This year between January and March in 2021, the Pastures for Profit curriculum will be offered as a virtual course. One live webinar will be offered per month along with “work at your own pace” videos and exercises that accompany each webinar. The Pastures for Profit program is a collaboration between Ohio State University Extension, Central State University, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Ohio Federation of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Ohio Department of Agriculture, and the Ohio Forages and Grassland Council.
Each webinar will be offered live on Zoom at 7 P.M. and feature three presentations in a 90-minute span. Attendees will be able to interact with the speakers and ask questions in real time. Once registered, attendees will be granted access to the online course including the webinars and complementary resources. Participants that attend all three webinars will have the opportunity to earn a certificate of completion. Registered participants will also receive their choice of a curriculum binder or USB drive of the traditional course by mail.
Webinar One- Core Grazing Education: Wed., January 13th at 7 p.m.
Evaluating Resources and Goal Setting
Getting Started Grazing
Soil Fertility
Webinar Two- The Science of Grazing: Wed., February 3rd at 7 p.m.
Understanding Plant Growth
Fencing and Water Systems
Meeting Animal Requirements on Pasture
Webinar Three- Meeting Grazing Goals: Wed., March 3rd at 7 p.m.
Pasture Weed Control
Economics of Grazing
Creating and Implementing Grazing Plans
A series of additional videos that complement each webinar will be accessible to registered participants that include topics such as:
Soil Health & Fertility
Species Specific Tips
Stocking Densities
Forage Sampling and Analysis
Winter Feeding Strategies
Conservation Practices
Genetic Traits of Forages
Pasture Layouts
Farm Economics
Pasture Walks/Virtual Tours
These videos will focus on more specific pasture management topics at the beginner and experienced manager levels.
Cost of the course is $50, which includes the Pastures for Profit manual. Current and new members of the Ohio Forage and Grasslands Council are eligible for a $10 discount on registration. Look for registration details soon at https://forages.osu.edu or through the Ohio Forages and Grasslands Council at https://afgc.org/ohio.