The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service and the state Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative will sponsor a dairy grazing school Sept. 18 featuring Dave Forgey, who has a 200-cow seasonal grass-based dairy in Logansport, Ind.

The event will start at 9:15 a.m. with the following speakers and topics:

• Forgey, economics of grazing

• Karen Hoffman, nutrition and feeding grain

• Cliff Hawbaker, one-time-per-day milking and feeding no grain

• Jana Malot, J.B. Harrold and Tim Elder, hands-on fencing and watering systems.

There also will be a panel discussion with local graziers Ken Clark, Ron Caldwell, John Vanderstappen and all the speakers.

As a prelude to the school, there will be a pasture walk at 6 p.m. Sept. 17 at Ken and Anita Clark's farm in Lawrence County. The Clarks operate a 44-cow seasonal grass-based dairy on 120 acres. The evening pasture walk is free and open to anyone.

The farm is off Exit 10 of Route 60. Travel west on Route 351 for 11.5 miles. Turn right onto Burkey Road, and travel a half-mile to the farm.

The dairy grazing school is $25 and limited to the first 40 registrants. To reserve a spot, call Mark Muir at the Venango Conservation District at 814-676-2832.

Andy Gaver is a conservationist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service in Butler County.