By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Kickapoo Grazing Initiative pasture walks continue in July
CROP Dairy-300x225
KICKAPOO GRAZING INITIATIVE continues its 2017 Pasture Walk Series in July with events on July 11 in rural Viroqua, and July 25 in rural Gays Mills. Mark your calendars and prepare to take an educational walk and learn from experts in the field of grazing.

VIROQUA AND GAYS MILLS - The 2017 season of pasture walk and facilitated discussion series is in full swing, with the grass turning green and the temperatures warming up.

The series is planned and facilitated by the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative (KGI) along with Crawford County UW-Extension.

For more information about the series, go to the events page at www. kickapoograzinginitiative.com, or call Crawford County UW-Extension Agent, Vance Haugen, at 608-326-0223, or at vance.haugen@ces.uwex.edu.

The fifth event in the series will take place on Tuesday, July 11, at 10:30 a.m., at the farm of Jim Bassett, E8021 Solverson Road, Viroqua, 608-606-5840.

The pasture walk will feature lessons learned in starting a small beef cattle operation, sourcing cattle & selling beef at retail. Jim’s “Ladder” rotational grazing and water system will also be featured.

To reach the farm from Viroqua, take US 14 E/61 S approximately 2.5 miles, and  turn right/West onto State Highway 27 S/ 82 W. Travel for one mile, and turn left onto County Highway J. Go exactly 5 miles, and turn right onto Solverson Road. You will see the red-roofed Old Folsom Scoolhouse on your right. The farm is on the left. Enter the first gravel driveway on the left, and drive back to the hay shed. 

On Tues., July 25, the sixth event in the series will take place at 10:30 a.m., at the farm of Chad Sime, at 16451 Freeman Road, Gays Mills, 608-397-0468.

The guest speaker will be John Zinn, retired NRCS Grazing Specialist. Zinn will review grazing infrastructure basics, fine tuning pasture productivity with varied paddock breaks and rotation of cattle movement, and possible EQIP improvements.

To reach the farm from Mt. Sterling, take State Highway 171 E. about 0.5 miles to Freeman Road. Turn left onto Freeman Road, and  travel north approximately one mile to the

farm, which is located just past the intersection of Freeman and Roller Coaster Roads. It will be the third place on the left - watch for pasture walk signs

There will also be two events in August, September and October. The series will culminate on November 14 on the farm of Susan and Mike Mueller, with an “Introduction to Pastured Pork and the Back to the Land Pastured Pork Cooperative.