Everyone likes to get something for nothing, right?
The forthcoming Rancher Field Days will give you the opportunity to acquire some valuable information at no personal cost for those who attend the outdoor seminars scheduled for the week of June 18 to 21.
Four separate informative sessions will be held where ranchers will be availed of some noteworthy advice and knowledge by guest speaker Jim Gerrish.
Gerrish is widely accepted throughout North America as a leading expert in grazing management. He is known particularly for his work in extending grazing seasons, a cost-effective measure on any operation.
Gerrish's resume features 20-plus years in beef forage research (faculty/University of Missouri) and two decades as a commercial cattle/sheep producer.
In addition, he is the author of two books: Management of Intensive Grazing and Kick the Hay Habit.
Gerrish has visited this area several times in the past and on this visit, hosted by the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association, he will travel the area as he speaks at a series of four, one-day field-seminars that will focus on improving and optimizing forage production/soils.
The four host ranch operations were selected for their diverse growing seasons, soil and forage types so that ranchers can pick a site to attend that most closely mirrors conditions on their operation, making the information gleaned relevant, applicable and useful for each attendee.
There likely isn’t an operation in the Cariboo that is exempt from benefit from such a session as acquiring a better method of utilizing existing forage (better management), learning a new strategy or adopting radical change that may lead you toward noticeably improved returns on an average year and truly significant gains on above average grazing-years.
It just may be the order of the day after hearing Gerrish's suggestions.
What could be better than on-the-spot information from one who has made optimum grazing/management his personal focus for many long years?
Several specialists from Thompson Rivers University, range and beef cattle researchers Dr. Wendy Gardner, Dr. Lauch Fraser and Dr. John Church, along with TRU community developers Gillian Watt and Shirley-Pat Gale will also be at these field seminars, looking for future programming ideas (services) to add to the lineup offered at TRU — north campus.
These sessions have been made possible thanks to the very generous support of the Cariboo Cattlemen’s Association, the Ranching Task Force Fund — Investment Agriculture Foundation of Canada and TRU.
Attendance is free.
Please note that each session starts at noon.
June 18: San Jose Cattle Company (Clint/Karen Thompson) — four miles South of 150 Mile House, turn left at the Verified Beef and Powerflex signs.
June 19: Zirnhelt Ranch (David/Susan Zirnhelt) — Beaver Valley, 5455 Jacobson Rd., two kilometres off the Likely Road.
June 20: Riske Creek Ranching (Grant/Sharon Huffman) — take Highway 20 west of Williams Lake across Sheep Creek Bridge. Climb Sheep Creek hill for 2.5 to three kilometres., then turn left onto Moon Road. Follow Moon Road to the blue house at the end of the road.
June 21: Chilancoh Ranch (Hugh/Helen Bayliff) — west of Alexis Creek 32 km. Turn left at bottom of big hill onto Bayliff Road, travel three km to big red ranch house.
Events are open to all producers. Please bring your own bag lunch to each field day.
Participants are also invited for a potluck dinner at the conclusion of each field day. Please bring a potluck dish to contribute if you plan to stay for dinner.
Replies are requested by June 15 by contacting Jenny Huffman at 250-659-5828.
For more information contact David Zirnhelt at 250-243-2243 or e-mail cattlemen@xplornet.ca.