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May 17, 2017 

Apply Now for SFA Winter Sustainability Conference Internships

By Jerry Ford • SFA Network Coordinator

SFA is offering internship positions for Winter 2017-18 in conjunction with our two February events, the SFA Annual Conference and the Midwest Soil Health Summit.

All internships will involve at-home, non-residency work collaborating with one of the event coordinators, plus onsite work at both conferences. Interns will learn the finer details of nonprofit sustainability event production, attend conference sessions on a wide variety of topics and meet leaders in the sustainable agriculture movement.

The application deadline is July 15, 2017.

The non-residency portion of these internships will begin in November 2017, and will connect the interns with particular event coordinators, directly involving them in the details of event production. The onsite portions will be on these dates, depending on duties:

  • Feb. 9-10, 2018: SFA Annual Conference, College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph, Minn.
  • Feb. 14-15, 2018: Midwest Soil Health Summit, Bigwood Event Center, Fergus Falls, Minn.

In addition to the educational opportunities, the interns will also receive complimentary registration to both conferences and a free one-year SFA membership. Internship categories are Conference Event Coordinator’s Assistant and Communications Director's Assistant.

Download the application HERE. Questions? Jerry Ford, jerry@sfa-mn.org.

From the Executive Director: 'Dirt Rich' Events With Allen Williams Return Aug. 8-11 in Faribault, Blue Earth 

By Theresa Keaveny

In late March, SFA hosted an evening “Soil Health and Livestock” session in Sleepy Eye, co-sponsored by the Brown County Soil and Water Conservation District and Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources. At this well-attended meeting in my neck of the woods (southwest Minnesota), one of the producers said he and his wife were planning a road trip this summer to Gabe Brown’s farm in Burleigh County, N.D. They want to see first-hand how Gabe has restored his soil to health, how his beef cattle fare in 90-plus-degree heat, and how the land supports plants, microorganisms, livestock, pollinators, wildlife, and Gabe’s net farm income.

In this time of low commodity prices, producers are looking for ways to reduce their input costs and boost their net farm income, and Gabe’s operation gives some answers. He, and many SFA members, also show a pathway toward sustaining food-producing resources like air, land and water.

Closer to home, SFA is hosting two more “Dirt Rich” soil health and livestock workshops that also provide answers and a road map to economic and environmental sustainability. Featuring renowned livestock and soil specialist Dr. Allen Williams, SFA will hold a pair of two-day events: Aug. 8-9 in Faribault and Aug. 10-11 in Blue Earth.   

Dr. Williams has been a featured speaker at SFA’s Midwest Soil Health Summit and at last year’s “Dirt Rich” field days. He is a champion of the grass-fed beef industry as well as a leader in cutting-edge grazing methodology. He currently is Co-Project Leader at The Pasture Project, a frequent SFA collaborator; some of the Pasture Project farmers, Scott & Anna Haase, will be participating in the Blue Earth event.

Coordinated by SFA’s Livestock & Grazing Specialist Kent Solberg with help from SFA Board members Tiffany Tripp and Chris Gamer, these field days present a golden opportunity to learn directly from leading soil health and livestock experts and from producers. The workshops are designed for farmers who want to achieve soil health and a better bottom line, as well as agricultural professionals and farm business people.

Watch for registration details in the next edition of SFA Connect or on our Soil Health Portal, or email jason@sfa-mn.org if you’d like to be sent registration information.  

I’m inspired by producers like the farmer in Sleepy Eye who, with the goal of better stewardship, is excited to travel 600 miles to North Dakota. Excited, too, are folks like Gabe, Allen, and our own SFA members who practice soil health principles every day. 

Agriculture is on the cusp of a paradigm shift toward soil health, and events like “Dirt Rich” prove that SFA is a significant reason why.  

2018 SFA Conference Voting Now Open & Other Tidbits

The 2018 SFA Conference will be next Feb. 10 at St. Ben’s. Do you have feedback on the date or time? The night-before social hour? Do you know people we should invite? Give us a holler at info@sfa-mn.org, or look for a survey in the coming weeks.

The online survey tool for the 2018 Annual Conference is now live! Enter your session topic ideas and vote on your favorites right on the AC homepage.

SAVE THE DATE: The Midwest Soil Health Summit will return to Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls on Feb. 14-15, 2018. 

SFA Driftless 'Building Soils' Workshops with Jay Fuhrer are May 19-20

SFA’s Driftless Chapter (formerly Southeast) is co-sponsoring a free two-day event, “Building Soils From the Bottom Up,” featuring Jay Fuhrer (right), a two-time speaker at SFA’s Midwest Soil Health Summit and leader of the Burleigh County, N.D., soil health movement. Fuhrer is a nationally recognized soil scientist who over the last 20 years has worked to move large-scale farms in North Dakota toward no-till, crop diversification and cover crop adoption.

The workshop starts with a presentation on soil health principles from 6 to 9 p.m. May 19 at The Ark Center for the Arts, 401 E. Jefferson St. Viroqua, Wis. Dinner is included. Next is a cover crop and soil health field day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 20 and beginning at the Mt. Sterling Park Shelter, Hwy 27 and 2nd St., Mt Sterling, Wis. Lunch is included. 

This event is presented in collaboration with Valley Stewardship Network, The Pasture Project, and several other groups. Info: sfa-mn.org/driftless.

Cover Crop & Soil Health Webinar With Dr. Scotty Wells is June 12

Join SFA and Dr. Scotty Wells, a two-time speaker at our Midwest Soil Health Summit, for a free soil health webinar, “Filling the Void: Strategies for Improved Sustainability,” from 11 a.m. to noon Mon., June 12. This webinar, held in cooperation with The Pasture Project, will discuss Dr. Wells’ work on soil health, cover crops, new opportunities, new cash crops, and more. Registration will open soon at www.sfa-mn.org/soil

Forage Council Hosting Three Upcoming Events: June 16-17 in Brainerd; June 27 in Bluffton; Aug. 26 in Staples

The Crow Wing River Basin Forage Council, a networking group of the Sustainable Farming Association is hosting three upcoming soil health events this summer: June 16-17 in Brainerd; June 27 in Bluffton, and Aug. 26 in Staples. All are open to the public.

First, the Forage Council is partnering with U. of M. Extension, Happy Dancing Turtle, and Minnesota NRCS to jointly host a Silvopasture Workshop, Walk and Tour on June 16-17 in Brainerd & Fort Ripley, Minn. Silvopasture is a sustainable agroforestry practice where trees and forage crops are grown together in a single piece of land, and managed grazing animals are introduced into the system to utilize the forages. Click here for more information and to register, or contact Jim Chamberlin at jchamberlin@hugllc.com.

Second is a free tour from 6 to 8 p.m. June 27 at the Steve and Sue Flanagan Farm, 36554 620th Ave, Bluffton. View cover crop applications, pasture management, results from outwintering and low-cost interseeding with cattle, and pasture renovation. No RSVP is required. Info: Kent Solberg at kent@sfa-mn.org

Next is another free summer tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 26 at Central Lakes College, 1830 Airport Rd, Staples. Attend an open house at the CLC agricultural center and tour of its Byron Township site. There, the college, R.D. Offutt Co. and SFA, among other partners, are working to research soil health principles through cover cropping, crop rotation, and other principles. Info: Jim Chamberlin at jchamberlin@hugllc.com.

Free Herb Project Field Day Coming Up June 24

Next up in our continuing Herb Project programming is a free field day and workshop from 9 a.m. to noon Sat., June 24, at The Lamb Shoppe, 61231 Hwy. 7 W, Hutchinson. As part of this event, SFA Herb Specialist Connie Karstens (right) will conduct a tour of her herb plots and on-farm market.

This event has already attracted a crowd of preregistrations and should be a great learning and networking opportunity! The event is free, but please RSVP for the June 24 Herb Field Day here

Info: jerry@sfa-mn.org.

Greater Mille Lacs Meeting, Farm Tour, 'Farm2Families'

SFA Greater Mille Lacs Chapter is hosting three upcoming events in the Aitkin area, starting with a planning meeting for our Farm2Families event at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 21, at the event site, the Heimark Farm at 33683 Dove St, Aitkin.

Next is a farm tour & potluck from 4 to 7 p.m. July 8 at Maple Ridge Farm, 29555 380th Ave, Aitkin. Open to all, this fun event will include discussion and plenty of farmer networking. This event is free and no RSVP is required.

Finally, the chapter is hosting the aforementioned community event, Farm2Families, from 3 to 7 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Heimark Farm, 33683 Dove St, Aitkin. The full program is still being discussed, but should include farm demonstrations, food, entertainment, kids activities and a farm store. Save the date and watch for more information here in SFA Connect. 

Info: greatermillelacs@sfa-mn.org.

Save the Date: Salsa Fest is Sept. 16, 2017

Big plans are under way! Minnesota Salsa Fest, the new signature event from SFA Central Chapter, is set for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 16, 2017, at the Todd County Fairgrounds, 215 1st Ave SE, Long Prairie.

Come celebrate all things related to salsa and enjoy local farm vendors, workshops, music, food, and a salsa contest. Cost is $5/person.

If you are interested in being a vendor at this event, or for more information, contact central@sfa-mn.org.

Applications Available for Garlic Festival Vendors

Want to sell your products to a crowd of 3,000-plus at the state's stinkiest festival? Vendor Applications can be found here. Vendor fee discounts for SFA members!

Minnesota Garlic Festival is Saturday, Aug. 12, 2017, at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson.

From the Farm Transitions Network: Don't Have a Farming Heir?

By Teresa Opheim • Senior Fellow, Renewing the Countryside

There is no better way to keep rural communities vibrant than to provide land for a family to farm. At the same time, there is a surge of those wanting to farm, in the Sustainable Farming Association and elsewhere. If you don’t have a farming heir but want to find a family to work your land, here are some tips and strategies for you:

  • Start with your local contacts, then use land-matching sites
  • Decide how flexible you are to working with the tenant or buyer on price
  • Consider a long-term rental arrangement, option for purchase or contract for deed

Jim French, who farms in Kansas, says that “if a family member wants to continue to farm and meet our conservation goals, then that should happen.” But his two children are lawyers, so that may not happen, so he’d like to use his land to help another family farm. “I am not as concerned if my children don’t want to come back to farm,” Jim says. “I’m reinforcing those values in the community I live in. I hope I can have a community where kids can ride their bikes, enjoy nature, have clean water. That’s our vision for rural America.”

How do you find a successor if you don’t have anyone in mind? There may be someone closer than you think. Call old contacts in town, as Northeast Iowa resident Dale Nimrod did when he first decided on a strategy to pay back his community by finding a family to sell his farmland to. Being part of a network, like the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota, will introduce you to new farmers more informally. There also are a variety of land linking sites, including Minnesota Farm Link.

According to the organization Land for Good, transferring a farm to a non-family successor is often different in many ways. For example, with a family transfer situation, both parties have likely known each other most of their lives. That isn’t as likely with a non-family successor. Whether you are leasing or selling, Land for Good recommends solid interviewing of the potential new farmers, to get answers on specific questions like work habits, work ethic, integrity, management skills and growing skills. Also, an introductory period to see if the farm “marriage” works out would be helpful. Perhaps even more than with family farmland transfers, formal arrangements, written out in detail, are critical.

To read the rest of this article, click here. 

New Allen Williams Webinar Available

A new webinar with Dr. Allen Williams, "Cattle, Cover Crops & Hope," is now archived on our website. Dr. Williams covers basic principles of cover crop/livestock integration, how to implement adaptive grazing practices using temporary fencing technology, real-life farm case studies showing results of cover crop/livestock impact, soil health and ecosystem benefits, and new biological soil testing analytical methods in this webinar from The Pasture Project and Practical Farmers of Iowa.

Soil Health Network Event: Field Day, Aug. 25, Staples

Central Lakes College Ag and Energy Center is hosting a Field Day from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 25 at 26505 Country Road 2, Staples. 

Join CLC researchers as they highlight the many different aspects of research and community/industry partners connected with the center. Planned are demonstrations on water quality and agronomic research, irrigation, local foods integration, children’s programming, drone demonstration, tractor rides, forage and pasture tours, and more. Lunch is included.

This SFA Soil Health Network event is free, but an RSVP is requested here.
Info: hbarrett@clcmn.edu. Click here to download an event flyer.

Check This Out

Annual Conference Photo Feature

Photographer extraordinaire Crystal Liepa once again documented our 2017 Annual Conference, held Feb. 11, 2017, at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, Minn. To learn more about Crystal, visit her website.

Also Noted

Specialty Crops Event: The U of M Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships welcomes you to a new and exciting public forum highlighting U of M developed and improved specialty crops. The event, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 26, will be held at the Cargill Building on the St. Paul campus. Anyone interested in learning more about agricultural innovation happening at the University of Minnesota should attend. RSVP here.


Business & Organization Members

 

Happy Dancing Turtle     Organic Valley

Ag Resources Inc.      MN Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships

   

MCIA     Back in Balance

OCIA    Solar Farm

Common Sense Energy          Linden Hills Farmers Market

   

Harvest Moon Co-op      St. Peter Food Co-op      Buckwheat Growers

   

Gyst Mpls     Environmental Initiative

Werner Seed Company     PastureMap

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship     Seven Pines Farm & Fence

Minnesota Fresh Farm    JavaCycle

RED Food    Luxemburg Feed Service    Dan & Becky's Market

     WEI

Prairie Creek Seed     

The Draft Horse     Nature's Best

 
 
 
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SFA Connect is your bi-weekly link to the Sustainable Farming Association

The Sustainable Farming Association is a chapter-based, statewide non-profit organization that supports the development and enhancement of sustainable farming systems through innovation, demonstration, education, and farmer-to-farmer networking. If you, your farm or organization has any upcoming events that you would like posted on the SFA Community Calendar, email info@sfa-mn.org.

Sustainable Farming Association (SFA)
4924 Upton Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55410
1.844.922.5573 • info@sfa-mn.org




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