Did you know land access is an emerging farmer's #1 hurdle to getting started? This data comes from the National Young Farmers Coalition 2022 survey. With prohibitive land prices and lots of deep-pocketed competition, it's hard for folks to get their foot in the farming door these days. So, What's an emerging farmer? The MN … Continue reading How you (yes,you!) can create land access for emerging farmers
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
Our neighboring town of Ripon is home to South Woods, a 55-acre woodland preserved since 1902 - making it Wisconsin's oldest nature preserve - by a group of forward-thinking women who wanted to make a difference and save this special place from logging. The story is now also preserved in a beautiful short film. When … Continue reading Wonder, magic, diamonds: the treasures of (farm)land conservation
With climate extremes increasing in frequency and intensity, two mitigation methods regularly emerge - conversion to renewable energy and expanding regenerative agriculture. Both have their benefits. The problem is, they are increasingly competing for the same land. Wind and solar energy are now cheaper than fossil fuel. So project developers are eager to expand, and … Continue reading Renewable energy vs. regenerative agriculture: can we do both?
A topic near and dear to FoxRAP's heart. UW Extension published a helpful 3-part article series: Demystifying the future farmer and planning ahead for a successful farmland transition. Key takeaways from Part 1 - Making farmland transition options available to landowners: Our current producers are aging out and an expected 70% of farmland will change … Continue reading Successful farmland transitions that benefit both current and future farmers
Two articles came up in my newsfeed this week: One from The New York Times - Farmland Values Hit Record Highs, Pricing Out Farmers and from local news in Iowa - Record price for Iowa farmland now $30,000 an acre Let's pause to let that sink in. This record comes on the heels of the … Continue reading With farmland selling at record prices, next-generation farmers need our help
Somewhere we Wisconsinites were taught that leaves are enemies to banish from the landscape. We spend much time and effort on this endeavor. In reality, fall leaves are incredibly beneficial for our land, gardens, even livestock. They're full of carbon [plant food] and minerals drawn up from deep in the earth by the tree roots. … Continue reading 5 uses for fall leaves on your land
Here at FoxRAP, we've got 4 pillar objectives: Connect community Grow local food and farm products Preserve farms Protect natural resources Right now, we have a big project underway that, while ultimately checks each of those boxes, will be a huge step forward for farmland preservation in our area. One tool we'll be using to … Continue reading Agriculture Conservation Easements: a critical land preservation tool
Author's note: FoxRAP is an agricultural organization, and our resources are often designed for farmers. But many of those resources, including the ones we're sharing here today, can be applied on non-farm land, even in an urban backyard. We believe everyone is a land steward and we strive to support stewards of all sizes. If … Continue reading Land stewardship for wildlife habitat
Despite residing in Green Lake for nearly 3 years, I'd never been to the Norwegian Bay Wetlands on Big Green Lake. So this year, when Water Quality Month rolled around, I decided enough is enough. Tuesday at 1:14pm is as good a time as any. I packed the kids, the snacks, and a water bottle … Continue reading August is National Water Quality Month. How to celebrate? Embrace the wetland.
Foxhead Regenerative Agriculture Project 