Silvopasture by Subtraction: Using Livestock & Forestry Mowing

Speaker: Karin Jokela – biologist, the Xerces Society

Join farmers Dayna Burtness, Bailey Lutz and Heidi Eger to talk about how innovative silvopasture systems can benefit both livestock native pollinators while helping with habitat management. Learn how Bailey, Heidi and Dayna are working to control undesirable plants in the woods and reintroduce understory diversity. We’ll also hear from Xerces Society biologist Karin Jokela about steps farmers can take to help pollinators adapt to climate change and thrive on the farm.

Note: This event will involve walking over uneven terrain; we recommend that participants wear pants and walking shoes. If participants are coming from or going to a place that has livestock, biosecurity booties will be required.

The Farms:

Dayna Burtness (she/her) and her husband, Nick Nguyen (he/him), run Nettle Valley Farm, a 70-acre farmstead near Spring Grove, Minnesota. Together, they finish heritage-breed hogs on pasture and actively work with the Xerces Society to restore and manage habitat on the farm. Dayna also manages the farm’s new Incubator Farm Program, which Bailey Lutz and Heidi Eger are part of.

Bailey Lutz (they/them) is a young queer farmer motivated by right relationship with land and food ecosystems that work for all. In 2021, Bailey is exploring using their goats in a silvopasture system with multiple potential benefits for livestock, habitat and wildlife.

Heidi Eger (she/her) of Radicle Heart Farm raises 100% grass-fed lamb and mutton and pastured, organically fed chicken. Her favorite thing about farming is working to manage her animals in ways that improve the health of the ecosystem.

Topics:

• Silvopasture
• Timber management
• Using livestock to manage invasive species
• Restoring understory diversity
• Climate change
• Pollinators
• Goats

RSVP: https://practicalfarmers.org/events/field-days/silvopasture-by-subtraction-using-livestock-forestry-mowing/