Posts (archive)

Dane County Beekeepers Association

Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill

Crossroads Community Farm, LLC

Honey Valley Apiaries

Biodynamic researcher and Consultant

Lands Director, Skylark, Inc.

Veterinarian, Organic Valley Cooperative & Dr. Paul’s Lab

Michael Fields Agricultural Institute conducts corn research and development to provide nutrient dense,  GMO-free varieties adapted to organic and biodynamic crop production systems. This video briefly captures our corn breeding nursery and variety yield trails at harvest by hand and with a small plot combine.  

The USDA is now looking for women and Hispanics who believe they were discriminated against when applying for farm loans so that they can be compensated. (The USDA has given similar compensation for African American and Native American farmers.)

Over the past several years, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute has been honored in the presence of students from Shepherds College (Union Grove, Wisconsin). This association was originally developed by former garden manager Janet Gamble and was continued because of the valuable relationship and experience we expected to gain again this year. We weren’t disappointed.  Beginning […]

Early June set the stage for a Michael Fields Staff Day Out to the “Big City”. The purpose of this full-day event was to introduce many of our new personnel to our sustainability cousins in Milwaukee: Growing Power and the Urban Ecology Center.  As most everyone knows, Growing Power’s goal is to grow community and […]

Have you been thinking about experimenting on your farm to increase your profitability, conserve natural resources, or provide a healthier product to consumers? Do you want to help youth learn about growing food and fiber sustainably? Then you should consider applying to the SARE Farmer-Rancher or the SARE Youth Educator Program.

This past September, Carroll University Sociology Professor Bill Tarman-Ramcheck visited Michael Fields Agricultural Institute with two of his students, Sara Lucchesi and Mary Levandoski, to help plant trees in Michael Field’s Stella Gardens.  This event was part of an effort to help transition Stella Gardens towards a longer-term sustainable future. While perennial fruit and nut […]

Stella Gardens is more than a simple garden. It is a peaceful place where I have gained a lot of knowledge about gardening. I think I haven’t still fully realized it, but I feel ready to take care of my own garden and this will be my personal challenge for next spring. I have had […]

Wisconsin is proud of its CSAs, and the CSA model is a great way for members to take on some of the risks and rewards of farming. But that doesn’t make it risk-free for farmers, and another way CSA farmers can manage their risk is to consider the legal aspects. Farm Commons has a free webinar on December 10th on just this topic.

Greetings from Stella Gardens! As many of you know, Stella Gardens is the two-acre mixed fruit and vegetable growing area located behind the main building at Michael Fields. These gardens were first created in the early 1980s as a place where community members could come together to hold discussions on the future of healthy farming. […]

The Farmer Rancher Grant is one of the best programs out there that help farmers try out a new idea, research a question, or start a new project. It’s now accepting proposals, and the deadline is November 29th.

The Farm Bill has expired. You may have noticed that there wasn’t rioting in the streets, but that doesn’t mean everything’s A-Okay. What does it mean for sustainable agriculture? Read on.