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 →
ROCHESTER, Minn. — Farmers will discuss alternatives to growing corn and soybeans for export markets during a special Land Stewardship Project (LSP) winter workshop Tuesday, Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Rochester International Event Center (7333 Airport View Dr. SW, Rochester, MN 55902). The “Beyond Exports: Rebuilding Local Markets” event is free;… 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 →
Ag antitrust expert Austin Frerick sees the current food system as a mechanism for modern robber barons to treat rural communities as mere “extraction colonies.” But, he argues, changing how we eat isn’t enough — we need to disrupt how power is distributed all along the food chain (2 of 2 parts). More Information •… 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 →
