Farmers are welcome Wednesday, July 16, to tour Mill Creek Dairy near Kimball for a forage field day and dairy tour.

The dairy is owned and operated by the Tom & Donna, and Ed Gregory families. The event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

In the morning, forage will be the focus. Visitors will learn how this farm grows, harvests, stores and feeds high quality forages for their 600-cow dairy. The main forages grown on the farm include alfalfa and corn silage. Many of the principles they follow are useful on all farm, regardless of size.

Come For A Forage/Dairy Tour Near Kimball July 16

The Gregory's have worked some with double crops and cover crops to increase forage production, to make use of resources and to care for the land. Two fields were planted to winter wheat last fall, harvested for forage late in the spring and planted to alfalfa. The Gregory's and agronomy advisors will comment on varieties and production practices that they see working well on this farm.

Small plots of forage sorghum, sorghum sudan grass, foxtail millet, forage oats and a couple other crops were planted on June 30 as a demonstration plot for late planted forages. Corn was planted on this field a week earlier and is coming up nicely. 

A lunch will be served around noon, sponsored by Harvest Bank of Kimball with dairy products provided by Dairy Farmers of America.

A walking dairy tour takes place after lunch those who would like a chance to see the dairy. The dairy features automatic calf feeders, free stall housing, effective manure storage and management, and a manure separator that allows them to use recycled bedding solids.

Mill Creek Dairy is located at 18373 121st Avenue, Kimball. This is south from Rockville on County Road 8 and west on 148. It is north of Kimball on MN 15 and west on County 8 and 148. Watch for signs.

The event is a cooperative effort of the Central Minnesota Forage Council, Midwest Forage Association, University of Minnesota Extension, Central Minnesota Dairy Profit Team, Harvest Bank, and businesses that provide products and services at Mill Creek Dairy.

For more information, call the Benton County Extension at 320-968-5077 or Stearns Co. Extension at 320-255-6169.

Pre-registration helps workers to make appropriate plans.

For livestock health care reasons, please wear clothes that have been freshly laundered.