2025 Conservation Camp Webinar #2 Recording: Caring for Your Pastures

This year's series of Conservation Camp webinars focuses on NEXT STEPS. You are committed to conservation, but what do you do next? In this webinar we explored best practices for planning and maintaining pastureland for managed grazing.

WiWiC Host: Alanna Koshollek, Renewing the Countryside, WiWiC West Central and South West Region Coordinator

Presenters:

Rachel Bouressa, Bouressa Family Farm, Wisconsin Natural Resources Board

Carrie Stevens of May Hill Farm

Rachel is a 5th generation farmer in Waupaca County, and a 2nd generation grazier. Her parents were some of the early adopters, and she attended her first GrassWorks Grazing Conference as a kid. She then went on to UW-Madison and received degrees in Agronomy/Soils and worked in the Agroecology Masters program. In 2014 after a barn fire, Rachel left the university and returned to the farm. She currently practices management intensive rotational grazing with her herd of about 90 head of British White Park cattle on about 120 acres of her family’s land. She regularly engages with the community and hosts farm tours, as well as campers through HipCamp, and many events.

Rachel works part-time as the Project Coordinator for the G-Team, a educational network for agency and other professionals working to improve and advance grazing in Wisconsin. She is also the at-large director on the state Wisconsin Farmers Union board, a mentor farmer and conservation plan-writer for the Wisconsin Women in Conservation, a member of the local Farmers Union and Farm Bureau chapters, a FFA Alumni member and a supporter. She also participates and engages with numerous other working groups regarding water quality and regenerative/sustainable agriculture, and serves as the Agricultural representative on the state's Natural Resources Board. Bouressa Family farm became a participating farmer in the Upper-Fox Wolf Demonstration Farm Network just this year as well.

Rachel's new farm motto is that "I want to demonstrate and promote how we can have productive agriculture while also prioritizing and protecting our natural resources, in tandem and with respect."

Here are the resources shared on the webinar:

☘️Learn more about Bouressa Family Farm   / bouressafamilyfarm  

🐮Learn more about May Hill Farm   / mayhillfarmwi  

💧Wisconsin Association of Resource Conservation & Development (RC& D) Find the council in your area: https://www.wisconsinrcd.com/  Glacier Lands (serves Eastern Wisconsin): https://www.glacierlandrcd.org/  Golden Sands (serves Central Wisconsin): https://www.goldensandsrcd.org/  River Country (serves Northwest Wisconsin): https://www.rivercountryrcd.org/ 

💙 You can learn more about EQIP program mentioned by connecting with your local NRCS agent. Reach out to WiWiC at info@wiwic.org or find your NRCS Office: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/fin... 

🌾Visit Web Soil Survey here: https://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

🐮 Link to 528 Grazing Plan https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/resources/g...

👏 Learn more about Grasslands, their partners and learning opportunities: https://grassworks.org/

🌟Grazing specialists via Grassworks: https://grassworks.org/resources/graz...

Our next webinar is THURSDAY and it's all about the hot topics of Perennial Crops and Agroforestry. Learn all about these cutting-edge practices for building soil health and combating climate warming. RSVP for FREE to get the link!