| Indiana Grazing Conference |
Staying Connected
By Victor Shelton, NRCS Grazing Specialist/Agronomist
I grew up with black and white television, newspapers, a dial-up party line and the local gas station as
the main source of news. Several Saturday afternoons were spent at one particular gas station, with
an Uncle that often let me tag along, sitting on a wooden bench in a cigar smoke filled room drinking a
cheap glass bottle of Mountain Dew and listening to all the problems of the day being solved.
I still frequent this same location today when possible, the “news” is still flowing even though it is now
quite a different crowd and the atmosphere nothing like the past. Everyone in that gas station today
has a cell phone and as conversations converse, numerous ring tones interrupt the serenity of just
“conversation”. Younger fingers text replies back to their friends while an older guy tries to “see” if he
has the right number he is dialing. You realize that the whole group is no longer, for this particular
moment at least, talking to each other, but conversing with someone elsewhere…
Grazing information and technology continues to change along with everything else even though the
basics of “good” grazing management really never did. The means on how we now receive much of
this information and news has sprinted fast ahead into almost instant information right at our fingertips.
The biggest problem with this growing huge amount of accessible information is, “what do you
believe”? I find myself quite often spending time explaining why something won’t work here that was
found on the internet somewhere else in the country or world. Just because it was successful in
Argentina, doesn’t mean it will work the same here!
How can we keep ourselves up to date with all the latest things with grazing management? My first
line of defense is always reading. My easy chair is normally surrounded by numerous magazines and
books. I really don’t think that a person can read too much. I will admit to often having “printed”
internet articles in my reading material – still preferring a printed version over starring at a computer
screen. Easier to make notes or highlight something printed though I’m doing better about skimming
more articles on line. Allan Nation’s “The Stockman Grass Farmer” is a must read for me and for the
most part is based on active actual farms and ranches. Archived issues are always kept for future
references. Numerous beef and other livestock forums and message boards are great sources of
present grazing and livestock issues. These range from primary a state or small area to several that get
messages and comments from around the world. The broader the audience, the more diverse the
conversation, and the more relevant sorting you have to do!
I don’t think there is a better way to share information on a local level than with what we coin a
“Pasture Walk”. When you get producers together from the same area that are dealing with the same
or similar soils, weather and like problems and start talking out loud – good things can happen. Two
minds are always better than one…well, usually. What better way to start to figure out a problem that
the comingling of minds, all with like goals. Producers in reoccurring walks become more than willing
to share failures and solutions as well as successes. Attendees, talking themselves or not, all learn
something about every time. In several parts of the state, organized pasture walks take place all year
long. It does not matter the size of the group – two or more people and conversing can begin.
Field days are still very popular and a great place to pick up something new to ponder and or
consider. The Indiana Forage Council’s traditionally “Hay Day”, now “Forage Day” is worth driving
to whether near or far. It normally includes both hay and grazing topics. Seed dealerships, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, livestock groups and
Extension often have outstanding field days discussing forages, livestock management and grazing.
The “Hoos-Your Grazing Network” is another Indiana source of grazing information. It normally has
four issues per year, contains good articles and information and is archived at agry.purdue.
edu/ext/forages/Hoos-YourGrazing.html. If you would like to be added to this list, you can email Ed
Heckman at edheckman46@hotmail.com.
Grazing conferences are probably one of my favorite types of meetings! Not only do they almost
always have outstanding speakers presenting at them, but also vendors with all kinds of new
technology to look and talk about. I believe though that the best information gained from these
conferences is quite often between sessions, during breaks and dinner talking with people with like
interests and new or different point of views. They also include presenters that are “walking the talk”.
We have some excellent conferences coming up that are within a reasonable driving distance! They
include:
Northern Indiana Grazing Conference – February 5th, 2010 at Shipshewana, Indiana at the Antique
Auction Barn. Contact Dona Hunter at 260-463-3166 Extension 3 for more information and
registration ($30 first person, $20 for each additional family member – late Registration is $45/$35 –
pre-registration deadline is January 29th). Speakers include Lee Hitzfield, Gary Zimmer and Dave
Forgey. Meal included.
Southern Indiana Grazing Conference – February 11th, 2010 at the Simon Graber Community
Building, Odon, Indiana. Contact Toni Allison at 812-254-4780 Extension 3 for more information
and registration ($25/person – late Registration after February 4th, $30/person). Samuel Fisher, Alan
Yegerlehner, and David Kline are some of the presenters. Meal included.
There are, as you can see, several ways to try and keep up with grazing technology and information
and you don’t have to search, text, twit or even speak if you don’t want to, and still learn something
new.
Keep on grazing!
By Victor Shelton, NRCS Grazing Specialist/Agronomist
I grew up with black and white television, newspapers, a dial-up party line and the local gas station as
the main source of news. Several Saturday afternoons were spent at one particular gas station, with
an Uncle that often let me tag along, sitting on a wooden bench in a cigar smoke filled room drinking a
cheap glass bottle of Mountain Dew and listening to all the problems of the day being solved.
I still frequent this same location today when possible, the “news” is still flowing even though it is now
quite a different crowd and the atmosphere nothing like the past. Everyone in that gas station today
has a cell phone and as conversations converse, numerous ring tones interrupt the serenity of just
“conversation”. Younger fingers text replies back to their friends while an older guy tries to “see” if he
has the right number he is dialing. You realize that the whole group is no longer, for this particular
moment at least, talking to each other, but conversing with someone elsewhere…
Grazing information and technology continues to change along with everything else even though the
basics of “good” grazing management really never did. The means on how we now receive much of
this information and news has sprinted fast ahead into almost instant information right at our fingertips.
The biggest problem with this growing huge amount of accessible information is, “what do you
believe”? I find myself quite often spending time explaining why something won’t work here that was
found on the internet somewhere else in the country or world. Just because it was successful in
Argentina, doesn’t mean it will work the same here!
How can we keep ourselves up to date with all the latest things with grazing management? My first
line of defense is always reading. My easy chair is normally surrounded by numerous magazines and
books. I really don’t think that a person can read too much. I will admit to often having “printed”
internet articles in my reading material – still preferring a printed version over starring at a computer
screen. Easier to make notes or highlight something printed though I’m doing better about skimming
more articles on line. Allan Nation’s “The Stockman Grass Farmer” is a must read for me and for the
most part is based on active actual farms and ranches. Archived issues are always kept for future
references. Numerous beef and other livestock forums and message boards are great sources of
present grazing and livestock issues. These range from primary a state or small area to several that get
messages and comments from around the world. The broader the audience, the more diverse the
conversation, and the more relevant sorting you have to do!
I don’t think there is a better way to share information on a local level than with what we coin a
“Pasture Walk”. When you get producers together from the same area that are dealing with the same
or similar soils, weather and like problems and start talking out loud – good things can happen. Two
minds are always better than one…well, usually. What better way to start to figure out a problem that
the comingling of minds, all with like goals. Producers in reoccurring walks become more than willing
to share failures and solutions as well as successes. Attendees, talking themselves or not, all learn
something about every time. In several parts of the state, organized pasture walks take place all year
long. It does not matter the size of the group – two or more people and conversing can begin.
Field days are still very popular and a great place to pick up something new to ponder and or
consider. The Indiana Forage Council’s traditionally “Hay Day”, now “Forage Day” is worth driving
to whether near or far. It normally includes both hay and grazing topics. Seed dealerships, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, livestock groups and
Extension often have outstanding field days discussing forages, livestock management and grazing.
The “Hoos-Your Grazing Network” is another Indiana source of grazing information. It normally has
four issues per year, contains good articles and information and is archived at agry.purdue.
edu/ext/forages/Hoos-YourGrazing.html. If you would like to be added to this list, you can email Ed
Heckman at edheckman46@hotmail.com.
Grazing conferences are probably one of my favorite types of meetings! Not only do they almost
always have outstanding speakers presenting at them, but also vendors with all kinds of new
technology to look and talk about. I believe though that the best information gained from these
conferences is quite often between sessions, during breaks and dinner talking with people with like
interests and new or different point of views. They also include presenters that are “walking the talk”.
We have some excellent conferences coming up that are within a reasonable driving distance! They
include:
Northern Indiana Grazing Conference – February 5th, 2010 at Shipshewana, Indiana at the Antique
Auction Barn. Contact Dona Hunter at 260-463-3166 Extension 3 for more information and
registration ($30 first person, $20 for each additional family member – late Registration is $45/$35 –
pre-registration deadline is January 29th). Speakers include Lee Hitzfield, Gary Zimmer and Dave
Forgey. Meal included.
Southern Indiana Grazing Conference – February 11th, 2010 at the Simon Graber Community
Building, Odon, Indiana. Contact Toni Allison at 812-254-4780 Extension 3 for more information
and registration ($25/person – late Registration after February 4th, $30/person). Samuel Fisher, Alan
Yegerlehner, and David Kline are some of the presenters. Meal included.
There are, as you can see, several ways to try and keep up with grazing technology and information
and you don’t have to search, text, twit or even speak if you don’t want to, and still learn something
new.
Keep on grazing!
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |