We are people working together to maintain and improve the Management, Productivity, and Health of the nation's privately-owned grazing land.

Pennsylvania Grazing/Forage Lands Conservation Coalition, also doing business as (dba) Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI) in Pennsylvania.  This is a non-profit organization of citizen groups in Pennsylvania interested in addressing resource conservation and environmental concerns on private grazing/forage lands.

The purpose of this non-profit organization is to address the needs of private grazing/forage lands in Pennsylvania by:

1)  Educating the public through the dissemination of scientific knowledge on the conservation and management of grazing/forage lands in Pennsylvania; and

2)  Promoting voluntary action and respect of private property rights; and

3)  Strengthening partnerships between grazing/forage lands managers and others who support the coalition; and

4)  Encouraging voluntary diversification to achieve multiple natural resource benefits; and

5)  Increasing economic environmental and social stability on private grazing/forage lands; and

6)  Closing the gap between availability of knowledge and applicaiton of said knowledge on private grazing/forage lands; and

7)  Enhancing the private landowners ability to achieve greater profitability on an ecologically sound and sustainable basis.

At a recent conference, there was a workshop given on various aspects of outwintering cattle.  One very good idea that was shared was on how to minimize mud as winter comes to an end and warm temperatures begin to thaw the frozen ground.  This idea was to spread a heavy layer of bedding, such as straw or old mulch hay, on an area that is shaded by a building, woods, or hedgerow before warm weather arrives.  The bedding will help to insulate the gorund from thawing too quickly, as will the shade.  When other paddocks or areas become too muddy to deal with, you can put the animals in the shaded and bedded areas until the other areas are a bit drier.  This will also help to minimize plugging of your paddocks and reduce the need to re-seed or otherwise need to fix any damage.

Tip courtesy of:  Karen Hoffman, - Norwich, NY                                                               GLCI Grazette - March 2010