Ear to the Ground Podcast

Here you will find LSP’s 15-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 Pandora, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 24

A farm family gets rewarded for good stewardship.

Ear to the Ground 23

LSP calls for sustainable farm policy at a Congressional hearing.

Ear to the Ground 22

LSP’s Mark Schultz discusses federal farm policy reform.

Ear to the Ground 21

A beginning dairy farmer faces the realities of agriculture.

Ear to the Ground 20

A West African farmer talks about the negative impacts of unlimited U.S. commodity crop subsidies.

Ear to the Ground 19

Beginning farmers learn how to successfully obtain credit.

Ear to the Ground 18

An introduction to innovative direct marketing for beginning farmers.

Ear to the Ground 17

A Farm Beginnings discussion about planning for profit.

Ear to the Ground 16

How Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) brings farmers and consumers together.

Ear to the Ground 15

Farmer Audrey Arner talks about her experiences with globalization.

Upcoming Events

February 2025

Tuesday February 4

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Transition Planning Course

Tuesday February 4

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Transition Planning Course

Online

Are you a farmland owner or retiring farmer looking to transition ownership or rent your farmland in ways that reflect your values? The Land Stewardship Project is hosting an online holistic Farm Transition Planning Course designed to help you act on your conservation and social values. Seven 2 ½ hour sessions will bring professionals, farmers, and LSP staff together to dig into values, goals, and communication, as well as generational, financial, legal and long-term care considerations.

The dates and times for the course are:

Jan 28: Goal Setting for Life & Land, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 4: Values and Why Farm Transition Planning is Needed, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 11: Financial Considerations, 5:30- 8 p.m.
Feb. 18: Legal Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 25: Working with Next Generation Farmers, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 4: Long Term Care Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 18: Resources and Planning Next Steps, Presentations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Workshop Fee: $250 per farm family.

For more information and to register by Jan. 12, click here. You can also contact LSP’s Karen Stettler at stettler@landstewardshipproject.org.

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Minnesota Women in Conservation Meeting

Tuesday February 4

5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Minnesota Women in Conservation Meeting

Madison Mercantile, 601 1st St, Madison, MN 56256, USA

Join the Minnesota Women in Conservation’s West Central Network at the Merc for a come-as-you-are potluck with like-minded local women and conservation professionals who are in your community and available to help you access knowledge, funding, and support to achieve your conservation dreams. If you are a farmer, an avid gardener, a beginning grower, a prairie steward, or someone with land dreams and plans to plant in the future, this event is for you. Come for conversation, share your dreams for spring, and get advice from like-minded women professionals and neighbors. Bring whatever you feel like sharing for the potluck dinner.

The goal of this event is to leave knowing more women with similar interests, and to learn about the many programs, organizations, federal and state agencies, and individuals who can connect you with technical and financial assistance.

MNWiC West Central Region Coordinator Alex Kiminski, who is a soil health and land access organizer with the Land Stewardship Project, will host the event. The topic of this meeting will be Saving and Sowing Native Seeds for Habitat Restoration and Soil Health. Shantel Lozinski, district conservationist for the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will talk about conservation planning and services available through federal farm programs.

Women from Chippewa, Swift, and Lac qui Parle Counties will find the information particularly useful, but all are welcome.

For details and to register, click here.

Thursday February 6

11:30 am – 12:30 pm: Good Idea Shop Talk
Thursday February 6
11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Good Idea Shop Talk
Zoom Online

This free meet-up series is for row crop and livestock producers who want to exchange ideas and advice for troubleshooting on-farm challenges related to improving soil and water resources. It helps producers connect with and learn from each other about how to be good stewards while protecting their profitability. These weekly, virtual meet-ups will take place on Thursdays, January 23, Jan. 30,^,and Feb. 6 at 11:30 a.m. Producers from across the Midwest and Mid-South are invited to join, so it’s also a great way to learn from producers across the region.

Learn more and register here: https://goodideafarm.org/shop-talks.

Saturday February 8

All Day: Sustainable Farming Association Annual Conference
Saturday February 8
Sustainable Farming Association Annual Conference
College of Saint Benedict, 37 South College Ave S, St Joseph, MN 56374, USA
For details, click here.

Tuesday February 11

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Farm Transition Planning Course

Tuesday February 11

5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

LSP Holistic Farm Transition Planning Course

Online

The dates and times for the course are:

Jan 28: Goal Setting for Life & Land, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 4: Values and Why Farm Transition Planning is Needed, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 11: Financial Considerations, 5:30- 8 p.m.
Feb. 18: Legal Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
Feb. 25: Working with Next Generation Farmers, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 4: Long Term Care Considerations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.
March 18: Resources and Planning Next Steps, Presentations, 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Workshop Fee: $250 per farm family

For more information and to register by Jan. 12, click here. You can also contact LSP’s Karen Stettler at stettler@landstewardshipproject.org.

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