No. 1, 2020, Land Stewardship Letter

• An online version of the Land Stewardship Letter is here.

• Archived Land Stewardship Letters are here.

• Paper copies are available by contacting Brian DeVore at 612-722-6377 or via e-mail.

Stewardship Roots…3
• Everything is Connected to Everything Else
• Glover Named LSP’s New Executive Director

LSP News…6
• Staff Changes
• It’s All About the Small Group Discussions

Policy & Organizing…8
• MN Supreme Court Upholds Frac Sand Ban
• LSP Members Push for Bold Action on Farm Crisis
• Voices from the Farm Crisis Forum

Farm Crisis…10
• Lights in the Darkness
• Farm Crisis Resources
• Making a Wager on Smaller Dairy Farms
• Cows Don’t Shop

Farming’s Changing Climate…14
• White Paper Shows Ag’s Climate Mitigation Potential
• Taking on Climate Change on Produce Farms
• Channeling Water’s Power Profitability

Soil Health…18
• Agriculture, Insects, Ecology & Economics
• A New Generation of Soil Generators
• The Power of Pasture Walks
• Join the Soil Builders’ Network

COVID Community…20
• Fulfilling a Social Contract With Carrots
• Farmer-Eater Exchange
• More of the Same or a New Direction?
• COVID-19 Aid Should be for People, Not Global Agribusiness
• How Are You Doing?

Farm Transitions…24
• That Farm on Highway 40
• A Few Tips for Helping the New Generation
• Seeking Farmers-Seeking Land Clearinghouse

Reviews…28
• Wilding
• Grocery Store
• Wildly Successful Coming Out in Paperback

Membership Update…30
• Thanks to Our Breakfast Sponsors
• In Memory & in Honor
• Support LSP in Your Workplace
• Volunteer for LSP
• Membership Questions
• Get Current With LIVE-WIRE
• Land Stewardship Talk
• LSP Fact Sheets

Stewardship Calendar…32

Farm Beginnings…32
• 2020-2021 Course Accepting Applications

Upcoming Events

June 2023

Saturday June 3

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm

Land Access & Leasing Options

Saturday June 3

1:15 pm – 2:15 pm

Land Access & Leasing Options

On Saturday, June 3, Wisconsin Farmers Unions will be holding a farm visit at Baldur Farm (N7659 950^th St., River Falls,WI 54022) for landowners and renters looking to lease to the next generation of farmers.

Joyce Monari, a native of Kenya, has been growing two types of chinsaga, a type of green familiar to her people, for several years on Baldur Farm. She will show participants her garden, talk about her crops, and discuss the difficulty of finding land.

Juliet Tomkins and Prescott Bergh have rented land to a variety of farmers over the years, from beginning CSA growers to livestock operators. They will talk about their experiences, which have led to the contract they now use to ensure understanding between themselves and their renters before problems arise.

Light snacks and refreshments provided after the talks. Maureen and Rich, the farmers at Baldur Farm, will be on-hand to answer questions about their draft horses. Attendees are welcome to walk the farm trails.

For more information, contact the Farmers Union’s Maureen Ash at maureen7ash@gmail.com.

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Northfield

Saturday June 3

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Northfield

Stewards of the Land/Serán las dueñas de la tierrais a feature documentary about Stephanie, Ian, and Alfredo, three young landless ecological farmers in Puerto Rico striving to produce healthy food for local consumption.

In this economically depressed U.S. territory, producing food locally is urgent. The archipelago sits on the path of powerful hurricanes, an increasing threat as the climate crisis worsens. Puerto Rico is highly dependent on food imports and a third of its population lives food insecurity.

The story begins when the protagonists arrive for the first time on the public lands they rent. The farms have been abandoned for decades and lack the most basic infrastructure to get started. The story follows the protagonists as they struggle to get the farms running before and after powerful hurricanes devastate the archipelago. The documentary shows the protagonists’ grit as they attempt to carve a living without land ownership or capital.

There are two opportunities to participate:

Clickhereto RSVP to the Northfield event on Saturday, June 3.
Clickhereto RSVP to the Minneapolis event on Sunday, June 4; co-hosted with partner organization, Copal.Haz clic aquí para español.

Sunday June 4

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Minneapolis

Sunday June 4

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Screening of Stewards of the Land / Serán las dueñas de la tierra in Minneapolis

There are two opportunities to participate:

Clickhereto RSVP to the Northfield event on Saturday, June 3.
Clickhereto RSVP to the Minneapolis event on Sunday, June 4; co-hosted with partner organization, Copal.Haz clic aquí para español.

Tuesday June 6

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Forever Green Winter Barley Webinar
Tuesday June 6
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Winter Barley Webinar
The Environmental & Economic Clusters of Opportunity (EECO) grant provides an ecosystem services payment as well as risk management payments to growers enrolled in the program for winter barley, hybrid winter rye, winter camelina, and Kernza. Join us for an introductory webinar series on these four crops where we pair University researchers and Extension professionals with farmers who have trialed these crops on-farm. The webinar on June 6 will be on winter barley and will feature Jochum Wiersma (UMN Extension small grains agronomist) and Kurt Kimber (farmer, Hampton, Minn.).

To sign-up for the June 6 webinar on winter barley, click here. These presentations will be recorded for future viewing if you’re not able to make it.

Wednesday June 7

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Forever Green Webinar on Winter Camelina
Wednesday June 7
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Forever Green Webinar on Winter Camelina
The Environmental & Economic Clusters of Opportunity (EECO) grant provides an ecosystem services payment as well as risk management payments to growers enrolled in the program for winter barley, hybrid winter rye, winter camelina, and Kernza. Join us for an introductory webinar series on these four crops where we pair University researchers and Extension professionals with farmers who have trialed these crops on-farm. On June 7, there will be a webinar on winter camelina. Presenters include Matthew Ott (UMN post doc researcher, camelina genetics) and Anne Schwagerl (farmer, Browns Valley, Minn.).

To sign-up for the June 7 webinar on winter camelina, click here. These presentations will be recorded for future viewing if you’re not able to make it.

View Full Calendar

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