Grazing Groups Connect Livestock Farmers

By Meghan Filbert

During May and June, PFI held six grazing groups throughout Iowa. 176 farmers attended – leaving inspired and better connected to other graziers! These informal get-togethers gave graziers the opportunity to take a pasture walk, ask lots of questions and connect beginning farmers with those that have many years of experience to share.

regenerative cattle grazing group farmers

Graziers swap knowledge and stories.

A range of topics were explored – fence and water set-ups, stockpiling and bale grazing, warm- and cool-season pasture management, clipping and haying, livestock breeds and meat marketing – to list a few.

Tim Diers, of Lockridge, hosted southeastern graziers on his farm where he’s restoring the land through grazing.

Join Your Regional Grazing Group

Each group has plans to meet on a quarterly basis and will be arranged by a local leader. If you missed the grazing group in your region the first time around, you’re still encouraged to join! You do not need to be PFI member to be a part of a grazing group.

If you’d like to go on a pasture walk (or even better – host a pasture walk!) and connect with like-minded grass and livestock farmers, contact your local leader(s):

Northwest Iowa:

Robert Alexander; alexander@premieronline.net

Southwest Iowa:

Andy Welch; welchfarms81@gmail.com

Central Iowa:

Steve Riggins; stephenriggins@gmail.com

Jason Jones; Jlevijones@gmail.com

Northeast Iowa:

Wendy Johnson; wendy@joiafoodfarm.com

Martha McFarland; hawkeyebuffalo@gmail.com

Eastern Iowa:

Doug Darrow; doug@rapidcreekranch.com