Dirt Rich

42: Conventional to Kernza®: A Soil Health Journey

Kaleb Anderson is the third generation of his family farm in Goodhue, Minnesota, and grew up with a conventional ag background. Living in the Driftless region, soil degradation and erosion were always a big concern. Since moving back onto the farm in 2006, Anderson has adjusted practices and diversified the business. He would say that he’s still very much on his ‘soil health journey’ over a decade in: “The more I’ve peeled the onion back, the more I realize how much I need to learn.”

Anderson describes the operation now as “still conventionally based,” and grows corn, Kernza®, small grains like oats and rye. Grass-finished beef is the centerpiece, and he’s always looking for new crops to grow and ways to stack the cattle with other enterprises. Enter Kernza®.

Perennial-based agriculture had always intrigued Anderson, and when he caught wind of the developing crop Kernza®, he wanted to give it a try. At some point (memories are fuzzy), Anderson connected with Alan Kraus of Clean River Partners, who had also been intrigued by the concept of a perennial wheatgrass. Kraus’ own prior dairy grazing experience fueled his interest in measuring the success and profitability of grazing Kernza®.

What followed was an in-depth study on Anderson's farm. In this episode, Kraus and Anderson go through the findings, and the promise and uncertainties of Kernza® as markets develop. Spoiler: the study found that Kernza® was profitable for forage and grain production, and farmer and public interest are growing into well-attended field days, and festivals are on the horizon!

 

More resources:

Soil Health Case Studies Volume 3 

The study

University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative: Kernza

 

Kaleb Anderson - Farmer, Goodhue, MN

Alan Kraus - Conservation Program Manager for Clean River Partners, former dairy grazier

Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

 

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

Revisited: Pastured Turkeys

(Originally released October 28, 2020)

Kathy Zeman pasture-raises a veritable menagerie: goats, sheep, pigs, ducks, geese, turkeys, broilers, hens, meat rabbits, and honeybees graze her twenty acres at Simple Harvest Farm Organics. She grew up farming, and first got started on poultry with her brother for a 4-H project. “Nick’s Eggs” continues today, available at the Just Food Co-op in Northfield. 

The array of animals she raises now ensures she never has to buy fertilizer--the manure production keeps pastures lush, and is a piece of her vision of resiliency and being self-sustaining. In fact, Kathy says that the grass actually grows back thicker and healthier behind a well-paced turkey tractor. Her Bourbon Red and Broad Breasted White turkeys happily graze in cattle panel hoop tractors, enjoying fresh grass once or twice a day safe from predators.

Kathy built her farm business on her values. She’s certified organic, and raises a heritage breed in part to keep the genetic diversity going. They’re “spendy,” but her customers are willing to pay for that fresher turkey flavor and the value of the environmental stewardship that the birds provide. “I always tell people when they buy from us, they’re really protecting these 20 acres. These little 20 acres on this planet are going to be no soil erosion, no water pollution, we’re not building antibiotic-resisting bacteria. That’s what they’re supporting.”

In addition to farming, Kathy Zeman is also the executive director of the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association. That work aligns with her values, too. MFMA has been able to advance policy important to local foods. She describes farmers markets as the place “where community eats and meets.” They shorten food miles and keep money circulating locally. The community of people surrounding farmers markets are her crowd, too--resilient, boots-on-the-ground folks.

Host Jared Luhman’s conversation with Kathy Zeman naturally branches out from pastured turkey production and into thoughts about farm/land/life sustainability, pricing and food access, and the need for more BIPOC voices at the agricultural table. Listen in for comical stories, seasoned advice, and reflections on topics that are top-of-mind for many growers these days.

 

Kathy Zeman, Simple Harvest Farm Organics, Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association

Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead of 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.

41: Studying Soil Health

Dr. Anna Cates, the State Soil Health Specialist for the Minnesota Office for Soil Health (MOSH), discusses the roles and interplay of both scientific research and anecdotes in soil health education and implementation with host Jared Luhman. In her opinion, both are quite valuable in making the case for using soil health techniques on the farm.

In this episode, Dr. Cates shares the research she is doing with MOSH in several farmer’s fields. Tracking pairs of neighboring conventional and “soil health fields,” MOSH is looking at soil aggregates before and after rainfall. Listen into her conversation with Jared for an inside look at the soil health research happening here in Minnesota!

Interested in participating in MOSH's soil health research? Farmers can fill out a 10-minute survey on soil health, field workability, and quality of life here.

 

Dr. Anna Cates, State Soil Health Specialist, Minnesota Office for Soil Health

Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

 

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

40: Field Notes

We're shaking it up a bit this episode! Cohosts Jared Luhman and Katie Feterl reflect on the last year: drought challenges and lessons, in-field experiences across the state, hopeful moments, and observations from different spaces in the regenerative ag world.

Links:
Find all upcoming field days, workshops, webinars and more on our event calendar. 
You can also find more detailed information about the SFA Annual Conference and Midwest Soil Health Summit on our website.
The new Soil Health for Fruit and Vegetable Growers resource is available online.

Katie Feterl, SFA Communications Director
Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

39: Building Relationships and Telling Your Story

Connecting with others and meeting new people has always been important to John Beaton, and it’s this flair for relationship building that is at the heart of his farm story.

John and Emily Beaton operate Fairhaven Farm just north of Duluth, Minnesota. John got his start on a local CSA vegetable farm, where his mentor, Rick, eventually gave him space to plant his own field to start his farm business--something Rick’s own mentor had also done for him when he was starting out.

A series of meet cutes and handshakes paved the way for the Beatons to buy a farm and grow their business in new directions. They were also privileged to have steady off-farm employment and financial support from family. John and Emily currently run a 50-member CSA on just shy of an acre of production, and grow plant starts for their local co-op and several other accounts in the region. These enterprises, too, grew out of personal connections and intention.

After receiving so much support from others in purchasing a farm and getting started, John wants to do the same for other emerging farmers. Utilizing his firsthand experience with the process of finding and purchasing farmland, he serves as a Farmland Access Navigator through Renewing the Countryside’s Farmland Access Hub. Through this grant-funded program, he provides detailed, free guidance for land-seekers. He also serves as a Conservation Connector, helping connect historically underserved farmers with conservation programs such as EQIP and CSP (both of which his farm has applied for and received) that can provide some financial support.

John intends to keep paying it forward. “We need more farms here, and whatever I can do to help people achieve that...that’s my goal.” This ethos is baked into Fairhaven Farm itself. He and Emily are looking to expand their gathering space centered around their pizza oven, building up a regional farm store and event space.

To build relationships with others, John encourages fellow farmers to put themselves out there and tell their story. “Every bit of good fortune in one’s life comes from other people,” he says. And in connecting with others and authentically sharing one’s story, it creates opportunities to help each other out.

 

John Beaton, Fairhaven Farm and Lake Superior Chapter member

Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

 

Resources:

Farmland Access Hub & Navigators

Conservation Connections

Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP)

Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

 

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

Revisited: Planting Minnesota Garlic

It's that time of year again! Garlic growers in Minnesota are preparing for planting. We're bringing this episode back into your feed to help you get ready with advice from two seasoned garlic growers: Jerry Ford and Sunny Ruthchild.

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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

38: Getting Water Quality Certified

“It’s hard to find a Minnesotan that’s not proud of the fact that we’ve got so many wonderful lakes in our region and we’re the source for the Mississippi River...We have a lot of pride for our natural resources in this state and we have a lot of pride for our operations.” -Jennifer Wagner-Lahr

The Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program (MAWQCP) is a statewide opportunity for farmers to be recognized for their efforts to protect water quality. The certification also provides regulatory certainty for 10 years, and the process opens up opportunities for technical and financial assistance to help achieve certification.

Farmers Jennifer and Larry Lahr laud the financial assistance and the guidance from their certifier, Mark Lefebvre, for helping make “the leap” in implementing some new practices into their crop and livestock operations comfortable. In this episode, the three guests share their experiences with getting certified under MAWQCP, some of the nuts and bolts behind the program and other opportunities for support, and the changes that they’ve seen on-farm as a result of implementing conservation and soil health building practices-- even in the face of drought conditions.

 

Get started on program certification here or reach out to your local Soil Water Conservation District Office. More information on the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium pilot is available here.

 

Katie Feterl, SFA Communications Director

Mark Lefebvre, Stearns County SWCD Certifier, (320) 251-7800 x3, Mark.Lefebvre@mn.nacdnet.net

Jennifer Wagner-Lahr, Lahr Heritage Acres

Larry Lahr, Lahr Heritage Acres, (320) 761-3925, thenewcountrycat@yahoo.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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

37: Wisdom of the Prairie: Diversity, Connection, Community

Megan Benage, a Regional Ecologist for the Minnesota DNR, brings her passion for the prairie to 32 counties in southern Minnesota--and to thousands of listeners on the Prairie Pod, which she hosts with fellow scientists. And today, she brings it to Dirt Rich! 

Once covering a full third of the state, Minnesota’s tallgrass prairie is now 235,000 acres of remnant reference prairie. Megan shares what the day in the life of an ecologist is like, and how her work intersects with agriculture. In fact, she describes the balanced prairie ecosystem function that she works towards as incredibly relevant to the farmer: “Every regenerative agriculture model that we have is based on how a prairie is just living its life.”

There’s a lot to be learned from the prairie, especially in a changing climate. Megan distills it down to diversity, connection, and community. “When we put our natural resources first, we are putting ourselves first, because we all need the same basic things to live.”

Additional Resources:

Prairie Pod

Xerces Society

USDA NRCS

Minnesota DNR

‘Beyond Your Backyard’ archive

 

Katie Feterl, SFA Communications Director

Megan Benage, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Regional Ecologist

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

36: Growing Grazing Dairy Farmers

Angie Walter, the SFA/DGA Central Minnesota Education Coordinator, and her husband Nate run an organic dairy in Central Minnesota, and are also masters in the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program. Today’s episode features them in conversation with their first apprentice, Ryan Heinen, who now manages a dairy in Waukesha, Wisconsin. His passion for ecology and restoration led him to farming and to grass-based dairy, and DGA helped him build a solid foundation to take on a new endeavor.

The Walters and Ryan share their experiences in the DGA program from both the master and apprentice perspectives--it was a positive and valuable learning experience for all.

Angie highlights the value of networking events, such as pasture walks, to dairy farmers of all experience levels. There are two pasture walks remaining this season, one on August 24 in Verndale, MN, and one on September 9 in Brandon, MN. Both are free, they include lunch! More information and registration can be found on SFA’s DGA page.

 

Katie Feterl, SFA Communications Director

Angie Walter, SFA/DGA Central Minnesota Education Coordinator, Walter Dairy

Nate Walter, Walter Dairy

Ryan Heinen, Land and Livestock Manager, Gwenyn Hill Farm

 

Additional Resources:

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship

SFA/DGA Resources and Events

Dirt Rich Episode 19: Family Dairies & Apprenticeships

 

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.

35: Pastured Pork & an Incubator Farm

“What else is livestock farming but sort of a dance and a balance between farmer happiness, livestock happiness, and soil health happiness?”

Dayna Burtness discusses her “pastured pig-centric farm,” marketing enterprise, and incubator farm near Spring Grove, in the Driftless region of Minnesota. Dayna is the sixth generation in her family to farm in Houston County, and she and her husband Nick Nguyen are finishing 75 mixed breed heritage pigs on pasture this season. They utilize a wagon wheel hub model and are constantly experimenting to improve soil health, pit happiness and health, and farmer happiness and health. 

In her conversation with Jared Luhman, Dayna shares how her production system has evolved over time, her focus on soil health, her intentionality in the incubator farm, and her philosophy on marketing, pricing, and running a farm business. She also offers sage advice to those pursuing similar ventures, and plenty of examples of ‘failed’ and successful on-farm experiments.

 

Jared Luhman, SFA Soil Health Lead

Dayna Burtness, Nettle Valley Farm

 

Additional Resources:

Soil Health Case Studies Vol. 3, featuring Nettle Valley Farm

“Building Profitable Farms through Direct Marketing” webinar video

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.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Leave us a review, or drop us a line on our Virtual Comment Box.