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Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground Podcast — Government
Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground Podcast

Land Stewardship Project’s Ear to the Ground podcast features in-the-field interviews related to the Land Stewardship Project’s work on regenerative agriculture, local food systems, rural communities, beginning farmers, social/economic justice, and agricultural/environmental policy.

Copyright: © 2021 Land Stewardship Project

Latest Episodes:

Ear to the Ground 357: Against the Grain Nov 09, 2024

As farmers from across the region haul corn past Allen and Kathleen Deutz’s farm to the local ethanol plant, they can’t help but notice fences, livestock, and a diversity of plants. What’s not as immediately evident is how this counter- intuitive way of farming is building long-term soil health and resilience. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 356: First Things First Nov 04, 2024

Thinking of applying for NRCS funds? First, advises vegetable and livestock farmer Klaus Zimmermann-Mayo, figure out what kind of farming you want to do and how you want to do it. More Information • Whetstone Farm • Go Farm Connect • NRCS Environmental Quality Incentives Program • NRCS Service Center Locator You can find LSP… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 355: Silver Buckshot Oct 31, 2024

Father-son team Joe and Matthew Fitzgerald are quite willing to share their insights with other farmers on how to get started in organic crop production. First piece of advice: sell your fishing boat. More Information • Fitzgerald Organic Mad Agriculture Video • Organic Agronomy Training Service • LSP Soil Health Web Page You can find LSP… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 354: Great Expectations Oct 29, 2024

When Jay Fuhrer first started talking to his conservation colleagues about a different approach to protecting and building soil, he ended up eating lunch alone. But eventually the Burleigh County Soil Health Team helped launch a movement that’s showing how farming, the environment, and local economies benefit when people stop accepting soil as a degraded resource. More… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 353: 7 Years Later Oct 27, 2024

Jon and Carin Stevens farm unforgiving land that leaves little room for mistakes. But thanks to a system based on no-till, cover cropping, and reintegrating livestock, a “victory year” has finally emerged from the ashes of failure. More Information • LSP Soil Health Web Page • Maple Grove Farms YouTube Page You can find LSP… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 352: Land of the Living Oct 18, 2024

Soil health expert Stephanie McLain has found that once farmers start seeking life in the bottom of a red Solo cup, there’s no turning back. More Information • LSP Soil Health Web Page • NRCS Soil Health Web Page You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 351: Less Tillage, More Money Oct 03, 2024

Jerry and Nancy Ackermann’s use of no-till and cover-cropping is building healthier soil, boosting beneficial bugs, and bolstering a positive financial bottom line. More Information • LSP’s No-till Web Page • LSP’s Cover Crops Web Page • Jerry Ackermann Video: Setting Up Your Equipment for Soil Health You can find LSP Ear to the Ground… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 350: Cranking Up Capacity Sep 25, 2024

By building soil biology via managed grazing, Langdon Collom is learning that expanding a farm’s capacity doesn’t always require horizontal expansion — sometimes you can simply go vertical. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • Match Made in Heaven: Livestock + Crops • Sustainable Farming Association • Midwest Grazing Exchange • Minnesota Cropland… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 349: Family, Farming & Forages Sep 24, 2024

Since taking over their family’s livestock operation, Parker and Sam Beard have added a few new twists. But one thing will never change: those hills will remain in grass. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Farm Transitions Tools Web Page • Iowa Organic Association You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 348: Urban Agrarian Sep 17, 2024

Elyssa Eull’s tiny farm is tucked between railroad tracks and an empty lot in the heart of a major metropolitan area, but its city soil is producing food on a commercial scale. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • California Street Farm • Twin Cities Metro Growers Network • USDA Urban Agriculture Programs at a Glance… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 347: Bite-by-Bite Sep 05, 2024

Mapping a rural region’s “community food assets” reveals isolated islands of opportunity in a sea of corn and soybeans. LSP’s Scott DeMuth says now is the time to connect the dots and create a new relationship between farmers, eaters, and the places they live in. For a transcript of this podcast, click here. More Information •… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 346: Pasture Pixie Dust Aug 15, 2024

The NRCS’s Jeff Duchene has set up grazing plans in 50 Minnesota counties, and has yet to find that proverbial “magic grass.” But he’s more convinced than ever that good management and good planning are their own kind of silver bullet. (Fifth and last episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 4th in… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 345: Grazing’s Generational Jump Aug 12, 2024

Rick Matt was flat on his back when it became evident how he and his son, Damien, could build an intergenerational farming operation based on soil health, diversity, and grazing. (Fourth episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 3rd in the… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 344: Flerd is the Word Aug 05, 2024

Poor soil, short growing seasons, and little infrastructure: beginning farmer George Heller is proving that a successful grazing operation doesn’t require optimal conditions. (Third episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 4th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Grazing’s Generational… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 343: Healthy Soil Vs. Plastic Worms Jul 30, 2024

Clifford Johnson calls himself an “honest regenerative hypocrite,” which says a lot about his approach to building soil health on his family’s crop and livestock farm. (Second episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 4th in the Grazing School… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 342: Ignoring the Red Dress Jul 22, 2024

Wholesome Family Farms is known for juggling enough enterprises to overwhelm even the most ambitious farmer. But Rachelle Meyer says a “three-legged stool” strategy keeps them balanced. (First episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.) More Information • 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust” • 4th in the Grazing School Podcast… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 341: Seeds of Local Democracy Jun 24, 2024

LSP’s political action partner, the Land Stewardship Action Fund, is working to show that vibrant rural communities require local people participating in decision-making — one vote at a time. More Information • Land Stewardship Action Fund • Land Stewardship Letter Article: “Land Stewardship Action Fund’s Local Impact” • LSP’s Policy Campaigns You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 340: Entrepreneurial Equity Jun 12, 2024

Beginning farmer Alondra Cano’s conversations with other Spanish-speaking agrarians have unearthed insights into the role emerging farmers can play in a regenerative food system, and what needs to be done to help them succeed. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • LSP’s Farmland Access Web Page • LSP Farmland Clearinghouse • Latino Economic Development Center • MDA… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 339: Urban Ag’s Moment May 01, 2024

The USDA’s recent creation of urban ag service centers is a recognition that growing food in the city is more than a quirky news story. More Information • Kajsa Beatty Contact • USDA Office of Urban Ag & Innovative Production • USDA Urban Service Centers • USDA Resources for Urban Farmers • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course You can… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 338: Microbial IRA Apr 12, 2024

For Jerome Fulsaas, cover cropping and no-till are creating an individual retirement account based on a living soil bank, not dead dirt. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network • Order Your LSP “Let’s Stop Treating Our Soil Like Dirt” Bumper Sticker You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 337: ROI & Riding a Bike Apr 11, 2024

Josh Nelson’s approach to farming means looking beyond the next corn crop and building the kind of soil that generates long-term return on investment. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 336: Biology Booster Apr 09, 2024

Gary Zimmer says before a farm can be sustainable, it has to be regenerated — and that starts with the soil. More Information • LSP’s Bridge to Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s Microbiology & Soil Health Web Page • Gary Zimmer • Agri-View Article on Gary Zimmer You can find LSP Ear to the Ground… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 335: Bumping Elbows Mar 21, 2024

From raising produce and working in a restaurant to teaching food safety and managing a farmers’ market, Sara George has experienced “farm-to-fork” from just about every angle possible. This has given her invaluable insights into the barriers, and opportunities, involved with connecting farmers and institutional buyers. More Information • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 334: Youth Movement Mar 15, 2024

Farm Beginnings grad Marcos Giossi started his food-raising career as a teenager tilling soil on an old soccer field. Now he’s helping young urban farmers utilize a values-based decision making strategy to kick-off better communities. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Urban Roots • Metro Food Justice Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 333: 2 Kinds of Power Mar 13, 2024

When LSP farmer-members like Paul Sobocinski took on Big Pork, it showed the long-term impact grassroots organizing can have. More Information • Making Change from the Ground Up: 40 Stories for 40 Years of Land Stewardship Project • LSP’s Policy Campaigns Web Page • January/February/March 2001 Land Stewardship Letter: Pork Checkoff Voted Down by Farmers • Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 332: Real Food, Real Impact Mar 11, 2024

Beverly Dougherty’s Real Food Hub is out to prove that connecting local farmers and local eaters makes sense nutritionally and financially — and is just plain fun. More Information • Read Food Hub • Minnesota Farmers’ Market Hubs • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • Ear to the Ground 322: Lunchroom Stewardship • MDA Farm-to-School &… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 331: Reality Check Mar 06, 2024

Direct-marketing expert and farmer Ryan Pesch sees a lot of potential in the community/local food movement, but farmers hoping to enter that realm need to ask some key questions first. More Information • Ryan Pesch Contact Information • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • LSP’ Farm Beginnings Web Page • Ear to the Ground 322:… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 330: String Theory Feb 25, 2024

Soil, cows, ecology, economics: to milk producer Derek Schmitz, they are all linked, and that feeds his optimism even as tough times cast a shadow over dairy farming. More Information • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health Web Page • Soil Health Academy Case Study: Derek & Taylor Schmitz • Regenerative Livestock Systems Symposium: April 5, 2024 You can… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 329: Weather Whiplash Feb 18, 2024

Climate change may impact a vegetable producer and a livestock farmer in different ways, but the result is the same: uncertainty, stress…and a deeper desire to connect with community. More Information • Ear to the Ground 299: Road to Resilience • LSP’s Soil Health page • Prairie Drifter Farm • Early Boots Farm You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 328: Urban Ag Oasis Dec 21, 2023

Farm Beginnings grad Queen Frye just wants to raise food — even if she doesn’t resemble a famous Scottish farmer. More Information • Land Stewardship Letter Profile: The Fifth ‘R’ • R. Roots Garden • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other podcast… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 327: Side-by-Side Soil Dec 15, 2023

A 30-farm study is comparing the impacts regenerative vs. conventional practices have on soil’s resiliency. Extreme drought has churned up some exciting results. More Information • Sand County Foundation Soil Health Initiative • LSP Soil Health Web Page • Ear to the Ground 288 features the Cotter farm, which is participating in the study. • Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 326: Rooting Out Nitrates Nov 07, 2023

The Olmsted County Groundwater Protection and Soil Health Program could serve as a holistic model for supporting practices that are good for the farmer, the land, and water quality. More Information • Land Stewardship Letter article on Olmsted County Groundwater Protection & Soil Health Program • Olmsted County Groundwater Protection & Soil Health Program •… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 325: Return of the Fence Nov 06, 2023

Matt and Seth Tentis of White Barn Acres are creating a soil-smart farm using a mix of livestock, continuous living cover, and experimentation — with a healthy dose of community support tossed in for good measure. More Information • White Barn Acres • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report:… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 324: Good Grass Makes Good Neighbors Nov 04, 2023

The landowners Jeremy and Jessica Holst rent from like to see a green landscape — no wonder the dairy farmers’ rotational grazing system is considered a neighborhood asset. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s Conservation Leases Toolkit • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” You can find… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 323: Rainy Day Fund Nov 03, 2023

With their dairy farm at the epicenter of the worst drought in over a century, the Vergin family adapts through diversification, flexibility, and making deposits in the soil bank. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • LSP Farm Transition Profile on… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 322: Lunchroom Stewardship Nov 01, 2023

Aimee Haag is proving that farm-to-school arrangements can benefit kids, communities, and farmers…one tomato at a time. More Information • MDA Farm-to-School & Early Care Grants • Minnesota Farm-to-School Program • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • LSP Blog: 2023 Minnesota Legislative Session Wrap-Up You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify,… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 321: Buried Knowledge Oct 29, 2023

A town lost to erosion offers a critical lesson as Sandy and Lonny Dietz strive to develop a viable no-till organic vegetable production system. More Information • Whitewater Gardens Farm • Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 320: Season Stretcher Oct 26, 2023

An innovative program for promoting soil health and extending the grazing season came at just the right time for farmer Alan Bedtka. More Information • Ear to the Ground No. 326: Rooting Out Nitrates • Land Stewardship Letter article on Olmsted County Groundwater Protection & Soil Health Program • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report:… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 319: Right Place, Right Time Oct 20, 2023

Scott Elkins talks about why he is excited to join LSP’s staff as its executive director, and why the organization is well-placed to make a positive difference in creating a farm and food system based on integrity. More Information • Release: LSP Names New Executive Director • LSP’s Long Range Plan — Vision for the Future: 5 Year… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 318: Great Expectations Oct 13, 2023

Farmer Mike Seifert is realizing that building a solid soil house is not enough — he also has to stock its pantry. More Information • LSP’s Soil Microbiology Web Page • Ear to the Ground 297: Web of Willing Workers • Ear to the Ground 292: Working the Microbes • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 317: Policy on the Prairie Oct 01, 2023

Adam Griebie’s agricultural stewardship ethic has been bolstered by federal farm policy, but there’s room for improvement. More Information • LSP’s 2023 Farm Bill Platform • LSP’s Federal Policy Web Page You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Pandora, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 316: Passing on Purity Sep 23, 2023

Agronomist David Kleinschmidt says dealing with extreme weather on the farm requires compromise, even when it means taking a temporary step back on soil health. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • LSP’s Ear Dirt Soil Health Series • Ear to the… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 315: Healthcare’s Farm Failure Sep 17, 2023

Dana Seifert sees the healthcare system as being in the midst of a major drought, and it’s bleeding dry farmers and the rural communities that rely on them. More Information • LSP’s Healthcare Web Page • Ear to the Ground 310: Healthy Farmers, Healthy Land • Blog: Organizing Secures Key Wins for Rural Healthcare in… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 314: Going for the Goat Aug 31, 2023

Jordan and Rachelle Meyer are using goats to add value to marginal land…one thistle at a time. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Wholesome Family Farms Web Page • Wholesome Family Farms’ Grazing YouTube Page • LSP’s 2023 Pasture… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 313: Walking & Talking Aug 04, 2023

A pasture walk on the Nikki and Cody Meyer farm shows the value of farmer-to-farmer learning. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Nikki Meyer’s Grazing YouTube Page • LSP’s 2023 Pasture Walk Schedule You can find LSP Ear to… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 312: Testing in Nature’s Image Jul 31, 2023

Dr. Liz Haney says a truly regenerative farming system starts with a regenerative way of measuring soil health. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health Web Page • LSP’s 2023 Field Day Special Report: “A Long, Hot Summer” • Soil Regen • The Haney Test for Soil Health • Land Stewardship Letter Article: Digging into a… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 311: Mooching Means More Jul 26, 2023

Humble Hands Harvest’s entry into agroforestry is being supported by its vegetable operation — setting the stage for a new approach to farming a rugged landscape long into the future. More Information • Humble Hands Harvest • Savanna Institute • Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Ear to the Ground podcast 227: From… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 310: Healthy Farmers, Healthy Land Jun 14, 2023

Paula Williams talks about why healthcare reform matters to LSP and its allies, and, after 15 years of hard work and organizing, what advances were made on the issue during a recent session of the Minnesota Legislature. More Information • LSP blog detailing recent healthcare wins at the Minnesota Legislature • LSP’s Healthcare Web Page • Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 309: Stewards of the Land May 20, 2023

Two Puerto Rican filmmakers talk about Stewards of the Land/Serán las dueñas de la tierra, which documents the stories of three beginning farmers as they build relationships and find creative ways to access land to grow food for their communities. June 4 Screening & More Information • Click here to RSVP to the Minneapolis, Minn., film screening/discussion on Sunday,… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 308: Is Your Farm a Business? May 03, 2023

Dave Pratt says most farms and ranches are just a collection of expensive assets and low-paying jobs. But such a dysfunctional business model is not inevitable. More Information • Ranch Management Consultants • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Page • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • LSP’s Land Transitions Tools Page You can find… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 307: Listening to the Knees Apr 28, 2023

Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson taught Melissa Driscoll that true sustainability starts not only with the soil, but with the person who’s stewarding it. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • Minnesota Farm Business Management Faculty • Seven Songs Organic Farm You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 306: Tough Choices Apr 19, 2023

How Farm Beginnings helped Hannah Frank and Justin Thomas whittle their enterprise “wish list” down to a sustainable size. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Rue de Bungaloo Farm You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 305: Farm Bill as a Public Good Apr 09, 2023

LSP farmer-members talk about how the 2023 Farm Bill could benefit the land, people, and rural communities (2nd of 2 parts). More Information • Ear to the Ground 304: Policy for the People (1st installment in this series) • LSP’s Federal Policy Page • LSP 2023 Farm Bill Platform You can find LSP Ear to… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 304: Policy for the People Apr 05, 2023

Perhaps no single piece of legislation has a more profound impact on what our landscape and rural communities look like. That’s why LSP’s members are working hard to influence the 2023 Farm Bill (1st of 2 parts). More Information • Ear to the Ground 305: Farm Bill as a Public Good (2nd installment in this… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 303: Silvo Savvy Apr 01, 2023

Farmers like Tom Hunter are setting out to prove that trees and livestock can mix in a way that creates an ecological -economic equilibrium. More Information • Sustainable Farming Association Silvopasturing Resources • The Prairie Enthusiasts • Ear to the Ground 262: A Silvo Secondary Enterprise • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • Project… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 302: Thinking Like a Tree Mar 21, 2023

Beginning farmers Abbie Baldwin and Mitch Hawes are playing the long game when it comes to launching their permaculture operation. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Ear to the Ground 262: A Silvo Secondary Enterprise • Midwest Permaculture You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 301: Pipe Dreams Mar 14, 2023

When a tiling company suggested burying more pipe to deal with drainage issues, Tom Finnegan opted instead to go to the root of the problem. More Information • LSP’s Cover Crops page • LSP’s Grazing page • LSP’s No-till page • Sign-up for the Soil Builders’ Network You can find LSP Ear to the Ground… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 300: Diversity Trumps Adversity Feb 27, 2023

Illinois farmer Dave Bishop says rural communities can’t “monoculture” their way out of the economic, ecological, and social challenges that plague them. But diversifying successfully isn’t just a numbers game. More Information • Dave Bishop’s PrairiErth Farm • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems • Ear to the Ground 283: Ken Meter & Building Community Food Webs… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 299: Road to Resilience Feb 09, 2023

Laura Lengnick believes that if farms are to survive (and thrive) in the age of climate change, we need to remember it’s not just about soil and water — it’s also about people. More Information • Resilient Agriculture: Cultivating Food Systems for a Changing Climate, by Laura Lengnick • SARE Publication: Cultivating Climate Resilience on Farms… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 298: Strangers, Guests & LSP Jan 18, 2023

Before there was the Land Stewardship Project, there were people like Sister Mary Tacheny helping farmers speak out and be heard. More Information • Strangers and Guests: Toward Community in the Heartland • LSP’s 40-Year Timeline • Ear to the Ground No. 223: Interview with LSP co-founder Ron Kroese You can find LSP Ear to… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 297: Web of Willing Workers Jan 03, 2023

Scientist Elaine Ingham believes minding the microbes makes farmers the masters of their own destiny. More Information • Microbiologist Elaine Ingham’s Soil Food Web page • LSP’s Soil Microbiology web page • Ear to the Ground No. 292: Interview with David Johnson & Hui-Chun Su Johnson about the Johnson-Su Bioreactor system You can find LSP… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 296: Stability is Sexy Dec 20, 2022

Rick Clark’s no-till organic system is all about treating cover crops like cash crops — because they are. More Information • Rick Clark’s Farm Green website • LSP’s Soil Health web page • LSP Ear Dirt soil health podcast series You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 295: Patchwork Quilt Stewardship Nov 13, 2022

John Ledermann’s rental relationships are built on healthy soil. More Information • LSP’s Conservation Leases Toolkit • Land Stewardship Letter article on John Ledermann • LSP’s Soil Health web page • LSP’s Land Transition Tools You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 294: Rootless Regeneration Nov 12, 2022

These beginning farmers are accessing land without owning it — one megawatt at a time. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Farm Beginnings in other Regions: the Farm Beginnings Collaborative • Land Stewardship Letter article on Josie Trople & Arlo Hark • Fresh Voices: the Ear to the Ground podcast series on beginning farmers You can find… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 293: Middle of Somewhere Nov 11, 2022

Carrie Calvo’s 7,000-mile journey to the heart of farming and local food. More Information • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Farm Beginnings in other Regions: the Farm Beginnings Collaborative • Land Stewardship Letter article on Owl Bluff Farm • Fresh Voices: the Ear to the Ground podcast series on beginning farmers You can find LSP Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 292: Working the Microbes Nov 11, 2022

David Johnson and Hui-Chun Su Johnson’s approach to composting may help farming reach the ultimate regenerative ag pinnacle: self-sufficient soil. More Information • LSP’s Microbiology web page • Managing a Johnson-Su Composting Bioreactor • Ear to the Ground podcast episode 271: Focusing on Fungi • Ear to the Ground podcast episode 266: Activating Soil Life • Land… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 291: Shovel Doesn’t Lie Nov 10, 2022

What Allen Williams unearthed on the farm of Rachelle and Jordan Meyer. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health web page • Land Stewardship Letter: A Season of Knowledge Transfer • Allen Williams Ear to the Ground podcast series • Jordan Meyer Ear to the Ground podcast: Embracing the Weed You can find LSP Ear to… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 290: Silt Suppression Nov 09, 2022

How the Bergler family stopped “chasing their tails,” started fixing their farm’s damaged soils, and welcomed curious queries. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health web page • Land Stewardship Letter: A Season of Knowledge Transfer You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast platforms.

Ear to the Ground 289: Reflections on a Revolution Nov 09, 2022

Two decades after crop failures almost ended his farming career, soil health pioneer Gabe Brown reflects on how far the regenerative ag movement has come…and where it’s going. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health web page • Ear to the Ground No. 288: More with Less • Brown’s Ranch • Soil Health, Profits & Resiliency: Land Stewardship… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 288: More with Less Nov 08, 2022

Tom Cotter sees his return on investment tied directly to how freely he lets soil biology do its job — and that starts with a diverse community above and below ground. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health web page • Land Stewardship Letter: A Season of Knowledge Transfer • Ear to the Ground No. 266: Activating… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 287: Opportunity Knocks Nov 04, 2022

As an accountant and a farmer, Joe Lawler sees building soil health as a way to strike a balance between economic and ecological success…and boy is it fun to see a pollinator planting come to life. More Information • LSP’s Soil Health web page • Pollinator Conservation Resource Center • NRCS County Office Directory • Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 286: Tractor Seat Economics Nov 01, 2022

Everett Rolfing knew one thing for certain: no-till would never work on his farm. His soil had a different idea. More Information: • LSP’s No-till & Soil Health web page • Land Stewardship Letter: A Season of Knowledge Transfer You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 285: Powerful Conversations Sep 26, 2022

LSP organizers describe the potential for “deep canvassing” to go beyond shouting, lawn signs, and social media posts and move people to be a part of real change. More Information: • Land Stewardship Action Fund • Oct. 2: Soil Health Deep Canvass – MN Senate District 24 • Oct. 5: Deep Canvass Training • Oct. 13: Soil… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 284: Hive of Healthy Activity Sep 14, 2022

From Kris Shelstad’s point of view, an empty building on Main Street is packed full of opportunities for revitalizing her hometown’s economic and cultural life, one conversation at a time. More Information: • Madison Mercantile • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • Support Local Food During the Upper Minnesota River Meander Sept. 30-Oct. 2… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 283: Ending the Extractive Economy Sep 12, 2022

Ken Meter draws on decades of community analyses to explain why agriculture will never be truly regenerative until we fix our dysfunctional food system. More Information: • LSP Community Food Webs Learning Circles (March 2023) • Building Community Food Webs, by Ken Meter • Crossroads Resource Center • LSP Community-Based Food Systems Web Page •… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 282: Kitchen Table Economics Sep 09, 2022

LSP’s Amy Bacigalupo talks about why the organization is diving deep into helping communities build food systems that can stem the tide of commodities (and wealth) leaving the land. More Information: • LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page • Ear to the Ground No. 283: Ken Meter draws on decades of community analyses to explain why… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 281: Report from the Underground Aug 12, 2022

A journey into southeastern Minnesota’s geological basement reveals that building soil health can help make “clear” and “clean” equal the same thing. More Information: LSP’s Soil Health web page Minnesota Conservation Volunteer article: “The Farmer Who Went Underground” In July 2022, Aaron Bishop shot this video of flooding in Niagara Cave shortly after a rainstorm. Ear… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 280: Maximum vs. Optimal Aug 04, 2022

Adhering to the tenets of Ag Econ 101, a pair of beginning farmers are avoiding commodity row crops and embracing grazing, silvopasturing, and “bale grazed veggies.” More Information: • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing web page • Ear to the Ground Episode 246: Letting Livestock do the Work You can find LSP Ear to the… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 279: We Are What We Eat Jul 16, 2022

There’s a connection between the biome beneath our feet and the bounty on our table. Allen Williams thinks research linking soil health and nutrient density of food holds huge potential for advancing regenerative agriculture. 4th of 4 episodes in a series: Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 More Information: Allen Williams will be presenting on two southeastern Minnesota farms… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 278: It Can Happen Anywhere Jul 15, 2022

Allen Williams describes how regenerative practices are working on four farming operations representing widely divergent geographical locations and enterprises. 3rd of 4 episodes in a series: Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 4 More Information: Allen Williams will be presenting on two southeastern Minnesota farms Aug. 17-18, 2022. For details and to register, click here. LSP’s Soil Health… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 277: 3 Regenerative Rules Jul 07, 2022

Allen Williams asks, “What is a weed?” and lays out the three rules of adaptive stewardship. 2nd of 4 episodes in a series: Episode 1 Episode 3 Episode 4 More Information: Allen Williams will be presenting on two southeastern Minnesota farms Aug. 17-18, 2022. For details and to register, click here. LSP’s Soil Health Web Page Understanding Ag… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 276: Why Regenerative Ag? Jul 01, 2022

Allen Williams believes that farming in nature’s image isn’t just a nice idea, it’s an agricultural/ecological imperative. 1st of 4 episodes in a series: Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 More Information: Allen Williams will be presenting on two southeastern Minnesota farms Aug. 17-18, 2022. For details and to register, click here. LSP’s Soil Health Web Page Understanding Ag… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 275: Blurring the Bobolink Boundaries Jun 14, 2022

How the Specht family is using rotational grazing, citizen science, and community collaboration to tear down the fence between the agricultural and avian worlds. More Information: • The Spechts have been featured in two books: Wildly Successful Farming and The Farm as Natural Habitat • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • Iowa Natural Heritage… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 274: From Dirt to Diversity Jun 05, 2022

How Scott and Amanda Holthaus are transforming corn-soybean ground into perennial pasture utilizing soil biology and the rotational grazing of diverse cover crops. More Information: • LSP Video: What does Healthy Soil Look Like? Water Infiltration Test & Comparison • LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page • LSP’s Soil Health & Cover Cropping Web… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 273: Incubating Immigrants May 23, 2022

Dawn 2 Dusk’s dedication to helping Africans get established on Minnesota soil. More information: • Dawn 2 Dusk Farm • Kilimo Minnesota • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Class • Land Transition Resources • The Food Group/Big River Farms Incubator You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes on Spotify, Stitcher, iTunes, and other podcast… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 272: Micro Milk Mentorship Apr 15, 2022

Government regulators may be befuddled by Cella Langer and Emmet Fisher’s tiny dairy, but these Farm Beginnings/Journeyperson grads know exactly where it fits into their business. More information: • Land Stewardship Letter Oxheart Farm profile • Oxheart Farm • LSP’s Farm Beginnings • LSP’s Journeyperson • MOSES Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program You can find LSP Ear to the… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 271: Focusing on Fungi Apr 10, 2022

Maks Kopish is looking through a microscope and seeing a way for soil to be self-reliant.

Ear to the Ground 270: It Doesn’t Rain Grass Mar 10, 2022

In an area that receives 8-10 inches of precipitation annually, Mexican rancher Alejandro Carrillo’s philosophy is: “It’s not how much rain you get, it’s what you do with it.” That’s why he makes sure that water falling out of the sky has a friendly reception on the ground. More Information • Understanding Ag case study… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 269: Soil’s Stairway to Heaven Feb 28, 2022

Mike Seifert is using cover cropping and no-till to make up for the soil damage caused by years of heavy metal tillage. One rainy night, his headlamp illuminated the results. More Information • Event: LSP roller crimping/no-till workshop March 2, 2022, in Austin, Minn. • LSP Cover Crops Web Page • LSP No-till Web Page •… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 268: Rolling Down the CC River Feb 24, 2022

A farmer, a soil conservationist, and a crops specialist talk about how the roller crimper system can help extend the benefits of a cover crop. More Information • Video of roller crimper being used on Jovaag farm • OGRAIN fact sheets and videos on roller crimping • Ear to the Ground Podcast Episode 257: The House… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 267: Bringing Science Back to the Farm Feb 14, 2022

A 4th grade experiment launched farmer Connor McCormick down a path of researching linkages between ecology, agricultural economics, and healthy soil. More Information • Ear to the Ground 166: A farmer works with a professor and her students at St. Olaf College college to study the impacts of cropping on soil health. • Connor McCormick Blog: Returning… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 266: Activating Soil Life Jan 13, 2022

How farmers involved in an LSP research project hope to use the Johnson-Su Bioreactor composting system to spark a chain reaction of underground ecological activity. More information: • An LSP Slideshow on Johnson-Su Bioreactor Construction in Minnesota • How to Build Your Own Bioreactor • Managing a Johnson-Su Composting Bioreactor • Microbiologist Elaine Ingham You can… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 265: Diving into Safer Waters Dec 19, 2021

Nettle Valley Farm’s “informed sink or swim” model of incubating the next generation of farmers. LSP’s Ear to the Ground episode 261 describes Nettle Valley Farm’s silvopasturing system and the work it’s doing to improve pollinator habitat. More information: • LSP’s “Accessing Farmland” Web Page • LSP Farmland Clearinghouse • LSP Farm Beginnings Course •… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 264: Center of the Universe Dec 17, 2021

Pack-shed or people? LSP’s Journeyperson helped vegetable producers Les Macare and Els Dobrick make a big decision about a recent growing season. More information: • Land Stewardship Letter Racing Heart Farm profile • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Racing Heart Farm You can find LSP Ear to the Ground podcast episodes… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 263: Public Investment in Public Goods Dec 16, 2021

Anna Racer and Pete Skold have used state and federal “spark plugs” to build a farm enterprise infrastructure that’s good not just for them, but the community as well. Back in 2012, we interviewed Racer and Skold soon after they graduated from Farm Beginnings and launched Waxwing Farm. Check out that conversation on Ear to… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 262: A Silvo Secondary Enterprise Dec 16, 2021

Rachel Henderson and Anton Ptak’s secondary enterprise could be a boon for farm country pollinators. (In 2010, Henderson and Ptak were featured on Ear to the Ground soon after they launched their orchard enterprise. Check out episode 78 here.) More information: • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health web… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 261: Pigs, Pastures & Pollinators Nov 22, 2021

Nettle Valley Farm is using silvopasturing to prove ecological sustainability and profitable livestock production can coexist — creating healthy pollinator habitat in the bargain. LSP’s Ear to the Ground episode 265 describes Nettle Valley Farm’s beginning farmer incubator program. More information: • LSP’s Grazing & Soil Health web page • Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation… Read More →

Ear to the Ground 260: Soil Health’s Long View Oct 25, 2021

Martin Larsen’s integration of small grains into his cropping operation is centered on building economic and ecological resiliency beyond the next growing season. For more information on soil health and to join LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network, click here. Ear Dirt Check out LSP’s ongoing Ear Dirt podcast series for conversations on cover cropping, no-till, managed rotational grazing,… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 259: Kernza’s Stress Test Sep 27, 2021

In his ongoing attempt to create a regenerative, soil-healthy farm, Kaleb Anderson is pushing a plant science breakthrough further using rotational grazing. Other Ear to the Ground Podcasts on Kernza, Forever Green & Kaleb Anderson: • Episode 229: A farmer and a researcher discuss the potential agronomic, economic, and ecological benefits of a commercially-viable perennial… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 258: Prairie’s Horizontal Grandeur Sep 20, 2021

What happens when you get out of the car and wade into a prairie? A scientist and a soil expert talk about this biome’s under-appreciated beauty, its outsized benefits, and how grazing can fuel its ecological energy. Other Ear to the Ground Podcasts on Prairies & Farming: • Episode 25: The farm as natural… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 257: The House that Biology Built Sep 13, 2021

Tillage can do a lot of things, but building soil isn’t one of them. Soil expert Steve Lawler and Minnesota farmer Jon Jovaag talk about the importance of using nature as a guide when preparing a seed bed and bolstering the soil’s structure. • For more information on how to build soil health profitably, check… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 256: From Sugar High to Soil Health Sep 05, 2021

Soil health cheerleader Ray Archuleta and Iowa farmer Mervin Beachy talk about taking agroecological innovations from the “excitement stage” to the “action stage”…and the importance of aha moments. • For more information on how to build soil health profitably, check out LSP’s Soil Builders’ Network page. • Check out this LSP blog on Red Rooster… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 255: Embracing the Weed Aug 20, 2021

What happened when beginning farmers Rachelle and Jordan Meyer started listening to the land and turned livestock loose on a “bacterial farm.” • Check out this LSP video on how Rachelle and Jordan Meyer are using “cell grazing” to build soil and produce livestock. • More information on Wholesome Family Farms is here. • For… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 248: Giving a Damn About the Future of Ag Jul 07, 2021

Over the past two decades, LSP’s Farm Beginnings course has developed into a nationally-recognized program for launching the next generation of innovative farmers. Karen Stettler and Amy Bacigalupo talk about how Farm Beginnings got started, the community-centered philosophy it’s based on, and where it’s headed. • For more on LSP’s Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson initiatives,… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 254: Mastering an Evolutionary Monster Jun 23, 2021

Farmer Tom Frantzen talks about hybrid rye, ecological resiliency, and why being uncomfortable isn’t always a bad thing. • To read the Civil Eats article on hybrid rye — “Hybrid Rye is Helping Farmers Fight ‘Superweeds’ Without Herbicide” — click here. • To read the Land Stewardship Letter article on hybrid rye — “A Grain… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 253: The Power of Local Meat Processing Jun 09, 2021

Livestock producer Eric Klein of Hidden Stream Farm describes why and how his family launched its own meat processing business. It’s been a financial and logistical challenge, but a few years down the road it’s already producing benefits for their farm as well as the local community. If you’re thinking of getting into small-scale meat… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 252: Stewardship as Measure May 13, 2021

Beginning dairy farmer Carrie Redden talks about how she sees successful land stewardship and successful farming as deeply intertwined, and why more non-farmers need to make that connection as well. Carrie Redden was interviewed as part of the We Are Water initiative, which documented the stories of several farmers in the upper reaches of the… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 251: An Agrarian Changemaker May 06, 2021

To Abbey Dickhudt, farming offers a way to not just produce food, but to make the world a better place. And she’s not afraid to say, “I don’t know.” Abbey Dickhudt was interviewed as part of the We Are Water initiative, which documented the stories of several farmers in the upper reaches of the Minnesota… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 250: Letting Water Call the Shots May 03, 2021

When Mark Erickson’s combine got stuck in the muck, he knew he needed to unearth a different relationship with the land. Mark Erickson was interviewed as part of the We Are Water initiative, which documented the stories of several farmers in the upper reaches of the Minnesota River watershed who are using innovative production methods… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 249: It’s Not Lost, it Just Went to Sleep Apr 29, 2021

Ella Robertson and Eric Wana of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate in northeastern South Dakota talk about reawakening their people’s connections to farming, the land, and water. Ella Robertson and Eric Wana were interviewed as part of the We Are Water initiative, which documented the stories of several farmers in the upper reaches of the Minnesota… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 248: Giving a Damn About the Future of Ag Mar 27, 2021

Over the past two decades, LSP’s Farm Beginnings course has developed into a nationally-recognized program for launching the next generation of innovative farmers. Karen Stettler and Amy Bacigalupo talk about how Farm Beginnings got started, the community-centered philosophy it’s based on, and where it’s headed. More on Farm Beginnings • For more on LSP’s Farm Beginnings… Read More →

Ear to the Ground No. 247: A Raw Deal on Farmland Jan 18, 2021

Hannah Bernhardt and Jason Misik couldn't afford prime farmland brimming with infrastructure. But sweat equity and soil health are helping them transform a marginal piece of ground far from Corn Country.

Ear to the Ground No. 246: Letting Livestock do the Work Nov 08, 2020

Beginning farmer Zach Knutson talks to Alex Romano about how rotational grazing allows him to manage land, time, and finances more efficiently.

Ear to the Ground No. 245: Sustainable vs. Regenerative Oct 25, 2020

Should we call it "sustainable" or "regenerative" ag? Dana Jackson makes it clear this is not a new debate and it all centers around soil, communities, and people.

Ear to the Ground No. 244: Cultural Competency & Local Food Sep 30, 2020

Researcher Emily Reno started out doing a simple market analysis for a Latino produce cooperative, but ended up gaining new insights into the barriers and opportunities involved when any farmer seeks to sell local food on a wholesale basis.

Ear to the Ground No. 243: Debunking the Land Ownership Myth Aug 31, 2020

How the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust is connecting stewardship-minded landowners with the next generation of regenerative farmers.

Ear to the Ground No. 242: A Geography of Hope Jul 28, 2020

Conservation pioneer Paul Johnson talks about forging a social compact between farmers and society...and the day he made a farmer cry.

Ear to the Ground No. 241: A Farm Transition Power Team Jun 19, 2020

A desire to continue a legacy (and a love of weed-pulling) eases Foxtail Farm into the hands of the next generation.

Ear to the Ground No. 240: The Farmer-Chef Connection May 19, 2020

What happens when you bring a group of food service folks out to see how vegetables are actually grown?

Ear to the Ground No. 239: From Entomology to Economics Mar 21, 2020

Blue Dasher Farm's Jonathan Lundgren talks about bugs, biodiversity and, of course, cow pies.

Ear to the Ground No. 238: Big Box Ag & Musical Chairs Feb 24, 2020

An ag economist talks about the negative impacts the "get big or get out" attitude has had on farming and rural communities.

Ear to the Ground No. 237: At the Intersection of Queerness & Farming Feb 21, 2020

LSP staffer Elizabeth Makarewicz talks to participants in the 2019 Queer Farmer Convergence at Humble Hands Harvest in Iowa about connecting queerness, farming, and community.

Ear to the Ground 236: Nature as Profit Partner Feb 20, 2020

How farmers Dawn and Grant Breitkreutz are building soil carbon and bolstering financial resiliency.

Ear to the Ground 235: Lights in the Darkness Feb 17, 2020

Farm advocates provide tips on dealing with the ag crisis, and how we can fight for a brighter future.

Ear to the Ground 234: Thinking Like a Prairie Jan 31, 2020

How the Tallgrass Prairie Center in Iowa is introducing a little wildness into a domesticated landscape.

Ear to the Ground 233: Public Science-Public Good Dec 03, 2019

How one land grant experiment station is helping farmers integrate livestock and crops in a way that creates resilient soils...and a resilient food system.

Ear to the Ground 232: A Difficult Discussion Oct 23, 2019

Excessive erosion on her farm prompted Jeannie Hill to have a hard conversation with her renter. But first, she did some homework.

Ear to the Ground 231: Caves Don’t Lie Aug 05, 2019

Farmer and caver Martin Larsen describes the connections between land use on the surface and water quality problems he sees underground.

For more on ways to build soil health profitably, see LSP's Soil Builders web page.

Ear to the Ground 230: Renting It Out Right Aug 01, 2019

Robin Moore talks about how LSP is using soil health to forge stewardship partnerships between non-operating landowners and the farmers who rent from them.

For more resources on how to develop farmland leases that reflect your stewardship values, click here.

Ear to the Ground 229: Kernza’s Continuous Cover Jul 18, 2019

A farmer and a researcher discuss the potential agronomic, economic, and ecological benefits of a commercially-viable perennial grain.

Ear to the Ground 228: Spreading Grazing’s Benefits Beyond the Fenceline Jul 16, 2019

During a tallgrass prairie "BioBlitz," farmers, a wildlife expert, and an LSP organizer discuss how livestock can benefit natural habitat and the community at large.

For more on the BioBlitz events that are held periodically in western Minnesota, click here.

Ear to the Ground 227: From Crisis to Community Jun 06, 2019

When a CAFO threatened a rural neighborhood, residents looked to a beginning farmer for a different vision of the future.

Ear to the Ground 226: What Does Justice Look Like? May 02, 2019

This is the third and final episode in a series titled, "Farming on Stolen Land." These three episodes were developed by LSP staff member Elizabeth Makarewicz as a guide to exploring issues of native land justice and equity in Minnesota's food system. In this episode, writer and scholar Waziyatawin shares with Elizabeth her vision of land justice for the Dakota people.

Ear to the Ground 225: Say it With Me: Bde Maka Ska May 02, 2019

This is the second in a three-part series titled, "Farming on Stolen Land." These three episodes were developed by LSP staff member Elizabeth Makarewicz as a guide to exploring issues of native land justice and equity in Minnesota's food system. This episode offers a peek into the life of Dakota tribal member and activist, Carly Badheart Bull. Carly is a scholar of the Dakota language and, along with her twin sister, Kate Beane, has led a campaign to return the original Dakota name to an historically significant body of water, Bde Maka Ska.

Ear to the Ground 224: Living on Stolen Ground May 02, 2019

This is the first in a three-part series titled "Farming on Stolen Land." These three episodes were developed by LSP staff member Elizabeth Makarewicz as a guide to exploring issues of native justice and equity in Minnesota's food system. This first episode seeks to answer the question, "What does it mean to be a non-indigenous person living on native land?" Elizabeth's interviewee, Nora Murphy, attempts to answer this question in her book, White Birch, Red Hawthorn.

Ear to the Ground 223: Sustainable Ag Policy’s Deep Roots Mar 12, 2019

LSP co-founder Ron Kroese talks about the National Sustainable Agriculture Oral History Archive, which features interviews he did with pioneers in the movement to develop policy that supports regenerative farm and food systems.

Ear to the Ground 222: Painting a New Picture for Landlords Feb 27, 2019

Renter Mark Erickson shows landowners the benefits of converting cropland to pasture.

Ear to the Ground 221: Biological Bottom Line Jan 30, 2019

Farmer Bob Mierau describes how his drive to do "organic no-till" depends on boosting and supporting his soil's bug life.

Ear to the Ground 220: Restocking Soil’s Refrigerator Nov 22, 2018

Farmers Kent Solberg and Jim Wulf talk about the economic and ecological advantages of integrating crops and livestock.

Ear to the Ground 219: From Transactional to Transformational Nov 20, 2018

LSP's Terry VanDerPol talks about recent LSP research into the problems faced by the local food movement.

Ear to the Ground 218: Diversity on the Land, Diversity in Our Communities Oct 13, 2018

Farmer Darrel Mosel talks about what 40 years of concentration in agriculture has done to his community, what gives him hope, and the role immigrants can play in revitalizing rural Minnesota. (6th in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 217: You Can’t Eat a Bowl of Money Oct 08, 2018

Sylvia Luetmer talks about why helping beginning farmers get access to land isn't enough, and how society needs to come to grips with the kind of food system it wants. (5th in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 216: Carrots, Young Farmers & Minnesota’s Future Sep 21, 2018

Veteran CSA farmer John Fisher-Merritt describes how top-notch beginning farmer training, healthy soil, good food and sustainable communities are linked. (4th in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 215: The Promise of Rural Communities Sep 20, 2018

Jenna Sandoe talks about the opportunities rural communities offer young people like her. (3rd in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 214: Vibrant Farms-Vibrant Communities Jul 27, 2018

Farmer Laura Frerichs talks about the connection between healthcare, beginning farmers and thriving economies. (2nd in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 213: Fighting the Worst-Promoting the Best Jul 24, 2018

LSP executive director Mark Schultz describes why it's critical that LSP join forces with other "people's organizations" in our fight for change. (1st in a series on Our Minnesota Future)

Ear to the Ground 212: Less Yield, More Profit Jul 20, 2018

Think the only path to profitability is through maximum productivity? Top dairy graziers are proving otherwise.

Ear to the Ground 211: Bold Solutions for Rural MN Jun 04, 2018

LSP members talk to candidates for Minnesota governor about what should be prioritized when it comes to farmers, the land and rural communities.

Ear to the Ground 210: Ignoring a Financial Problem Never Works May 19, 2018

An LSP panel of professionals provides farmers advice on dealing with financial stress.

Ear to the Ground 209: Soil, Climate & Beer May 02, 2018

How outdoor clothing company Askov Finlayson is connecting soil smart farming with its desire to turn back the carbon clock.

Ear to the Ground 208: Naked, Hungry, Thirsty, Running a Fever Apr 26, 2018

Ray Archuleta makes a passionate pitch for treating soil like a living, breathing part of the ecosystem.

Ear to the Ground 207: Feed the Cow-Feed the Soil Apr 18, 2018

How a visiting student's critique set a farm on a path toward profitably integrating crops, pasture and livestock.

Ear to the Ground 206: Going Cold into Cover Cropping Mar 20, 2018

A southeastern Minnesota farmer's drive to plant cover crops takes him out onto the snow and into new soil health territory.

Ear to the Ground 205: Relaying Soil Resiliency Mar 19, 2018

Iowa farmer Loran Steinlage describes the benefits of converting a monocropped desert to a "jungle mix" of continuous living cover.

Ear to the Ground 204: Policy Change from the Ground Up Mar 16, 2018

Mark Schultz talks about how LSP's members hatched one of the most innovative farm conservation programs around...and why we need to fight for it.

Ear to the Ground 203: The Grass Apprentice Mar 15, 2018

How the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship is serving as a natural next step into farming for one Farm Beginnings graduate.

Ear to the Ground 202: Regenerative Renting Feb 12, 2018

How landlords and farmers can work together to build and support long-term stewardship.

Ear to the Ground 201: Regenerating vs. Sustaining Nov 20, 2017

A young farmer's evolving view of livestock allows him to make a direct connection between profitability and soil health.

Ear to the Ground 200: Bovines, Biodiversity & Bobolinks Nov 18, 2017

Birds and other biological indicators provide evidence that an Iowa farm is a "working ecosystem."

Ear to the Ground 199: Channeling Your Enthusiasm Nov 17, 2017

Farm Beginnings helps the Schwagerls do the kind of enterprise analysis needed to transfer their passions into profits.

Ear to the Ground 198: Odd Acres of Opportunity Nov 10, 2017

For one beginning organic dairy farmer, the path to affordable land leads through some trees, up a few hills, and over a brook.

Ear to the Ground 197: Prairie After the Plow Nov 09, 2017

A row-cropped field is converted back to prairie, benefiting the environment and livestock.

Ear to the Ground 196: Turning Back the Clock Sep 27, 2017

A farmer and a soil health expert talk about how livestock, cover crops and pastures are the "rock stars" of building soil health.

Ear to the Ground 195: Grappling with a Monster Aug 03, 2017

Farmer Tom Frantzen describes how he is using diversity to make his farm more resilient in the face of extreme weather.

Ear to the Ground 194: An Urban Garden’s Ripple Effects Jul 03, 2017

Gardening space in the heart of the city brings people together over food, farming and fellowship.

Ear to the Ground 193: 50 Acres of Opportunity Jun 02, 2017

A farmer's wish to not have his land become just one more cornfield provides an opportunity for beginning farmers.

Ear to the Ground 192: Healthy Soil, Healthy Profits Jun 01, 2017

A dairy farmer finds more microbes in the soil means more money in the bank.

Ear to the Ground 191: Healthy Soil & Climate Change May 26, 2017

LSP's George Boody describes what he learned at an international conference on how agriculture can sequester greenhouse gases

Ear to the Ground 190: Rebuilding Soil’s Self-Reliance Mar 11, 2017

Dr. Kristine Nichols describes how we can build agronomic, economic and environmental resiliency in our agricultural soils.

Ear to the Ground 189: A Farm Flourishes When the Soil Flourishes Mar 09, 2017

Rick Bieber describes how building soil health saved his farm from financial ruin.

Ear to the Ground 188: Telling a New Story About Race Feb 25, 2017

Autumn Brown talks about how we can counter the myths that lead to racial injustice in rural America and elsewhere.

Ear to the Ground 187: Soil & Survival Dec 15, 2016

Allen Williams on soil health, livestock and "compounding, cascading effects."

Ear to the Ground 186: New LSP Leadership Nov 08, 2016

George Boody and Mark Schultz discuss their personal passions and how LSP brings about positive change as the organization prepares for a leadership transition.

Ear to the Ground 185: Beauty Beneath Our Feet Oct 10, 2016

An artist uses her work to introduce people to the wonders of the soil universe.

Ear to the Ground 184: Cross-Border Connections Oct 02, 2016

LSP members see firsthand how rural Mexicans are using their connections to the land to fight the corporate takeover of ag.

Ear to the Ground 183: Rains Don’t Lie Sep 30, 2016

Seeing is believing: a rain simulator shows the value of continuous living cover on farm fields.

Ear to the Ground 182: Cover, Cattle, Clean Water Aug 12, 2016

How rotational grazing on one farm is improving profits, wildlife habitat and community relations.

Ear to the Ground 181: Diverse Land, Drunk Grasshoppers Jul 29, 2016

How birds, biology and food production blend on one Minnesota dairy farm.

Ear to the Ground 180: Forging Strong Ties from Weak Links Jun 15, 2016

Using Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson training to make holistic decisions on a community farm.

Ear to the Ground 179: Risky Business Jun 14, 2016

LSP investigates how innovative farmers manage economic and agronomic risk.

Ear to the Ground 178: A Sick Healthcare System Apr 28, 2016

The MN Nurses Association's Rose Roach talks about working with LSP to transform healthcare from a commodity to a human right.

Ear to the Ground 177: Covering the Bottom Line Mar 25, 2016

A farmer and a researcher talk about making cover crops pay.

Ear to the Ground 176: Testing Total Terra Jan 31, 2016

LSP experiments with a new test that provides deeper insights into soil's productive potential.

Ear to the Ground 175: Spades, Worms & Fungi Dec 04, 2015

An Indiana farmer describes his experience with cover cropping and how it fits into a bigger goal of improving his land's soil health (part 3 of 3).

Ear to the Ground 174: From the Roots Up Dec 03, 2015

A soil scientist compares Indiana's 'bottom up' approach to advancing soil health to Maryland's 'top down' system (part 2 of 3).

Ear to the Ground 173: A Million Acres of Cover Crops Dec 02, 2015

How Indiana became the king of cover cropping (part 1 of 3).

Ear to the Ground 172: Beyond the Backyard Nov 25, 2015

With the help of LSP's Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson, Sara Morrison takes her garden beyond the backyard.

Ear to the Ground 171: Pasque Providers Oct 26, 2015

Using conservation grazing to revitalize a prairie.

Ear to the Ground 170: Constructive Criticism Sep 21, 2015

How a Farm Beginnings field day makes everyone a "consultant."

Ear to the Ground 169: Acre of Opportunity Aug 28, 2015

A livestock/crop farmer lends out an "odd corner" on his property as a launching pad for a beginning vegetable operation.

Ear to the Ground 168: Blitzing the Biome Jul 22, 2015

Rural residents and naturalists "BioBlitz" grassland and learn about its relationship to clean water and vibrant communities.

Ear to the Ground 167: Small Goals, Big Plans May 19, 2015

Farm Beginnings grads achieve a series of "micro-goals" in service of the bigger picture: a successful livestock enterprise.

Ear to the Ground 166: From the Lab to the Land May 18, 2015

A farmer works with a professor and her students at a local college to study the impacts of cropping on soil health.

Ear to the Ground 165: A Night of Wendell Berry Apr 03, 2015

LSP farmer-members honor Wendell Berry with an evening of readings.

Ear to the Ground 164: No GMO Mar 31, 2015

Farmers, seed dealers and meat firms come together at an LSP meeting to talk about the non-GMO crop market.

Ear to the Ground 163: Trial by Fire Feb 26, 2015

Rising from the ashes: Farm Beginnings grads recover from a disaster and launch a dairy farm.

Ear to the Ground 162: Ensuring an Insurance Disaster Dec 10, 2014

How federal crop insurance is harming family farmers, the land and our communities—and why we all have a stake in reforming it.

Ear to the Ground 161 Nov 07, 2014

How women play a major role in the future of farmland and our rural communities.

Ear to the Ground 160 Oct 02, 2014

Farm Beginnings graduates team up to create an innovative marketing cooperative in the Lake Superior region.

Ear to the Ground 159 Oct 01, 2014

LSP and Hope Community work to bring racial equity to the Minneapolis Park System's urban ag initiative.

Ear to the Ground 158 Sep 30, 2014

An Australian ag financial planning expert talks to LSP about creative ways to transition farms to the next generation.

Ear to the Ground 157 Aug 25, 2014

What should you do when frac sand mining comes knocking? Get informed, get organized and get connected.

Ear to the Ground 156 Jul 30, 2014

An LSP-sponsored 'BioBlitz' in Minnesota's Simon Lake area provides a kick-start for utilizing grazing to revitalize natural habitat.

Ear to the Ground 155 Jul 10, 2014

Farm Beginnings farmer-presenter Chris Duke talks about the importance of relationships in direct-marketing.

Ear to the Ground 154 Jul 07, 2014

NRCS soil health evangelist Ray Archuleta shares his passion for "farming in nature's image."

Ear to the Ground 153 Apr 16, 2014

How the Forever Green Initiative could make Minnesota farming more efficient.

Ear to the Ground 152 Apr 10, 2014

People share their connections to the land and community at a special LSP storytelling event.

Ear to the Ground 151 Apr 01, 2014

Using conservation grazing to keep wildlife refuges, prairies and other natural areas healthy.

Ear to the Ground 150 Mar 31, 2014

A community food co-op in a farm town rises from the rubble and begins its next chapter.

Ear to the Ground 149 Mar 30, 2014

Farm Beginnings grads talk about being in the "experimental/making mistakes" stage of their enterprise.

Ear to the Ground 148 Feb 16, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 7): LSP's Bobby King talks about the role of local government and state regulations in controlling frac sand mining.

Ear to the Ground 147 Feb 14, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 6): Earth Works' Jennifer Krill describes the negative impacts of extreme energy extraction.

Ear to the Ground 146 Feb 13, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 5): The MPCA's John Linc Stine talks about the role his agency plays in regulating the frac sand industry.

Ear to the Ground 145 Feb 12, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 4): Scientist Crispin Pierce describes cutting-edge research on silica sand dust in Wisconsin.

Ear to the Ground 144 Feb 11, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 3): Scientist Michael McCawley on the health risks posed by surface mining's production of ultrafine particles.

Ear to the Ground 143 Feb 05, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 2): Farmer Bob Christie talks about how frac sand mining threatens the farming community.

Ear to the Ground 142 Jan 31, 2014

LSP Citizens' Frac Sand Summit (part 1): Tex Hawkins talks about why frac sand mining poses such a risk to the driftless region.

Ear to the Ground 141 Dec 13, 2013

A beginning farmer incubator near Duluth is helping revitalize food and farming in the Lake Superior region.

Ear to the Ground 140 Nov 05, 2013

New farmers talk about how Farm Beginnings helps them balance demand for their products with keeping their businesses, and lives, sustainable.

Ear to the Ground 139 Nov 03, 2013

NRCS staffers from Minnesota's top Conservation Stewardship Program county talk about how farmers implement CSP on working land.

Ear to the Ground 138 Oct 30, 2013

A brother-sister team uses Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson to help transition from being landowners to active farmers.

Ear to the Ground 137 Sep 25, 2013

Two Minnesota farmers experiment with multi-species cover cropping to improve soil health.

Ear to the Ground 136 Aug 20, 2013

How can we get more farms to integrate prairie into row-cropped fields?

Ear to the Ground 135 Jul 28, 2013

How farmers are improving trout streams with grazing.

Ear to the Ground 134 Jul 01, 2013

Farm Beginnings applies the brakes to a young couple's farming plans—in a good way.

Ear to the Ground 133 Jun 27, 2013

How 'Tribally Supported Agriculture' could help a Native American community attain food sovereignty.

Ear to the Ground 132 May 31, 2013

An innovative grass-based system makes a farm friendly to livestock, wildlife and the bottom line.

Ear to the Ground 131 Apr 28, 2013

LSP helps launch the Minnesota Farmworker Justice Campaign to put the spotlight on ag labor violations on industrial farms.

Ear to the Ground 130 Mar 31, 2013

An LSP member-farm helps spawn a CSA movement in China.

Ear to the Ground 129 Mar 28, 2013

LSP Farm Beginnings participants talk about "unfair advantages" as they launch an enterprise focusing on mushrooms and CSA vegetables.

Ear to the Ground 128 Feb 28, 2013

A government conservationist talks about treating soil as a complete ecosystem.

Ear to the Ground No. 127 Jan 15, 2013

Farmer Tony Schultz talks about how Community Supported Agriculture can revitalize our food system and rural communities.

Ear to the Ground No. 126 Dec 10, 2012

A beginning farmer talks about how it can be difficult to get access to land—even in the middle of farm country.

Ear to the Ground No. 125 Dec 10, 2012

BFRDP: A discussion about a precedent-setting federal program for beginning farmers and ranchers.

Ear to the Ground No. 124 Nov 30, 2012

Farm Beginnings grads John and Heidi Wise climb out of the “pit of despair.”

Ear to the Ground 123 Oct 25, 2012

An LSP workshop focuses on how rural townships in Minnesota can use interim ordinances and comprehensive planning to protect the community from unwanted developments.

Ear to the Ground 122 Oct 22, 2012

A key relationship developed through LSP's Farmer Network helps a beginning farmer launch his operation with the help of mentors.

Ear to the Ground 121 Sep 30, 2012

How farmers, scientists and conservationists have teamed up to revolutionize the relationship between ag and soil health.

Ear to the Ground 120 Aug 28, 2012

Terrie and Joe Adams work to make Marshwatch Farms into a place where people can learn that profitable food production and environmental health go together, even in a region threatened by sprawling development.

Ear to the Ground 119 Jun 02, 2012

A community garden in a low-income neighborhood helps Denise Crews manage her Type 2 diabetes.

Ear to the Ground 118 Jun 01, 2012

A retiring farmer and beginning farmers share their transition stories.

Ear to the Ground 117 May 31, 2012

Dave and Deb Welsch pass their crop operation on to beginning farmers who are not family members.

Ear to the Ground 116 May 30, 2012

A young couple emerges from the wilderness to join a farming community.

Ear to the Ground 115 Apr 26, 2012

How a health care exchange accountable to the public could help family farmers.

Ear to the Ground 114 Mar 30, 2012

A pioneering CSA farm transitions to the next generation.

Ear to the Ground 113 Feb 29, 2012

A young couple steps back from near burn-out to reconsider their farm’s future.

Ear to the Ground 112 Jan 28, 2012

An older farmer considers how to pass on the farm to the next generation.

Ear to the Ground 111 Dec 22, 2011

A small town banker talks about the role sustainable farms can play in a community’s economy.

Ear to the Ground 110 Nov 30, 2011

Farm Beginnings graduates adapt to a new geographic region using low-risk techniques.

Ear to the Ground 109 Nov 28, 2011

A land grant professor talks about ensuring the future of organic ag.

Ear to the Ground 108 Oct 28, 2011

A closed diner serves as the epicenter of a rural community’s efforts to make local food an economic driver.

Ear to the Ground 107 Sep 28, 2011

How one farmer used innovative grazing and leasing techniques to start a low-cost livestock operation.

Ear to the Ground 106 Sep 01, 2011

Beginning farmers find a working operation that’s intact and ready to produce income.

Ear to the Ground 105 Aug 29, 2011

Farm banks on biodiversity to manage economic & environmental risk.

Ear to the Ground 104 Jul 21, 2011

A farm family relies on business planning to keep their dairy viable.

Ear to the Ground 103 Jun 24, 2011

Using native prairie strips to make row crop fields more sustainable.

Ear to the Ground 102 May 06, 2011

Don Huber describes how Roundup/glyphosate could affect livestock and human health (part 5 of 5).

Ear to the Ground 101 May 05, 2011

Don Huber describes how farmers can recognize field damage caused by Roundup/glyphosate and how abuse of this chemical has undermined the usefulness of this weed control tool (part 4 of 5).

Ear to the Ground 100 May 04, 2011

Don Huber describes how Roundup/glyphosate alters soil biology, making crops more susceptible to disease (part 3 of 5).

Ear to the Ground 99 May 02, 2011

Don Huber describes how Roundup/glyphosate can create virulent diseases in crop fields as well as herbicide-resistant superweeds (part 2 of 5).

Ear to the Ground 98 May 01, 2011

Don Huber describes how Roundup/glyphosate works (part 1 of 5).

Ear to the Ground 97 Apr 27, 2011

A young couple works to prove their small farm is a viable business.

Ear to the Ground 96 Mar 15, 2011

Overcoming challenges to sustainable pork production.

Ear to the Ground 95 Feb 02, 2011

A play about a retiring couple’s struggle with their farm’s future (part 2).

Ear to the Ground 94 Jan 31, 2011

A play about a retiring couple’s struggle with their farm’s future (part 1).

Ear to the Ground 93 Nov 17, 2010

Final in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 92 Nov 16, 2010

8th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 91 Nov 15, 2010

7th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 90 Nov 14, 2010

6th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 89 Nov 13, 2010

5th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 88 Nov 12, 2010

4th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 87 Nov 11, 2010

3rd in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 86 Nov 10, 2010

2nd in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 85 Nov 09, 2010

1st in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation.

Ear to the Ground 84 Oct 14, 2010

What a perennial-based farming system may look like in the Chippewa.

Ear to the Ground 83 Sep 29, 2010

How the Chippewa 10% Project could produce perennial profits.

Ear to the Ground 82 Aug 27, 2010

Profitable farming and good bird habitat aren’t mutually exclusive.

Ear to the Ground 81 Jul 31, 2010

Farmers teach a dairy scientist about a sustainable alternative.

Ear to the Ground 80 Jun 28, 2010

What happens on the farm is reflected in the water.

Ear to the Ground 79 May 25, 2010

A small rural school experiments with buying local, sustainable food.

Ear to the Ground 78: Diving in From a Distance Apr 27, 2010

A young couple launches a farming enterprise from afar.

Ear to the Ground 77 Mar 12, 2010

Ken Meter maps a healthier food system.

Ear to the Ground 76 Feb 25, 2010

A farmer describes his farm-to-school experience (part 2 of 2).

Ear to the Ground 75 Feb 24, 2010

A farm-to-school checklist (part 1 of 2).

Ear to the Ground 74 Jan 27, 2010

LSP’s Farm Beginnings helps convert an agricultural doubter.

Ear to the Ground 73 Dec 21, 2009

A young farmer seeks sustainability through value-added enterprises.

Ear to the Ground 72 Nov 23, 2009

A landmark national beginning farmer program is launched.

Ear to the Ground 71 Nov 18, 2009

An organic farming pioneer’s sustainable vegetable production system.

Ear to the Ground 70 Oct 27, 2009

CSA strives to become a social change agent by farming with the wild.

Ear to the Ground 69 Sep 28, 2009

A rural health care facility works to source its food locally.

Ear to the Ground 68 Aug 26, 2009

How Farm Beginnings helped one couple make their ag dream a reality.

Ear to the Ground 67 Jul 16, 2009

A Minnesota farm helps make up for the loss of prairie (2nd of 2 parts).

Ear to the Ground 66 Jul 15, 2009

A Minnesota farm helps make up for the loss of prairie (part 1).

Ear to the Ground 65 Jun 10, 2009

A young family uses grass-based seasonal dairying to cure burn-out.

Ear to the Ground 64 May 21, 2009

Will Allen, Growing Power, and defeating racism in the food system.

Ear to the Ground 63 Apr 21, 2009

How our dysfunctional healthcare system affects rural citizens.

Ear to the Ground 62 Mar 25, 2009

Joel Salatin and a sustainable farming business.

Ear to the Ground 61 Feb 23, 2009

How changes to Minnesota’s Green Acres program threaten farmland stewardship.

Ear to the Ground 60 Jan 26, 2009

How small patches of habitat can help pollinators.

Ear to the Ground 59 Dec 24, 2008

Long term planning for sustainable farming success.

Ear to the Ground 58 Nov 25, 2008

An introduction to Holistic Management.

Ear to the Ground 57 Oct 28, 2008

A natural resource professional becomes a farmer.

Ear to the Ground 56 Sep 24, 2008

Using prairies for on-farm energy production.

Ear to the Ground 55 Aug 07, 2008

Serving locally-produced food in a rural cafe.

Ear to the Ground 54 Jul 29, 2008

Sustainable beekeeping and the importance of pollinators.

Ear to the Ground 53 Jul 10, 2008

Finding food in farm country (part 3).

Ear to the Ground 52 Jul 09, 2008

Finding food in farm country (part 2).

Ear to the Ground 51 Jun 27, 2008

Finding food in farm country (part 1).

Ear to the Ground 50 May 21, 2008

Why the pond on this dairy farm didn’t overflow during a rainstorm.

Ear to the Ground 49 Apr 28, 2008

How Equal Exchange uses Fair Trade to help farmers.

Ear to the Ground 48 Mar 25, 2008

A young couple uses Farm Beginnings to get started on the land.

Ear to the Ground 47 Feb 22, 2008

Organic farming as economic development in Woodbury County.

Ear to the Ground 46 Feb 03, 2008

LSP’s organic initiative at the University of Minnesota.

Ear to the Ground 45 Jan 23, 2008

How the Frantzen farm dealt with change and became sustainable.

Ear to the Ground 44 Dec 07, 2007

Teaching kids about food without dumbing it down.

Ear to the Ground 43 Oct 20, 2007

Atrazine and Paul Wotzka (part 2 of 2).

Ear to the Ground 42 Oct 19, 2007

Tyrone Hayes and atrazine (part 1 of 2).

Ear to the Ground 41 Sep 25, 2007

Farming in the midst of sprawling development.

Ear to the Ground 40 Aug 30, 2007

Organic farming research comes of age.

Ear to the Ground 39 Jul 17, 2007

“Keeping the Land & People Together” panel discussion (part 5).

Ear to the Ground 38 Jul 16, 2007

“Keeping the Land & People Together” panel discussion (part 4).

Ear to the Ground 37 Jul 15, 2007

“Keeping the Land & People Together” with Joe Paddock (part 3).

Ear to the Ground 36 Jul 14, 2007

“Keeping the Land & People Together” with Mary Rose O’Reilley (part 2).

Ear to the Ground 35 Jul 10, 2007

“Keeping the Land & People Together” with Wendell Berry (part 1).

Ear to the Ground 34 Jun 29, 2007

Multifunctional farming and biofuels.

Ear to the Ground 33 Jun 01, 2007

Farm Beginnings grads reflect on a decade of farming.

Ear to the Ground 32 Apr 25, 2007

The Monitoring Team’s agroecological legacy.

Ear to the Ground 31 Mar 30, 2007

Healthy food and health care.

Ear to the Ground 30 Feb 27, 2007

John Ikerd and the true costs of agricultural globalization.

Ear to the Ground 29 Jan 29, 2007

Raising green vegetables during a Minnesota winter.

Ear to the Ground 28 Dec 31, 2006

India’s top farm journalist talks about an agrarian crisis.

Ear to the Ground 27 Nov 30, 2006

A farm makes a waste product into a sustainable input.

Ear to the Ground 26 Oct 31, 2006

Perennial permaculture gets established on a Midwestern farm.

Ear to the Ground 25 Sep 22, 2006

The farm as natural habitat.

Ear to the Ground 24 Aug 25, 2006

A farm family gets rewarded for good stewardship.

Ear to the Ground 23 Jul 27, 2006

LSP calls for sustainable farm policy at a Congressional hearing.

Ear to the Ground 22 Jun 30, 2006

LSP’s Mark Schultz discusses federal farm policy reform.

Ear to the Ground 21 May 24, 2006

A beginning dairy farmer faces the realities of agriculture.

Ear to the Ground 20 May 01, 2006

A West African farmer talks about the negative impacts of unlimited U.S. commodity crop subsidies.

Ear to the Ground 19 Mar 28, 2006

Beginning farmers learn how to successfully obtain credit.

Ear to the Ground 18 Mar 21, 2006

An introduction to innovative direct marketing for beginning farmers.

Ear to the Ground 17 Mar 15, 2006

A Farm Beginnings discussion about planning for profit.

Ear to the Ground 16 Mar 07, 2006

How Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) brings farmers and consumers together.

Ear to the Ground 15 Feb 28, 2006

Farmer Audrey Arner talks about her experiences with globalization.

Ear to the Ground 14 Feb 19, 2006

Economist Richard Levins describes how farmers can use market power to get paid a fair price for their production.

Ear to the Ground 13 Feb 15, 2006

Second of a two-part series on Fred Kirschenmann and his views on the future of agriculture.

Ear to the Ground 12 Feb 06, 2006

Fred Kirschenmann talks about the future of agriculture in the first of a two-part series.

Ear to the Ground 11 Jan 31, 2006

A dairy farmer talks about how he has used rotational grazing to improve water quality on his land.

Ear to the Ground 10 Jan 24, 2006

A scientist working on the Multiple Benefits of Agriculture project talks about how working farms can help reduce fish-killing water pollution.

Ear to the Ground 09 Jan 23, 2006

A research initiative examines how farming can produce multiple benefits for society beyond food and fiber production.

Ear to the Ground 08 Jan 17, 2006

A tribute to the late Dave Serfling, a farmer, leader, husband, father and steward of the land.

Ear to the Ground 07 Jan 16, 2006

Launching a financial plan for a new farming operation.

Ear to the Ground 06 Jan 09, 2006

How Farm Beginnings helps new farmers set goals and put tools in their place.

Ear to the Ground 05 Dec 17, 2005

The role of women in agriculture is examined through theatre and film.

Ear to the Ground 04 Dec 16, 2005

A farm family unearths some unpleasant environmental history, pushing them to work even harder to be good stewards of the land.

Ear to the Ground 03 Dec 07, 2005

Third of a three-part series on Frances Moore Lappe and democracy.

Ear to the Ground 02 Dec 06, 2005

Second of three-part series on Frances Moore Lappe and democracy.

Ear to the Ground 01 Dec 05, 2005

First of a three-part series on Frances Moore Lappe and democracy.

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