Ashly Steinke remembers well the first time he saw a bobolink on pastured land that formerly grew corn and soybeans — it was a sign that he was successfully blending beef, birds, and biology. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • Audubon Conservation Ranching Program • The Monitoring Project’s “Tool Box”… Read More →
Bovines, bugs, and birds are all making noise in Kevin Mahalko’s dairy grazing paddocks, and that’s music to his ears. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • NODPA Article on Kevin Mahalko • Ear to the Ground 391: Grounded in Grazing • Ear to the Ground 371: Avian Award • Ear… Read More →
From Farm Aid’s YouTube Channel: Minnesota farmer Hannah Bernhardt grew up on a farm during the devastating 1980s Farm Crisis. She explains how decades later, seeing other young farmers using sustainable, regenerative agriculture practices inspires her to stay on the land growing for the future. Moses Momanyi and Lonah Onyancha speak about the benefits of… Read More →
Minnesota Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Odette says in the battle to make sure Big Ag plays by the rules, knowledge is power. That’s why, if we are to have a fair, vibrant farm and food system, average citizens must wield this weapon and report what they’re seeing in the countryside. More Information • Report Possible… Read More →
Scientist Kris Nichols finds the disconnect between food production and soil health “terrifying” and says the stakes are too high not to mend that break. So what are we waiting for? (2 of 2 parts) More Information • Ear to the Ground No. 387 Interview with Kris Nichols (1 of 2 parts) • LSP’s Soil… Read More →
We wanted to make you aware of an opportunity Farm Aid is offering Minnesota farmers as the Land Stewardship Project and our allies prepare to welcome the group’s 40th Anniversary concert to Minneapolis on Saturday, Sept. 20. Farm Aid is seeking farmers who would like to have their operations photographed in early August. These photos… Read More →
LSP members and allies spoke out during the 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature. It paid off in the form of support for local food markets, farmland access, and soil health. More Information • Blog: Wrap-up of 2025 Legislative Session • LSP’s State Policy Web Page You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast… Read More →
Between 2012 and 2022, Minnesota lost 9,011 farms — on average 900 farms per year. During that same period, the average size of a Minnesota farm went from 349 acres to 388 acres. The average age of Minnesota farmers has reached an all-time high of 57.1 years. Ninety-nine percent of all farmland in Minnesota is… Read More →
Stephen Thomforde sees integrating trees, grass, and grazing animals as a way to support one of the most productive ecosystems in existence, and history backs up his argument. More Information • Stephen Thomforde Website • Land Stewardship Letter: Silvopasturing’s Silver Lining • Land Stewardship Letter: 2017 Feature on Mastodon Valley Farm • Sustainable Farming Association… Read More →
As farmers from across the region haul corn past Allen and Kathleen Deutz’s farm to the local ethanol plant, they can’t help but notice fences, livestock, and a diversity of plants. What’s not as immediately evident is how this counter- intuitive way of farming is building long-term soil health and resilience. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page… Read More →
