A cornerstone of creating a regenerative agricultural system in the Upper Midwest is reintegrating livestock onto the land in a way that farmers can add value to forages and grains while cycling nutrients in a manner that manure becomes a way to build soil biology, rather than a waste product to be disposed of. Over… Read More →
For over a year, Land Stewardship Project members have been advocating for the Agriculture Resilience Act (H.R.2803/ S.1337), a piece of federal legislation that invests in building a more climate-resilient farm and food system from the ground up. Our members have lobbied members of Congress during farm tours and in virtual meetings to advance this… Read More →
After a lifetime of working for others in agricultural jobs, and retired after a career with the postal service, Tom Hoekstra and his wife, Lisa, bought a 150-acre farm outside of Plainview in southeastern Minnesota. Tom was 59 when they bought the farm in 2009. Right after their purchase, they immediately went to work re-building… Read More →
Rick Matt was flat on his back when it became evident how he and his son, Damien, could build an intergenerational farming operation based on soil health, diversity, and grazing. (Fourth episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 3rd in the… Read More →
Poor soil, short growing seasons, and little infrastructure: beginning farmer George Heller is proving that a successful grazing operation doesn’t require optimal conditions. (Third episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 4th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Grazing’s Generational… Read More →
Josh Nelson’s approach to farming means looking beyond the next corn crop and building the kind of soil that generates long-term return on investment. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other… Read More →
An innovative program for promoting soil health and extending the grazing season came at just the right time for farmer Alan Bedtka. More Information • Ear to the Ground No. 326: Rooting Out Nitrates • Land Stewardship Letter article on Olmsted County Groundwater Protection & Soil Health Program • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report:… Read More →
When a tiling company suggested burying more pipe to deal with drainage issues, Tom Finnegan opted instead to go to the root of the problem. More Information • LSP’s Cover Crops page • LSP’s Grazing page • LSP’s No-till page • Sign-up for the Soil Builders’ Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground… Read More →
A 4th grade experiment launched farmer Connor McCormick down a path of researching linkages between ecology, agricultural economics, and healthy soil. More Information • Ear to the Ground 166: A farmer works with a professor and her students at St. Olaf College college to study the impacts of cropping on soil health. • Connor McCormick Blog: Returning… Read More →
AUSTIN, Minn. — A field day focused on cover crops, interseeding, grazing cover crop mixes, and roller crimping will be held Tuesday, July 10, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Tom Cotter farm, 50203 205th St., in Austin. Registration for this free event, which is co-sponsored by the Land Stewardship Project and the… Read More →
