Do you need a grazing plan? It doesn’t matter if you need one to apply for funding or to help you plan your operation, this is the workshop for you! Our mentors will help guide you through the process of creating your grazing plan, from your herd plan to building in contingency, paddock design, and how to map your farm with Google Earth.
Come prepared to do the work! While our mentors will answer your questions, completing the plan is entirely on you!
Additional resources will be provided to participants after the workshop so you can continue working on your plan.
Dates:
March 24 & 26, 2025: 7pm to 9pm EST on Zoom
April 5, 2025: 10am to 3pm in Codrington
April 12, 2025: 10am to 3pm in Markdale
Cost:
$25 per person.
What you need to bring:
A laptop (if available) and a printed map of your farm. Lunch will be provided for the in-person workshops.
Registration:
To register please email admin@ontarioforagecouncil.com or call 519-986-1484.
The 2024 Pasture Walk series has ended. Thank you all who participated! Make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel to be notified when the 2024 videos are available.
These events are supported by Farmers for Climate Solutions and the FaRM program. For free access to in-depth online learning, workshops, mentorship and implementation follow-up support on cover cropping, advanced nitrogen management, and advanced
grazing systems, please visit: farmlearninghub.ca
About the program
The Ontario Forage Council is providing the provincial delivery of the Advanced Grazing Systems program. The program offers training for producers to gain expertise in rotational grazing. The curriculum is designed to teach farmers key concepts and develop a rotational grazing plan for their operation. In addition to the course content, the program will create a support network of other grazing producers and provide instructional support resources. The Advanced Grazing Systems program is supported by Farmers for Climate Solutions in partnership with the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association.
Completion of the Advanced Grazing Systems mentorship series is an OSCIA-recognized On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF) Knowledge Sharing Event for applicants with approved Rotational Grazing Systems projects. Questions about OFCAF should be directed to OFCAF@ontariosoilcrop.org
Meet the Mentors!
Anita O’Brien
Along with my partner Al, I operate a pasture-based commercial sheep farm near Lansdowne, Ontario since 1993. The home farm is nestled on the edge of the Precambrian Shield, with a mix of heavy clay farmland and hardwood-covered granite ridges, providing a range of pasture types including shallow /rocky for early grazing and river bottoms for drought-proof grazing. We also practice silvopasture on 2 small pasture blocks. We utilize both permanent and temporary fencing with a combination of electric and solar-charged fence energizers to effectively manage pastures, sheep, Livestock Guardian Dogs, and predators. Our typical grazing season runs May 1st through December 10, with a few starting mid April and a few others finishing up closer to Christmas. When the flock was much larger, we used the sheep to reclaim nearby “unused / abandoned” farmland turning them into productive pastures. Our sheep are outwintered with dry round hay bales unrolled on selected pastures and hayland. Looking forward to sharing grazing knowledge I’ve gained on this farming journey and from my agriculture extension days.
Dean Cober
I farm with my wife Carolyn and three children Levi(6), Grace(4), and Abigail(1), between Owen Sound and Meaford on hwy 26 in beautiful Grey County. We run a purebred Red Angus (and perhaps a few hereford) herd with a focus on producing seedstock females and a few bulls every year. Maximizing grass utilization and discovering how to graze with cropping systems are a journey we are on, every day is a potential learning experience. Along with grazing, we produce horse quality small squares, custom hay and dabble in cropping. I also work for the CAT dealer and travel to remote mine sites to finance the farming, with the goal of farming full time one day.
You can find us on twitter – @ cobercow, where we love to share what we are up to!
Birgit Martin
Hello, I am Birgit Martin. I farm with my husband, Jim, and 2 sons, Nick and Alex, on western Manitoulin Island. We have a large cow-calf through-to-finish operation where we produce both grain-finished and grass-finished beef for our brand, Pure Island Beef. We also custom graze 300-400 steers each summer.
Grazing is integral to our entire operation whether it is for the cow herd, replacement heifers, grass finishers, our own stockers or the custom grazed steers. We have several different types of pastures, from extensive, shallow soiled ‘ranch’ land to highly managed improved pastures. So the management varies too.
Before farming full time with my family, I was a CCA in a crop inputs business for 20 years. My degree at the University of Guelph was with a major in Agronomy and a focus on forage management. I spent a co-op work semester on a dairy farm in New Zealand as well. And before all this, I grew up on a dairy farm that focused on intensive pasture management for the dairy herd.