Rock Dell Forage Farms, Stewartville, MN — June 9, 2026

On Tuesday, the Minnesota Grazing Lands Conservation Association and Audubon Upper Mississippi River hosted Feathers on the Farm, a grazing field day at John Meyer's beautiful Rock Dell Forage Farms near Stewartville. The crowd of 76 attendees was a mix of bird watchers and farmers, and by the end of the day it was hard to tell who was who — which was exactly the point.

A Morning Built for Discovery

The day opened with registration, coffee, and conversation, followed by a warm welcome from MNGLCA's Leah Matzke and Audubon's Sarah Hewitt, who set the stage with an overview of Audubon's Conservation Ranching work and why well-managed grazing lands are some of the best grassland bird habitat left on the landscape.

Then came the highlight for many: a guided birding walk and pasture tour led by Audubon's Krysten Zummo alongside our host, John Meyer. As the group moved through the paddocks, the following prairie birds were seen or heard:

• Dickcissel
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Bobolink
• Savannah Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• and more!

For some of the farmers in attendance, it was the first time they'd put names to the songs they hear every day. For some of the birders, it was the first time they'd stood in a working pasture and understood it as habitat — not in spite of the cattle, but because of them.

John shared his passion for adaptive grazing and how the same management decisions that build healthy soil and productive forage also create the varied grassland structure that birds like Bobolinks and meadowlarks need to nest and thrive. Watching birders and farmers walking side by side across his farm, asking each other questions and pointing out birds together, was one of the most uplifting sights of the season.

When Birders Showed Up for a Farmer

During the welcome, Leah Matzke shared a personal story that captured the spirit of the day. Early in her farming journey, a beautiful owl took up residence on her farm — and bird watchers excitedly came out to photograph it and see the birds her land was supporting. That community of birders, she said, was the first group that made her feel truly supported as a farmer and affirmed that the work she was doing on the land mattered. Feathers on the Farm felt like that story playing out on a bigger stage.

Pollinators, Pheasants, and Big Questions

After the morning walk, Krysten and Sarah led a bird survey recap and discussion, connecting what the group saw and heard to the bigger picture of grassland bird conservation. Karin Jokela of the Xerces Society followed with a session on native forage and pollinators, reminding us that the benefits of diverse, well-managed grazing lands extend well beyond birds — to bees, butterflies, and the whole web of life in a pasture.

Over lunch, the networking was as lively as the morning birdsong. Then Brady Blasher of Pheasants Forever dug into grazing lands and wildlife habitat, and the day wrapped up with a Q&A and group discussion that could easily have gone another hour.

Gratitude

A heartfelt thank you to John Meyer and Rock Dell Forage Farms for opening their gates, to our wonderful speakers, and to the partners who made this event possible: Audubon Upper Mississippi River, the Xerces Society, Pheasants Forever, Green Lands Blue Waters, Nofence, and USDA NRCS.

Days like this one are a reminder that conservation grazing isn't a niche idea — it's a movement, supported by producers and consumers alike. When farmers and bird lovers stand in the same pasture and see the same future, good things take flight.