At a time when there’s a lot of bad news when it comes to the state of our land, spending a bit of time in the company of optimists can be good for the soul. And there’s no doubt Kristin Ohlson and Courtney White have a positive message to relay in their new books about… Read More →
Gary Van Ryswyk’s concern for how his farming methods impact the landscape is obvious. A practitioner of a no-till system that avoids disturbing a field’s surface as much as possible, he is particularly focused on keeping soil in place. “None of us who farm want the soil to move—we care,” Van Ryswyk told me one… Read More →
I just returned from Iowa and my ears are still ringing from the gut-crunching drone of low-flying airplanes—the kind that seem to be all engine and spray nozzles. About a dozen crop dusters blanketed one county alone during a two-day period, spraying for aphids—thirsty little monsters that literally suck the life juices out of crops… Read More →
Note: This is the 2nd installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. One of the ways Rachelle and Jordan Meyer keep things in context is to avoid being distracted by what they call “the woman in the red dress.” Is a new enterprise a good fit for the farm, or is… Read More →
Note: This is the 3rd installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. History is a critical piece of context. All too often, farming practices are carried out without taking into consideration past practices and their subsequent impact. Regenerative farmers often say they are “listening to the land” when making management decisions.… Read More →
Note: This is the 9th installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. When someone calls Matthew Fitzgerald for advice about getting into organic crop production, the central Minnesota farmer’s first response is a question of his own: “Do you own a fishing boat?” If they say yes, Fitzgerald then recommends they sell… Read More →
Note: This is the 10th installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. There’s nothing like getting diminishing returns on your investment in time, labor, and resources to put things in context. “I just got sick and tired of spending money on fertilizer, planting in the dry powder, and watching the soil blow… Read More →
Note: This is the 12th installment in the 12-part “A Sense of Where You Are” series. In case Allen and Kathleen Deutz need a reminder of one of the main reasons corn dominates the landscape in their part of southwestern Minnesota, they need to look no further than the massive Archer-Daniels-Midland ethanol plant that rises to… Read More →
Aleta Borrud is a retired physician who brings to LSP her passion for rural healthcare access. Aleta first engaged with LSP’s policy efforts to expand MinnesotaCare, but after inheriting a small grains farm in western North Dakota, she became invested in understanding how soil health principles could counter soil acidification and provide resistance to drought,… Read More →
Our farm and food system is more resilient and just with more farmers stewarding the land and growing food for their communities, but so many people who want to farm are facing significant barriers to getting established and sustaining their businesses. The Increasing Land Access, Security, and Opportunities (LASO) Act, championed by Minnesota U.S. Senator Tina… Read More →
