Staff Directory - Land Stewardship Project

Alex Kiminski

Soil Health/Land Access Organizer, Programs Department
Amy Bacigalupo

Program Director, Programs Department — Farm Beginnings, Soil Health, Land Access & Food Systems
Heather Benson

Communications Specialist, Membership & Communications Department
Olivia Blanchflower

Development Director
Pam Hartwell

Policy Organizer, Southeastern Minnesota, Policy Department
Scott Elkins

Executive Director
Seth Kuhl-Stennes

Operations Specialist, Operations Department
Shea-Lynn Ramthun

Soil Health Organizer, Programs Department
Whitney Terrill

Farm Beginnings & Land Access Organizer, Programs Department
Sean Carroll

Policy & Organizing Director
Scott DeMuth

Regional Food Systems Organizer, Programs Department
Brian DeVore

Managing Editor & Media Coordinator, Membership & Communications Department
Natalia Espina Talamilla

Human Resources & Operations Director
Josh Journey-Heinz

Major Gifts Officer, Development Department
Timothy Kenney

Finance Director
Annelie Livingston-Anderson

Farm Beginnings Organizer, Programs Department
Elizabeth Makarewicz

Membership Support Specialist, Membership & Communications Department
Emily Minge

Political Organizer, Policy Department
Robin Moore

Land Access/Land Legacy Manager, Programs Department
Nick Olson

Farm Beginnings Organizer, Programs Department
Alex Romano

Soil Health & Grazing Organizer, Programs Department
Clara Sanders

Membership Organizer, Membership & Communications Department
Laura Schreiber

Policy Organizer, Soil Health & Climate and Regional Food Systems, Policy Department
Matthew Sheets

Policy Organizer, Factory Farming, Policy Department
Megan Smith

Membership & Communications Director
Karen Stettler

Land Access & Farm Beginnings Organizer, Programs Department

Upcoming Events

December 2024

Tuesday December 17 – Wednesday December 18

Wisconsin Water & Soil Health Conference

Tuesday December 17 – Wednesday December 18

Wisconsin Water & Soil Health Conference

Kalahari Resorts & Conventions - Wisconsin Dells, 1305 Kalahari Dr, Baraboo, WI 53913, USA

Mark your calendars for the 2nd Annual Wisconsin Water and Soil Health (WWASH) Conference.This year’s conference will bring together experts, farmers, and conservationists to discuss the latest advancements in soil health and practices that promote water quality.

For details, click here.

January 2025

Friday January 10 – Saturday January 11

Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference

Friday January 10 – Saturday January 11

Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference

833 5th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50309, USA

For more information, click here.

Tuesday January 21 – Thursday January 23

MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop

Tuesday January 21 – Thursday January 23

MN Young & Emerging Farmers Workshop

Mankato

A short application process will be required to be accepted into the Minnesota Young and Emerging Farmer Workshop. Requirements include being 21-45 years of age and actively crop farming in Minnesota. Applications, which close Nov. 15, will be reviewed and selected by Dec. 1, and maxed at 40 participants, after which a wait list will become available. Participation is free with lodging expenses also covered.

The application link can be found here.

Thursday January 23

7:30 am – 8:30 am: Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead
Thursday January 23
7:30 am – 8:30 am
Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead
Moorhead Public Library, 118 5th St S, Moorhead, MN 56560, USA
Learn about solar energy and its benefits for your home, or small business. This meeting will take you through the technology, economics, financing and more. You’ll also learn about the Solar Co-op in your area. The program is free to join, and members are not obligated to buy solar panels. For details and to register, click here. Information on the Lakes and Prairie Solar Co-op is here.

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Edgewater Bay Pavilion, 1940 Edgewater Drive, Albert Lea MN 56007

Based on the visionary work of a fourth-generation farmer and scientist, Bob Quinn (Kamut International), and practical, farmer-innovators like Roy Pfaltzgraff (Pfz Farms) and Landon and Anne Plagge (Green Acres Milling), the Land Stewardship Project is hosting a workshop for producers who are seeking confidence and practical know-how related to raising and selling small grains. Join us at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion in Albert Lea, Minn., on Tuesday, January 28, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Learn about how farmers are:

Increasing the value of what they produce and demonstrating the value of those products to human and environmental health.
Diversifying crop production while maintaining quality and profitability.
Organizing around cooperatively processing and marketing grains.

Click here to register. The workshop flyer is available here. For more information, contact LSP’s Shea-Lynn Ramthun at 651-301-1897 or at slramthun@landstewardshipproject.org.

Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn’s roots run deep into the rich soil of Big Sandy, Montana, where he returned after earning a PhD in plant biochemistry from UC Davis to apply his scientific knowledge to the family farm. Bob Quinn’s vision extends beyond agriculture, embodying a holistic approach where local minimal processing, community, health, and education intertwine to redefine success in farming. By championing the idea that every grain and every harvest should enhance health, Bob has positioned the Quinn Institute as a leader in transforming agriculture into a health-giving enterprise.

Roy Pfaltzgraff
Roy Pfaltzgraff is the current head of PFZ Farms in Colorado. PFZ Farms’ mission is to help educate fellow producers and consumers about how food is grown and to provide high-quality products for their community. The third-generation family farm produces quality agricultural products with sustainable methods for a healthier world. While they produce a number of dry-land crops, they also have a number of smaller production focuses that support their overall vision of a regenerative farm.

Landon Plagge
Landon Plagge holds nearly 30 years of hands-on farming experience growing corn, soybeans, livestock, and oats, as well as managing a grain handling facility, stewarding one million bushels of grain annually. Landon studied Investment Banking at Bentley College and holds a degree in business administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Landon brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in sustainable farming practices and crop rotation, and frequently shares his experiences to help others improve their own practices. He is also one of the founders of Green Acres Milling, a farmer-owned oat processing facility under construction in Albert Lea, Minn.

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