05/17/07 Lost Rivers Grazing Workshop

There's a workshop coming up next month for ranchers who want to improve their land. HAWKINS "Any ground, whether its farm ground, crop ground, pasture ground, we can show them how they can essentially double their production on the same amount of acreage." Jim Hawkins is just one of the University of Idaho extension specialists who will teach at the Nancy Cummings Center workshop north of Salmon June 11th through the 14th. HAWKINS "All of our instructors are practicing grazers themselves. We've had one student who has come now I think eight times now and he tells us he learns something from us every time he comes but he also gets new ideas from the other students that attend." The Lost Rivers Grazing Academy participants learn how to design and manage grazing cells, water systems and electric fencing. They apply low-stress cattle-handling techniques and find out how to reduce their winter feed costs by stockpiling standing forage and drawing on their livestock's "fat banks." There are classroom sessions in the morning but hands on, in the field work every afternoon. For more information, call Jim Hawkins at (208) 879-2344 in Challis. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott