ON-FARM WORKSHOPS
& PASTURE WALKS
Vermont
Pasture Network—Summer 2005
Coordinated and sponsored by the Vermont Pasture Network (VPN) at the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, the
Vermont Grass Farmers’ Association (VGFA), the
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Grazing
Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), UVM Extension,
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT),
VT Sheep & Goat Association (VSGA), and other
agricultural groups.
Vermont Grazing Demonstration Project events are made possible by a Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (NE-SAREP) Partnership Grant, and are organized in conjunction with Vermont NRCS and other groups.
Grazing for
Clean Water Initiative events are made possible by a Vermont Department of
Environmental Conservation EPA Section 319 Non-point Source Pollution Reduction
Grant.
Questions?
UVM
Center for Sustainable Agriculture
(802)
656-5459 or sustainable.agriculture@uvm.edu
OR
Jennifer
Colby, Vermont Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator
(802)
656-0858 or jcolby@uvm.edu
For prepayment/registration to UVM where requested,
please mail to:
UVM Center for Sustainable
Agriculture
63 Carrigan Drive
Burlington, VT 05405
Attn: Pasture Walk Registration
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JUNE 21 10 AM – 2 PM $15 per person, lunch provided |
Soils & Crops at Gleasons Grains Gleason
Grains, Bridport, VT Ben
& Theresa Gleason will host a farm and mill tour with discussion. Ben
will discuss soil management, weed management, crop rotation, hay and straw
(to chop it or to sell it?), and 30 some years of experiments, mistakes and
success! Lunch provided, $15 per person This
workshop is made possible by a grant from the North East Sustainable
Agriculture Research and Education Program, and is cosponsored by the
Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont and UVM Extension. CONTACT:
heather.darby@uvm.edu,
802-524-6501 |
|
June 29 10 am – 2 pm |
HOLISTIC PLANNED GRAZING Cimarron Farm, St.
Albans, VT The Yandow and Collins families are working together on this
organic dairy to develop a Holistic Management© plan for the farm. Aspects include production, business,
community, family, and environmental concerns. Abe & Teddy will share insights into
this planning procedure, and we will tour the farm to explore how Holistic©
planned grazing helps the farm to make the most of grazing land production
and management, and maximize animal performance, too. Sponsored by the
Vermont Pasture Network at the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, and
the Grazing for Clean Water Initiative. DIRECTIONS: I89 to
Exit 20 and get onto Rte. 7 north.
Take the first left onto Jewett Avenue (across from Warner’s Snack
Bar). Go left at the T intersection
onto Kellogg Road. At the 4 corners go
right onto Newton road. It will be the
first farm on your left, after the little bridge. CONTACT: Jennifer
Colby, Vermont Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice
Huber, UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture Office Manager,
802-656-5459. |
June
30 &
July
1
10 AM – 3 PM EACH DAY
Cost $25 per day includes lunch
|
TRANSITIONS IN DAIRYING WITH DAVE FORGEY Dave is a third-generation dairy farmer from
Indiana who operates a New Zealand style grass-based dairy with his wife and
their partners. They are in their 15th
season grazing. He is a regular
contributor to Hoard’s Dairyman, and has traveled the world learning about
and sharing grazing techniques.
June 30, Shelburne Farms Dairy
Barn
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DIRECTIONS TO VERMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE: Take I-89 to Exit 4. Turn onto Rt. 66
heading uphill away from McDonalds. Proceed 3/4 mile to intersection at top
of hill. Drive straight through the intersection to main entrance (Old Dorm
Lounge is the cream building with green trim.) Sponsored by: Northeast Organic Farming Association of
Vermont, University of Vermont Extension, Land Link Vermont and Vermont
Pasture Network at the
UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Shelburne Farms, and Vermont Tech Ag
Institute CONTACT: NOFA-VT,
(802) 434-4122, info@nofavt.org
|
|
JULY 5 11
AM – 2 PM Lunch provided, RSVP |
ORGANIC FERTILIZATION AND
IRRIGATION OF PASTURES with
Bill Murphy Forgues Family Farm, Alburg, VT The first of two pasture walks at the Forgues
Family Farm, this walk will look at an Organic fertilization and irrigation
trial conducted over the past three years by Bill Murphy, Professor Emeritus
of Agronomy at the University of Vermont, and author of the book, “Greener
Pastures on Your Side of the Fence”.
The second walk will be on September 1. These walks are a good opportunity for
people to see on-farm research being done and to learn more about grazing
management. FREE AND OPEN TO ALL! Sponsored by a Northeast Regional
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant. DIRECTIONS: Go west
out of Swanton on Highway 78, cross the bridge, then turn north toward Alburg Springs, go 2.75 miles, farm is on the west side
of the road just before the U.S./Canada border. CONTACT: Bill Murphy, 802-878-2347, or billita@starband.net, Jennifer Colby,
Vermont Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice Huber,
UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |
July 1310 am -
2:30pm Cost: $15, bring your own lunch |
Goats off the Grid: Pasture and Plans for ProductDan Robertshaw Farm, Bridport, VT Join us on the 50 acre Robertshaw
Farm with windmills and solar power as we see how Dan is making progress with
his 80 doelings and plans for a dairy. Dan is employing non-electric perimeter
fence on 10 acres and uses temporary electric fence for rotational paddocks
for his growing kids. We will discuss
how grazing works with goats and share observations. Dan will share the cost of the pasture
set-up and the plans for his milking parlour and
milk processing facility (unbuilt). In addition, he will discuss his choice of
wind and solar energy and how that affects the planning of his farm. Bring a bag lunch; some snacks provided. Sponsored by the Small Ruminant Dairy
Project and the Vermont Pasture Network at the UVM Center for Sustainable
Agriculture. Cost: $15. Check
payable to “UVM” sent to SRDP, UVM Center for Sustainable Ag., 63 Carrigan
Drive, Burlington, VT 05405 For more information contact: Carol Delaney, 802-656-0915, carol.delaney@uvm.edu |
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JULY 13 11 AM – 2 PM $8 for NOFA-VT
members, $12 for non-members |
Multi-Species Grazing Models Maple Wind Farm, Huntington, VT Maple Wind Farm produces grassfed
and finished beef and lamb, and pastured, organic pork and poultry.
This workshop, led by Bruce Hennessey, will explore methods and ideas around
intensive grazing of multiple species over the same ground. Emphasis
will be placed on hog and beef production on pasture, and our new winter
grazing pilot project. Please bring a bagged lunch. This workshop is co-sponsored by NOFA-VT's
SARE Livestock Courses and NOFA-VT's Summer
Workshop Series. Directions: From Addison county, Bristol and points west, follow VT Rte. 17/116 east out of Bristol for
aprox.1 mile where Rte 17 and 116 will split. Turn right to follow Rte. 17
(signs to Waitsfield) and drive for approx. 5 miles to a left turn onto Gore
Rd. (signs for Huntington Ctr. & Hanksville).
Follow Gore Road for approx. 2.5 miles and turn right onto Carse Rd. Follow directions below*. From town
of Richmond, at the traffic light (Cumberland Farms gas station), turn south
on Main Rd. Follow Main Rd. (aprox. 7 miles) all the way to Huntington (a small
town with 2 stores/gas stations). Drive through town, and in 5 miles
from the village, turn left up Moody Rd. (dirt road just beyond a
"Roaring Valley Farm" sign on the right). Follow Moody Road 1
mile over a 1-lane bridge and turn left up Carse
Rd. *Maple Wind Farm is at the end of the road at the Red Barn.
Please park in the area to the right between the office/house and telephone
pole. |
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JULY 20 9AM-4PM COST: $10, bring your own lunch,
snacks provided |
PASTURED POULTRY TOUR Central VT Farms, meet in West Brookfield, VT There are as many ways to raise
poultry as there are folks raising them in VT! On this day-long tour we will visit three
small farm operations that graze their poultry. We will look at layers, broilers, and
turkeys; see several different chicken tractor designs; learn about types of
poultry fences and waterers available and how to
set them up; discuss potential problems, such as predators and disease, and
how to avoid them; and talk about processing options, techniques and tools. Tours will take place at the farms of Gwyneth Harris
(Coordinator of NOFA-VT's 'Grazing the Green' SARE
Livestock Course), Jenn Colby (VPN
Outreach Coordinator & Howling Wolf Farm) and Jinny
Cleland (Four Springs Farm). DIRECTIONS: From the North: Take
exit 5 off of I-89 S (Northfield). Stay right off of the exit ramp (toward Northfield). Continue to the Stop
sign at the bottom of the hill. Turn left on Rte 12 S. Follow rte
12 for about 7-8 miles, till you see a cemetery on your right, on the corner
of W. Brookfield Road. Turn Right on W. Brookfield road. Travel
0.7 miles till you see the Red Schoolhouse. That's Gwyneth’s house.
Park in the driveway, or alongside the road. Also, you can park at theoff-white
house, next on the left past the schoolhouse.
From the
South: Take exit 4 (Randolph) off of I-89.
Turn left (toward Randolph) off of the exit ramp. Travel about a mile
till you see a yellow flashing light. Turn right at this light onto Windover Road. Follow till you reach a stop sign, then turn right onto Rte 12 N. After about 6 miles
you will cross a bridge on an s-curve, and see the Snowsville
country store on the right (red bldg).
Continue about 1 mile more till you see a cemetery on the left.
Turn left here onto W. Brookfield road. Travel 0.7 miles till you see
the Red Schoolhouse. That's Gwyneth’s
house. Park in the driveway, or alongside the road. Also, you can park at the off-white house,
next on the left past the schoolhouse.
CONTACT: Jennifer Colby, Vermont
Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice Huber, UVM
Center for Sustainable Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |
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July 26 10AM-3:30PM Brown bag lunch Refreshments provided. $10 per person. |
Grazing
DRAFT HORSES
Fair Winds Farm, Brattleboro, VT Jay & Janet Bailey raise, train, work, and graze
Suffolk Punch draft horses on their farm in Southern Vermont. They have been working as mentors with a
participant in last summer’s “Greening the Farm” pasture management
course. This farmer will share what
she has learned about grazing during her time with the Bailey’s, and the
special considerations of implementing a grazing system on her own farm. We will also look at some of the general
grazing challenges specific to horses, and how managing draft horses can
differ from saddle horses. In
addition, the Bailey’s are trying to incorporate sheep, poultry, and other
species into their grazing system. We
will discuss how horses interact with other species—from herd dynamics, to
grass sward ecology—how to avoid potential problems, and how to maximize the
benefits. This full-day workshop is geared toward the grazier who is incorporating horses into a whole farm
system. Join us to tour the farm, see
the beautiful and rare Suffolk horses, and learn more about how horses and
pastures interact. This workshop is made possible by a grant from the North
East Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and is
cosponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont and the
Vermont Pasture Network. DIRECTIONS: From I-91
North or South: *take Vermont Exit 2 and
turn right on Rte. 9 West. Take the
second right turn, Orchard Street, just across from the Shell gas
station. **Go up the hill and turn
right when it flattens out on East Orchard Street, which turns to dirt. Bear right at the next intersection keeping
the golf course on your right. Turn
right at the "T" on Upper Dummerston
Road, with the golf course still on your right. Fair Winds Farm is about 300 yards on the
left. Parking is in front of the barn,
if you are tenting, please see one of the Baileys
before setting up. For more info on
the farm, call at 802-254-9067 or email fairwind@sover.net. From the East: Take Rte 9 West to Brattleboro, and get on I-91 S. Follow directions above from *. From the West: Take
Rte 9 East over the Green Mountains.
In Brattleboro, watch for the Farmers Market site on the right, then pass the Creamery Covered Bridge. When you see the Shell gas station on the right,
turn left on Orchard Street and follow directions above from **. CONTACT: Jennifer Colby, Vermont Pasture Network Outreach
Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice Huber, UVM Center for Sustainable
Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |
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July 28 10AM-3PM Brown bag lunch Refreshments provided. $10 per person. |
Dairy Grazing: Start-up to Value
Added in one year
Dancing Cow Dairy, Bridport, VT Steve and Karen Getz, and their daughters Claire and
Rachel, purchased their farm in 2003, moved on the farm and purchased a dairy
herd in 2004 and are in the final processes of installing a cheese plant on
their farm. They are graduates of two
SARE Livestock courses: ‘The Dirt on Soil’ and ‘Grazing the Green' and worked
closely with a couple mentors in developing their milking parlor design as
well as their grazing system. Steve and Karen have decided to convert to
seasonal milk production and will be certified organic by the spring of 2006. The day will include looking at the Getz's grazing system
with discussion around why they designed their paddock layout the way they
did. They will share their findings after monitoring their milk quality over
a calendar year, and will offer a peripheral view of their new cheese
facility which, by July , will be in full production. This workshop is made possible by a grant from the North
East Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, and is
cosponsored by the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont ,the Vermont Pasture Network, and the Grazing for
Clean Water Initiative. DIRECTIONS: From Burlington take route 7 south to
22A. Take 22A to Bridport and make a right onto
125W towards New York.(Pratt's Store) Go 2.6 miles
and make a right onto Holstein Drive. The farm is at the end of the lane. From Middlebury take 125E to 22A. Make a right onto 22A
then the first left onto 125W Towards New York. Go 2.6 miles and make a right
onto Holstein Drive. CONTACT: Jennifer Colby, Vermont
Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice Huber, UVM
Center for Sustainable Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |
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August 2 10 am – 12 pm |
DAIRY GRAZING AND DAIRY BEEF
PRODUCTION
Maple Lane Farm, Cabot, VT Paul & Kris Stecker graze 46 milkers and about 20 stock (beef
and replacements) on their certified organic farm. After trying a number of different, more
intensive systems, they share hay fields and pastures with each other to
achieve better total yields of grazeable grass,
harvested winter feed, and bedding hay.
In this system, they are able to keep a closed nutrient cycle and have
better weed control. Sponsored by the UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture’s
Vermont Pasture Network. DIRECTIONS: From 89 or 91 take Rte. 2 into Marshfield
village, Rte. 215 into Cabot village.
Across from post office, take Danville Hill Rd. About 1 mile up Danville Hill, take left on
Menard Rd and go to end (about ¾ mile). CONTACT: Jennifer Colby, Vermont Pasture Network Outreach
Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice Huber, UVM Center for Sustainable
Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |
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september 1 11
AM – 2 PM Lunch provided, RSVP |
ORGANIC FERTILIZATION AND IRRIGATION
OF PASTURES with Bill Murphy Forgues Family
Farm, Alburg, VT Follow-up to the July 5 pasture walk,
looking back at the effects of a three-year organic fertilization and
irrigation trial. Facilitated by Bill
Murphy, Professor Emeritus of Agronomy at the University of Vermont, and
author of the book, “Greener Pastures on Your Side of the Fence”. These walks are a good opportunity for
people to see on-farm research being done and to learn more about grazing
management, and this walk may be the last chance to hear Bill Murphy talk
about pastures and the final research of his career. FREE AND OPEN TO ALL—NOT TO BE MISSED! Sponsored
by a Northeast Regional Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Grant.
DIRECTIONS: Go west out of Swanton on Highway 78, cross
the bridge, then turn north toward Alburg Springs,
go 2.75 miles, farm is on the west side of the road just before the
U.S./Canada border. CONTACT: Bill Murphy, 802-878-2347, or
billita@starband.net, Jennifer
Colby, Vermont Pasture Network Outreach Coordinator, 802-656-0858, or Candice
Huber, UVM Center for Sustainable Agriculture Office Manager, 802-656-5459. |