Cornell Cooperative Extension officials plan 2021 North Country Hay and Pasture School

 

WATERTOWN, N.Y. (March 5, 2021) – Cornell Cooperative Extension will present the 2021 Hay and Pasture School series on March 11 and 18 via Zoom web conference.

Growing good forages is central to almost all farms in the North Country, whether they are used for livestock feed or as a cash crop. Farm prosperity here is dependent on growing, harvesting, storing, feeding and marketing good quality forages to meet business goals. CCE supports these efforts with science-based recommendations and information to help ensure success at each step.

The two Hay and Pasture Schools are designed to cover some basic principles, as well as some more advanced topics, relating to growing forages for market or for livestock feed with our North Country soils and climate. The classes will be offered over Zoom so you can attend from home and don’t even need a mask!

The Beginner Hay and Pasture School will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 11. Basic topics of forage quality goals, sampling forages for nutrient analyses and interpreting the results, the basic principles of haymaking and grazing, and reclaiming or rejuvenating old fields will be presented.

The Advanced Hay and Pasture School will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 18. More advanced topics will be discussed, including the effects of the 2020 drought that may affect 2021, buying and selling hay, and guidance on negotiating pasture and hay field leases and rates for custom field operations.

Each session costs $5 per person. Register at the CCE North Country Regional Ag Team website at https://ncrat.cce.cornell.edu/ in the “Upcoming Events” list. For more information, call Kitty O’Neil at (315) 854-1218 or contact your local CCE Office.

This program was developed by the CCE livestock educators in the North Country and the CCE North Country Regional Ag Team. Speakers include Kitty O’Neil, regional field crops and soils specialist; Betsy Hodge, CCE St. Lawrence; Gabby Wormuth, CCE Jefferson; Grace Ott, CCE Clinton, and Nicole Tommell, regional farm business management specialist.

 

(Cornell Cooperative Extension)