By Jeff Burbrink
Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator, Purdue Extension LaGrange County

Jeff Burbrink

LAGRANGE — On Friday and Saturday, Sept. 27 and 28, LaGrange County will be hosting a unique event: the Indiana Grazing School. If you raise cattle, lambs or horses on pasture, and are interested in improving your skills, this program can be one of those events you attend that changes the way you think of things.

The program will run from 1-6 p.m. Friday at the PARGILL Natural Resource Learning Center north of LaGrange. We will talk about soils, roots, leaves, sunshine, and photosynthesis, pasture health and paddock design. Later that afternoon, we will tour a local farm where we can learn what has worked, and what they would do differently.

On Saturday, we will resume the discussion with ideas about sol fertility, fencing, water systems, animal nutrition needs and animal health issues that relate to pasturing. Other topics sure to come up include extension of the grazing season, record keeping, and weeds control. The program will wrap up about 4 p.m.

I know several people who have attended this meeting in the past. To the person, they have commented it is not just the program that makes it worth the time, it is learning and sharing with other grazers, and developing those contacts with others to bounce ideas off of.

The class is limited to 30 people, so I encourage you to sign up soon. The cost will be $80 for the first person from a farm, and $55 for the second person from the same farm. This includes meals, snacks and some very good materials. The deadline for the LaGrange Grazing School signup is Sept. 13 or when the class is full.

Those with computer access can visit tinyurl.com/5br5nmk5 for the enrollment form or you can find them at a number of area feed and farm shops or the local county extension office and SWCD Office.

Grazing School is sponsored by The Indiana Forage Council, The USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service, our LaGrange County Soil and Water Conservation District, and of course, Purdue Extension. If you have questions about Grazing School, reach out to Keith Johnson, Purdue’s fantastic forage specialist, at (765) 494-4800.

Purdue is an equal opportunity/equal access institution. If you require auxiliary aids and services due to a disability, please reach out to us prior to the registration deadline at (765) 494-4800.