Optimist Club Welcomes Bert Paris

November 6, Bert Paris, of the Bert and Trish Paris Farm near Belleville, spoke to the Sauk Prairie Optimist Club about managed grazing.  Their managed grazing operation started 27 years ago and in a few weeks one of their children, Meagan, will be taking over the operation of the farm.  Their livestock is moved from paddock to paddock every 12 hours.  They have a seasonal dairy herd which needs two months to dry so they don't milk in January and February and the cows calve in March.  They have 80 cows and milk that number in about an hour in their milking parlor.  Some of the advantages of managed grazing are erosion control, the farmer always has cover on the soil, and the vet bill for them yearly is less than $500 a year for 80 cows.  Bert is a former agriculture teacher. 

The Sauk Prairie Optimist Club meets every Wednesday, the first Wednesday at noon at the Blue Spoon Café and the remaining Wednesdays at 7 a.m. at the Blue Spoon Café.  Everyone Welcome!