Beginning Grazing School

Michigan State University Extension will offer the Beginning Grazing School online with an in-person component this year. The eight-week course is designed for beginning farmers and livestock owners who graze dairy, beef, and small ruminant animals and want the latest animal and forage research on grazing management.  Anyone who grazes will benefit from this course featuring MSU specialists and educators who focus on grazing and forage management. 

The event will be held 7-8:30 p.m. EST each Tuesday and Thursday starting September 21 and ending on October 14. The in-person session, will be held in two locations on Friday October 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.   

September 21: Introduction to school and overview of grazing terms 

September 23: Graziers are Grass Farmers!  

September 28: Soil Health and Fertility 

September 30: Nutrition, Health and Welfare of Grazing Animals 

October 5: Pasture Establishment and Renovations,  

October 7: Fencing & Water  

October 12: Pasture Allocation, Stock Density, Costs 

October 14: Designing a Grazing Plan for your farm 

October 22: In-Person Session Covering Various Topics (9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.) Participants can choose the location that best fits them. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) 10461 N. 40th St. Hickory Corners, MI 49060, or Lake City Research Center 5401 W. Jennings Rd. Lake City, MI 49651 

The fee is $95 for all eight sessions, and the in-person workshop. The fee includes access to the online trainings, recordings, the Midwest Cover Crops Field Guide and Forage Field Guide, a grazing stick, and lunch for the in-person event.  

To register visit: https://events.anr.msu.edu/beginninggrazingschool2021/ You can register after the classes begin and will have access to the recorded sessions that you missed. Registration ends on October 15, @ 11:59 pm EST. For more information, please contact Kable Thurlow at (989)426-7741 or email him at thurlowk@msu.edu