Posts by SFA of MN
Check this out! Garlic on PBS
Our own Jerry Ford was featured on Pioneer PBS’ Prairie Yard & Garden on Earth Day! The topic? Growing garlic, of course. You can catch the episode here. If that makes you hungry for more, you can find garlic cooking demos on the Minnesota Garlic Festival channel, more garlic growing resources on our website, and…
Read MorePodcast: “Home on the Tree-Range”
In the newest episode of SFA’s ‘Dirt Rich’ podcast, we chat with Tony Wells of Regeneration Farms. Tony and a few partners are years into developing a regenerative and resilient poultry production system that provides opportunities for small farm profitability, which they’ve implemented on a 40-acre farm. The model attempts to replicate a forest habitat for poultry,…
Read MorePodcast: Dirt Rich Season 2 Starts with Seeds
As we begin a new year and a new season of Dirt Rich, we thought it would be fitting to start with seeds. Zachary Paige farms and operates North Circle Seeds in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. North Circle Seeds is newly certified organic and is committed to creating an ecologically diverse, equitable, and inclusive food…
Read MoreMDI Partnership a Seamless Fit
By Doug Voss, SFA Grazing Lead SFA has long been an active participant in the Minnesota Dairy Initiative, which has a 20-plus-year history of working with dairy farms throughout Minnesota to improve their farms. Using a team approach with expert farmers and professionals, MDI addresses issues that come with dairy farming. The MDI Coordinator’s role…
Read MoreFrom the Executive Director: Meet the “boots on the ground” of SFA
Pictured: Part of the SFA team at a winter staff retreat in 2019. It’s the last CONNECT of 2020, and a great opportunity to say “thank you” to the amazing team of staff and consultants who make SFA such a solid organization. Here’s who’s wearing the “boots on the ground” at SFA. Katie Feterl, SFA…
Read MorePut ‘Lake Superior Roots & Recipes’ on Your Table
Earlier this year, the Lake Superior Sustainable Farming Association (LSSFA) launched a new website called ‘Lake Superior Roots & Recipes,’ featuring recipes, cooking tips, and information about our local food system. In the midst of the holiday season, you may find some ideas to add to your own table! Since the Coronavirus pandemic began, more…
Read MoreLaunching the Local Producer Sustainability Project
My name is James Harren and I’m excited to announce the launch of the Local Producer Sustainability Project. I’ll be working on the project for this next year as a VISTA, or Volunteer in Service to America, hosted by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). SMIF has developed the project in partnership with the Minnesota…
Read MoreLuhman: ‘Field Days’ on Your Own Schedule
If you’re like me, it can be really difficult to find time to get off the farm and get to some of these field days and workshops that are always being hosted all over the place. This is why we have created different options for you to continue to learn and grow. The first option…
Read More‘More than Meaningful & Inspiring Workshops and Resources’
My name is Zachary Paige, proprietor of North Circle Seeds, State and Lake Agassiz Chapter Board member for the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota (SFA of MN). I moved to Minnesota from New York in the Spring of 2012 to explore sustainable farming and seed saving in the great north. Almost immediately, I met farmers…
Read MoreFrom the Executive Director: ‘Agriculture, done well, heals’ at the Heart of Membership
This afternoon I ran an errand to Mankato and was amazed at the bountiful crops ready to be harvested, and the abundant farmers market offerings. This, coupled with glorious fall colors, buoyed my spirits. What really keeps me optimistic is the innovative work being done in local food production and processing by SFA members, and…
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