Annual Conference
Saturday, February 11, 2023
Gorecki Conference Center
College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph
Early bird registration is now open!
$50 for current SFA members, $75 for nonmembers. Ends December 31, 2022. Prices go up by $25 on January 1, 2023!
Emerging Farmers: Free
Children's program (ages 5-12): $10
Lunch ticket in St. Ben's excellent cafeteria: $15. (You may also do lunch on your own.)
Register HERE.
With topics including:
- Fruit & Vegetable Soil Health and Profitability
- Grazing Strategies
- "Burn the Box" Changing Ag Paradigms
- Beekeeping
- Farm Profitability
- Emerging Farmer Resources
- Climate Adaptability
- New Cooperative Marketing Models
- and more!
Full schedule coming soon.
Sponsor and Exhibitor Opportunities
Please consider partnering with us on SFA's flagship event for farmer-to-farmer education and networking.
More information and an application form are HERE.
Our 2023 Sponsors
BLOOM SPONSORS
Afternoon Social Sponsor
A community owned grocery store with 3 locations in the Twin Cities Metro area, Lakewinds' mission is to promote sustainable agriculture, support local makers. and nourish our community. No membership required to shop, and all are welcome!
Opening Plenary Session Sponsor
SAPLING SPONSORS
A voluntary opportunity for farmers and ag landowners to take the lead in conservation practices that protect our water while obtaining regulatory certainty for 10 years.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture mission is to enhance all Minnesotans' quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment and the strength and resilience of our agricultural community.
SEED SPONSORS
Solar Electric (PV) design, sales and installation.
A look back at our 2022 conference:
Why attend our Annual Conference? Take it from these farmers:
Our Blog
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October is National Co-op month, and while you’re visiting Lakewinds Food Co-op you can also support SFA! Throughout October, you have the opportunity to round up your bill at any of Lakewinds’ three locations (Richfield, Minnetonka, and Chanhassen). Proceeds will go towards our pilot On-Farm Consulting program. Led by fellow farmers, this program is one of the ways we’re…
Read MoreBy Jonathan Kilpatrick • Farmer Education Director For 11 years, the Sustainable Farming Association has proudly hosted the Midwest Soil Health Summit, an educational event developed during a time when soil health was still a budding concept. According to our resident historians, the Summit emerged as a platform for sharing agricultural innovations and assisting farmers…
Read MoreSFA and North Circle Seeds owner Zachary Paige are pleased to announce an intensive, multi-day Seed School, to be held at the North Circle Seeds Farm in Vergas, MN October 25-27th, 2024. This opportunity is made possible through a grant from West Central Initiative Foundation (WCIF). Zachary will lead a three-day immersive training where participants…
Read MoreBy Jonathan Kilpatrick • Farmer Education Director While persistent rainfall across the state is delaying the start of small grain harvest for many farmers, this downtime can be used to plan for post-harvest cover crops. Planting cover crops immediately after harvesting small grains like wheat, barley, or oats can be highly beneficial and is a…
Read MoreCould implementing practices like cover crops and no-till on your farm work for you and your bottom line? What if you could get paid to do it? Enjoy a meal and conversation with area farmers and your Soil Water Conservation District this Thursday, August 8 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Duffy’s Riverside Saloon…
Read MoreCut flowers can be a diversifying crop for fruit and vegetable growers, adding an income stream in the form of bouquets and arrangements. And in the case of R. Roots Garden, even edible flowers! On Monday, August 12 from 5:30-7:30 PM, the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network will enjoy an evening at Queen Frye’s North Minneapolis…
Read MoreAre you intrigued by the thought of building your own fences? Or, have you tried and need a refresher on how to do it? Fence building is both an art and a science, and properly built fences make for years of happy neighbors and livestock success. Learn the ropes with Kent Solberg and Jonathan Kilpatrick…
Read MoreBy Connie Fernholz Carlson • Crow River Chapter member; former SFA Board member and President It is with deep sadness that I share with all of you the sudden passing of University of Minnesota professor, Dr. Don Wyse, on July 2, 2024. Dr. Wyse was a dynamic force for clean water, healthy soil, sustainable agriculture…
Read MoreBy Jonathan Kilpatrick, Farmer Education Director Last month, during a consultation with a self-proclaimed octogenarian farmer, I was struck by just how much change this gentleman has seen over the years. One of the things that I love about talking to folks who have been farming their entire lifetime is the breadth of perspective that…
Read More**July 23, 2024 update: This position has been filled. Fast Facts: This position is a part-time, remote consulting contract that will sunset in October of 2027.Time commitment: 30-40 hours/monthHourly rate: $40-$55, depending on experienceTravel within Minnesota and occasional overnight lodging required. Mileage and travel expenses are reimbursed. Overview:The Climate Smart Seedling Production Network (CSSPN) Project…
Read MoreOur Blog
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Solberg on Soil: Barn Raising for Pastured Poultry
SFA members and friends Lori Benson and Jim and Audra Chamberlin came together under the initiative of Mat Nix to help Linda and I remodel our winter chicken coop on Oct. 22. Pastured poultry have a number of benefits for pasture-based livestock operations (if you can manage the predators). A few benefits of poultry include…
Read MoreA View From the Field: ‘Everything Is Probably Going To Be All Right’
By Kasandra Brown Editor’s Note: Kasandra Brown attended SFA’s “Dirt Rich: Building Soil Health Experts” events held Aug. 16-17 in Redwood Falls and Marshall, Minn. She submitted this column in reaction to her experiences at those SFA events. Standing on the sweltering edge of a nearly full grown corn field, sweat bees relentlessly buzzing against…
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Read MoreCover Crops a Tool With Huge Potential – When Used Properly
By Kent Solberg • SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist It’s encouraging that the Star Tribune, Minnesota’s largest news outlet, is plastering cover crops across the front page of the business section like in this recent article. Cover crops are a tremendous tool to move agriculture toward healthy soils. However, cover crops are simply that –…
Read MoreFarm Skills 101 Diary: Birth, Butchering, and Bearings
By Cassi Dutcher • Farm Skills 101 Student The third and final weekend of Farm Skills 101 was abundant with varied activities. At Seven Pines Farm in Verndale, Minn., we spent a significant amount of time handling dairy cattle. We learned how to put cattle in a head gate, assess health, administer medication and put…
Read MoreFarm Skills 101 Diary: Fencing as Practical Art Form
By Cassi Dutcher • Farm Skills 101 Student We did so much fencing in Farm Skills 101 Week Two that for two nights I dreamed of nothing but fencing and high-tensile wire. When creating systems for forage based livestock, appropriate fencing is critical. For the vast majority of the history of agriculture, ruminants were not…
Read MoreFarm Skills 101 Diary: Practical Knowledge Already Absorbed
By Cassi Dutcher • Farm Skills 101 Student The first weekend of this fall’s semester of Deep Roots Farm Skills 101 was stacked with practical skills. We spent time building fences out of the most efficient materials for rotational and multi-species grazing as well as removed outdated fencing. Our carpentry skills portion of the…
Read MoreSFA Deep Roots Graduate Making Positive Impact with Native Seed Initiative
By Jason Walker • SFA Communications & Membership Coordinator It didn’t take long for Zachary Paige to become a positive force in Minnesota’s Native American community, helping to devise a project that culminated late last year in a significant grant to create an indigenous seed keeping network. As a recent graduate of SFA’s Deep Roots…
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