Grazing Groups Connect Livestock Farmers
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.
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
Tom Rowles; trowles2012@gmail.com
Southeastern Iowa:
Michael Vittetoe; mvittetoe761@gmail.com
Jeremy Erdmann; erdmannjeremym@johndeere.com
- Wendy Johnson explains the custom made float valve for her livestock watering trough
- Grazing group at Bruce Carney’s farm in Maxwell
- The Alexander family, of Remsen, lead the northwest grazing group. They graze cattle and sheep in one herd and move them daily.
- Carney Family Farm’s cattle observe group as we walk through the pasture.