Livestock that can make a living and low-input farming are among the key points YouTube personality, grazier, and grazing consultant Russ Wilson of Wilson Land & Cattle Company likes to make when talking with farmers who graze any kind of livestock.
On March 25, Wilson, who is actively farming 220 acres in Tionesta, Pa., will make the keynote presentation of the Central New York Grazing Conference hosted at the New York State Grange, 100 Grange Place, in Cortland. N.Y. The 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. event also includes a farmer discussion panel, presentations by Cornell Cooperative Extension dairy and grazing specialists, and agricultural vendors. The early bird pre-registration cost of $25.00 is good through March 15 at reg.cce.cornell.edu/CNYGrazingConference_10509 or 607-391-2669; admission at the door will be $30; lunch by 10-10 Bar-B-Q is included.
Wilson grazes cattle, sheep, goats, equine species, hogs, and poultry and has doubled the carrying capacity of his farm. He will use his own farm's records to demonstrate how adaptive grazing management has improved his farm's profits with low capital investment. Wilson will discuss his low-input style of management, using cool and warm season grasses, cover crops, keeping soil covered year'round, and extended grazing. Beginning graziers will be interested to hear his experiences with his farm's start-up from soils that had been mistreated prior to his arrival. Learn more about Russ and his suggestions for doubling your livestock with less input just by the way you graze at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biCZ0Whd0Sw.
A farmer discussion panel will feature Carrie Edsall of Black Willow Farm, Cobleskill, N.Y.; Megan Wilcox, Drover Hill Farm, West Edmeston, N.Y., and Ike Mullula of Red House Ranch, LLC, Van Etten, N.Y. They will share their experiences, positive and negative, with direct marketing their farms' products.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Regional Dairy Specialist Betsy Hicks, who was raised on a family livestock and apple farm in western New York, and Cornell Cooperative Extension Grazing Specialist Fay Benson, with 20 years of experience as a dairy and custom grazier, will present their professional and personal experiences with reclaiming land for pasturing and improving existing pastureland.
The Cornell University South-Central NY Regional Team; PASA, a sustainable agriculture organization based in Harrisburg, Pa.; and the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, Montpelier, Vt., are conference sponsors. For more information, contact Fay Benson at afb3@cornell.edu or 607-391-2669.
Categories: New York, Livestock, Pennsylvania, Business