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Seasonal conversations on food and farming. Produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota. www.sfa-mn.org Follow SFA's work by signing up for our e-newsletter: https://sfamn.z2systems.com/np/clients/sfamn/subscribe.jsp?subscription=7&
Episodes
18 minutes ago
18 minutes ago
Planning to host an event on your farm can quickly become complicated, even as a one-time or annual occasion. Jerry Ford (SFA) and Brett Olson (Renewing the Countryside) give experienced guidance on site planning, food and health regulations, risk management and liability, ticketing, vendors and more! At the very least, you're going to learn where not to put a port-a-potty.
Resources:
Jerry Ford - jerry@sfa-mn.org
Brett Olson - brett@rtcinfo.org
On Farm Food Events/Come and Get It!
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) Blazing Trails
Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety & Health Center (UMASH)
Come & Get It! On Farm Food Service Manual
Farmstay Manual (needs updating - but may be useful)
Liability statutes: Statutes, Rules and Laws
Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) liability signs for sale: 1 free sign for members
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The Come & Get It project was designed by Renewing the Countryside in partnership with The Sustainable Farming Association and Minnesota Farmers Union.
Funding for Come & Get It was made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the organizers and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Wednesday Dec 04, 2024
Jared Luhman returns to the mic to interview Bruce Tiffany, a fourth-generation row crop farmer in Redwood County, Minnesota. Bruce knows those rolling hills along the Redwood River intimately: he has farmed over 54 seasons there. He currently grows soy, corn, and rye.
Motivated by a desire to minimize inputs and to do right by previous and future generations, Bruce has shifted his practices to minimize tillage and keep a living root in the soil. He's found that even in fields with a dozen or more soil types, he's reaping better-than-average yields for his area -- while spending less to make it happen.
Bruce invites listeners to reach out with questions at annbruce@redred.com.
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Wednesday Sep 11, 2024
Dan Kittredge grew up on a homestead with a family deeply engaged in the organic movement. Over the years, he worked on farms across the globe and learned from permaculture, biodynamic, agroecology, indigenous, conventional, and microbiological perspectives.
With a foundation in both the practical and the philosophical, he created the Bionutrient Food Association (BFA) in 2010, who makes it their mission to "increase quality in the food supply." If you've heard of the concept of "nutrient-dense foods," you might already be familiar with some of BFA's work.
The Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) is excited to be partnering with BFA to host Kittredge for a two-day "Biological Systems, Soil Health, and the Nutrient Density of Food" workshop on October 4 & 5, 2024 at Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed in Clearwater, Minnesota.
Don't worry about sitting in front of a slide presentation for the whole weekend -- the workshop will be highly interactive and suitable for anyone who grows anything. Bring your questions and expect to leave with a better understanding of living systems and practical tools to make a positive impact on your plant and soil health. Learn more and register here.
Dan Kittredge, Bionutrient Food Association Executive Director
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
Resources:
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Wednesday Aug 28, 2024
Two farmers on the SFA team share what they've learned over several years of operating CSAs and selling at farmers' markets.
Dan Zimmerli of Cedar Crate Farm (Waldorf) and Lauren Barry of Dancing Gnome Farm (Wabasha) talk about how they've grown their businesses, the tech that helps them day-to-day, and how they design their farm stands at the market to boost sales and build relationships with customers.
Dan Zimmerli, SFA Specialty Crop Lead; Cedar Crate Farm
Lauren Barry, SFA Finance Director; Dancing Gnome Farm
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Wednesday Mar 27, 2024
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Monday Jan 08, 2024
Dan Kittredge grew up on a homestead with a family deeply engaged in the organic movement. Over the years, he worked on farms across the globe and learned from permaculture, biodynamic, agroecology, indigenous, conventional, and microbiological perspectives.
With a foundation in both the practical and the philosophical, he created the Bionutrient Food Association (BFA) in 2010, who makes it their mission to "increase quality in the food supply." If you've heard of the concept of "nutrient-dense foods," you might already be familiar with some of BFA's work.
The Sustainable Farming Association (SFA) is excited to be partnering with BFA to host Kittredge for a two-day "Principles of Biological Systems" workshop on January 26 & 27, 2024 in Elk River, Minnesota. Don't worry about sitting in front of a slide presentation for the whole weekend -- the workshop will be highly interactive and suitable for anyone who grows anything. Bring your questions and expect to leave with a better understanding of living systems and practical tools to make a positive impact on your plant and soil health. Learn more and register here.
Dan Kittredge, Bionutrient Food Association Executive Director
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
Resources:
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Wednesday Oct 04, 2023
Derek Schmitz has never dreamt of being anything other than a farmer. He also really doesn't like doing field work. An adaptively managed, perennial grazing dairy just makes sense.
In this conversation Schmitz shares how fellow dairy farmers helped him get started, and how genetics, observation and building his own farm team through the Minnesota Dairy Initiative have been key to his success -- and has even reduced his labor by about half.
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
Derek Schmitz, SFA Minnesota Dairy Initiative Coordinator
Resources:
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Wednesday Aug 23, 2023
Jeff Duchene is a Grazing Specialist for the Minnesota NRCS, which offers both financial and technical assistance to producers to help them meet their land management goals and address their natural resource concerns.
In conversation with host Jonathan Kilpatrick, Duchene shares how his formal education combined with years of learning directly from producers has been foundational in his career: "I think every producer I've worked with over the years I've learned something from."
The pair also discuss the process of applying for NRCS programs like EQIP, and pointers and resources available to help navigate the current drought.
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Soil Health Lead
Jeff Duchene, NRCS Grazing Specialist, Minnesota
Resources:
Send us an email at info@sfa-mn.org.
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Thursday Jul 27, 2023
Five SFA farm consultants from across Minnesota discuss how they are approaching and planning ahead for drought conditions on their varying grazing operations. While conditions have changed since this conversation was recorded in early June 2023, their goals and decision-making strategies are evergreen.
Listeners are welcome to reach out with questions. Drop us a line! SFA also offers our members on-farm coaching and consulting. Get started here.
Drought can be a real source of stress for farmers. Minnesota has resources to help you cope. Reach the Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline at 833-600-2670, or text FARMSTRESS to 898211, or email farmstress@state.mn.us. More information and additional resources are available here.
Jonathan Kilpatrick, Soil Health Lead
Derek Schmitz, MN Dairy Initiative (MDI) Coordinator
Angie Walter, Central Minnesota Education Coordinator, DGA; Agricultural Water Quality Certification Project Outreach Coordinator
Doug Voss, Grazing Lead
Tyler Carlson, Silvopasture & Agroforestry Project Lead
Resources:
Contact your county’s FSA office for more information on opportunities and deadlines described in this episode.
Minnesota Department of Agriculture Drought Resources
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Wednesday Jun 14, 2023
Jonathan Kilpatrick and Jared Luhman return to the mic to explore farm financial health.
Doing a thorough business analysis can help you clearly identify specifically where your profits and losses lie across your enterprises, and in turn help you make confident decisions for your farm’s future. In their experience, the time you take to get a handle on your numbers usually pays itself back quickly in labor and input costs.
The pair walk through some definitions, the components to consider in a financial analysis, on-farm examples, and provide a foundation for listeners to gain a clearer picture of their farm business.
Find information about SFA's on-farm consults here, and Ranching for Profit School here. And, join us at an event to learn and connect with fellow farmers and food supporters!
Jonathan Kilpatrick, Soil Health Specialist, SFA
Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead, SFA
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.