Stephen Thomforde sees integrating trees, grass, and grazing animals as a way to support one of the most productive ecosystems in existence, and history backs up his argument.

More Information:

• Stephen Thomforde Website

• Land Stewardship Letter: Silvopasturing’s Silver Lining

• Land Stewardship Letter: 2017 Feature on Mastodon Valley Farm

• Sustainable Farming Association Silvopasturing Resources

• Ear to the Ground 303: Silvo Savvy

• Ear to the Ground 262: A Silvo Secondary Enterprise

• LSP’s Soil Health & Grazing Web Page

Landon Plagge’s experience growing oats has proven that this humble grain can play a big role in revitalizing soil health on corn-soybean farms. Can the milling facility he’s proposing do the same for rural communities? (Third in a three-part series on small grains and community-based foods.)

More Information:

• Episode 2 in Ear to the Ground Small Grains Workshop Series: “Roy Pfaltzgraff — Regenerative Return”

• Episode 1 in Ear to the Ground Small Grains Workshop Series: “Bob Quinn — Additive Vs. Extractive”

• Jan. 28, 2025, LSP Small Grains Workshop Registration

• Green Acres Milling

• LSP Blog: Oats & the 3-Legged Stool of Farm Resiliency

• LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page

• LSP’s Soil Health Page

When Roy Pfaltzgraff returned to his family’s northeastern Colorado cropping operation in 2016, he was committed to making farming a fulltime endeavor that built resilient soil, supported the community, and produced healthy food. (Second in a three-part series on small grains and community-based foods.)

More Information:

• Episode 1 in Ear to the Ground‘s Small Grains Workshop Series: “Bob Quinn — Additive Vs. Extractive”

• Jan. 28, 2025, LSP Small Grains Workshop Registration

• PFZ Farms

• LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page

• LSP’s Soil Health Page

Farm Beginnings grad Marcos Giossi started his food-raising career as a teenager tilling soil on an old soccer field. Now he’s helping young urban farmers utilize a values-based decision making strategy to kick-off better communities.

More Information:

• LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course
• Urban Roots • Metro Food Justice Network

More Information

• LSL Review of Grain By Grain: A Quest to Revive Ancient Wheat, Rural Jobs, and Healthy Food, by Bob Quinn & Liz Carlisle

• Quinn Institute

• LSP’s Community-Based Food Systems Web Page

• LSP’s Soil Health Page

LSP’s political action partner, the Land Stewardship Action Fund, is working to show that vibrant rural communities require local people participating in decision-making — one vote at a time.

More Information:

• Land Stewardship Action Fund
• Land Stewardship Letter Article: “Land Stewardship Action Fund’s Local Impact”
• LSP’s Policy Campaigns

Wholesome Family Farms is known for juggling enough enterprises to overwhelm even the most ambitious farmer. But Rachelle Meyer says a “three-legged stool” strategy keeps them balanced. (First episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.)

More Information:

• 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust”
• 4th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Grazing’s Generational Jump”
• 3rd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Flerd is the Word”
• 2nd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Healthy Soil Vs. Plastic Worms”
• Wholesome Family Farms
• Drone Footage of Rachelle & Jordan Meyer Moving Sheep
• LSP’s “Building Soil Health Profitably” Web Page
• LSP’s “Grazing & Soil Health” Web Page
• LSP’s Farm Beginnings Course
• Ear to the Ground No. 314: Going for the Goat
• Ear to the Ground No. 291: Shovel Doesn’t Lie
• Ear to the Ground No. 255: Embracing the Weed

Clifford Johnson calls himself an “honest regenerative hypocrite,” which says a lot about his approach to building soil health on his family’s crop and livestock farm. (Second episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.)

More Information:

• 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust”
• 4th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Grazing’s Generational Jump”
• 3rd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Flerd is the Word”
• 1st in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Ignoring the Red Dress”
• LSP’s “Building Soil Health Profitably” Web Page
• LSP’s “Grazing & Soil Health” Web Page

Poor soil, short growing seasons, and little infrastructure: beginning farmer George Heller is proving that a successful grazing operation doesn’t require optimal conditions. (Third episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.)

More Information:

• 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust”
• 4th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Grazing’s Generational Jump”
• 2nd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Healthy Soil Vs. Plastic Worms”
• 1st in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Ignoring the Red Dress”
• George Heller YouTube Page
• Sept. 27-28, 2024: Forage Council Grazing School at George Heller Farm, Verndale, Minn.
• LSP’s “Building Soil Health Profitably” Web Page
• LSP’s “Grazing & Soil Health” Web Page

Rick Matt was flat on his back when it became evident how he and his son, Damien, could build an intergenerational farming operation based on soil health, diversity, and grazing. (Fourth episode in a series on LSP’s 2024 Grazing School.)

More Information:

• 5th in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Pasture Pixie Dust”
• 3rd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Flerd is the Word”
• 2nd in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Healthy Soil Vs. Plastic Worms”
• 1st in the Grazing School Podcast Series: “Ignoring the Red Dress”
• LSP’s “Building Soil Health Profitably” Web Page
• LSP’s “Grazing & Soil Health” Web Page