By Peter Golbitz To Cover Crops page | 5 U.S. farmers looking for a profitable opportunity in a rapidly developing market need not look any further than their own backyard—if they can produce organic soybeans or corn.
The multifaceted benefits of cover crops in a rotation are well understood. These crops con tribute to the long-term health and maintenance of your most important farm resource: your soil. Cover crops can work in nearly every crop rotation and farming system in the Upper Midwest, but are especially well suited to organic systems where oversight; improving data quality, and increased reporting to the Organic Integrity Database. In addition, the agency is exploring the use of new technology such as blockchain to better manage data and verify product movement across international supply chains. Farmers growing organic grain have found prices are up due to high demand for organic feed ingredients.
• Do you desire a cover crop that will overwinter or Puttingwinterkill?thought into the above questions can help guide which species or mixtures will be most successful on your operation as species, mixtures and end goals can be widely diverse.
Growing demand for organic corn, soybeans creates opportunities for U.S. farmers
8 Volume 26
Organic & Sustainable Education
on
• What crop is coming off, and what crop will come next in rotation?
bit.ly/RenewBroadcasterSubexpires:itbeforesubscriptionfreeyourrenewPlease
crop diversity and rotations are more complex and provide more windows of opportunity to success fully integrate cover crops. As organic operations are charged with maintaining or improving the natural resources on the farm, including soil and water quality, fall-planted cover crops can measur ably achieve those goals on a year-by-year basis.
organic imports in 2018 while demand and prices for U.S. produced organic soybeans and corn have been on the rise. And with commodity prices cur rently in the basement for conventional soybeans and corn, along with the market instability cre ated by the current administration in Washington, it would appear that there is no better time than the present for U.S. farmers to increase acres committed to organic production. In response to the discovery of the fraud, the USDA began working on improving organic enforcement activities by expanding training programs for certifiers and inspectors and hold ing direct meetings with certifying agencies in both the U.S. and Europe to review inspection procedures. In addition, NOP asked the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB), which reviews and develops new rules for the NOP, to provide recommendations to improve oversight of organic imports. During last fall’s and this spring’s NOSB meetings, the board convened an Imports Integrity Panel of industry and trade experts —along with certifiers, inspectors and agency staff—to review the situation, offer solutions, and support further development of best practices for protecting organic integrity. Practice changes already initiated by the USDA NOP in 2017 and 2018 include: improving how import and export certificates are used in trade; increasing collaboration between APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service) and CBP (Customs and Border Protection) on import TM As the growing season winds to close, our thoughts move towards harvest, fall field work, application of manure and other soil amendments, and cleaning up machinery for the winter. These shortening days also provide an excellent opportu nity to think about planting a cover crop.
• What are your primary goals with cover crops: protecting soil from erosion, fixing nitrogen, sequestering/scavenging nutrients, breaking up compaction, growing fall forage, etc.?
Number
Fall-planted cover crops build soil health, protect fields from erosion in winter Midwest
By Matt Leavitt
• What fall field passes need to be done on the field(s) in question (i.e., fall manure application, fall tillage due to drainage, amendments, tiling, etc.)?
54767WIValley,Spring339,BoxPO
Unlike the short window in spring for planting, late summer and fall provides a wide opportunity to plant a diversity of cover crop species to suit a variety of production systems and rotations. Crops like small grains, silage corn, canning vegetables, dry edible beans and early soybeans are harvested early enough to accommodate a period of favorable weather for cover crop growth and development, keeping your soil biologically active until freeze-up.
ServiceOn-Farm
Cover crop planting can also be a great compli ment to fall field passes, giving producers a place to spread manure (and hold it in place), graze ani mals, harvest forage, help break down persistent crop residue, and can be timed with fall harvest or light tillage. However, as all Midwestern producers are well aware, fall weather can be erratic with early frosts and lack of reliable moisture. While we strongly recommend cover cropping on a near-universal basis, the beneficial gains to your soil are typically related to good cover crop estab lishment, root growth, and biomass accumulation. Moreover, cash crops like corn and full season soybeans leave little time for adequate cover crop establishment and growth after harvest. As with any planting window, there are critical questions to ask yourself when thinking about incorporating a fall cover crop into your rotation.
Cover Crop Selection There are a diversity of cover crops suitable for fall planting that generally fall into three major cat egories: cereal grains/grasses, cool-season legumes andCerealbrassicas.grains are quick growing, cost-effective, easy to manage, accumulate ample biomass in a short time-frame, scavenge and hold nutrients, and have fibrous root systems. Winter cereal grains like winter rye and winter triticale are seeded in the fall of the year and reliably overwinter, providing the soil needed coverage during periods of high-erosion potential, continuing their growth right away in the spring. Spring grasses like oats, barley, and annual ryegrass are a good fit for producers in the Upper Midwest looking for cover crops that die out over the winter but still provide good biomass accu mulation and rooting (though annual ryegrass can
September | October 2018 To Organic Corn & Soybeans on page 6
• How do you intend on seeding and terminating the cover crop?
Food Service Tips 9 Outcome of Pasture Walks FarmInnovativeTransfer 10 Managing Stress of Farming 7
The growing demand for organic feed ingredients, driven primarily by large investments in organic poultry production, has created an ever-tightening supply situation in the U.S. that threatens to get even tighter due to inadequate U.S. production coupled with concerns about imports of potentially fraudulent organic soybeans and corn from ques tionable players halfway around the globe. Just over a year ago, the Washington Post broke a news story about a large shipment of soy beans that had traveled from Ukraine to Turkey, and then to California, that was fraudulently labeled as organic. While organic farmers had been asking the USDA National Organic Program (NOP) for months to look into rising imports from overseas (see the September 2016 Organic Broadcaster), this very public news story and the questions it posed set off a mad scramble at the NOP and among industry players to get a handle on how this incident happened, and figure out how to put in place new rules or programs that could prevent, or at least greatly reduce, the chances of this happening again in the future. The response by both public and private sector players produced a number of backward- and for ward-looking initiatives that seem to be paying off already for U.S. organic farmers. The net result of this closer look has been a significant decrease in
| john@mosesorganic.org Audrey Alwell, Communications Director | audrey@mosesorganic.org Sarah Broadfoot, Data & Registration Coor. | sarahb@mosesorganic.org Stephanie Coffman, Adminstrative Coor. | stephanie@mosesorganic.org
|
Jennifer Nelson, Organic Specialist jennifer@mosesorganic.org
The strongest nonprofits, like MOSES, are those whose boards anchor the organization in its founding principles, but are always striving for growth and improvement. Effective nonprofits, like MOSES, are community-driven, responsive, grassroots, service-oriented organizations. Nonprofits, universities, government agencies, and businesses all contribute to improving agri culture and the environment. The important role MOSES and other nonprofits play in this improve ment can easily be taken for granted. We fill an important farmer support gap in agriculture. MOSES is not a member organization—we serve all of agriculture. Our structure allows us to quickly and effectively translate the expertise and vision of our capable board of directors and staff into mission-accomplishing education and out reach. Through the financial support of hundreds of individuals, and our partners in the university, and government and business sectors, we are able to leverage our community expertise and vision to reach our common objectives. For 30 years, MOSES has made a major contri bution to the advancement of organic agriculture. Today, the organic and sustainable agriculture community is in the midst of another wave of dramatic changes. MOSES will remain relevant in shaping the future to the extent our board is able to adapt to the changing landscape our work has helped to develop. As we shift from field days toward preparations for the 30th Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference, we redouble our commitment to the future of agriculture. Our organization—from our staff, to our board of directors, to our community of experienced organic farmers—continues to edu cate, inspire, and empower farmers (and others) not just to sustain, but to thrive. I invite you to be part of our 30th anniversary Feb. 21-23 in La Crosse, Wis. Watch your mail in late November for the conference guide, or view details as they unfold at mosesorganic.org/conference.
By John Mesko, Executive Director of MOSES 402-342-3500 OrganicGrain@scoular.com www.scoular.com
MOSES
Service
Sara Tedeschi | Dog Hollow Farm, Wis. Darin Von Ruden, Vice President Von Ruden Family Farm, Wis. Carla Wright, President Savanna Hill Farm, Wis.
|
|
Lisa Kivirist, In Her Boots Coordinator lisa@mosesorganic.org
|
|
Stacy Shealey, Office Assistant stacy@mosesorganic.org Board of Directors: David Abazs Round River Farm, Minn. Mike Bollinger River Root Farm, Iowa Sylvia Burgos Toftness | Bull Brook Keep, Wis.
IdentityNon-GMOOrganicPreserved
Dela Ends, Secretary | Scotch Hill Farm, Wis. Charlie Johnson | Johnson Farms, SD David Perkins, Treasurer Vermont Valley Farm, Wis. Molly Rockamann | EarthDance, Mo.
|
|
Lauren Langworthy, Program Director lauren@mosesorganic.org
Tom Manley, Account Coordinator thomas@mosesorganic.org
|
Dave Campbell | Lily Lake Organic Farm, Ill.
Matt Leavitt, Organic Specialist matt@mosesorganic.org
TM Field days add to farmer education Welcome to the end of summer. I hope you were able to take in one of the 14 field days we helped produce. These focused on-farm educational opportunities are an important follow up to the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference, providing network ing and hands-on training. This summer, we were fortunate to have two of these days hosted by MOSES board members. Dave Campbell hosted a field day on his Illinois farm, highlighting the use of buckwheat and sorghum sudangrass in crop rotations with grain, and, Charlie Johnson hosted a tour of his South Dakota grain and livestock farm. Both of these master organic farmers highlighted the importance of crop rotations in organic grain production for weed control, soil building, and fertilityAfterpurposes.touringboth of these farms, it is easy to forget they are working, family-run, for-profit farming businesses. They look and feel a little like university-grade research facilities. The informa tion gleaned from a day spent at field days like these is well worth the time and effort to attend. Organic farming is a thinking-person’s career; each year its own classroom and testing lab, and the best practitioners are often curious problem solvers who want to see others benefit. Charlie and Dave are two examples of this on our MOSES Board of Directors. As an organization, we are very honored to have board members like them as well as others who are true experts in organic farming, giving their time and energy to helping others understand how to harness natural sys tems for growing healthy food. Nonprofit boards of directors are the owners of the organizations they serve, and as such are responsible caretakers for the vision, mission, strategic plan, and financial responsibilities required for maintaining a healthy organization. Staff: John Mesko, Executive Director
Volume 26, #5 September | October 2018 Executive Director John Mesko Editor Audrey Alwell Advertising Coordinator Tom Manley The Organic BroadcasterTM is a bimonthly newspaper published by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), a nonprofit that provides education, resources and practical advice to farmers. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. Inclusion of an advertisement does not imply endorsement of a product. We reserve the right to refuse inappropriate advertising. © 2018 MOSES Content may be reprinted with permission. Contact Audrey@mosesorganic.org Display & Classified Advertising: Thomas@mosesorganic.org or 715-778-5775 Content Submissions or Inquiries: Audrey@mosesorganic.org Free Subscription: mosesorganic.org/sign -up or 715-778-5775 MOSES is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit qualified to receive tax-deductible donations. Please support our programs and this FREE publication with a donation: MOSES, P.O. Box 339, Spring Valley, WI 54767 Online: mosesorganic.org/donate MOSES educates, inspires, and empowers farmers to thrive in a sustainable, organic system of agriculture.
In recent years, family-scale organic dairy farm ers have been hit by a tidal wave of surplus milk, radically driving down prices. Growth in retail organic dairy sales has rapidly slowed at a time when lots of new milk, principally from CAFOs, has come online. Contributing factors include a widening differential, as conventional milk pricing plummeted, and a shift in consumer preferences to plant-based “milk” alternatives. Cornucopia is currently working on a comparative analysis for
| 3mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
When Congress debated passing The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, the USDA actually testified against the measure. They didn’t want any part of regulating an alternative food system
Dr. Kathleen Merrigan, credited with writing some of the Organic Foods Production Act as an aid for Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, was appointed as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture in 2009. Prior to her USDA appointment, she was a professor at Tufts and sent students to intern at Aurora Dairy during the height of public scrutiny on the giant industrial dairy’s abuse of organic standards. As Deputy Secretary, she appointed Miles McEvoy to run the NOP, and he immedi ately declared the “age of enforcement,” but never brought the hammer down, even when Freedom of Information documents obtained by Cornucopia indicated they found factory dairies cheating. By then, almost all the major mass-market organic brands were controlled by “Big Food” and represented by the Organic Trade Association. When The Cornucopia Institute was founded in 2004, there were two giant industrial dairies (a 4,400-cow operation and a split, 10,000-cow feedlot) competing with the many family farmers who had founded the organic dairy industry. These huge dairies’ lactating cows had zero access to pasture. Although Cornucopia managed to create pres sure, resulting in decertification of the larger opera tion, organic CAFOs have proliferated and are now estimated to produce half the nation’s organic milk supply, primarily from arid and southwestern states. As the industry was growing aggressively, it was still able to bring on many additional familyscale farmers transitioning to organic management and, at the same time, absorb more milk from giant feedlot dairies. Now well over 20 operations milk upwards of 5,000—even 15,000—cows.
To Inside Organics on page 16 to former USDA Secretary Earl Butz’s directive to “get big or get out.” It was launched, in part, as an economic justice vehicle by farmers and supported by consumers who were willing to pay a price premium for food produced to a higher standard: careful environmental stewardship, humane ani mal husbandry, and, yes, fair remuneration for the families who produce that food. By the end of the 1980s, the hodgepodge of inde pendent certification agencies, all with their own standards, was making it impossible to scale up organics in terms of interstate commerce and devel oping processed products with multiple ingredients. Furthermore, it wasn’t even legally required to be third-party certified. In California, all growers had to do was not use banned agrichemicals the year they labeled their products “organic.” The next year they could nuke the ground with herbicides and load up on synthetic fertilizers, and the follow ing year they could be in the organic business once again. Those of us practicing true organic agricul ture, making long-term investments in soil fertility, weed control, and whole-farm management, quite frankly couldn’t compete.
Organic Field Peas Lentils OMRI Inoculants Faba Beans OMRI Seed Treatments Cowpeas Yellow Field Peas Cover Crops Green Field Peas Forages Custom Seed Blending Wildlife Blends Bismarck, ND 701-530-0734 www.pulseusa.com
Farmers, consumers must work together to restore economic justice to organic dairy There’s a reason why the MOSES Conference happens every year in La Crosse. It’s literally at the crossroads of the organic community in the Upper Midwest. We all own the organic label. Even if you are not milking cows, the integrity of organic dairy products should be important to you—not only as an organic consumer, but also because of the economic impact dairy has on the organic sector. After produce, dairy is the secondlargest industry sector, and directly impacts many other workers and businesses. When the first organic farming conference was planned, even before the nonprofit MOSES existed, organic dairy was front and center. It was growing rapidly, after initially commercializing in the mid-1980s. New farmers were just kicking the tires and needed help making the difficult transi tion shunning chemicals and most drugs. Monsanto’s genetically engineered bovine growth hormone (rBGH) was a hot controversy, and the arrogance of the conventional dairy indus try, siding with the agrichemical and drug giant rather than their consumers who had legitimate worries, fueled organic dairy’s growth. At the first conference 30 years ago, we could all fit in one modest room in a circle of chairs, close enough to have a conversation. The MOSES Conference is now the largest event on organic agriculture in the country with participants from around the world. The organic dairy industry has also grown expeditiously. But sadly, its option as a viable anti dote to the rapacious agricultural industry, which has hemorrhaged family farmers off the land for decades, has gone off the rails. In 2018, family-scale producers from California to Maine have seen their prices radically slashed, have been placed on quotas, and, depending on their debt load, may be operating at a significant loss. Even worse, some farmers are losing their markets, their contracts canceled without an alter native (organic or conventional) milk buyer, essen tially signing a death warrant for these farms. Some of the same companies canceling con tracts are continuing to buy milk from “factory farms.” It is a lot easier and cheaper to buy from one giant dairy than dozens of independent farm ers. At least one dairy plant in Wisconsin canceled a contract with a farmer-owned co-op and is now procuring its milk, by the semi load, from giant dairies in Texas. When I started working in farm politics in the mid-1980s as organic dairy farming was commer cializing, there were about 45,000 dairy farms in Wisconsin alone, averaging approximately 45 cows each. In 2018, Wisconsin has about 7,600 licensed dairies—and even nationally there aren’t 45,000 independent businesses producing milk. Organic dairy was created as the “alternative”
Now Introducing “The Three Pea Band” exclusive to the organic industry. Banjo (yellow), Fiddle (yellow), Flute (green) Mark Kastel represents the Cornucopia Institute in a booth at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference. Photo by Cornucopia Institute that would alienate powerful lobbyists and corpo rateTheagribusiness.USDAdelayed implementation of regula tions governing the industry and establishing the authority of the National Organic Program (NOP) for a full 12 years. Then, during the balance of George Bush’s tenure, they did everything they could to monkey-wrench the NOP. Under President Obama, for the first time, they brought in management with experience in the organic industry. However, these were individuals allied with the industry’s powerful lobby group, the Organic Trade Association, and friendly with the largest corporate players.
By Mark Kastel, The Cornucopia Institute
INSIDE ORGANICS Editorials by members of the organic community
4 | September | October 2018 “I’m new to organic. How do I elimate weeds in my soybean field? There are a lot of weeds!”
CALL: Organic Answer Line 715-778-5775
And then there’s the Weed Zapper, an emerg ing technology for later-season weeds above the canopy. Since 2018 was our first experience with this tool, we’re still assessing its effectiveness. It does seem incredibly effective on resistant water hemp (in case any of your conventional neighbors areForwatching).moreinfo on the Weed Zapper, see the weedzapper.com. I’ll bet we’ll be hearing more about this at the conference next February!
Answer by Organic Specialist Matt Leavitt, with information from Mac Ehrhardt of Albert Lea Seed Hybrid winter rye is an exciting newer crop to the Upper Midwest farm landscape. Breeding com panies from Denmark and Germany have devel oped a way to produce hybridized winter rye seed, mainly through enhanced and uniform pollen shed, which is now commercially available in the United States. The result is hybrid rye varieties that yield significantly more than traditional open-pollinated varieties (yields of 120-140+ bu/acre are not uncom mon), have little to no incidence of ergot (due to the uniformity in maturity and high pollen shed), and uniform growth, standability and maturity. Hybrid rye makes up the majority of rye planted in Poland, Denmark, and Germany in Europe, and is a growing share of the production in Canada as well. Hybrid winter rye moves rye from being a reliable cover crop and forage crop to a poten tially lucrative and high-yielding third crop in the Midwest. Moreover, hybrid varieties still retain the stress tolerance, winter hardiness, and adaptability of open-pollinated varieties, making them a good fit for a wide range of fields. There are distinct management considerations with hybrid rye that differ from traditional winter rye,Plantinghowever.population and uniform planting depth for hybrid rye is critical for optimum yield; genetic suppliers recommend ~800,000 seeds/acre (which works out to be about 65-80 lbs/acre) seeded at ½ to 1’’ deep. (The seed needs to be drilled vs. broadcast.) While the available genetics are bred in Europe, hybrid winter rye has excellent winter survival thus far. But, to be safe, it is recommended to plant the seed in the same window as one would plant winterFertilitywheat.requirements and disease management also are similar to wheat. Hybrid winter rye needs adequate fertility to produce maximum yields. So, while it can thrive on poorer soils, it does pay to have enough available nitrogen for the crop. Hybrid rye is often shorter and better standing than standard rye varieties, but no less competitive with weeds. Growers have reported very good weed competitiveness with hybrid rye, including with stubborn weeds like giant ragweed.
the world goes wrong we have until mid-June to tear ’em up and start over—Strategy 2. Strategy 3: Timing and tools. Keep tillage as shallow as possible; no reason to resurrect dormant weed seeds more than necessary. Blind cultivation tools like a rotary hoe can interrupt early flushes of shallow-germinating annuals and buy some time for the crop to get started. When the beans reach 2 or 3 inches, we move in with a rear-mount cultivator that has finger weeders attached in row (pictured below). I can set them very aggressively—or not so much—depending on need. In any case, we’re going to end up tearing out some beans before this is over.
Answer by Organic Specialist Dave Bishop Just so ya know, I’ve been at this for decades and still have weeds in my beans. While your expectations might have to change from when you relied on chemicals, you still can maintain relatively clean fields using proven organic man agement strategies. You might get lucky, but in T1 (first year tran sition) assume there’s going to be significant weed pressure. (There’s a reason why conventional fields have to be sprayed every year, even after decades of perfectly “clean” fields.) Weed management begins with a field-by-field assessment of weed species present noting which seem predominant. Soil tests should provide important clues about why certain weeds seem to thrive in some fields, but don’t seem to get “out of hand” in others. Some years ago I hired Dr. Bill Becker as a crop consultant. As we drove by one of my bottom fields, I mentioned that for some reason marestail had suddenly appeared there. “You probably have a zinc deficiency,” he said. The soil tests verified that was the case. We applied zinc, along with some other trace nutrients, bulked up with kelp meal (a great source of many trace elements) to get the necessary volume for an accurate application. I rarely see marestail in that field now. Get to know your soils: Strategy 1. Here in central Illinois we try to get our beans in by the middle of May so that if everything in
To Ask a Specialist on page 12
MOSES Organic Specialists answer your questions about organic production and certification.
DOWNLOAD: Organic Fact Sheets organic-fact-sheets.mosesorganic.org/publicationsat/
Let’s assume that my drop-dead minimum stand is 80 - 90,000 healthy plants per acre at harvest. If I set the planter for 190,000 - assume 90% germination, so 170,000 or so emergingworst case scenario I can tear out half the stand trying to get those pesky weeds. Now, I really don’t expect to do that, or even close, but I like having that cushion, knowing I can get really aggressive if I have to and still have a stand. As the beans get taller, the strategy moves to covering up weeds in the row using a differ ent (front-mount) cultivator with the sweeps set more aggressively than the rear mount (pictured below). The idea now is to throw dirt! Also, the front-mount cultivator does a much better job of going around curves in the field, and I can raise one side if needed to clean up some weird point rows. The tools complement each other.
“What should I know before I plant hybrid winter rye?”
SUBMIT: Click “Ask a Specialist” button at mosesorganic.org/ask READ: Browse answers to questions at mosesorganic.org/ask.
Build Soil Health, Economically Free Soil Building Consultations www.sustane.com 800-352-9245 Cannon Falls, MN Organic Fertilizers & Soil Amendments
Pasture walks lead to grazing success in the field
Borchardt learned to start her pad dock layout by determining the stock ing rate for her entire farm, based on the dry matter needs of her herd and the productivity of her land. We ran the numbers and she has more than enough pasture for the entire year, assuming good production and taking into account the grain that she plans to feed the cows. The remaining pasture could be cut for hay, which gives her room to be flexible, take risks, and make mistakes if necessary. Next, Borchardt learned to cal culate the paddock size based on the periods of rest and rotation in each paddock. During the farm visit, we laid out the eighth-acre paddocks, knowing they would be 6,500 square feet or about 120 feet long by 50 feet wide, taking into account a 10-foot wide lane to get the cows back to water at the barnyard. We stepped off 50 feet to visualize a paddock and confirmed that the size seemed adequate for one day of grazing per paddock.
MOBILE SHADE cows grazing!
Todd led a tour of the facilities. He showed us how the livestock lane was crowned to shed water and we discussed the appropriate width for a lane to accommodate livestock and equipment. I think that seeing and hearing about the practice from different people allowed Borchardt to learn in the way that worked best for her. She realized that she had enough details figured out to move forward. And if her temporary cow lane needed improvement, she knew she could contact her local conservation office for help. The third pasture walk “Managed Grazing and Soil Health” affirmed the choices that Borchardt had made. She arrived excited to share her progress—she had fenced the entire pasture, pounding the pre-drilled composite PVC posts in by hand with a post pounder. And the cows were excited to graze as soon as she opened the gate, even eating some of the mature grasses and legumes that she didn’t think were palatable, while leaving many of the weeds. I reminded her to maintain 6” residual grazing heights to prevent germination of the seedbank in future years.
Visit us online at www.shadehaven.net Cool
• Increased dry matter intake
keep
Choose portable shade for:
• Better manure management
“Our herd looked noticeably better this fall after the dry season than any time in the past. The cattle look absolutely phenomenal.” Scott Foster, Corydon, IN “I put the cows where there are no trees in the daytime and use the shade to manage my nutrients.” Francis Thicke, IA Rachel Borchardt (right) learns about soil health from Randy Zaugbaum at a pasture walk hosted by Madison Area Technical College at Fountain Prairie Farm in Fall River, Wis. Photo by Robert Bauer
The second pasture walk really helped Borchardt gain confidence and solidify her plan to start grazing. The guest speaker was Todd Reitmann, Conservation Specialist for Columbia County Land & Water Conservation Department. Todd designed and provided financial assistance for the grazing system at Fountain Prairie Farm, including the livestock lanes that connect the pastures to the watering system in the barnyard.
By Robert Bauer Grazing networks are groups of farmers who organize pasture walks, which are educational farm tours that focus on managed grazing of livestock. By seeing each other’s farms, participants in grazing networks gain the confidence and support to try new things at home. Adding a farm visit from local conservation staff for each participant to discuss the design and implementation of their own grazing system helps farmers to find success in the Rachelfield.Borchardt, owner of Stoney Hill Jerseys in Brodhead, Wis., is a great example of a person who gained the confidence to implement grassbased farming on her land by attending pasture walks. Borchardt attended all three of the pasture walks this summer at the Fountain Prairie Teaching Farm in Fall River, Wis., where I guest instructed with Randy Zaugbaum, Agriculture Instructor for Madison Area Technical College. Borchardt also used the information that I shared with her during a one-hour farm visit to successfully get started grazing. When I visited her farm after the first pasture walk, she had five acres of new pasture seeding and had to consider how to lay out fences and manage graz ing. By the third pasture walk two months later, she had fenced her land and had started moving animals to fresh pasture once a day. The cows love grazing, and Borchardt is excited about what she has accomplished. Borchardt owns and milks four beautiful Jersey cows on her five-acre farm. With her background as a veterinary technician as well as owner of a dairy farm, she understood the impor tance of getting cows out of the barnyard and onto pasture for hoof and rumen health. That’s why when she bought her current farm she seeded down the cornfield on the property to a grass and legume mix recommended by the local co-op. She planned to fence and graze the land but wasn’t sure how to lay out her system. She wanted help deciding how to fence the paddocks, how large to make each paddock, how to provide water to the cows, and how to manage pasture produc tion. The cows ate hay and grain in the barnyard while the pasture seeding got established and Borchardt planned her grazing system. I met Borchardt at her first-ever pasture walk, “Basic pasture management: Understanding the design and layout of your system” at Fountain Prairie Farm. At that point, she was not familiar with the soils on her property. During that pas ture walk, she learned to think like a soil scientist by considering the needs and capabilities of each acre of land. We looked at the online soil map for Borchardt’s property together using USDA’s Web Soil Survey and found that half of her property has moist soils with a seasonal high water table. I recommended that she delay grazing until the soil dried out to prevent compaction from hoof traffic. Borchardt also learned to think like a botanist at the first pasture walk. We discussed that a diversity of pasture species, including sodforming and bunch-forming grasses, spreading and upright legumes, and broadleaf plants takes full advantage of the sunlight, soil moisture, and nutrients available for plant growth. The local co-op had planted a mix of perennial ryegrass and alfalfa, which are a bunch-forming grass and upright legume, respectively. Those species are a good mix for high-quality hay, but the bare soil that will be exposed between the crowns of those plants after grazing would lead to germination of weed seeds. I recommended no-till seeding in sod-forming grasses such as bluegrass or smooth bromegrass to increase plant density. I also observed that the total proportion of legumes in the pasture was about 30%, which is less than the 40-60% propor tion of legumes recommended for high quality pasture. Because of the wet soils on the farm, I recommended inter-seeding alsike clover, which is an upright legume that tolerates wet soils better than alfalfa and would intermix well with the existing bunch grasses. Given the needs of the soils and plants on her farm, Borchardt learned how to lay out her system based on her own needs and the needs of the animals. She figured that, based on her busy schedule, she could commit to moving the cows to fresh pasture once each day. That would also allow the cows to eat the best and leave the rest if she sized the paddocks correctly. To Pasture Walks on page 14
• Improved animal health
| 5mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
“Shade is an investment not a cost, because it allows your cattle to perform better and it allows you to have a much more optimal grazing program.” Dr. Allen Williams
855-247-4233
will speak about the impact of imported organic grain at the Organic & Non-GMO Forum, happening Oct. 29-30 in St. Louis. The forum includes a producer panel with MOSES Organic Specialist
Adding to the action at the USDA, the Organic Trade Association (OTA) convened a Global Organic Supply Chain Integrity (GOSCI) task force in June 2017 that has since created a best practice guide with initiatives that can be imple mented by companies involved in organic trade to further reduce the chances of fraud in the organic supply chain. In May of this year, OTA announced that it had kicked off a pilot program based on the GOSCI recommendations, with a select group of companies, to test drive some of the new practices and see how effective they are in actual trade.
Increased Need for Domestic Production
When you purchase
The import numbers clearly show that the U.S. feed market has grown dependent upon these shipments to meet the rapidly growing demand. However, in the months following the May 2017 news article on the fraudu lent imports, the monthly volume of imports for both organic soybeans and corn began to decrease—slowly for soybeans, but more quickly for organic corn. (See tables to right.) By the end of 2017, while total imports of soybeans had increased 15 percent over 2016 to reach 15.9 million bushels, the volume of imported corn dropped by 33 percent to hit 14.6 million bushels. Looking more closely at the January to June period of 2018 compared to the same period in 2017, we can see that organic soybean imports are down 19.1 percent from the previous year in those first six months, while organic corn imports are down by a whopping 81.4 percent during that same period. How the rest of 2018 pans out is still to be determined. But, a tight domestic supply of old crop this summer along with continued strong demand from the organic poultry sector have spurred on the need for some additional imports. “If they [corn imports] continue at the current pace, we will be down only about 8 percent yearon-year by September,” said Greg Lickteig, a direc tor at The Scoular Company, one of the leading organic grain suppliers in the U.S. Given the large demand for organic corn and soybeans for the feed industry, and the time required to transition conventional acreage to organic, we will see imports continue for some time to come. However, the increased demand and preference for U.S.-produced organic grains is beginning to show itself in rising prices being paid to farmers for organic grain as imports slow down. This is happening at the same time that conventional farm-gate prices have dropped to recent historical lows—below the actual cost of Blue River organic organic Peter Golbitz Matt Leavitt.
seed, you receive a promise of high quality,
ongforum.com Enter MOSES-VIP to save 15%.
The net result of these actions has been increased vigilance and enforcement along the supply chain, with the USDA NOP revoking organic certification for those caught in fraudulent activities. However, the real prize and benefit for U.S. farmers have been the increased demand and higher prices for domestically produced soybeans and corn used for organic feed. “Protein producers [livestock and poultry] need to protect their brand, and heard quite clearly the shot across the bow from last year,” said Ken Dallmier, president of Clarkson Grain Company in Cerro Gordo, Ill., one of the country’s largest identity-preserved soybean suppliers. Dallmier believes that U.S. poultry producers who are driv ing this rapidly growing demand for organic feed understand “the value of securing the brand repu tation by utilizing U.S. versus imported supply to meet their feed needs.”
6 | September | October 2018 Organic Corn & Soybeans — from page 1
standards and products that set the bar for field performance. For the cleanest, purest and most tested
While the U.S. organic feed market may need imported grain to meet current demand, there is plenty of land available to transition to organic production if U.S. producers are willing to make the investment for the future. At this point, less than 1 percent of total U.S. soybean and corn acres are being farmed organically. According to the latest USDA NASS survey on organic produc tion published in the fall of 2017, U.S. farmers harvested nearly 25.6 million bushels of organic corn on almost 214,000 acres, and just over 4.6 million bushels of organic soy beans from almost 125,000 acres in 2016. During that same year, U.S. buyers imported 21.7 million bushels of organic corn and 13.8 million bushels of organic soybeans—more than half of the total U.S. supply of organic soy and corn for that year. Based on USDA-reported average yields, those imports represent nearly 600,000 acres of production worth nearly $400 million.
seed, Go Blue. CORN PURAMAIZE TM SILAGE ALFALFA SOYBEANS FORAGES 800.370.7979 blueriverorgseed.com Go Blue, Farm Better. To Organic Corn & Soybeans on page 12 Source: USDA FAS GATS
“The strong urge to succeed at all costs, even ending one’s life, is seen somehow as more noble than failure at farming,” Rosmann wrote in an article about farmer suicide. Opening up discussion about the topic of suicide seems to be at the core of prevention. Dr. Helen Farrell, a psychiatrist with Harvard Medical School, wrote, “Glib remarks such as ‘everybody has them’ perpetuate the myth that suicidal thoughts are part of a normal human experience and imply that suffering individuals should just deal with it themselves.”
Help for Farmers
This summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed an error in its widely cited 2016 report that ranked the suicide rate among farmers as the highest of any occupa tion in the country. The CDC said it had misclas sified farmers as part of the center’s “farming, fishing, and forestry” occupational group. While confusion around the actual rate of suicide among farmers centers on how they are classified in the data, any rate of suicide among farmers, ranchers, or farm workers is too high. The positive side of all this attention is that it has people talking about the issues that lead to suicide and ways to help farmers cope with the stress of farming. In May before the CDC’s news, National Farmers Union President Roger Johnson wrote to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue, urging him to proactively address the farmer suicide crisis. Johnson asked Perdue to use the resources at USDA to help agency personnel and the Cooperative Extension Service learn to identify and respond to signs of mental stress, and to con vene rural stakeholders to work with agencies and nonprofits to identify best practices in responding to farmer Lawmakersstress.are currently working on the 2018 Farm Bill which includes a provision (Section 7511) called the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. This provision would sup port community-based mental health services. The provision also calls for the USDA Secretary to prepare a report on the state of behavioral and mental health in farmers and ranchers, and efforts to support their mental health. Factors Behind Farmer Suicide Farming is widely viewed as a high-stress occupation with financial risks and physically demanding work. While the additional stress of extreme weather events and volatile markets are beyond a farmer’s control, farmers feel it person ally when these factors impact a farm’s success. When farms have been handed down through a family, struggling farmers often feel the added dimension of letting down past generations if the farm fails. Farming is also widely viewed as a noble pro fession. Farmers are caretakers of the land and food providers—roles they take seriously. Dr. Mike Rosmann, an Iowa farmer, clinical psychologist, and syndicated columnist, describes this noble approach to farming as the “agrarian imperative theory.” He believes people have “a genetic imperative to produce life’s essentials”— food, clothing, and shelter. His view is there is something inherent driving farmers to work incredibly hard, endure physical hardship, take uncommon risks and rely chiefly on themselves to provide these essentials.
| 7mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
Stress can make people quick to anger or snap at their partners. He encourages people to be aware of that tendency and make an effort to treat others—and ourselves—more kindly in times of stress. “By being kind to ourselves, we have a greater capacity to be kind to others,” he added.
Experts offer advice to help farmers deal with stress of farming
Ways to Reduce Stress If suicide is seen as a way out of a stressful situation, one way to prevent suicide would be to reduce stress. The Cleveland Clinic has a succinct list of helpful tips to follow to reduce stress. (See
By John Mesko of communication,” he said. “Men, on the other hand, when stressed, communicate less.” He recommends setting aside at least 15 minutes a day to talk about what happened that day on the farm for both partners. “The simple reason for that is that two heads are better than one, and bonding comes with communication,” he explained.Matthews also counsels his callers to “be nice.”
releasesexercisearticles/8133-stress-10-ways-to-ease-stress.)my.clevelandclinic.org/health/Mentalhealthexpertsrecommendregulartolowerstressandanxiety.Exerciseendorphins,thosefeel-goodhormones. In search of wheat for the upcoming season? Great Harvest Organics offers three elite varieties of certified organic soft red winter wheat. Offered in 50 lb. bags, 2000 lb. mini bulk, and boxes. Call 800.937.2325 to place your order early Or g a Great Harves This medium maturity variety is a complete package of yield, test weight and standability. An early maturity, farmer favorite with proven yield and fantastic disease tolerance. Double cropping specialist with an ultra-early maturity. Great for organic growers who need more time to establish cover crops. GH4088 GH4113 GH4125 September 8% Off October 7% Off November 6% Off December 5% Off Applicable Blends Gold SS 2 4 2 Super N 4 2 4 Super K 3 4 7 Blue N 5 1 1 Custom Blends Details: Orders must be placed and paid for by the last business day of the month for discount No other discounts apply Discount applies before shipping Minimum order of 1000 lbs (mixed pallets allowed) on standard blends and 2000 lbs on custom blends Qualifying blends are allowed with added Zinc, Boron, and Sulfur Cash or check only Orders must be delivered by March 28 2019 PS. Looking for an even better discount? Be present at our Open House on October 13th, 2018 for a 1 day 10% off discount on ALL Fertrell products! Check out our website for details! 800 347 1566 info@fertrell com www fertrell com National Farmers Union Farm Crisis Center: dealing-stress-web-based-educational-seriesstress:UniversityMissouri:Iowa:Wisconsin:Minnesota:StateFarmCrisisfarmcrisis.nfu.orghotline:800-273-8255AidFarmerHotline:888-FARM-AIDHotlines:833-600-2670800-942-2474800-447-1985888-279-8188ofMinnesota’sseriesonmanagingextension.umn.edu/stress-and-change/ Crisis Lines for Farmers
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has a free, 24/7 help line (833-600-2670 x 1) that connects callers who are overwhelmed or suicidal with people who are trained in dealing with personal crises. In addition to that crisis line, MDA also retains Ted Matthews as its Rural Mental Health Counselor. (See show“Mytostress,”whatwemodityonlookways,”comes,occupationseledabout/mnfarmerstress/copingstress.)mda.state.mn.us/Hehascoundozensoffarmersthroughtoughtimes.“FarminghasalwaysbeenaverystressfulwithsomanypossiblenegativeoutandeveryonehandlesstressindifferentMatthewssaid.Heencouragesfarmerstoforthethingstheycancontrol,andnotfocusthingstheycan’t,suchastheweatherorcomprices.“Byputtingourenergyintowhatcanchangeinsteadofbeingoverwhelmedbywehavenocontrolover,wecanreduceourheadded.Matthewsencouragesthefarmershecounselscommunicatewiththeirpartnerorspouse.dealingswithmanywomeninagriculturetheirnumberoneissueonthefarmislack
Managing Winter Rye Winter rye is one of the most useful and ubiquitous cover crops for producers in the Upper Midwest due to its winter hardiness, adaptability to a variety of soil types and growing conditions, competitive ability with weeds, and ability to pro duce significant biomass in the spring of the year. In fact, winter rye can put on so much growth in so little time that terminating and incorporating it can be a challenge, depending on your machinery andWintertiming.rye competes very well with weeds; its root system and young tissue exude water-soluble allelopathic compounds into the soil that can suppress the germination and growth of smallseeded weeds. It provides excellent forage quality for livestock and can be seeded basically until the ground freezes. (The seed can germinate at 35F!) However, the later you seed into the fall, the slower the stand is to establish and grow the fol lowing spring. It is important to fit winter rye into the right rotation. If planted after full-season corn (before soybeans), winter rye has very little time to establish before winter. Growing winter rye before next season’s corn can also be problematic. Recent research from USDA and Iowa State has shown that winter rye roots can harbor Fusarium, Pythium, and other pathogenic fungi that can infect young corn seedlings. Moreover, winter rye can overutilize soil moisture and nitrogen in nutrient- or moisture-deficient soils, especially as it reaches the reproductive stage. While it can be difficult to ascertain what char acteristic of rye is actually stunting corn growth in the field, experts recommended waiting at least two weeks after incorporation to plant corn after winter rye. You can definitely get a poor stand of corn following rye without the right rotation man agement. Soybeans after winter rye, however, are much more forgiving and are a nice rotational fit. Winter rye is the most popular choice for the organic no-till soybean system due to its vigor, tall growth, winter survival, competitive ability, alle lopathic qualities, relatively early maturity, and resilient residue after termination. Research from University of Wisconsin and other institutions have helped growers be more successful with this system as it can combine cover crop benefits with an active row crop rotation with limited to no yield drag in optimum years. However, there are some general guidelines to follow. Ensure you plant your winter rye early enough in the fall so it gets well established (typi cally before Sept. 30 in the Upper Midwest, but it can vary by latitude). Also seed enough so you have a complete stand (at least 3 bushels/acre or ~175 lbs/acre).
© 2018 Healthy Food Ingredients. Join our family of growers who share our passion for cultivating goodness. We’d like you to grow with us. Let’s cultivate goodness, together. Call 844-275-3443 or visit HFIfamily.com Pulses | Soybeans | Flax | Cereal Grains | Corn Our HFI family: PURITY GUARANTEED VIKING PURE & ULTRA-PURE SEED CORN Purest Organic Seed Corn 99 NON-GMO% NON-GMO VIKING PURE 99.9% vikingcorn.com (800) 352-5247 To Cover Crops on page 14
Seeding Recommendations After Corn (grain), Soybeans As described above, there is little time after a full-season corn or soybean grain crop to get reli able establishment of most cover corps with the exception of winter rye. Winter rye can be successfully drilled after harvest or flown into standing corn when the crop reaches physiological maturity (black layer for corn, leaf yellowing for soybeans). Time these seedings with rain to increase your chances of success. Also, seed prior to Nov. 1 (or even better, before Oct. 15). Winter rye going into soybeans (produced under conventional tilled or no-tilled management) is a great rotation as soybeans are planted later than corn, which gives the winter rye time to establish. There is also a wide window to termi nate the winter rye prior to soybeans, and soy beans don’t seem to mind being a little short on nitrogen going into the season.
Cover Crops — from page 1 overwinter south of I-90 based on winter condi tions). Cereal grains all provide excellent livestock forage, and should make up a portion of most fall cover crop Cool-seasonblends.legumes like hairy vetch, com mon vetch, winter and spring peas, lentils, and faba beans form a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria which fix atmospheric nitro gen and covert it to a plant available form. Given adequate establishment, legumes can provide a critical nitrogen source in an organic rotation. However, legumes are often more expensive than grasses or brassicas and must grow to or near reproductive maturity (flowering) to reach peak nitrogen-fixation potential. Most fall-planted legumes will winterkill in the Upper Midwest with the exception of hairy vetch, which can reliably survive given an early planting date and adequate establishment before the snow flies. Hairy vetch has a penchant for producing hard seed, so ensure complete kill the following season, especially if small grains are a routine part of your rotation. As with any legume, make sure they’re inoculated with the proper strain of Rhizobium at planting. Brassicas like radishes, turnips, forage rape, and kale capture and hold nutrients (especially nitrogen), compete well with weeds, break down rapidly and will winterkill given normal condi tions in the Upper Midwest. Deep-rooted brassicas like daikon radish can mitigate compaction, and the residue breaks down completely over the winter, leaving a very mellow soil in the spring. It is important to note that one season of cover crops will not solve persistent compaction issues, but they can be part of a long-term solution if utilized year-after-year. Turnips, forage rape and other leafy brassicas also are excellent for livestock grazing and are a cost-effective component to cover crop mixes. Late summer and fall are ideal for planting brassicas as the cool weather prevents the plant from going to seed, allowing it to devote all its energy to biomass accumulation and rooting. A little goes a long way with brassicas in a mix; keep seeding rates reasonable to prevent brassicas from overtaking a mix. Avoid brassicas altogether if you grow a lot of production brassicas for harvest (broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc.).
Cover crop mixes tend to give you the best return on investment and greatest chance of suc cess given variable soil, moisture, environmental and weather conditions. Adequate species diver sity in a cover crop blend can maximize resource use, rooting depths and synergistically enhance growth of the entire mix. A cover crop mix can be as diverse and variable as you desire, but 3-5 species typically minimizes seeding issues and keeps costs reasonable. A grass/brassica mixture (e.g., oats/radish, oats/tur nips) is a low-cost way to achieve diversity that can fit in multiple rotations. A 3-way grass, brassica, legume (e.g., oats/peas/radish, winter rye/hairy vetch/radish) mixture will provide benefits of all three species given a well-formulated seeding rate.
8 | September | October 2018
Educate while you innovate.
To
| 9mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775 on page 14
Even when you officially embark on building a kitchen, realize these projects still can go slowly, especially when dealing with various contractors and builders. “We learned the hard way that the best laid plans don’t always work according to your schedule,” offered Susan Waughtal of Squash Blossom Farm. She and her husband, Roger Nelson, originally intended to open in June of 2016 for pizza; however, the electrical and plumbing contractors didn’t complete their work under September. “We were basically a small beans project to them and other bigger clients came first.”
The growing interest in on-farm, agritourism experiences combined with consumer enthusiasm for local foods have fueled growth in dinner-onthe-farm ventures. But diversifying into on-farm meals is not a simple nor low cost diversification strategy for farmers as these endeavors involve jumping into arenas we’re not typically familiar with, like building commercial kitchens and navigating various health department regulations. Add in the high price tag of such efforts and the importance of solid research and education before investing grows apparent.
“There are things we needed to work out because the trailer is not a permanent structure as there is no hard plumbing so we needed to hire someone to come and pump out the grey water.” 802-223-6049
Service on page 11
Odds are what you are envisioning doesn’t fit into the typical regulation box. Keep communica tion and education flowing between you and vari ous agency representatives.
“Vermont Compost’s potting soils make my job so much easier—I am almost guaranteed a healthy, vigorous plant.”
The Come and Get It program, with funding from a North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education partnership grant, fills this gap by providing expert support and resources for farmers seeking to successfully launching such ventures. Support from the Minnesota Sustainable Agriculture Institute (MISA) and Farm Commons initially helped launch this unique program, the only training program of its kind in the country. Seven farm partners in Minnesota and Wisconsin serve on the project team for Come and Get It, providing advice and support to farm ers looking to potentially start such operations: Together Farms in Mondovi, Wis., Suncrest Gardens Farm in Cochrane, Wis., Borner Farm Project in Prescott, Wis., Dream Acres Farm in By Lisa Kivirist Farmers offer tips to help others start on-farm food service Spring Valley, Minn., and Moonstone Farm in Montevideo, Minn. Campo di Bella and Squash Blossom Farm also hosted on-farm field days dur ing the summer of 2018 to give farmers a “behind the scenes” look at their kitchen operations. Project elements include a free detailed manual with specific versions for Minnesota and Wisconsin to help farmers assess and evaluate the business planning aspects of adding an onfarm food enterprise, including navigating the various regulatory categories, assessing market opportunity, food businesses license categories, liability and food safety compliance and market ing. The manual also includes case study stories of two farms: Stoney Acres in Athens, Wis., and Dinner on the Farm in Rochester, Minn. A new element of this project includes a research component in partnership with the Applied Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Stout in which feedback and data will be collected from attendees at various on-farm events during the 2018 season and compiled. This research report will be available in an updated version of the manual in December 2018. “This unique research data will help farmers looking into food service to gain a better under standing of who is coming to such events,” Olson said. “For the first time, we’ll have data on things like how these folks hear about such events, how far did they travel and what other services might they be looking for, like farm-stay overnight lodging.”
Dream Acres’s kitchen goes down in the com mercial kitchen history books as it is the first completely off-grid, solar-powered facility of its kind. “Being off-grid, the kitchen took a lot of time to research and explain to the health depart ment as it was so out of their box,” explained Eva Barr of Dream Acres Farm. “We’ve learned to be extremely upfront about what we’re doing in talking to regulators and to simply keep at it. Eventually you will find someone receptive to what you’re doing and willing to work with you.”
– Richard Wiswall, farmer & author The Organic Farmer’s Business Handbook: A complete guide to managing finances, crops, and staff — and making a profit On-Farm Food
vermontcompost.com •
Stephanie Schneider of Together Farms had a similar experience building a food trailer for her on-farm food events. “Anytime I do something it seems like I’m the first to do it and have to talk to everyone in state government,” she recalled.
The collaborative spirit of the sustainable farm ing community shines in this project as the farm partner team generously share their reflections and advice for others looking to start such diversi fication income streams. Here are five key starter tips from these successful farmer entrepreneurs: Take it slowly. Take your time and do your research before spending a dime is a consistent piece of advice. Remember to ask yourself those bigger questions of how such an addition can fit in with and sup port your other farm efforts. “Opening the on-farm restaurant and winery in 2015 has been a dream of Marc and mine for years, but it is something that came together slowly and strategically,” explained Mary Ann Bellazzini of Campo di Bella Farm. “We still keep creatively experimenting with ideas, always ask ing ourselves does this fit our values, especially prioritizing our family and spending time with our two teen sons.”
Renewing the Countryside offers that through its Come and Get It project, with the tagline, “What you need to know to serve food on your farm.” This project provides free resources and expert advice for farmers looking to potentially diversify into on-farm food service to help them best manage risk and make sound business decisions.“There definitely is increasing opportunity for farms to diversify and grow income through expanding into agritourism offerings that incor porate their own farm-raised ingredients, from on-farm dinners to pizza farms to various food events,” explained Brett Olson, creative director of Renewing the Countryside, a Minnesota-based organization that champions rural revitalization. “Unfortunately, few resources exist to provide farmers with guidance, resources and support in such efforts, and we want to address this need.”
Couple crafts farm transfer plan that lets them live out their lives on farm
From Texas to Minnesota In 1989, Jerry Ford had never been to Minnesota and couldn’t foresee that his days in hazy, humid Houston were soon coming to an end. He met Mariénne, who was working the music scene in Texas. Soon the two were taking regular treks to the 280-acre farm near Howard Lake.
By Teresa Opheim Mariénne Kreitlow and her husband, Jerry Ford, have set up a plan that lets them live out their lives on the farm that has been in the Kreitlow family since 1898, transferring owner ship upon their deaths to a young couple, Seth and Kiri Bravinder, who are family friends but not blood relations. This farm transfer plan pro tects their land and keeps it in farming. It’s also a generational transfer scenario that is increasingly common: at least three generations were involved in the Mariénne’splanning.95-year-old father, Willard, lives with her and Jerry. He transferred title to the land to Mariénne (113 acres, including house and buildings) and her brother (167 acres) a few years ago, reserving a life estate. Rent checks still go to Willard; he is in charge of taxes, and helps on the farm when he can. He also is the inspiration for their philosophy that the land is “really on loan to us to care for and leave it better.” Mariénne and Jerry rotationally graze cattle on Living Song Farm. They steward a wetland and forest. They grow organic garlic and potatoes for market, and manage conservation practices such as wildlife enhancements, native plant prop agation, and soil and water conservation practices on the cropland. “As Willard was taking over in the 1940s, he started to become aware he was losing topsoil,” Jerry explained. “One spring, he had plowed and was ready to seed when it rained hard. He watched the topsoil wash down the hills. Most of the land here is highly erodible. He met with leading conservationists of the day and started implementing soil and water conservation prac tices. By the 1950s, he had all the steeper hills terraced and everything planted on the contour. He was an early adopter of no-till and grassed waterways. His farm always incorporated small grains and livestock, including dairy cattle and pasturedAccordingpigs.”to Mariénne, Willard’s focus on his “personal judgment rather than pressure from government and the neighbors” also meant that the farm survived debt-free through the 1980s, when so many other farms went out of business. “My dad never bought into the idea that you have to get bigger and get all this equipment. He didn’t take out the fencerows and the windbreaks. He wanted to provide a home for wildlife. He valued the beauty, the aesthetics of farm. And my mother was always involved in the process.”
certi cation services 倀䠀伀一䔀㨀 ⠀㌀㈀ ⤀㈀㠀㘀 ㈀㐀㜀 吀䔀堀吀㨀 ⠀㘀㈀⤀㌀ 㤀 㜀㔀㈀㈀
”It’s not necessary that they continue to grow garlic,” Jerry added. “They could put the whole land in pasture, and it would achieve our conser vationJerrygoals.”gives credit to high quality advisors for their succession plan. “I used to bristle when people would tell me you have to get a lawyer for this. Now I am the one to say you have to get a To Farm Transfer next page
Jerry Ford and Mariénne Kreitlow have crafted a ‘transfer on death’ legal structure to allow a younger couple to take over their farm.
Photo submitted
Even though Willard’s life estate means they are not full owners for now, Mariénne and Jerry decided that, because they were in their 60s, it was time to address their own legacy plans. They started by adding Jerry to the title of the land. Jerry’s son is not interested in farming, so they decided to give him cash regularly over time instead of him inheriting the farm. “Because we don’t have farming heirs of our own, we set about answering: How do we continue to protect this land and live here until our dying days?” Jerry said. “We looked first at putting a conservation easement on the land to protect its grassed waterways, contoured farming, wetland and woods and more. After a couple years, we weren’t having a good experience, and decided we weren’t supposed to do that. We also realized we don’t want to make decisions that will be in place 100 years from now; that might not be the best thing for the land.” By 2008, they began actively looking for young people with the same conservation values. “We never advertised, but we started putting out the word so that we could see what happened. We have had several interns, people who lived here and worked with us. We loved them dearly, but they moved on. One even has a farm now. Those experiences helped us think about the process of succession.”Afteryears of searching, Seth Bravinder, son of dear family friends in the community, and his wife, Kiri, came to them and said they might be interested. The two couples had many conversa tions, soul searching and prayer before both were ready to proceed. “We wanted to figure out how to transition this land to them without strapping them financially. We didn’t want to sell them the farm because we want to live here. We considered a life estate as a possibility, but Willard already has a life estate on the property,” Jerry explained. They settled on a “transfer on death” legal structure. If Mariénne and Jerry happened to pass before Willard, Willard’s life estate would continue until his death, and then the land would go to Seth and Kiri. The two couples are working out the financial and living arrangements independent of the land transfer. Seth and Kiri and their baby will be moving from St. Paul to the farm into temporary housing. Mariénne and Jerry are considering pos sibly selling them a piece of property so they can build a house. Seth and Kiri will pay rent on land they use to build a grass-fed beef operation.
MOSAORGANIC.ORG | 608-637-2526
Practical, reliable and friendly organic
Jerry fell in love with Minnesota, and Mariénne wanted to return home, so they made long-term plans to return to the farm in 2011 when Jerry retired from his teaching gig. “We kept getting signs that our plan to move to the farm in 2011 was not quite right,” Jerry said. “Mariénne’s mother’s health was declining, and the farm was suffering because Willard needed to spend his time caring for her. He wasn’t get ting any rest. We were feeling more of a tug, and spending more and more of our time up here. “ In 2001, massive tropical storm Allison hit Houston. “We had 36 inches of rain in a week,” Jerry explained. “We lost vehicles and were close to losing our house that was 19 feet above sea level! We were living like refugees. Then the attack on the World Trade Center happened, and that caused us to evaluate what we wanted to do.” Mariénne and Jerry decided to move to the farm as soon as possible, figuring they had just nine years before Jerry’s teaching pension would kick in—and they could earn their living farming untilTheythen.moved in 2002, the year Wright County had terrible flooding. “Our start here was trial by water,” Jerry added. The two settled into farming, but kept up with their careers in music and theater. Mariénne’s mom died in 2004, the year Jerry began work ing with Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota (SFA). Jerry now is SFA’s event coordinator and director of the Minnesota Garlic Fest. Mariénne continues to write and perform.
10 | September | October 2018
Farm Transfer — from previous page Boost your farming skills! Farme r-to-Farme r Mentoring Program apply by Oct.
mosesorganic.org/mentor-program www.soilworksllc.com - (605)-260-0784 NUTRITION to
I surge past juniper and oak, where red squirrels spring from tree to tree and deer leave chiseled prints where they nibbled yesterday. With weasels gone, grey fox remain, and coyotes do their best to outsmart wily hunters.
I see roots grow from his feet to nourish man and land, and I come here, again, to let myself be, like him, so deeply planted © 2002
Be Open to Change. Adding a food service element to your business mix undoubtedly will impact your core farming business. Be aware and open to change, advised Heather Secrist of Suncrest Gardens Farm. In 2017, after running her pizza nights for over 12 years, Secrist stopped the CSA side of the business as the pizza nights and other value-added items were significantly driving the farm business. “It was a very hard decision for me to make as we had been providing food to many of our members for years and I watched – and fed – their kids as they grew up.” Secrist saw an opportunity in utilizing her kitchen for other prepared food products and started doing frozen items like soups and pizzas at the Winona Farmers Market. “Our CSA customers still were really interested in these convenience foods that were healthy and local.”
SOIL WORK
I ride the current of the fence and shoot around a hundred acres in the winkin’ of an eye, humming through emerald pastures, between fields of oats and corn, where milkweed splits the dry cocoon. Her parachutes sail rip tide winds.
Kiri and Seth Bravinder (and baby Amos) plan to start a grass-fed beef operation on rented land on their future farm. Photo submitted Home Loam A poem by Mariénne Kreitlow
I arc over loam of fields fresh-ploughed with names like Lester, Glencoe, Storden: a legacy of prairie grass and giant oaks composted into velvet black that reaches way down deep, where moles and gophers burrow in, escaping traps and high strung dogs. I charge through banks of velvetleaf, thistle, burdock, foxtail, fern, past pulsing fireflies in the marsh, where muskrats swim unseen and wood ducks quack and flap to guard their tender young. I parallel the ‘crick’ that trickles to the ‘Crow’ that longs to join the Mississippi, past bloodroot and violets, (where ginseng used to grow and Indian mounds are rumored to have been.)
I circuit cow paths that twist and turn like aged, lazy rivers to end up where I started.
Lisa Kivirist manages the MOSES In Her Boots project. She and her family run Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B outside Monroe, Wis.
Build Community Creatively. Cultivating community can be a natural off-shoot of an on-farm food business, as Diane and Baard Webster realized in starting the Borner Farm Project, a unique 22-acres property located in the center of the town of Prescott, population 4,000. “We never intended to start a pizza farm,” shared Diane Webster with a grin. “This journey really began with our desire to take care of this very unique property and do it in a way that helps support a local food system and build community.” An opportunity came on her radar that offered small grants for repeatable events that would create local community, which helped fund the pizza oven. Local response was strong. They now do about 13 pizza nights a year.
| 11mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775 lawyer who is well versed in property issues and estate planning. And, there are costs involved! To put all the paperwork in order cost us around $3,000. We’ll do tune-ups every couple of years, but the basic plan is in place.”
Jerry added that other people’s situations may be different. “But if things can be learned from our case, that is great,” he added. Teresa Opheim was a Senior Fellow with the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture focused on farm transfers. She now works for Iroquois Valley Farms, a company making impact investments in organic and local agriculture using triple bottom line principles. 31: make your
Add additional sales opportunities. An on-farm food service component can support and enhance other farm businesses. “The income we generate via selling food is not the primary reason we do this,” explained Audrey Arner of Moonstone Farm, which hosts a few events annually. Her core business component is grass-fed, pasture-raised beef and maintaining one of the first farm-stays in the area in the early 1990s. “We also sell our beef direct from the farm as well as fruit pre serves made from farm-grown fruits such as currants, elderberries and apples, honey and pottery and barn art my husband and I make.”
The steward farmer is my father; he knows the rise in every field, the depth of every gully, exacting where the gooseberry and wild asparagus grow. Soil in his pockets, on his hands, and, no doubt, in his soul. He has lived here every season he has known; has hardened, softened, birthed and laughed, laid loved ones in the ground, and risen every morning to a call that he has answered. Considers the handiwork of God; the splendor of his brief possession (and like his body, just on loan.)
Download the manual, Come & Get It: What you need to know to serve food on your farm at renewingthecountryside.org/on_farm_food_service.
On-Farm Food Service — from page 9
• WHEAT • BARLEY •
In fact, winter rye is routinely fed to pigs and other livestock in Europe and there are ongoing feed studies in the U.S. to evaluate hybrid rye as a viable animal feed vs. corn, wheat, and other avail able grains in the Midwest. Rye grain is very high in soluable fiber, which is beneficial for both animal and human health. Incorporating more rye into livestock rations could have wide ranging beneficial effects on the farm landscape. In short, hybrid winter rye is a promising new crop option for Upper Midwest organic producers. 4
•
Based upon the amount of organic corn and soybeans imported in 2016 and 2017, annual U.S. production appears to be short to the tune of nearly one million metric tons of organic grain, or about 600,000 acres of these crops. If the average organic operation is around 300 acres (USDA estimates), the U.S. market needs at least 2,000 more farms producing organic feed grain to meet current demand. Given the standard rotation of three to four years for organic crops, the needed acreage grows even larger—a big reach, indeed. Clearly, opportunities are there for both small and large producers to enter this rapidly growing and profitable market segment.
grainmillers.com | 952.983.1269 PURCHASING CONTRACTS FOR
Encouraging Market “We expect to see further expansion of this market going forward,” Paquin said. “Poultry is pulling demand and more large poultry processors are getting into the market.”
Peter Golbitz (peter.golbitz@agromeris.com) is president of Agromeris, a consulting firm focused on the unique needs of the specialty food and agricultural marketplace. ORGANIC: CORN • OATS RYE Built on Farmer Relationships
TRANSITION CONSULTING SERVICES The three-year transition period and your commitment to sustainable practices involves many milestones. Avoid frustration and missteps that could delay the process by working together with our transition consulting team. We provide professional support and oversight as you move toward your goal of organic certification. Learn more at AndersonsOrganics.com | 419-891-2785 | organics@andersonsinc.com
Ask a Specialist — from page
© 2018 The Andersons, Inc. All rights reserved. The Andersons logo is a registered trademark of The Andersons, Inc. production. Perhaps there has never been a better time to get into the organic market. “We’re definitely seeing more interest at the grower level,” reported Louis Paquin, sales direc tor of feed and corn for SunOpta, Inc., a specialty grain supplier and processor. “They want to better understand the agronomics and economics of the market. Farmers see that organic has continued to move upward even while CBOT [Chicago Board of Trade] moves downward.” Since January of this year, according to USDA reports, farm-gate prices in the U.S. have risen from $17.70 per bushel for feed grade organic soy beans to $19.98 as of June, a 12.9 percent increase, while corn has risen from $8.95 to $10.47, up 17.0 percent. During the same time frame, the average price paid for imported organic soybeans rose just 6.1 percent, from $16.00 per bushel to $16.97, while the price for organic corn imports dropped 24.6 percent, from $11.41 to $8.60 per bushel, showing a clear disfavor for the corn imports. (See tables at right.) While the recent rise in domestic prices may be somewhat a reflection of short summer supply and strong demand, continually growing demand for U.S. product should keep prices attractive for American farmers for at least the next few years.
According to a 2018 consumer study published by OTA, retail sales of organic meat, poultry, and fish hit $1.2 billion in 2017, growing 17.1 percent from the previous year. Poultry represented 62.9 percent of those protein sales and grew at 20.0
12 | September | October 2018 OUTGROW WITH NUTRIENTS OUTLAST WITH CROP INSURANCE OUTPERFORM WITH GRAIN MARKETING TRANSITION WITH CONSULTING SERVICES TOTRANSITIONINGORGANIC? We can help.
Source: USDA FAS GATS & USFA AMS
Organic Corn & Soybeans — from page 6 percent, leading the category’s growth. Regarding prices, Paquin added, “Although we are expecting a big organic crop this year, prices should stay flat to bullish for corn and perhaps there are more upside opportunities in soybeans as there was a lot of corn planted.”
Clarkson Grain’s Dallmier was happy to see that, even with the collapse in prices of conven tional soybeans and corn, organic soybeans were still selling at over twice the price of conventional; organic corn prices were nearly three times higher. “While organic prices are not directly tied to CBOT, there has been a casual relationship between the two, with organic crops typically selling at two to three times the price for conventional,” Dallmier explained. “With these prices and the opportunity to have a guaranteed price contract, there is clearly growing interest in organic with more farmers asking how they can transition.”
Once the crop is up, it is advised to stay out of it and avoid driving through it. Anything that sets the crop back will increase the likelihood of delayed maturity and ergot forming. The seed is patent-protected; growers cannot save seed for planting or selling the following year (not advisable with a hybrid anyway as the saved harvested seed will not be true to type). If a grower buys hybrid rye seed, they must have a marketing plan for the crop at the time of purchase. There are companies that will buy hybrid rye grain [Brooks Grain in Jeffersonville, Ind.; Scoular in Omaha; and, Grain Millers in Eden Prairie, Minn.], and there are feed producers and livestock farmers who are interested in the grain as well due to its near complete absence of ergot.
Specifically, in Dirt to Soil, Gabe challenges the notion of “sustainable agriculture” and argues convincingly that simply sustaining our current degraded soils is unacceptable, and in fact, regener ating soils should be the approach taken by conser vation and environmentally minded agriculturalists.
By John Mesko Necessity is the mother of invention. Nowhere is that truer than in the life of Brown’s Ranch near Bismarck, N.D., where Gabe Brown and his family are literally reshaping the future of agriculture. Gabe Brown is not the first, or the only farmer to use cover crops and livestock to repair and build his soil; but, he may be the most famous. Organic farmers have used cover crops for years to build soil, provide “green manure” for subsequent crops, and to reduce erosion. But Gabe Brown has taken the practice to the extreme, and in the process ignited a soil health movement which is sweeping the globe. In Dirt to Soil, Brown describes the impetus, the process, and the results of shifting the focus of a large-scale, Midwestern crop and livestock farm from maximizing gross productivity to regenerat ing soil, and maximizing long-term sustainability. After convincing his wife to return to her family’s farm in the early 1990s, Brown and his family suffered three major weather-related crop failures, leaving them with little income, and a banker with no confidence. Out of a combination of selfdescribed stubbornness and desperation, Brown set about to farm without an operating loan, cut ting costs to the bone, and risking his reputation as a “good” farmer. Brown’s reckless abandonment of the local status quo is refreshing and inspires the individual in all of us. Dirt to Soil casts a vision for how improving soil health should be the work of all of agriculture and describes in sufficient detail the principles, practices, and metrics to encourage farmers to begin deliberately building soil. Brown’s personal reflections on the impact of his journey on his family and community make this technical subject readable and inspiring. I first met Gabe Brown in 2012 when he was speak ing at a conference about the integration of cover crops, row crops, and livestock grazing at Brown’s Ranch. Gabe’s humil ity, passion, and willingness to share financial information greatly enhanced his credibility and effectiveness. I made a personal connection with him right away. Already a seasoned conference speaker, Gabe was gaining popularity in news media both in the U.S. and internationally as the numbers of guests touring his Bismarck ranch each summer was in the thousands. Despite the great first impression, I wondered if the results at Brown’s Ranch were significantly different than other efforts I’d seen in this area. Seeing is believing; and in 2013, I had the opportunity to tour Brown’s Ranch on what hap pened to be the hottest day on record with a high temperature over 100 degrees. As I walked out into a 40-acre field of cover crops taller than I am, 30 head of cattle entered from another gate and began devouring the forage present. The soil was cool, the cattle were gaining weight and incorporating spent forage and waste; the underground “livestock” — the microbes whose work is critical for creating soil—were feasting as well. Veteran farmers’ feet can tell the difference between healthy and dead soil, and the walk across this pasture screamed health and vitality. The other 500 people with me that day could feel it, too. Since then, Gabe has thrown his influence behind the advancement of the term “regenerative agriculture” to describe the overall impact of the work of building soil. While some may see this as a challenge to terms such as “sustainable” or “organic,” it has inspired a healthy debate about the impact the words we use to describe our work has on our mindset and focus.
Terminology aside, Gabe Brown is demonstrat ing sustainability in a very important way as he has handed off day-to-day farming duties to his son, Paul, who is now adding his own ideas and experi mentation to this very real-world, cutting-edge laboratory called Brown’s Ranch. This transition, too, is inspiring to readers of Dirt to Soil, as most would agree that whatever form a farming operation takes, a core value should be its ability to inspire the next generation to step in and carry on—a new generation learning from the mistakes and building upon the successes of its predecessor. Whether coming from an organic or non-organic perspective, anyone who is sincere about making improvements on their farm or the farms they work with should read Dirt to Soil. You’ll come away with something you can use right away, as well as a thirst for more information.
John Mesko is the executive director of MOSES.
| 13mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
Gabe Brown details his groundbreaking soil-building practices in new book
has been the leading publisher of books about organic farming, gardening, homesteading, natural building, sustainable living, socially responsible business, food, health, and more. Now employee-owned. “ ” withNowGAPrecords!COG Pro Try it for FREE www.cog-pro.comat COG Pro | Organic Certification… Simplified Harley Soltes Bow Hill BlueberriesBow,WA The easiest part of achieving and maintaining our Organic certification has been the COG Pro record keeping software. All the forms and records we need are arranged in an amazingly pleasant visual interface. At Brown’s Ranch in North Dakota, cattle graze a field planted with ~30 cover crop varieties in 100 degree heat with only a half-inch of rain in 2 months. Photo
WWW.CHELSEAGREEN.COM Since 1984, Chelsea
Dirt to Soil By Gabe Brown 2018 | Chelsea Green 240 Get$19.95PagesPaperbackyourcopyatthe 2019 MOSES Conference where your purchase supports farmer education!
NEW FROM CHELSEA GREEN PUBLISHING CHELSEA GR EEN PUBLISHING the politics and practice of sustainable living facebook.com/chelseagreenpub @chelseagreen @chelseagreenbooks Green by Gabe Brown
After Corn (silage), Soybeans, Dry Beans, Vegetables When corn silage, early soybeans, sweet corn, vegetables or dry edible beans come off before the middle of September, there is an excellent window to seed a variety of cover crops beyond winter rye like brassicas and legumes. Brassicas and fall legumes should be seeded before Sept. 15 (can vary with latitude) in the Upper Midwest to provide the best chance for optimum growth and return on your investment; seeding the first week in September would be more ideal. Oats or winter rye with radish, turnips or forage rape provide excellent late-fall forage and can hold onto spread manure. If you’re rotating into a higher-need crop like wheat or vegetables the next season, seeding peas with oats can help fix some nitrogen. Hairy vetch with oats or winter rye also work well in rotation if you have a cash crop seeding later (June). Drilling the cover crops in after the cash crop is harvested will always give you the best establishment vs. broadcasting or other seeding methods. Always pay close attention to seeding depth when seeding multi-species mixes.
14 | September | October 2018
If you’re harvesting a cash crop in early to Mid-August, you have ample time to seed a wide variety of cover crops. Annual legumes in the Upper Midwest like crimson clover, berseem clover, faba beans, sunn hemp, cowpeas, and common vetch could be seeded with success in a mixture and put on reasonable growth before the weather turns cool. Diverse multi-species mixes of cool-season cover crops (like oats, winter rye, peas, radish, etc.) and warm-season cover crops (like buckwheat, sorghum/sudan, cowpeas, etc.) could be explored if the mixture were seeded around Aug. Depending15.on the investment you choose to make in cover cropping, you could even plant a series at this stage. For example, you could plant buckwheat directly after cash crop harvest then follow that with a cool-season blend of oats/peas/ radish or oats/radish. You could also save money by allowing a small grain crop to volunteer seed after harvest and drill in some higher-value cover crop species like clovers, legumes, or brassicas with it. Matt Leavitt is an organic specialist with MOSES.
mentalsupportevenhumansshoulders.lifestylegedThesemanagementeralmentalwayarticle/284470/7-foods-for-stress-relief.www.eatingwell.com/Connectingwithafaithtraditionisanotherofaddressingstressanddevelopingahealthystate.TheMayoClinichasidentifiedsevconnectionsbetweenspiritualityandstress(bit.ly/spirituality_stress_relief).include:•Feelingasenseofpurpose;•Connectingtotheworld;Releasingcontrol;•Expandingyoursupportnetwork.Thefarmingprofessionhaslongattractedrugindividualistswhoseekaquiet,self-sufficientwheresuccessrestssquarelyontheirBut,asanthropologistshavenoted,weremeanttobepartofacommunity—themostruggedofindividualistsneedstheoffamily,friends,andneighborsforgoodhealth.
In our current economic environment, finan cial success on farms is more elusive than ever. Farmers need support to help them weather this economic storm if they’re to continue farming. But, there also needs to be room in our commu nity for farmers to choose to change careers in order to maintain a healthy, productive life. We are all striving for a healthy society and rural communities where organic and sustainable farms can have an impact for the long term. When a farmer commits suicide, we lose the farmer and often the farm. This is not sustainable. There is help available, and talking to someone isn’t a sign of weakness.AsMDA’s Matthews said when explaining why farmers call him, “It isn’t about what’s wrong with you. It’s about how you can make this life better.”
Pasture Walks — from page 5 We were able to review her soil test results again with the group and confirm that the previ ous owner’s excessive application of manure had built up the levels of soil nutrients so she didn’t need to apply more. And we reminded her to follow-up with the soil testing lab to update her soil test recommendation to give a nitrogen credit for the legumes growing in her pasture. Her current soil test report suggested adding nitrogen fertilizer based on the assumption of a pasture mix with no legumes. Given that the 30% legume content in her pasture will fix nitrogen biologically, adding nitrogen would have wasted money on fertilizer that she was already getting for free. I recommend pasture walks to landowners and farmers to meet new people, build community, and see the world in new ways. Negotiating pas ture leases or planning farm transitions can cause some people to close up to outside perspectives, but getting outside and using the senses of sight, smell, and touch open our minds. If you are considering working with a farmer or landowner, invite them to a local pasture walk so you can develop your relationship in a support ive environment. You will build a shared vision of how you want to manage your farm in a lowpressure setting, away from the demands of your own properties. And for farmers, funding is avail able from the Conservation Stewardship Program of the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service for you to host pasture walks—sign-up at the field office in your county.
Cover Crops — from page 8
It is not advisable to plant winter rye after corn going into small grains as it will be chal lenging to kill the rye before the optimal time to plant spring small grains. Having rye in your oats, wheat, or barley will reduce the desirability of your crop to marketers.
Robert Bauer works for the Southwest Badger Resource Conservation & Development Council. Exercise also improves sleep, another important factor in stress management. While farming can be an active lifestyle, much of it can be repetitive motions and not balanced exercise for the whole body. In many cases, too, modern equipment has replaced hand labor, leading to less physical activity.Farm Strong, an organization out of New Zealand, offers a free online “Farm Fit Challenge” program that includes a 4-week workout plan that gradually increases in intensity as the exerciser gains strength. (See farmstrong. co.nz/wellbeing-topics/farm-fit.)Expertsalsorecommendahealthy diet to reduce the effects of stress. “Eating the rainbow,” or a diet with a wide variety of types and colors of foods can reduce stress, lower cholesterol, and even help maintain a healthy weight. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, fish, oatmeal or granola are much better at reducing stress than the sugary, fatty foods many of us turn to for a quick lift in times of stress. For a list of anti-stress foods, see
After Small Grains, Vegetables
Manage
John Mesko is the executive director of MOSES. Farm Stress — from page 7
| 15mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
family have a 480-acre farm in central PrairiErthIllinois,Farm, with a diverse mix of crops By Audrey Alwell Norfolk,NE AGlobalEquipmentCompany,Inc. www.henkebuffalo.com 800-345-5073 www.HsuGrowingSupply.com 715.675.5856 237502 County Road W • Wausau, WI 54403 From our Farm to Yours COMPOST • MULCH • SOIL Organic Fertilizers • Seed Starting Soils Bio-insecticides & Fungicides • Plug Trays And So Much More! gift when you mention this ad before December 1st when ordering your soils. No minimum purchase. Valid on new orders only. PICK
OR AVAILABLEDELIVERY
are
Agriculture from
Chris Barnier chrisbarnier@mosesorganic.org
We create and distribute NOP compliant products for Organic Crop Production. Our products are field tested and time proven to increase production yields, they are economical to use, and they are easy to apply using drip, injection, pivot, or spray equipment. Living Stone Organics’ FIVE TOUCH SYSTEM : Mineral rich, biologically active soil Dynamic root growth Strong resilient plant structure Increased size and yield, faster finish Efficient stubble composting Application at these key growth points = Increased quality and production yields www.TerraBioticsInc.com • 877.519.8873 • P.O. Box 1439, Deming,
88031 543213 2 4 5 1 MOSES expands team of organic specialists to answer farmers’ questions crop and inspector,livestockandserves on
Organic
Directors.
Chris McGuire @mosesorganic.orgchrismcguire
stores
and
Board
Chris and his wife, Juli, have farmed since 2003 at Two Onion Farm in Belmont, Wis. They grow certified organic vegetables CSA members, farmers markets, and local gro cery on their 12-acre farm.
Rachel and her husband, Anton, own and operate Mary Dirty Face Farm near Menomonie, Wis. They grow 9 acres of certified organic berries, apples, pears, and plums. They’ve recently added livestock as an additional enterprise for the farm. Rachel is past coordinator of the Organic Fruit Growers Association. Mariann Holm mariannholm@mosesorganic.org Mariann and her husband, Doran, raise organic dairy heifers on their grass-based farm in Dunn County, Wis. Mariann is an organic NM the Wisconsin Organic Advisory Council the Menomonie Market Food Co-op of
and fruits for
Audrey Alwell is the communications director at MOSES.
dave@mosesorganic.org OGRAIN Consultant
We’ve expanded our team of organic specialists to include more expertise from our farming com munity. This new team includes our lead organic specialist, Matt Leavitt, who is the point person taking questions to send out to the wider team when the topic falls in a team member’s expertise. The new team includes Christopher Barnier, Dave Bishop, Rachel Henderson, Mariann Holm, and Chris McGuire. They attend events to repre sent MOSES, answer farmers’ questions in our booth at the MOSES Organic Farming Conference, and write occasionally for the Organic Broadcaster —see Dave Bishop’s “Ask a Specialist” answer on page 4 of this issue. access this expanded network of specialists, call our Organic Answer Line (715-778-5775) or submit your questions at bit.ly/AskaSpecialist. Matt Leavitt matt@mosesorganic.org Matt holds a master’s degree in agronomy from the University of Minnesota. Prior to joining MOSES in 2017, he worked with Albert Lea Seed. Bishop Dave and his UP and livestock. The farm has been certified organic since 2004. The Bishops the 2017 MOSES Farmers of the Year and received the 2018 RJ Vollmer Award for Sustainable the Illinois Department of Ag.
To
Chris retired from the USDA Farm Service Agency and has been an independent organic inspector in Minnesota and Wisconsin since 2008. Chris and his wife, Claudia, live on a 50-acre organic crop farm near Maiden Rock, Wis. Rachel Henderson @mosesorganic.orgrachelhenderson
Dave
Saving the Organic Label
16 | September | October 2018 Inside Organics — from page 3 consumers. Reportedly, most of the consumption in alternative not-milks is by shoppers who are not vegans, vegetarians, or lactose-intolerant but erroneously think that these products are more nutritious and healthy. In terms of growth in organic dairy production, all cows are not created equal. Managing animals in a confinement environment and pumping them full of TMR (total mixed rations) before sending them out on token pasture means some herds have rolling production averages of, literally, twice as much milk as authentically managed organic cows. Cornucopia staff, including myself as our point person on dairy issues, have visited many of these operations. (I definitely do not call them “farms.”)
Mark Kastel is a cofounder and Senior Farm Policy Ana lyst of Cornucopia Institute, a farm policy research group best known for acting as an organic industry watchdog. This certified organic dairy is 1 of 6 in Texas that produce 1.4 times more milk than the 453 organic dairy farms in Wisconsin. Photo by Cornucopia Institute
There are now effectively two “organic” labels: One covers the true meaning of organic environmen tal stewardship, humane animal husbandry, and economic justice for farmers; the other has morphed into nothing more than corporate greed and exploita tion—abusing the trust and goodwill of consumers. Nowhere is this truer than in the dairy sector. Organic family farms are being forced out of busi ness, and there’s a 50-50 chance that consumers are buying milk that isn’t meeting their expecta tions of organic. Based on most recent USDA records, the six certified “organic” dairies in Texas produce 1.4 times more milk than the 453 organic dairy farms in Wisconsin! How do you tell the two organic labels apart? They both bear the same USDA seal. The new Cornucopia Organic Dairy Scorecard separates illegal factory farm production—that burns out cows, is hard on the environment, competitively disadvantages ethical farmers, and produces milk with substandard nutrients—from authentic organic milk. Cornucopia has done the research, but, with about 10,000 members, has a limited ability to shift market share without all of us working together. We need organic farmers, who are universally respected by consumers, to make your voices heard. We will shortly have some materials available that you can share on social media. Dairy producers should partner with dairy processors. Sample prod ucts at grocery stores in your region. And work with us to figure out clever and creative ways to reach the people with true economic clout. Together, we can make a difference. We can’t trust corporate agribusiness, or their lobbyists, or the political appointees at the USDA to protect us from fraud. There is a higher power than the USDA or the federal courts for enforcing the law—the con sumer dollar! We must educate our family, friends, and neighbors. Together we have the power to move theWeneedle.have a secret weapon in organics: Millions of consumers passionately care and want the safest and most nutritious food for their families, real organic food, and they want farmers to be treated fairly and respectfully. It is imperative that we all work together to edu cate our consumer allies so they can vote with their food dollars to support the true heroes in organics, farmers and the brands their ethical processing and marketing partners control. We will be supplying some hands-on tools that dairy producers, and other organic farmers can use to take action. I hope you will visit with us at the Cornucopia booth at the MOSES Conference this coming February. In the meantime, visit our website, www.cornucopia.org, and take advantage of materials to engage your friends, family, and cus tomers. We need everyone in the organic community to stand today with organic dairy farmers who now have their livelihoods at risk. Please remember that the reputation of the organic label, something we all own together, is at risk as well.
We have also spent thousands to pay for aerial pho tography to surveille these giant facilities. But we really didn’t have to do any of that. All we needed to do was look at the regulatory documents that are required in each state, including the manure/ nutrient management plans for these dairies. Any experienced dairyman or woman knows that the numbers just do not add up. How can you actually milk cows, many thousands of them in a single facility, in semi-arid or true desert conditions, moving them in and out of the milking parlor sometimes three or four times a day? Real dairy producers know that it’s challenging to rotate cows to a fresh paddock even twice a day. When Cornucopia surveyed certified organic dairy producers throughout the nation, we found that they averaged approximately one acre of pas ture per cow (that varied a little bit because some producers included young stock). In contrast, regulatory documents show that some of the certified organic CAFOs have a stock ing density of 10 cows per acre. In technical terms, at Cornucopia we call that a phenomenal “stretch.” But if you dig deeper into the documents, or inter view some of the current or former employees of the dairies, you find that some of these operations are actually cutting hay off the same “pasture.” In technical terms, we call that a “joke.” And what do these pastures look like? In many cases they are not based on well-established perennials, but rather annuals that burn up in the desert heat, giving these giant dairies a convenient excuse to replant, irrigate, and keep the cattle off. From a legal standpoint, we contend that they are not meeting the mandate to provide “access to pasture” if they have no pasture! And when USDA investigators confirmed our allegations, once again, McEvoy and the NOP let the giant dairies off the Takehook.the case of Aurora Dairy, the largest organic milk producer in the country, with giant CAFOs in Texas and Colorado. After adjudicat ing a formal legal complaint by The Cornucopia Institute a decade ago, career civil servants at the USDA found that Aurora had “willfully” violated 14 tenets of the federal organic standards and recommended they be decertified. Instead, Bush administration political appointees let them continue to operate with some modest adjustments to their operations under a one-year probation. In 2017, we worked with The Washington Post on an investigative story that documented Aurora’s largest dairy, managing 22,000 animals, doing a token job, at best, of grazing. We filed another complaint. This time it was adjudicated by holdovers at the NOP from the Obama administration.Howdidthey handle it? They had dis missed other complaints we filed in 2015, after aerial surveillance documented no cows out on pasture on days quite suit able for grazing. In these cases, the NOP did nothing more than contact the certifiers, the inspectors paid large fees by the giant dairies, who assured USDA officials that they were “certified in good standing.” Case closed. When it came to the Aurora complaint we filed last year, armed with the Washington Post evidence, they decided it warranted a direct inspec tion by USDA investigators. So they contacted Aurora executives, and their lawyers, and made an appointment to visit. On hearing this, Francis Thicke, a longtime certified organic dairy farmer from Fairfield, Iowa, former Obama-era appointee to the NOSB and 2012 MOSES Organic Farmer of the Year, said, “Whoever heard of a law enforcement agency call ing up a suspected meth lab and setting up a mutu ally convenient appointment to carry out a search?”
The MOSES “In Her Boots” podcast, which recently released its 50th episode, currently fea tures a series of interviews with Bridget Holcomb, the head of the Women, Food, and Ag Network. New episodes come out every Friday. Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher, or listen at mosesorganic.org/ in-her-boots-podcast. OGRAIN Farmer Learning Hubs MOSES, through its OGRAIN partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is bringing together experienced organic farmers and those curious about organic production to talk about how organic works. These local “learning hubs” are starting in Wisconsin and Iowa, with plans for a Minnesota group as well. If you’re interested in participating in one of these meetings, email Matt Leavitt, MOSES Organic Specialist, at matt@mosesorganic.org, or call 715-778-5775.
Call for Research Posters
The fall meeting of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB) will take place Oct. 24-26 at the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront in St. Paul, Minn. This is the semiannual meeting for the board to hear comments from the public about substances used in organic production. Written comments and requests for a speaking time at the meeting must be received by Oct. 4, 2018. Speaker slots are limited and are filled as requests are received. The NOSB also will hold public comment webinars Oct. 16 and 18.
| 17mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
Several popular MOSES fact sheets aimed at market farmers have been translated into both Hmong and Spanish. Titles include Transition to Organic Vegetable Production, Organic Pest and Disease Management, and Guide to Using “Organic” at Markets. All language versions are available as free downloads on the MOSES web site at mosesorganic.org/organic-fact-sheets.
NEWS BRIEFS
The Organic Research Forum at the 2019 MOSES Conference includes a juried poster ses sion documenting completed and ongoing research projects related to organic agriculture. Researchers, academic faculty and staff, graduate/undergraduate students, and farmer researchers may submit a poster proposal for consideration by Dec. 14, 2018. Space is limited to 25 posters. All accepted poster presenters receive full conference admission. See details at mosesorganic.org/ organic-research-forum.
La popular manual guía para la certificación orgánica, una guía de 32 páginas creada por MOSES sobre el proceso de certificación y los estándares orgánicos, se ha traducido al español y está dis ponible como descarga gratuita en nuestro sitio web.
Fall NOSB Meeting
Party for Organic Prior to NOSB Meeting
Fact Sheet on Complying with FSMA MOSES has created a new fact sheet in partner ship with the National Farmers Union’s Local Food Safety Collaborative. The two-page fact sheet contains Producedifferentexplanationseasy-to-followaboutthefacetsoftheSafetyRule.It also breaks down the labeling, training, recordkeeping and water testing requirements of the rule. The publication is free to download at mosesorganic.org/food-safety.
The popular Guidebook for Organic Certification, a 32-page guide created by MOSES about the certifica tion process and organic standards, has been trans lated to Spanish and is available as a free download on our website. If you work with farmers,Spanish-speakingandwouldlike to place a bulk order for these guidebooks, email info@mosesorganic.org.
Fact Sheets in Hmong, Spanish
Thank Chris Blanchard Webpage Chris Blanchard, host of the Farmer-to-Farmer Podcast, announced earlier this month that he is no longer able to produce the show. In his farewell letter, Chris wrote, “I have grown too ill to con tinue its production, and I do not expect to get better.” The 3-year-old podcast has 176 episodes archived at www.farmertofarmerpodcast.com. Friends and fans of his show have created a webpage, www.thankyouchris.com, to send Chris and his family notes of support and thanks for his years of mentoring market farmers. They’ve also reached out to MOSES to create a scholarship fund to send market farmers to the annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference, which Chris had such a hand in creating. He coordi nated the workshops at the conference for over a decade and was also the co-director of the conference for many years. Chris was able to share his inspiringdeliveringouspresentingtheknowledgefarmingthroughconferencebynumerworkshopsandankeynoteat this year’s event. www.youtube.com/user/mosesorganic/videos).(See To donate to the Chris Blanchard Scholarship Fund, see bit.ly/ChrisBlanchardScholarship2MOSES.
Organic Grain Producers Network Farmers who grow organic grain or are just getting started in organic production will find an active support network in the OGRAIN listserv maintained by the University of WisconsinMadison. Recent discussions have covered clover removal, hybrid rye as a cash crop, and overcom ing a boron deficiency. To subscribe to the listerv, email join-ograin@lists.wisc.edu.
OGRAIN is a collaborative effort of the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems (CIAS), Farm and Industry Short Course (FISC), UW-Madison/ UWEX Organic and Sustainable Cropping Systems lab, and MOSES, with support from the USDA Beginning Farmer & Rancher Development Program. MINNESOTACertificationOrganicCROPIMPROVEMENTASSOCIATION1900HENDONAVE,SAINTPAULMN55108855-213-4461www.mciaorganic.org•HANDLERS•PROCESSORS•PRODUCERS•WILDCROPLIVESTOCK Serving the Upper Midwest Ensuring Organic Integrity Since 2002 committedresponsivelocal to service Original and Organic products available. ✯✯1gal. lasts 1month for 42 cows✯✯ NUTRA-GLO TM Nutritional Feed Supplement for all Ruminants ProbioticOrganicMineralsVitaminsChelatesMetabolites • Herd Health • Reproduction • Milk Production • Protein • Butterfat • Somatic Cell Count …forContains...improved Creekside Sales (Samuel & Ruthetta Schrock) S 2426 Bundy Hollow Rd LaValle, WI 53941 Discover Your Herd’s Maximum Potential! Wholesale/Retail $1.30/calf/mo Also available: Nutra-Glo™ for Horses, Dogs, Poultry and Humans. Professional Farm Management Including Organic Farming FARM MANAGEMENT Organic and Conventional 320 South Crossing Road - PO Box 69 Sherman, Illinois, 62684-0169 Kent Kraft, AFM Managing Broker Rob Woodrow, AFM Managing Broker Office: 217-496-3500 FarmlandSolutionsLLC.com FARMBuyBROKERAGE&Sell
The MOSES team is organizing a party the evening of Oct. 23 at the Amsterdam in down town St. Paul to welcome the national organic community to the Upper Midwest. Special musi cal guest is Cloud Cult, ranked by Rolling Stone as one of the Top 10 Greenest Bands—lead musi cians Craig and Connie Minowa just happen to be organic farmers! See www.cloudcult.com/about for more on the band. A limited block of $50 tickets is on sale to the public. See mosesorganic.org/party-for-organic for details. Event sponsors include Organic Valley and Prairie Organic Spirits. Webinars for NRCS Staff MOSES Organic Specialist Matt Leavitt is presenting a series of webinars to help staff from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) understand organic farming practices and certification requirements so they can better serve organic producers. He is working with NRCS staff at the state and national level. Organic & Non-GMO Forum Handlers, buyers, farmers, and processors will gather in St. Louis Oct. 29-30, 2018 for the Organic & Non-GMO Forum. Presentations will focus on strategies to develop the organic and non-GMO supply chain. Matt Leavitt, MOSES Organic Specialist, will head an international panel of organic farmers discussing systems for diversifying production capacity, optimizing profit ability, and incorporating technological innova tion. See www.ongforum.com.
In Her Boots Podcast
Organic Certification Guide in Spanish
Minnesota AGRI Grants The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is accepting applications for Agricultural Growth, Research and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture and Demonstration grants. These fund two- to three-year research or demonstration projects on Minnesota farms that may make farming more profitable and resource efficient. Annual results of funded projects are published in the MDA’s Greenbook. Deadline to apply is Dec. 12, 2018. See details at www.mda. state.mn.us/sustagdemogrant. At TerraMax, research is the backbone of our business. terramaxag.com(952) 657-5592 Natural products that benefit producers, consumers and the environment. Make
USDA NOP accredited Organic Certification Crops, Livestock, Wild Crops and Processing / Handling
Perennial Crops Resource Savanna Institute has published Perennial Pathways: Planting Tree Crops, which describes ways to integrate perennial crops into existing farming systems. The 110-page book is $20 or free to download at www.savannainstitute.org.
Organic Grain Enterprise Budgets Michigan State University Extension has published organic grain crop enterprise budgets in Excel to help farmers establish or expand an organic grain farm.Budgets are available for corn, soybeans, oats, winter wheat, and barley. They provide estimates of returns and selected costs from a variety of certified organic grain crop enterprises in central and southern Michigan. See enterprise-budgets-are-available.www.canr.msu.edu/news/organic-grain-crop-
mosesorganic.net$19.95profitabilitytofinancialsounddecisionsimproveyour!|270pages
Opportunity for Local Food Producers
New Organic Grain Facility in Iowa Pipeline Foods recently acquired a grain eleva tor in Iowa, bringing its total to six organic pro cessing facilities in the U.S. and Canada. The company purchased the Atlantic, Iowa facility from Archer Daniels Midland Company, and has been upgrading the elevator to open mid-September.
New Podcast on Organic Grain Farming
Wisconsin Intentional Farming Community Rock Ridge Community, an intentional group located between Ridgeway and Dodgeville, Wis., is seeking new members. Founded in the early 1970s, the group stewards about 175 acres of land. For details, email rockridge.community.wi@gmail.com.
Pipeline Foods has released a podcast called “Into the Weeds” that digs into the details of organic grain production, marketing, risk man agement, transition challenges, and more. The company also has created a video series called Going Organic that is following farmer Kade McBroom as he transitions land in Missouri. Access these media at www.pipelinefoods.com/blog.
Podcast on Japanese Beetles University of Minnesota Extension recently posted a podcast on Japanese beetles, with discus sion on what is and isn’t working to manage them. See www.fruitedge.umn.edu/kalepodcast.
Wisconsin Pollinator Research
The Fifth Annual FEAST! Local Foods Market-place is accepting applications for food and drink businesses from Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota for its event Nov. 30-Dec. 1, 2018, in Rochester, Minn.Exhibitors show, sample and sell their artisan food products to wholesale buyers and consumers during the two-day event. They also participate in a Friday tradeshow with net working and workshops. See www.local-feast.org.
Nature’s International Certi cation Services “In Nature there is abundance, with Nature’s there is success.” 224 East State Highway 56 Viroqua, WI 54665 Phone: 608-637-7080 Email:www.naturesinternational.comnics@naturesinternational.com
18 | September | October 2018 NEWS BRIEFS
Researchers at the University of WisconsinMadison are looking for grower collaborators in Wisconsin for a pollinator research project in the summer of 2019 and 2020. The project will evaluate the impact of pollinator habitat on the wild bee community, crop pollination, and yield. Farms must have established pollinator habitat and be willing to grow cucumbers and melons. For information, contact Dr. Hannah Gaines Day at hgaines@wisc.edu or 774-392-0498.
| 19mosesorganic.org | 715-778-5775
Dairy Jobs: Grazing/Organic farmers in MN, MO, NY, PA, VT and WI are hiring fulltime employees to work and gain skills needed to become dairy farm managers and owners. Visit https://www.dga-national.org/ Employment Opportunity. Looking for marketer to sell Organic Grain on Independent Contractor Status. If interested please email mcdonald@mwt.net.
CLASSIFIEDS Place an ad at Organic Classifieds or call 715-778-5775.
For sale: Organic straw, grass, clover and alfalfa hay. 3x3x7 square bales. Some in small squares. Located in Northeast Iowa. Call 562-852-7044 or 641-228-1583. For sale: Organic hay, wrapped and dry in big square bales Organic oats. Organic straw in big square bales. Can deliver. 608-574-2160. Organic cover crop seed and custom seed cleaning: Cereal Rye, Oats, Buckwheat, Wheat, etc. Cleaned and available in supersack totes. Bagging a possibility. SW Wisconsin. Variety of organic small grains available for feed as well. Call John 646-491-0909.
FARMS/LAND LIVESTOCK FORAGESGRAINS MISCELLANEOUS New ads posted weekly online. • Equipment • Farms/Land mosesorganic.org/organic-classifieds • Jobs • Livestock • Forages • Grain Place your ad to be seen by 15,000 readers! $20 for up to 30 words; $5/additional 10 words ORGANIC FISH FERTILIZER 15-1-1, 100% dry water soluble, 5-7 times more nutritious than liquid fish. Will not clog drip irrigation. One lb., 5 lb. or 55 lb. packag ing, can be shipped UPS. Frommelt Ag Service, Greeley, IA, 563-920-3674. For Sale: Tempered, insulated, double-pane glass. Large panes for sunrooms, solar homes, ag buildings, greenhouses or ??? One hundred fifty thousand sold since 1979; 32” x 74” x 1” double-pane only $49.00. We will be closing or selling Arctic Glass in 12 months. If you need glass now would be a good time! Arctic Glass, www.kissourglass.com, 715-639-3762 or joseph4249@gmail.com. Nature Safe Fertilizer. We manufacture our own OMRI listed Amino Acid 15-0-1, a dry powder water soluble fertilizer. Use in your sprayer, drip irrigation or pivot. Sold by the ton in 55 lb. bags, super sacks. www. naturesafe.com 616-566-0307. EQUIPMENT JOBS The Ahimsä Alternative, Inc. For all things Neem & Karanja INSECTICIDEBIOLOGICAL 100% Cold Pressed Neem Oil (3750 ppm azadirachtin) Controls Aphids, Army Worms, Beetles, Stink bugs, Caterpillars, Leaf hoppers, Leaf miners, Whitefly, Mealy bugs, Midges, Nematodes, Spider mites, Weevils, Scale, Thrips. www.nimbiosys.com100%ColdPressed,Wild Harvested Neem Oil, Karanja Oil,Neem & Karanja Cake TerraNeem®EC Order @www.neemresource.com or call 1-877-873-6336 Biological Insecticide, Miticide, Fungicide, Nematicide Cold Pressed Neem Oil Ready to Use For Organic & Sustainable Use 4-hour REI Zero days to harvest Improve and protect your organic farming profits Sustaining organic producers by coordinating the efforts of marketing groups. Oren Holle, president 979 Second Road Bremen KS oholle@bluevalley.net785-337-244266412www.ofarm.coop
Breeding flock of Iceland Sheep. Includes about 30 females and 2 rams. 100% grass-fed, certified organic. Excellent mild-flavored meat and highly regarded fleeces. Aggressive browsers of buckthorn and mul tiflora rose. Located near Wabasha MN. Includes free guard donkey. Contact hunter.ts@gmail.com.
mosesorganic.org/organic-classifieds
For Sale: Chicken Tractor on grain wagon chassis. $950. 30 x 48 High Tunnel - Grower’s Supply high end. Never used. In storage. originally over $5000. Best offer. 815-988-2628. Near Rochelle, IL. For Sale: 20-40 Acres of chemical free pasture & till able, used for rotational grazing operation & agritour ism B & B. Built in 2000, this American 4 sq 5 bed 5 bath home has incredible views. Near Menomonie, have access to Twin Cities & EC markets. $425-525,000 de pending on acreage. Call Knelly Dettinger TruLivingKW 507-272-0526 to view this unique ag opportunity. Looking to rent organic farmland in northwest Iowa or southeast South Dakota. Looking for at least 100 acres or more. Already farming organically. Daniel 712-229-0161. See additional properties for sale or rent online: mosesorganic.org/land-link-up.
Minnesota FSMA PSR Grower Training November 2018 – March 2019 | 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | $25 | Various The Produce Safety Rule, which is a part of the new federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), requires fruit and veg etable farms that grow, pack, harvest and/or hold produce and that do not qualify for an exemption or exclusion from the Rule attend this training. Registration required. 651-539-3648
Upper Midwest CRAFT Field Day: Ecological Agrofor estry and Pollinators September 25 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | $20 | Jefferson, Wis. Learn more about agroforestry and pollinator habitat; specifi cally integrating wildlife habitat, with a focus on pollinator habitat, into a farm operation. Free to members. Angelic Organics: 815-389-8455
Crosshatch Fall Field School September 30 | 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. | Sutton’s Bay, Mich. In addition to workshops with brilliant teachers, Crosshatch Field Schools will include one-on-one consulting with farm ex perts, a local food lunch, and a post-workshop social network ing hour. This year will feature 3 full-day courses: Advanced Beekeeping with Dr. Meghan Milbrath of Michigan State University, Farm Resilience: Soil Health + Farm Design with Nic Welty of 9 Bean Rows, and Seed Saving with Ben Cohen of Small House Farm. 231-622-5252 Farm Tour: Featherstone Farm September 30 | 2 -4 p.m. | Rushford, Minn. This 22-year old, 250 acre certified organic farm produces around 70 crops for local co-ops, restaurants, grocers, whole salers and CSA members. Hear from founder and owner Jack Hedin about operating organically on a larger scale, and how scale affects all aspects of farming, from planning, to markets, to pest/weed control. RSVP to Laura @ 651-433-3676 .
September 27 | 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. | East Troy, Wis. Learn about conservation practices at Long Winter Farm where Rachel Anderson and her family farm 1500 acres and utilize no-till, strip-till, advanced covercrop systems, and more. Also hear about her brand-new cut-flower business. Hosted by Wisconsin Farmers Union and partners. Wisconsin Farmers Union: 715-590-2130
Kernza & Silvopasture Field Day October 5 | 9:45 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Free | Lancaster, Wis. The University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Lancaster Agricultural Research Station will host a fall field day highlighting innova tive grazing practices: managed grazing of Kernza, a perennial grain and forage crop, and silvopasture, where trees are inten sively managed with pasture. To register call 608-723-2580.
Expand Production with a High Tunnel
2018 WFAN Annual Conference November 2 & 3 | $ | Des Moines, Iowa This year’s conference theme is Stepping Into Action: Changing Foodscapes through Individual and Community Power. Learn more. WFAN: 515-460-2477
Webinar: Role of Agroforestry in Supporting Pollinators October 23 | 1 p.m. | Online Join the conversation to learn how agroforestry practices can be designed and managed to support pollinator conservation and services in temperate regions. Online @ conservationwebinars.net Organic and Non-GMO Forum October 29 – 30 | All day | $ | St. Louis, Mo. The 4th Annual Organic & Non-GMO Forum 2018 distinguishes itself from other conferences by being the only domestic conference of its kind that brings together stakeholders from across the value chain to address growing opportunities.
COMMUNITY CALENDAR Find details and event links online: mosesorganic.org/community VISIT ONGFORUM.COM TO LEARN MORE!
North American Biodynamic Conference: Transforming the Heart of Agriculture: Soil. Justice. Regeneration. November 14-18 | $ | Portland, Ore. The five days of programming will include field days at local farms and vineyards, inspiring and thought-provoking key notes, hands-on workshops for beginners and experienced practitioners, delicious local and Biodynamic food and wine, artistic and cultural activities, facilitated conversations, and many new connections. 262-649-9212
Women Caring for the Land: Long Winter Farm
Land Access: Starting from Scratch Field Day September 30 | 1 - 4 p.m. | Hager City, Wis. Contact Dori @ 612-578-4497 to register! Farm Table Foundation: Seed Cleaning and Processing October 2 | $15 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Amery, Wis. The final stages of seed cleaning, using both low tech methods with common household tools and also the Farm Table Seed Shed equipment, will be demonstrated at this class. Bring seeds you’ve harvested. Class includes winter squash seed harvest; seed storage and record-keeping; and planning for next year. 715-268-4500
OCTOBER 29-30, 2018 IN ST. LOUIS
Glacierland Pasture Walk: Brattset Family Farm September 25 | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. | Jefferson, Wis. For more details about Glacierland events, contact Kirsten Jurcek at 262-593-2077
Upper Midwest CRAFT Field Day: Humane Animal Hus bandry Practices October 7 | 2 - 5 p.m. | $20 | Brodhead, Wis. Learn how to humanely care for goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens. Learn how to administer shots, trim hooves, use the FAMACHA method to check animals for worms, assessing body condition, prevent common ailments and more! Free to members. Angelic Organics: 815-389-8455 Webinar: Meeting the Challenges of Soil Health in Dry land Wheat Systems in the West October 9 | 1 p.m. | Online Join the webinar to learn about challenges of soil health in dryland wheat systems with limited water in the arid west. This Webinar will focus on large scale, on farm trials conducted in the arid West and how producers are adopting cover crops in their no-till wheat-fallow system. Online at conservationwebinars.net
Upper Midwest CRAFT Field Day: 4-Season Production and Income November 5 | 1 p.m.-5 p.m. | $20 | Caledonia, Ill. This field day will feature a panel of farmers from four local farms who extend their production season. Find out how they do it! Space is limited for this Field Day, so RSVP soon! Free to members. Angelic Organics: 815-389-8455
Cottage Food Producer Training October 17 | 1 - 5 p.m. | Minneapolis, Minn. This training focuses on food safety practices for all processes covered under the cottage food law. Learn how to produce, package, label, store, and transport a safe food product. Contact Karla @ 507-337-2808
Midwest Mechanical Weed Control Field Day September 26 | 9:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. | $20 | PrairiErth Farm, Atlanta, Ill. From finger weeders to flex-tine harrows, come learn the principles and tools for precise mechanical weed control from farmers, researchers, and suppliers. Contact Mallory to register: 312- 840-2128
Bringing together handlers, buyers, farmers, and processors to discuss the growing demand for organic and non-GMO products. Hear from industry leaders and join the discussion about innovations on the farm, organic grain prices, transitioning acres into organic, certification challenges, and more! JOIN CRITICAL DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE BUSINESS OF ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
MFA Fall Harvest Party! October 14 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. | $20 | Marine on St. Croix, Minn. Come celebrate the end of the season, meet your farm sup porters, and party with food, music, games, and more. Minnesota Food Association: 651-433-3676 Cattle Handling, Pasture Walk October 22 | 12:30 – 3 p.m. | Colfax, Wis. Ken and Laurie Schmitt raise about 60 grass-fed cow/calf pairs with 200 acres using rotational grazing. They will show off their “Bud Box” design and affordable chute and alley system that makes it easy to work cattle. 715-723-5561
September 25 | 1 – 4 p.m. | Spring Valley, Wis Get tips on selecting and building a high tunnel to help you decide if it’s a good choice for your farm. Topics include design and site considerations, construction tips, crop choicesm and more. The farmers speak Hmong, which will be interpreted to English. The English portion of this event will be interpreted to Hmong. MOSES: 715-778-5775
Growing & Marketing Minnesota Premium Garlic September 29 | 9:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | $8 | Minnetrista, Minn. Jerry Ford, director of Minnesota Garlic Festival, and Connie Carlson from University of Minnesota’s Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships discuss how to increase garlic pro duction, quality, and marketing. Call Jerry @ 763-244-6659.
MFA: CSA Contracts & Land Meeting November 29 | 5:45 - 8 p.m. | $20 | Location TBD This meeting will be an initial discussion between staff and farmers on market contracts for the following season. We will also discuss the Farm Operations budget and any other pro gram/policy changes for the following year. Minnesota Food Association: 651-433-3676
Nobel Conference: Living Soil October 2 - 3 | $ | St Peter, Minn. How do we develop sustainable agricultural practices that will protect against soil erosion and promote soil health? How might we best promote exploration of beneficial compounds from soils? These are just some of the questions that Nobel Conference 54 will address. Call 507-933-8000 to learn more.
20 | September | October 2018
Upper Midwest CRAFT Field Day: Fall Biodynamic Preparations September 29 | 1:30 p.m. | $20 | Elkhorn, Wis. Zinniker Family Farm is the longest-running Biodynamic farm in the country. This a great opportunity to experience handson learning and make Biodynamic preparations. Potluck and bonfire at the farm after. Free to members. Learn more. Angelic Organics: 815-389-8455
Writing Your Annual Farm Report November 15 | 5:45 – 8 p.m. | $20 | Marine on St. Croix, Minn. The goal is to keep good records during the season of all your field activity and farm work. Now, what can you learn from those records? Learn how to use your records to create a help ful summary of the past season to assist with planning for next year and future years. Minnesota Food Association: 651-433-3676
