About the Project
The Amazing Grazing III project brought seventeen educational opportunities to Kansas producers between May 2015 and February 2016. We turned our focus onto healthy soils and farm/ranch profitability…just in time to celebrate International Year of Soils in 2015.
Topics included agroforestry, mycorrhizal fungi, economics of the livestock industry, grazing, cover crops, pasture soil health, fencing and water development, as well as livestock handling for women. Nationally-recognized presenters included: Dr. Christine Jones, Gabe Brown, Jim Gerrish, Bill Helming, Wes Jackson, Courtney White, and Larry Simpson. Amazing regional educators – Dr. Dale Kirkham, Dale Strickler, Lucinda Stuenkel, Gary Kilgore, Keith Harmoney, Mark Green, Charles Barden, and Shibu Jose – brought a local perspective.
Amazing Grazing is a collaboration of the Kansas Farmers Union and the Kansas Graziers Association with funding from the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Contact Mary Howell with project or event questions.
Amazing Grazing III Events
Grass, Soil, and Hope: Managing carbon for a sustainable planet
By Tom Parker Courtney White and Gail Fuller were talking the same talk but they were coming at it from different backgrounds and different geographical directions, so it was understandable that there should be some minor differences of opinion. That it centered on the sequential order of three little words was all the more remarkable considering the enormous scope of [...]
Handling Cattle Without Getting Handled
Bad cows are bad influences, smart cows never forget and other insights into handling cattle for women By Tom Parker Cows are big and beefy and muscular and most women aren’t, so for the latter to manage the former it helps to not only understand how cows think and socialize, but also how cows remember their past, how cows perceive [...]
Investing in Health of Soil Vital to Future of Farming
By Olivia Taylor-Puckett Workshop & Bus Tour focus on Developing Resilient, Productive Ag Land Through Use of Cover Crops and Mycorrhizal Fungi In creating the Mycorrhizal Fungi Connections workshop and Cover Crops in Action bus tour, Kansas Farmers Union hoped to open the eyes of farmers and ranchers to many different means of investing in health of their soil. The [...]
Amazing Grazing: From Mary’s Notebook
In September, Project Director Mary Howell led a six-day, Amazing Grazing road tour across Kansas stopping in Topeka, Salina and Courtland. The three events, featuring Bill Helming and Jim Gerrish, provided a wealth of information for more than 100 attendees – practical information which Mary hopes all livestock ranchers will ponder considering the predicted drop in the market.Mary’s detailed workshops [...]
Soil: You Are What You Eat
By Mary Howell One hundred twenty-five people from seven countries and seventeen states gathered in Emporia for the two day workshop focusing on soil health. Attendees were treated to two of the leading authorities on soil health and cover crops, Dr. Christine Jones, Australian Soil Scientist, and Gabe Brown, North Dakota Farmer/Rancher. It was an amazing two days of educational [...]
Eastern Kansas Grazing Wisdom: Extend Your Grazing with Cool Season Grass
Eastern Kansas farmers should rethink tall fescue for grazing, agronomist says By Tom Parker Okay, so tall fescue has a bad rap. It has, shall we say, a checkered reputation. And for good reason, too. The cool-season forage could be a livestock producer’s best friend or it could be a killer—literally—depending on circumstances. Sure, it was known to host a [...]
The Amazing Grazing III project brought seventeen educational opportunities to Kansas producers between May 2015 and February 2016.
Over 2,000 participants to date. Let’s see what some have to say . . .
Bringing farmers and ranchers the programing they request featuring the most outstanding presenters!
I plan to share this information with my three sons who manage the farm. I learned that I need a plan, no matter what the conditions are! The range indicators and trigger dates require my attention. I plan to write a plan that includes trigger dates and goals for the ranch.
All of the ranch presenters were really informative. It really helped to watch them in action on their respective ranches. It is good to hear the big name ‘experts’ talk, but this was probably more useful…seeing them in action and getting the perspectives of producer practitioners who don’t have anything to sell.
Excellent speaker, as always… I appreciate the continued programming offering the most respected speakers who are also the most knowledgeable folks in the field to come present. Continue doing these workshops!
Who Are We?
Amazing Grazing is a collaboration of the Kansas Farmers Union and the Kansas Graziers Association.
Funding for this project was provided by the North Central Extention Risk Management Education Center and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under Award Number 2012-49200-20032.
Project partners include:
- Kansas Alliance for Wetlands & Streams
- Kansas Grazing Lands Coalition
- National Resources Conservation Service
- Kansas State Research and Extension
- Farm Credit Associations of Kansas
- KCSAAC
Our programing is jam-packed with topics producers like YOU ask for!
Amazing Grazing II Events
Diversifying Farms Through Animal Fiber Niche Marketing
By Tom Parker The booming popularity of goats, alpacas, sheep and other non-traditional species for livestock production has created new markets and avenues of revenue for producers willing to learn how to integrate and innovate into more diversified operations. One lesser-known but potentially lucrative niche market associated with non-traditional animals is the fiber market, where the wool is processed into [...]
Managing lambing, growing the flock and forages for small ruminants are topics for KSU Sheep Day
Offered in conjunction with the Kansas State University. March 7 from 8:15 am - 4:30 p.m. at K-State Sheep and Meat Goat Center, 2117 Denison Ave, Manhattan, KS Register for this workshop HERE Small ruminant livestock producers of are invited to attend K-State Sheep Producer Day, March 7, 2015 at the K-State Sheep and Meat Goat Center, 2117 Denison Ave, [...]
2015 KGA Winter Grazing Conference: Dr. Fred Provenza on How Palates Link Soil, Plants, Herbivores, and People
Dr. Frederick D. Provenza will be the featured speaker at the annual Kansas Graziers Association winter conference on Saturday, January 31, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ambassador Hotel in Salina. Dr. Provenza, Professor Emeritus, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University will present How Palates Link Soil, Plants, Herbivores, and People: Ways to Enable or Inhibit [...]
Animal Fiber Production Opportunities to Diversify Small Farms
Saturday May 30 from 10:00a.m.- 4:30 p.m. at the Phillips County Annex Meeting Room, 784 6th Street, Phillipsburg, KS RSVP Online Now Sally Brandon, Shepherd’s Mill, and Rachael Boyle, K-State Research and Extension Livestock Agent, will guide you through the world of animal fiber production, from determining which animals are right for you and your farm to selecting a mill [...]
Meat Processing and Marketing for Optimal Sales Workshop
Offered in conjunction with the Women Managing the Farm conference. February 4 from 3:00-6:00 p.m. at Pottorf Hall, Riley County Fairground, Cico Park, Manhattan, KS. Register for this free workshop HERE Do you direct market your farm's meats to consumers, restaurants or grocers? Thinking about including livestock on your farm? This free 3-hour workshop will help you to develop strong [...]
2015 KGA Winter Grazing Conference features Grazing Behavior Specialist Dr. Fred Provenza
January 31 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Salina Ambassador Hotel (formerly the Ramada) 1616 W Crawford St. Salina, KS. REGISTER HERE Dr. Frederick D. Provenza will be the featured speaker at the annual Kansas Graziers Association winter conference on Saturday, January 31, 2015 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ambassador Hotel in Salina. Dr. Provenza, [...]
The Amazing Grazing II project brought more than twelve educational opportunities to Kansas cattle, goat and sheep producers between August 2014 and May 2015.
Amazing Grazing I Events
Low Stress Handling: It Should Be Easy
McPHERSON – Four experienced ranchers shared their beautiful ranches and livestock with 76 ranchers gathered together to learn low stress handling techniques on May 3, 2014 near Olsburg, KS. Each place had unique facilities created with ease of working livestock as the first priority. Participating ranchers were Bill Edwards, Alan Hubbard, Joseph Hubbard, and Bob Avery, with three facilities for cattle [...]
Low-Stress Livestock Handling Workshop Attracts Large and Diverse Crowd
On Saturday, April 12th, KFU and the Kansas Graziers hosted a low-stress livestock handling workshop led by Dr. Lynn Locatelli in Salina. Dr. Locatelli, a livestock handling specialist, gave a deep, thoughtful presentation to a full-house eager to learn more about low stress livestock handling. Dr. Locatelli was a veterinarian in western Nebraska for 14 years. During that time she [...]
Olsburg Ranch Tour to Highlight Low Stress Livestock Handling
Three Olsburg, KS ranches will highlight working facilities that utilize low stress methods to quietly and effectively process cattle, sheep and goats on May 3, 2014. The tour will begin with registration at 9:30 AM at the Edwards Ranch, 15225 Dry Creek Road, 2.4 miles west of Olsburg and 2.9 south on Dry Creek Road. The working facility designed by [...]
Low Stress Cattle Handling Workshop rescheduled for April 12 in Salina, Low Stress Ranch Tour set for May 3 at Olsburg
The Salina workshop and Olsburg Ranch tour complete the grand finale of the Amazing Grazing Series of Educational Events. The rescheduled workshop will be offered April 12, 2014 at the Ramada Hotel & Conference Center, 1616 W. Crawford St. in Salina, KS. On May 3, two Olsburg ranches will highlight working facilities that utilize low stress methods to quietly and [...]
2014 Annual Winter Grazing Conference – “Grazing and Soil Health”
SALINA, KS – This year marks the 15th anniversary of the Kansas Graziers Association (KGA) along with the 2014 Annual Winter Grazing Conference. “Grazing and Soil Health” is the focus of this year’s winter conference, including a component on “The Value of Cover Crops.” This workshop, part of the Amazing Grazing Series of Educational Events, will be offered January 25, [...]
Jim Gerrish Grazing Workshop to focus on how Grazing Management Improves Productivity, Profitability and Personal Satisfaction
More than ever, you need to be in control of your operation. Cows are lousy business managers. Don’t leave the critical management decisions up to cows. They don’t care whether you make a dime or not. Your job is to create a ranch environment where the cow can be the best cow she can be. You need to manage the [...]
Participants Say . . .
The pressure and release strategies for livestock movement taught in today’s workshop with Dr. Locatelli should be applied in the sale barn and feedlot where I work. We need to change how we move the cattle and ride pens. There is too much noise and too many people that results in increased stress to the cattle.
The concept that the cows should NOT make the business decisions resonated with me. Now I need to tie this together with some grazing strategies.
Nice demonstration of the Bud Box and sorting and handling techniques. I appreciated the discussion of Alan’s ranch philosophy and strategies, especially his emphasis on staying flexible and not always doing things like they have always been done. The slow easy handling style was fun to watch.
We have primarily used cover crops for grain crops…we will now try using them to provide fall and summer grazing. We recognize that we really need to set goals for our operation, make plans on paper, use them and keep good records of what happened.
I better understand the relationship of plant growth and the impact grazing has on re-growth. It takes grass to grow grass . . . don’t be afraid to leave some grass when you move the cows.
Great conference! So much good information packed into one day . . . Ideas that I can take home and use!