INTRODUCING THE STAFF AT TOWN AND COUNTRY RC&D

Peter Pitts, our Grazing Specialist;
Beth Gehred, Issue Team Coordinator; and
Craig Ficenec, RC&D Coordinator

Craig Ficenec is the Natural Resources Conservation Service Coordinator for Town and Country RC&D, Craig is a native of Omaha, Nebraska with conservation experience in the Midwest, the West Coast, and Latin America. Craig received a degree in engineering at Iowa State University. He then served with the Peace Corps as a water supply engineer in Honduras. He came to Wisconsin to earn a Masters degree in Land Resources at UW-Madison, including a thesis study of watershed management in Peru. Craig then joined the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service as an agricultural engineer in California. Most recently, Craig was Conservation Program Manager at the Agriculture and Land-based Training Association (ALBA), a non-profit organic farm education and business incubator program in Salinas, California.

Peter G. Pitts, our grazing technician, has over twenty years’ experience as a farmer and grazer. Peter has a degree in Agricultural Economics and Animal Science from Western Illinois University. He has been a forage specialist doing USAID Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer work internationally for the past 9 years. He has traveled to Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia on more than 20 assignments assisting former Soviet dairy farmers in increasing forage yields. His last assignment took him to the Republic of Georgia. He was there assisting farmers when the Russians attacked and had to be evacuated.

Beth Gehred is our part-time Vision and Issue Team Liaison. Beth co-founded the non-profit citizen grassroots organizations Heart of the City and Sustain Jefferson. These two organizations introduced The Natural Step framework for sustainable development to Jefferson County. Beth is committed to increasing the impact TCRCD’s Issue Teams have on restoring the environment while building social and economic capital. Anyone interested in joining Town & Country’s Sustainability, Agriculture, or Water Issue Teams is encouraged to call Beth.

Peter, and Beth can be reached at the Jefferson office
134 West Rockwell Street, Jefferson, WI 53549, or by phone at 920-541-3208.

Craig's phone number is (920) 674-2020 ext 113, or (920) 960-8818

Town and Country RC&D expands livestock grazing program:

 

Meet Kirsten Jurcek, Grazing Education Specialist

Raising livestock on grass is a business that meets the ‘triple bottle line’ of economic, social, and environmental benefits. Grazing offers a profitable, low capital business model that opens new opportunities for livestock producers. Grass-fed meats and dairy provide health benefits for consumers. And green pastures benefit our soil, our climate, and our water resources. Town and Country Resource Conservation and Development, Inc, supports grass-based livestock enterprises through our grazing assistance program, and we’re pleased to introduce our newest team member: grazing education specialist Kirsten Jurcek.

Kirsten’s passions in life are clean water, healthy food, and family farm preservation. She manages a 100% grass-fed cow/calf beef operation near Palmyra and markets her products locally. Also an experienced hydrogeologist, she can articulate the linkage between permanent pasture and clean lakes and streams. Kirsten will direct outreach and education for producers and consumers, promoting the economic, environmental, and human health benefits of grass-fed meats and dairy. The Town and Country RC&D area covers 13 southeastern Wisconsin counties, including nearly all of the Rock River basin.

Kirsten joins Peter G. Pitts, Town and Country’s grazing technical specialist, who provides individual production assistance to grass-based livestock producers throughout our region. To talk with Peter or Kirsten, just call 920-541-3208 or stop by the USDA service center in Jefferson. We also invite anyone involved in production, processing, or marketing to be part of our informal grazing advisory group, which will be meeting in late July to discuss strategies for advancing our grazing program in the coming months.

The Many Benefits to Local Grass Fed Beef

Eating local foods supports the local economy, is likely to reduce food safety risks, and reduces fossil fuel consumption.

Human Health. Grass fed beef products are higher in beta carotene, conjugated linoleic (CLA), and Omega-3 fatty acids (important in reducing cholesterol, diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure). They are also lower in fat, cholesterol and calories. In addition, the risk of infection by E. coli in grass fed beef products is virtually eliminated.

Animal Health. Grass fed beef animals are healthier as they are raised on their mothers’ milk and pastures – eating the food they evolved to eat.

Environmental Health. Grass-fed beef is an environmentally friendly product requiring less fuel, fertilizer, and water input to produce the animal. Pastures sequester carbon, prevent soil erosion, and soak up more rainfall to reduce overland flow. These pastures also provide habitat and food sources for native pollinators.