Farm and Food Program: Training farmers, chefs and more

By Janet Gamble, Garden Student Program Director

This has been an exciting year for us at the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute. We enhanced our training of beginning farmers to develop the skills as business owners. We have also expanded our work to go beyond the farm to the kitchens of Chicago and urban center of Milwaukee.

We are part of establishing the Teutonia Urban Gardens, which will become an outdoor classroom for the Academy of Learning and Leadership, an experiential charter school serving the heart of Milwaukee. This summer, our new Education Coordinator, Dori Sorensen, took student chefs from Chicago on a weeklong food and farm educational tour of Wisconsin, as part of our new Farm to Fork program. As we look forward to 2008, we are committed to training farmers for the future while building essential connections with our urban neighbors.

To better reflect the scope of our work, we are changing the name of our program to the Farm and Food Program. The Garden Student Program will continue as our core program and will be joined by our new projects in Milwaukee and beyond.

Since 1996, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute's Garden Student Program has serviced aspiring, beginning farmers. Over the years, beginning farmers have stayed with us and trained for 7 to 9 months, but demand for this kind of intensive program is changing, and we are changing with it. As we scan the landscape and evaluate today's trends, it seems to us that people want information fast and are more likely to participate in short course programs than the traditional training model of working on a farm for several months or years. They want to get down to business yesterday.

We are pleased to announce that in 2008 we will offer 4 and 10-week training programs. This in-residence program is coupled with our workshop series and components of our Garden Student Program curriculum. Over the course of 4 or 10 weeks, participants will attend our workshops and receive one-on-one mentoring while living and training at Michael Fields' farms.

Those who cannot participate in a multi-week, residential program can attend our 1 and 2-day workshops. The workshops will cover a variety of issues, including soils, CSA management, tractor safety, organic certification, greenhouse management, crop production, grazing, and fruit production. Follow-up CRAFT (Collaborative Regional Alliance For Farmer Training) field days during the growing season will complement the in-class course work. Mentors will assist students in identifying farms where they can do a practicum.

Beginning farmers who have already received the necessary training are eligible to participate in Michael Fields' Incubating Farmer Program. These new business owners start their enterprises on our land with access to our infrastructure and equipment. Each person receives the mentoring needed to grow a business and enhance skills. There is no time limit for transitioning off the incubator land. Michael Fields assists these "incubator farmers" in finding secure land to which to transition.

Land acquisition is next on the radar. Land prices are soaring and the costs of starting a farm are high. We are exploring new models for connecting farmers, who will steward land, with landowners who have put their land in conservation easements or land trusts.

We're excited for the New Year and we hope you will consider joining us.

» Full list of 2008 workshops

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Farming Systems: Making the connections

By John Hall, Farming Systems Outreach and Education Director

MFAI's Integrated Farming Systems Program carries out research and education efforts to provide information to producers and agricultural specialists on the benefits of biological diversity in farming systems.

Our flagship project is the Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial (WICST), a collaborative effort with UW Research and Extension, and the USDA- ARS National Dairy Forage Program. WICST is a long-term, replicated field study comparing the productivity, profitability, and environmental impacts of different crop rotations and management strategies for producing feed grains and forages. The crop rotations in the trial represent a range of farming systems - from intensive corn and alfalfa production that rely heavily on commercial inputs to more diverse crop rotations that are designed to make more efficient use of farm resources, such as manure and nitrogen fixed by legumes.

The 2007 cropping season was very productive with adequate rainfall over most of the season. Crop yields were good in both the low and high input systems, and weed control was very good in the organically managed crop rotations. Our results were consistent with what we and others are seeing in low-input and organic farming systems, which is a long-term trend of demonstrating strong productivity and profitability while minimizing environmental risks.

We conducted additional on-farm research to explore more efficient nutrient cycling systems. Most dairy farms are net accumulators of nitrogen and phosphorus - meaning most dairy farms in Wisconsin produce more manure than their fields need. In addition to animal manure, considerable quantities of nutrients are imported through purchased feeds and fertilizers. Long-term nutrient accumulation on dairy farms poses a serious ecological risk.

One component of our research explored facilitating the movement of manure from dairy operations to nearby cash grain farms. We also addressed this problem by exploring the use of innovative crop rotations that are effective in nutrient cycling, making efficient use of manure, and decreasing the need for feed imports.

Results from the first two seasons of trials indicate that greater use of manure in cash grain production systems can be beneficial. We found that moving manure from dairy farms to cash grain operations would not be more risky for the producer in terms of impacts on their corn yields, weed pressure, and soil compaction, if good management practices are followed. More diverse crop rotations with expanded windows for manure applications would also greatly facilitate the use of manure in grain rotations. We will focus on these issues in future research and education efforts in our program. We will also continue our grazing research on the Quinney Farm, a former dairy farm in Walworth County, and we will continue our research addressing the potential of organic hop production in Wisconsin.

For more information please e-mail John Hall.

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Policy Program: Building a movement

By Margaret Krome, Policy Program Director

Victory! We are pleased to announce that the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program, which so many of you have supported over the many months, was funded in the state budget. It was a difficult budget process, making the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin victory all the sweeter. We are proud of the role MFAI's Jeanne Merrill, Associate Policy Director, played in leading this campaign and we also thank you for all your efforts. It would not have happened without the many personal phone calls and letters to state legislators.

2007 was a busy year for sustainable agriculture policy in other ways. At the federal level, we continued to coordinate the appropriations campaign to secure funding for sustainable agriculture priorities. We achieved potential gains for several sustainable agriculture programs, including SARE, ATTRA and others. We also continue to work in coalition on the 2007 Farm Bill and it looks like we may see increases in funding for organic agriculture, beginning farmers, and more. Of course, it is not over 'til it's over. Congress has not yet finalized the agriculture appropriation bill or farm bill. One critical program, ATTRA, faces an uncertain future if federal funding is not secured soon. Stay tuned for more updates and action alerts in the coming weeks and months.

Another important state victory was the first-ever state funding of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI). State funding will shore up dwindling federal dollars to support on-going efforts to train and assist dairy and livestock farmers in making the transition to managed grazing. This victory was lead by the GLCI Steering Committee and we provided support by reaching out to the environmental community in the state.

Our work also includes training the next generation of sustainable agriculture advocates. Our policy internship program has become much sought after, providing participants with hands-on experience and training in sustainable agriculture advocacy. This year, Laura Lipps and Natasha Chart completed the program. Their excellent work included deepening our efforts on bioenergy issues and expanding our grassroots base. Thank you, Natasha and Laura! In January, we will welcome our new interns, Tori Jennings and Nikki Check.

Finally, perhaps one of the most important developments of the year was the increase in the number of people who receive our newsletter, reaching nearly 2,000 people from Wisconsin and beyond. At critical times for Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin and federal sustainable agriculture programs, our newsletter subscribers responded by making phone calls and writing letters. This grassroots support is fundamental to the success of sustainable agriculture efforts. We plan to continue to reach out and build our numbers in the state and nationally. Thank you!

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Research Program: Developing critical tools for organic farmers

By Walter Goldstein, Research Program Director

We are working to supply organic farmers with a special seed corn that is naturally high in essential amino acids. This is a critical development for the future of organic poultry production. Methionine is the first limiting amino acid for poultry health and egg production. Birds with inadequate methionine suffer from poor feather production, poor health, and low egg production. To meet the nutritional needs of their birds, organic poultry producers currently supplement their rations with synthetic methionine. However, recent rulings by the USDA National Organic Programs have made clear that organic farmers may not feed synthetic methionine after October 2008. That's where Michael Fields steps in.

Our research team is working to avoid an abrupt disruption in the supply of organic poultry and eggs by creating a reliable supply stream of affordable, naturally high-methionine corn for farmers, grain handlers, and feeders. This year, we bred high methionine corn, evaluated it in field trials with collaborators in Iowa and Minnesota, supplied high methionine corn for feeding trials, and developed a test for methionine and other essential amino acids that can be used by breeders and grain marketers. Our team includes not only MFAI's own research staff, including stalwart Bill Barber and our new Research Assistant, Camilla Vargas, but also major contributions from USDA, Iowa State University, Practical Farms of Iowa, the Organic Valley Egg Pool, the University of Minnesota, two Seed Companies, a consortium of organic poultry companies (the Methionine Task Force), and the USDA's Germplasm Enhancement of Maize project.

Other highlights from this year include our winter nursery in Chile, and production of new high methionine hybrids for commercial testing. In our nursery in Chile, we reproduce our corn lines and make hybrids, producing much needed seed. Furthermore, our Midwest trials of high methionine corn are helping us to identify which of our cultivars will be acceptable to farmers in terms of grain yield and ability to stand up under stress. Our feeding trials with Organic Valley and the University of Minnesota suggest that if our high methionine corn is fed to layers and broilers instead of synthetic methionine, there is no loss in growth or productivity.

This work would not be possible without the help of several institutions. Financial assistance from the Methionine Task Force is enabling us to multiply high methionine breeding lines and hybrids overseas. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture Value Added Program and USDA are enabling us to develop needed testing methods and to breed and test high methionine corn varieties. Organic Valley is helping us to fund our new intern, Ms. Ketty Verde from Peru. Additionally, support from the Agricultural Marketing Resource Center makes possible our new research assistant position.

For more information, please contact Walter Goldstein.

Photo by Stephen Ausmus

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Big changes at Fields Best, East Troy

By Ron Doetch, Executive Director

With the flurry of activity in accelerating local food systems, one overarching reality is that the big-box grocery stores have changed the game. Natural, organic food offerings are abundant at cheap prices. At our Fields Best store in East Troy, WI, we offer a variety of local food products, but we have found that we cannot compete in the high volume/cheap price game.

To continue to provide healthy, sustainable choices, we will move to a new co-operative model as an alternative to conventional retail. In October, a farmer asked me if he could rent cooler space in our store and send his customers into pick up his beef, so it would not interrupt his farming activities. That got us thinking about a reverse co-op, or a sellers' condo.

The new Fields Best model is new kind of co-op. The store will provide a cooler, freezer, and shelf space for about 20 farms. Each farm pays monthly rent that is not tied to sales. Hence, the more products that are sold from a given farm, the lower the marketing costs are for that farm. Each farmer stocks the shelves, prices the products, and develops their own merchandising strategy. Fields Best will sell our own bread, pizza, salads, soup, and liquid refreshments.

The margin on the goods we sell will provide for 75 percent of our overhead costs and the rent paid from farmers need only provide 25 percent of these fixed cost. As we expand our work with local farms, consumers will be able to visit 20 farms in one location. We have just begun the change over and we plan to be fully stocked using this new model by January. We hope that this new model will be a success and something that can be adapted to small, rural towns with vacant storefronts.

If you would like more information about our store in East Troy, please drop us a line.

Seed saving: grow local / share local

By Therese Phillip, Executive Secretary and Jane-of-All-Trades

Seed saving is an art, a science, a hobby, a common sense gardening practice. Reasons for saving seeds range from genetic diversity to saving money. Saving seeds gives a gardener plants that grow well on their soil and in their weather conditions. As we move to a more local food system, we should also look at harvesting local seed to grow in our flower and vegetable gardens.

I am a home flower gardener who first collected seeds with my Dad when I was 9 years old. On warm, late-summer evenings, we would go out with bowls from Mom's kitchen and collect flower seeds. Inspired by Seed Savers Exchange, I am not only saving seeds from my garden, but I am interested in sharing seeds with others.

I am pleased to announce that the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is hosting a Seed Exchange on Saturday, January 19th, from 10:00 am to 12 noon. We are keeping it simple. Interested persons are invited to bring seeds to share (no pre-registration necessary) and a sheet providing the plant name, where it was grown, and any other information you wish to share. We recommend you bring envelopes/containers for collecting seeds from other gardeners.

Curious and beginning seed savers are invited too. If you are not located near East Troy, consider hosting a seed exchange where you live.

Seeds from your garden are great gifts!

Resources

• Seed to Seed: Seed Saving Techniques for the Vegetable Gardener by Suzanne Ashworth and David Cavagnaro, Seed Saver Publications 1995;
• Heirloom Vegetables: A Home Gardener's Guide to Finding and Growing Vegetables from the Past by Sue Stickland, et al.;
• Saving Seeds: The Gardener's Guide to Growing and Storing Vegetable and Flower Seeds by Marc Rogers, et al.;
• Heirloom Vegetable Gardening: A Master Gardener's Guide to Planting, Seed Saving, and Cultural History by William Woys Weaver et al.;
• The Seed Savers Handbook; and
• Basic Seed Saving, 48-page paperback, by Bill McDorman.

For more information on the MFAI Seed Exchange, contact Therese Philipp, (262) 642-3303, ext. 117.

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Announcing the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute's 2008 Workshops

Join us for our one and two-day workshops on a diversity of farm, garden and business topics. Whether you've farmed for 20 years or are a new gardener, our workshops are designed for a variety of skill and knowledge levels. Register early and receive the early bird discount!

» Full list of 2008 workshops

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Recipe: Ruth Zinnicker's Apple and Beet Salad

• 1 beet, medium
• 2 apples
• ½ onion
• 2-3 Tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar
• A pinch of salt and sugar

Grate the beet, apples and onions. Mix the remaining ingredients and add them to the apple, beet, and onion mixture. Serves 4 people. Yum!

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