I recently phoned members of my geographically far-flung family to give them Thanksgiving greetings and was struck by a common element of our ensuing conversations. From Iowa and Nebraska to Kentucky and Texas, the report was the same: drought, drought and more drought. I thought about that recently while watching the new documentary, The Dust… Read More →
While spending time in western Minnesota’s Big Stone County recently, I came across a lot of talk about food deserts—those places where people don’t have good access to healthy, affordable food. But while interviewing LSP organizer Rebecca Terk for this week’s podcast, an interesting twist emerged: a type of food desert can exist even when… Read More →
Okay, calculus lesson of the day, courtesy of some pasture grass, fencing and a herd of ruminants. Calculus, in case you’ve forgotten, is the mathematical study of rates of change. It can be a handy way to calculate where you’re headed and how long it will take to get there. Let’s say you are a… Read More →
In 2005, Sara Morrison was driving home to Minnesota after spending a few long days at a Saint Louis horse show. Traveling, often with a horse trailer in tow, was nothing new to her. Since getting a degree in equine science eight years before, Morrison had spent much of her life on the road, preparing… Read More →
This fall, 19 Land Stewardship Project members traveled to county courthouses across Minnesota and dug through real estate transaction records to help compile data on the state of land consolidation in rural areas. These researchers represent an important first step in a major new LSP campaign to organize for better land access for farmers in… Read More →
Following the inability of the U.S. Senate and U.S House to agree on Fiscal Year 2014 spending yesterday, the public must now endure a federal government shutdown. The failure to pass a Continuing Resolution (spending at past fiscal year levels) forces a shutdown which cripples the delivery of programs and services that millions of Americans… Read More →
When a new food and farming model is introduced to a region, it can be slow to catch on—if at all. On the other hand, sometimes a new concept takes off like a galloping horse, challenging its practitioners to hang on for the ride. One Saturday last October, Kristianna Gehant and Nick Siddens were on… Read More →
AUSTIN, Minn. — Farmers in the Austin area are invited to a special networking event Thursday, Aug. 22, from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at Lightly Farm (22238 880th Ave., Oakland, Minn.). This Land Stewardship Project (LSP) event is free and attendees are invited to bring a dish to share and a lawn chair. LSP… Read More →
CALEDONIA, Minn. — An in-depth, two-day, school for livestock graziers who want to take their skills to the next level will be held June 28-29 near Caledonia, Minn. Jordan and Rachelle Meyer of Wholesome Family Farms will host this Land Stewardship Project (LSP) workshop. There is no charge for the Driftless Grazing School, but pre-registration… Read More →
RIDGEWAY, Iowa — How can we put a dollar value on soil health? That will be the topic of discussion during a “Soil Health Economics: Learn the Value of Low-Input, Soil-Building Farm Systems” workshop on Tuesday, March 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Ridgeway Community Center (690 County Street). Sign-in for this… Read More →
