Land Stewardship Project

Land Stewardship Project
  • About Us
    • Our Mission
    • Long Range Plan
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
      • LSP Board Committees
    • LSP Steering Committees & Working Groups
    • Contact Us
    • Past LSP Projects
    • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
    • LSP Publications
    • Financial Statements
  • The Latest
    • Community Care
    • Songs for the Soil
    • CSA Farm Directory
    • Upcoming Events
    • News
      • News Releases
      • Media Contacts
      • LSP in the News
    • Blog
    • Podcast
    • Land Stewardship Letter
    • LIVE-WIRE Sign-up
    • Myth Busters
    • Fact Sheets
    • Farm Crisis Resources
  • For Farmers & Landowners
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
    • New Farmers
      • Farm Beginnings Class
      • Journeyperson Course
      • Farm Dreams
      • Accessing Farmland
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Beginning Farmer Profiles
      • Fresh Voices Podcast Series
    • Retiring Farmers & Landowners
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Farm Transition Course 2026
      • Conservation Leases
      • Beginning/Retiring Farmer Tax Credit
      • Land Transition Tools
      • Transition Stories
    • Soil Health
      • Cover Crops
      • Grazing
      • No-till
      • Microbiology
      • Kernza
      • Soil Builders’ Network
      • Soil Builders’ E-Letters
      • Soil Health Steering Committee Members
      • Ear Dirt Soil Health Podcast Series
    • Cropping Systems Calculator
    • Conservation Leases
  • Creating Change
    • Community-Based Food Systems
      • Ear Bites Community-Based Food Podcast Series
    • Policy Campaigns
      • Soil Health & Climate Change
      • Healthcare
      • Factory Farms
        • Anti-Competitiveness & Price Gouging
        • LSP Powerline Story Center
      • Federal Policy
        • A Farm Bill For Us
      • State Policy
        • MN Farm, Food & Climate Funding
      • Developing Leadership
    • Justice & Stewardship
    • Organizational Stewardship
  • Get Involved
    • Your Membership Matters
    • Take Action!
    • Upcoming Events
    • Land Stewardship Action Fund
    • Connect with LSP
      • Stay Connected
      • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
      • Shop
      • Employment & Volunteer Opportunities
      • Legacy Giving
    • Network with LSP Members
      • Farmland Clearinghouse
      • Soil Health
    • Farmland Clearinghouse
  • Join, Donate, or Renew Today!
  • Stay Connected
  • Contact Us
  • Shop
Search
More...

In the Middle of Somewhere

Carrie Calvo's Long Journey to the Heart of Farming & Local Food

By Brian DeVore
November 17, 2022

Share

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • email

Owl Bluff Farm is tucked away in one of those Driftless Area coulees where cellular signals go to die. In fact, when contractors were constructing a building there recently, they sometimes climbed half-way up an abandoned silo on the farm to use their phones. It has a sense of being an isolated, if beautiful, little spot in southeastern Minnesota’s Houston County.

But on a recent summer day, Carrie Calvo took a break from weeding her vegetable plots to quickly tabulate just how connected the 20-acre farm actually is to the region.

From April to November, she delivers to two area grocery stores that are within 20-minutes of the farm. Owl Bluff also sells to a community food hub, two cafes, and a farmers’ market, all within a half-hour of the farm. The furthest Calvo has to drive to her customers is an hour to Rochester, Minn., where she delivers vegetables and a neighboring farm’s chickens as part of a home delivery enterprise.

And Calvo has been able to connect with half-a-dozen other beginning farmers in the area who are undertaking innovative enterprises like grass-based livestock production and silvopasturing. Not too bad for a farm that was bought sight unseen while Calvo was sitting in front of a computer 7,000- miles away.

“I’m surprised at how able we were to find customers and to have a loyal customer base so close,” she says as she provides a tour of the half-acre of vegetables she raises with the help of her husband, Charles, and mother, Kathy Burch. Carrie, who’s 37, adds with a laugh, “And then when I moved here, I met a whole bunch of other crazy young farmers.”

Carrie Calvo and her mother, Kathy Burch, take a break from weeding and harvesting on Owl Bluff Farm.

 

She concedes making the move into farming after spending 10 years working for the U.S. government — five of it in the desert metropolis of Dubai — seemed a little less crazy after she completed the Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings course in 2019. Through classes led by established farmers, trainings in business planning and innovative marketing, and perhaps most important, conversations with other wannabe farmers, Carrie saw the potential to take a holistic approach that linked the land, people, and community.

“Farm Beginnings really helped me think through the whole plan,” she says.

Web Surfing in the Desert

Carrie grew up in Rochester and has an undergraduate degree in Middle East studies and a master’s in Persian languages. So it was no surprise that her career path led her to Dubai. Although she didn’t come from a farming background, she’d always been attracted to working outdoors and raising healthy food. Charles, who she met in Dubai, grew up in Massachusetts, and also has no farming background. Thank goodness for the Internet.

“I think the last year or two we were in Dubai we spent every evening and weekends watching farming YouTube videos,” Carrie recalls. She also listened to old episodes of Farmer-to-Farmer — a popular podcast produced by the late Chris Blanchard, a veteran vegetable producer — and read books by vegetable production gurus such as Eliot Coleman and Jean-Martin Fortier. Carrie completed an online market gardener master class while the couple kept an eye on real estate listings in southeastern Minnesota.

Finally, through Craigslist, the Calvos found a farm that seemed to fit the bill: it had a house and some outbuildings, as well as tillable land, including a south facing slope, something Coleman insists is necessary for a successful vegetable operation. The tillable parts of the farm were also mostly hay ground, making it easier to get the land certified organic.

Burch checked out the farm and reported back that, “It’s a little rough, but it’s really pretty down here.” Carrie and Charles wrote an “impassioned” letter to the owners about their plans to launch a farming enterprise on the property. The owners, who were in their 80s, had raised feeder calves and hay on the property, and wanted it to stay in farming. The younger couple made it clear in their letter that they wanted to farm the land, restore the house, and live in it year-round.

“I think they just were excited that someone seemed to appreciate the property and were going to actually put down roots there and not have it be just a weekend hunting property kind of place,” says Carrie.

Given that they were half-a-world away and lenders in the community didn’t know them, financing was tricky. But Carrie and Charles were eventually able to get a business loan and then later refinance and turn the loan into a regular residential mortgage. They moved onto the farm in 2018 and planted a small plot of vegetables for themselves, neighbors, and family.

That first year went well, but Carrie knew having one season of growing a big garden wasn’t enough; financial management and business planning are weak spots for her, and she knew little about how to build consistent, local markets. Local livestock producer Dayna Burtness recommended she take LSP’s Farm Beginnings course. For over two decades, Farm Beginnings has offered training for beginning farmers in holistic business planning, innovative marketing, and goalsetting. It’s taught by established farmers and other agriculture professionals from the community, and provides an opportunity for participants to be mentored by producers who are undertaking the kinds of enterprises the students would like to pursue.

Carrie says the course helped her develop a budget and marketing plan and, just as importantly, taught her how to do the kind of goalsetting that balances work and quality-of-life issues. She remembers one assignment in particular where class members had to come up with the top three enterprises they were interested in, the costs, and what they’d expect to earn back in a certain number of years.

“It really helped me to focus on every little cost that was going into starting the operation and expanding the operation, and estimating what the return would be and in what sort of time frame we would be able to make back costs,” says the farmer.

That and other exercises helped Carrie narrow down her farming plans and focus on vegetables. And through the class, she was able to connect with Hallie Anderson, who runs 10th Street Market Farm in Afton, Minn. Anderson’s operation is similar to what Carrie aspired to: vegetable production that serves various local markets. She visited 10th Street and got advice on, for example, how to set up a high tunnel system.

Building Markets

Since completing the class, Carrie has taken on more markets and expanded production. Half-an-acre of the farm is growing vegetables, but there’s room on the certified organic operation for more.

“I think we could produce probably twice as much and still be able to sell most of it,” she says. “The grocery stores were so excited to have local, organic options.”

They’ve used USDA Environmental Quality Incentives Program funding to set up a high tunnel system — they now have three unheated tunnels, and would like to add a heated greenhouse to help with propagation. Right now, they’re starting everything in an old freezer that’s been hacked to make it a germination chamber; plants are eventually moved to the dining room, making for a crowded house in the early spring.

They have installed a walk-in cooler and Burch, a retired physics teacher who is handy with tools, set up a vegetable washing station in an old machine shed. Owl Bluff recently finished a combination carriage house and pack-shed that can be used during the colder part of the season. They’ve also erected a high fence around the vegetable plots to keep out the deer. The farm has stepped into the value-added world by producing dehydrated and canned products, including paprika smoked by a local barbecue joint, Fat Pat’s.

Four years in, the family is at a point where they need to make decisions about expanding and what changes in infrastructure that might require. Carrie says having several different markets during the week allows them to split up the harvesting schedule and pretty much sell everything grown. But efficient transportation can be an issue.

“We’re still driving this truck to the farmers’ market with all of our stuff mounded in the back,” she says, pointing at a pickup parked near the pack-shed.

Although there’s plenty of demand in the area for more vegetables and Owl Bluff has additional land that could be farmed, for now, there are no major plans to expand, says Carrie. Two neighboring farmers help out on delivery days. Along with Charles and Kathy, that’s the extent of the labor force. (Charles works off the farm and helps out in the evenings and on weekends.) Carrie says they’d like to stay at this size, given labor issues and the time commitment of servicing more customers. Expanding significantly would likely mean servicing more wholesale accounts, more time on the road, and less time with each customer — something the farmer says she wouldn’t enjoy.

“It is exhausting, but also really satisfying at the size we’re at,” she says, adding with a laugh, “And it’s just barely out of control.”

This article was originally published in the No. 2, 2022, Land Stewardship Letter.

Category: Farm Beginnings Profiles
Tags: Carrie Calvo • community based food systems • Driftless Region • Farm Beginnings • holistic planning • land access • local food • Owl Bluff Farm • vegetable production

Give it a Listen

On episode 293 of the Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground podcast, Carrie Calvo talks about the surprising availability of various marketing options in her local community and the benefits of networking with other beginning farmers.

2023-2024 Farm Beginnings Class

LSP is now accepting applications for its 2023-2024 Farm Beginnings course. For details, click here.

Farm Dreams: is Farming in Your Future?

Farm Dreams is designed to help people clarify what motivates them to farm, get their vision on paper, inventory their strengths and training needs, and get perspective from an experienced farmer. To get started, click here and download the Farm Dreams visioning exercise in pdf format. 

Upcoming Events

×

October 2025

Tuesday October 7

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
Tuesday October 7
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Book Event: We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy
The Landing Market, 211 College Dr, Decorah, IA 52101, USA

The Johnson Center for Land Stewardship Policy is excited to share that one of our its primary pillars of work — a published collection of Paul Johnson’s writings —  is set for release on Oct. 2.  The book features a brief biography and a discussion of Paul’s ideas within the historical and future contexts of private lands conservation. Details on the event are available here.

For details on We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy click here.

 

Thursday October 9

5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation Fall Learning Circle
Thursday October 9
5:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Minnesota Women in Conservation Fall Learning Circle
Dawson, MN 56232, USA

Participants will walk around a “homestead” farm site, exploring areas and goals the landowner hopes to improve in the future, including pollinator habitat, perennial plantings, windbreaks, privacy/noise screens, water quality improvements, well sealing, and compost placements. Participants will hear feedback and recommendations from a conservation professional on potential programs that could assist the landowner in achieving those goals. This will be an active event.

Please bring a camp chair and a potluck dish. The host will provide the main dish, so think about bringing sides and dessert. For details and to reserve a spot, click here. For questions, contact LSP’s Alex Kiminski at akiminski@landstewardshipproject.org.

Friday October 10

8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Weaving a Wider Community: Seeing & Countering Racism in Our Backyard
Friday October 10
8:30 am – 3:00 pm
Weaving a Wider Community: Seeing & Countering Racism in Our Backyard
111 N 1st St, Montevideo, MN 56265, USA

Join LSP and CURE for a community event at the Land Stewardship Project office in Montevideo (111 N. First St.), from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Friday, Oct. 10. This event includes lunch catered by El Mana; please register by Oct. 3 to be included in the food count.

You can RSVP here.

The Racial Equity Conference, organized by the Greater Minnesota Partnership of the Facilitating Racial Equity Collaborative, has been specifically designed to bring engaging content to local communities through a unique pairing of online speakers and in-person local sessions. The morning’s online content will include a conversation focused on seeing and countering racism in rural communities, moderated by Eryn Gee Killough, paired with two outstanding keynote speakers, Jenna Grey Eagle and Ron Ferguson, who have experience working in rural communities. 

This online content will be exclusively available to local community gatherings. Each gathering will gear their in-person activity to their specific community with the goal of extending the impact of the conference to others throughout the following year. Join LSP and CURE for this western Minnesota gathering, or if a different location works better for you, check out all the local gatherings on the FREC site,

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out. LSP’s Nick Olson can be reached via e-mail at nicko@landstewardshipproject.org.

9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Intensive Small-Scale Market Gardening Bus Tour
Friday October 10
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Intensive Small-Scale Market Gardening Bus Tour
Leatherdale Equine Center, 1801 Dudley Ave, St Paul, MN 55108, USA

Explore profitable small-scale farming (1–5 acres) and soil care. Visit a cooperative incubator farm and a thriving suburban market garden. Learn about cover crops, reduced tillage, high tunnel soil health, and support for growers.

This is the second tour in a three-part soil health bus tour series. Participants can sign up for just one, two, or all three tours. Register at https://z.umn.edu/vegetablebustours. The cost is $15 (flat fee, covers 1, 2, or 3 tours). There are more details in the attached flyer.

Saturday October 11

11:00 am – 2:00 pm
LSP-COPAL Visita a la Granja | Farm Tour
Saturday October 11
11:00 am – 2:00 pm
LSP-COPAL Visita a la Granja | Farm Tour
36919 County 57 Blvd, Dennison, MN 55018, USA

Building off the success of last year’s farm event with COPAL in Austin, Minn., this year Land Stewardship Project and COPAL members and supporters will gather at the Young-Walser Family Farm in Dennison, Minn. for a festive and delicious farm tour on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. We invite you to come and meet new folks, learn new skills, and try new food! 
 
This year’s COPAL-LSP farm event offers a little something for everyone: 
 
🍯 Honey sampling and the opportunity to purchase from Homestead Honey Farm. 
 
🍎 Apple cider pressing and tasting. (BTW, we’re still looking for an apple press if you or a farmer friend have one nearby we could borrow for this event!) 
 
🌽 Nixtamalization workshop and fresh, homemade tortillas, made with corn grown by LSP and COPAL members at the Young-Walser Family Farm! 
 
🍅 Salsa making and cricket-eating competitions! Yes, you heard that right —we’ll have the opportunity to sample crickets, a delectable crispy and savory snack commonly enjoyed throughout Mexico and Central America. Stay tuned for details on how to enter either competition. 
 
🥾 A tour of the Young-Walser farm, nestled in the beautiful Sogn Valley not far from Cannon Falls, Minn. Enjoy a tromp through the corn and squash fields and hike in the nearby woods. 
 
🌮 A shared meal and opportunity to hear from LSP and COPAL organizers about our participation in the Immigrant Defense Network. 

Let us know you can make it to ensure we order enough food and supplies! Carpools from Minneapolis and Rochester will be available to all attendees. 

________________________________________________

¡Únete a LSP + COPAL para nuestro recorrido anual comunitario en la granja!
Un espacio divertido para tod@s donde exploraremos la agricultura, aprenderemos sobre el campo y participaremos en actividades prácticas. ¡Uno de los momentos más especiales será hacer tortillas frescas junt@s!

Compartiremos un delicioso almuerzo comunitario, preparando tacos en estilo potluck (tipo convivio). Te invitamos a traer un platillo o acompañamiento para compartir.

También estás invitado@ a llegar temprano (desde las 9 AM) para ayudar a cosechar calabazas que sembramos. Puedes llevarte algunas a casa, y el resto se donará a un banco de alimentos local.

El Land Stewardship Project (LSP) es una organización aliada de COPAL que trabaja por sistemas alimentarios y agrícolas más sostenibles y justos. LSP y COPAL están unidas en su lucha por instituciones democráticas sólidas, comunidades saludables y acogedoras, y una ética de cuidado hacia la tierra y las personas que nos alimentan.

View Full Calendar

Recent Posts

  • Local Democracy Challenge Launched by LSP in MN October 1, 2025
  • As Avian Flu Reemerges in Minnesota, White Paper Asks: Are Factory Farms the Victims or the Vectors? September 25, 2025
  • Area Farmers Share Land Access & Marketing Concerns with Legislators From 9 States September 23, 2025
  • Land Line: Monopolies, Crop Rut, MISA, Soil Microbes, Corn Production Costs, Nitrates, Kernza September 15, 2025
  • Land Line: MAHA, Bumper Corn Crop, Oats, Defining Regenerative Ag, Feeding the World, CAFO Hotspots August 28, 2025

Montevideo

111 North First Street
Montevideo, MN 56265

(320) 269-2105

Lewiston

180 E. Main Street
Lewiston, MN 55952

(507) 523-3366

Minneapolis

821 E. 35th Street #200
Minneapolis, MN 55407

(612) 722-6377

  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2025 Land Stewardship Project. All rights reserved.

https://landstewardshipproject.org/in-the-middle-of-somewhere