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Kickapoo Grazing Initiative September pasture walks
CR Cynthia KGI
Cynthia Olmstead (right), Project Director for the Kickapoo Grazing Initiative, was awarded the Water Quality Award at the Crawford County Land Conservation Committee award ceremony. Her award was presented by Harriet Behar (left), a member of the committee. The award ceremony took place on Thursday, Aug. 24 at the Crawford County Fairgrounds.

DRIFTLESS - The 2017 season of pasture walks will continue in September with two events in Genoa and Platteville.

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 ninth event in the series will take place on Saturday, September 9, at 10:30 a.m., at the farm of Ethan and Jade Proksch, S3830 Newton Road, Genoa, 608-483-2476.

The event will feature the Proksch’s sixth-year-old dairy goat operation, and will highlight a new milking facility, the kid barn and dry shed, and steadily improved paddocks in a 22-acre, 400-goat farm.

To reach the farm from Genoa, go east on Highway 56 approximately five miles, and bear left on Newton Road. Drive 2.8 miles to farm.

On Tuesday, September 19, the tenth event in the series will take place at 10:30 a.m., at the farm of Don Austin, 1503 Austin Road, Platteville, 608-778-4836.

Austin is a third generation dairy farmer, who started basic rotational grazing in 1987 and became certified organic in 2000. The topic of the event will be a review and reflection on shade options and methods. There will be a critique of mechanically harvested sorghum, used as part of the cropping rotation-renovation, and the pros and cons of wood shaving bedding will also be discussed.

To reach this farm in Grant County from Fennimore, take Highway 18 east out of Fennimore, and then turn right onto County F. Continue on F for 3.3 miles, and then go left onto Commercial Street/E, approximately seven miles. Then go right onto D and go 3.7 miles, and finally, turn left onto Austin Road. The farm will be on the right, at Fire Number 1503.

There will also be two events in October, and 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.’