Increasing Profits While Regenerating Resources

The Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition (NGLC) and University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Adams County are hosting Gabe Brown, noted soil health advocate, on Tuesday, November 19th. The program will be held 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Adams County Fairgrounds, 947 S. Baltimore Ave, Hastings, NE.   Gabe Brown is one of the pioneers of the current soil health movement which focuses on regenerating our resources. Gabe, along with his wife Shelly, and son Paul, own and operate a diversified farm and ranch near Bismarck, ND. The Browns holistically integrate their grazing and no-till cropping system, which includes multi-species cover crops, with all natural grass fed beef, poultry and sheep.  This diversity and integration has regenerated the natural resources on the ranch without the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides.  Wildlife populations thrive in this ecosystem.  Whitetail deer, sharp tail grouse, pheasants, partridge, turkey, raptors, coyotes, fox and too many non-game species to count make their home on the 5,000 acre ranch which is located only two miles from the city of Bismarck. Over 2,000 people visit the Brown’s Ranch annually to see this unique operation. They have had visitors from all 50 states and 15 foreign countries.

Gabe has been an invited speaker across the US and beyond. He was honored with the NRDC's 2012 Growing Green Awards winner in the Food Producer category. For over 15 years, Gabe has merged back-to-basics agrarian practices with innovative science-based sustainable farming techniques. For Gabe, healthy soil is the renewable resource that sustains all. By making use of a 100 percent zero-till cropping system, mob grazing, and polyculture cover crop and polyculture cash crop rotations, he has successfully transformed conventional grazing and cropping operations into models of regenerative agriculture. Brown's Ranch also integrates its cow-calf and grass finished livestock operations with a highly diverse cropping rotation, which includes over 25 different cash and cover crops resulting in high yields and strong net profits. Gabe's trailblazing work has made him a leader in regenerative ranch management.

Gabe will share his experience with:
* Decreasing inputs while increasing yields     -   Livestock – The missed income opportunity
* Producing corn for only 1.42/bu.    -   Regenerating your soil resource.
* Opportunities to bring the next     -   Lowering your cow wintering costs
generation into the operation.

A fee will be charged to cover the cost of a noon meal.  NGLC will pick up the cost of all student registrations.  To reserve a place, please pre-register by November 11 by calling the UNL Extension office in Adams County at 402-461-7209 or Webster County at 402-746-3417.   

For more information, contact Ron Bolze, Coordinator, Nebraska Grazing Lands Coalition, 402-321-0067 (cell) or ron@nebraskagrazinglands.org .  You may also contact Ron Seymour, UNL Extension Educator,-Adams County at 402-461-7209 or email ron.seymour@unl.edu  or Dewey Lienemann UNL Extension Educator-Webster County at 402-469-0357 or email  dlienemann2@unl.edu