Farm Aid's 40th Anniversary in Minnesota

It was a great honor to be included in the press conference kick-off to Farm Aid’s 40th Anniversary concert in Minneapolis on Sept. 20th. You can watch the press conference and the short film I was featured in on YouTube!

It was also fun to be featured on the big screen throughout the concert behind the likes of John Mellencamp, Wynonna Judd, and Neil Young!

Very grateful for the fantastic photography of Scott Streble who captured these moments both on the farm and at the concert!

It was also wonderful to be included in a great write up of the event in the rural and small town newsletter Barn Raiser.

…One such farmer was Hannah Bernhardt, who runs Medicine Creek Farm in Finlayson, Minnesota. Bernhardt grew up on a farm during the 1980s farm crisis and learned how difficult it is to make a living as a farmer. What got her back into farming was seeing the “diversity of new farmers that are getting into agriculture because they are learning about regenerative agriculture.”

Bernhardt told the audience at the pre-concert press conference, farmers are increasingly coming to understand “the importance of soil health and taking care of the soil in order for the food that we are growing to be healthier.” With its focus on also ensuring clean water and air, Bernhardt called regenerative farming “a public service to everyone.”

Bernhardt says regenerative farming practices also gives power back to farmers. “We’re not having to spend so much money with corporations. We’re not at the beck and call, at the prices that they’re willing to give us when we can do things on our own and keep our land healthy without their inputs.”

Read the full article here.

Leopold Conservation Award Finalist

Medicine Creek Farm was honored to be among four finalists for the inaugural Minnesota Leopold Conservation Award®.

Leopold Conservation Awards honor farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in their management of soil health, water resources and wildlife habitat on working land. 

Given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold, the award recognizes landowners who inspire others with their dedication to environmental improvement. In his influential 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac, Leopold advocated for "a land ethic," an ethical relationship between people and the land they manage. 

The Leopold Conservation Award program widely shares the stories of conservation-minded farmers, ranchers, and forestland owners to inspire other landowners to embrace opportunities to improve soil health, water resources and wildlife habitat on their working land. The award builds bridges between agriculture, government, environmental organizations, industry and academia to advance the cause of environmental improvement on private land. 

Sand County Foundation and national sponsor American Farmland Trust present Leopold Conservation Awards in 28 states.

We were honored to be nominated and considered alongside such esteemed and wonderful farms! More details on the other finalists can be found on the Sand County Foundation website here.

Minnesota Bound Feature

We were thrilled to be featured on an episode of Minnesota Bound about soil health and water quality! Our segment starts at the 14:30 minute mark. Can’t thank producer Kyle Heidenreich enough for telling the story of regenerative agriculture so clearly and compellingly!

Edible Minnesota: Creating Connection Through On-Farm Experiences

The Spring 2024 issue of Edible Minnesota showcased a number of cool agritourism experiences, including our own Farm Stay and tours! We love being featured alongside pizza farms, farm-to-table dinners, goat yoga, and more.

Start Shepherding from Scratch Webinar

I gave an online presentation called “Start Shepherding from Scratch” at the Practical Farmers of Iowa Winter Conference in January. It was thrilling to get to talk about sheep for a whole hour... and I don’t even really like public speaking!⁣⁣

My goal was to share some ideas on how to start grazing sheep with no permanent infrastructure (which is how we got started five years ago), but it also included shepherding basics for anyone looking to raise sheep for the first time. ⁣

I also tried to make the case for why I think sheep make a good first farming enterprise... as if their cute sheepy faces weren’t enough! I’ve been thinking about it, and I’m pretty certain the world needs more sheep people.⁣

The presentation is now available online on the PFI YouTube channel for those who missed it at the conference.

If you have any remaining questions after watching the presentation, let me know! You can send me an email at hannah@medicinecreekfarm.com

Land Stewardship Project Summer Grazing Photo Contest

I took this photo for the Land Stewardship Project Summer Grazing Photo Contest to try to encapsulate the many aspects of rotational grazing, and I got pretty lucky capturing so many parts of it in one composition—livestock on the move, portable fencing that makes grazing possible, livestock guardian dogs that make having sheep in this part of Minnesota possible, and the shepherd that has for centuries been in deep relationship with the sheep and dogs, making the regeneration of the soil possible. ⁣

If you’re unfamiliar with the Land Stewardship Project or their work, I encourage you to check them out and consider becoming a member! ⁣

As beginning farmers we have benefitted from their Farm Beginnings and Journeyperson programs which teach farmers the skills to be financially sustainable without making “bottom line” decisions that will harm the land.⁣

I’ve continued to participate on committees that are working to further programs and policies that help farmers do right by the land while fighting for economic and racial justice.⁣

It’s been hard lately to feel positive about the world, but in the words of Mr. Rogers, I’ve been looking for the helpers. The Land Stewardship Project is full of them. ⁣

You don’t have to be a farmer to get involved, and in fact I’d argue we need more urban and suburban helpers using their voices to change agricultural policy. ⁣⁣

Your tax dollars play a huge role in what kind of agriculture is viable for farmers, and you have a say in helping more of them use practices that sequester carbon, regenerate the soil, prevent erosion and runoff, provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators, create meaningful jobs, and grow healthy food we can all feel good eating.⁣

I talk a little more about this is the latest issue of LSP’s newsletter: https://landstewardshipproject.org/repository/1/3466/people_agenda.pdf

MN Ag Water Quality Certified!

We are super excited to announce we are now a Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certified Farm with Soil Health Endorsement!

AgWeek features Medicine Creek Farm

Very excited to be featured in Agweek!

We haven’t spoken much about our vision for the barn restoration project publicly yet, but here’s a start.

“We want people to experience what it is we are doing, and how we're trying to farm alongside nature, and give the animals that are nourishing us a good life that we feel good about."

https://www.agweek.com/business/agriculture/6563470-Pine-County-farmer-creates-blueprint-for-spotting-and-fighting-for-your-own-lane