Education
Meet the Emerging Farmers Office
By Katie Feterl • Communications Director In 2022, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) opened the state’s first Emerging Farmers Office. On today’s episode of Dirt Rich, Lillian Otieno and Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey of the MDA Commissioner’s Office share how it came to be, the value it brings to our agricultural landscape, and the impacts…
Read MoreFree Livestock Producers Workshop
The Lake of the Woods SWCD is hosting a free Livestock Producer Workshop on Wednesday, March 29th from 12:30 to 4:30 PM at the VFW in Baudette, Minn. Speakers include Dr. Mouser, a veterinarian who will be presenting on “Preparing for Calving Season.” Eric Mousel, a University of MN Extension educator from Grand Rapids will present on scours.…
Read MoreScenes from the Summit
It was a nearly full house for our 10th Annual Midwest Soil Health Summit, held last week in Alexandria. Although snow showers threatened us on-and-off over the two-day period, inside we were cozy, dialed in to rich presentations, and swapping stories. Under the theme “Pioneering the Future: The Soil Health Mavericks,” we brought in a…
Read MoreKernza Ale Taste & Tour
Enjoy a brew and take a tour with your friends at the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network at Finnegans! Join the TC Growers on a brewery tour featuring Finnegans’ new Buckwheat Honey Brown Kernza Ale on Thursday, March 30, 4:30-7:30 PM. Minnesota farmers and researchers are at the forefront of developing Kernza, a perennial wheatgrass with…
Read MoreHappy Hour Events: Sharing Funding Opportunities & Programs
The Sustainable Farming Association has teamed with Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to bring emerging and established sustainable farmers a variety of opportunities for funding and programs that are available. You won’t want to miss these insightful events! See included flyers for specific event details and locations in March. Join us at EJ’s Bar on Wednesday, March 22 from 4:30-6…
Read MoreBeyond Your Backyard: Better with Beavers
By Megan Benage I recently took a long winter break through January as I recovered from surgery. I wish I could share that I spent that time brushing up on my ecological knowledge and am now ready to share lots of cool and interesting facts about the natural world with all of you. Unfortunately, if…
Read MoreDirt Rich: Grazing Tech – Paddock Track
On the latest episode of Dirt Rich, Organic dairy grazier Angie Walter shares her experience using PaddockTrac, a grazing tool being developed by the University of Missouri. Angie’s family runs a 100-cow organic dairy in Villard, Minn., grazing 80-100 acres at any given time. Theirs and 12 other Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship farms are piloting the PaddockTrac…
Read MoreDig Deep at the Midwest Soil Health Summit
Our flagship soil health event in the region, the Midwest Soil Health Summit, is celebrating its 10th year of networking, sharing, and education on all things soil health and regenerative agriculture! This year we are bringing internationally acclaimed soil microbiologist Dr. Elaine Ingham, who nearly four decades ago discovered the soil food web, and has pioneered research and…
Read MoreAnnual Conference a Smash
“This year’s conference had such an amazing energy to it. With 17 sessions on a wide variety of topics, a number of first-time exhibitors, a book and apple scion wood swap, and a day-long opportunity to catch up with old friends over coffee and banana bread, I’m not sure how we’re going to top it next year.”
Read MoreTune in to the Latest Dirt Rich Podcast Episodes
For me, winter is podcast season. It’s when I sit down and really listen and think critically about what other farms are doing, why it works for them (or doesn’t), and if it could fit into my own farm. Podcasts have been a really important part of the development of our farm and have contributed…
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