Winter Grazing Club Wrap-Up: Extended Grazing & Cover Crops
Even with harsher winter road conditions that afternoon, many producers made it out for our final Grazing Club session of the season. It was a great way to wrap up a strong winter of peer-to-peer learning.
Earlier in the series, we asked participants what topics they most wanted to explore. Extended grazing and cover cropping rose to the top, so that’s where we focused this final evening.
Our guest speaker, Grant Lastiwka, Forage and Grazing Specialist, kicked things off with a practical presentation on cover cropping and extended grazing systems. Grant walked through key considerations, species selection, and management strategies. You can find his slides attached below for those who want to dig deeper.
After another great supper by the Jaded Chef, we split into four rotating discussion groups, spending 15 minutes at each station:
Grant Lastiwka – Open Q&A
Producers had the opportunity to ask detailed questions and dig further into anything cover crops, forages & grazing.Byron Long – Interseeding Corn with Cover Crops
Local Barrhead producer Byron shared his on-farm experience and the economics behind interseeding corn with cover crops, including what has worked and what he has adjusted over time.Gateway Research Organisation – Rotational Grazing & Double Cropping Trials
Our sister association shared insights from their multi-year rotational grazing heifer pasture project, post-silage double cropping demo, and perennial wheat trials.Cover Crop “Super Powers” Discussion – Led by Dini (Farming Forward)
Using plant photo cards and “super power” categories, producers discussed which cover crops fit best as nitrogen fixers, compaction breakers, carbon builders, diversity champions, and more. It sparked great conversation around practical species selection for our region.
It was another engaging evening with thoughtful discussion and strong participation. We would like to thank our guest speaker, discussion leaders, and Millborn for helping make this evening possible.
Attendees were asked to complete a short survey on the future of the Grazing Club, and feedback has been very positive. Based on that input, we hope to continue with a similar format next winter. In the meantime, we are exploring a spring rotational grazing tour to keep the momentum going as everyone heads back out to pasture.
Thank you to everyone who participated this winter. The strength of the Grazing Club truly comes from producers sharing experiences and learning from each other.
Resources from Grant Lastiwka
Grant shared a number of helpful resources during his presentation on extended grazing and cover cropping. While he covered most of the material live, the full slide deck includes additional references, charts, and research summaries for those who would like to explore further.
