On a misty June morning in northeastern Iowa, Nikki Meyer led half-a-dozen farmers down a field road through a thick stand of oaks and other hardwoods. The going was tough — the road dropped 400 vertical feet in less than half-a-mile, and a half-inch rain earlier had made the footing greasy with mud. Sensing that… Read More →
How a small, rural school district is taking a trial run at sourcing food from local farmers. More Information • MDA Farm to School & Early Care Programs & Grants • Report: Building the Farm to School Network in West Central Minnesota • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • Ear to the Ground 385:… Read More →
Jeanine Bowman believes having locally produced food on her school’s menu shouldn’t be a special occasion — it should be a daily part of nourishing kids while supporting the farm economy. More Information • MDA Farm to School & Early Care Programs & Grants • Report: Building the Farm to School Network in West Central… Read More →
Ag antitrust expert Austin Frerick sees the current food system as a mechanism for modern robber barons to treat rural communities as mere “extraction colonies.” But, he argues, changing how we eat isn’t enough — we need to disrupt how power is distributed all along the food chain (2 of 2 parts). More Information •… Read More →
MONTEVIDEO, Minn. — The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) today launched an initiative in Minnesota communities aimed at increasing citizen engagement in the local democratic process. The Local Democracy Challenge, which runs through Nov. 26, outlines six areas of direct action that citizens can take in a non-general election year. The public is invited to participate… Read More →
Sonja Trom Eayrs started out writing about her own family’s fight against factory farms. She ended up telling a larger story of corporate capture of rural communities (1 of 2 parts). More Information • Sonja Trom Eayrs’s website • View video of Nov. 4, 2025, LSP Event Featuring Sonja Trom Eayrs & Austin Frerick: “Big… Read More →
LSP’s Local Democracy Challenge is a reminder that we can’t allow democracy to grow dormant between elections. More Information • LSP’s Local Democracy Challenge Web Page • Land Stewardship Action • Ear to the Ground Podcast 341 Featuring Land Stewardship Action You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, YouTube,… Read More →
There are many ways you can participate in the democratic process outside election day. Beyond the first five challenges laid out by LSP, consider trying one of these additional challenges to make your voice heard and be a part of the process that creates the community, state and country that you want to live in.…
Chris MacLeod came to Mill City hoping to source local grain while pursuing his passion for baking. When confronted with the reality of the export-driven commodity system, he doubled down on connecting with local farmers. More Information • Laune Bread • Baker’s Field Flour & Bread • LSP’s Small Grains Web Page • Ear to… Read More →
Attending local government meetings is a powerful way to learn more about your community and how decisions are made. You don’t have to stand up and talk, but by showing up you can watch the process, hear what the elected officials are saying and how they’re saying it, watch other citizens speak, and if you’re…
