By Jerry Ford • SFA Interim Executive Director
SFA made its mark on sustainable agriculture this year. In 2016, we:
Based on public response, it is evident that our work is valuable now more than ever.
However, our financial picture is not so rosy. SFA has made progress as part of the movement toward sustainability, and thanks to our success more and larger groups have entered the conversation. This means more competition for grant funding, sponsorships and donations.
As SFA Board Treasurer, Chris Kudrna, put it in his annual report, “To be a truly sustainable organization we need to see more of our income coming from individuals and organizations that support our mission and benefit from our work.”
In short, we need donations from people like you if we are to continue building on our progress. Would you make a tax-deductible donation to SFA today? You can donate on our homepage or via check by mail to:
SFA
4924 Upton Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410
Everyone is talking about sustainability and soil health, even Big Ag corporations and powerful conventional ag groups. This proves we have made an impact. But as the sustainable farming experts, SFA needs to continue to drive this movement.
Help us further our mission – donate today. Thank you.
SFA’s innovative Midwest Soil Health Summit, set for Feb. 15-16, 2017, at Bigwood Event Center in Fergus Falls, Minn., features soil health experts and farm leaders for two days of advanced soil health training and farmer networking.
Attendees will join some of the most prominent experts in the field as they discuss cutting-edge research and advanced topics in soil conservation: renowned grazing experts Dr. Allen Williams and Kent Solberg, beef cattle specialist Doug Landblom, U of M agronomist and plant geneticist Dr. Scott Wells, Minnesota farmer and conservation trailblazer Grant Breitkreutz, and many more, including:
- Ryan Stockwell, Senior Agriculture Program Manager for the National Wildlife Federation
- Dr. Julie Grossman, faculty at the University of Minnesota Department of Horticultural Science specializing in soil fertility of organic cropping systems
- Scott Haase, a sixth-generation farmer from the Blue Earth River region of southern Minnesota
- Nick David, who has led R.D. Offut’s efforts to expand and change their crop rotation, add cover crops, and integrate livestock into their potato operations
- Dr. Carl Rosen, head of the Department of Soil, Water, & Climate at the University of Minnesota
- Glen Borgerding, owner of Ag Resource Consulting, Inc., an agricultural consulting firm and soil testing laboratory
- Dr. Randy Anderson, an expert on no-till systems without herbicides that include a diverse crop rotation
Each year at the Midwest Soil Health Summit, attendees have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the experts – small-scale discussion tables offer a unique networking opportunity. Additionally, an evening cocktail reception and Q&A, this year with presenters Allen Williams and Grant Breitkreutz, provides a valuable space for discussion and knowledge sharing.
Registration is $150 for SFA members and $200 for nonmembers. Come see why people say the MSHS is the “best conference I’ve ever been to” – click here to register today.
Editor’s Note: This occasional column will feature thoughts from SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist Kent Solberg, who is well-known for his depth and breadth of knowledge on all things related to soil health.
Here's a smokin' hot article from just across the border in South Dakota. Not only have these farmers diversified their rotation from corn and soybeans to now include winter wheat and a cool-season broadleaf cover crop blend of radishes, turnips, lentils and field peas; they also have implemented a custom grazing lease with a neighboring farmer. This on top of going to a no-till system.
By incrementally building the Five Principles of Soil Health into their cropping operation, they are dealing with a host of soil resource concerns, building soil, diversifying resource streams to protect their bottom line in a low commodity price environment AND increasing farm productivity!
The SFA Annual Conference schedule is coming together and it’s time to register – SFA members may register for just $45 and nonmembers just $55 through Jan. 15.
Sessions already scheduled for the 2017 SFA Annual Conference, set for Feb. 11 at the College of Saint Benedict in St. Joseph, include:
- Introduction to Soil Health & Restoration
- Grazing: Fencing Innovations & Managing Rest Periods
- Time to Call the Butcher: What to Expect, Terminology, and Helping Customers with the Process
- Wintering Livestock
- Farm Transitions on Farmland: What Matters Most?
- Keeping the Family Farm Going: On- and Off-Farm Heirs
- Soil Health for Small Farms
- Deep Winter Greenhouse Design: Location, Selection & Managing the Three Seasons
- Garlic Mythbusters
- Organic Control of Spotted Wing Drosophila: Going Beyond Sprays in Berry Crops
Register TODAY to get the best pricing. Also:
Volunteer registration is open. Choose your job: parking, registration, session monitor, and more. All volunteers receive an SFA t-shirt and are practially guaranteed to have fun. Fill out this form with your preferences and Volunteer Coordinator Gretchen Boyum will contact you with the details. It’s that easy.
Current students can receive a scholarship for half-price admission. All scholarship recipients must sign up for a volunteer shift. Fill out this form then email jerry@sfa-mn.org if you are interested in a scholarship.
Sponsor/Exhibitor registration is open as well. The SFA Conference has a limited number of exhibitor space, so register today to ensure your spot. Click here to download a fillable signup form and return to jerry@sfa-mn.org.
Central Chapter Annual Meeting is Jan. 14 – Central Chapter is hosting its annual meeting, “Wellness From the Ground Up,” from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat., Jan. 14, at Sprout Growers & Makers Marketplace, 609 13th Ave NE, Little Falls. The event includes a tour of the Sprout facility, lunch, and a panel discussion on the title topic. Cost is $10 for SFA members and $30 for nonmembers; the latter fee includes a one-year SFA membership. Click here to register. Info: central@sfa-mn.org.
Crow River Annual Meeting is Jan. 21 – Crow River Chapter is hosting its annual meeting from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sat., Jan. 21, at Delano Senior Center, 234 2nd St N, Delano. Cost is $10 for current members and $20 for nonmembers. The meeting includes guest speakers Anne Borgendale, an artisanal cheesemaker; Lucie Amundsen, Locally Laid Eggs; and Greg Reynolds, Riverbend Farm. A potluck lunch is planned as well as a chapter update and panel discussion with the three speakers. Click here to register.
Greater Mille Lacs Annual Meeting is Jan. 29 – Greater Mille Lacs Chapter is hosting its annual meeting at 5 p.m. Sun., Jan. 29, at Hazelton Town Hall, 24248 U.S. Highway 169 (about 12 miles south of Aitkin). Free and open to all, the meeting includes a potluck and member renewal time, seed swap and “year in review” presentation, guest speaker, discussion about a possible signature event, board elections and a board meeting. No RSVP is required. Potential candidates for the chapter board should email their interest to greatermillelacs@sfa-mn.org by Jan. 15. Info: greatermillelacs@sfa-mn.org.
Focused on the benefit of sheep as part of a sustainable farming system where meat and wool are viable value-added products, the third annual Small Scale Sustainable Sheep Farming Event is set for 10 a.m. Feb. 18, 2017 at New Journey Church, 505 9th St. NW, Fosston, Minn. Speakers include Julie Zilka on wool, one of the earliest fibers to be spun and woven into cloth; Jeff Duchene on improving forage and livestock production through managed grazing; sheep shearer Byron Johnson discussing how clean fleeces bring higher prices; MDA meat inspector Andy Siira on Minnesota Meat Inspection and how producers can get their products to consumers; and much more.
Pre-register by Feb. 12 by calling 218-657-2502 or e-mail sustainablesheep@gmail.com. Info: http://www.sheepcommunity.com/sustainable-sheep-event.html.
- MSHS Presenters Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz and daughter Karlie were profiled in Beef Magazine after they won the prestigious 2006 BEEF Trailblazer Award. Read more here.
- From Prairie Business Magazine, this article, “Consultant: Adopt new, sustainable practices for weeds” relates to Kent Solberg’s “Solberg on Soil” in the recent CornerPost magazine.
- From Practical Farmers of Iowa’s Practical Blog, the post “Cereal Rye Cover Crop Termination Date Ahead of Soybeans” found that “Delaying cover crop termination until near soybean planting would allow for more biomass production by the cover crop in the spring presenting the opportunity for more environmental benefit.”
Did you know that you can donate to SFA through your Amazon purchases?
The AmazonSmile program donates a percentage of your purchase to the organization you choose. Simply bookmark SFA’s AmazonSmile homepage, and part of the dollars you spend on Amazon will go to support SFA. The percentage is small but not insignificant, especially if all SFA’ers use our AmazonSmile link when shopping.
SFA is a locally focused organization that advocates using your dollars in the community as much as possible. However, using Amazon now and again has become a near necessity, and this is a good way to feel a little better about it.
Ever wonder whether your SFA membership is current? Want to make a sustaining tax-deductible contribution to SFA? Forget what upcoming SFA events for which you registered? Our website has a new login feature that can provide answers to these questions. Create an account by clicking the login link at the upper right on our homepage. Then, once logged in, you can view your SFA membership, easily register for upcoming events, make a donation, and much more.
Click these links for how-to videos on creating an account and logging into your account. These and other videos are always available on our YouTube page.
SFA’s CornerPost, our annual report, was mailed to current SFA members last week. This year’s edition includes many interesting articles: a profile of SFA’s Kent Solberg by Multimedia Intern Katie Feterl; a profile of MSHS speaker Grant Breitkreutz by Communications Intern Kassie Brown; how Farm Skills 101 helped SFA board member Tiffany Tripp’s farm; staff reports; and much more. This year’s edition is also available to the public on our website.
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.
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PFI Conference: Practical Farmers of Iowa is hosting its Annual Conference, “Pass It On,” Jan 20-21 in Ames, Iowa, that features a keynote address by three renowned Iowa farmers with decades of sustainable wisdom, 42 sessions on topics relevant to farmers of all types, eight networking sessions, and much more. All are welcome to attend. Info/registration: practicalfarmers.org.
Registration is now open for the 2017 Organic Grain Production and Marketing Seminar: Two days of expert presentations, engaging panels, productive discussions, and plenty of time to meet other farmers interested in organic grain production in the Upper Midwest. Info/registration: http://ograin.bpt.me.
GAP Workshop: University of Minnesota Extension is hosting a Good Agricultural Practices workshop from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 2, in Long Prairie. Learn how GAPs can minimize food safety risks with fresh produce, are good for business and getting new customers, and more. This workshop is intended for fruit and vegetable farmers. Cost is $15. Register at http://z.umn.edu/2017gaps. Info: Beth Berlin, adam0062@umn.edu.
GrassWorks Grazing Conference: GrassWorks is hosting its 25th annual Grazing Conference, “Resilience Through Generations,” on Feb. 2-4, 2017, at Chula Vista Resort in the Wisconsin Dells. The event includes speakers Tom Frantzen, Joyce Turk, Jim Gerrish, and many more as well as live entertainment, full trade show, and demonstrations. To learn more and register, please visit www.grassworks.org.
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