Ear to the Ground 275: Blurring the Bobolink Boundaries

How the Specht family is using rotational grazing, citizen science, and community collaboration to tear down the fence between the agricultural and avian worlds.

More Information:

• The Spechts have been featured in two books: Wildly Successful Farming and The Farm as Natural Habitat
• LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page
• Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation article on the Specht farm
• Ear to the Ground 200: Bovines, Biodiversity & Bobolinks

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

**Phil Specht checking for birds on his farm in northeastern Iowa.** (*Photo Courtesy of Larry Stone*)

Upcoming Events

November 2024

Wednesday November 20

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Dodge County, Incorporated Book Event
Wednesday November 20
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Dodge County, Incorporated Book Event
Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA
Come and join Land Stewardship Project members and other members of the community for a discussion featuring Sonja Trom Eayrs, the author of the recently released Dodge County, Incorporated: Big Ag and the Undoing of Rural America.

The book uses the lens of lawsuits by Sonja’s elderly parents and their frontline battles to fight industrial agriculture to tell the larger story of modern, industrial-scale factory farming and its negative impacts on small and medium-sized farms, rural communities, and the environment. This is also the story of Sonja’s family. They watched over the years as their 760-acre farm was encroached upon in all directions by Big Agriculture.

During the event, Sonja will be interviewed by LSP’s Brian DeVore, and there will be an opportunity for audience members to take part in a discussion about ways we can work together to fight industrial-scale factory farming and support a sustainable, economically-just farm and food system.

For details on the event, click here.

Thursday November 21

All Day: Give to the Max Day
Thursday November 21
Give to the Max Day
Online
Support the Land Stewardship Project during the 2024 Give to the Max day.

This Give to the Max Day season, we are excited to explore the deep storytelling tradition at Land Stewardship Project. Stay tuned for highlights of LSP’s communications legacy and our plans for continuing that kind of powerful narrative organizing into the future.

Don’t forget that you don’t have to wait for November 21 to give to the max! You can schedule your gift today, and it will still count toward our goal. Plus, a generous donor is matching every donation dollar-for-dollar up to $15,000!

Thank you for being part of LSP’s story. We are grateful for you. Please join, renew, or make a special gift to LSP as part of Give to the Max Day this year.
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm: Screening & Discussion: Greener Pastures Film
Thursday November 21
6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Screening & Discussion: Greener Pastures Film
Virtual
Running a family farm is hard enough. Add in climate change, a worldwide pandemic, and the increasing economic uncertainty brought on by mega farms, and it’s easy to see that being an independent farmer in America is a profession of survival. Following four Midwest family farms over several years, the documentary Greener Pastures is a story of perseverance within the farming industry in the heartland.

Join us live to watch the 90-minute documentary, hosted by the Midwest Vegetable Growers Network, and then stick around for conversation with two of the farmers featured in the documentary: Chris Petersen, from Iowa, and Jeff Ditzenberger, from Wisconsin. We’ll have lightly facilitated discussion with an opportunity for open Q&A. View educational resources related to the film here.

This event is brought to you by FairShare CSA Coalition and the MVEG Network’s working group on Farmer Resiliency & Mental Health. Find support resources here.

To reserve a spot for the film and discussion, click here.

December 2024

Tuesday December 3 – Wednesday December 4

2024 Premier Soil Health Event: For Farmers, by Farmers

Tuesday December 3 – Wednesday December 4

2024 Premier Soil Health Event: For Farmers, by Farmers

Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato, MN 56001, USA

This is a Minnesota Soil Health Coalition event. For details and to register, click here.

Tuesday December 3

2:00 pm – 7:30 pm: Iowa Organic Association Annual Meeting
Tuesday December 3
2:00 pm – 7:30 pm
Iowa Organic Association Annual Meeting
Story City Community Center 501 Elm Ave Story City, IA 50248
Each year, Iowa’s organic community gathers to celebrate the growing organic movement in Iowa with presentations that highlight new and emerging issues within the organic industry. The annual meeting also features a uniquely-curated dinner and networking with presenters, exhibitors, and other Iowa Organic Association members.

Tickets are available here.

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