Topic: Hands-on: Establishing Native Plants & Silvopasture Grazing
Julianna purchased her farm 6 years ago and immediately started renovating the soil and pastures with livestock, infrastructure, and permaculture principles. Her entire farm is ringed by a food forest. She maintains intense diversity in plants and animals, and feeds the soil web with compost, deep mulch, firm no-till techniques, and intensely managed rotational grazing.
Join us for a hands-on workshop with Willowick Farm as they discuss how they integrated silvopasture principles into their farm and how these practices can stack enterprises while increasing sustainability. We will be planting elderberry, hazelnut, serviceberry, and American beauty bush during the event. We will have some gloves available.
Field Day highlights:
- Managing turkeys, hogs, and goats in a silvopasture system
- Selecting and spacing trees and shrubs
- Silvopasture benefits–improving herd, tree/shrub, and forage health, reducing runoff, and protecting surface waters
- Hands-on experience and practical steps in establishing a silvopasture
- Resources to learn more about funding opportunities through NRCS programs to implement silvopasture practices on your land.
Light snack and refreshments will be provided at the end of the event.
All Known & Grown Field Days occur rain or shine. Please dress for the weather and the terrain. Many Field Days include walking through tall grasses or fields, on uneven or muddy surfaces, around equipment and in a range of weather conditions.
We recommend that you bring:
- Close-toed shoes (comfortable for walking)
- Sun protection (cap or hat, sunscreen)
- Water bottle
- Rain jacket or poncho (depending on the forecast)
- Gloves (optional for hands-on activities)
- Personal snacks (While we will try to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions, we cannot guarantee this at every event.)
- Your family (Children are welcome with adults! Please be mindful of the dangers on a working farm, including electric fence, difficult terrain, animals and equipment.)
Please DO NOT bring:
- Dogs or other pets (service dogs, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act, are permitted)
- Professional camera or recording equipment, photos for personal use are acceptable
- Promotional materials or solicitations, unless you are invited to do so
We ask for special attention to biosecurity at events with livestock. While this is good practice at all farms, clean shoes and clothes are particularly important due to the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) and other livestock pathogens.
Wear clean shoes or boots that have not been worn on other farms with livestock or livestock buildings, or around a dense population of wild birds. Upon request of the farmer host, you may be asked to disinfect shoes or boots upon arrival. Wear clean clothes that have not been worn around other livestock.
Parking:
Field parking available along farm driveway
Restrooms:
Restrooms available in farmhouse accessible by stairs.
Mobility & Accessibility Considerations:
- We will be walking on flat ground, but walnut season may require extra caution.
- Rain prior to the event may cause the ground to be muddy.
- Collapsible stools are available for mobile seating.
- Restroom access requires the use of stairs.
- Hands-on activities may involve bending, squatting, and kneeling.
Microgrants
$500 to support silvopasture implementation
Farmers who attend this Field Day are eligible to apply for a microgrant (up to $500 in reimbursement) to offset the cost of implementing silvopasture practices on their farm. Details will be provided during the event, and a link will be shared via email for all attendees.
Questions?
Please contact Emily: Emily@GatewayFarmers.org or 314.561.7010 Ext 1
This event is supported by
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines
Field Day Registration
If you would like to register more than one person, please complete a separate entry form for each individual.