UI extension workshops for North Idaho hay producers

The North Idaho Forage and Grazing school will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the University of Idaho’s Sandpoint Organic Agriculture Center.

The topic for this year includes hay testing, pasture evaluation, renovation techniques, weed control, annual forages, fertility, bale grazing and online marketing.

Rebecca Kern from Ward Laboratories will discuss the hay testing they do and nutritional needs that may need to be addressed based on these results. A UI Extension educator will present best practices for hay testing.

Dave Wenk, Boundary County Weed Superintendent, will discuss weed control techniques and hay and pasture issues.

UI Extension Educator Doug Finkelnburg will describe management techniques for minimizing herbicide resistance. Doug will also present a variety of testing results for annual forage crops in North Idaho.

Cindy Vaughan, from NRCS in Bonner County, will describe how to conduct a pasture evaluation and what it can do for you. Jen Jensen, Bonner County UI Extension Educator, will discuss fertility management in hay and pasture ground, including organic methods.

John Mobbs, a cattle producer near Hauser, uses bale grazing as a pasture renovation technique. Betty Mobbs will discuss how they direct market their grass-finished cattle on their website. Betty helped create the Panhandle Farm Corridor.

In Boundary County, Kate Painter, UI Extension Educator, will discuss b-LOCAL Boundary County, the new online farmers market project.

For more information, please contact the Boundary County Extension Office at 208-267-3235.

A $10 registration fee covers lunch, refreshments, supplies, and handouts, including a thumb drive with resource materials. Attendees will be eligible for one pesticide recertification credit. A registration form is available at https://tinyurl.com/2020HaySchool.