Virginia Forage and Grassland Council Farmer Mentor Program
Farmers teaching Farmers
Learning for most farmers is most successfully achieved by doing things hands on and with a more experienced counterpart. This is exactly the philosophy that the Virginia Forage and Grassland Council takes for implementing their Farmer-to-Farmer Mentor Program. We pair experienced grazers with new or beginner grazers to help show them the ropes when it comes to successfully implementing prescribed grazing practices and techniques on their farms. Throughout the course of a growing season mentor and mentee farmers visit each other’s farms, deep dive into mentee farmer goals and attend VFGC Pasture Walks or conferences together. Successfully implementing prescribed grazing means having the right infrastructure to accomplish these practices and our mentors also work with their mentees to connect them with conservation agents that can help establish fence and water systems. While a lot of farmers have learned through trial and error over the course of many years, we hope the VFGC Farmer Mentor Program will launch our mentees onto a path towards better land and animal stewardship, soil health and sustainable economic practices with confidence while cultivating new and lasting friendships.
