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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
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.
Wednesday May 31, 2023
Wednesday May 31, 2023
We’re switching it up today! Jonathan Kilpatrick moves into the host seat and interviews Jared Luhman about the history of farming in his family and about his time working for Sustainable Farming Association.
A pivotal moment for the trajectory of the family farm came when a visiting student told them they were working too hard. The listening and learning (and traveling!) that followed laid the groundwork for how Jared and his father farm today.
Jared also discusses the common perception of regenerative agriculture practices being in opposition to profitability, and how he likes to work through those tough conversations.
Check out SFA’s Soil Health Case Studies here.
And, join us at an event to learn and connect with fellow farmers and food supporters!
*This episode was recorded prior to the passing of soil health leader and Ohio farmer Dave Brandt. There are many recent tributes to his legacy, including these pieces from No-Till Farmer and NPR.
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.
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
Wednesday Apr 05, 2023
In 2022, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) opened the state's first Emerging Farmers Office. Lillian Otieno and Assistant Commissioner Patrice Bailey of the MDA Commissioner’s Office share how it came to be, the value it brings to our agricultural landscape, and the impacts they are seeing.
SFA’s Executive Director Lucinda Winter hosts this discussion, exploring the connections with SFA’s work and how individuals can plug in.
For anyone who is unfamiliar with the Emerging Farmers Office or what “emerging farmer” means, this is a great conversation to listen to to get a sense of the Office's approach to helping Minnesota’s farmers find success.
Links mentioned in the show:
Emerging Farmers Working Group
Patrice Bailey, Assistant Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Lillian Otieno, Commissioner’s Office, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
Lucinda Winter, Executive Director, Sustainable Farming Association
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.