Capital RC&D Grazing Workshop & Field Training Oct. 27 In Lebanon County

The Capital Resource Conservation and Development Council and its partners are hosting a Grazing Workshop and Field Training on October 27 at the Ono United Methodist Church, 9 Main Street, Ono, Lebanon County starting at 8:00 a.m.

The program will showcase experienced and successful grass-based farmers as well as technical experts and will provide participants with opportunities to network and learn from each other.

“Our goal is to provide a useful training to benefit advanced, as well as less experienced producers,” said Susan Parry, NRCS State Grassland Conservationist and workshop planning team member.

The program will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Friday morning with classroom presentations and several breakout sessions at the Ono United Methodist Church followed by lunch.

Afternoon sessions will take place at Garden Meadow Farm, a grass-based beef operation also in Annville. The afternoon session includes both a pasture walk and in-field training.

A wide variety of speakers with varying operations will focus on elements of operating a successful grass-based system--

-- George Lake of Thistle Creek Farms will speak about his multi-species grass-based system;

-- Greg Stricker, Spring Creek Farm, will speak about working with nature;

-- Dan Lehman, Hamilton Heights Dairy will discuss stockpiling;

-- Dr. Kathy Soder, USDA Pasture Systems and Watershed Management Research, will talk about the nutrition of pastures,;

-- Ron Holter of Holter Farms will speak about “what grass-fed looks like;”

-- Lindsey Bream, NRCS, will speak about successfully managing for soil health; and

-- Brent Kaylor will open his beef farm for a pasture walk.

“Speakers with this level of experience and expertise can help every participant come away with several new ideas,” said Titus Martin, who is also a planning team member.

This event is sponsored by the National Grazing Lands Coalition, PA Grazing Lands Coalition, Chesapeake Bay Foundation-PA and Capital RC&D.

For more information contact Susan Richards at Capital RC&D at 717-241-4361 or send email to: srichards@capitalrcd.org.