Registration Open for 2024 Lost Rivers Grazing Academy: Regenerative Management of Irrigated Pastures September 10th-13th,2024

 

2024 Lost River Grazing Academy September 10-13, 2023
in Owyhee County Idaho 

Regenerative Management of Irrigated Pastures

The Lost Rivers Grazing Academy is a 4-day hands-on workshop for livestock operators and their advisers and consults that want to harvest and sell more of the sun’s energy through grazing, improve soil health, reduce erosion, and reduce costs, primarily on irrigated pastures.  The program includes morning classroom discussions of theory and practice with hands-on field activities in grazing management and pasture evaluation.

The Academy was first held in 1994 in the Lost River Valley and has been held at least once annually since then, except when disrupted by pandemic.  The program has won state and national awards for Extension programs and has been recognized internationally.  It has been attended by agency personnel and livestock operators from all over the western US, as well as from eastern US, Canada, Mexico, and South America.

The program will be provided by current, retired and emeritus members of the University of Idaho Extension, as well as our featured speaker, Jim Gerrish.  Jim, formerly with the Forage Systems Research Center of the University of Missouri, is known the world over for his expertise in the management of temperate climate and irrigated pastures.  He has extensive experience as a pasture researcher, grazier, and international grazing consultant.  He has authored the books Management-Intensive Grazing and Kick the Hay Habit. You won’t find anyone with more practical experience in forage management and livestock grazing than Jim.

The 2024 program will also feature presentations by Brad and Ben McIntyre. The McIntyre family started farming in 1910. The farm started with row crops and raising animals, including a small dairy and supplying local watermelons. They currently operate, McIntyre Pasture, a diversified crop and livestock operation raising grass-finished beef, pastured pigs, pastured poultry for both egg and meat production, a variety of crops, and have an on-farm retail store. They realized that life below ground was just as essential as life above. All the members of the McIntyre family, father and sons, are alumni of the Lost Rivers Grazing Academy.

Loren (father) and Ben and Brad (brothers) are the 3rd and 4th generations to operate the farm. Loren loves a good, new idea! Brad has a great passion for soil health and loves helping people build it. Ben enjoys working with the beef and hogs and loves to organize and operate harvesting. The McIntyres grind all their feed on farm for their omnivore animals (birds and pigs) and grow many of the inputs that go into the rations. 

The 2024 program will be held in Homedale and Marsing Idaho, located about 35 miles southwest of Boise. There are several vacation rentals (Airbnb or VRBO) as well as RV campgrounds in the area. Motels are available in Caldwell or Nampa. Continental breakfast, snacks, lunch and supper will be provided by the Academy.

The LRGA classroom activities will be held at the Owyhee County Community Building in Homedale (432 W. Nevada Ave). Field exercises will be held at McIntyre Pastures, just across the Snake River from Marsing. McIntyre Pastures is the direct marketing branch of McIntyre Farms, Inc. a family owned, diversified crop and livestock operation. 

All days begin at 8:00 a.m. at the Community Building with a continental breakfast, and the noon meal may be a working lunch.  The workshop is limited to 20 participants who will attend classes, manage a small herd of cattle and solve a variety of grazing problems in teams of 4-5.  Continental breakfast and snacks are available daily, as well as a catered lunch and supper, with entertaining after-supper activities to reinforce principles taught during the day.

REGISTRATION:

Full-time:
(Includes continental breakfasts, lunches, suppers, breaks, one set of materials per ranch or farm, plus evening presentations):

-Per Person $850

-Per Ranch or Farm team $850, plus $725 for each additional team member. (1 set of materials.)

Alumni: $725 (no materials)

Additional Materials: $150 per set

University of Idaho graduate level or professional development credit is available for an additional fee.  Please check with Scott. 

For More Information:

Scott Jensen at 208-896-4104 or-scottj@uidaho.edu in Marsing

Chad Cheyney at 208-940-0222 or ccheyney@uidaho.edu in Arco

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