Fifth Annual Winter Green-Up Grazing Conference

Friday, January 25, 2013

8:30am – 9:00pm

Saturday, January 26, 2013

7:30am – 4:00pm

The Century House

Route 9, Latham, NY

Cornell Cooperative Extension is proud to offer, once again, one of the preeminent grazing conferences in the Northeast on January 25 & 26, 2013 at the Century House in Latham, NY.

In response to last year’s end of conference survey, this year’s speakers are headliners from across the country. The two keynote speakers are Jerry Brunetti and Steve Kenyon. Steve is a custom grazier, writer and holistic management practitioner from Alberta, Canada and often has articles featured in The Stockman Grass Farmer. Jerry is the founder of Agri-Dynamics and is a well-known speaker who got his start as a dairy nutritionist. Jerry’s knowledge and ability to communicate scientific ideas make his talks both informational and entertaining. Jerry also brings with him his experiences as a native healer who is acutely aware of the plant, animal and soil interactions.

Paul and Phyllis Van Amburgh, organic dairy and grass-fed beef farmers will discuss the combination of the right genetics, a strong breeding program and excellent forage management and how the combination of the three has been successful for them. Dr. tatiana Stanton, Cornell University Small Ruminant Specialist, will discuss her research work on pasture lambing and kidding. Jeremy Eng from Culpeper, Va., who raises 100% grass-fed beef and runs the Lakota Bull Test, a 100% forage based bull test. He will discuss his experiences running the bull test and how various breeds have responded to the all forage program.

For the first time this year the Winter Green-Up Conference, as part of an effort to keep conference costs low, will be offering a handful of donated live cattle to be auctioned at the event. The cattle will not be present, but will represent some of the more successful grass-fed feeding programs in the Northeast. If you are in the market for a young bull or heifer to build a grass-fed program, this is an excellent opportunity. If you are unable to attend the conference you will be able to call in to bid. Just contact Tom Gallagher before the sale at 518-577-0958 to make phone in arrangements. The sale will be held Friday night, January 25, 2013 at 5:30pm.

The cost of the conference this year is $160.00 for the full two days, which includes all of the speakers, breaks, two lunches and a local grass-fed beef banquet. To register, or for more information call Gale Kohler at Cornell Cooperative Extension 518-765-3500 or by email at gek4@cornell.edu or go to the Cooperative Extension website at www.ccealbany.com

Special thanks to our sponsors this year:  The Grazing Land Conservation Initiative (GLCI) and the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Crop Insurance Program.

*FSA Crop and Livestock Production Borrowers credits are available for this conference