By Katie Drewitz
Forage, beef and dairy farmers are invited to the Southeast Minnesota Forage Field Day & Dairy Tour on Tuesday, Aug. 8 in Spring Valley. With two great farm hosts, Valley Angus Farm and Heusinkveld Farms, the tours will look at grazing fields, fencing, water types, and alfalfa’s role in organic systems, as well as a heifer barn and tunnel-vented dairy barn.
The event begins at 9:45 a.m. at Valley Angus Farm. Prior to a field tour led by Dan Miller, participants will learn about the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) resources for livestock producers and hear from farmers who have benefited from MDA’s cost-share programs. They will also learn about the pros and cons of different fencing and watering options and hear from Tom Cotter on methods to optimize the conservation and economic benefits of grazing cover crops.
After the field tour at Valley Angus Farm, participants will move to Heusinkveld Farms for lunch served at noon. Prior to the tour of the farm’s dairy facilities led by Nate Heusinkveld, participants will hear about farmer resources offered by the event’s co-organizers Midwest Forage Association, Minnesota Diary Initiative, and University of Minnesota Extension, as well as a talk on carbon credits.
Source : umn.edu