Adaptive grazing management, breeding, and diverse pasture expert, South Ayrshire
Consultant Bio
Qualifications and experience
Heather and her father run a Pasture for Life certified beef suckler herd of around 100 animals; a mixture of modern and native Aberdeen Angus along with a few Traditional-type Herefords. All animals are outwintered.
Heather's background
She completed a 3LM Holistic Management (HM) Comprehensive Course (2019), which included modules in: holistic management fundamentals, holistic ecological monitoring and land planning, holistic planned grazing and holistic financial planning.
Image thanks to consultant Heather Close
Heather undertook Holistic Management Training in 2020 and was part of the Soil Association Mob-Grazing Field lab. She has also taken Jaime Elizando’s course and spoken at a number of webinars and in-person events, including GO Falkland and the first ‘Farming for the Future’ conference in Newton Stewart.
Using adaptive grazing management, breeding, and diverse pasture, Heather has improved the winter carrying capacity of the farmland (kg carried per Ha) which is often a limiting factor in profitability especially in wetter areas, and further increased the number of cows as the average cow size has reduced by 100kg. This focus on kg produced per Ha vs kg produced per animal has improved the farm’s overall profitability.
They are partnered with the Nectar Network (Scottish Wildlife Trust) and have collaborated to develop an Ayrshire Wildflower Grazing mix which encourages a wider range of pollinators whilst being appreciated by the cows, and great for the soil.
Grazing website: www.grazinggeek.com
Grazing Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grazinggeek/
Farm website: www.balsarglen.com
Farm instagram: https://www.instagram.com/balsar_glen/
Expertise
Environmental Monitoring
From holistic management to Soilmentor. Heather would recommend looking at soil structure and carrying out water infiltration tests. Plus taking photos at the start of the grazing journey and updating these every 2-3 years.
Breeding
Heather is interested in breeding and selection for the animal that suits your system. If farmers are moving from grain supplementation and housing towards a more pasture-based system, then learning to identify those animals that are more likely to do well in the new system would be beneficial.
Direct Sales
Heather has experience in website development, marketing and direct sales. She runs the website and socials for the farm at www.balsarglen.com and on Instagram @balsar_glen. She is also in the process setting up a grazing specific website.
