Imagine a Wisconsin where our landscapes are vibrant, small farms are the heartbeat of our communities, and people are deeply connected to the food they eat and the neighbors who grow it. The result? A healthy, connected community, where we live safe from outside shocks to a fragile, global food system and the resulting price … Continue reading Building strong communities with local food for all
We LOVE our small-scale regenerative farms and are counting the ways they benefit us all as this year winds to its end. Let's dig in! Oh so healthy Our local farms: Produce nutritious and delicious food - Local food is often healthier and tastier because it's harvested at peak ripeness, which also means peak nutrients … Continue reading Bountiful benefits of regenerative farms: Top 24 reasons why we love local food and farms in 2024
It's overwhelming. It's complicated. It's emotional. Controversial even. You're too busy. You're never going to retire. None of your kids want to farm anyway. Any of this sound familiar? There's a mountain of reasons why you may be putting off writing your farm transition plan. These numbers say you're not alone: Only about 33% of … Continue reading Why you should begin planning your farm transition today
"Of the many epic challenges that climate change is bringing to humankind, one of the most significant is surely the need to reinvent agriculture.
Can the world’s farmers find a way to shift from large-scale, carbon-intensive industrial farming that is destroying soil and ecosystems to smaller-scale bioregional systems that not only respect nature but regenerate it?
Can we invent systems that grow enough nutritious food, distribute it fairly to all, and remake agriculture as a decentralized, place-respecting enterprise?
At this point in the unfolding climate catastrophe, these ambitions are not simply a nice fantasy to ponder. They are existential necessities. If humankind is going to avoid fatal disruptions to the planet’s ecosystems and civilization itself, agriculture must find ways to pursue some radical shifts.
In the short term, the top imperative must be new strategies for adapting to climate change: new cultivation practices, new crop choices, holistic commitments. Over the longer term, the art of farming must reintegrate itself with local ecosystems and the biosphere. Agriculture must do more than “sustain” an already degraded landscape. It must understand and improve the generativity of life itself.
Regeneration is not simply a set of techniques. It is a mindset and worldview. It is a deep priority and commitment. Regenerative agriculture is not only about improving crop yields and reducing harmful ecological impacts. It is about bringing new vigor to biogeoecological systems while enlivening us as humans.
The focus is not on beggar-thy-neighbor competition and market success that tends toward economic consolidation; it is about cooperative stewardship of dispersed, autonomous systems on a holistic scale. Everyone can flourish together."
Minnesota launched what may be the nation's first-of-its-kind program to bring in a new, diverse generation of farmers as the current, 99%-white farmer population grows older. This $15,000 matching grant opened at 9:00 a.m. on January 4, 2023 and had 28 applications in the first five minutes. Within days, the funds were claimed, applications closed, … Continue reading MN grant program helps young farmers buy land
From the article: “We’re trying to create a more vibrant local food economy, one in which farmers can provide high-quality, healthy food to the people of this community while farming in such a way as to preserve our environment.” said Kristy Allen, one of the founding members of the [St. Croix Valley Food Alliance in … Continue reading InspireBites: “Wisconsin farmers join together to get healthy food to people in their region”
On December 14th, UW-Madison Division of Extension will be hosting an informational meeting for farmers interested in starting a cooperative to address the meat harvest plant shortage in the area and building a successful harvest plant business. If you are a livestock farmer, or someone who is concerned enough to take an active role in … Continue reading Exploring A Meat Harvest Co-op in Green Lake County
Foxhead Regenerative Agriculture Project 