Posts by SFA of MN
Luhman: ‘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…
Read MorePlanting Minnesota Garlic on Dirt Rich
“Minnesotans don’t like that garlic. They don’t eat that spicy stuff, dontcha know?” Jerry and Sunny and their sold-out-by-August harvest beg to differ! It’s just about time to get next year’s crop in the ground. Our resident garlic guru, Jerry Ford, takes some time to compare notes and philosophies with fellow organic garlic grower Sunny Ruthchild as…
Read MoreMeet the Regenerative Grazier: Tyler Carlson
This interview with Tyler Carlson originally appeared in the Silvopasture Learning Network’s first e-newsletter. The Silvopasture Learning Network is a project to research effective silvopasture practices and innovations, and educate farmers, agricultural and natural resource professionals and conservationists throughout the state on silvopasture and oak savanna restoration principles and practices. SLN is a partnership among…
Read MoreTC Growers to Spotlight Lakisha Witter
Join the the TC Growers online on October 1st (5:30-6 PM) to hear from organic farmer Lakisha Witter, the woman, the farmer, the owner, and inspiration behind Live Organically! Witter is an adjunct instructor in Bethel’s graduate program in special education and a Special Education Director overseeing numerous charter schools in the twin cities. She will…
Read MoreTake Action in Wake of Timely Report Illustrating Challenges to BIPOC Farmers
Our friends at Green Lands Blue Waters shared “Leveling the Fields: Creating Farm Opportunities for Black People, Indigenous People, and Other People of Color,” a new report being issued by the Union of Concerned Scientists and HEAL Food Alliance. I encourage you to read the report then take action in observation of Juneteenth, tomorrow’s holiday…
Read MoreColumnist: Why We’re Missing the Mark With Clean Water
By Scott Haase Editor’s Note: Scott Haase is a member of the SFA Board of Directors. He wrote this article for the Lake Pepin Legacy Alliance. Contact Scott at scott@bluedirtfarm.com. For years, I’ve been watching the Blue Earth River wildly fluctuating in terms of its flow. It can be nearly dried up and then a…
Read MoreFrom the Executive Director: Silvopasture is Next-Level Soil Health
Minnesota has over 650,000 acres of unmanaged farm woodlands that are being grazed by livestock but are yielding limited economic and environmental benefits. Without active management of livestock, forage and trees, this practice produces limited forage, lower weight gain, environmental challenges and little to no soil health benefits. That statistic was shared at SFA’s Greater…
Read MoreNew Resources and Lessons Learned in Grazing Cover Crops: Save Money, Build Soil Health
Wade Dooley is a sixth-generation farmer who operates Glenwood Century Farm in Albion, Iowa. Since 2015, he and seven other cooperating farmers in Iowa and Minnesota have participated in a grazing cover crops trial to dig into the benefits of grazing diverse cover crops with cattle. Wade and the other cooperators wanted to quantify just…
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