Field Day at Paicines Ranch Mimicking Nature

Integrating Livestock into Cropping Systems

With Gabe Brown, Ray Archuleta and David Johnson

We are excited to host a field day on our historic Paicines Ranch, which encompasses 7,600 acres of rangeland, vineyards and row crops on Tues. January 23, 2018. Participants will have the opportunity to see regenerative practices on farm and learn about the overarching frameworks and core principles from top leaders in the field.

We will starts with an introductory overview of the new regenerative agriculture movement, followed by presentations about the underlying science on soil health and whole system thinking. We’ll demonstrate how to put these principles into practice –including the production of specialty compost and the use of high-species- diversity cover crops, and holistic planned grazing to improve farm productivity, soil function and carbon carrying capacity.

Walking the fields and vineyards at Paicines Ranch, participants will be able to see examples of livestock integrated into annual as well as perennial cropping systems, and learn about Point Blue’s Rangeland Monitoring Network and newly developed cropland monitoring project – ongoing studies that monitor how management decisions influence the ecology of rangelands and cropping practices in California.

We’ll end with the interactive installation A Taste of Place, an actual soil tasting and catalyst for reflection on the day’s lessons instigated by artist Laura Parker. Presenters include: Tim LaSalle, former CEU of the Rodale Institute; Gabe Brown, Brown’s Ranch, ND; Ray Archuleta, NRCD; David Johnson, New Mexico State University; Chelsea Carey, Point Blue Senior Soil Ecologist; Mel Preston, Point Blue Rangeland Field Ecologist; Kelly Mulville, Paicines Ranch Manager.

For more information:  https://eco-farm.org/conference/2018/register-now