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Flower Power

How 3 Farmers Teamed Up to Diversify Out of the Corn-Soybean Duoculture

By Jasmine Curtis
April 15, 2025

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Near the beautiful southern Minnesota town of Austin, three farmers are going against the grain with an unlikely crop: sunflowers. While most Midwestern farmers stick to corn and soybeans, backed by reliable federal subsidies and a marketing and transportation infrastructure centered around such commodities, these pioneers saw an opportunity where others saw risk. Their story isn’t just about growing a plant known for its pretty yellow flower – it’s about building community, protecting soil health, and reimagining what modern crop farming can be.

The journey began in spring 2024 when Tom Cotter, a fourth-generation farmer who had been successfully growing sunflowers for two years, saw an opportunity to expand. He had started out growing 130 acres of the crop and liked how it fit into his diverse rotation of corn, soybeans, and other crops. His early success with sunflowers had caught the attention of Seven Sundays, a growing cereal company looking for local suppliers of organic sunflower seeds for its granola. Recognizing the potential for a larger impact, Cotter reached out to fellow members of the Land Stewardship Project’s Soil Health Hub, including Scott Lightly and Tom Finnegan. Together, they formed a partnership based on a shared interest in crop diversity and soil health.

Neighbors and friends gather in one of Tom Cotter’s sunflower fields. He and the other farmers who have integrated the crop into their operations say that not only has it added diversity to their rotations, but it has helped contribute to the local community. (Photo provided by Tom Cotter)

 

To put things in context as to how unusual it was for these southern Minnesota farmers to grow sunflowers, consider this: 71,000 acres of the crop are expected to be planted in Minnesota in 2025. In comparison, 8.2 million and 7.4 million acres of corn and soybeans, respectively, were planted in Minnesota in 2024. The Red River Valley, which encompasses parts of northwestern Minnesota as well as North Dakota, is much better known for sunflower production than the area around Austin.

But the farmers were willing to take a chance on a new crop. As Finnegan, who is passionate about building soil health on his crop and livestock farm, explains, “Crop rotation diversity was one of my goals.” Lightly, who had previously grown only corn and soybeans, was hesitant about stepping out of his cropping routine.

However, when the opportunity to grow sunflowers came with a guaranteed market, he saw it as the perfect chance to diversify. “I didn’t have a good place to market anything other than corn and soybeans,” he recalls. “Then along comes this sunflower contract, and I thought, ‘That’s what I’ve been waiting for.’ ”

In 2024, the farmers raised a total of 290 acres of sunflowers and pooled them together into one Seven Sundays contract. The three farmers were all familiar with the importance of crop diversity but were at different stages of implementation. While Lightly had previously grown corn and soybeans exclusively, Cotter and Finnegan had experience with diverse crops such as oats, wheat, hay, and cover crops in their production rotations. To keep his risk low, Lightly grew around two dozen acres of sunflowers that first year.

It wasn’t just a guaranteed market that attracted Lightly to growing something different. “Sunflowers are great for soil health,” he says. “Their taproots dig deep and loosen up the soil, which makes a noticeable difference. After we harvested, the soil was much looser than it had been in years.”

Despite the benefits, growing sunflowers presents challenges. Federal crop insurance coverage is not available for non-traditional crops like sunflowers until they have been grown for at least two years, and even then, it’s a complicated and costly process. “It’s expensive,” says Lightly of insuring sunflowers. “Sometimes double or triple the cost of corn insurance per acre.”

Nevertheless, the farmers took the risk and dedicated part of their acres to sunflowers. As Finnegan admits, “We were up for a challenge.”

The early stages of planting were not without their hurdles, and Lightly played a crucial role in helping with the equipment setup. “I had zero challenges because I turned it all over to Scott,” recalls Finnegan. “He did all the heavy lifting. He even came to my house on a Sunday to help me set up the planter. Sunflowers are light and fluffy, unlike corn, which is dense. Each seed has different characteristics, so Scott was instrumental in helping us figure it out.”

Lightly recalls his own learning process. “I spent a lot of time researching online, watching videos, reading from North Dakota State, South Dakota State, and university extensions,” he says. “I even called my planter guy and asked if I could plant sunflowers with my corn planter. He said, ‘Nobody’s ever asked me that before.’ ”

Despite the challenges, the teamwork paid off. Lightly helped Finnegan calibrate his equipment, and Cotter’s equipment was also adjusted to meet the needs of sunflower planting.

When it came time to harvest, another challenge emerged: specialized equipment was needed. While there is the option to purchase commercial sunflower harvesting heads for combines, these farmers took a creative, lower-cost approach. They built their own adapter kit for the corn harvester to work with the sunflowers. “It worked really, really well,” Lightly says, marveling at the success of the homemade adapter.

The commercial version of the adapter would have cost about $2,100 per row. Instead, Lightly’s version, built with the help of a machinist friend, came to just $240 in material costs. “I drew up the plans, and we worked well together. It was a long weekend” Lightly says.

Ultimately, the sunflower project was about more than just diversifying crops; it became a way to connect with the land, the community, and consumers in unexpected ways. The sunflower fields became a local attraction, with neighbors stopping to admire the vibrant blooms.

“It was absolutely beautiful,” Finnegan recalls. “So many people stopped and asked for permission to take pictures.” Dawn, Scott’s wife, had a surprising moment of connection when she saw her cousin eating cereal during a camping trip.

“I asked my cousin, ‘What are you eating?’ She turned the bag around, and it was the Seven Sundays cereal. Now she says, ‘I think of you every time I eat my cereal,’ recalls Dawn. “I didn’t realize how much our work was connected to people’s everyday lives until that moment.”

The connection with Seven Sundays brought the farmers closer to their consumers. Through a community event where the Seven Sundays truck made an appearance, the farmers met the people who would eventually eat the crop they had grown.

In the end, the sunflower project was a success, both in terms of harvest and community impact. In 2025, Cotter, Lightly, and Finnegan plan in growing the crop again for a Seven Sundays contract. The farmers not only are growing a crop that is an alternative to the typical Corn Belt rotation, but that have also strengthened their ties to the land and the people around them. As Lightly says, “It’s not just about the harvest. It’s about the connections, the community, and the story we’re telling.”

Their story is one of resilience, collaboration, and a bold step toward sustainability.

 Jasmine Curtis is serving a soil health internship with the Land Stewardship Project. During this internship, she is, among other things, collecting and analyzing survey data to support research on sustainable agriculture. In May, Curtis will graduate from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a bachelor of science in environmental science, conservation, and resource management.

Category: Blog
Tags: alternative crops • crop diversity • diverse rotations • row crops • soil health • sunflowers

Upcoming Events

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May 2025

Thursday May 29

9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Thursday May 29
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing for Sustainable Farmers
Zoom Online

Storytelling for Sales: Digital Marketing Best Practices to Get Your Farm’s Next Customer is designed to help farmers grow their customer base by sharpening their storytelling and digital marketing skills—whether they’re selling through farmers’ markets, CSAs, or direct-to-retail. This Greener Pastures and Meet the Minnesota Makers workshop will cover how websites and social media can actually convert viewers into buyers to creating content that builds community loyalty.

This workshop is also designed for ag educators, professionals, and partner organizational staff who support farmers directly and want to be well-versed on the marketing best practices to support direct-to-consumer farms. 

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday May 31

10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
Saturday May 31
10:00 am – 12:30 pm
Multi-species Pasture Walk
872 320th Ave, Frederic, WI 54837, USA

The NW Wisconsin Graziers Network, River Country RC&Dand UW-Madison Extension invite you to a multi-species pasture walk hosted by JohnsonFamily Pastures LLC. The farm is located five miles east of Frederic in PolkCounty. This educational event willemphasize direct marketing, multi-species grazing, part-time family agricultureand silvopasture development. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.

TheJohnson Family Pastures farm is home to Chris and Tamara Johnson and their twochildren. They raise grass-fed beef, silvopastured goats, and recently raised anumber of other species. The farm consists of about 160 acres of gently rollingpastures, silvopasture, and forest. Use of both temporary polybraid fencing andhigh tensile permanent fences allow for rotational grazing of small ruminants andout-wintering of beef cattle. Use of long-term farm transition strategies, cost-shareprograms, silvopasture development with goats, regenerative grazing, cattlehandling facility and bale grazing will be discussed along with answering anyand all questions from pasture walk participants.

An extensive and diversified direct marketing programhas been developed by Tamara and Chris that has included farmer markets, e-maillists, newsletters, website ordering, on-farm freezer storage, and other strategiesand tools to support direct sales and services for their customers.  Come and learn all about their successfulapproach.

For more information,contact Chris Johnson at 920-960-4475 or Lynn Johnson 715-225-9882 at NW Graziers.

June 2025

Wednesday June 25

2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Wednesday June 25
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
LSP-PFI Grazing Field Day at Hoosier Ridge Ranch
Hoosier Ridge Ranch, 15998 Wabasha County Rd 26, Altura, MN 55910, USA

Over the last 50 years, livestock have left many farms. Eric Heins is doing the reverse: bringing cattle – and their poop, pee and hooves – back to his land. Come see how Eric is using his Normande-shorthorn crosses in a variety of grazing situations. During this Land Stewardship Project-Practical Farmers of Iowa field day, you can view permanent pasture, where Eric (like everyone) is battling the cool-season grass takeover. You’ll also learn how Eric is using his cattle in cover crop mixes, prairie and woodlands.

Since purchasing the farm in 2020, Eric has converted the cropland to pasture. He also custom-farms a diverse rotation of crops, covers and small grains on neighboring farms, including an established prairie on Iowa Department of Natural Resources land. A possible bonus: Eric is hoping to have virtual fence collars by the time of the field day, but no guarantees!

A meal featuring Hoosier Ridge Ranch burgers will follow the field day.

See & Discuss

  • Cash-flowing the conversion to pasture on owned versus rented cropland
  • Stockpiling pasture for winter grazing
  • Mechanical buckthorn clearing for silvopasture
  • Grazing agreements on DNR prairie and neighboring cropland
  • A sudangrass mix after a canning pea crop
  • An extended rotation with oats, barley and Kernza

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday June 28

4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Saturday June 28
4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
LSP's Boots & Roots: A Celebration of Land & People
Dream Acres, Co Hwy 8, Spring Valley, MN 55975, USA

Join Land Stewardship Project members and supporters to kick-start the Driftless summer with an evening of good food, good music, and good times. We’ll have activities for all ages that will get you out in nature, exploring the connection between our region’s farms and your community’s food, land, and water. Bring a side or dessert to share for dinner, and the Dream Acres wood-fired oven will provide locally-sourced pizzas and flat breads. Dinner will be followed by live music and contra dancing by the Crater City String Band.  

To reserve a spot, click here.

Camping sites are available at nearby Masonic Park and Forestville Mystery Cave and Lake Louise State Parks. Camping at Masonic is rustic,first-come-first-serve, free, and does not require a reservation. Fillmore County, who manages the park, only asks that you call the dispatchers at507-765-3874 when you arrive with your vehicle information and phone number in case of emergency. State Park reservations cost $25 a night and can be made online.

July 2025

Tuesday July 15

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
Tuesday July 15
5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Organic Fruit & Vegetable Field Day
1805 Dudley Ave, Falcon Heights, MN 55113, USA

Join U of M researchers and Extension for updates on organic fruit and vegetable research and tour the Student Organic Farm and the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station in Saint Paul. Topics include: organic insect management, integrating livestock into vegetable farms, new crops for Minnesota, irrigation strategies, and more. Free to the public.
 
For details and to register, click here.

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