The Latest from SFA
Each summer, the farmers of five SFA chapters host vibrant, local, food-centered festivals -- and you're invited!
There's a whole lot of ways you can participate in these community events: visitor, volunteer, vendor, educator, sponsor, and more.
We're teaming up with our friends at Lift Bridge Brewing to kick off spring with a celebration of community, farmers & gardeners, and sustainability!
On Saturday, May 17 meet fellow plant people, farmers, and hobbyists at this free, all-ages celebration of Spring. Enjoy a variety of awesome local vendors and free community tables to swap seeds, plants, and seedlings with fellow gardeners. (Vendor spaces are still available.)
A portion of sales of Farm Day Golden Ale will be donated to SFA!
As we look at the weather forecast and study the drought monitor, it appears that we are in for another dry spring and summer in the upper Midwest.
On May 19 from 7-8:30 PM, SFA's Jonathan Kilpatrick and Kent Solberg will host a free webinar for graziers to share real-world tools, grazing management adjustments, and resource planning to help you stay productive through dry spells.
Principles of Soil Health
Soil health is foundational to all of SFA's work.
Keep the Soil Covered
Build and maintain vegetation.
Limit Disturbance
Minimize or eliminate mechanical and chemical soil disturbance.
Build Diversity
Manage to increase plant, microbe, livestock and wildlife diversity.
Living Root
Keep living plants in the soil as much as possible.
Integrate Livestock
Healthy soils require appropriate livestock integration.
Context
Apply these principles within your unique operation.
Soil Health Principles
Healthy soil is fundamental. Our health, wealth, and future depends on the ecosystem beneath our feet. SFA's work promotes agricultural community and prosperity through soil health.
We provide consulting and technical assistance as well as educational and networking opportunities to farmers and landowners in the areas of grazing, dairy, cropping, silvopasture, and fruit and vegetable production.