Ear to the Ground 260: Soil Health’s Long View

Martin Larsen’s integration of small grains into his cropping operation is centered on building economic and ecological resiliency beyond the next growing season.

For more information on soil health and to join LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network, click here.

Ear Dirt

Check out LSP’s ongoing Ear Dirt podcast series for conversations on cover cropping, no-till, managed rotational grazing, fungi, and just about anything else that builds soil health.

Other podcasts and articles on Martin Larsen and his efforts to balance profitable farming with healthy soil:

You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Upcoming Events

November 2025

Wednesday November 19

12:15 pm – 1:45 pm: We Can Do Better Book Discussion at Iowa Nature Summit
Wednesday November 19
12:15 pm – 1:45 pm
We Can Do Better Book Discussion at Iowa Nature Summit
Olmsted Center, 2875 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311, USA
The Johnson Center for Land Stewardship Policy is excited to share that one of our its primary pillars of work — a published collection of Paul Johnson’s writings — is set for release on Oct. 2. The book features a brief biography and a discussion of Paul’s ideas within the historical and future contexts of private lands conservation. For details on We Can Do Better: Collected Writings on Land, Conservation, and Public Policy click here.

Curt Meine will speak about the book during the 12:15 p.m.-1:30 p.m. luncheon at the Iowa Nature Summit on Nov 19.

Thursday November 20

All Day

Give to the Max Day

Thursday November 20

Give to the Max Day

Online

Give to the Max Day is coming up on Thursday, November 20. But you don’t have to wait until Give to the Max Day to make your gift to LSP. Any contribution made through the GiveMN portal, now until November 20, will count toward our $15,000 goal and is fully tax-deductible!

This Give to the Max Day season, the Land Stewardship Project is gearing up to share the stories of resilience, change, and action that LSP members are a part of in their towns and on their farms.

We’re up against some pretty overwhelming challenges these days and now is the time for turning hope into action and coming together over common goals. One way to do that is to support the work of building the farm and food system we want and need for the future.

We know the future of farming is diverse and innovative, and should be set up to reward stewardship-minded farmers for the solutions they bring to some of our biggest challenges like soil health, clean water, and a changing climate.

Bringing that vision for the future into reality requires taking on the biggest of the big in the agriculture industry, supporting the next generation of farmers, and reforming farm policies, as well as developing new, reliable, fair markets for all farmers that support conservation, healthy food, and local prosperity.

That’s a big mountain to climb and we need people power to make it happen. LSP brings farmers, rural, urban, and suburban people together to take action around our common goal of a fair and sustainable farm and food system in this country.

Give to the Max Day is a fun and collective way to get into the giving spirit across the entire state of Minnesota. Thank you for being part of LSP’s work to build a better future for our farm and food system. Please join, renew, or make a special gift to LSP as part of Give to the Max Day this year.

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

MDA Urban Ag Conservation Mini-grant Info Session

Thursday November 20

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm

MDA Urban Ag Conservation Mini-grant Info Session

A grant opportunity for urban farmers in Minnesota to receive up to $5,000 to make conservation-focused improvements is now open for applications.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is once again offering an Urban Farm Conservation Mini-grant with approximately $100,000 available, thanks to funding from the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. This year the program has expanded eligibility.

Who is eligible:

Entities commercially farming in Minnesota, meaning they sell or donate at least $1,000 of what they produce.
Farm applicants must be located in or selling into a city with a population over 5,000 people, or be located within the boundaries of federally recognized tribal land in Minnesota and serve tribal community members.

The grant offers up to $5,000 per approved recipient which can be used to cover a variety of tools, supplies, services, and other expenses related to improving their urban farm.

Eligible projects include irrigation infrastructure improvements, tools and amendments for improving soil health, composting infrastructure, specialty crop rotation equipment and many other farm improvements which generate conservation outcomes.

Up to 100% of the total project costs may be covered by the grant, and a cash match is not required. Grantees will need to pay for eligible expenses up front and then request reimbursement, using proof of purchase and proof of payment.

An informational session will take place online at 1 p.m. on November 20 and registration is required. Language interpretation services may be requested for the information session by contacting Emily Toner at emily.toner@state.mn.us.

This is a competitive grant program and applications must be submitted by December 18.

Visit the Urban Farm Conservation Grant web page for more information on its application. The Request for Proposals is available for download in English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.

Saturday November 22

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Farm Scale Deep Winter Greenhouse Open House
Saturday November 22
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Farm Scale Deep Winter Greenhouse Open House
Tintah Beach Farm, Thief River Falls, MN
Please join Marcus Langevin from Tintah Beach Farm and the University of Minnesota at an open house and ribbon cutting celebrating the completion of the farm scale deep winter greenhouse prototype on Nov. 22, from 1 p.m.-4 p.m.

This new deep winter greenhouse design allows farmers in cold climates to grow crops for sale to their customers throughout the winter months. The heavily insulated greenhouse utilizes a steeply sloped south-facing glazing wall to capture solar heat which is stored in an underground soil thermal mass where it is available to heat the greenhouse at night when the outside temperatures drop.

The new energy efficient greenhouse was designed to suit the needs of small and medium scale vegetable farmers. It is larger, cheaper per square foot to construct than previous designs, and is simple enough that farmers with minimal construction experience can build it themselves. Deep winter greenhouses like these allow farmers the ability to grow market crops year-round, thereby increasing their yearly revenues and allowing Minnesotans year-round access to healthy, fresh, locally grown produce.

Registration: This event is free to attend, but registration is required at z.umn.edu/TintahBeachOpenHouse. Please register by November 15.

Download farm scale deep winter greenhouse building documents. This farm scale deep winter greenhouse design is available for free download from the UMN Extension RSDP’s deep winter greenhouse website.

This work is made possible by University of Minnesota Extension; College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS); College of Design Center for Sustainable Building Research (CSBR); and the Agriculture Research, Education, Extension and Technology Transfer Program (AGREETT).

December 2025

Monday December 1

All Day: Marbleseed Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program Deadline
Monday December 1
Marbleseed Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program Deadline
Marbleseed
Marbleseed’s Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program empowers farmers through one-on-one guidance as they grow their business, seek organic certification, add farm enterprises, hone production skills, balance farm and family and more.

Both mentor and mentee receive complimentary registration for two years of the Marbleseed Organic Farming Conference. You’ll meet your mentor Feb. 26-28 in La Crosse, Wis. and wrap up your formal relationship at the following conference.

The deadline for applications is Dec. 1. Learn more and apply here .

Eligibility:

→ Applicants must have been operating their farm business for at least one year.

→ Mentorships are available in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

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