You’re Invited! Join the East Central Chapter of the Sustainable Farming Association for a casual Networking Social at the beautiful Beomead Meadery! Whether you’re a current SFA member or simply interested in sustainable agriculture, you’re welcome to come connect, share ideas, and enjoy a relaxing evening with like-minded folks. Date: Saturday May 24, 2025…

Let’s experience homesteading in action! A tour of Alternative Roots Farm will feature their perennial fruit plantings, homestead garden and a passive solar greenhouse. We’ll touch on succession planting, preserving the harvest, direct-to-consumer sales, managing an on-farm store & the role of livestock on the farm. Alternative Roots Farm is a Certified Organic farm producing…

The Crow River chapter will gather for an informal happy hour at the Crow River Winery in Hutchinson on Sunday, June 1 from 6-9pm. Take a break from your spring to-do list and join your fellow farmers and foodies for a social hour. Food and beverages are available to purchase on-site. Look for us in the…

Kevin Flowers will talk about his crops, pasture management and forest management plan. More information on the Greater Mille Lacs Chapter Webpage. Registration: All are welcome. Registration requested, walkups welcome. About the farm: Ole Lake Farm is home to farmers Kevin and Debby Flowers, a flock of free-range laying hens, heritage breed turkeys, pampered Alpine dairy…

Featuring local experts in woodland management, this field day is designed for land owners and managers who find themselves struggling to manage invasive woodland brush. We’ll start at the Oak Savanna Learning Center with a presentation by UMN Adjunct Agroforestry and Economics Professor Dean Current, who will overview the economics of long-term woodlands management. Then…

Join us for an informal gathering of garlic growers at Mark Anema and Kate Ritger’s farm near Watkins, MN. See the Upper Midwest Garlic Growers webpage for more details We’ll visit a garlic field, hear from Dr. Carl Rosen on the University’s new Aster Yellows research project, and have some social time. First, we’ll congregate…

This summer, Lift Bridge Brewing Company is partnering with SFA to bring a monthly local Growers & Makers Market to you. Every 3rd Saturday this summer from June through September, we will be showcasing the absolute best in local produce, meat, cheese, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, as well as amazing local talented artists, craftsmen and…

Learn the ins and outs of urban beekeeping from professionals with the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network! Beekeeper Kristy Allen (Beez Kneez) will give us a tour of her two working hives at The Bakken. We’ll get up close to learn about hive care and honey production in an urban context. Katie Lee (UMN Extension;…

Join us for a full-day educational bus tour exploring the powerful intersection of regenerative grazing, cover crops, and wildlife habitat. This unique learning opportunity will showcase local farms using good management of grazing and cover crops and emphasize how they improve wildlife habitat. Innovative and proven management strategies to boost forage production, improve soil health,…

Join Leah Matzke for a full milking on the farm and an inside look at keeping a family cow, from daily care to safely processing fresh dairy at home. We’ll hear about managing farm-direct sales and how her on-site farm store connects customers with pasture-raised beef, pork, lamb, and even cheese cultures. This event is…