For livestock producers and grazers in Noble, Guernsey, Monroe and Belmont counties, there is a new grazing alliance coming your way.
The Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Ohio State University Extension, in the previously mentioned counties, with the help of the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the Natural Resource Conservation Service, have organized pasture walks to show a variety of grazing operations and to highlight the management practices that bring these operations success.
The goal of this grazing alliance is to educate producers on best management practices of natural resources within a grazing operation.
We know that many livestock producers are wary of investing in a more intensive grazing system for a variety of reasons that often include: water availability, fencing requirements and time demands on the farmer.
Because of concerns like these, and with the success we’ve all witnessed through a variety of management changes, the grazing alliance wants to bring to light some practical, and fruitful, changes that may influence local producers to positive changes.
East Central Gazing Alliance meetings will take place on the fourth Tuesday of each month, beginning in May and stretching through to August.
Meetings
The East Central Gazing Alliance will begin meeting in May, in Monroe County, May 28, and will discuss the importance of soil health, different styles of feeding systems and renovating pastures after the muddy year we’ve all been through.
The June 25 meeting will be in Belmont County to discuss hay quality, forage identification and grazing technology.
On July 23, Noble County will host the East Central Gazing Alliance, to cover warm-season grass plantings, dealing with the summer slump and forage stockpiling.
And, Aug. 27, Guernsey County will host the meeting, and cover topics such as heavy use pads, rotational grazing and watering systems.
Details concerning each event location will be announced via postcard, at the beginning of each month.
Information
Contact your county’s soil and water conservation district to be on the mailing list to get details and updates: Noble, 740-732-4318; Guernsey, 740-489-5276; Monroe, 740-472 -5477; and Belmont, 740-526-0027.
As the East Central Grazing Alliance comes together, the future is up to the producers involved.
We want to discuss topics that are important to our producers, and to give advice on the issues you see on your farm.
When a producer attends one of these events, tell the SWCD staff, or any of the organization committee what you’d like to learn more about, and we will do our best to accommodate your interests.
We look forward to seeing producers come together with a common goal — learning about agriculture and loving it all the more.
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