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

'Dirt Rich' Attendee: Everything Will Be All Right

Our August "Dirt Rich: Building Soil Health Experts" events drew good crowds to a pair of Redwood Falls and Marshall, Minn., farms to hear experts like Dr. Allen Williams and farmers Grant Breitkreutz and Allen Deutz describe the soil health building activities they are implementing.

One attendee, Kasandra Brown of Bloomington (right), was so impacted by the discussion, she wrote a passionate, heartfelt column in the days after the events that she was kind enough to share with SFA. Here is an excerpt from her column:

Prior to today’s conversation, I’ve only ever attended conferences and classes in or very near the city. All of those events were predominantly attended by small-scale organic farmers, young people just getting into farming, or other diverse local producers. I’ve never been at the table, or around the corn, with large-scale producers of major cash crops who aren’t afraid to talk about their herbicide schedules.

It may be obvious, but I started out pretty intimated. Maybe I had signed up for the wrong class? By the time I set foot beneath the golden tassels, though, I was right at home. You see, these farmers are the real deal. They’ve shook off the predatory companies and commission-based scientists and reclaimed a vital skill of our ancestors: the power of observation.

They’ve started (some recently, some for decades already) paying attention to the soil, the animals, and themselves. They’re working with cover crops to eliminate bare soil, boost microbe populations, fix nitrogen, and grow natural forage for their cattle. They are interseeding to put more roots in the ground in order to enhance soil biology. They’re not tilling (or at least tilling much less than they used to) in order to protect the underground mat of fungal hyphae, which provides an amazing partner for their crops by hunting for nutrients and supplying the plants with a rich diet.

To read Kasandra's entire column, click here.

Williams, Breitkreutz, Solberg Will Return to MSHS

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 already confirmed to appear are Dr. Allen Williams, Kent Solberg, Grant Breitkreutz, Doug Landblom, and Dr. Scott Wells. Click here to register.

Also, scholarships are available for ag professionals, agency employees, and crop consultants to attend the 2017 MSHS. 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.

At Pinederosa: Fencing, Percolation Tests & Soil Health

Fencing, percolation testing, and forage measurement was among the topics covered during a free Soil Health & Grazing Field Day on Sept. 29 at Pinederosa Farm in Pine City as part of SFA’s Soil Health Network event series.

Wright County Extension’s Rod Greder, who hosted the event with support from NRCS and Pine County SWCD, said the 35 attendees learned other grazing management best practices like using hogs to renovate pasture, the results of soil microbe additive trials, SWCD no-till drill availability and EQIP program details. Kent Solberg, SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist, and John Zinn of NRCS (above) helped lead the demonstrations.

For more events and a plethora of soil health resources, visit our Soil Health Portal.

'Barnraiser' Planned to Support RTC Farmer Loan Fund

Renewing the Countryside, a longtime SFA partner organization, is hosting a “Barnraiser” campaign to boost its new “Grow a Farmer” loan fund. Similar to a Kickstarter campaign, RTC’s Barnraiser will raise dollars to provide small-scale sustainable farmers with very low-interest loans that will help them improve operations and increase bottom lines.

RTC believes if we want local farmers growing anything besides corn and soybeans, then we need to find ways to support them. Growing vegetables, fruits, grass-raised livestock, honey, maple syrup or other "specialty crops" is risky business. And the farmers growing this kind of food often have difficulty accessing financing to grow their businesses. That's where this Barnraiser comes in.

We know young farm families and new immigrant farm families are raring to grow healthy local food, but they need access to smart financing to grow their businesses. Donate and learn more at the Grow a Farmer Barnraiser homepage.

For Sale: ORGANIC FARMLAND, 120 Acres, ELIGIBLE FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION, Waseca County, Southern Minn., by sealed bid on Nov. 15, 2016. For Notice of Sale or Information Packet, contact Diane Severin at 1-507-835-5240 or phblawoffice.com.

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!

Our online voting system will help select programming for the SFA Annual Conference Vote on the topics YOU want addressed – VOTE SOON as we will end the survey on Oct. 31 to begin crafting the schedule. The current top 10 vote-getters:

Tractor attachments for the small farmer
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
Fencing Innovations: The Latest and Greatest
Starting and Managing a Profitable Orchard
Farming and Soil Health Without Heavy Equipment
Soil Restoration
Deep Winter Greenhouse Design: Location, Location, Location
Wintering Livestock
Deep Winter Greenhouse Producton: Mastering the Three Winter Seasons

Southeast Chapter Harvest Dance & Potluck is Oct. 8

SFA Southeast Chapter is hosting a Harvest Barn Dance and Potluck to reconnect with existing and potential members from 6-11 p.m. Oct. 8 at Four Sisters Farm, 2447 105 St NE, Rochester. Bring your favorite salad and/or dessert; main dish (meat & vegetarian) will be provided.

This event is free and open to all; donations to SFA Southeast Chapter are appreciated at the door. RSVP by Oct. 5 to southeast@sfa-mn.org.

Check This Out

Here's an interesting link regarding dairy budgets. Beginning dairy producer? Transitioning to organics? Check this out.
From the Angus Beef Bulletin, Tips for Grazing Alfalfa. Sample quote: "It can complement other range and pasture resources and add flexibility to grazing systems. And, under proper management, cattle perform well on alfalfa."

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

New Farmer U is a weekend training for beginning farmers Oct. 21-23, 2016, in Lanesboro, Minn. Experienced organic farmers and ag experts will lead workshops on topics such as soil fertility, pest management, and farm machinery. Land access, certification, and business planning are also on the agenda, along with expert-led roundtables. New Farmer U is hosted by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, Renewing the Countryside, and Land Stewardship Project with support from the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program. Info: newfarmeru.org.

Farmland App – Vermont Law School is working to create a first-of-its-kind Farmland Lease Builder mobile app for sustainable farm leases, and farmer input is sought. Farmers would use the free app to get as far as possible toward building a useful lease before they need to talk to an attorney. Contact Amanda Heyman at amanda@jamborheyman.com if you are willing to share your leasing experience with the students working on this project.

Haiti Farmer Film – Mission Haiti is hosting a free screening of the documentary film, “Kombit: The Cooperative,” at 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at Unity Church, 733 Portland Ave, St. Paul. The film follows how a tree-planting goal empowered thousands of Haitian farmers to restore their land. Info: 651.283.5139.

MISA Seeks New Board Members – The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture is seeking individuals potentially willing to serve a three-year term on its Board of Directors. Please visit the MISA website for more information about the nominating process or find a link to the online application here.

Wool Conference – The Natural Fiber Alliance is hosting its first annual Wool Conference from 10 to 4 p.m. Oct. 7 at 306 Borlaug Hall, 1919 Upper Buford Circle, St. Paul. Co-sponsored by U. of M. Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, the event focuses on research, understanding and analysis of consumer preferences for natural, sustainable fiber. Following the conference are two days of farm tours in Bloomington, Jordan, Farmington and Faribault. Click here for more info.