no-till

Billboard Campaign Highlights the Power of Healthy Soil in Southern MN

Warning: ‘Farming Naked’ isn’t a Good Idea When it Comes to Building Resilient Fields

February 17, 2022

LEWISTON, Minn. — When isn’t farming naked a good idea? A new Land Stewardship Project (LSP) billboard campaign promoting the power of building healthy soil on southern Minnesota farms answers that question and more. The billboards, which made their debut this month near the Minnesota communities of Austin, Spring Valley, Fountain, Preston, Dexter, Grand Meadow and… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Ear to the Ground 267: Bringing Science Back to the Farm

A 4th grade experiment launched farmer Connor McCormick down a path of researching linkages between ecology, agricultural economics, and healthy soil. More Information • Ear to the Ground 166: A farmer works with a professor and her students at St. Olaf College college to study the impacts of cropping on soil health. • Connor McCormick Blog: Returning… Read More →

No-Till & Roller Crimping Workshop for Conventional & Organic Farmers March 2 in Austin

February 9, 2022

AUSTIN, Minn. — Ready to roll up your sleeves for roller crimping and no-till on your cropping operation? Get your efforts kick-started at a free workshop on Wednesday, March 2, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., at Riverland Community College’s West Event Center in Austin (14th Street SW and 8th Avenue SW). All farmers interested… Read More →

Category: News Releases

Tags: cover crops • farmer-to-farmer education • no-till • organic • roller crimper • roller crimping • rye • soil health

The Importance of Investing in Soil Health & Resilient Rural Communities

By Sam Streukens

October 26, 2021

Around a decade ago, while driving past a farm field in southeastern Minnesota, Bob Christie turned to DJ Mueller with a nervous question: “So you’re saying my fields are going to look like that?” With farmers adapting to a changing climate and volatile markets, DJ knew that he and Bob must prioritize soil health over… Read More →

Category: Blog

Tags: beginning farmers • cover crops • intergenerational transfer • no-till • small farms • soil health

Ear to the Ground No. 257: The House that Biology Built

Tillage can do a lot of things, but building soil isn’t one of them. Soil expert Steve Lawler and Minnesota farmer Jon Jovaag talk about the importance of using nature as a guide when preparing a seed bed and bolstering the soil’s structure. • For more information on how to build soil health profitably, check… Read More →

Upcoming Events

January 2025

Thursday January 23

7:30 am – 8:30 am

Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead

Thursday January 23

7:30 am – 8:30 am

Lakes and Prairies Solar 101 - Moorhead

Moorhead Public Library, 118 5th St S, Moorhead, MN 56560, USA

Learn about solar energy and its benefits for your home, or small business. This meeting will take you through the technology, economics, financing and more. You’ll also learn about the Solar Co-op in your area. The program is free to join, and members are not obligated to buy solar panels. For details and to register, click here. Information on the Lakes and Prairie Solar Co-op is here.

11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Good Idea Shop Talk

Thursday January 23

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.

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

U of M Extension Winter Garden College

Thursday January 23

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

U of M Extension Winter Garden College

McLeod County Extension Office, 840 Century Ave SW, Hutchinson, MN 55350, USA

Join local Extension Educators for a two-hour deep dive into backyard garden and small-scale farming topics.

In this free course, you will learn how cover crops improve soil health by preventing erosion, providing nutrients, building organic matter, and feeding beneficial microbes. This course is split into two 45-minute presentations along with a 30-minute hands-on session.

The first session will show simple ways to integrate cover crops into your home garden for a healthier, more productive growing season. In the second session, you will learn strategies to extend the growing season by using different tools and techniques.

Topics

Soil health and cover crops in the home garden
Cover crop selection and planning
Extending the growing season in Minnesota

For details and to register, click here.

Saturday January 25

1:00 pm – 4:00 pm: Book Event for Dodge County, Incorporated
Saturday January 25
1:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Book Event for Dodge County, Incorporated
Barnes & Noble, Apache Mall, 1201 12th St SW Suite 425, Rochester, MN 55902, USA
Sonja Trom Eayrs, author of Dodge County, Incorporated: Big Ag & the Undoing of Rural America, will talk about her family’s fight against factory farms and the corporate-controlled takeover of her community. For details, click here.

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Tuesday January 28

9:00 am – 3:00 pm

LSP Small Grains Workshop: Economic Opportunity in a New Market Environment

Edgewater Bay Pavilion, 1940 Edgewater Drive, Albert Lea MN 56007

Based on the visionary work of a fourth-generation farmer and scientist, Bob Quinn (Kamut International), and practical, farmer-innovators like Roy Pfaltzgraff (Pfz Farms) and Landon and Anne Plagge (Green Acres Milling), the Land Stewardship Project is hosting a workshop for producers who are seeking confidence and practical know-how related to raising and selling small grains. Join us at the Edgewater Bay Pavilion in Albert Lea, Minn., on Tuesday, January 28, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Learn about how farmers are:

Increasing the value of what they produce and demonstrating the value of those products to human and environmental health.
Diversifying crop production while maintaining quality and profitability.
Organizing around cooperatively processing and marketing grains.

Click here to register. The workshop flyer is available here. For more information, contact LSP’s Shea-Lynn Ramthun at 651-301-1897 or at slramthun@landstewardshipproject.org.

Bob Quinn
Bob Quinn’s roots run deep into the rich soil of Big Sandy, Montana, where he returned after earning a PhD in plant biochemistry from UC Davis to apply his scientific knowledge to the family farm. Bob Quinn’s vision extends beyond agriculture, embodying a holistic approach where local minimal processing, community, health, and education intertwine to redefine success in farming. By championing the idea that every grain and every harvest should enhance health, Bob has positioned the Quinn Institute as a leader in transforming agriculture into a health-giving enterprise.

Roy Pfaltzgraff
Roy Pfaltzgraff is the current head of PFZ Farms in Colorado. PFZ Farms’ mission is to help educate fellow producers and consumers about how food is grown and to provide high-quality products for their community. The third-generation family farm produces quality agricultural products with sustainable methods for a healthier world. While they produce a number of dry-land crops, they also have a number of smaller production focuses that support their overall vision of a regenerative farm.

Landon Plagge
Landon Plagge holds nearly 30 years of hands-on farming experience growing corn, soybeans, livestock, and oats, as well as managing a grain handling facility, stewarding one million bushels of grain annually. Landon studied Investment Banking at Bentley College and holds a degree in business administration from the University of Northern Iowa. Landon brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in sustainable farming practices and crop rotation, and frequently shares his experiences to help others improve their own practices. He is also one of the founders of Green Acres Milling, a farmer-owned oat processing facility under construction in Albert Lea, Minn.

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