Annual Conference

Annual-Conference-Logo

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.

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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

Lakewinds Co-op

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

Compeer

SAPLING SPONSORS

MAWQCP

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.

MN Department of Agriculture

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 Farm LLC

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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New Funding to Support Our Farmer-to-Farmer Mission

By SFA of MN | Jun 4, 2025 |

By Jonathan Kilpatrick, Farmer Education Director SFA is excited to announce two new grant awards that will significantly strengthen our work of transforming agriculture, farmer-to-farmer consulting, and providing adaptive grazing support across the Upper Midwest. First, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) has awarded SFA a $260,000 grant: “Expanding Regenerative Grazing in the Upper…

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Facing Drought: Tough Decisions and Smart Solutions for Graziers

By SFA of MN | May 12, 2025 |

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. According to the drought monitor, about 75% of the state is experiencing abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions and it’s only the beginning of May. In a…

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Preparing for Drought in the Pasture

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

By Kent Solberg • Senior Technical Advisor Even with pastures greening up fast, 2025 is shaping up to be another drought year.  Much of Minnesota (>74%) is still rated as Abnormally Dry or Moderate Drought according to the US Drought Monitor.  Most of Minnesota was dry last fall and the snowpack for much of the…

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Five Summer Festivals

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

By Jerry Ford • Chapter & Events Coordinator Five SFA chapters host a local foods-centered festival each year, and they are all busily preparing for their 2025 events. Learn more about each one at www.sfa-mn.org/festivals. Here are a few ways you can get involved: ADMISSIONS:  Tickets are on sale or will be soon. BE A…

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Farm Day Growers & Makers Markets

By SFA of MN | May 7, 2025 |

This summer, SFA and Lift Bridge Brewing Company are partnering to host a series of monthly local Growers & Makers markets! Every third Saturday from June through September, we will be showcasing the best in local produce, meat, cheese, pickled veggies, and hot sauce, as well as amazing talented artists, craftspeople, and vendors. Market Dates:…

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Learn how to raise your own meat chickens this summer!

By SFA of MN | Apr 7, 2025 |

You’ve probably heard that chickens are the gateway into Homesteading life. There’s a reason! Raising your own chicken meat and eggs requires fairly minimal inputs and infrastructure to begin on your own.  With egg and meat prices on the rise, this summer sounds like a great time to begin raising your own! We’ll talk specifically about: This…

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Expanding our perspectives, addressing pressing issues at the Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit

By SFA of MN | Mar 6, 2025 |

By Jonathan Kilpatrick  • Farmer Education Director It’s hard to believe that in just two weeks, we’ll be right in the middle of the inaugural Midwest Grazing & Soil Health Summit! Still on the fence (no pun intended) about attending? Let me give you a few reasons—beyond our all-star lineup of speakers—why you should reconsider. Beyond the session…

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Member Spotlight: Caroline Hegstrom & Growing Organic Farming

By SFA of MN | Mar 6, 2025 |

By Katie Feterl • Communications Director Like all SFA farmers, Caroline Hegstrom wears many hats. She is a very active member of our Association Board, serving both as the delegate for the Lake Superior Chapter and the Board secretary. Out in the field, she runs The Boreal Farm in Duluth (organic vegetable and flower CSAs;…

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New Member Discount with Red Wing Shoes

By SFA of MN | Mar 4, 2025 |

We’re excited to announce another great benefit to SFA membership, a 10% discount on Red Wing Shoes! This member-exclusive discount will save SFA members 10% on all IN STORE purchases of regularly priced Red Wing Brand footwear. When you visit a Red Wing retailer, you’ll be measured for an accurate fit to ensure maximum comfort…

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New year, new dues, and a new member benefit!

By SFA of MN | Jan 22, 2025 |

If you haven’t met Suzanne Miller-McFeeley yet, allow me to introduce her!Suzanne joined our team of consultants in 2023 and was recently named our Development & Membership Manager. She is now our go-to person for all things membership, and has hit the ground running in implementing our new board-driven membership dues structure. A South Dakota…

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Our Blog

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Dirt Rich: Dealing with Drought

By SFA of MN | Jul 28, 2023

July has seen swaths of Minnesota move into increasingly intense drought conditions, per the U.S. Drought Monitor. With the 2021 drought in the rearview mirror, five SFA farm consultants from across Minnesota gathered for a roundtable drought discussion on our latest episode of Dirt Rich. Listen in to hear how Angie Walter, Derek Schmitz, Doug Voss,…

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Beyond Your Backyard: Prairie Conferences

By SFA of MN | Jul 27, 2023

By Megan Benage The last week of June was the North American Prairie Conference in Altoona, Iowa. The conference kicked off with a trip to the Hayden Prairie Preserve. We learned that Hayden prairie is one of the largest Iowa remnants outside of the Loess Hills. It is a beautiful prairie filled with life and…

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Networking Groups Welcome Lia Spaniolo

By SFA of MN | Jul 24, 2023

SFA is pleased to welcome Lia Spaniolo from the University of Minnesota Extension as our collaborator in coordinating two of our networking groups! Lia will work with us to co-lead the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network and Ecological Service Livestock Network. Keep a look out for events this fall with both networks. And, a special…

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Say ‘Hey’ to SFA at FarmFest

By SFA of MN | Jul 21, 2023

Will you be at FarmFest this year? Come say hello at the Soil Health Tent! We will be at the Redwood County event all three days, August 1-3, co-hosting the Soil Health Tent with Minnesota Soil Health Coalition and a whole crew of great partners. We’ll have rainfall demonstrations, cover crop and Kernza plots, live…

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Watering Systems for Livestock Workshop

By SFA of MN | Jul 11, 2023

Want to get some ideas for bringing your watering system to the next level? Come on out to Voss Farms in Paynesville on Friday, July 21, 1:00-5:00 PM! During this field day, Doug Voss and Jonathan Kilpatrick will be showcasing many options and opportunities for graziers to provide water to their livestock. You’ll see several elements…

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Kernza: Grain, Grazing, or Both?

By SFA of MN | Jul 7, 2023

What are the possibilities around using Kernza® for both a forage and grain? View Kernza plots and how it can fit into a grazing system at a free field day from 2 to 5 p.m. July 14 at the U. of M. West Central Research and Outreach Center, 46352 State Hwy 329 Morris. Brad Heins,…

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Now Hiring: Grants Manager

By SFA of MN | Jul 6, 2023

July 17 Update: Thank you for helping us spread the word! The application window is closed. We’re hiring! SFA is seeking a part time, remote Grants Manager residing in Minnesota. We are looking for a high-energy, proactive, and talented professional with the experience required to quickly make a positive impact on our organization. The hourly…

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Workshop: Is your soil functioning?

By SFA of MN | Jun 26, 2023

Join SFA’s Kent Solberg and Doug Voss along with Lake of the Woods Soil & Water Conservation District and Natural Resources Conservation Service staff for an afternoon in the field from noon to 3 p.m. Wed., July 5, in Williams, Minn. We will be looking at ways we can evaluate whether or not our soils…

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New Case Studies Tell Hopeful Stories

By SFA of MN | Jun 21, 2023

A brand new volume of farm case studies are hot off the press. This time, the case studies highlight farms and their soil health practices who are certified through the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP).  Angie Walter, the MAWQCP Outreach Coordinator with SFA, began working on this project in 2021 thanks to a boots-on-the-ground…

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