Fox and Fawn Farm is a chemical-free fruit and vegetable farm located in western Carver County near Watertown, about 35 miles west of the Twin Cities. We are a small family farm, run by head farmer Tim “Red” Kirkman and strawberry-picking expert Nina Healy Kirkman. Our two boys (ages 8 and 11) help with berry… Read More →
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — As the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) launches its 40th year of “keeping the land and people together,” a veteran grassroots organizer has been selected as its new executive director, the organization’s board of directors announced today. When Mike McMahon takes over the helm at LSP on Jan. 18, he will also lead the… Read More →
LEWISTON, Minn. — Interest in soil microbiology and how to grow organisms using aerobic composting methods is growing among farmers in southeastern Minnesota. To hear more about what farmers are trying out in the region, the Land Stewardship Project will hold a compost check-in call Thursday, Sept. 24, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The… Read More →
Meeting Takes Place at Twin Cities Area Incubator Farm MARINE ON ST. CROIX, Minn. — During a walking tour of an incubator farm Sunday, farmer-leaders relayed to Minnesota U.S. Senator Tina Smith the importance of creating and supporting food and farm policy that prioritizes people and public investment in the health and wellbeing of communities… Read More →
Contact Your Senator TODAY The Problem: After years of poor returns, farm prices have destabilized even further due to COVID-19. Nearly all farmers are in financial crisis. TIME is needed to recover. TIME, during which no farmer should be foreclosed upon. The Solution: Pass HF 4599 to Extend Farmer-Lender Mediation deadlines through harvest to December… Read More →
A Viral Carrot Sale During a Pandemic Reveals Local Food’s Potential…& Limits In mid-March, when it was becoming clear the COVID-19 pandemic was going to change the way food is procured in the U.S. and beyond, the owners of Open Hands Farm placed five bags of carrots and a money box in their driveway. Farm… Read More →
LSP Calls for Mediation Period & Moratorium on Farm Foreclosures to be Extended to 180 Days to Accommodate Harvest, Volatile Market Situation SAINT PAUL, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) applauded the Minnesota House and Senate for passing legislation Tuesday that would place a 60-day extension on farm financial mediation periods in the state.… Read More →
Groups Concerned That Trump’s USDA Will Continue to Favor Industry Family farm-based organizations in Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and South Dakota sent a letter to Congress today calling for strong oversight of the recently passed Covid-19 aid package to ensure the USDA disburses aid to people and rural communities, not global agribusiness firms that reaped tens… Read More →
LSP Farmer-Members Demand State Policy Reforms, Investigations MANKATO, Minn. — Public officials need to take immediate action to address the farm crisis that is decimating Minnesota’s rural families and communities. That was the message farmer-members of the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) conveyed to state Commissioner of Agriculture Thom Petersen and Attorney General Keith Ellison at… Read More →
Note: Land Stewardship Project member Jim VanDerPol raises crops and livestock on Pastures a Plenty Farm near Kerkhoven in western Minnesota. He recently wrote this commentary expressing his opinions on the farm financial crisis for his own blog, and has given permission to re-post it here. Farmer suicide is on an uptrend. Some would call… Read More →
