Grazing workshops at Eco Farm Days conference in Ontario Feb 23

I’ll be teaching 2 workshops on grazing at the Canadian Organic Growers Eco Farm days conference in Cornwall Ontario on February 23rd.  https://cog.ca/ottawa/eco-farm-day/

What can we learn from studying grazing systems which have been successful for decades?  What do the plants in your pastures need so they can thrive, and become more productive and higher quality over time?  How can we use higher or lower stocking densities, taller or shorter pre-grazing heights and decisions on how long to leave livestock in the paddock and how short to let them graze it as tools to improve pastures so we can avoid expensive inputs and reseeding? This session will look at the practical application of basic guidelines of good grazing management and pasture ecosystem monitoring, based on plant physiology and soil health.

What are the nutritional and behavioral needs of cows, sheep and goats?  How can we use that knowledge to design grazing systems which make it easier to maximize pasture intake by the herd or flock?  This session will include information on how to measure available dry matter in the pasture, and calculate acreage needs for the herd or flock.  We will look at how different pre-grazing heights and post grazing residuals change the nutritional quality of what livestock are able to graze, and how that changes their ability to meet their intake requirements.  We’ll look at photos of both pastures and livestock and review monitoring methods so we are able to be sure our grazing systems are working the way we want them to meet needs of the plants and the livestock.