An upcoming workshop aims to educate Rocky View County (RVC) farmers about ways to get the most out of their fields.
“This is something we created out of demand from our members,” said Sandra Bloom, communications and environmental coordinator with the Foothills Forage and Grazing Association (FFGA), which is hosting the session.
The process of pasture rejuvenation includes using one or more methods like grazing, sod seeding and fertilization to increase productivity with a shift towards higher-yielding forage species that provide improved nutritive value for livestock.
When a producer’s pasture becomes less productive, Bloom said, there are different methods and techniques they can use to get the most out of their pastures.
“We are showing them how to get to the point where they can re-seed and be successful,” Bloom said.
Taking place on Sept. 9, the workshop will be an all-day event split between two locations – the Madden Community Hall and Southern Cross Livestock. It will feature experts covering topics such as seeding, planning ahead for success, soil preparation, fencing, weed control, species selection and rotational grazing.
The morning portion of the workshop will consist of education from the experts. Workshop attendees will then be able to visit a pasture that has gone through rejuvenation to see the techniques first-hand and gain a better understanding of the process.
Bloom said the workshop will have a capacity cap of 50 people due to COVID-19 safety guidelines. She added masks and sanitizer will be available for everyone in attendance.
“We are leaving it up to people to decide what they are comfortable with,” she said.
Bloom said she hopes local farmers are excited to learn more about pasture rejuvenation.
“We hope they get excited to apply these new technologies to their operations and see how they play out,” she said. “When people are looking to make changes to their operation, we like to remind them to maybe focus on one or two things they can implement so they are not overwhelmed.”
The FFGA is a non-profit group driven by producers. According to Bloom, the group addresses issues, ideas and innovations for forage and livestock producers in south-central Alberta. According to foothillsforage.com, the group envisions “a global community that respects and values profitable forage production and healthy soils as our legacy for future generations.”
“We help producers stay up to date with innovations in the industry,” Bloom said. “We then apply those innovations at the grassroot level, which helps producers adapt those technologies on their own operations.”
The pasture rejuvenation workshop costs $30 for FFGA members and $35 for non-members. To register for the workshop, visit foothillsforage.com.
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
