Sometimes laboratory science and the reality of what’s happening on the ground intersect in a graphic way. That’s what struck me this morning as I was watching a video shot by Minnesota beekeeper Steve Ellis on May 7. Ellis has documented the die-off of bees on the very day that neighboring fields were planted with… Read More →
I am a Planning Commissioner in Florence Township, which is in southeast Minnesota’s Goodhue County. I am also chair of the Save-The-Bluffs Citizen’s group and a new member of the Land Stewardship Project. I have been heavily involved in the silica frac sand issue here in Goodhue County since May 2011. I was retired once,… Read More →
If you are the sort who likes to be outdoors, self-reliant and working close to the land, what Anna Racer and Peter Skold did for five summers might sound ideal. They worked at a camp in northern Minnesota where they took teenagers into the wilderness for six weeks at a time. But there comes a… Read More →
Wholesome Family Farms is known for juggling enough enterprises to overwhelm even the most ambitious farmer. But Rachelle Meyer says a “three-legged stool” strategy keeps them balanced. (First episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • Wholesome Family Farms • Drone Footage of Rachelle & Jordan Meyer Moving Sheep • LSP’s “Building Soil… Read More →
Soil, cows, ecology, economics: to milk producer Derek Schmitz, they are all linked, and that feeds his optimism even as tough times cast a shadow over dairy farming. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • Soil Health Academy Case Study: Derek & Taylor Schmitz • Regenerative Livestock Systems Symposium: April 5, 2024 You can… Read More →
Climate change may impact a vegetable producer and a livestock farmer in different ways, but the result is the same: uncertainty, stress…and a deeper desire to connect with community. More Information • Ear to the Ground 299: Road to Resilience • LSP’s Soil Health page • Prairie Drifter Farm • Early Boots Farm You can find LSP Ear… Read More →
Whitney Terrill joined LSP’s staff as a Farm Beginnings organizer in 2023. She co-leads LSP’s Farm Beginnings organizing and Land Access and Land Legacy initiatives. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology (Hampton University), as well as executive certificates in conservation and environmental sustainability (Columbia University) and in social impact strategy (University of Pennsylvania). Whitney… Read More →
Shea-Lynn Ramthun is a 6th generation farmer in Cannon Falls, Minn. Her family has a herd of rotationally-grazed Black Angus cattle that they raise from start to finish. Additionally, they farm a variety of crops using no-till and cover cropping methods. Shea-Lynn has been involved with LSP for the past couple of years, attending workshops,… Read More →
Farm Beginnings grad Queen Frye just wants to raise food — even if she doesn’t resemble a famous Scottish farmer. More Information • Land Stewardship Letter Profile: The Fifth ‘R’ • R. Roots Garden • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other podcast… Read More →
Farmer Mike Seifert is realizing that building a solid soil house is not enough — he also has to stock its pantry. More Information • LSP’s Soil Microbiology Web Page • Ear to the Ground 297: Web of Willing Workers • Ear to the Ground 292: Working the Microbes • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page… Read More →
