Leslie Svacina is the owner-operator of Cylon Rolling Acres, a grass-based livestock farm in Western Wisconsin where she has an ever-growing herd of Boer-Kiko cross goats. Taking cues from nature, Leslie uses adaptive grazing and other regenerative practices on her farm. Her goal is to raise meat goats that thrive on forage alone and are resilient in a low-input system while improving the soil health and the ecosystem where the farm is situated.
Quickly realizing there are few resources on raising meat goats using grazing practices, Leslie took the time to figure out how to make it work on her farm. More than 10 years in, she’s learned a lot just by “doing it” and continues to do so, from observing and adapting what her peers are doing with grazing other livestock species, attending conferences, and a lot of self-study.
Leslie is one of very few goat producers who is selling goat meat directly to consumers. Most of her meat is sold through the farm website as packaged cuts of meat and Farm Club subscription boxes, serving customers across the country. She also works with a handful of local wholesale buyers.
She’s become known for her work both grazing and marketing meat goats and has been recognized by the Nature Conservancy, featured on the Outdoor Channel, and sought out as a speaker for conferences, and by her peers for advice on how to raise goats in this manner.
Learn more about her farm at www.cylonrollingacres.com or her education blog www.grazingwithleslie.com covering topics on raising, grazing and marketing goats.