soil health

Ear to the Ground 342: Ignoring the Red Dress

Wholesome Family Farms is known for juggling enough enterprises to overwhelm even the most ambitious farmer. But Rachelle Meyer says a “three-legged stool” strategy keeps them balanced. (First episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • Wholesome Family Farms • Drone Footage of Rachelle & Jordan Meyer Moving Sheep • LSP’s “Building Soil…  Read More

Don Wyse’s Land Grant Legacy

It's Imperative Forever Green Stays True to its Foundations: Farmer-Centered, Accountable to the Public, Rooted in the Land

Back in 1998, I was working on an article for the Land Stewardship Letter about how the lack of biodiversity in agriculture was threatening the agronomic, ecological, and economic future of Midwestern farming communities. One of the people I interviewed was Don Wyse, a respected University of Minnesota plant scientist who had recently helped coordinate…  Read More

Driftless Grazing School June 28-29 in SE MN

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

2024 Minnesota Legislative Session Wrap-Up 

Soil Health, Water Quality, Emerging Farmers, Regional Foods Supported; Factory Farm Controls Stall; Stage Set for 2025

As the clock struck midnight on Sunday, the Minnesota Legislature concluded its 2024 session. During the past few months, lawmakers primarily focused on revenue-neutral policy changes and some targeted funding of specific programs. During the session, Land Stewardship Project members made some progress on advancing our priorities and built a strong foundation to hit the…  Read More

Senate Ag Committee Releases Farm Bill Draft

How LSP’s Top Priorities Fare in the Proposed Legislation

For decades, Land Stewardship Project members have been organizing to ensure that our federal farm policy serves people and the land, not corporate interests. This latest Farm Bill cycle has been no different. With approximately $1.5 trillion on the table, it’s important that LSP members are engaged in the process of drafting and passing a…  Read More

2024 Minnesota Legislative Session Update: Less Than One Month Left! 

There is less than one month left in the 2024 Minnesota legislative session. This week, the House and Senate are finalizing and passing their separate omnibus policy and supplemental budget bills, which will then be sent to conference committees where differences between the proposals will be hammered out.   This session, the Land Stewardship Project has…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 338: Microbial IRA

For Jerome Fulsaas, cover cropping and no-till are creating an individual retirement account based on a living soil bank, not dead dirt. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network • Order Your LSP “Let’s Stop Treating Our Soil Like Dirt” Bumper Sticker You can find LSP Ear…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 337: ROI & Riding a Bike

Josh Nelson’s approach to farming means looking beyond the next corn crop and building the kind of soil that generates long-term return on investment.  More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other…  Read More

Ear to the Ground 336: Biology Booster

Gary Zimmer says before a farm can be sustainable, it has to be regenerated — and that starts with the soil. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Microbiology & Soil Health Web Page • Gary Zimmer • Agri-View Article on Gary Zimmer You can find LSP Ear to the Ground…  Read More

‘Soil Health Economics’ Workshop March 19 in Ridgeway, Iowa

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