SFA Connect - E-Newsletter of the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota

2017 Midwest Soil Health Summit Registration Open; Scholarships Available for Ag Professionals

By Jason Walker • SFA Communications Director

Featuring an array of nationally renowed soil health experts and farmers, SFA’s two-day Midwest Soil Health Summit is THE place for advanced soil health training.

Registration is now open for the 2017 conference, set for Feb. 15-16 at Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls. The 2017 speaker slate is still in progress, but past conferences have included Dr. Allen Williams, Jay Fuhrer (above), Jerry Doan, Gabe Brown, Rick Bieber, Grant Breitkreutz, Kent Solberg, and Dr. Scott Wells, among many others.

Click here to register.

Also, scholarships are available for ag professionals, agency employees, and crop consultants to attend the 2017 MSHS. Scholarship recipients will receive admission to the two-day event, one night's hotel, and all meals during the event (approx. $400 value). Mileage will not be reimbursed.

Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously received an SFA Soil Health scholarship. To apply for a scholarship, click here.

More information, including 2017 Sponsor/Exhibitor Registration information, is available on our MSHS homepage and our Soil Health Portal.

Get the 2017 MSHS on your calendar and don’t miss your chance at the best advanced soil health training in the Upper Midwest. Register today.

Solberg Speaks at CLC/RDO Cover Crop Plot

SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist Kent Solberg spoke about soil health at a field day Aug. 26 held by Central Lakes College at a farm site in Byron. The site is owned by R.D. Offutt and is farmed by the college – cover crops are being custom grazed by a local cattle producer with 200 cow/calf pairs.

The 450-acre demonstration is a cooperative project between CLC, RDO, Minnesota Dept. of Agriculture with SFA, NRCS and University of Minnesota.

For more SFA soil health news and resources, visit our Soil Health Portal.

Executive Director's Note: Herb Plot Tour is Sept. 20

For the past year or so, SFA has developed and maintained a plot for the purpose of demonstrating herb production in Minnesota. Various herbs are planted in the plot, including: sorrel, marshmallow, wormwood, nettle, catnip, angelica, hyssop, lovage, comfrey, skullcap, lemon balm, feverfew, St. John’s wort, tarragon, lavender and caraway.
We’ve been tracking the progress of the plot and the crops at our herb growers blog.

If you are interested in seeing the plot, learning more about herb production and the potential for adding an herb enterprise to your farm, you are welcome to attend SFA’s Herb Walk, set for 6 p.m. Sept. 20, 2016 at 9747 70th Ave, Milaca. The herb walk is free, but reservations are required. You can RSVP by clicking here.

I’ll be on hand to discuss the plot and what we’ve learned about these crops and their fit (or not) as potential crops in Minnesota. If you have questions, please call 763.260.0209. Thanks!

SFA is New Member of MN Ag Water Resource Center

SFA is proud to announce that our membership has been approved in the Minnesota Agricultural Water Resource Center (MAWRC), a research and education organization comprised of the primary farm organizations in Minnesota, working together to identify and address water issues.

The MAWRC was created in 2008 and builds programs around constantly evolving water concerns, and is committed to providing useful information to Minnesota farmers and ranchers. More information: http://mawrc.org/.

2017 Annual Conference Registration, Voting Now Open

Registration is NOW OPEN for the SFA Annual Conference, which is set for Feb. 11, 2017, at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn. Click here to register for as little as $35!

Once again, we are using this online voting system to select programming for the SFA Annual Conference Vote on the topics YOU want addressed at the 2017 SFA Annual Conference and enter your topic ideas!

VOTE NOW as we will end the survey on Oct. 31 to begin crafting the schedule. The current top 10 vote-getters:

Year-Round Income Streams on 15 Acres or Fewer
Time to Call the Butcher: What to Expect, Terminology, and How to Help Customers Navigate the Process of Custom-Ordering
Starting and Managing a Profitable Orchard
Fencing Innovations: The Latest and Greatest
Farming and Soil Health Without Heavy Equipment
Deep Winter Greenhouse Producton: Mastering the Three Winter Seasons
Deep Winter Greenhouse Design: Location, Location, Location
Growing Mushrooms, a Backwoods Adventure
Soil Restoration
Wintering Livestock

Central Chapter Meeting Sept. 16 in Long Prairie

SFA Central Chapter is hosting its next meeting from 5 to 8:30 p.m. Sept. 16 at StoneBridge Beef, 26668 290th St, Long Prairie. All are welcome for this free event; a farm tour, potluck dinner and member meeting are planned. Bring your ideas for upcoming SFA programming you’d like to see in Central Chapter. Click here to RSVP.

Info: Central Chapter homepage or email central@sfa-mn.org.

Soil Health Network Event: Field Day, Sept. 20, Lake Park

Becker SWCD and Detroit Lakes NRCS is hosting a free field day highlighting their joint cover crop strip trial in two sessions: from 10 to 11 a.m. and again from 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 20 just east of Lake Park, Minn.

During each session, SWCD and NRCS staff will discuss cover crop establishment methods and mixtures used in the plot as well as the advantages of cover crops and soil health to producers and financial aid opportunities.

This SFA Soil Health Network event is free and open to all but an RSVP is requested here. The plot is located one mile east of Lake Park on U.S. Highway 10.

Info: aaron.salo@mn.nacdnet.net.

Soil Health Network Event: Field Day, Sept. 29, Pine City

NOTE DATE CHANGE: Wright County Extension, NRCS and Pine County SWCD are co-hosting a free Soil Health & Grazing Field Day from 4-7 p.m. Sept. 29 at Pinederosa, 11131 Lakeview Heights Rd, Pine City. This SFA Soil Health Network event is free, but an RSVP is requested here.

Info: Rod Greder, gred0014@umn.edu or 763.682.7381.

Sustainable Sheep: Fosston Fiber Festival is Oct. 1-2

Celebrating the fiber heritage of northern Minnesota by showcasing local fiber producers and artists, the Fosston Fiber Festival is set for Oct. 1-2 at Fosston Elementary School, 700 1st St E, Fosston.

Planned are a range of workshops taught by fiber artists who make fiber art and craft technique accessible to everyone. Learn basic fiber techniques or challenge yourself with more advanced fiber art workshops.

This event is free. Info: fosstonfiberfestival.com.

Check This Out

Dairy Star reporter Missy Mussman wrote a great article from the recent SFA Soil Health Network field day, “Three Crops in Two Years.” As farmer Andrew Patnode said of his winter rye cover, “The cows love it and we never saw a drop in milk production. We were out of haylage and this helped us save on corn silage. There's a lot of feed there." Makes sense. Read the story here.
Albert Lea Seed, an SFA Business/Organization Patron, has announced a plan to focus on developing only non-GMO and organic seed! Said owner Mac Ehrhardt, “We see this change as a positive evolution for all our customers, whether they farm organically or not.” Read more here.

Annual Conference Photo Feature

Photographer extraordinaire Crystal Liepa once again documented our 2016 Annual Conference, held Feb. 13, 2016, at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn. To learn more about Crystal, visit her website.

Also Noted

MOSES Transition Field Day – MOSES and Organic Valley are hosting a free Transition Field Day to discuss realities of transitiong a dairy and large crop acreage to organic from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Hinsch Farm, 39181 230th Ave, Goodhue. RSVP/info here.

MOSES Organic Crops on Large Scale Event – Also, MOSES is hosting a free event, Organic Crops on a Large Scale, from 1 to 4 p.m. Sept. 15 at Fairview Farms, 3415 County Rd 9, Cottonwood. RSVP/info here.

Wadena Plant Swap – A Regional Plant and Produce Swap is planned from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 10 at Green Island in Wadena. Swap gardening and horticulture items of all kinds: potted plants, cuttings, transplants, seeds, canned goods, books, etc. All are invited; trading and cashless exchange is encouraged but items may also be priced and sold. Info: kentscheer@outlook.com or 218.631.3854.