Dirt Rich

Revisited: Wintering Cattle Roundtable

Originally released November 16, 2020.

Winter can be the most expensive time to own a cow in the Midwest. As the season changes, five of our staff who also raise beef and dairy cows gathered to share the ways that they’ve found to reduce the cost (and labor) of wintering cattle on their unique operations. All five live in different parts of Minnesota and run pasture-based farms, some raising organic dairy, some grass-fed or grass-finished beef.

While there’s no one-size fits all management style to wintering livestock, the team discusses a variety of practices that have worked for them, including bale grazing, stockpiling perennial pasture to extend the grazing season, and the timing of calving. They’ve also found benefits extending beyond the cost savings of quality winter feed: Doug Voss finds that by bale grazing, he also saves on labor and improves the health of his herd. And farmers certainly don’t need to outwinter their cattle 100% of the time to start seeing the benefits--just making a few changes can show cost savings, a boost to herd health, and improvements in soil biology.

 

Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

Angie Walter, Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Central Minnesota Education Coordinator

Doug Voss, SFA Grazing Lead

Tyler Carlson, SFA Silvopasture & Agroforestry Lead

Kent Solberg, SFA Senior Technical Advisor

 

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.

59: Enchanted Meadows - In Transition

Chad Crowley firmly believes that for those who want to get into dairy or farming in general, grazing is the way to go.

That route has certainly gone well for him. He was told many times that he couldn’t find success in farming because he didn’t grow up on one, but today he and his wife Melissa farm in southeast Minnesota as part of Enchanted Meadows Farms.

Enchanted Meadows is an organic, pasture-based dairy in La Crescent. The Crowleys were hired by owners Art and Jean Thicke in the early 2000’s. After prior experience working at a high-production dairy, the grazing dairy model allowed for the lifestyle that Chad and Melissa were looking for. They stayed on for several years, and the Thickes began gifting them calves to “build sweat equity” in the farm business. If they ever left Enchanted Meadows, their growing herd could move on with them.

Twelve years in, the Thickes concretely initiated a farm transition, selling the Crowleys one of the farms and splitting ownership of the herd. “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t do it,” says Chad. The four continue farming together, and good communication and planning has helped the partners through inevitable times of disagreements.

Listen in as Chad Crowley offers a candid conversation on getting into farming and non-family farm transitions in this episode with Jared Luhman.

 

 

Chad Crowley, Enchanted Meadows Farms

Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead, SFA

 

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please consider supporting Dirt Rich and SFA's work by donating or becoming a member at www.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.

58: Old Farm, New Visions

Scott Haase farms in Blue Earth, Minnesota, raising crops with his brother Brent and raising pasture and woodland pork under Blue Dirt Farm. Their German ancestors “walked here from Wisconsin back in the 1860’s,” and they still farm some of the land where those ancestors homesteaded.

Like most in the area, the Haase family farm is still a fairly conventional corn and soybeans farm. They have made some changes, including going completely no-till on their soybeans and reducing tillage overall, and adding cover crops to their management. The soil in the region feels difficult to manage for most, but Scott thinks “tillage here just begets more tillage” and the transition has been worth it.

In his conversation with host Jared Luhman, Scott discusses the challenges and joys of raising Mangalitsa pigs on pasture, including pasture rotation, marketing, inventory management, processing, and fencing technology. He has long range goals for the land, and is mindful of the risk of burnout. “It’s very hard and you need support from customers and the community at large” he says, reflecting on the value of farmer-to-farmer relationships and knowledge that he’s built through SFA and other networks.

His passion and self-admitted stubbornness keep him moving forward: “I really want to make an impact on more land than just my own farm…I’ve really gotten excited about finding things that work on the land and sharing those with people and providing really high-quality products.”

 

Scott Haase, Blue Dirt Farm

Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead, SFA

 

Cannon Valley Butcher's Block

The Meatery

 

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please consider supporting Dirt Rich and SFA's work by donating or becoming a member at www.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.

Revisited: AMPed for Grazing

Following Dirt Rich's previous episode, 57: Fundamentals of Adaptive Grazing with Jonathan Kilpatrick, we thought it would be a great time to revisit our conversation on Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing with Jared Luhman and Doug Voss.

 

If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or donating at www.sfa-mn.org.

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Over the years of establishing and fine-tuning their management systems, grazing has become absolutely key in both Luhman’s and Voss’ cattle and dairy operations. Beyond rotational grazing, Adaptive Multi-Paddock grazing (or AMP) has improved the ecology of their farms--not to mention saved the time, energy, and expense of hauling around feed and other off-farm inputs--by modeling their grazing systems after the natural movement of wildlife across landscapes. “There’s no substitute for what comes out the back of a cow or small ruminant,” Doug jokes.

Doug hasn’t used any off-farm inputs for years, and yet his yields continue to increase. The adaptive part of AMP is quintessential: not only is a successful grazing plan going to be unique and flexible to the context of a piece of land, but to the conditions that may come to pass during the season, be it a change in rainfall or a family wedding you need a couple days to travel to.

The number of variables to consider may be daunting, but as Doug reminds us, creating an adaptive grazing plan is more of a journey than a destination. In the interview, he shares some advice for those looking to start to graze as well as those looking to improve their management, covering fencing, watering systems, rest periods, and examples from Voss Farms.

The payoff is worth it. AMP grazing has brought Doug great peace of mind and more predictable income: “I have far fewer challenges where I’m not going to be productive or profitable on an acre of ground than I’ve ever had before.” 

Whether you own a herd or land, there are a lot of good resources to help you get livestock applied appropriately to your land:

• SFA Soil Health resources
• SFA Silvopasture resources
• Technical Assistance Program for Graziers
• Nourishment by Fred Provenza 
• SFA also offers technical assistance to farmers, with priority given to SFA members.

Doug Voss, Grazing Lead, Sustainable Farming Association, doug@sfa-mn.org
Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead, Sustainable Farming Association, jared@sfa-mn.org

 

Originally released March 17, 2021

 

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.

57: Fundamentals of Adaptive Grazing

Today, a presentation that our Soil Health Specialist Jonathan Kilpatrick gave on adaptive grazing at a recent field day. He’ll bring you through the fundamentals, always keeping in mind the importance of context in grazing management. Jonathan believes that grazing is one of  the most powerful forces we can have to regenerate our soils. A topic overview:

• Why we adaptively graze
• How adaptive grazing plays a role in building soil health and resilience in our eco-systems
• Stocking density
• Measuring forage stand density and dry matter/acre
• Calculating herd needs
• BRIX

If you have any questions for Jonathan or other SFA team members, you can always reach out to us. Find our contact details on our staff page at www.sfa-mn.org. We’re all happy to help.

 

Jonathan Kilpatrick, Soil Health Specialist, SFA

 

If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please consider supporting Dirt Rich and SFA's work by donating or becoming a member at www.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.

56: Get to Know Jonathan Kilpatrick

Jared Luhman sits down with SFA's new Soil Health Specialist, Jonathan Kilpatrick.

Jonathan comes to Minnesota after several years in several states, where he built a diverse background in agricultural work. He grew up farming with his family, eventually building up a 250-300 member CSA vegetable operation with his brothers. Time in other parts of the country has been spent as an intern and apprentice at Polyface Farm, a manager of a nonprofit farm in Vermont, a grazier in Oklahoma, and more.

His experience with various farming enterprises makes him a great resource for SFA members. Jonathan will be doing work with soil health, grazing livestock, Kernza, and more. Get in touch with him at jonathan@sfa-mn.org or 1.844.922.5573 Ext. 712. If you haven't connected with the Sustainable Farming Association yet, know you are always welcome to reach out!

 

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.

Revisited: Planting Minnesota Garlic

The Minnesota Garlic Festival returns to Hutchinson, Minnesota this Saturday, August 13! And that's got us thinking about seed garlic and planning ahead for the fall planting. Please enjoy this delightful conversation with two seasoned garlic growers, and consider joining us on Saturday for garlic food, fun, and conversations with farmers.

Originally released September 16, 2020.

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“Minnesotans don’t like that garlic. They don’t eat that spicy stuff, dontcha know?” Jerry and Sunny and their sold-out-by-August harvest beg to differ!

Jerry Ford and Sunny Ruthchild  are longtime friends in Minnesota garlic and organic farming. Sunny runs Merryweather Gardens near Walnut Grove, raising garlic, poultry, vegetables, and pigs who are happy to be the clean-up crew for her orchard. Jerry raises replacement dairy heifers, grass-fed beef, and garlic with his family at Living Song Farm near Howard Lake.

Before they get back out there to plant next year’s garlic crop, they’re taking some time to compare notes and philosophies as they prepare for the next season and climate unknowns. They get into:

• Site Selection - Jerry’s land is hilly, Sunny’s land is flat. They both make it work.
• Soil Prep - “If you need to add chemicals to the soil, you need a different site.”
• Timing of planting
• Seed garlic and varietal selection - Seed garlic grown in Minnesota does well in Minnesota.
• First-time growers & gardeners - Porcelain varieties are a great place to start
• Dip treatments - Nah.
• Their agriculture philosophies
• Mulching
• Being adaptable to change in markets and climate

Garlic is a high-value, premium crop here in Minnesota. As Sunny says, “the truth is, Minnesota can grow garlic. And the other truth is, people in Minnesota love good garlic, don’t let anybody tell you anything else.”

 

Jerry Ford - Living Song Farm, SFA Network Coordinator

Sunny Ruthchild - Merryweather Farm

Katie Feterl - SFA Communications Director

The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.

 

Resources:

Minnesota Premium Garlic Project

Minnesota Garlic Festival & Virtual Directory

Dirt Rich Episode 6: Harvesting Minnesota Garlic

SFA Garlic Videos

55: Soil Lab Tests for Regenerative Ag

There are many tests you can do yourself on your farm to measure soil health, and we've talked about some of them on Dirt Rich before (check out Episode 47: Four DIY Soil Health Tests). Today, Jared interviews Lance Gunderson of Regen Ag Lab on the utility of lab soil testing, particularly for farmers on a regenerative path.

Why do do a lab soil test? Which one? How often? What do you do with the results? In this episode, we learn about a handful of different tests and the scenarios they may be useful in. The farm's unique context is important, and recommendations are informed by a farmer's goals and resource concerns. In particular, Gunderson does a deep dive into the chemistry and biology (his forte) of the Haney Test and why it is so useful for farms working with or transitioning to regenerative practices.

 

Lance Gunderson, President and Co-Owner, Regen Ag Lab, LLC

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.

Revisited: Designing Cover Crops for Late Season Grazing

Originally released July 15, 2020.

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It’s about that time to plant for late season grazing. Kent Solberg and Doug Voss discuss the biological benefits of grazing complex cover crops (nicknamed “biological primers”), and walk you through the process of designing a seed mix that will fit the unique context of your farm.

As we know, things can change rather quickly, and remaining adaptable and having a “plan B” is always helpful. Sharing experiences with other producers in your area can help give you ideas and learn what might work best (or not at all!) on your farm. Other resources mentioned in this episode include:

NRCS Offices 

Green Cover Seed Smart Mix Calculator

Midwest Cover Crop Council

SFA Soil Health Page

 

Doug Voss - Grazing Lead, SFA

Kent Solberg - Senior Technical Advisor, SFA

Katie Feterl - Communications Director, SFA

Reach out to Kent, Doug, Katie, or any other member of the SFA team here.

 

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.

54: REKO Rings

Finnish farmer Thomas Snellman coined the concept of REKO Rings in 2013, and in the last few years they’ve begun to sprout in Wisconsin and Minnesota. This unique model of a local food market is connecting thousands of eaters directly to their local farmers using regional Facebook groups for each ring.

Each week, participating growers post what they have to offer and customers comment to initiate an ordering process. All payment happens in advance of the weekly pick-up day, where everyone meets at the same time and place to receive their orders from the farmers. The efficiency can save all parties time and money, while still allowing for authentic relationship building between farmers and eaters. It’s a straightforward foundation and each ring may operate a little differently, responsive to the needs of their community.

To explain how REKO works and how to go about starting one in your own community, three farmer guests and founding members of their own REKO Rings join the podcast:

 

Mehgan Blair, Canosia Grove, Twin Ports REKO Ring

Vanessa Wallock, The Victory Garden Farm, Ozaukee Area REKO Ring

Thelma Heidel-Baker, Bossie Cow Farm, West Bend REKO Ring

Host Katie Feterl, Communications Director, 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.

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