Farm Beginnings Field Day to Feature On-Farm Dairy Processing & Pasture Livestock
June 14 in New Prague

CONTACT: Amy Bacigalupo, LSP, 320-269-2105

5/13/08
NEW PRAGUE, Minn.—Adding value to grass-based dairy products will be the focus of a Land Stewardship Project Farm Beginnings® field day Saturday, June 14, at Cedar Summit Farm near New Prague. This is a public event and participation is limited to 20 people. There is a fee for this event and pre-registration is required. To register and for more information, contact Amy Bacigalupo at 320-269-2105 or amyb@landstewardshipproject.org.

Cedar Summit Farm (www.cedarsummit.com), which is owned and operated by the Minar family, produces milk and other livestock products on rotationally grazed pastures. They process their milk in an on-farm creamery and market locally and regionally under the popular Cedar Summit brand label. Their dairy products are certified by Food Alliance Midwest and the National Organic Program of the USDA. They also market various meat products directly to consumers.

Dave and Florence Minar have served as Farm Beginnings instructors and mentors over the years. During this field day, they will describe how they balance grass-based livestock production, on-farm processing and environmental stewardship in an area being inundated by sprawling development.

In 2008, Farm Beginnings began its 11th year of providing firsthand training in low-cost, sustainable methods of farming. Farm Beginnings participants learn goal setting, financial planning, business plan creation, alternative marketing and innovative production techniques.

The course consists of a series of classes that take place twice a month between October and March. Classes are led by farmers and other agricultural professionals from the area. During the spring and summer, course participants have the opportunity to attend on-farm educational field days.

The 2008-2009 session of Farm Beginnings will begin this October, and be held in the Minnesota communities of Goodhue and Paynesville. In addition, a new Farm Beginnings course is being launched in northeast Minnesota this fall. For more information, see www.farmbeginnings.org, or call 507-523-3366.

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