Learn All About Grazing at White Oak Pastures' Rotational Grazing Workshop

In the White Oak Pastures circle of life, what goes around comes around. The grass is greener at Will Harris’ Bluffton, Georgia farm because rotational grazing nourishes the grass-fed cattle and lamb and pastured poultry, hogs and rabbits while returning a steady flow of rich nutrients to the soil. No chemicals needed. Harris discusses how he uses rotational grazing to sustain his land and animals at a Rotational Grazing Workshop on Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Discussions will cover grass types, fencing, water considerations, species symbiosis, haylage and other store feeds, guardian animals and even marketing. A quick romp through the farm’s history shows the value of rotational grazing. Captain James Edward Harris founded White Oak Pastures in 1866, raising livestock and poultry to feed his family and workers. After World War II, industrial farming became standard practice as Will Bell Harris raised calves for centralized slaughter miles away. In 1995, Will Harris consciously decided to jump off that treadmill and plow forward, transforming his family’s five-generation-held farm into Georgia’s largest USDA certified organic farm, where animals roam from birth until they are slaughtered in on-property, zero-waste red and white meat abattoirs. Harris continues to renew White Oak Pastures through sustainable land practices, stewardship and humane animal stockmanship. White Oak Pastures is the only farm in the United States that pasture-raises and hand-butchers 10 red meat and poultry species along with producing pastured eggs and certified-organic vegetables. Workshop fee is $100 per person and includes lunch in the Pavilion. Class size limited to 25 people. Reservations are required; call 229-641-2081 or book online.