Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center offers Silvopasture Field Day

ATHENS, GA, May 31, 2006--James E. Tillman, Sr., State Conservationist for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia today announced a Silvopasture Field Day, to be held on Thursday, June 15 at the Mack Evans farm in Jakin, near Bleckley, GA in Early County.

   Silvopasture, the practice of intentionally combining the production of trees and/or shrubs, forage crops, and livestock through intensive management, works to simultaneously produce forest products, high quality forage, and livestock on the same land area.

   One of the major benefits of silvopasture is that many cool and warm season grasses and legumes yield high levels of quality forage when grown under as much as 50 percent shade. This concept is being applied to design integrated timber/grazing systems in conifer stands, especially loblolly pine in the Southeast.

   Mack Evans, an Early County small farmer and host farm site for the fi eld day, bought his first herd of cattle in 2003 and noticed his trees growing faster since he adopted silvopasture. He received cost-share funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) to help plant pasture grass.

   “After doing some research, I found that farmers can make more money out of saw timber,” Evans said. “I would go on the web at night. I found silvopasture on a USDA web site.”

   Donald Surrency, NRCS plant materials specialist, says this event will provide on-site information to participants. “Farmers often don’t have the time or know where to go for resources to implement new practices,” said Surrency. “Touring the Mack Evans farm may give other farmers just the motivation that they need to adopt practices like silvopasture.”

   In 2005, Evans visited the Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center in Americus to obtain information on native warm season grasses. Later, he decided to plant ‘Iuka’ eastern gamagrass and a mixed native grass which included big bluestem, Americus indiangrass, alamo switchgrass and little bluestem. It is ready for grazing this year.

   The field day will begin at 10:00 a.m. and highlight topics such as planting methods, forest stewardship, silvopasture concepts and the importance of native grasses. “We continue to make it a priority to share good practices, such as silvopasture with farmers and the broader agricultural community,” said James E. Tillman, Sr., State Conservationist for Georgia NRCS. “This fi eld day is a great knowledge sharing opportunity.” The Silvopasture Field Day is sponsored by the USDA-NRCS Jimmy Carter Plant Materials Center, Auburn University, Fort Valley State University, Alabama A&M University, USDA National Agroforestry Center, USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, Georgia Forestry Commission and the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District.

   For more information about the Silvopasture Field Day, including registration and directions to the Mack Evans farm, please contact the Donald Surrency, Plant Material Specialist at (706) 595-1339, Ext. 109 or email at don.surrency@ga.usda.gov.