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Pasture Exchange Program 

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Why Have a Pasture Exchange Program?

For farmers, leasing their land is a way to earn some income back for the land they own. For renters, it's a safe, BIG step toward the farm life without the commitment of owning land. With the average farmer age being 60, this program also offers younger people a way to connect with people in the community who have been farming most, if not all, of their life. In doing so, we can encourage the next generation of people to continue to run family farms. Pasture exchanges are often done in a word-of-mouth fashion, but that can be difficult for new farmers to get involved with the community. So, we have created a digital platform to connect people. 

Another important aspect of the program is its emergency prepardeness. In our current climate crisis, it is inevitable that we will endure forest fires and drought. Having access to different contacts in the community is a great way to protect your livestock in the event that your land becomes victim to drought and/or fires, and your animals are in need of emergency relocation. 

Good v.s Bad Pasture Management

Ensuring a healthy pasture can feel daunting, but following a good routine can help minimize the risk of a bad pasture. For more information on how to improve pasture sites, read the sources below. 

Five Steps to Good Pasture Mngt..pdfPasture Renovation Guide Sheet-NRCS.pdf

Here is a quick difference between good and bad pasture management: 

Good Pasture ManagementBad Pasture Management
Sacrifice area set up animals Animals graze throughout the year
Several smaller, lush pastures and few, if any, weedsSingle, large pasture with weeds
Animals fenced away from streams, ditches or other waterbodiesAnimals have access to streams, ditches or other waterbodies eroding banks
Few, if any, areas of bare soil exposedLarge areas of bare ground
Native grasses on the pasture (Central Oregon pasture mix)Invasive grasses on the pasture

Getting Started

An essential part of healthy renter and owner relationships is having an agreement form. AG Lease 101 is a great resource for easy-to-use forms that owners and renters can fill out. By having agreements in place, you can prevent any miscommunication about the expectations of the relationship. 

Pasture Lease.pdfPasture_Worksheets_and_Examples.xlsxPasture Rental Agreements for Your Farm.pdf
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Image of Knuckles by Scott Duggan, OSU Extension Livestock Field Faculty.
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Photo by Scott Duggan, OSU Extension Livestock Field Faculty.

 

 

May contain: nature, grassland, field, outdoors, farm, countryside, rural, meadow, pasture, and ranch
Photo by Scott Duggan, OSU Extension Livestock Field Faculty.