Staff & Consultants
Lucinda Winter
Executive Director
Lucinda joined SFA in 2021, attracted by the opportunity to lead a beloved farming organization as it evolves to serve its members in meaningful new ways. "I'm inspired by our members' commitment to supporting each other, stewarding the land, and strengthening their communities. That's what drives me to utilize everything I've learned during my three decades as a nonprofit professional to ensure they have the resources they need to be successful."
Lucinda served for 12 years as executive director of the nonprofit Minnesota Film and TV, and as a communications consultant for a number of Minnesota nonprofits, including Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. She served as a board member and board Chair of the Saint Paul Chapter, American Red Cross and currently serves on the board of Pet Haven, a foster-based animal rescue. She has a BA in Mass Communication from Michigan State University.
Katie Feterl
Communications Director
Katie deeply appreciates the way farmers leverage collaboration, creativity, and curiosity to build collective success in the face of unjust systems and climate change. She is thrilled to be part of this work by helping connect people to resources, opportunities, and other food folks.
Jerry Ford
Chapter & Events Coordinator
Having served in different capacities with SFA since 2004, Jerry Ford's official title is Chapter & Events Coordinator. This refers to our Farmer-to-Farmer Network, and includes helping to coordinate our ten chapters, managing events, and taking care of certain behind the scenes work to support our mission. Jerry also works with special projects, including the Minnesota Premium Garlic Project that was completed in 2022, and currently the On-Farm Community Events Project with our partner, Renewing the Countryside.
Jonathan Kilpatrick
Farmer Education Director
While growing up on an organic vegetable farm, Jonathan developed a passion at a young age for agriculture. His interest specifically for livestock and grass-based farming became very evident, and in his teen years, he operated a small business selling his own products. His love for regenerative agriculture led him to the internship and apprenticeship program at Polyface Farms. After Polyface, he continued learning and developing his agricultural management experience on various farms and ranches across the country. In his role with SFA, Jonathan divides his time between providing consultation to farmers, educating at workshops, and providing administrative support for the organization. Jonathan is passionate about seeing agricultural businesses thrive through intentional management and systems development, grazing and grassland management, and producing clean, ethically-raised proteins for communities. Jonathan resides in Alexandria with his wife Miriam and two boys, Cal and Jonathan Jr.
Consultants
Lauren Barry
Finance & Grants Administrator
Lauren runs an organic CSA and market vegetable farm in Wabasha, MN. She has been working on farms since 2012, and managing her own farm business since 2014. Together with an enthusiastic and hard-working crew, she grows over 200 varieties of produce to serve the veggie-eaters of Hopkins and Wabasha, Minnesota.
With SFA, Lauren helps manage the organization's behind-the-scenes financials, including invoicing, payments, and grant tracking. She assists with bookkeeping and accounting tasks, and is available to help the rest of the SFA team with any financial logistics or questions that may arise.
Tyler Carlson
Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead
Tyler has been studying and applying the principles of agroecology and silvopasture on his farm in central Minnesota since 2012. With his wife and daughter, he raises 100% grass-fed beef, pastured lamb, shrub fruit, and other perennials. Their farm's silvopasture systems include field-planted pine and oak trees as well as experimental restoration of oak woodlands. Tyler was first exposed to the principles of agroforestry while studying restoration ecology and sustainable agriculture at the University of Minnesota. After receiving his B.S., he completed the Agroforestry Academy through the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry. He has been leading the silvopasture programing at SFA since 2020. Tyler's favorite aspect of his work at SFA is doing on-farm consulting with producers to collaboratively design agroforestry and management systems that contribute to climate adaptation and mitigation and improved farm resilience.
Mary Fischer
Southwest Community Organizer
My name is Mary Fischer. My husband, two small children and I live on a farm by Hanska where we have a farm business and practice sustainable farming methods. Over the last few years, I have become passionate about regenerative farming and the need to more intentionally steward the land.
I am the outreach organizer for Southwest Minnesota and the coordinator for the Coteau Ridge Chapter as of June, 2022. I seek appropriate events to promote the Sustainable Farming Association and its mission across southwest MN and eastern SD. Another role of mine is to help recruit members and develop events for the Coteau Ridge Chapter.
Jared Luhman
Soil Health & Grazing Lead
I am a farmer from Goodhue, MN. We manage a herd of registered Red Angus cattle in a low input grass based system. We also produce organic crops incorporating livestock and cover crops into that enterprise. My wife and I also direct market meat to customers in the Twin Cities, and I host the Herd Quitter Podcast every week. This work prepares me for much of the work that I get to do with SFA. One of my favorites is to do one-on-one consultations with farmers. I love being able to visit them on their farm and walk through how to make their business more sustainable and resilient through managing their resources, finances and lifestyles more effectively. If you like to learn more about regenerative agriculture, you can listen to me on SFA's Dirt Rich Podcast where every other week we release an episode.
Suzanne Miller-McFeeley
Grants Manager
As Grants Manager, Suzanne Miller-McFeeley leads the administration of SFA’s many grant-funded programs. Prior to joining SFA in 2023, Suzanne worked with multiple domestic and international non-profit organizations managing all aspects of the grant life cycle. She holds a BA in Global Studies from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and an MA in International Development from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver.
Suzanne grew up on a farm in Northeast South Dakota where she developed a deep appreciation for the role farmers play as stewards of the land they work. She’s excited to return to her roots in the farming community working with the SFA team to promote sustainable practices, economic resilience and strong, diverse communities. Suzanne lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two sons.
Derek Schmitz
MN Dairy Initiative (MDI) Coordinator
Derek farms near Cold Spring with his wife Taylor and their children. They milk 70 grass-based dairy cows, raise hair sheep, custom graze, and direct market beef. You may have been to their farm in the last few years; Derek is a Mentor Grazier in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) program, and is a Soil Health Academy and DGA pasture walk host. Derek is passionate about what grass-based livestock can accomplish when regenerative principles are appropriately and intentionally applied to our resources.
Kent Solberg
Senior Technical Advisor
Kent Solberg is the senior technical advisor for the Sustainable Farming Association. From his farm in Wadena County, Minn., he travels the state and the country teaching and educating farmers and conservation professionals on soil health principles, adaptive grazing, low input dairying and regenerative cropping. After a ten year career with natural resource agencies, Kent started his own award winning dairy farm, was a farm fence contractor, and taught agriculture college courses. He now is a partner in Grazetek, a custom and conservation grazing service, and also consults and teaches for Understanding Ag and Soil Health Academy.
Doug Voss
Senior Technical Advisor
As the grazing lead for the Sustainable Farming Association, Doug consults with and teaches farmers how to improve their resources while lowering their input needs. Doug resides in Paynesville, MN where he operates Voss Farms. For many years, Doug and his family ran a dairy and crop farm before transitioning to a business focused on custom grazing, where they run all classes of cattle in both organic and conventional contexts. Doug has a wealth of knowledge in soil health and a unique ability to help farmers think differently about their farms and ranches. He now is a partner in Grazetek, a custom and conservation grazing service, and also consults and teaches for Understanding Ag and Soil Health Academy.
Jason Walker
Communications Associate
Jason Walker has been with SFA since 2011, serving in various communications roles. Currently, he is in charge of print design and contributes to online editing, financial processing and other communications duties. Before joining SFA, Jason worked as a journalist at several newspapers in the Midwest. A native of Mulvane, Kan., and University of Kansas graduate, Jason lives in Minneapolis with his wife and four children.
Angie Walter
Central Minnesota Education Coordinator, DGA; Agricultural Water Quality Certification Project Outreach Coordinator
My name is Angie Walter. My husband, Nate, and I own and operate a 100-cow organic dairy farm in west central MN. We have 2 children, Laureen is 18 and in college at South Dakota State University, and Levi is 14 and a 9th grader at the local public school. I started working with the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program and Sustainable Farming Association in August of 2019. I am the education coordinator for this program so I work with Mentor Graziers and Apprentices in the program. I also plan events such as pasture walks and Mentor roundtables. In 2021, I started working with the MN Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program on education and outreach. I do the "boots on the ground work" of educating people about the program and going to events to talk about the program. The program is getting close to having 1,000,000 acres certified in the state of MN!
Angie Walter
Central Minnesota Education Coordinator, DGA; Agricultural Water Quality Certification Project Outreach Coordinator
Email Angie
320.815.9293
Dan Zimmerli
Specialty Crop Lead
My name is Dan Zimmerli and I am both a farmer and SFAs fruit & vegetable consultant. My farm, Cedar Crate Farm, produces mixed vegetables on 3 acres and runs poultry on 2 acres of pasture. Our products are marketed through our CSA program, the Mankato Farmers Market, and wholesale. We farm using organic and sustainable practices including a huge focus on incorporating cover crops and working over time to improve our soil health.
My work with SFA is ever evolving. After working throughout the pandemic years to establish the Minnesota River Chapter of SFA I have transitioned to work where my expertise and passion truly lies: vegetable & fruit production. My goal is to be able to provide one to one consultation and support specialty crop growers at all stages of production helping them to be more profitable and sustainable farms.
Laura Borgendale
Webmaster
Laura has provided web and tech support to SFA for over a decade. She is a graduate of the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a degree in English, and also pursued continuing education in web design and development. Laura grew up on a dairy farm in western Minnesota, and that background launched her career in the non-profit sector working with sustainable agriculture and beginning farmers, while also designing websites as a freelancer. In 2006, she transitioned her focus to contract web design and development for a variety of non-profits and small businesses in Minnesota and throughout the country.
Laura Borgendale
Webmaster