Project Year: 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon Valley Graziers (Arlo Cristofaro-Hark) | Develop and test a ground cover seed mix for use in solar grazing systems (using sheep to manage vegetation) comparing their effectiveness in ease of establishment; cost effectiveness; climate resilience; and benefits to pollinators and sheep | Northfield | Dakota, Rice, Steele, Fillmore, Waseca |
| Prairie Rose Farm (Verna Kragnes) |
Trial & produce African eggplant, white sorghum as grain or flour, and sweet sorghum syrup as high value crops, extending their season, and expanding production and markets for these products |
Moorhead | Clay |
| Great River Greening (Brad Gordon) | Measure changes in soil carbon over three years in four Kernza® fields and one control corn/soy field, also considering the return on investment when including carbon payments | Saint Paul | Nicollet, Scott |
| Daniel Sheild |
Determine the minimum energy input needed to protect peach flower buds throughout the winter inside high tunnels and outdoors |
Shafer | Chisago |
| The Village Agricultural Cooperative (Amanda Nigon-Crowley) | Identify the best tomatillo, bok choy, and Asian greens for cultivation in addition to trialing pest management strategies to increase yield and profitability of managu (leafy nightshade vegetable). | Rochester | Olmsted |
| Minnesota State University, Mankato (Mriganka De) | Determine the impact of corn grown with perennial ground cover (PGC) alone and/or PGC–Poultry systems have on soil health, crop yield, and farm profitability | Mankato | Faribault |
| University of Minnesota (Katy Chapman, Lindsay Peace) | On-farm trial for a wheat-soybean rotation to compare soil health, weed pressure, and yield in response to differences in tillage, herbicide application, and fertilizer placement | Crookston | Polk |
| University of Minnesota (Charles Rohwer) | Study clover and clover mixtures to identify top treatments best-suited to intercropping in pumpkins based on nitrogen fixation and biomass production, competition with pumpkins, and herbicide tolerance | Waseca | Waseca, Brown |
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of Finland (Honor Schauland) | Increasing harvesting and processing of wild rice and other small grains for small-scale growers in Northeastern Minnesota | Finland | Lake, Cook, St. Louis |
| Grassfed Cattle Co. (Valerie Luhman) |
Evaluating the impact of feed on animal health, growth rates, and meat quality in pastured poultry |
Edina | Goodhue |
| Jason Miller | Evaluating erosion, yield, and economics in different tillage regimes after a winter-kill cover crop | Garvin | Murray |
| Land Stewardship Project (Jess Anna Glover) |
Crop and livestock farmers building biodiverse, aerobic composts using the Johnson-Su method |
Lewiston | Houston, Mower, Scott, Winona |
| McCormick Farm (Connor McCormick) |
No-till vs. conventional till for alfalfa hay establishment and production for a three year stand |
Caledonia | Houston |
| Olsen Custom Farms LLC (Chad Olsen) | Understanding the possibilities of on-farm compost to reduce or eliminate commercial fertilizer | Hendricks | Lincoln |
| University of Minnesota (Vasudha Sharma) | Comparison of variable to uniform rate irrigation for impacts on groundwater quality and quantity | Saint Paul | Stearns |
| University of Minnesota (Charles Rohwer) | Tomato phosphorus removal rates with high- or low-phosphorus transplant solutions and grafting | Waseca | Waseca |
| Walking Plants Orchard (Philip Stowe) | On farm research on honeyberry production | Osakis | Carlton, Douglas, Washington |
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Berry Hill Farm (Aaron Willis) | Trialing High Tunnel Raspberries to increase yield and reduce Spotted Wing Drosophila pressure | Northfield | Dakota |
| MN Native Landscapes (Jake Janski) | Determining effects of prescribed sheep grazing on plant diversity in native pollinator habitat | Otsego | Wright |
| Pluck Flower Farm (Rachel Brann) | Exploring Hull Less Seed Pumpkins as a Specialty Crop | Milaca | Mille Lacs |
| Radicle Heart Farm (Heidi Eger) | Control of Wild Parsnip through Rotational Sheep Grazing | Woodbury | Washington |
| Sweetland Orchard (Gretchen Perbix) | Growing and Evaluating Perry and Dessert Pears on a Tall Spindle System | Webster | Rice |
| Twin Cities Berry Company (Andrew Petran) | Expanding the Effectiveness of Non-Chemical Pest Control in Organic Strawberry Production | Farmington | Dakota |
| University of Minnesota (Dean Current) | Diversity Agriculture and Its Feasibility in Minnesota: Sustainable Practices and Marketing | Multiple | Hennepin, Ramsey |
| University of Minnesota (Natalie Hoidal) | Non-chemical methods for managing Colorado Potato Beetle: feasibility for diversified farms | Marine on St. Croix | Chisago |
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Willow Sedge Farm (Jane Grimsbo Jewett) | Determine the viability of a Forever Green poultry ration built on small grains and perennial crops for production of small-flock meat chickens | Palisade | Aitkin, Ramsey, Rice |
| Anishinaabe Agricultural Institute (AAI) (Bridget Guiza, Winona LaDuke) | Create an integrated hemp and traditional foods working and demonstration farm, utilizing rotational planting, natural fertilizers, and greenhouses. See the AAI Annual Report to learn more. | Ponsford | Becker |
| Keith and Anna Johnson Farm | Testing two pasture types to finish lambs on pasture and an evaluation of economics and meat quality from each type compared to lambs on a feedlot ration | Gibbon | Sibley |
| Cannon River Watershed Partnership (Alan Kraus) | Determine a pathway for greater farm profitability and practice adoption by testing the effect of corn row width on cover crop biomass and corn grain yields | Northfield | Goodhue, Rice |
| Brouwer Berries (Sarah Brouwer) | Test the effectiveness of sheep grazing on grass cover crops as a method of improving soil health, reducing weed pressure, and increasing strawberry yield. Watch this Pioneer PBS Postcards episode about Brouwer Berries Farm. | Raymond | Kandiyohi |
| Main Street Project (Wyatt Parks) | Evaluating hazelnuts as a soy protein replacement in free-range poultry systems for feed quality, nutrition and palatability | Northfield | Dakota, Rice |
| Canosia Grove (Robert Blair) | Rotational grazing in an orchard to improve pasture health, reduce energy input, and increase profit | Duluth | Saint Louis |
| Environmental Initiative (Sacha Seymour Anderson, Greg Bohrer) | Investigate and create case studies for farming practices that benefit both cost of production for farmers and natural resource conservation and demonstrate the benefits of these practices. Watch this YouTube video and see the Profitability and Environmental Outcomes (pdf) to learn more. | Minneapolis | Benton, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Morrison, Pope, Stearns, Todd, Wright |
| North Star Farm Tour (Melodee Smith, Wendy Wustenberg) | Exploring North Star Farm Tour as a sustainable agri-tourism model for small fiber producers; watch the final outreach video to learn more. | Welch | Dakota, Faribault, Fillmore, Goodhue, Olmstead, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Wright |
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blazing Star Gardens LLC | Research the profitability of drip irrigation and its impact on yield of native prairie seed production | Clarks Grove | Freeborn, Steele |
| Cannon River Watershed Partnership | Investigate the impact of fall grazing on subsequent Kernza grain yields and the quantity and quality of the fall regrowth of Kernza biomass for forage; learn more about the project in this Market Development in SE Minnesota video and Wellhead Mapping Story | Northfield | Rice |
| Jerry D. Ackermann | Obtain data on plant growth and nutrient uptake due to cover crop effects on soil temperature and soil moisture in southwest Minnesota | Lakefield | Two field plots in Jackson and Nobles |
| KISS LLC dba Brookview Winery |
Testing of a non-traditional process for cleanings and sorting Minnesota wine grape varietals and demonstrate removal of other material at the crush pad | Milaca | Mille Lacs and Stearns |
| Mashkiikii Gitigan | Investigate the sustainability and impact of production-oriented perennial systems on soil contaminant accessibility and for effectiveness to sequester carbon | Minneapolis | Hennepin |
| Mighty Axe Hops | Experts in hop growing, beer brewing, and sensory analysis will investigate how to best evaluate, communicate, and market the specific aroma and terroir of Minnesota grown hops | Foley | Benton |
| Owl Forest Farm dba Kate I. Paul |
Identify peony cultivars that grow well in Northeastern Minnesota and produce late-season flowers and support use of peonies in commercial cut flower production in our region. Take a virtual tour of the Owl Forest Farm Peony Project. | Iron | St. Louis |
| Richard Traugott | Demonstrate cover crop and intercropping alternatives during the establishment period of perennial fruit plants and evaluate any added value of secondary crop produced | Foley | Benton |
| Seelye Brook Farms | Comparison of mobile confinement and day-range production systems for pastured broiler chickens for output, profitability and marketability of products | Oak Grove | Anoka |
| The Good Acre | Evaluate the effectiveness of Sap Analysis to inform a customized nutrient management system using fertigation throughout the growing season to produce higher yields, better quality and reduced input costs | Falcon Heights | Ramsey and Goodhue |
| Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center | Develop an agrophenological calendar for Northeastern Minnesota that will serve as a more reliable planting guide for farmers and users of greenhouses and high tunnels. Watch this Agrophenology presentation to learn more. | Finland | Lake |
| Name | Project | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna Johnson | Testing three novel sheep-specific pasture types to maximize average daily gains in lambs on pasture | Gibbon | Sibley |
| Blueberry Fields of Stillwater | Using essential oils to repel spotted wing drosophila in blueberries | Stillwater | Washington |
| Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council | Impact of two tillage types on yield, economic profitability, and soil health in Polk County | Red Lake Falls | Polk |
| Pheasants Forever | Using precision ag data to maximize economic and environmental benefits | Saint Paul | Multiple |
| Regents of the University of Minnesota (Steve Poppe) | Developing an annual day-neutral strawberry planting system with biodegradable mulches | Minneapolis | Hennepin, McLeod, Otter Tail, Stevens |
| Vande Ag | Economic feasibility of spray foam insulation in a hog finishing barn | Marshall | Lyon |
| York Farm | Testing different training systems and varieties to improve the profitability of gooseberries | Hutchinson | McLeod |
| Name | Project Description | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cannon River Watershed Partnership; Brad Fraizer | Compare June cover crop establishment in standing corn (V5-V7) on eight farms, broadcasting cover crops/mixtures selected by each farmer. | Northfield | Rice, Goodhue |
| Central Lakes College; Thaddeus McCamant | Try grafting Minnesota pear varieties onto juneberry root stock in order to decrease tree height and increase production of young pear trees. | Staples | Todd, Chisago, McLeod |
| Four Seasons Apiaries; Joseph Meyer | Determine whether interrupting a honeybee hive's brood rearing reduces the number of Varroa mites in the hive. | Minneapolis | Hennepin, Carver |
| Hiawatha Valley Resource Conservation & Development; John Beckwith | Find out whether grazing goats during winter can reduce feed costs and control invasive species without harming desirable native plants. | Janesville | Rice |
| Hoch Orchard; Harry & Jackie Hoch | Evaluate economic effect of integrating hogs into an apple orchard. Compare with economics of other hog production systems. | LaCrescent | Winona |
| Jorgenson Family Farm; Mike Jorgenson | Evaluate establishment, production, quality, and harvest of perennial wheatgrass/legume intercrops. | Clinton | Big Stone |
| Keith Hartmann | Try to establish cover crops and apply liquid N simultaneously into V4-V6 stage corn in June | Gibbon | Nicollet, Sibley |
| Lighthouse Farm; John Mesko | Evaluate feed value, animal gain, and soil/pasture improvements from bale grazing purchased hay. | Princeton | Mille Lacs |
| Paradox Farm; Sue Wika & Zachary Paige | Grow and test the nutrient profile and palatability of novel corn varieties for poultry. | Ashby | Otter Tail, Becker |
| Stone's Throw Urban Farm; Caroline Devany | Find out whether worm composting on an urban farm will result in a high quality, profitable greenhouse potting product the farm can use or sell. | Minneapolis | Hennepin |
| Wholesome Harvest; Susan Wiegrefe | Evaluate hazelnut woodchips (a byproduct of nut orchard mgmt) for their potential as substrate for growing wine cap and shiitake mushrooms. | Mabel | Fillmore |
| Name | Project Description | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land Stewardship Project; Robin Moore | Test whether deep-rooted cover crops can replace fall tillage in the Chippewa watershed | Montevideo | Chippewa & Swift |
| Minnesota Apple Growers Association; John Jacobson | Evaluate an Internet-based weather network’s ability to predict apple pests and diseases in Minnesota | White Bear Lake | Dakota, Douglas, Fillmore, Itasca, Nobles, Rice, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, & Wright |
| Megan Henry | Explore how to maximize vegetable profitability in a segmented, modular/movable hoop house | Brandon | Douglas |
| Land Stewardship Project; Caroline van Schaik | Test the feasibility of planting cover crops after short season corn harvested for grain | Lewiston | Fillmore |
| Darryl Patnode | Demonstrate planting cereal rye after corn silage and harvesting spring growth for forage before planting soybeans | Corcoran | Hennepin |
| Jerry and Nancy Ackermann | Evaluate the impact of cover crops on soil health and fertility on several Southwest Minnesota farms | Lakefield | Jackson & Nobles |
| Carmen Fernholz | Determine optimal harvest timing for intermediate wheatgrass, a “new” perennial grain | Madison | Lac qui Parle |
| David Abazs | Compare three methods to raise the pH of very acidic soil (pH 3.8): wood ash, biochar, and lime | Finland | Lake |
| University of Minnesota; Ulrike Sorge | Improve animal behavior in the milking parlor and milker safety by handling heifers before they calve | St. Paul | Rice |
| Eagle Creek Honey Farm; Victoria Ranua | Investigate the potential of honeybee propolis production 1) as a new profit center for Minnesota beekeepers and 2) to improve honeybee health | Shakopee | Scott & Hennepin |
| Daniel Ley | Compare spring yield and dairy forage quality of several winter small grain cover crops | Richmond | Stearns |
| Steve Stassen | Synchronize indoor pen lambing and farrowing for best workload efficiency and market timing | Kerkhoven | Swift |
| Russell Martie | Evaluate water and fertilizer efficiency of sub-surface irrigation for corn and soybeans, compared to center pivot irrigation and a non-irrigated control | Monticello | Wright |
| Name | Project Description | Grantee City | Project Location (County) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noreen Thomas | Preserving and Attracting Native Bees | Moorhead | Clay |
| Sherburne SWCD; William Bronder | Nitrogen Capture Using Cover Crops in a Cash Grain Rotation | Elk River | Sherburne |
| Chad Rollofson | No-till/cover Crop Rotation vs Intensive Tillage in Corn/soybean Rotation | Barrett | Grant |
| Happy Dancing Turtle; Jim Chamberlin | Developing Low-cost Planting Materials and Establishment Methods to Accelerate Agroforestry Adoption for Function & Profit | Pine River | Cass |
| Hmong American Farmers’ Association; Pakou Hang | The Effects of Cover Crops on Water & Soil Quality | St. Paul | Dakota |
| Seeds Farm; Becca Carlson | Using Compost Tea in Organic Farming | Northfield | Rice |
| White Earth Land Recovery Project; Winona LaDuke | Developing an Integrated Perennial System | Callaway | Becker |
| Hammer Green Acres; Sharon Utke | Solar-powered Rainwater Catchment & Distribution System Using Drip irrigation | Fountain | Fillmore |
| Little Hill Berry Farm; Aaron Wills | Controlling Canada Thistle in Organic Blueberry Production | Northfield | Rice |
| Melissa Nelson | Creating Beneficial Habitat for Weed Management & Wildlife Enhancement on Farm Waste Land | Ortonville | Big Stone |
| Paul Kruger | Legume Cover Crops | Wabasha | Wabasha |
| Cindy Hale | Developing Profitable Apple Production Along Lake Superior's North Shore of Minnesota | Duluth | St. Louis |
| Redfern Gardens; Kathleen Connell | Evaluating Different Depths and Types of Mulches in Blueberry Production | Sebeka | Wadena |
