Heart of America Grazing Conference
February 20-21, 2023
Ferdinand Community Center
Ferdinand, IN
Schedule of Events
February 20, 2023
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Trade Show Setup
12:30 Registration, Trade Show, Silent Auction
1:25 Conference Welcome
Kenneth Eck, Purdue Extension Educator, Dubois Co.
1:30 “Designing a Managed Grazing System –
A Practical Approach before the First Post is Set”
Led by Dr. Keith Johnson, Purdue University Forage Extension Specialist and
Jason Tower, Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center Superintendent
“The Producer’s Objectives”
Mr. Zach Moore - Paoli, Indiana
“Current Inventory Shown by Pictures and Video”
Mr. John Scott, Purdue University Digital Agriculture Extension Coordinator
“Learning About the Land with the Web Soil Survey and Pasture Evaluation Sheet”
Mr. Lee Schnell, USDA-NRCS District Conservationist-Orange County
“Taking Soil Samples to Determine Lime and Fertilizer Needs”
Dr. Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension Forage Specialist
2:45 Break, Trade Show, Silent Auction
3:15 “Determining Fencing Needs”
Mr. Jason Tower, Southern IN Purdue Agricultural Center Superintendent
“Developing the Water Resources on the Farm”
Mr. Robert Zupancic, USDA-NRCS Grazing Specialist
“Forage Seeding Options to Improve the Pasture System”
Mr. Miles Kuhn, Allied Seed Company
“How Much Livestock Can the Pasture Support?”
Dr. Nick Minton, Purdue University Beef Systems Specialist
Discussion time with the presenters
5:00 to 6:00 Registration for those not attending the afternoon program
Visit Trade Show and Silent Auction
6:00 – 6:45 p.m. Dinner
After Dinner Program
6:45 p.m. “The Power of One Wire”
Mr. Johnny Rogers, Extension Associate, North Carolina State University
7:30 “Twenty Years of the Heart of America Grazing Conference -
Reflections by the Founders”
Narrated by current Indiana representative Jason Tower
7:45 Meet Tomorrow’s Speakers – A Self-Introduction
8:00 The best of Jason Tower’s lyrics and Social Time
9:00 Hall closes
Heart of America Grazing Conference
February 21, 2023
Ferdinand Community Center
Ferdinand, IN
Schedule of Events
February 21, 2023
7:00 a.m. Registration, Coffee and Pastries, Trade Show, Silent Auction
8:00 Conference Welcome
Ms. Elysia Rodgers, Indiana Forage Council President
8:15 “What is Soil Health and What Affect Does Grazing Have on It?”
Dr. Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-NRCS North Carolina
9:15 “Opportunities in a Grazing Program with Small Ruminants”
Mr. Johnny Rogers, North Carolina State University
10:15 Break, visit Trade Show, and Silent Auction
10:45 “Livestock Disorders Associated with Stored Forages”
Dr. Grant Burcham, Director, Purdue University Heeke Animal Diagnostic Lab
11:15 “A Review of the Blue River Watershed Project”
Mr. Pete Huff, Wallace Center: Pasture Project
11:45 Lunch
12:30 p.m. “Our Stories” – Devon Churchill, Harrison County cow-calf producer
Ronnie Boehm, Spencer County custom cow-calf producer
Aaron and Danielle Walker, Washington County sheep producers
1:15 Questions and answers with the producers
1:30 Break, visit Trade Show, Silent Auction ends
2:00 “Strategies to Make Bale Grazing Cost Effective”
Dr. Greg Halich, University of Kentucky
2:45 “Traditional vs Biological Soil Tests -
What Do They Tell Us and How Do We Use the Data”?
Dr. Alan Franzluebbers, USDA-NRCS North Carolina
3:30 “What Data Should be Recorded and Improved Ways to Do It”
Jason Tower, Southern Indiana Purdue Agricultural Center Superintendent
4:00 Questions for the speakers and complete the conference survey
4:45 Adjourn
