Nothing captures the essence of the Grazing Broker project better than the recently established partnership between the Andersons and the Muellers. David Anderson (white tee-shirt in photo) is a landowner whose goal is to use managed grazing to attract grassland birds to his property near Highland. Matt (next to David) and Mike Mueller are conservation-minded beef producers from the Livingston area looking for pastures to rent. Both attended our Grazing Broker 2013-2014 winter workshops.

Through a combination of NRCS funding, out-of-pocket investment, and 'sweat-equity,' David has turned a 45 acre pine plantation into a managed grazing system.  The pine trees were planted as part of a Conservation Reserve Program contract that the previous landowner had. David wanted to restore the hilltop to its historic vegetation: grassland. So, he worked with a company to do a biomass harvest to remove the trees, which were chipped and delivered to the Cassville power plant to be burned.

Following the harvest, David assessed the vegetation that remained. There was quite a bit of grass and clover and he interseeded more in the bare spots. This spring, he had fencing and a watering system installed using EQIP funds. After some delays getting infrastructure in place, and some storm-caused power outages, it was finally ready for cattle on July 2nd.

David met his renter, Mike Mueller at one of our workshops this past winter. Mike and his family have a large beef operation near Livingston where they raise Normande and Short Horn cattle.

The 30 Normande-Short Horn-cross heifers stepped off the trailer into tall, rank grass and wild parsnips that took off after the pine trees were removed. Undeterred, they explored a little and then went to work grazing. Once this first rotation cycle is completed and the pastures are clipped, the parsnip will be under control (cattle eat them!) and it should be great grazing from here on out.

David has already enjoyed the fruits of his labor. His new pasture has attracted a variety of grassland birds, including bobolinks, meadowlarks, dickcissels, and savanna sparrows. To improve the habitat further, he created a 'nesting refuge' within the pasture system, where he leaves some paddocks undisturbed during the peak of the nesting season (May and June).  These paddocks are then brought back into the rotation later in the season once the birds are done nesting.

This is an example of how the grazing broker process works. Participants attend our workshops to learn about their options and meet others with similar interests. As broker, I help guide the formation of partnerships, provide lease templates, facilitate negotiations, and provide mentoring and advice. In this case, David wanted to manage the cattle himself and I've helped him learn the nuts-and-bolts of managing a grazing system, setting up temporary fencing and the logistics of rotating the cattle.

I have begun working fully on our urban forestry project this summer and things are going well.  We have two cities (Lancaster and Darlington) that are interested in having their ash trees evaluated and one city (Viroqua) that wants to have an informative meeting about emerald ash borer for their residents.  This has been nice summer work for me - a break from the woods. We have been complimented by city officials and the Wisconsin DNR for initiating this project.  I want to take this opportunity to let you all know my appreciation for the competent and capable city officials I have worked with during this project. I am thankful for the multiple public work directors and other city employees who are talented, hard-working people that we are proud to work with in Wisconsin. 

Brian Graham is rejoining Southwest Badger staff to assist with the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) urban ash tree assessment project.  Brian last worked with us on a part-time basis on the Implementation of a Model EAB Infestation Management Response Plan project that focused on work and outreach to forest landowners.  Patrick will be responsible for making arrangements and agreements with different municipalities for the urban ash project and then Brian will assist in evaluating and assessing the ash trees.  This will help speed up the process and hopefully allow us to service more cities and villages.  Brian is a professional arborist who has years of experience climbing, pruning, and removing trees.  He assisted Patrick in developing an evaluation form that will be used for the project.  Welcome back Brian!

Wow, I cannot believe it is August already. Unfortunately with every new season come new discoveries of aquatic invasive species.

So far this summer I have completed sampling/monitoring for aquatic invasive species in half of the nine counties, and the news is not good.

Japanese Hops in Crawford County

In 2013 we had a few new discoveries of Japanese Hops, but in 2014 we discovered Japanese Hops in at least 3 more locations in Crawford County and 5 more in Lafayette County. This news has prompted the DNR to take a second look at strategies for dealing with Japanese Hops in the region. 

Phragmites also has major impacts as an invasive plant throughout the state.  Fortunately it is not widespread in the western part of the state, but a small population was discovered in Richland County.  Southwest Badger is currently working on a rapid response grant to deal with this new invasive to our region. 

Phragmites in Richland County

We are also making headway on educating water user groups. Currently there are three Clean Boats Clean Waters grants in the region to facilitate education and awareness of aquatic invasives at Yellowstone Lake, Governor Dodge (Cox Hollow Lake) and Blackhawk Lake. So far we have completed over 500 hours of watercraft inspections at the various lakes. That's a lot of individuals who have now heard how to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species. We are confident this work and commitment will eventually translate into reduced populations of aquatic invasive species. 

Our commitment to reducing aquatic invasives has also seen inroads on the Purple Loosestrife battlefield. Two teachers have been raising Purple Loosestrife beetles in their school classrooms and recently released them into the wild so they can do what they do best: Eat Purple Loosestrife!

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service is providing close to $3 million in technical and financial assistance for interested landowners to help improve the health of bees, which play an important role in crop production. The funding is a focused investment to improve pollinator health.

Because of this funding I worked with six clients who applied for Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) funding though the new Honey Bee Initiative program to improve honey bee health in Wisconsin and the Midwest. Of these six clients, three were funded. I evaluated their pastures, soils and resource needs; laid out paddocks; measured and mapped their watering needs, seeding, fencing, stream crossings, brush management and stocking rates on their pastures and fields; and wrote them managed rotational grazing plans.

Beekeepers in Wisconsin are losing unprecedented numbers of honey bee hives each year, Wisconsin honey bee pollination is estimated to support more than $15 billion worth of agricultural production, and more than 130 fruits and vegetables rely on bee pollination. Not only do bees pollinate the crops that produce our food supply, but they are an important part of the rural ecosystem.

Funding is provided through EQIP to promote conservation practices that will provide honey bees with nutritious pollen and nectar while providing benefits to the environment. Recent studies have shown that beekeepers are losing approximately 30 percent of their honey bee colonies each year, up from historical norms of ten to fifteen percent overwintering losses experienced prior to 2006.

NRCS is helping farmers and landowners implement conservation practices that will provide safe and diverse food sources for honey bees. For example, appropriate cover crops and pasture management can reduce erosion, increase the health of the soil, inhibit invasive species, and provide quality forage and habitat for honey bees and other pollinators, as well as habitat for other wildlife.

Midwestern states Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin were chosen because from June to September the region is the resting ground for over 65 percent of the commercially managed honey bees in the country. It is a critical time when bees require abundant and diverse forage across broad landscapes to build up hive strength for the winter.

You may have heard our bookkeeper, Beth Ballweg, is leaving Southwest Badger for a new position.  Beth has been a tremendous asset to Southwest Badger and will be greatly missed by all of us.

Here's more from Beth:

"Thank you everyone for all the help you have given me over the last few years.  I've had a wonderful time working with you.  I recently took an assistant position at the Platteville High School library.  I am really excited as I have always loved books and sharing what I've read.  I will be leaving Southwest Badger at the end of the week, but will keep in touch.  Thank you again!"

Although we are all sad to lose Beth, we are happy to announce that we have hired Danielle Hentrich as Southwest Badger's bookkeeper.  Please join us in welcoming Danielle!

Here is a brief introduction from Danielle:

"My name is Danielle Hentrich and I am from Lancaster, WI.  I graduated from Lancaster High School and I am currently attending UW - Platteville.  I am enrolled in my senior year majoring in Business Finance with an Accounting minor.  I just finished my summer internship at the Southwest Wisconsin Workforce Development Board working in the finance department as a financial assistant.  It was a great experience and was a very positive influence in furthering my college education.  I am very excited to take this position with Southwest Badger and learning more about the organization.  I feel this is a great opportunity to express my knowledge in finance and accounting and to be a part of this successful organization.  I plan to graduate in May 2015 with my bachelor's degree and intend to stay in the area.  In my free time I enjoy playing golf with my family and coaching gymnastics."   

Green Lands Blue Waters is teaming with the Agricultural Watershed Institute to bring you a conference on Continuous Living Cover farming to be held on: November 19-20, 2014, in Decatur, Illinois.

The preliminary program includes a workshop on perennial crops used for bioenergy and a session on Continuous Living Cover farming for watershed management. Look for details on these and other sessions, keynote speakers, and an evening of entertainment in the conference agenda that we will circulate in a few weeks. 

Questions about the event? Contact Steve John at the Agriculture Watershed Institute or Richard Warner at Green Lands Blue Waters.