Posts by SFA of MN
Esperanza in Agriculture
Every year from September 15th to October 15th the nation celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month. This year’s theme, Esperanza, invites us to celebrate Hispanic heritage and encourages us to reflect on the contributions Hispanic and Latinx people have made in the past and will continue to make in the future. Fresh fruits and vegetables, meat,…
Read MoreSFA Announces New Executive Director
The Board of Directors of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota is pleased to announce that Lucinda Winter will be the organization’s next Executive Director. “Lucinda’s nonprofit leadership experience, well-honed networking skills, innate curiosity, and most importantly, her commitment to soil health, sustainable agriculture, and resilient Minnesota communities were the key qualities the search committee was looking for…
Read MoreFrom the Executive Director: Field Day Series Previews Soil Data Project Findings
The first three in a series of five field days to discuss soil health research featured farmer-led programs at the Michael Larson Farm in Stephen, Doubting Thomas Farm near Moorhead with Noreen Thomas, the Pfarr farm near Lamberton with Brain and Bill Pfarr and Grant & Dawn Breitkreutz’s Stoney Creek Farm near Redwood Falls. The…
Read MoreCheck 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…
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