SFA 'Soil Health Basics' With Solberg is March 28 in Sleepy Eye

SFA, Brown County SWCD and Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources are co-hosting a public meeting on Soil Health Basics from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tues., March 28, at the Conservation District’s community meeting room, 300 Second Ave SW, Sleepy Eye, MN. Kent Solberg (right), SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist, is the guest speaker.

Kent will present information on soil health principles and how to incorporate economically sustainable cover crops, perennials and livestock into farming operations.

A question and answer session will follow Kent's presentation.

The event is free and open to the public. Info: Theresa Keaveny, SFA Executive Director, at 507.766.9159 or theresa@sfa-mn.org.

From the Executive Director: Help SFA Spread Soil Health Principles Across the Prairie

By Theresa Keaveny

The first day of spring brings sunshine and lots of birds here in New Ulm. Farmers are getting ansty to get out in the field, and I'm planning my garden. On the heels of last month's amazing Midwest Soil Health Summit, it's heartening to see our message of economic sustainability and stewardship come to Southwest Minnesota, where the Sustainable Farming Association is on the move!

Kent Solberg, SFA's Livestock & Grazing Specialist, will present next week at NRCS Soil Health programs in Comfrey and Marshall as part of a farmer panel. For those who can't make the daylong workshops featured later in this edition of SFA Connect, you can hear Kent at 6:30 Tuesday night, March 28, at the Sleepy Eye Soil and Water Conservation District. We look forward to meeting you!

I'm confident that SFA's message about regenerative agriculture will sink deeper roots in the months ahead.

You can help by making a generous, tax-deductible contribution to SFA for our Pasture Project $25,000 matching grant. The Pasture Project supports public education, research and outreach about the Soil Health Principles, including incorporating livestock into farming operations. We've raised over $5,000 and would like to raise another $5,000 by the end of the month. Help SFA spread the Soil Health Principles across the prairie: Click here and make a donation today!

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. 

Intro to Small Ruminant Husbandry Class is May 13

Anyone considering adding goats or sheep to their sustainable food production should attend our SFA Deep Roots class, Intro to Small Ruminant Husbandry, set for 1-5 p.m. Sat., May 13, at Paradox Farm, 11643 State Hwy 78, Ashby, Minn. The course is particularly suitable for beginning farmers and class size is small; there is ample opportunity to handle animals and equipment and to ask questions.

Held in a working-farm setting, this class will teach students how small ruminants can fit in a natural systems farm. Course topics include: holistic management, animal selection, animal handling, nutrition, fencing, shelters, grazing, and holistic veterinary care. Wear clothing appropriate for working with animals: closed-toe shoes, gloves, long pants.

Course instructors are Sue Wika, Ph.D., and Tom Prieve, DVM, of Paradox Farm. Cost is $100 and only a few spots remain. Click here to register.

Solberg Speaking at Comfrey, Marshall Soil Health Events

SFA Livestock & Grazing Specialist Kent Solberg is part of the speaker slate at a pair of free soil health workshops March 28-29 in Comfrey and Marshall, Minn. Sponsored by the Cottonwood and Brown County SWCD and NRCS offices, each soil health workshop features decades-long cover cropper and innovative soil health farmer David Brandt of Ohio, who will discuss the economic, operational and conservation benefits of soil health from his experience practicing no-till and cover crops. 

Also, bring your own soil sample to either workshop and have a slake test performed. Event-specific information:

March 28 – 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Comfrey Community Center, 120 Brown St E, Comfrey. RSVP by March 24 to 507.831.1153 or Kelly.Pfarr@mn.usda.gov.

March 29 – 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Marshall Golf Club, 800 Country Club Dr, Marshall. RSVP to 507.537.0541 or jennifer.hahn@mn.usda.gov. 

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.

Western Chapter Barn Dance is Friday at U. of M.-Morris

SFA Western Chapter is co-sponsoring a community barn dance featuring Ruperts Land Band from 7 to 10 p.m. this Friday, March 24, at the Student Center at the University of Minnesota Morris, 600 E 4th St. 

Presented in partnership with the UMM Organic Garden Club, all SFA members and those interested in SFA Western Chapter should attend; the Organic Garden Club welcomes students but also the general public.

Park for free in the North Parking lot and other designated guest parking spots around campus. Light refreshments will be provided. Cost is $2 at the door; children are free. No RSVP is required.

Info: duram001@morris.umn.edu.

Southeast Annual Meeting is April 1 in St. Charles

SFA Southeast Chapter is hosting its Annual Meeting from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 1 at City Hall, 830 Whitewater Ave, St. Charles. Lunch is included; registration is free for current SFA members and $10 for nonmembers.

Speaking on regenerative agriculture at the meeting will be Jim Riddle of Blue Fruit Farm and Dayna Burtness of Nettle Valley Farm. Discussion topics include chapter name change, upcoming chapter events, and direction and emphasis. 

Please RSVP here or at the door. Info: southeast@sfa-mn.org.

Small Tractor Demo is April 7 at The Farm in Hutchinson

SFA Crow River Chapter and The Farm of Minnesota are hosting a New Small Tractor Demonstration event from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 7 at The Farm, 24618 State Hwy 15, Hutchinson. This event is free and open to all, but an RSVP is requested here.

See the new Oggun Tractor that's modeled after the old Allis-Chalmers "G" style for market farmers and smaller-scale growers. It has a zero-turn feature and a $10,000 new pricetag. The manufacturer is trying to make a tractor that more farmers can afford and has designed it to work with replacement and repair parts that will be available from local auto, farm supply and hardware stores. Oggun is making a trip through the central Mid-west to demonstrate their machine, with a stop at The Farm of Minnesota.

Info: crowriver@sfa-mn.org.

Western Chapter Annual Meeting is April 8 in Milan

SFA Western Chapter is hosting its annual meeting, potluck and bread mixer from 4 to 8 p.m. April 8 at the Milan Community Center, 170 N 4th St, Milan. This meeting is free and open to all; no RSVP is required. At the meeting, we will be sharing updates on several projects happening in our region including:

• Jim and LeeAnn VanDerPol's experience with intergenerational farm transition
• Anne Borgendale's plans for local grass-fed organic cheese from Northland Prairie’s dairy.
• Mike Jorgenson's perspective on waterway buffer strip compliance.
• Kathy Draeger on the new Farm-to-Grocery to Warehouse initiative

Bring your favorite bread dough ready for the oven or something for the potluck and ideas you’d like to share or learn through our farmer network. Jam session will likely follow.

Info: western@sfa-mn.org.

Crow River Spring Social is April 23 at Food Building in Minneapolis

SFA Crow River Chapter invites everyone to attend its Spring Social from 1 to 3 p.m. April 23 at the Food Building, 1401 Marshall St NE, Minneapolis.

Special guests will be University of Minnesota researchers who are developing new crops for the Forever Green Initiative such as kernza, camelina and pennycress. There is strong evidence that these new production systems will enhance the yields of our typical summer-annual crops, enable production of new commodities, enrich our soils and wildlife, and improve our water resources.

The UMN researchers who are on the cutting edge of Forever Green work will be there to answer your questions, and there will be plenty of social time with your fellow sustainable farm and food supporters.

Cost is $20 for SFA members and $25 for nonmembers; price includes drinks and a tasting menu of the great food being produced by the Food Building’s Red Table Meats, Bakersfield Breads and Draft Horse restaurant. Reservations accepted on a first-come basis. Click here to register.

Parking is limited around The Food Building and we strongly encourage carpooling – contact jerry@sfa-mn.org if you seek a carpool. 

Info: sfa-mn.org/crow-river or crowriver@sfa-mn.org.

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

Big plans are under way! Save the date for the Minnesota Salsa Fest at the Todd County Fairgrounds on Sept. 16, 2017, in Long Prairie.

Contact the Central Chapter at central@sfa-mn.org if you'd like to volunteer on the planning committee, be a vendor, or compete in the salsa competition.

The first planning committee meeting will be 5 p.m. Wed., March 29, at the fairgrounds. Watch the Central Chapter Facebook page for details.

Free RTC Mini-Workshops to Focus on Specialty Crops

Renewing the Countryside is looking for specialty crop growers in Minnesota who could benefit from peer learning opportunities and is offering two more free mini workshops to help farmers troubleshoot and increase profitability for the upcoming growing season. Follow-up assistance is also available. If you are an established farm growing fruits, nuts, vegetables, herbs, mushrooms, etc. please see below. Register by emailing Monica Walch back at monica@rtcinfo.org. We hope you can join us!

High and Low Tunnel & Greenhouse Growing – 9 a.m.-1 p.m. March 30, Easy Yoke Farm 450 Bench St. Millville. Learn about season extension and protective covering for market gardening from your hosts Hannah and Daniel Miller.

Soil Health – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. May 13, Garden Farme, 7367 175th Ave NW, Ramsey. Learn about soil healthy and soil systems from your hosts Bruce Bacon and Christian Klatt.

Check This Out

• In this video, SFA members Dayle & Ivan Reinke of Cloverleaf Grass Farm demonstrate how they move their cattle to a different paddock for winter bale grazing at their farm in Wadena County, Minn. Very cool stuff.
• This article on soil health highlights the Five Principles of Soil Health and how they are making a Montana farm more profitable!

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

Good Food Access Fund Webinar: The University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships will be hosting an online presentation by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture about the Good Food Access Fund and how to apply at 2 p.m. March 28. Register for the presentation at http://z.umn.edu/gfap. Info: Karen Lanthier at korsl001@umn.edu or 612.624.8452.

Scholarship Opportunity: The Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry Scholarship Fund at the Rochester Area Foundation is again awarding scholarships for students entering their junior or higher collegiate year and are engaged in sustainable agriculture and/or forestry studies. This scholarship could potentially be used for tuition to the SFA Deep Roots Farmer Development Program’s Farm Skills 101. This scholarship is for current farm practitioners from Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha and Winona counties. Deadline is April 15. To apply and learn more, visit protectourresources.org.

Women’s Environmental Institute is hosting a monthly course, “A Year In the Life of Bees,” from instructor Mike Mackiewicz on the fourth Sunday of the month starting at 1-4 p.m. March 26. Learn everything you need to know about raising bees as this course follows the entire season. No class in May; last course is November. Register here.

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