BURLINGTON, Vt. — The 2018 Summer Organic Dairy Series, designed to help farmers explore strategies for success, kicks off on July 24 in Newport. Other sessions are planned for farms in Graniteville and Whiting.
The University of Vermont (UVM) Extension Northwest Crops and Soils Program, Organic Valley and the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont (NOFA-VT) are sponsoring the series. Registration for each event is $20 for farmers, $30 for non-farmers. Lunch from the NOFA-VT pizza oven is included.
The deadline to register is five days prior to each event. To register, go to www.nofavt.org/ows or call NOFA-VT at (802) 434-4122. To request a disability-related accommodation, please call Susan Brouillette at (800) 639-2130 (Vermont calls only) or (802) 524-6501, ext. 432, at least two weeks in advance.
Each session will run from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Dates and locations are as follows:
July 24–Improving Milk Quality and Pasture Systems; JASA Family Farm, 760 Alderbrook Rd., Newport. CROPP/Organic Valley staff veterinarian and grazing specialist Dr. Greg Brickner and grazing consultant Sarah Flack will talk about milk quality and strategies to optimize milk value. Participants also will learn about grazing systems and how to increase pasture utilization to reduce feed costs and winter outdoor access as they tour Andy Andrews’ farm.
July 25–Robot Grazing Systems and Forage Harvesting; Lambert Farm, 437 Lambert Rd., Graniteville. Brickner and Flack will discuss forage harvesting and management strategies for producing high quality forage and organic corn silage. In addition, they will lead a tour of the 100-cow organic dairy operation so participants can view the robotic milking system and hear how the Jesse and Jennifer Lambert changed their pasture management system and boosted milk production with the installation of two robotic milking machines.
Aug. 6–Pasture Management and Youngstock; Ottercrest Dairy, 80 Gibeault Rd., Whiting. UVM Extension agronomist Dr. Heather Darby and Flack will join farm owner and veterinarian Dr. Brian Howlett for a look at his pasture systems and rotational grazing management. Howlett also will describe his experience with milking once daily and what he does for parasite prevention in youngstock on pasture.
–UVM Extension
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