I sat in a farmhouse one afternoon last month as a hot wind lifted rich topsoil from surrounding fields. On the drive in, I’d noticed a surprising amount of rill erosion on newly tilled cropland—surprising because recent rains had not been all that intense and the fields were not unusually steep. Out of the blue… Read More →
When it comes to the crop insurance sweepstakes, southwest Minnesota farmer Darwyn Bach is a winner. But he concedes that his good fortune presents a quandary, since the way the program is implemented these days creates significant losers: the soil, beginning farmers and Main Street businesses that suffer when the number of families in a… Read More →
While recording a recent LSP podcast interview with southwest Minnesota farmer Carmen Fernholz, I was reminded of how important it is that farmers identify closely with the land they’re producing a livelihood from. As Fernholz put it: “If you’re a good farmer you can’t help but become attached to the land. And when you become… Read More →
When a business closes in a rural community, the following 24 months or so are key. Whether it be a farm, small town grocery or repair shop, if the real estate it occupied is still lacking a day-to-day human presence a year or two down the road, it sends a troubling message about the future… Read More →
Myron Sylling approaches farming from a no-nonsense, cause-and-effect point of view. So, he asks, if a reliance on heavy dosages of fertilizer is costing producers money while polluting our water, what’s keeping us from building a less nitrate-tainted farming system? (last in a series on nitrates, farming, and water) More Information • LSP’s Rethink Nitrogen… Read More →
Lance Petersen feels strongly that as agriculture’s regulatory future related to nitrate pollution is being debated, one thing is certain: farmers like himself need to be in the room, at the table, and taking part in the discussion. (part of a series on nitrates, farming, and water) More Information • LSP’s Rethink Nitrogen Campaign •… Read More →
Thank you for signing onto our petition. We will keep you updated on our legislature’s actions around Minnesota water quality in the months ahead. Feel free to share this direct link to the petition with anyone in Minnesota you think should be a part of this action! Petition link here: https://secure.ngpvan.com/PRw8scm2c0yhprCXYOKM7A2 We invite to learn… Read More →
When a federal immigration crackdown came to rural Minnesota, farmer Bridget Lux knew she had to do something. When she walked into a community meeting, she realized she wasn’t the only one looking to take action. More Information • Contact Information for LSP Organizer Nick Olson • Immigrant Defense Network • LSP Blog: Equipping Communities… Read More →
Jordan and Rachelle Meyer had burning questions about how to pursue a new milk production path without upsetting their “three-legged stool.” So they invited members of an LSP Soil Health Hub onto their farm to debate the options. More Information • Wholesome Family Farms • Meyer Podcast — Ear to the Ground 255: Embracing the… Read More →
Dawit is working with a group and seeking a meat processing plant to rent or buy in or near Minneapolis/ St. Paul. They would be open to considering locations within 45 minutes to 1 hour outside the metro area. Read More →
