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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 → Source
Farm Beginnings grad Queen Frye just wants to raise food — even if she doesn’t resemble a famous Scottish farmer. More Information • 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 platforms. Source
Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson taught Melissa Driscoll that true sustainability starts not only with the soil, but 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 on… Read More → Source
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 → Source
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 → Source
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: • Oxheart Farm • Farm Beginnings • Journeyperson • MOSES Farmer-to-Farmer Mentorship Program Source
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: • LSP’s Journeyperson Course • LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course • Land Stewardship Letter profile on Dobrick and Macare (page 16) • Racing Heart Farm Source
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 → Source
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 → Source
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 → Source
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 → Source
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… Read More → Source
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.
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. Source
Kicking off season two with Mr. Johnny Wray, owner, and manager of High Hope Farm in Mississippi. Tune in to hear how the Johnny got started in farming and how High Hope Farm came to be!
For our last episode with Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest, we take things back full circle to the core components of her life: social justice, activism, and farming. Hear how Hannah blends her passion for farming with other areas she feels strongly about, from caring for the area immigrant communities to building equity in a local food system for all. Hannah Breckbill has been farming since 2009 when she interned as a CSA manager at World Hunger Relief outside of Waco, Texas. She was part of Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson programs where she crafted a vision for Humble Hands Harvest, which launched in 2013 and is now a worker-owned cooperative farm that raises organic vegetables, grass-fed lamb, and pastured pork. She serves on the board of Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and the Iowa Food Hub, and she hosts an annual Queer Farmer Convergence on her farm.
We are back with Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest talking about how she weaves together the different pieces of her farming livelihood in a way that fuels her personal energy and keeps her going. From singing during farm chores to taking on a partner to scheduling time off the farm, Hannah shares how she keeps her key priorities front and center. Hannah Breckbill has been farming since 2009 when she interned as a CSA manager at World Hunger Relief outside of Waco, Texas. She was part of Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson programs where she crafted a vision for Humble Hands Harvest, which launched in 2013 and is now a worker-owned cooperative farm that raises organic vegetables, grass-fed lamb, and pastured pork. She serves on the board of Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and the Iowa Food Hub, and she hosts an annual Queer Farmer Convergence on her farm.
We continue our series with Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest as she digs into ways farmers can amplify their missions cooperatively. Hear about her interesting journey to design and legally structure her farm in a cooperative way that is equitable for everyone. Think outside the box and get ideas to farm stronger collaboratively. Hannah Breckbill has been farming since 2009 when she interned as a CSA manager at World Hunger Relief outside of Waco, Texas. She was part of Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson programs where she crafted a vision for Humble Hands Harvest, which launched in 2013 and is now a worker-owned cooperative farm that raises organic vegetables, grass-fed lamb, and pastured pork. She serves on the board of Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and the Iowa Food Hub, and she hosts an annual Queer Farmer Convergence on her farm.
Today we sit down with Hannah Breckbill of Humble Hands Harvest in Decorah, Iowa, as she shares her inspiring journey of launching her farm. Hear the creative and thoughtful story behind the farm's name and learn how a math degree can support the analytical side of farming. Hannah Breckbill has been farming since 2009 when she interned as a CSA manager at World Hunger Relief outside of Waco, Texas. She was part of Land Stewardship Project’s Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson programs where she crafted a vision for Humble Hands Harvest, which launched in 2013 and is now a worker-owned cooperative farm that raises organic vegetables, grass-fed lamb, and pastured pork. She serves on the board of Northeast Iowa Peace and Justice Center and the Iowa Food Hub, and she hosts an annual Queer Farmer Convergence on her farm.
We’re back with Annelie Livingston-Anderson of Good Turn Farm to talk about all things local food system and her leadership of the Lake Pepin Local food group via a North Central SARE Farmer Rancher grant. She shares inspiring ideas on how women can serve as the catalyst to collaboratively bring farmers together to address common barriers like market access. Annelie grows certified organic vegetables and flowers with her husband, Kevin (and their 3-year-old daughter, Hazel) on Good Turn Farm in Stockholm, Wis. Last fall she started working with the Land Stewardship Project as an organizer for Farm Beginnings, a training program for beginning farmers.
Today, we sit down with Annelie Livingston-Anderson of Good Turn Farm in Wisconsin to learn about her farm story. She and her husband, Kevin, are the 5th generation to farm her husband’s historic family land, now incorporating sustainable and organic practices. Spoiler alert: this is the land Laura Ingalls Wilder’s family was on during Little House in the Big Woods. Annelie Livingston-Anderson grows certified organic vegetables and cut flowers with her husband, Kevin (and their 3-year-old daughter, Hazel) on Good Turn Farm in Stockholm, Wis. She is also on the steering committee for Lake Pepin Local, a group of local farmers & buyers cooperatively marketing locally grown products. Last fall she started working with the Land Stewardship Project as an organizer for Farm Beginnings, a training program for beginning farmers.
How the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship is serving as a natural next step into farming for one Farm Beginnings graduate. Source
Farm Beginnings helps the Schwagerls do the kind of enterprise analysis needed to transfer their passions into profits. Source
With the help of LSP's Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson, Sara Morrison takes her garden beyond the backyard. Source
How a Farm Beginnings field day makes everyone a "consultant." Source
Nick Olson and his wife, Joan, own Prairie Drifter Farm in Litchfield, Minnesota – out on the edge of the prairie. They raise about six acres of vegetables 90 minutes west of the Twin Cities, selling most of them through a CSA and the rest to stores and restaurants. Nick has also coordinated the Farm Beginnings courses for the Land Stewardship Project for a number of years. We talked about how his experience with that program influenced the decisions that he and Joan have made on their farm over the past six years, covering topics from holistic management to relationship management. I had a lot of fun talking to Nick, and I learned a lot. I think you’ll find the conversation as valuable as I did.
Farm Beginnings grads achieve a series of "micro-goals" in service of the bigger picture: a successful livestock enterprise. Source
Rising from the ashes: Farm Beginnings grads recover from a disaster and launch a dairy farm. Source
CLASSES & RESOURCES IN NYC GrowNYC’s Farm Beginnings — a comprehensive agricultural training program developed for new farmers by the people who run the Greenmarket. Designed for a people looking to start farm enterprises, including urban farmers looking to scale-up and second career farm entrepreneurs. Brooklyn Grange hosts a whole range of workshops and classes for rooftop farmers. If a full roof installation process is more than you want to take on, their Design and Installation arm will build you your very own backyard or terrace garden, rooftop farm, or green wall. Just Food’s Farm School NYC — urban agriculture training through a certificate program and a wide range of individual courses from social justice to urban farming to grassroots community organizing. Mission: to build self-reliant communities and inspire positive local action around food access and social, economic, and racial justice issues. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities — training towards certification in green roof and wall installation. Eagle Street Farm — Greenpoint. This rooftop farm welcomes visitors from second graders to graduate students to learn about sky-high agriculture. Cornell Cooperative Extension — free gardening and farming support run by NYS with offices in every single county – including Manhattan. Offering everything from soil testing to 20c processing licenses. HUDSON VALLEY INTERNSHIPS AND INCUBATORS Stone Barns’ Growing Farmers Initiative — Westchester. Comprehensive program to help beginning farmers get the training, resources and guidance to create economically and ecologically resilient farm enterprises. Offers apprenticeships, a virtual grange, workshops on everything from beekeeping to seed saving, and an annual Young Farmers Conference which draws hundreds of beginning farmers from across the country and beyond. Glynwood’s Farm Incubator — Cold Spring. Provides the tools and resources aspiring agricultural entrepreneurs need to develop and manage viable farm enterprises in the Hudson Valley. Provides access to land, housing, shared equipment, infrastructure, low-interest capital, business mentoring and training in sustainable farming practices. RESOURCES & NON-PROFITS SUPPORTING NEW FARMERS Cornell’s Beginning Farmers Program — a comprehensive clearing house of resources, internships, job postings and land opportunities. Northeast Organic Farming Association — This seven-state non-profit teaches, certifies and supports organic farms. Their semi-annual conferences offer sessions on everything from raw milk to fermentation to homesteading, complete with contra dancing and camping. The Greenhorns — A unique resource helping young people make the transition into a career of farming. Provides information about everything from where to find an apprenticeship to how to repair a tractor. Complete with mentor matchmaker. National Young Farmers Coalition — represents, mobilizes, and engages young farmers. Supports practices and policies to sustain young, independent and prosperous farmers now and in the future. Co-founded by an ex-Manhattanite who now grows organic vegetables in the Hudson. Richard Wiswall’s The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook — widely-prized bible on the business end of running a farm. Expert advice on how to make your vegetable production more efficient and how to better manage your employees and finances. The USDA’s (great) new website for new farmers — Yes, even the USDA is focusing on new farmers. This site offers in-depth information on how to increase access to land and capital, build new market opportunities, participate in conservation opportunities, select and use risk management tools, and access USDA education and technical-support American Farmland Trust: Transitioning Farmland to a New Generation — This longtime, stalwart non-profit is bringing its forces to bear for new farmers, offering everything from training to land links as well as targeted offerings for women landowners and conservation.
Farm Beginnings graduates team up to create an innovative marketing cooperative in the Lake Superior region. Source
Farm Beginnings farmer-presenter Chris Duke talks about the importance of relationships in direct-marketing. Source
Farm Beginnings grads talk about being in the "experimental/making mistakes" stage of their enterprise. Source
New farmers talk about how Farm Beginnings helps them balance demand for their products with keeping their businesses, and lives, sustainable. Source
A brother-sister team uses Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson to help transition from being landowners to active farmers. Source
Farm Beginnings applies the brakes to a young couple's farming plans—in a good way. Source
Farm Beginnings grads John and Heidi Wise climb out of the “pit of despair.” Source
Farm Beginnings graduates adapt to a new geographic region using low-risk techniques. Source
Final in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
8th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
7th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
6th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
5th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
4th in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
3rd in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
2nd in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
1st in a series on a Farm Beginnings “decision-making” presentation. Source
LSP’s Farm Beginnings helps convert an agricultural doubter. Source
A young couple uses Farm Beginnings to get started on the land. Source
Farm Beginnings grads reflect on a decade of farming. Source
A Farm Beginnings discussion about planning for profit. Source