It’s not every day that you see the words “unicyclists” and “farming” used in the same sentence, but here we go: national and world champion unicyclists Andy Cotter and Irene Genelin launched a farming operation a half-a-dozen years ago. Now, this is the part of the story that cries out for a familiar trope like… Read More →
Dear Senator Klobuchar: In considering whether or not to support the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, I hope you will look beyond the positions of main stream economists who believe in more globalization of economic activity and seek out those economists who think more deeply and comprehensively about economic and social realities and believe in… Read More →
The Frac Sand Insider Conference is being held in La Crosse, Wis., today and tomorrow, with a projected 300 to 400 industry representatives expected to attend. Before the conference, the Alliance to Ban Frac Sand Mining and Address Climate Change, which the Land Stewardship Project belongs to, stated: “Banning frac sand mining is the goal… Read More →
Lots of things to think about, and it can be a little overwhelming at the beginning. Farming is running a very challenging small business and that can be complex. But when done well, farming can be a multi-generational business that comes with skills transferable to future generations. Farming involves passion to keep us going when… Read More →
CHATFIELD, Minn. — Farmers and landowners gearing up for cover crops this year are invited to learn from innovative area farmers at a free Land Stewardship Project (LSP) “Spring Prep!” program Thursday, March 3, in Chatfield. The program will be held at the United Methodist Church (124 Winona St. SE) from 1 p.m. to 3:30… Read More →
Cover crops and soil health are hot topics now. My Albert Lea Seed House catalog now offers not only the old standards like clovers and rye, but also specialized multi-species “cocktails,” daikon type radishes brand named “tillage radish,” transplants from drier locales like cowpea, and pollinator- friendly species like phacelia. If you are like me… Read More →
The Land Stewardship Project today released our latest report on grants allocated through the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program (BFRDP). This is the fifth such report we’ve done in collaboration with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC). These analyses are a measure of the success of BFRDP in providing public support for effective… Read More →
During a recent Land Stewardship Letter roundtable discussion about Forever Green (see “Forever Green: Relaying Resiliency” blog), eight University of Minnesota graduate students working on the initiative responded to the question, “What excites you most about this research?” New Tools Have Compressed Time • Kevin Dorn has been mapping the genome for pennycress, which holds… Read More →
My name is Maria Russo and I am a senior at the University of Minnesota majoring in political science. This semester I was a part of HECUA’s Environmental Sustainability: Science, Public Policy and Community Action program. HECUA stands for Higher Education Consortium of Urban Affairs and is an off-campus study program. The program I’m in… Read More →
Even a brief conversation with Tom Cogger makes it clear what he enjoys doing: producing food. And that’s what he’s done on his Maple Hill Farm near Washburn in northwestern Wisconsin for almost two decades. In the early years, Cogger concentrated mostly on produce, but since his son Matthew joined the operation in 2009, pork… Read More →
