Great Lakes Grazing Newsletter

December 2024, Volume 13, Issue 2

Dear Great Lakes Grazier,

As I compose this newsletter, we find ourselves amidst a deep freeze, with recent daytime temperatures hovering in the mid-20s, providing a welcome pause from the mud that often complicates winter grazing practices. During this time, many local grazers have begun utilizing bale feeding methods to sustain their livestock. I am pleased to share that my colleague Frank Wardynski and I are finalizing a comprehensive bale grazing bulletin, which we anticipate releasing by the beginning of the new year.


This newsletter is packed with valuable information, and I encourage you to take the time to explore the various opportunities presented within. I would particularly like to draw your attention to the upcoming beginner grazing school, set to commence on January 7th; further details and registration instructions can be found below. Your participation in these events will undoubtedly enhance your grazing practices and contribute to your farming success.


Sincerely, 

Kable Thurlow

MSU Extension Grazing Educator


How To Get Involved!


Beginner Grazing School


This school is ideal for beginners interested in learning about grazing techniques and basic livestock nutrition. It is also suited for those working to enhance their grazing management skills, transitioning from a continuous grazing to a more management-intensive, regenerative system.

Register




Mitchell Cat Creek Farms

January 15th, 2025

11:00am - 2:00pm

15412 Hersey Rd 

Hersey MI 49639

 

Highlights of tour will include:

Winter Water Systems - 9 Cobett Geothermal Winter Waters 

Bale Grazing

Bale Unrolling

Wind Protection


You can RSVP at: Brandi.mitchell@macd.org or call 231-465-8005



RSVP Here

Regenerative Pasture Management-Winter & Summer Series


Mitchell Cat Creek Farms is a cow calf and grass-fed finishing operation. They have been using regenerative agriculture practices to help increase and build better soil health and resiliency. They will be showing how they outwinter multiple herds of cattle. They also will be hosting a follow up walk during the summer so that attendees can see the aftereffects of things such as bale grazing, unrolling and what their adaptive grazing management looks like. (Summer event date to be announced at a later time)

 

We will have resource professionals from NRCS, MSUE, Michigan Forage Council, Oscola-Lake Conservation District, and MAEAP to help answer questions or provide program information. 

 

There will be a light meal with some farm raised beef, warm drinks, and a place to get out of the wind. Dress appropriately as this program requires moving around the farm in the elements. This program could also be canceled due to inclement weather, so please be sure to leave all of your contact information when you RSVP.

Looking for Cooperating Farms

One of my colleagues from the Upper Peninsula and I are planning to develop a program to work with cooperating farmers willing to implement management practices that we hope will improve soil health as measured by water infiltration, forage root growth, soil aggregation, and increased biological activity. We are applying for a grant that will help pay for some soil health analysis testing to demonstrate changes from the beginning to the end of the summer.  


In this project we are looking for cooperating farmers willing to utilize some of these practices on a portion of their farm while still managing parts of their farm like they always have, to compare the differences. Some of the management practices we are looking for include long recovery and rest periods (like at least 90 days before grazing a second time), bale grazing during the winter, super high stock densities for short duration's, and other practices we can discuss later. 


I am really hoping the cooperative farmers will commit to two years of cooperation. The cooperating farmers need to be willing to designate a portion of the farm to regenerative management practices, host pasture walks and allow us to share soil health data collected with other farmers at forage/pasture meetings and maybe host a high school Agri-Science field trip.  


If you are interested in cooperating with this project, please contact Frank at 906-884-4386, or email at wardynsk@msu.edu, or Kable at (989) 426-7741 or thurlowk@msu.edu.


Coming Up!


 

2024 Thumb Ag Day

December 11, 2024

Ubly Heights County Club

2409 E Atwater Road, Ubly, Michigan


One of the sessions at this year’s Thumb Ag Day may be of special interest to graziers. At 9:00 am, Alex Thomas a Graduate Student from The Ohio State University will be there talking about using a drone for pasture remediation.


If you are interested in this and want to learn more about it or register to attend, please reach out to Jenna Falor, MSU Extension Field Crop Educator at (989) 269-9949 or email her at falorjen@msu.edu

Read More

2025 Pesticide Applicator Core Review & MDARD Core Testing


MSU Extension, MDARD PPPMD, and MSU Pesticide Safety Education Program are offering an in-person Core Manual review class followed by Core pesticide applicator certification testing. Fumigation and Aerial Standard tests will also be available. 



For more information, including training requirements, locations, and registration information can be found by clicking the link below.

Read More

Great Lakes Cover Crop Project - Sign up for the 2024-25 Season!


The Great Lakes Cover Crops Project is recruiting farmers to participate for the 2024-25 season! This community science effort brings together farmers from across the upper Midwest to build a regional database of cover crop performance, which then allows for identifying what cover crops and management practices work best across different farming conditions. Partnering farmers submit a short management survey, then collect cover crop photos and height measurements from their fields in the spring. In return, they receive a personalized report with cover crop biomass and nutrient estimates, along with $50 per field for up to three fields. Anyone growing overwintering cover crops this season in MI, OH, IN, IL, WI, or MN is eligible.

Sign up here