Event Registration

Event Details:

By ranchers, for ranchers

McGinn Ranch, Anselmo, NE | July 28–30, 2026. Three days, three themes: forage, livestock, and strategy. Each day builds on the last, moving from field work and hands-on tools to a grazing plan you can take home and use.

Day 1 — Tuesday, July 28

Forage & Supply:  "What's my forage inventory, and how do I track it?"

• 8:30 a.m. – Check-in and coffee at the ranch
• 9 a.m. – Welcome, introductions, and an opening ranch scenario to get you thinking
• 9:45 a.m. – McGinn Ranch history, from Matt McGinn
• 10:30 a.m. – Field session: plant lineup – plant identification, use, value, and seasonality. Work in the field, option to bring your own plants to identify and discuss with technical instructors
• 12:15 p.m. – Lunch with your small group
• 1:45 p.m. – Field session: forage inventory tools – grazing stick, clip & weigh, and the cow square method
• 4:15 p.m. – Rancher-lead panel: what changed when we started treating grass as inventory
• 6 p.m. – Dinner and drinks at the ranch, open Q&A to close the day

Day 2 — Wednesday, July 29

Livestock & Demand: "Am I controlling demand, or reacting to it?"

• 7 a.m. – Coffee and light breakfast at the ranch
• 7:30 a.m. – Recap and questions from Day 1
• 8 a.m. – Grazier's Math, Part I: calculating forage supply and paddock size
• 10 a.m. – Rancher-lead panel: using grazier's math for drought planning and regrazing decisions
• 11:15 a.m. – Field session: livestock observation and pasture allocation
• 1 p.m. – Lunch with your small group
• 2:15 p.m. – Grazier's Math, Part II: seasonal demand, carrying capacity, and stocking rate
• 3:45 p.m. – Ranch scenario: planning through a drought
• 4:15 p.m. – Rancher-lead panel: matching livestock demand to what your ranch can supply
• 6 p.m. – No-host supper (optional) at Kinkaiders in Broken Bow. 

Day 3 — Thursday, July 30

Strategy: "How do I build a system that moves toward my goals?"

• 7 a.m. – Coffee and breakfast, head to the ranch
• 7:45 a.m. – Back to the grazing unit: checking utilization and what you'd change
• 9 a.m. – Photo point monitoring for tracking long-term progress
• 9:45 a.m. – Ranch scenario: building water and fencing infrastructure to support your grazing plan
• 10:15 a.m. – Rancher-lead panel: water and fencing investments that paid off
• 11:15 a.m. – Grazing chart demonstration
• 12 p.m. – Introduction to the Grazing School Follow-Through mentor program
• 12:15 p.m. – Rancher-lead panel: starting with your ranch's "why"
• 1:00 p.m. – Boxed lunch and final reflections, continued Q&A
• 1:30 p.m. – Closing remarks and drawing for grazing charts
• 2 p.m. – Optional: meet with your Follow-Through mentor