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Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE, October 19, 2006 Hello: This is the 40th issue of "Land Stewardship LIVE-WIRE," the Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. If you prefer not to receive this newsletter, please e-mail lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org and write, "remove LIVE-WIRE" in the subject line. IN THIS ISSUE 1) LSP ON-LINE AUCTION OCT. 26-NOV. 2 A year's supply of Organic Valley milk; a sustainably-raised Christmas tree; farm stays and retreats at several lovely locations; pottery and artwork from local artists; Fair Trade coffee, chocolate and teas; pasture-raised meats, butter and cheeses; autographed books from Frances Moore Lappé, Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Gary Holthaus. All this and so much more will be available for you to bid on from Oct. 26 to Nov. 2 during LSP's first ever online charity auction. Plan to get an early start on your holiday shopping while benefiting the programs of LSP. Check out the growing list of items on our website at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_061012.htm and get ready to bid from the comfort of your home. If you have a donation idea, it's not too late. Contact Cathy Eberhart at cathye@landstewardshipproject.org or 651-653-0618 as soon as possible. The auction goes live the evening of Thursday, Oct. 26. 2) HUTCHINSON FARM BEGINNINGS STARTS OCT. 28 There are still a few spots available in the Farm Beginnings course that’s being held in Hutchinson, Minn. Classes began in Winona Oct. 14 and will start in Hutchinson Oct. 28. For information on enrolling in Farm Beginnings or serving as a mentor, contact LSP’s western Minnesota office at 320-269-2105. Details are at http://www.farmbeginnings.org. 3) VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR FARM BEGINNINGS TAPING Speaking of Farm Beginnings, organizers of the Hutchinson class are looking for volunteers to help with videotaping. If you’re interested, contact Amy Bacigalupo at 320-269-2105 or amyb@landstewardshipproject.org. 4) MDA REORGANIZATION THREATENS SUSTAINABLE AG State Commissioner of Agriculture Gene Hugoson has proposed a reorganization of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture that threatens the effectiveness, and even long term existence, of key sustainable ag and organic farming programs. These nationally-recognized programs provide information to farmers about sustainable and organic farming practices, provide grants for on-farm research into sustainable and organic farming, and provide cost-share funds to farmers transitioning to organic. These programs have been part of making Minnesota a leader in sustainable agriculture and organic food production. Go to http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/alerts/06/newsr_061012.htm to learn how to help stop the dismantling of these programs. To get further background and context, read LSP’s blog at http://looncommons.org/category/food-and-sustainable-agriculture. 5) ‘VOICES’ SHOWING OCT. 29 IN MINNEAPOLIS There will be a “Voices of Minnesota Farm Women” showing on Sunday, Oct. 29, beginning at 10:30 a.m., during the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom annual meeting at Becketwood Co-op Housing on West River Road in Minneapolis. For more information, contact Leslie Reindl at 651-633-4410. 6) ORGANIC GROWERS CONFERENCE IN NW IOWA NOV. 2-3 Woodbury County, Iowa, is hosting an Organic Growers Conference Nov. 2-3. The conference will feature Jerry Brunetti of Agri-Dynamics and Jerry DeWitt of the Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, as well as a showing of the film “The Real Dirt on Farmer John.” To register, see http://www.woodburyiowa.com or call 712-279-6609. This is part of the county’s ongoing efforts to make sustainable family farming a key part of the region’s rural economic development. To read about these efforts, see LSP’s special report at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pdf/rural_develop_report.pdf. 7) WOMEN, FOOD & AG GATHERING NOV. 10-12 IN SE MINN. The Women, Food, and Agriculture Network fall gathering will be Nov. 10-12 at the Cedar Valley Resort (http://www.cedarvalleyresort.com) near Lanesboro, Minn. The cost is $99 per person. Space is limited and reservations are required. Please contact Bonnie Haugen at springsidefarm@yahoo.com; Mary Doerr at dancingwinds@lakes.com; or Caroline van Schaik at wolfhill@acegroup.cc with questions. 8) SOILS WORKSHOP NOV. 11 IN HUTCHINSON A special soils workshop will be held Saturday, Nov. 11, in the Hutchinson, Minn., area. In the morning, soil scientist Jody Dejong-Hughes will provide the inside scoop on good management for soil health and well-being. In the afternoon, class participants will travel out to August Earth Farm, Peter and Katy Hemberger's vegetable operation, to look at a soil profile and learn about making other on-farm observations. The cost for the class is $40, and a $20 deposit is required to hold a spot. Checks should be made payable to University of Minnesota Extension. Please RSVP to LSP’s Amy Bacigalupo at 320-269-2105 or amyb@landstewardshipproject.org. 9) GRANT-WRITING WORKSHOP NOV. 15 IN HUTCHINSON Need tips on writing grants for on-farm research, rural development, business development, etc.? LSP is helping put on a grant-writing workshop in Hutchinson, Minn., on Wednesday, Nov. 15. For details, contact LSP’s Amy Bacigalupo at 320-269-2105 or amyb@landstewardshipproject.org. 10) FLAG’S FARM FRESH BREAKFAST NOV. 17 IN ST. PAUL Farmers’ Legal Action Group (FLAG) will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a “Farm Fresh Breakfast” Friday, Nov. 17, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul. For details, call 651-223-5400, or visit http://www.flaginc.org. 11) HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE IN MONTEVIDEO DEC. 14 LSP’s western Minnesota office will hold its holiday open house/silent auction fundraiser on Thursday, Dec. 14. For details, contact Michele Skogrand at 320-269-2105 or lspwest@landstewardshipproject.org. 12) HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE IN WHITE BEAR LAKE DEC. 14 LSP’s White Bear Lake office will hold its holiday open house on Thursday, Dec. 14, as well. For details, contact Louise Arbuckle at 651-653-0618 or lspwbl@landstewardshipproject.org. 13) CHECK THE CALENDAR See http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-calendar.html for the latest happenings. Details on events can also be found on our "Press Releases" page at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/news-pr.html. 14) OLSON-LOY TO PRESENT AT BIONEERS CONFERENCE LSP Board Member Sandy Olson-Loy will give a presentation entitled “Making Healthy, Fresh and Sustainable Food Choices” at the first annual Northland Bioneers Conference Oct. 20-22 at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The conference will present an interactive forum focused on solutions to our most pressing environmental and social issues. The organizers are offering a discount to people who can volunteer some time. If you can afford $49 for the weekend and will commit to four hours of future volunteer time, that is an option available. If you can't afford anything and are willing to donate eight hours of future volunteer time, that is an option as well. For details, see http://www.nbconference.org. 15) WHEN A FACTORY FARM COMES TO TOWN LSP has recently published an updated version of its popular township manual, “When a Factory Farm Comes to Town: Protecting Your Township From Unwanted Development.” First published in 1997, this resource has proven to be an invaluable guide for Minnesota townships that want to use planning and zoning to protect their communities. To learn how you can get a copy, see http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/pr/06/newsr_060921.htm. 16) BIOSCIENCE: MAKING AGRICULTURE WHOLE AGAIN If agriculture is to be made sustainable, we must close the nutrient cycle and reconnect farmers, consumers and the land. That’s the argument made by LSP’s George Boody and Brian DeVore in the October 2006 issue of the scientific journal BioScience. They reviewed several books in an essay called “Redesigning Agriculture.” You can read it at http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/06/061016.pdf. 17) LSP LAUNCHES BLOG LSP has entered the “blogosphere.” We are writing a weekly “food and sustainable agriculture” blog for the Minnesota Environmental Partnership at http://looncommons.org/category/food-and-sustainable-agriculture. Check out our well-reasoned rants and give us your equally well-reasoned feedback. 18) LAYING HENS AVAILABLE Hilltop Pastures Family Farm (http://www.hilltoppasturesfamilyfarm.com) in Fountain, Minn., is looking for a home, or homes, for some 400 laying hens. The breeds include Barred Rock, Rhode Island Red, White Leghorn, Bovine Brown and Golden Comet. For details, contact Tom Austin at 507-867-0096 or hpff@myclearwave.net. 19) WORTH REPEATING “If the place is good for the wildlife, then we know it's good for us." — farmer Loretta Jaus, quoted in Ear to the Ground No. 25 (http://www.thepodlounge.com/listfeed.php?feed=34810) 20) WORTH REPEATING II “The future of food, the land, and society requires us to make agriculture whole.”—George Boody & Brian DeVore, writing in the October 2006 issue of BioScience (http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/itn/06/061016.pdf) 21) JOIN LSP The work of LSP, including the LIVE-WIRE, is supported by the donations of people like you. To become a member, give a gift membership, or donate an extra gift above your membership, see http://www.landstewardshipproject.org/index-joinus.html. If you have questions about membership, contact cathye@landstewardshipproject.org. LSP_LIVE-WIRE is the Land Stewardship Project's e-mail newsletter. To change your options or password, visit www.communityforum.net/mailman/listinfo/lsp_live-wire.
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