The Van Buren Conservation District is planning a grazing workshop for next month to talk to farmers about how they can establish pastures for the livestock.
Conservation technician Gabriel Francisco tells us the district held a successful grazing workshop last year, and this year’s event is already attracting plenty of registrations.
Francisco says a lot of farms these days have moved away from giving their livestock ample grazing space. This workshop will explore questions related to bringing pastures back.
“What does it mean to set up a pasture-based farm? And then this year, we’re going to get a little bit more in depth where we are going to talk about pasture parasite resistance, how to actually set up the farm system for grazing so it’s most effective for you,” Francisco said. “Then we’re also going to have a really cool, intense section on how to raise pigs on pasture, which is a skill that used to be widely done.”
Francisco says this could apply to all kinds of livestock.
At the workshop, conservation district staff will discuss state and federal resources available to farmers, and a Michigan State University specialist will present his work in pasture parasite management. Other topics include building a farm system, Farm Bill programs, rabbit and chicken tractors, pasture pigs, manure management, and more. Francisco says they’ll also have lunch prepared by a chef.
The workshop will be September 19 at the Farm Research Co-op in Bloomingdale.
