Conservation & Restoration
Beyond Your Backyard: Tiny green torpedoes
I recently crashed a motorized mini bike at my grandma’s farm and suffered a concussion. My cousin’s response was to congratulate me on passing the “test” and becoming a true Indiana redneck. I’m not sure about that, but it did make me chuckle. To pass the time in recovery, I’ve been observing three male hummingbirds…
Read MoreDirt Rich: Getting Water Quality Certified
“It’s hard to find a Minnesotan that’s not proud of the fact that we’ve got so many wonderful lakes in our region and we’re the source for the Mississippi River…We have a lot of pride for our natural resources in this state and we have a lot of pride for our operations.” –Jennifer Wagner-Lahr The…
Read MoreDGA Update: Ag Water Certified Farms Show Higher Profits
A new study by the Minnesota State Agricultural Centers of Excellence shows that farmers enrolled in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) had higher profits than non-certified farms. The MN Ag Water Quality Certification Program is a voluntary program for farmers and landowners that protects the state’s water resources by putting farmers in…
Read MoreDirt Rich: Wisdom of the Prairie
Megan Benage, a Regional Ecologist for the Minnesota DNR, brings her passion for the prairie to 32 counties in southern Minnesota–and to thousands of listeners on the Prairie Pod, which she hosts with fellow scientists. And today, she brings it to Dirt Rich! Once covering a full third of the state, Minnesota’s tallgrass prairie is…
Read MoreBeyond Your Backyard: The wildlands are waiting
It’s been a hard summer field season. My body is sore and tired. Most evenings I’m exhausted from the long drives and hikes into the wildlands. The temperatures have been unforgiving with highs in the 90’s reigning supreme. Smoke from Canadian wildfires lingers and my lungs burn when I return home—reminding me that there is…
Read MoreQuick Cover Crops Guide and other New Soil Health Resources
A few new soil health resources for growers have been added to our website in the past few months, created by Conservation Connector Sarah Lindblom. The newest is a Quick Cover Crops Guide that can help you identify your needs in the context of the land you’re working with, and the cover crops that may…
Read MoreLuhman: Drought Resources
I wanted to take a moment to share a little bit of information that may be helpful during this drought we are experiencing in 2021. Forage and hay is in short supply and when it can be found it is expensive. If you are in need of forage, there are a few places that you…
Read MorePodcast: Growing Grazing Dairy Farmers
Angie Walter and her husband Nate run an organic dairy in Central Minnesota, and are also masters in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program. Today’s episode of Dirt Rich features them in conversation with their first apprentice, Ryan Heinen, who now manages a dairy in Waukesha, Wisconsin. His passion for ecology and restoration led him to…
Read MoreBeyond Your Backyard: We’re going deep–underground, that is
When you look at a prairie, most people are distracted by the majestic grasses and beautiful blooming wildflowers. You can spend hours watching bees busily collecting pollen and monarchs glide through the prairie. It’s mesmerizing and soothing watching all this wildlife work. And while all this work is going on aboveground, there’s an incredible amount…
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…
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