Ear to the Ground 380: Thinking Like a Prairie

Amy Rager wasn’t thrilled about moving from the North Woods to the land of grass. But three decades later, she’s an impassioned advocate for this treeless biome.

More Information

• Minnesota Master Naturalist Program
• Land Stewardship Letter review of Sea of Grass
• Ear to the Ground episode 258: Prairie’s Horizontal Grandeur
• LSP Soil Builders Web Page

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

**Naturalist Amy Rager** (*yellow shirt*) **leads an LSP walk at Chippewa Prairie Preserve in western Minnesota.**

Upcoming Events

September 2025

Friday September 12 – Saturday September 13

Forage Council Grazing School

Friday September 12 – Saturday September 13

Forage Council Grazing School

The Forage Council Grazing School will cover the why, what, how, and who of grazing, taking grazing to the next level. This is a two-day event. Lunch provided both days, along with a Friday evening meal at the Community Center in Verndale.

For details and to register, click here.

Friday September 12

9:00 am – 2:00 pm: Can Farmers Make a Profit? Field Day & Seminar
Friday September 12
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Can Farmers Make a Profit? Field Day & Seminar
Carpenter Community Center, 508 William St, Carpenter, IA 50426, USA
This event will feature discussions about raising non-GMO and organic corn and soybeans, as well as cover crops. There will be a soil pit demonstration and a discussion about the pros and cons of tillage. A field plot tour is included. Lunch is provided. Presenters include Tom Cotter and Gilbert Hostetler. To reserve a spot, call or text Mervin Beachy at 641-381-0054. For details, check out this flier.

Tuesday September 16

9:00 am – 2:00 pm: Chicken Processing Workshop
Tuesday September 16
9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Chicken Processing Workshop
14882 255th Ave, Sleepy Eye, MN 56085, USA
Join the SFA to learn how to process your own chickens at home. At this workshop, participants will actually be processing 35-40 chickens from start to finish, and they will learn how to kill, scald, pluck, and eviscerate the chickens. Each attendee will have the opportunity to perform the complete process with instructor help on several birds.

Details are here.

Wednesday September 17

9:00 am – 3:00 pm: Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Wednesday September 17
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
Grazing for Invasive Species Management in Oak Savannas
Myre-Big Island State Park, 19499 780th Ave, Albert Lea, MN 56007, USA
For details on this workshop, click here.
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Wednesday September 17
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Extending the Grazing Season with Cover Crops & Native Grasses
Bluffton Resort & Bar, 2619 W Ravine Rd, Decorah, IA 52101, USA
This Ducks Unlimited workshop will feature a discussion of how livestock producers can utilize cover crops and native grasses to extend the grazing season. Featured speakers include Adam Janke, who will discuss Iowa State University’s research on CRP grazing, and Brian Dougherty of Understanding AG, who will discuss the economics of grazing cover crops. There will also be a presentation on Ducks Unlimited’s Advancing Markets for Producers Partnership.

For details, see this flier. or call Ducks Unlimited’s Liam Bonk at 612-483-3577. To register, click here.

View Full Calendar