UTICA, NY – In design, shades of green bring balance, harmony, symbolize natural elements, growth, optimism, stability and good fortune. Green is also considered easy on the eyes, especially after the relentless blanket of white in Northern and Central New York.
The “lake effect machine” was no match for the green, as over 400 farmers and their children gathered at the ninth annual 100% grass-fed dairy grazing conference inside the Slavic Pentecostal Church to learn from mentors and peers about grass-based management. The farmer-led educational forum is known for seeking answers to maximize pasture utilization through grazing management, build soil fertility, maintain healthy herds, produce nutrient-dense dairy products and bring economic proficiency to family farms.
Fifth generation Maryland organic dairy farmer Ron Holter started the program by telling the story of how he manages his 400 organic acres to feed their 130-head all-grass, spring-seasonal dairy, which provides milk to CROPP Cooperative (Organic Valley). He described the nuances of managing the pasture system which allocates six acres per day to the herd with field specific pre- and post-clipping regimes when grass growth explodes.
Holter also talked about his appreciation of diverse plants and insects, bale grazing and the art of observation to keep his cows and soil healthy, using animal impact over inputs to keep grass production high.
He dazzled guests with vibrant green slides showing how he uses nurse cows to feed replacements on pasture. He also inspired thinking about breeding animals for grass-fed proficiency and shared his ideas and examples into selecting the proper phenotypes of 100% grass-fed cows and bulls, which their farm is known for producing for sale.
Pennsylvania beef farmer Russ Wilson from Wilson Land & Cattle Company spoke on the valuable topics of maximizing milk in concert with building soil health using thoughtful plant mixtures, proper grazing recovery periods and animal impact to succeed. As a practitioner, he described his many strategies in gaining over 325 days of grazing using cool and warm season forages.
To the delight of the crowd, the YouTube star showed copious amounts of cost-cutting practices and homemade tools he has crafted over the years to become resilient for his context.
Organic dairyman Steven Weaver from Meadowley Farm in Peterboro, NY, brought his 40 years of experience and brand of green pastures, sharing his thoughts of grazing for a balance of protein and energy with an eye for maintaining the ideal carbon-to-nitrogen ratio for increased forage growth and cow health. This work has led his dairy to increase milk and forage production by 15% and improve their benchmark of $2.50 return per dollar spent.
He also shared that although they have used outwintering and bale grazing, he prefers to give his milk cows access to a barn and feeding area so he can collect the manure for composting and lower the energy requirement of the cow to battle the elements. He said this puts more milk in the tank for greater profitability and helps to spread nutrient-dense fertility to more of the farm’s fields.
Sarah Flack and Sara Ziegler share resources on grass-fed dairy production. Photo by Troy Bishopp
Vermont grazing consultant Sarah Flack was on hand as the optimizer for improving pastures using her “Grazier’s Toolbox,” which includes using variable regrowth periods, soil amendments, proper post-grazing residuals, trampling strategies and balancing stocking rates with forage production. She also presented on the findings of the “2023 Cost of Production on Grass-fed Dairy Farms in the Northeast.”
The program concluded with Mahlon Hurst and David Yoder discussing their experiences, remedies and overall strategies in dealing with emergencies and mishaps of all kinds on the farm and how the road to recovery is based in prayer and helpful hands.
Many resources where shared around the venue including this nugget from the conference proceedings: “The biggest troublemaker you may ever have to deal with watches you from the mirror every morning. Live an honorable life. Then when you get older you can think back and enjoy it a second time. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.”
A robust trade show and snack breaks featuring copious amounts of cheese and milk with a local home-cooked meal contributing to some gratifying networking opportunities as farmers prepare for spring green.
To learn more about these types of educational efforts within Central New York, contact organizer Melvin Zook at 518.709.6335.
This year’s educational grazing conference was sponsored by Family Farmstead Dairy LLC, NOFA-NY, Maple Hill Organic, Organic Valley Cooperative, Mast Farm Supply and Agri-Dynamics. Vendors included Farm Credit East, King’s AgriSeeds, Aquanology, E&A Fence, Sea-90, Origin Creamery, Zook Ag Nutritional Products, Triple Hill Sires, UVM, Trees for Graziers, Graze Magazine, aAa Weeks, Country Folks, Gallagher Fence, Balanced Biologics, Green River Regenerative, Woodsview Animal Health and the National Grazing Lands Coalition-Northeast.
by Troy Bishopp, NatGLC-Northeast
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