BELLEVILLE — Green Lands Blue Waters and Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship will be holding a pasture walk from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 2, hosted by Bert and Trish Paris, W3443 County W. This is free and open to the public and lunch will be provided.

The event will cover how the family made the transition and how their system works. Dairies that include a grazing component are diverse and there are many pathways to profitability. This pasture walk is part of a series that will highlight how successful dairy farmers across the upper Midwest incorporate grazing to improve profitability using results of a study of dairy farmers in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

There also will be discussion on how profitability is measured and what factors contribute to it. Some surprising facts will be shared about pasture range and forage insurance and how and when to use it effectively. A tour of the farm will include pasture quality evaluation, stocking density and dry matter intake. 

The project is sponsored by Green Lands Blue Waters and Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship, with funding support from the USDA Risk Management Agency. For questions or to RSVP, contact: Bert Paris at 424-6396. For more information on the project or other pasture walk dates, visit the GLBW Perennial Forage Working Group website at http://greenlandsbluewaters.net/Perennial_Forage/dairy.html.