The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative and Great River Graziers are hosting a free Pasture Walk on Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the farm of Dennis Rooney near Steuben. A fee-based workshop will follow from 1-4 p.m.
The walk will focus on managed rotational grazing in a stream corridor and will have a hands-on field tour by Dennis (KGI grazing specialist) as well as speakers from Crawford County UW-Extension (Vance Haugen), Trout Unlimited (Jeff Hastings) and the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (Rod Ofte).
Jeff Hastings will talk about Trout Unlimited’s work in the Driftless area with grazing and trout management and Rod Ofte will talk about the financials of managed rotational grazing based on his experience with his Coon Valley grassfed beef operation.
A lunch sponsored by the Wisconsin Grass-Fed Beef Cooperative will be provided for attendees of the pasture walk. Reservations are required. To register contact KGI Project Director Cynthia Olmstead at info@kickapoograzinginitiative.com.
The workshop ‘Rotational Grazing and Healthy Streams’ will be hosted by Valley Stewardship Network and Driftless Folk School are hosting a Rotational Grazing and Healthy Streams workshop at the Rooney farm. Cost for the 1 to 4 p.m. workshop is $45. It offers an in-depth, hands-on look at the economic and environmental benefits of grass-based, rotational grazing in the Kickapoo Valley.
Workshop instructors are Dennis Rooney, Rice Spann, Vicki Ramsay, and Shelly Brenneman, Valley Stewardship Network. Please contact the Driftless Folk School to register at www.driftlessfolkschool.org or call 888-587-654.
Dennis Rooney’s farm is located at 52511 State Highway 179, Steuben, near the intersection of Morovits Hollow Road and Hwy 179, about three miles west of Steuben.
The Kickapoo Grazing Initiative is a partnership of Trout Unlimited, Valley Stewardship Network, Vernon County Land & Water Conservation, UW-Extension-Crawford County, and Mississippi Valley Conservancy. For more information about the project, contact KGI Project Director Cynthia Olmstead for more information at info@kickapoograzinginitiative.com or visit the website at www.kickapoograzinginitiative.com.
