Agriculture

Pasture Cropping Workshop October 7

Early bird registration has been extended through Friday, Sept. 25 and locals are being offered a 50 percent discount.
Pasture Cropping is a technique to get more production on farms and ranches.
Pasture Cropping is a technique to get more production on farms and ranches.

On Oct. 7 an innovative method of land management called Pasture Cropping Workshop will be held in Paicines.

Pasture cropping is a farming technique that enables annual crops to be successfully grown into dormant perennial pastures.  This technique provides ground cover – as much as possible for as long as possible.  Cover crops (covered soil with living plants) can dramatically increase soil health through photosynthesis and supporting soil microbes.

This workshop on crops and range management tools will be hosted at the scenic Paicines Ranch, just off Highway 25.

The ranch is a great location to learn from Colin Seis, an Australian farmer and pioneer of pasture cropping. Early bird registration has been extended through Friday, Sept. 25 and locals are being offered a 50 percent discount.  Seis will present his revolutionary technique of zero till sowing an annual crop into perennial pastures and the improved economical and ecological results that he has achieved on his farm.

Ranch owner and host of the event Sallie Calhoon explained, "In Australia, they have found that the annual crop can be harvested for commercial purposes and can dramatically improve the profit per acre, since the farmer is now getting two crops off the same acre. " 

Following the lecture, there will be a facilitated discussion and brainstorming session on how we can take these principles and apply them to agriculture in the California climate. Rob Rutherford, holistic management educator and retired Cal Poly professor of animal science, will facilitate the discussion.

For those interested, these two websites were provided for more background information on Pasture Cropping:

http://www.awestthatworks.com/2Essays/Pasture_Cropping/Pasture_Cropping.pdf

Pasture Cropping: an Integrated Approach to Grain and Pasture Production

 

9:00 am – 3:00 pm October 7, 2015 at Paicines Ranch.  Colin Seis, farmer and pioneer presents his technique.  Cost:  $125 Early Bird/$175 Regular.  Early Bird Registration deadline this Friday 9/25.  In addition there is a Locals Only Discount: 50% off for up to 3 additional San Benito area farmers or ranchers.  

To register, call Elaine at 831-628-0288 or e-mail [email protected] Click the link for more information about this and other exciting classes and clinics offered in October at Paicines Ranch.

 

 

 

 

 

Leslie David

Leslie David is a Bay Area independent reporter/producer and is a BenitoLink founding board member. She has produced for radio, television, newspaper and magazines in both California and Wyoming. She was with KRON-TV News in San Francisco as camera-woman, editor and field producer, where she won the Commonwealth Club's Thomas Storke Award with Linda Yee for their series on the Aids Epidemic. She started as a small market news reporter shooting her own 16mm film at KEYT-TV Santa Barbara. Leslie lives on a ranch with her family in San Benito County.