Office Hours are a chance for you to connect with fellow regenerative ag experts, advocates, and practitioners and learn from their work and expertise. If you’re interested in hosting a session or have a suggested speaker, please reach out!
Past Office Hours: Regenerative Grazing with the Embarras Grazing Partnership
We co-hosted a series of free office hours about common regenerative grazing questions with the Embarras Grazing Partnership!
Session 1 | Managing animal energy levels year-round, with Dr. Nick Minton
Tuesday, December 6th | 11:00 AM CST
In this session, Dr. Nick Minton, Beef Systems Specialist at Purdue University, will discuss energy levels in livestock and grass during winter and how to manage your pasture for nutrition and economics.
Session 2 | Grazing cover crops and residue, with Jim Isermann and Greg Thoren
Tuesday, December 13th | 11:00 AM CST
In this session, Jim Isermann, grazier and Soil Health Specialist with the Illinois Sustainable Ag Partnership, and Greg Thoren, grazier, will discuss tips and benefits when grazing cover crops and residue.
Session 3 | Grazing with different cattle breeds
Tuesday, January 10th | 11:00 AM CST
Session 4 | Animal health considerations while regeneratively grazing
Tuesday, February 14th | 11:00 AM CST
In this session, Teresa Steckler, Beef Specialist with University of Illinois Extension will be joined by a farmer to discuss herd health and parasites when grazing.
Session 5 | Real life scenario workshop/case study; learn how to troubleshoot an issue
Tuesday, March 14th | 11:00 AM CST
Session 6 | Value chain development, rules & regulations, practical start-up information
Tuesday, April 11th | 11:00 AM CST
Past Office Hours: Community Organizing for Agricultural Climate Change Resilience
Session 5 | Organizing for Food & Climate Justice in Florida, with Erica Hall
Wednesday February 9, 2022 | 1 – 2 PM CT
We’re excited to hear from Erica Hall, Board Chair of the Florida Food Policy Council and longtime advocate for climate justice, social equity, and economic resilience. Erica will discuss the Florida Food Policy Council’s work in community organizing for climate change resilience and her experience in grassroots organizing, advocacy, and training initiatives in urban agriculture, food policy, neighborhood revitalization, community economic development, and more. Please join us!
Session 4 | Community Connectors & Community Landshare, with Antonio Alba Merez
Wednesday January 19, 2021 | 1 – 2 PM CT
Antonio Alba Merez is the Program Director for the Community Land Share, Community Connector, and Neighborhood Garden initiatives. These programs work to address food insecurity and land access are the priorities in Northfield, MN. The programs allow community members to rent a farm plot and grow nutritious and cultural foods for their own consumption or as enterprise development. Finally, Sharing Our Roots provides structure, support, training, and networking opportunities for Community Connectors to mobilize their neighborhoods and enact positive change within their communities. Antonio will be joined by Community Connector Lina Nyaronge for his presentation. Please join us!
Session 3 | Friends of the Mississippi River, with Trevor Russell
Wednesday December 8, 2021 | 1 – 2 PM CT
Trevor Russell and Erin Meier collaborate through the Mississippi River Restoration & Resilience Initiative (MRRRI). MRRI works to advance river-related policy and funding opportunities at the federal level by aiming to strengthen community resilience to climate change and reduce flood risk by restoring floodplains, riverine wetlands, delta and coastal wetlands, and backwaters. Trevor will provide an overview of MRRRI’s work to improve the river corridor’s ability to absorb pollution from excess rains and slow the flow of water by supporting farming and other practices that improve upstream soil health and water storage. Please join us by registering here!
Session 2 | Climate Land Leaders, with Teresa Opheim
Wednesday November 10, 2021 | 1 – 2 PM CT
Teresa serves as Project Director of Climate Land Leaders with Sharing Our Roots. The Climate Land Leaders program is dedicated to bringing landowners together to help tackle the climate crisis by establishing conservation goals for their land. Climate Land Leaders facilitates a peer-to-peer landowner network to increase plant and animal diversity on their land, keeping their soils covered and roots in the ground year around and planting trees and shrubs on cropland. Teresa will share how the program aims to restore prairie and savannas and wetlands by improving nutrient management on their crop ground and much more.
Session 1 | Monroe County Climate Change Task Force, with Bob Micheel
Wednesday October 13, 2021 | 1 – 2 PM CT
Bob Micheel, Monroe County Land Conservation Department Director, will share his work on the Climate Change Task Force with Monroe County in Wisconsin. After years of extreme weather events in the region and three consecutive years of devastating floods, Monroe County formed the Climate Change Task Force, the fourth such county-led effort in Wisconsin and the most rural. It is now a model for regional planning, assessment, and climate action. Bob will reflect on the challenges and successes of the last three years and share what is ahead for Monroe County and the Task Force.