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Boots on, gates open! Join us this summer for a workshop that will help your farm grow stronger from the ground up. If you haven’t reserved your spot yet for our Livestock Water Workshop or July’s Northeast Luminary Tour, now is the time.
✨ New this week: Registration is now OPEN for the 2025 Northeast Luminary Tour (July 12 - July 18)! These special events will feature on-the-ground insights from leaders in regenerative agriculture—Dale Strickler and Dr. Elizabeth Heilman—in the context of four different farms. See below for more details!
Don't forget—our hands-on June workshops are just around the corner:
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A practical workshop tailored for farmers, landowners, and ag professionals. Learn how to set up and maintain efficient water systems for your needs.
Location: Randolph Center, VT Cost: $20 (includes lunch) |
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New England Grazing Network's 2025 Northeast Luminary Tour | |
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Registration is now open for the New England Grazing Network's 2025 Northeast Luminary Tour!
Join NGBI on July 14, 2025 in Randolph, VT as we co-host a stop on the Luminary Tour! Take an insider's look at a farm in transition and gain practical insight into managing land and operations during a shift in practices.
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Featured Speakers -
Dr. Elizabeth Heilman: Co-founder of Regenerative Wisdom and ecology educator with over three decades of experience, focusing on soil health, water cycle restoration, and community-based regenerative practices.
Learn more about the speakers at Regenerative Wisdom.
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Tour Stops - July 12 Wolfe’s Neck Center, Freeport, ME
- July 14 Vermont State University farm, Randolph, VT
- July 15 Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT
- July 18 Hawthorne Valley Farm, Ghent, NY
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This tour is collaboratively organized by the New England Grazing Network with support from partners including Wolfe’s Neck Center for Agriculture and the Environment, Vermont Grass Farmers Association, UMaine Extension, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Northeast Grass-Fed Beef Initiative, Berkshire Agriculture Ventures, and the Northeast Pasture Consortium.
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The program is generously supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture under agreement NR243A750008C009 and The Cedar Tree Foundation. This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, through the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under subaward number ONE24-458-AWD00001359.
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NGBI's ongoing partnership with Vermont State University’s Center for Agriculture & Food Entrepreneurship aims to transform the VTSU farm from a conventional dairy into a grass-fed beef operation.
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In the pasture at the VTSU farm, Ridge helps conduct penetrometer assessments to test soil compaction. |
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Soil and pasture assessments took place at the VTSU farm last month! The results will reveal
information about the health of the soil, forage, and ecosystems. We'll compare these results to last year's results to see what indicators of soil and pasture health have changed after a year.
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New York: American Farmland Trust has launched the New York Farmland Access Fund, using its innovative Buy–Protect–Sell + (BPS +) model to acquire farmland, place conservation easements, and then resell it affordably to beginning and underserved farmers while providing ongoing technical assistance. This initiative not only helps bridge the generational transfer of farmland in a state where nearly one-third of farmers are 65 and older, but also promotes regenerative practices and long-term farm stewardship. |
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"Bale grazing . . . requires less labor to feed hay during the winter. Moreover, bale grazing delivers nutrients and organic matter to the pasture in the form of hay and manure." - Hay & Forage Grower
Click to read: Study Confirms Bale Grazing Benefits | |
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Grass-Fed Beef for a Post-Pandemic World by Ridge Shinn and Lynne Pledger is now on Audible! |
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Let’s keep growing knowledge and community together. We hope to see you in the field soon!
Warmly,
Ridge & Team NGBI
Northeast Grass-Fed Beef Initiative
P.S. Haven’t met Sara Riegler, our new Program & Development Manager? You’ll have a chance at one of our summer events—come say hello!
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We partner with farmers to support transitions to regenerative, cattle-based systems that help restore ecosystem health and revitalize rural economies. |
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