Ear to the Ground 94 - Land Stewardship Project

A play about a retiring couple’s struggle with their farm’s future (part 1).

Upcoming Events

December 2025

Tuesday December 16

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm: From the 1980's Farm Crisis to Today's Factory Farm System
Tuesday December 16
2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
From the 1980's Farm Crisis to Today's Factory Farm System
Zoom online

Forty years after the 80’s Farm Crisis, what has changed for family farmers? Farmers worked together in the 80’s to push back on unfair foreclosures and form networks that are still advocating for farmers today.

During this Campaign for Family Farms and the Environment webinar, learn from a panel of farmers about what happened after the 80’s crisis, how consolidation and bad policy continue to pressure independent family farms to get big or get out, and how organizing to build long term power and better farm policy is the way forward.

To register, click here.

Thursday December 18

All Day

MDA Urban Farm Conservation Mini-grant Deadline

Thursday December 18

MDA Urban Farm Conservation Mini-grant Deadline

MDA

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.

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Managing Cover Crops Effectively

Thursday December 18

11:00 am – 2:00 pm

Managing Cover Crops Effectively

830 Whitewater Ave, St Charles, MN 55972, USA

Program Includes:

Introduction to cover crop management
Funding and cost-share opportunities
Farmer panel and Q & A with panelists Mike Unruh, Ken Bergler, and Myron Sylling

Presentations from: Bailey Tangen (UMN) and Brad Jordahl Redlin (MDA).

Holiday conservation mixer following program.

This event is free but registration is required. For more information and to register, click here or call 262-325-6637. Details are also available on this flyer.

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Workshop: Sharing No-till Knowledge & Microbial Insights

Thursday December 18

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Workshop: Sharing No-till Knowledge & Microbial Insights

Olmsted County Public Works Service Center, 1188 50 St SE, Rochester, MN 55904, USA

Whitewater Gardens, The Olmsted SWCD, and The University of Minnesota Extension Olmsted County is offering a workshop called The Living Soil Roundtable: Sharing No-Till Knowledge and Microbial Insights. This workshop will offer practical information on how to read soil tests (both the Haney and the Soil Food Web), share findings from a recent NRCS SARE research project Optimizing No-Till Methods for a Direct-to-Market Organic Vegetable Farm on various mulching methods (deep composting, cut and carry, and living mulch), and provide plenty of time for questions and answers to discuss incorporating mulching in reduced till systems as a weed management practice and how to incorporate practices to increase soil microbiology.

Participants are encouraged to bring soil or compost samples for viewing under a microscope and for analysis to detect microbial life. Class cost is free and will be held at Olmsted County Public Works Service Center (1188 50 St SE, Rochester, MN 55904) on December 18th from 1- 4 PM.

Register at z.umn.edu/soilroundtable. Contact Shona Langseth at
shona.langseth@olmstedcounty.gov or 507-328-6905 with any questions.

Saturday December 20

10:00 am – 12:30 pm

ICE Out of Minnesota! March & Rally

Saturday December 20

10:00 am – 12:30 pm

ICE Out of Minnesota! March & Rally

3521 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55406, USA

As federal deportation tactics are escalating around Minnesota, folks from all walks of life are coming together to stand up for neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers who are under threat of being illegally, and sometimes violently, separated from their loved ones by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency.

The Land Stewardship Project is a member of the Immigrant Defense Network (IDN), a network of over 90 Minnesota organizations dedicated to protecting and advancing the constitutional rights of immigrant communities across Minnesota. At LSP, we know we all depend upon immigrants’ contributions to a robust food and agriculture economy in this country and we will not have a sustainable farm and food system until it is sustainable for everyone.

Which is why we are reaching out to share an opportunity to stand with our immigrant neighbors and show what a strong and united community looks like. We hope you can join LSP as part of IDN’s delegation at the ICE OUT OF MN! March and Rally on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 11:30 a.m., in South Minneapolis.

March Details (more details can be found on the registration form):

IDN is asking people to please register ahead of time.
Meet at 10 a.m. at COPAL Worker’s Center, located at 3521 E. Lake St., Minneapolis, MN 55406.
- Transportation will be provided to the march starting point as well as return transportation to Worker’s Center at the end of the march.
March begins at 11:30 a.m.
Route: Lake Street & Bloomington to Pillsbury Ave. & Lake Street
- Please be prepared to walk outdoors for approximately 30 minutes.

REGISTER HERE
- We’re asking LSP members who are interested in participating to register ahead of time and answer Yes to the question asking organization participation. You can indicate Land Stewardship Project on the registration form. This will let the organizers know how many organizations are being represented at this event.

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