February 20, 2020 Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is sponsoring this years WI Cover Crops Conference in Stevens Point, WI.  Farmers and agricultural professionals from around the state are coming together to share & learn about all things cover crops. Whether you’re a seasoned cover cropper or an absolute beginner, there will be something for everyone. […]

Are you dreaming about your garden?  Join us at our 4th Annual Seed Swap! Saturday, March 7, 2020, 9 am – Noon How does it work? Bring your extra seeds. Bring your friends. Go home with your friend’s seeds. No seeds to share? No problem! Join us for this free, family friendly event! There will […]

Saturday, March 14, 2020 9 am – Noon, $40 In this class, you will learn the basic steps on how to start beekeeping. Local beekeeper, Dan O’Leary, of Honey Valley Beekeeping, will tell you how to choose a site for your hives, where you can obtain your bees and equipment, how to properly care for […]

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute is sponsoring the 31st Annual MOSES Organic Farming Conference Feb. 27-29, 2020, in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The conference features 60 workshops, 10 full-day classes, and a two-floor trade show with more than 170 vendors— come see us in booth 134. It’s a high-energy event packed with opportunities to learn, network, and […]

March 24-25, 2020 at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Madison (440 W Johnson St, Madison, WI 53703) Spend two full days–planning for your future! How can YOU “make more from milk”? Tuesday, March 24 Hampton Inn & Suites Madison-Downtown Introductions and goals Producer spotlight Consultant panel: equipment, supplies, resources Behind-the-scenes: retail of specialty cheeses Tasting of artisan […]

Extend Your Season with Alternative Income Date: Friday, March 13th, 2020 Time: 10:00am – 2:00pm Location: Prairie State College Matteson Area Center, 4821 Southwick Drive, Matteson, IL Curious about how you can extend your farming season and make your farm business more profitable? University of Illinois Extension Educator Zack Grant and Lovefood Farmer David Bachhuber will discuss ways in which […]

Applications are due by 12:00 PM on Friday, February 28, 2020. The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin (BLBW) program seeks to increase awareness and consumption of locally produced foods and related products and to increase the production and improve the distribution of foods and related products for local consumption. The Buy Local Buy Wisconsin Grant program […]

The Institute isn’t in the habit of promoting products of individual companies, but when a company creates a product that builds the sustainable agriculture movement, we take note. So we celebrate Compeer Financial’s having just announced their new Organic Bridge Loan program for grain farmers going through organic transition. During the first two or three […]

On January 8, Wisconsin State Representatives Todd Novak (R-Dodgeville) and Katrina Shankland (D-Stevens Point) introduced a bill whose measures derive from the testimony received as part of 14 hearings conducted in summer of 2019 as co-chairs of the Speaker’s Task Force on Water Quality. The bill proposes $200,000/year to support a pilot program similar to […]

MFAI staff engaged with over 50 students from Badger Rock Middle School in December, through our Growing Urban Leaders in Food Systems (GULFS) program. Leah Sandler and Donale Richards worked with Sarah Karlson to develop a lesson centered around root vegetables. Each of the four classes were split in half and rotated to two stations, […]

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute (MFAI) is seeking an Agroecologist to lead our Research and Outreach efforts. The Agroecologist will develop MFAI’s capacity to address pressing challenges facing sustainable agroecosystems in the 21st Century by collecting and mining data, conducting empirical experiments, modeling systems, and engaging stakeholders. Areas of emphasis will be developed by the Agroecologist […]

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection has opened the farm to school staff position: Farm to Institution and Wisconsin Foods Program Specialist. Applications are due January 5th. Please consider applying, and widely share the details below.   Farm to Institution and Wisconsin Foods Program Specialist Agriculture Program Specialist – Senior Wisconsin Department of […]

The Uplands Virtual Conservation Roadtrip is a collaborative project between Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and farmers in the Iowa County Uplands Watershed Group. The idea behind the road trip is similar to USDA’s #OurFarmer Roadtrip, in which it aims to showcase some farmers who incorporate diverse conservation management practices on their land. Through short videos, […]

January 28, 2020  UW Madison Campus Registration is now open for the 2020 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum, The Business of Hemp in Wisconsin The Forum will continue to include the traditional Situation and Outlook for Wisconsin agricultural commodities (dairy, corn, soybeans, beef) during the morning section. The afternoon section this year will focus on the […]

January 23-25, 2020 at Chula Vista Resort in Wisconsin Dells Regenerating our GRASS roots, with sessions on soils, plants, and animals. Michael Fields is a proud sponsor of this informative conference. 2020 GrassWorks Conference Brochure 2020 For full details and online registration click here

“Thank you for those inspiring speakers and the delicious food you shared at dinner last night!”  That was an email from a participant at Uplands Watershed Group’s 4th annual Conservation Celebration Dinner, again held at Folklore Village, near Dodgeville, Wisconsin.  The theme of this year’s gathering was “Water, Water Everywhere: Climate Resilient Farming.”  The evening […]

We are getting excited to host the Fellowship of Preparation Makers Gathering 2020 at Michael Fields Agricultural Institute on January 30th – February 2nd. The theme is BD 501 and 508: Tools to bring the cosmic light into the earth. This will be a great opportunity to learn more about BD 501 and 508 and […]

Beginning Farmer Training Program by Angelic Organics Learning Center Apply by December 18th If you are interested in learning the trade of farming, Take Root is the program for you! Take Root connects aspiring farmers to paid employment and training on established farms in southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois, and the Chicagoland area. Through the Take Root program, […]

On December 5, 2019 several end of season hemp educational and networking events are planned around the state . Click on the town for details for that event Melrose, WI Green Bay Area Dr. Leah Sandler will speak at this day long event. Hillsboro, WI Mauston, WI 

Southern SAWG conference focuses on practical advice for farmers Limited scholarships are available for military veterans who would like to attend Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SSAWG) annual Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms Conference. The popular conference, which will take place January 22-25, 2020 in Little Rock, AR, focuses on practical tools […]

One of the great things about being a certified organic farm is that we are required by law to “maintain or improve the natural resources of the operation, including soil and water quality.” Natural resources in this context means the “physical, hydrological, and biological features of a production operation, including soil, water, wetlands, woodlands, and […]

Dear Industrial Agriculture, It’s been a great experiment – a social, political, climatic, public health, and agricultural experiment, but I think it’s time for us to break up. A lot has changed, and I don’t think we’re a good fit for each other anymore. We had our “Get big or get out” moment in the […]

All farmers are eligible to contact Farm Center staff consultants through the Farm Center Helpline at 1-800-942-2474. All of the Farm Center’s services are free and confidential. The Wisconsin Farm Center works with farmers one-on-one to provide free and confidential services, including: • farm financial consulting • farm succession planning • farm business entry or […]

Calling all farmers and ranchers: do you want to know more about cooperative development, farm insurance, business planning, energy efficiency, and accounting? Growing for the Future, a FREE online conference, offers all that and more. Register today for access to farmer-to-farmer webinars, live Q&A session, an online resource center, and free giveaways: https://nfu.org/growing-for-the-future/     […]

Want to learn more about agroforestry and meet perennial farmers from across the Midwest? Join the Savanna Institute for this year’s Perennial Farm Gathering on December 6th and 7th, 2019 at the Sinsinawa Mound Center near Dubuque, Iowa! This year’s PFG will feature keynote speaker Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquín (President and CEO of Regenerative Agriculture Alliance), panels […]