grass

Ear to the Ground 350: Cranking Up Capacity

By building soil biology via managed grazing, Langdon Collom is learning that expanding a farm’s capacity doesn’t always require horizontal expansion — sometimes you can simply go vertical. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • Match Made in Heaven: Livestock + Crops • Sustainable Farming Association • Midwest Grazing Exchange • Minnesota Cropland…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 346: Pasture Pixie Dust

The NRCS’s Jeff Duchene has set up grazing plans in 50 Minnesota counties, and has yet to find that proverbial “magic grass.” But he’s more convinced than ever that good management and good planning are their own kind of silver bullet. (Fifth and last episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 4th in…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 329: Weather Whiplash

Climate change may impact a vegetable producer and a livestock farmer in different ways, but the result is the same: uncertainty, stress…and a deeper desire to connect with community. More Information • Ear to the Ground 299: Road to Resilience • LSP’s Soil Health page • Prairie Drifter Farm • Early Boots Farm You can find LSP Ear…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 314: Going for the Goat

Jordan and Rachelle Meyer are using goats to add value to marginal land…one thistle at a time.  More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Wholesome Family Farms Web Page • Wholesome Family Farms’ Grazing YouTube Page • LSP’s 2023 Pasture…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 313: Walking & Talking

A pasture walk on the Nikki and Cody Meyer farm shows the value of farmer-to-farmer learning.  More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Nikki Meyer’s Grazing YouTube Page • LSP’s 2023 Pasture Walk Schedule You can find LSP Ear to…  Read More

LSP Pasture Walk to Feature Spring Grazing of Cover Crops May 19 near Ossian 

OSSIAN, Iowa — Spring grazing of cover crops will be the focus of a Land Stewardship Project (LSP) pasture walk May 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Oak Creek Pastures near Ossian (1963 155th Street). This event is free and open to the public and sign-in begins at 4:45 p.m. Supper will feature…  Read More

Renting It Out Right: A Hilltop View of the Land’s Potential

Mark Erickson’s Relationship with Landowners is Rooted in Healthy Soil

When considering significant changes to the way one farms, there’s nothing like a couple acres of convincer, a template for the potential offered up by tapping into the land’s ability to build soil health in an economically viable manner utilizing livestock and perennial plants. Mark Erickson points out just such a personal proving ground on…  Read More