The Coronavirus Pandemic Unmasks a Brutal, Multinational Food & Farming System that’s as Unsustainable as the Economic Model that Created it As the coronavirus disrupts “normal” life in America and worldwide—and we ride the rapids of shifting strategy and messaging from the White House, its cabinet, and Congressional leaders — the pandemic also shines light… Read More →
Okay, calculus lesson of the day, courtesy of some pasture grass, fencing and a herd of ruminants. Calculus, in case you’ve forgotten, is the mathematical study of rates of change. It can be a handy way to calculate where you’re headed and how long it will take to get there. Let’s say you are a… Read More →
Dec. 11: An LSP Round-up of News Covering Land, People & Communities Dean Foods Seeks to Get Back Money Paid to Dairy Farmers Before Bankruptcy (12/10/20) Hundreds of dairy farmers nationwide fear they could owe substantial sums to the bankrupt dairy processor Dean Foods after the company sent out letters attempting to claw back payments… Read More →
After a lifetime of working for others in agricultural jobs, and retired after a career with the postal service, Tom Hoekstra and his wife, Lisa, bought a 150-acre farm outside of Plainview in southeastern Minnesota. Tom was 59 when they bought the farm in 2009. Right after their purchase, they immediately went to work re-building… Read More →
SAINT PAUL, Minn. — A $1 billion proposal released by the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus today represents a meaningful investment in the health of our farms, soil, water, climate and rural communities, said leaders of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP). “LSP applauds the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus for crafting a strong proposal that… Read More →
If ever there was a shining example of a smart public investment in our food and farming future, Minnesota’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program is it. This program has been an important driver of sustainable (and conventional) farming innovations in the state for almost a quarter-century. Farmers who qualify for these competitive grants are able… Read More →
NOTE: John Meyer, his wife Linda and their two youngest children, Charlie and Maggie, farm about 500 acres in southwestern Olmsted County, Minn. John planted his first oat cover crop in early spring of 2016 on half his land — on frozen ground and through snow — and planted corn directly into that “green,” allowing… Read More →
BYRON, Minn. — No-till, cover crops and soil health will be the focus of a free Land Stewardship Project (LSP) field day on Tuesday, July 11, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., on three Byron-area farms. Martin Larsen, Tom Pyfferoen and Curt Tvedt will share their experiences and provide a firsthand look at their soil-building… Read More →
ALEXANDRIA, Minn. — How farmers, ranchers and other landowners can build profits and soil health will be the focus of a workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the First Congregational United Church of Christ (221 7th Ave. W.) in Alexandria. Leading this Land Stewardship Project (LSP) workshop will be… Read More →
LEWISTON, Minn. — Innovative grazing techniques, custom grazing and marketing of grass-fed livestock products will be the focus of two Land Stewardship Project (LSP) pasture walks in the southeastern Minnesota communities of Altura and Zumbrota in mid-October. These events are free and open to the public. On Tuesday, Oct. 11, from 4 p.m. to 6:30… Read More →
