Farm Buds- bridging the urban rural divide while learning about farming

This Topic is about an experience I had this summer thanks to my good friends Matt Barthelemy and Meira Smit. Matt started this grassroots community initiative called farm buds. Its where you carpool with a group of people to farms around Minnesota and Wisconsin to help them out in exchange for food and camping rights on their land. Farmers share their wisdom with people visiting. It has been a great way to learn how the broader organic food system works in the region, build a resilient network of farmer friends, and learn about opportunities outside of the cities, if anything a break from the soul crushing noise, oppression, struggle, pollution of the city. I struggle to call most of the farms visited local as they were usually at least a one hour drive, but they may be the best we got.

This summer we visited:
Prarie Rose Farm; Moorhead, MN
North Circle Seeds; Vergas, MN (Lol what a town name)
Urban Roots; St Paul, MN
Round River Farm; Finalnd, MN
Blessed Farm; Cambridge, MN
Philadelphia Farm; Osceola, WI
Frogtown Farm; St Paul, MN
Chengwatana Farm; Palisade, MN
Stegar Center; Ely, MN

Yes, 80 year old Will Stegar, founder of Climate Generation, global warming whistle blower, schooled us 20 y olds in pine tree throwing, and he was the only one not wearing gloves. But what can you expect from an artic explorer? He is going on another trip this year so... be inspired you 80 year olds. Your body is capable of more than you think, I think... Im not there yet. And yes, he is building a castle using local materials and natural building techniques in the middle of the woods.

I would like to mention CSAs. At Prarie Rose Farm, I was made aware of the reason CSAs are so desirable. Community-supported agriculture is powerful as a farm business model because rather than selling produce at market price, which is often not enough money, a farmer sells at a price that gives what they need to live a comfortable life. It is a human centered approach.

At Round River Farm and Wolf Ridge in Finland MN, we visited a 30 y old homestead, retreat center, organic farm, and permaculture center. David and Lisa designed the farm and retreat center so that if hard times come, the retreats will stop and the food produced will be enough to fee the whole town of Finland. This is a great example of resiliency: education, food source, water, shelter, permaculture, solar, civic involvement.

I am happy to have made so many wonderful connections this year and hope you gain something from me sharing. Ask me anything!

Cheers,
Trace

Round River Farm and
Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center
(PERMACULTURE stuff to see)

They had swales, a passively heated and cooled greenhouse, hugelkulturs, and a plethora of berry and nut trees. This is the farm that can feed Finland, MN if need be.

Will Allen Event. Will Allen, the Grand Poo-Bah of urban farming hosted a workshop with various panels on Environmental Justice, Native American legends, Composting, Hyroponics, Seed Saving, and more. Will Allen is the founder of Growing Power in Milwaukee, WI, operating greenhouses, vermiculture, and composting partnerships.

Thank you for sharing your summer experience.

What a wonderful opportunity to learn and help folks at the same time.

Your photos are lovely.

This reminds me of the experience that folks get at Wheaton Labs though instead of growing vegetables and tending animals, folks learn about permaculture and building.

Anne Miller wrote:Thank you for sharing your summer experience.

What a wonderful opportunity to learn and help folks at the same time.

Your photos are lovely.

This reminds me of the experience that folks get at Wheaton Labs though instead of growing vegetables and tending animals, folks learn about permaculture and building.

Yeah, exactly, and Wheaton Labs is a longer stay.  I got the impression any of these farms would like some more residents (they really appreciated the community feel we provided more than we know. I am happy that all the farms are working so hard to grow organic food, and some were very conscious of the impact they were having on the land, while others not so much, but all were concerned about the food system.

Permaculture has yet to flower here. I hope I can sow and pollinate it.

Why is Wheaton Labs a longer stay?

Anne Miller wrote:Why is Wheaton Labs a longer stay?

While these farms mostly weren't set up for long term residents, or just a few,
Wheaton Labs provides a variety of stay/work options including staying more than one night or indefinitely for many many people.

I enjoyed the photos! It's cold and grey here, rolling down to the longest night of the year. Green growing things are inspiring!

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I enjoyed the photos! It's cold and grey here, rolling down to the longest night of the year. Green growing things are inspiring!

Happy holidays

What a great program!  I hope it can grow and more like it will crop up all over.

Hi Trace! Thanks for the shout out! It was great to hsve you at Chengwatana Community Farm (twice) this year. Lynn.

It was great to be there. Always is. Thank you for your hospitality!!