Workshop at Prophetstown to cover horse feed management
June 25, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Farmers and horse owners interested in building their horses' feed programs around hay and other forages can learn about good forage and feed management practices at the Purdue Extension Hay Day at Prophetstown Farm.
The workshop will be July 28 from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the farm at 3549 Prophetstown Trail in Battle Ground, near West Lafayette.
Morning and afternoon sessions will be set up as stations that participants can attend according to their needs and interests, with session topics including soil assessment, seeding and harvesting methods and equipment, nutritional analysis of hay, and basing a feeding program on quality forage. Session speakers will include Keith Johnson, Purdue Extension forage specialist, and Mark Russell, Purdue Extension equine specialist.
There will be a teaching session during the lunch hour. In the afternoon, participants will have the chance to drive different types of horse-drawn haymaking equipment.
"We want people who use hay, want hay, sell hay, make hay," said Dris Abraham, chief operating officer of Historic Prophetstown and owner of RX Acres Belgians. "Hay is critical for the small farmer with the grain market the way it is, and we want to help the small farmer to increase his forage and diversify - not just horse owners, either, but small cattle farmers, owners of 4-H animals, anyone who uses hay."
Abraham said farmers can save money by learning better processes for growing or buying hay.
"By learning about the way we do our hay and the processes we use, they will be able to continue farming and raising their animals in this rough economy", he said. "We can't lose the farmer - we can't lose the horse owner. We've got to help people get back on their feet."
Participants can download the workshop registration form from the Prophetstown website at http://www.prophetstown.org/registration%20form.pdf. The fee for attending the workshop is $40 and includes lunch.
For more information, contact Abraham at agmanager@prophetstown.org or Melissa Brown at 765-479-0367.
Writer: Jessica Merzdorf, 765-494-8402, jmerzdor@purdue.edu
Sources: Keith Johnson, 765-494-4800, johnsonk@purdue.edu
Dris Abraham, 765-479-0369, agmanager@prophetstown.org
Ag Communications: (765) 494-2722;
Keith Robinson, robins89@purdue.edu
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