No. 2, 2018, Land Stewardship Letter

• A pdf version of this Land Stewardship Letter is here.

• Archived Land Stewardship Letters are here.

• For paper copies of the Land Stewardship Letter, contact Brian DeVore via e-mail

The Roots of LSP’s Work…3
• Bold Solutions Call for Bold Action

LSP Financial Update…5

LSP News…6
• Family Farm Breakfast at the Capitol
• Shoptaugh Named Operations, HR Manager
• Wasserman-Olin Departs LSP
• Remembering Dwight Ault
• Dining Out & Supporting LSP

Policy & Organizing…8
• Minn. State Legislative Update
• Breaking Healthcare at the Legislature
• Wasting Public $$ on Private Insurers
• House Version of Farm Bill is Bad News
• Talking Farm Policy in Wisconsin
• LSPers Advance a Bold Vision to Candidates for Minnesota Governor

Soil Health…14
• Ray Archuleta’s Passion for Living Soil
• Pocket Guide to the Power of Soil
• MISA Turns 25
• LSP Soil Builders’ Network
• The Currency of Carbon: Protozoa, Pastures & Profits

Seeking Farmers-Seeking Land Clearinghouse…22

Farm Beginnings…23
• Applications Open for 2018-2019 Class
• Farm Beginnings in Other Regions
• Farm Dreams Class July 29
• Beginning Farmer Tax Credit

Farm Financial Stress…24
• Never, Ever, Ignore the Problem
• Do You Need Help?

Ecological Agrarians…26
• When Nature Bites Back

Reviews…28
• The Driftless Reader
• Letter to a Young Farmer

Membership Update…30
• Volunteer Opportunities
• Membership Questions?
• Get Current with LIVE-WIRE
• Ear to the Ground Podcast
• Support LSP in Your Workplace
• In Memory & in Honor
• Check Out the LSP Meeting Room

Stewardship Calendar…32

Upcoming Events

October 2025

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.

Tuesday October 14

11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Birds as Pest Control Allies on the Farm
Tuesday October 14
11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Birds as Pest Control Allies on the Farm
Online
This 10-lesson Wild Farm Alliance virtual course teaches agricultural professionals and farmers how to support beneficial birds and manage pest birds on farms. By learning how to assess the farm’s avian needs and opportunities, farms can be designed to provide for a diversity of beneficial birds.

If pest birds are a problem, they can be discouraged with specific practices during the shorter periods when they cause damage. The sessions cover the latest research, tools and resources, and are given by experts in avian pest control, entomology, ornithology and conservation. While many topics and species are specific to the Midwest, most of the principles discussed are applicable across regions.

Continuing Education Credits have been requested and are expected to be approved from American Society of Agronomy.

For details and to register, click here.

The Course Schedule:

LESSON 1

Why Birds Belong on the Farm: Biodiversity, Pest Control & A Thriving Landscape

Tuesday, September 23, 2 p.m. CT

LESSON 2

Birds as Pest Control Allies on the Farm

Tuesday, October 14, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 3

Birds in the Balance: Pest Control Services Across Crop Types

Tuesday, November 4, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 4

Integrating Habitat into Croplands: Prairie Strips and Bird Conservation

Tuesday, December 2, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 5

Birds on the Farm: Balancing Biodiversity and Food Safety

Tuesday, January 13, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 6

Beyond the Crop: Birds, Biodiversity, and the Power of Edge Habitat

Tuesday, February 3, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 7

Bridging Forestry, Farming, and Habitat

Tuesday, February 24, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 8

Perennial Pathways: Agroforestry for Birds and Biodiversity on Farms

Tuesday, March 17, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 9

Birds on the Range: How Grazing Practices Shape Habitat for Grassland Species

Tuesday, April 7, 11 a.m. CT

LESSON 10

Birds at Risk: How Pesticides Shape Safety on Agricultural Lands

Tuesday, April 28, 11 a.m. CT

Thursday October 23

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Farm to School & Early Care Grants Deadline

Thursday October 23

8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Farm to School & Early Care Grants Deadline

Online

School is back in session and this week’s cool temps definitely remind us all that fall is just around the corner. This time of the year also means that the application period is open for Minnesota’s Farm to School and Early Care grants.

Earlier this year, the Land Stewardship Project and our partners were successful in expanding funding for the AGRI Farm to School and Early Care program. The application window for the next round of funding is now open and will close at 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 23.

APPLY FOR FUNDING HERE

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is serving up two funding opportunities to help schools and early childhood education (ECE) centers buy Minnesota-grown and -raised foods.

1. First Bite Grants: Up to $5,000 (no match required) to kickstart local food purchasing through intentional, high-impact activities.
2. Full Tray Grants: Up to $35,000 (1:1 match required) to help experienced schools and ECE centers increase or expand their local food purchases.

Equipment funding: First Bite and Full Tray applicants can also request up to $25,000 (1:1 match required) to support the purchase of kitchen equipment that will enhance their capacity to buy, prepare, and serve local foods.

These grants are open to:
• Public or private K-12 schools or school districts in Minnesota that participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Early childhood education (ECE) centers that participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) in Minnesota

MDA encourages schools, districts, and ECE centers serving sovereign tribal nations to apply.

Local Tots Cost-Share Program
There are also funds available to reimburse family child care providers for buying Minnesota-grown and -raised foods used for meals and snacks as part of the the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP):

Interested providers must submit a Local Tots Cost-Share program Letter of Intent to participate. Award amounts will be up to $1,000 and there is a 1:1 cash match required for providers who received a Local Tots Cost-Share award in 2025. There is no cash match required if you are new to the program.

Applications are due by 4 p.m. Central Time (CT) on Thursday, October 23, 2025.

Program details and online applications are available at http://www.mda.state.mn.us/farm-school-early-care-programs or by contacting the Grants Team at MDA.AGRIgrants@state.mn.us.

Want to learn more about eligibility, allowable expenses, and how to apply?

Join the MDA for a virtual info session:
First Bite and Full Tray Grant Info Session
September 15, 2025, 2-3 p.m.
Register here

Local Tots Cost-Share Info Session – for family child care providers
September 18, 2025, 1-2 p.m.
Register here

Farmers: Are you Interested in selling to a school near you?
Send this opportunity along to the food service director at schools near you or connect with a Regional Local Food Coordinator to help you make connections with schools, childcare settings, and other opportunities to sell locally. These positions are supported by the Department of Education and Renewing the Countryside.

View Full Calendar

Land Stewardship Project

Table of Contents

Contact

LESSON 1

Why Birds Belong on the Farm: Biodiversity, Pest Control & A Thriving Landscape

LESSON 2

Birds as Pest Control Allies on the Farm

LESSON 3

Birds in the Balance: Pest Control Services Across Crop Types

LESSON 4

Integrating Habitat into Croplands: Prairie Strips and Bird Conservation

LESSON 5

Birds on the Farm: Balancing Biodiversity and Food Safety

LESSON 6

Beyond the Crop: Birds, Biodiversity, and the Power of Edge Habitat

LESSON 7

Bridging Forestry, Farming, and Habitat

LESSON 8

Perennial Pathways: Agroforestry for Birds and Biodiversity on Farms

LESSON 9

Birds on the Range: How Grazing Practices Shape Habitat for Grassland Species

LESSON 10

Birds at Risk: How Pesticides Shape Safety on Agricultural Lands