Posted: 09.02.2010
Grazefest 2010 is making its way to the Winona County fairgrounds in St. Charles, MN - just over the Mississippi River from an eager Wisconsin grazing population.
Organizers of Grazefest, September 10-11, say they'll focus in on the fundamentals of grazing and marketing grass-fed products. The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota is the organizing body behind the events. SFA hosts Grazefest Minnesota to promote the health benefits of pasture-raised foods, the positive environmental impacts of grazing, and the economic benefits of local, pasture-raised foods.
Activities will begin on Friday evening with a special banquet featuring locally produced food and a pasture raised supper. Social hour starts at 6 with the meal at 7. Advance reservations are required. Their will be a special panel discussion on grazing industry topics at 7:30 too.
The main event is Saturday with presentations, hands-on learning opportunities and a farm tour, all presented by the experts from “our own backyard.” Registration starts at 8:00 a.m. at the Winona Co Fairgrounds and programming will start promptly at 8:30 a.m.
Sessions on the fairgrounds will feature: watering and fencing systems, grass-fed dairy and beef and direct marketing. The on-farm tour of the Nathan Redalen farm will cover pasture health and maintenance, preparing for fall and winter, cover crops, riparian areas and more on watering systems. Bus transportation will be provided. The sessions and farm tour will be repeated in the morning and afternoon. A locally produced lunch is included in the registration fee.
Featured speakers include: John Mesko, Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota; Dan & Terese Hall, Southwest K Fence, Wayne Monsen, Minnesota Department of Agriculture; Laura Paine, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture; Nathan Redalen, Olmsted County Grazier; Dean Thomas, Fillmore County Soil and Water Conservation District; and John Zinn, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
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