Ear to the Ground Podcast

Here you will find LSP’s 20-year collection of podcasts featuring farmers, scientists, and others telling stories from the land. You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on SpotifyPandora, iTunes, YouTube, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 378: Dumping the Doubts

Noreen Thomas got into organic crop farming almost three decades ago as a way to produce healthy food and survive economically. Today, she’s the mentor she never had. More Information • Register for LSP’s “Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota” Networking Meeting on Aug. 2, 2025, in Madison, Minn. • Doubting Thomas Farms • 2025…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 377: Flour Power

When Peter and Brittany Haugen sought to diversify their western Minnesota crop farm, they realized there was little infrastructure available to support small grains. So they forged their own link in the food chain by launching Sandhill Mill. More Information • Register for LSP’s “Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota” Networking Meeting on Aug. 2,…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 376: Cross-Boundary Grazing

One farmer says he benefits from grazing publicly-managed wildlife habitat. But what does a natural resource professional think about bringing bovines into a natural biome?  More Information • Hoosier Ridge Ranch • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web page • MN DNR Whitewater Wildlife Management Area You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 375: Why Not?

From crunching the numbers to developing relationships with public and private landowners, Eric Heins of Hoosier Ridge Ranch isn’t afraid to question the status quo when it comes to grazing livestock. More Information • Hoosier Ridge Ranch • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web page You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 374: The Power of Being Heard

LSP members and allies spoke out during the 2025 session of the Minnesota Legislature. It paid off in the form of support for local food markets, farmland access, and soil health. More Information • Blog: Wrap-up of 2025 Legislative Session • LSP’s State Policy Web Page You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 373: Know Your Neighbors

These are tumultuous times for immigrants, but COPAL’s Ryan Perez sees hope in grassroots organizing and making basic, human-centered connections. More Information • COPAL-Minnesota • Radio Jornalera • LSP’s Justice & Stewardship Web Page • LSP’s Long Range Plan: 2025-2030 You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, YouTube, and…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 372: Dancing with Diversity

Ear to the Ground 371: Avian Award

Ear to the Ground 370: Bending the Bird Curve

  The feathered residents of America’s grasslands are in big trouble, but Audubon ecologist Krysten Zummo sees regenerative grazing as a way for bovines to benefit birds. More Information • Audubon Conservation Ranching Program • Krysten Zummo Contact Information • LSP Grazing & Soil Health Page • The Monitoring Tool Box • Wild Farm Alliance…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 369: Emerging Agrarians

Ka Zoua Berry says supporting a future generation of farmers who don’t fit the traditional Midwestern stereotype isn’t just about building a resilient farm and food system. It’s also about building resilient communities. More Information • Big River Farms • Emerging Farmers Conference • Farmland Access Hub • LSP Farmland Clearinghouse You can find LSP…  Read More