We seek to provide this by working with farmers and other partners to provide research, information (including our Pasture Calendar), educational opportunities (including grazing workshops and the Vermont Grazing & Livestock Conference ), and technical support.
Woodchip heavy-use areas (aka 'woodchip pads') are an improved type of livestock holding area that uses large, screened woodchips as a surface material instead of concrete. These could be an excellent solution for small-scale livestock producers in northern New England wanting to protect pastures during sensitive times of the year, while also reducing environmental impact to water quality. They are less expensive and offer increased animal comfort compared to concrete.
As our colleagues at Vermont's Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets say on their :
More than 1.2 million acres of Vermont land is devoted to farming, and agriculture is one of our most important industries. As a whole, agriculture preserves open land, provides us healthy local foods, and is an essential part of Vermont's identity.
The (EFSNE) project is a USDA-funded Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) exploration of determine whether greater reliance on regionally produced food could improve food access in low-income communities, while also benefiting farmers, food supply chain firms and others in the food system.Ìý As an integrated project, it includes research, outreach and education.
Compacted soils limit harvest yields, and cause conservation concerns. Compaction often results in poor drainage, increased runoff, reduced soil aeration, and decreased root penetration and subsequent plant-access to available soil moisture. The compaction problem is common on many farms, especially in cool, humid regions of the country with a relatively short growing season (like the Northeastern U.S.).
Farmers’ management practices have a direct effect on soil and water conservation.Ìý Keeping soils well covered at all times (no matter what you are growing) is a sustainable and desirable practice also in well-managed pastures.
Drinkable, swimmable and fishable water are attributes we would like to take for granted in the natural world.Ìý However, as we now know all too well, human activities like agriculture have changed that assumption.
And while farming practices are certainly at least partly to blame for some water quality issues in Vermont and other places, they also have the opportunity to present important solutions.Ìý In particular, livestock farms can help.Ìý Pastures should be managed in a way that always keeps soil organic matter in mind.Ìý
