2008 Grazing Workshop Series

The Northeast Organic Farming Association/Massachusetts Chapter (NOFA/Mass), the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the University of Massachusetts Extension have organized a series of Grazing Workshops as a continuing education resource for Massachusetts farmers.

Topics at each event will vary, but will include pasture management, organic transition and herd health, forage species, soil fertility, fencing and water systems, and summer and winter grazing. All pasture walks will take place from 10:00 - 1:00 (unless otherwise noted). Please bring your own lunch.

For more information on any of these sessions, contact Winton Pitcoff, NOFA/Mass, at winton@nofamass.org or 413-634-5728; Steve Herbert, UMass Extension, at 413-545-2250 or sherbert@pssci.umass.edu; or Tom Akin, NRCS, at 413-253-4365 or thomas.akin@ma.usda.gov.

More details about each of these sessions, including directions to the farms, can be found at www.nofamass.org/programs/organicdairy/index.php. Download a printable version of this information at http://www.umass.edu/cdl/2008Graze.pdf.

Transitioning a Dairy Herd from Winter to Summer Feed
Tuesday, May 6, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Rocky Acres Farm, 690 Coy Hill Road, Warren, MA

Small Ruminant Management
Wednesday, June 4, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Crystal Brook Farm, 192 Tuttle Road, Sterling, MA

Transitioning to Organic Dairy / NRCS Resources
Saturday, June 21, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Robinson Farm, 42 Jackson Road, Hardwick, MA

Organic Dairy Transition
Thursday, July 10, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Colrain Dairy Farm, 270 Greenfield Road, Colrain, MA

Raising and Marketing Grass-Fed Meat
Thursday, July 24, 10:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Wheel-View Farm, 212 Reynolds Road, Shelburne, MA
Through the USDA Grassland Reserve Program, the Wheelers received technical and financial assistance from NRCS to clear approximately 20-acres of overgrown pasture and EQIP funds to improve the management of nutrients on over 100 acres of hay land.
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Small Scale Dairies and Alternative Forages
August 18, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Bostrom Farm, 95 Green River Road, Greenfield, MA
With assistance from NRCS, the Bostroms will make barnyard improvements to manage runoff from feeding and loafing areas, livestock access to pastures will be improved, and a CNMP will be developed to improve nutrient management on hayland.

Infrastructure on Mixed-Livestock Farms
Tuesday, September 9, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Tufts University Farm, North Grafton, MA

This series of workshops has been funded by CROPP Cooperative’s Farmers Advocating for Organics (FAFO) Fund.

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