Ear to the Ground 262: A Silvo Secondary Enterprise

Rachel Henderson and Anton Ptak’s secondary enterprise could be a boon for farm country pollinators.

(In 2010, Henderson and Ptak were featured on Ear to the Ground soon after they launched their orchard enterprise. Check out episode 78 here.)

More information:

• LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course
• LSP’s Journeyperson Course
• LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health web page
• Ear to the Ground 261: Pigs, Pastures & Pollinators
• Mary Dirty Face Farm
• Native Trees and Shrubs for Pollinators
• Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

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

Upcoming Events

March 2023

Monday March 27

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Monday March 27
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
MinnesotaCare Public Option: Virtual Information Session
Every Minnesotan deserves quality, affordable healthcare. But right now, too many Minnesotans have no choice but to purchase health insurance that is too expensive to use, are excluded from health coverage because of their immigration status, or are unable to leave their job or start a business because of the high cost of health insurance.

The MinnesotaCare Public Option (HF96/SF49) proposed this legislative session would allow more Minnesotans the option of buying into MinnesotaCare, paying a premium based on their income.

Join Minnesotans across the state for a virtual information session to learn more about the MinnesotaCare Public Option being considered at the state Capitol, and what YOU can do to help pass it this year.

The virtual webinar will be held on Zoom. Registration is required here.

The co-hosts of this meeting are: TakeAction Minnesota, Rural Organizing Project, the Land Stewardship Project, and more. For more information, click here.

Wednesday March 29

2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Farm to School Webinar for Farmers, Food Hubs & Distributors
Wednesday March 29
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm
Farm to School Webinar for Farmers, Food Hubs & Distributors
During this MDA-IATP webinar, learn more about Farm to School in Minnesota as well as goals and requirements of this year’s Farm to School Grant Program. There will be helpful information on how to successfully connect with and sell to schools.

Register here.
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics
Wednesday March 29
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Community Foods Webs Learning Circle: Changing How We Think About Food System Economics

Building strong community food networks where we live can move us powerfully toward our vision for functioning local and regional systems that support regenerative farming and provide all people with the nourishing foods they want and need. To explore how communities around the country are making this happen, in March LSP is hosting three learning circles focused on the book Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter.

Join us for just one session, or all three! Each session we’ll gather on Zoom for two hours — beginning at 7 p.m. — to discuss major themes from the book and generate ideas for our own communities.

Reserve your spot by signing up on our website:https://landstewardshipproject.org/learning-circles. Questions about getting signed up? Reach out to LSP’s Elizabeth Makarewicz at EMakarewicz@landstewardshipproject.org.

April 2023

Tuesday April 4

9:00 am – 12:30 pm: Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers
Tuesday April 4
9:00 am – 12:30 pm
Wholesale Readiness Training for Farmers

MISA, UMN Extension and Renewing the Countryside are offering training and one-to-one technical assistance for farmers who want to grow their operation into wholesale markets. Wholesale isn’t just for large-scale distributors. You can use this training and support team to prepare to sell to schools, restaurants, grocery stores and hospitals in your community. Participating farmers will be eligible for $500 mini-grants to cover expenses related to launching a wholesale enterprise.

For details, click here.

Thursday April 6

12:00 pm – 1:30 pm: Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Thursday April 6
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Training
Join LSP to prepare for the 2023 Family Farm Breakfast Lobby Day on April 13! The training will be an opportunity to prepare how we will influence our elected officials to win real change on key LSP issues like soil health and climate solutions, healthcare reform, taking on corporate consolidation in agriculture, and more. This training will include: background on your legislators; templates for a legislative meeting; workshopping how to share our stories in a powerful, concise way; logistics; and more!

For more information and to register, click here.

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