Greener Pastures Blog

— Your dose of inspiration for everyday support of humane, sustainable agriculture —

 
 

Doing the Most Good at The Good Acre

Learn how Minnesota’s largest food hub supports BIPOC & emerging farmers while meeting our community’s biggest food needs in a new campaign produced by Greener Pastures.

Meet Lou Wirtanen, Farm-to-Table Program Manager

Get to know Lou, her upbringing in rural Alaska, her food passions, and her hopes for our collective food future.

Farming as a Way of Life: In Conversation with Rough and Tumble Farmhouse. 

Outside of Pelican Rapids, MN, Kelsey Wulf is investing in small scale dairy, eggs, and beauty products.

Meet Anna Richardson, Board Member

Get to know Anna and food and farming work.

Meet Maggiy Emery, Board Member

Get to know Maggiy and her role in the non-profit sphere.

Fueling Local : Crafting Cosmetics and Food on Boomflower Farm

Outside of Kenyon, MN Katy Lund is on a mission to share high-quality local products with her community.

Meet Sadikshya Aryal, Board Member

Get to know Sadikshya and her thoughts on fighting for a more just and equitable food system.

Ranching Revival: Raising Bison at Otter Tail 23 Meats

PJ and Karla Breen are carrying on the family tradition of bison ranching outside of Pelican Rapids, MN.

Meet the Local Leaders & Land Stewardship Project Organizers Working to Stop a Factory Farm Expansion in Winona County

Meet Amanda Koehler, Board Chair

Get to know Amanda of the Land Stewardship and her role in fighting for a better food system both at work and at home.

Meet Zora Toles, Culinary Illustrator

Learn about Zora’s journey with sustainable food sourcing, her passion for sharing food with others, and her ideas of a better food future.

Meet Cassie Rogers, Culinary Storyteller

From research to content curation to kitchen creativity, Cassie is applying her life experience to food activism work.

Meet Sarah Wescott, Communications and Education Manager

Raised in farming, Sarah is continuing to shape the food system with her work at Greener Pastures.

Meet Grace Haynes, Education Intern

Grace’s background in science shaped her research skills. Learn about how she applied them at Greener Pastures.

Meet Kayleen Nagell, Social Media Intern

With her masters in Communications, Kayleen is making change in the food and science communities.

Meet Sarah Carroll, Founder & Executive Director

Learn about Sarah’s journey to creating Greener Pastures and where she hope to see the org go.

Caring for Land and Community at Rising Sun Farm and Orchard

Lindsey Baris and Ryan Browne are feeding soil and community on their farm outside of River Falls, WI.

Regenerative Sheep’s Cheese with Shepherd’s Way Farms

Award-winning cheesemakers, family farmers, and vocal food activists, Jodi Ohlsen Read and Steven Read are reimagining what it means to raise sheep.

Leaning into Community on Get Bentz Farm

Uplifting the local food community to produce woolen and meat products that are made ethically and sustainably from start to finish.

Transforming Pork Production with Cannon Valley Butcher’s Block

Sarah Scheub is putting humane animal treatment, pasture health, and humane butchering first, evident in her flavorful products.

Restoring Soil health With Grass Fed Cattle Co.

Using rotational grazing methods to restore life to a third-generation beef farm.

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Rhubarb Cinnamon Sugar Coffee Cake

Celebrating big changes over this mouthwatering seasonal dessert

Limited Edition Zine: Hotdish

Magnifying Identity and Diversity in Minnesota’s Classic Food

Farming for the Future: Experimenting on Seelye Brook Farms.

Just north of the Twin Cities, the Kleinmans are rethinking values-based farming through their holistic methods and experimental process.

Reimagining Ethical Agriculture on GRAISE Farm

Nestled in the rolling plains of Faribault, MN, Tiffany Tripp and Andy Olson of GRAISE Farm set a new example of transforming traditional farming spaces into humane havens.

Reckoning Greener Pastures and Racial Justice: Our vision and accountability for the future

Black lives matter, Black farmers matter, Black and POC leadership in our food system matters. And we need to own where we’ve been part of the problem.

Beef 101: Mapping The Many Pathways of Beef Production

We partnered up with our friends at The Good Acre to demystify the world of beef production. Show up as an informed shopper with our Beef 101 Guide!

For the Love of Chickens and Regenerative Farming with Green Willow Homestead

Meet Kelsey Jorissen, the phenom farmher and entrepreneur turning lessons learned and eggs raised on her Franklin, WI homestead into education and advocacy for more regenerative world

Building A Better Food System- and a recipe for Bacon & Leek Quiche Lorraine- with Amanda Koehler

The fierce food advocate and organizer with Land Stewardship Project breaks down the fight for a better, democratized food system over buttery, bacony goodness.

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Honoring Life that Feeds Us on Harmony Farm

How Brandi Bonde’s heart-first approach to her New Glarus, WI farm led to on-farm harvest, water restoration, and women supporting women in farming.

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Staying Cool in a Warming World: Tips and Tricks for Maintaining Motivation in the Climate Fight

The food system needs our hope and action in climate. Here are 5 things you can do today to keep yourself going . . .

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Maximum Pig Happiness with Nettle Valley Farm

Dayna Burtness and Nick Nguyen bring new meaning to ethical meat with regenerative practices, commitment to community, and the love of pigs on their Spring Grove, MN farm.

Spring Onion Egg and Rice Bowls

You’ll never guess the unexpected simple upgrade that makes this spring dish mouthwatering.

 

In the Pasture with Snake River Farm

Nestled in Becker, MN, Tom and Gail Barthel give a breathtaking example of farming when land stewardship and animal care come first.

 

Lupini Bean and Pumpkin Seed Pesto

With protein-packed lupini beans, this vegan and nut-free pesto will leave you so satisfied you’ll forget it’s plant-based . . .

 

Gluten-free Black Cherry and Vanilla Muerbeteig Crumble

This no-measure German butter dough over spiced black cherries is the no-fail dessert you need to try right now.

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Strawberry Chia Seed Muffins

Bursting with local berries and an ethically produced egg, you’ll want these easy gluten- and dairy-free treats straight from the oven . . .

Garden Radish and Garlic Scape Frittata + a Letter on Enough

The one thing that’s got to go before you start eating ethically might surprise you . . .


Chipotle Tomato and Lupini Bean Tart

Aka, what to bring to a summer potluck that everyone can eat but no one will suspect is plant based.