Site Background
About the Location
Rose Prairie, BC partnered with Perimeter Forest Limited is located on a level landscape bordered by forested areas.
About the Farm
The Peace River Forage Association of BC (PRFA) was formed in 1992 and has contributed to the forage and livestock industry sector for over 30 years. The main objectives of our association are to promote, encourage, develop and protect the forage industry, to maximize information transfer and to increase forage knowledge, to develop forage opportunities & appropriate methodologies to apply knowledge effectively, to encourage maximum profit & environmental sustainability, and to represent forage producers of the Peace River region in issues important to them. In 1999 the PRFA was presented with the Environmental Stewardship Award following 20 projects undertaken by the association in support of the forage and livestock industry. Over time, the PRFA has published over 100 forage factsheets, hosted numerous field tours, workshops and online events, always striving to foster knowledge and sustainability for all members, and forage producers in the Peace region and beyond.
Learning about Rotational Grazing
They learned about rotational grazing through a cover crop and forage rejuvenation demonstration site. While this specific location focuses on enhancing forage quality and implementing cover crops, it serves as a valuable resource for understanding sustainable grazing practices.
Acknowledgement
Rose Prairie would like to acknowledge the Peace Region Living Lab, Peace River Forage Association and CFGA-OFCAF.
Agronomic Details
The Rose Prairie demonstration site was seeded in spring 2023.
Site was terminated (from old forage stand) in fall 2022.
Project Overview
The project was chosen to compare a traditional perennial forage break and re-seeding method with the inclusion of a cover crop mix prior to re-seeding the perennial forage stand. This approach aims to evaluate the effectiveness of each method in enhancing soil health and forage quality. The project, undertaken at Rose Prairie Ranch in the North Peace of British Columbia, was supported by the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association and their On-Farm Climate Action Fund. Funding covered costs associated with forage and cover crop seed, allowing for a comprehensive examination of the existing pasture, which was severely degraded upon acquisition in 2022.
Perimeter Forest is dedicated to optimizing the goods and services produced from their land, balancing traditional agricultural production, such as livestock and forage, with environmental services like carbon storage, water quality protection, and the enhancement of biodiversity. The project is set to span four years, concluding in March 2027, and will involve side-by-side comparisons of traditional re-seeding with a nurse crop of oats against an alternative approach using annual cover-crop cocktails. In 2023, the crops were baled and exported, while future plans include winter bale grazing on both sites, allowing Perimeter Forest to assess the economic and environmental performance of each method over time.
Long Term Goals
Successful pasture rejuvenation while increasing soil carbon.
What Happened
What Happened this Year at the Rose Prarie Demonstration Site
Soil tests were conducted at the start of the season, but the results are not yet available as they are still being processed for soil carbon analysis. In reflecting on the project, it was noted that better communication among all involved parties would improve future efforts. Despite the challenges posed by very dry conditions that hindered ideal establishment on the plots, the team managed to attempt establishment during the dry season. However, hiring a contract seeder introduced additional communication challenges that need to be addressed in future projects.
Funding for this project [in part] has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions – On-Farm Climate Action Fund.