At a glance
The conference is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 30 in the Allegany Room of the Central Dining Hall of the Alfred campus.
Farmers interested in learning how to maximize their grazing systems are invited to attend a daylong conference at Alfred State titled “Show Me the Money: Grazing Strategies for Farm Profitability.”
The conference is scheduled to take place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, June 30 in the Allegany Room of the Central Dining Hall of the Alfred campus. Guest speakers for the event include Russ Wilson and Dave Hartman.
Wilson, along with his wife and two children, operate Wilson Land & Cattle Co., a 220-acre farm in Forest County, PA, raising cattle, sheep, goats, poultry, and honey bees, and custom graze for other producers. They employ adaptive management techniques to make the farm more profitable.
Wilson enjoys sharing his unique management strategies with other farmers and ranchers with a hope to make them more profitable. In his presentation, Wilson will instruct attendees on how to adapt their farm’s grazing needs through simple, practical management, and how to tailor their grazing plans for their operations.
Hartman is an extension educator based at the Lycoming County Penn State Extension who holds a bachelor’s degree in animal production and a master’s in forage agronomy from Penn State. Possessing more than 31 years of experience in agricultural work, Hartman’s main area of interest is the management of forage and grazing systems.
Additionally, Hartman is the owner/operator of Clovermont Grazing Company, specializing in grass-finishing of cattle, at his farm in Montour County. In his presentation, Hartman will discuss using annual forage species to improve grazing systems.
In addition to Wilson and Hartman, Fay Benson, of the Cornell University Cooperative Extension, will give a presentation titled “Seeing is Believing When it Comes to Soil Health.” Jonathan Barter, of the Soil and Water Conservation District, will present “Adding Annuals to Your Pastures for the Livestock Above Ground and Below.”
An optional tour of the Alfred State College Farm will also take place during the event. The cost to attend is $15 for those who preregister, and $20 for walk-ins. A hot lunch is include in the cost.
Preregistration must be completed by June 23. For more information, contact Dr. Phil Schroeder, chair of the Agriculture and Veterinary Technology Department, at 607-587-3983 or schroepd@alfresdstate.edu.