REVIEW: Renewing the Countryside: Minnesota
Stories from the Heartland
Midwestern initiative profiles sustainable farmers and other entrepreneurs in Minnesota

By Shannon Horton

March 4, 2004: There are times when you just need to read an uplifting book with an inspiring message. Here is a book that satisfies that need. Renewing the Countryside: Minnesota showcases rural success stories throughout the state. Some deal with farms and farmers, while others recognize Minnesotans' ingenuity in marketing or conservation. Each account is unique, but the common threads of sustainability and environmental responsibility can be found on every page.

The farmers profiled in this book demonstrate the best examples of human adaptability. They understood that something had to be done differently in order for their land to withstand season after season of use. Tony Thompson placed grass waterways in his fields to reduce the effects of erosion, and sowed cover crops right into his corn and soybean fields to better protect the soil. Rick and June Scherping switched their cattle from a confinement system to intensive rotational grazing. They no longer need to harvest crops to feed their livestock; the cows are happy to “harvest” it themselves by grazing. The conversion has been a great success; the Scherpings save more money in this system and consider it less work. Other resourceful ideas include using a nearby farm’s reindeer droppings to replenish the soil, and encouraging frogs, birds and hawks to inhabit the farmland; an abundance of these natural predators eliminates the need for pesticides to get rid of insects, mice and squirrels.

Another adaptation Minnesotans have undertaken is the search for alternate sources of power. In order to lessen their impact on the earth, David and Lise Abazs use solar and wind power exclusively to run Round River Farm. In Moorhead, the power company has developed a program called Capture the Wind, through which residents can opt to buy their electricity from a wind turbine generator. In doing so, they pay about a half penny more per kilowatt hour, but know they have prevented 8,800 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions. For the roughly $5 per month difference, these subscribers feel it is a worthwhile expense. In fact, the community has been so supportive of the clean energy effort that Moorhead now has two wind turbine generators, with growing enthusiasm for a third.

Other no-waste practices are mentioned in this collection of rural success stories. The Hartman’s organic creamery was built with recycled equipment, and they create products from the milk, cream and buttermilk of their own cows. Any product that goes beyond its expiration date—they only give their milk a three week shelf-life, so they can be entirely confident in their product guarantee—gets fed to the pigs. On Wildrose Farm, organic cotton fabric scraps get woven into rugs; the smaller pieces are turned into high quality artists’ paper. The Angry Trout Café is an environmentally responsible restaurant which uses returnable, reusable take-out containers and smaller organic cotton napkins to decrease laundry loads.

Another ingenious conservation method surfacing across the state is the creation of a product without exploitation of the land. Prairie Restorations is a company that gives an environmental, and economical, alternative to turf grass. Native plants and prairie flowers are transplanted, and when fully-established require no mowing and very minimal maintenance. State Farm Insurance in St. Paul estimates that over ten years they will save more than $250,000 in maintenance costs by choosing Prairie Restorations instead of getting a manicured lawn. Along with the financial benefit they are providing an area for native plants to thrive.

Another family farm, in Princeton, found its financial boon in waste products. The Haubenschilds increased the size of their dairy farm, thus increasing their waste production. They took this waste—cow manure containing methane—and converted it into a renewable energy source. With the help of an anaerobic methane digester, the former waste now provides enough power to run the whole farm facility and several nearby homes. The Hughes family did not have a waste product of their own per se, but instead created a market for something other farmers discard. Swheat Scoop is a biodegradable cat litter made of low-protein, low-weight wheat. Farmers make a profit from selling a former waste product, and Mark Hughes has a business that returns over $1 million annually.

Even earth-friendly, innovative farmers, still need to sell their produce to stay on the land. This book finds many interesting people responding creatively to growing challenges in the marketplace. They are moving away from the commodity markets and increasing their sales at farm stands. The Whole Farm Cooperative is a collective effort by about fifty family farms in central Minnesota. Unlike some cooperatives, these farmers have pledged to stay involved in the management of the enterprise. The result is a 70-85 percent return on the retail value of the food they sell. That's a 60 percent improvement over regular commodity marketing channels.

At the Harvest Festival in Duluth, producers and consumers come together for a day of locally-produced fun. Food, crafts and music abound, and admission is free. The idea is to give sustainably-minded consumers a chance to see and meet with local farmers and craftspeople. Local farmer Joel Rosen believes this social element reinvigorates the link between farmers and consumers. Once the connection is established, you have loyal customers.

That connection may be forged through a computer screen if you do not happen to be in the Duluth area. Java River offers gourmet coffee, soups and sandwiches, and a computer kiosk linking customers to www.prairiefare.com. Patrick Moore, co-owner of the coffeehouse, cites marketing surveys that report 25 percent of Americans want to buy sustainable produce, but only 2-3 percent are aware of where to get it. While you enjoy a sandwich made of locally-grown ingredients, you can click your way to information about sustainable farms in the area that are happy to market their produce directly to you. Java River and the internet site increase the visibility of the area’s local farms and their products.

Another program improving the visibility of local vegetables is the Youth Farm and Market Program in South Minneapolis. Three days a week, kids between the ages of nine and 16 are urban farmers: planting, weeding, watering and harvesting. On Saturdays, the youth take turns going to farmers’ markets and selling their crops. The program has grown to accommodate 227 kids who have developed over an acre of urban farmland, generating $1,300 in vegetable sales. The “city kids” gain hands-on experience with the process of growing and preparing food. An added bonus is the acquisition of cultural awareness from the particular foods grown, including crops native to Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe and North America. Chefs and parents instruct the young farmers on how to prepare a variety of dishes. The kids develop a more personal connection with the food they eat, and bring their new-found knowledge to the markets and to the family dinner table.

The environmentally responsible revolution is under way in Minnesota. Farmers are practicing their art in ways that work with the land as opposed to using it up. More and more consumers are seeking out the good stewards of the land and buying their products directly. Renewing the Countryside: Minnesota offers 43 instances of successful, sustainable enterprises, and serves as an inspiration for many more to come.

Shannon Horton is a former organic vegetable farmer who has traded in raising crops for raising children. Still maintaining a small garden, she looks forward to a time when she can successfully do both on a larger scale.