects of grazing management, including first flush, bale grazing, and the opportunities with electronic fencing, including the NoFence pilot project in which Hoffman’s participated over the winter on both sheep and cattle.
Roseann and Scott Hoffman will be sharing their experiences with NoFence, their farm’s transition processes (current transition is to fall calving), and other aspects of their grazing journeys. Cost-share opportunities that can assist in your transitions will also be discussed. Regional Crops/Soils Educator Scott Reuss will be on hand to share information from the state-wide bale grazing soil health research project of which Hoffman’s are a part. Paddock and hay acres’ nutrient management will also be reviewed, with a quick overview of nutrient considerations to maximize forage quality and quantity.
Proper forage management equals optimum animal performance!

Wisconsin Agroforestry Demonstration Farm Tour
2024-05-15 10:00 - 12:00
Hosted by the Savanna Institute
Register Here
Come Join an introduction to Agroforestry on Savanna Institute’s North Farm on our Spring Green Campus, WI.
Savanna Institute’s North Farm is located directly north of the Wisconsin River, and contains an almost complete watershed, making it valuable as a site for water quality research, as well as silvopasture and alley cropping approaches. With the largest acreage among the farms, the North Farm is dedicated to demonstrating large-scale commercial farming.

Central Wisco Spring Pasture Walk
2024-05-15 22:30 - 2024-05-16 01:00
Hosted by Central Wisco Graziers Network
Join us at Bouressa Family Farm to meet other area graziers!
Pasture walk and discuss the grazing season ahead and learn more about new NRCS Practices and some of Rachel’s other collaborative projects with Audubon and USFWS!

Spring pasture management
NRCS EQIP expansion
NRCS EQIP Grassland bird scenario and other new grazing practices, Derrick Raspor, NRCS
Audubon Conservation Ranching program, Tom Prestby, Audubon Great Lakes
Wetlands restoration project, Lara Fondow, US Fish and Wildlife Service
Check out a newly installed handling area and discuss ideas to improve or install an area on your farm.

POTLUCK – Please bring a dish to share 😋Location: Bouressa Family FarmN3775 Ritchie Rd, New London, WI 54961Any questions, feel free to contact:Rachel Bouressa, 608-228-6617, rachelbouressa@gmail.comLearn More

Luke & Jenna Repka Pasture Walk
2024-05-16 23:00 - 2024-05-17 01:00
Hosted by Sauk County
Join us at the Repka farm to learn about fencing for multispecies of livestock.
If I could do it again, I would change a few things like fence placement, gate placement, fence style…, says Luke Repka.
Come and learn from Luke’s experience and see a well-managed grazing system featuring British White cattle.
FlyerSauk County Pasture Walks

Pasture Walk: Evaluating December Frost Seeding and Appraisal of Different Watering Systems
2024-05-29 15:30 - 17:30
Hosted by Great River Graziers
Evaluating December frost seeding. Appraisal of different watering systems for a 30+ cow/calf and separate meat-sheep flock. Guest resource: Carolyn Idhe, UW & lowa Small Ruminant Outreach Specialist
Great River Graziers Pasture Walks

Full Circle Organic Experience Field Day
2024-06-01 15:00 - 21:00
Hosted by Marbleseed
Register Here
Join the 2024 Marbleseed Farmers of the Year for a tour of their farm! Learn from their diversified enterprises including organic vegetables, grass-fed beef, pastured pork and poultry as well as conservation practices implemented on the farm. Come at any point during the day to see these different enterprises and learn more from these amazing farmers.
The Adamski family’s roots stretch back five generations on their 240-acre farm in Seymour. Rick and Valerie use managed grazing as the cornerstone method for raising certified organic beef. The farm provides a balanced ecological system to protect waterways, increase soil health and sequester carbon, and increase wildlife and biodiversity.
A chicken taco bar lunch will be available for $5 per person and sponsored by Blue Farm.
There will also be informational tables from other relevant sustainable agriculture organizations, a petting barn and lots of time for networking with farmers and consumers interested in organic agriculture.
This Field Day is put on with financial assistance from the Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP)

Agroforestry in a Grassland Landscape Context
2024-06-03 14:00 - 20:00
Hosted by Southern Driftless Grasslands
Register Here
Habitat needs of wildlife that depend on large, contiguous tracts of open lands – grassland birds and migratory Monarch butterfly in particular – is especially important in the southern Driftless Area in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota. Agroforestry is an increasingly discussed agricultural practice with many benefits but when inappropriately sited can have detrimental impacts on species of federal and state concern. Siting projects with landscape context in mind is critical to supporting wildlife on working lands in a grassland landscape. Join us to share knowledge and considerations for agroforestry planning in context of landscape scale goals.
Lunch to be provided.

MNGLCA GrazeHERs Conference
2024-06-04 00:00 - 2024-06-06 00:00
Hosted by MN Grazing Lands Conservation Association
Register Here
Participants will learn the basics of grazing livestock, pasture management, and goal setting for their operation. The GrazeHERS event is geared towards women interested in learning the principles of grazing livestock. This event is made up of women presenters, hosts, and supporters motivated to share their knowledge about the grazing industry.
Keynote address by Sara Bauder – SDSU Extension Forage Field Specialist.

Brattset Family Farm - Grazing for Grassland Bird Habitat
2024-06-04 19:00 - 21:00
Guest Speaker: Ashly Steinke, Grassland Ecologist, Audubon SocietyLearn about the Audubon Conservation Ranching Program, and what you can do to help grassland birds on your farm!Register Here
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Pasture Walk: Grazing on Public Land
2024-06-05 22:00 - 2024-06-06 00:30
Hosted by Golden Sands RC&DRSVP by June 3rd to grazing@goldensandsrcd.org
Join us at the PaulJ Olson Wildlife Area and Prairie Pastured Beef LLC to learn about several practices the DNR and Carl have implemented on the land including:

Wetland Reserve Program (WRP)
Audubon Grassland Bird Certification
Public Land Grazing
New Well with Solar Pump

This event is FREE! Snacks and refreshments following the event provided by Otto’s Meats and WI DNR
RSVP by June 3rd: Contact Brooke at 715-343-6215 x709 grazing@goldensandsrcd.org
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Pasture Walk: Parlor Lessions, Seeding for Stockpile, and Certifications
2024-06-07 15:30 - 17:30
Hosted by Great River Graziers
Parlor lessons from inception to completion; new seeding for stockpile; next steps- grass milk and organic certification, how-to and expectations. Walk followed with light lunch! Guest: Rhonda Gildersleve, retired organic grassmilk farmer.
Great River Graziers Pasture Walks

Pasture Walk: Spring Flush at Scott Brandenburg and Nick Dobberpuhl Farms
2024-06-07 18:30 - 20:30
Hosted by Glacierland RC&D
1:30-2:30pm6754 County Road W, Greenleaf WI
Learn how to estimate forage for proper rotational grazing at Brandenburg’s farm
2:30-3:30pm5886 County Road X, De Pere, WI
Guest speaker Derrick Raspor of NRCS will discuss grazing summer annual forages and new seeding on Dobberpuhl’s farm.
No registration required.
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Bulas Pleasant Valley Farm - Summer Field Day
2024-06-10 19:30 - 23:00
Hosted by Wisconsin Women in Conservation
Register Here
Pack your camp chair and join us for a summer’s afternoon in June!

All women farmers, landowners and conservationists from Sauk, Columbia, Green Lake and surrounding counties are welcome to attend– whatever your background, from beginners to experts!

Curious about sustainable, organic farming practices? This is the field day for you! Maureen has progressed through various models of production, from conventional, to organic, to what is now termed as regenerative. Maureen is the Sauk County Conservation Coach for the WiWiC project and has been instrumental in implementing conservation practices on the land. At this field day, you will get to hear from her on why conservation is so important to this family, and how they have prioritized this work on the family farm. We are thrilled to also have Maureen’s daughter, Justine, participate in this field day. She centers conservation in her career path and her role on the family farm. We’d love to have you join them in conversation about what they are thinking about and planning for next steps on the farm.

Catering will be provided by The Relish Tray Bistro and Catering- focusing on the foods grown on the farm (doing beef sliders and a variety of veggie-forward dishes based on what is in season). This is a woman-owned business.

Please note that we will need participants to bring camp or lawn chairs. Thank you!

Resource Experts Attending: Conservation Coach Maureen Bula, Bula’s Pleasant Valley Farm
Speakers:
Janice Kelly: USDA-NRCS Resource Conservationist located in Baraboo
Melissa Schlupp: Sauk County Land Resources & Environment Department, Conservation Manager
Wisconsin Women in Conservation Host: Allison Crook, WI Farmers Union
Location: Bula’s Pleasant Valley Farm

Event Details:

Event is free to attend but registration is required and space is limited.
Women, all who identify as such, are welcome to attend – from landowners to farmers to conservationist enthusiasts – whatever your background, from beginners to experts! Our WiWiC events follow a Learning Circle model, with ample time and a safe space for story sharing, networking and collaborative learning. We all have something to both share and learn together.
Dress for the weather. Bring a sunhat, sunscreen and good walking shoes. Please bring a chair/camp chair.
This event is outdoors and no masks are required. Social distancing is encouraged.
Photos will be taken at this event and used for educational purposes only by WiWiC and the partner groups. If you do not wish to have your picture taken, let the on-site WiWiC host know.
WiWiC is a family-friendly space and you are welcome to bring your children. We will have some independent kids activities available.

Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC) is a state-wide collaborative effort led by the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute in partnership with Wisconsin Farmers Union, Renewing the Countryside and Marbleseed (formerly MOSES). A five-year multi-faceted project funded by the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), WiWiC brings together Wisconsin’s women landowners, farmers, farm workers, urban growers, and conservation professionals to connect and share about conservation practices, resources, and funding opportunities.

Sauk Co. Jim Gerrish Event
2024-06-11 14:00 - 20:00
Hosted by Sauk County
Register Here
Learn from Jim Gerrish, an independent grazing lands consultant at this grazing workshop. Join SSWIG, the Producers of Lake Redstone, Farmers of the Lemonweir Valley, and the Lake Wi Farmer Watershed Council for a day of learning.
Location:

Morning à UW Platteville Baraboo Sauk County, Giese Lecture Hall (1006 Connie Rd., Baraboo)

Afternoon Pasture Walk à Sauk County Farm (S4555 County Rd. CH., Reedsburg)

Cost: $15.00/person

Kenosha Co. Rotational Grazing Workshop with Jim Gerrish
2024-06-12 14:30 - 21:30
Register Here
$10/person
Learn from Jim Gerrish, a grazing expert and consultant to farmers and ranchers across the world. This full day workshop will begin inside with a class at Seno Conservancy, include a catered lunch, and end with hands-on demonstrations on Starry Nights Farm, a rotationally grazed farm in Burlington.

Improving Farm Resilience with Pollinator Habitat - Producer-Led Field Day
2024-06-12 15:00 - 19:00
Hosted by the U.S. Dairy Forage Research CenterRSVP Here
Producer-Led Field DayImproving Farm Resilience with Pollinator Habitat
Join us for a unique opportunity to learn from other farmers about their experiences managing pollinator-friendly habitats on farm lands. Stay for lunch hosted by Alsum Farms and a Resources Fair featuring representatives from various organizations that aid landowners in establishing biodiverse landscapes.
10 AM Registration and welcome10:30 AM Alsum Farms prairie walking tour11:45 AM Farmer Q+A panel12:30 PM Lunch and Resources Fair

Ozaukee Co. Jim Gerrish Workshop
2024-06-13 14:30 - 20:30
Register Here
$10/person
A morning with Jim Gerrish at the Fredonia Village Center, filled with a variety of rotational grazing topics. After provided lunch, we will move to our local graziers’ operation, Tim and Jane Grube. There Jim will join us for a pasture walk across the Grube’s brand new grazing system.

Fencing Workshop: Grazing Fence Demonstration
2024-06-13 20:30 - 22:30
Hosted by Marathon County Conservation, Planning, and Zoning and Golden Sands RC&D
No registration required. This event is free with snacks and refreshments provided.
Learn to build fence with Randy Cutler.
Participants will:

Learn about fence materials, tools, and equipment
Understand best practices for building fence
Get hands-on learning
Discuss funding available

Have questions? Contact grazing@goldensandsRCD.org or brooke.bembeneck@co.marathon.wi.us
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Gaska Farm Pasture Walk
2024-06-14 14:00 - 19:00
Hosted by Dodge County
This event is free to attend and includes a lunch
To register for this event, call the Dodge County Land and Water Conservation Department at (920) 386-3660 by Monday June 10th.Topics

Planning Grazing on your Farm

Decision Making
Management

Grazing Infrastructure

Fences
Livestock Waterlines
Forage Selection
Grazing Lanes

Alternative Forage Solutions

Interseeding Cover Crops
Grazing cover crops planted after wheat

Grazing Economics

Profitability
Making grazing make sense for you
