The Indiana Forage Council is hosting a tour on July 25 to provide livestock producers with an opportunity to learn more about forage management best practices. The event will take place from 8:15 a.m. to 5:45 p.m., and attendees will visit farm operations in Dubois and Harrison counties to gain insight into other livestock professionals’ work.
“There will be something for everyone to learn regardless of experience or interest,” said Jason Tower, superintendent of the Southern Indiana Purdue Agriculture Center (SIPAC). “We will be covering grazing with a variety of species and making stored feeds, too.”
The SIPAC is one of the tour stops, and it features a meat goat herd operation. Other stops include 3D Valley Beef, Steckler Grassfed, and Fischer Farms. The goal is to provide attendees with insight into different forage management styles, as well as how other livestock professionals achieve their production objectives.
“Indiana forage agriculture has great potential in the state and we wanted to highlight some operations that do an outstanding job with their forage and livestock management,” Tower continued.
Dave Fischer, owner of Fischer Farms, intends to share a video about his farm business to attendees as they travel on the tour.
“What’s unique about our product is that it’s sold directly to restaurants,” Fischer said. “Participants will learn about the marketing of those products. We also have an interesting system of crop rotation going on with ryegrass and corn silage.”
The cost of the tour is $20 per person, and more information can be found by visiting www.IndianaForage.org.