Climate on the Farm Event Illustrates Climate Impact

Recently a small group of people gathered at Island Lake Farm on a cool fall evening to talk about Climate on the Farm. Sponsored by the Climate Land Leaders and supported by Happy Dancing Turtle, the evening started with a history of the farm.  We have been on our farm for thirty years and consider it to be a special place. With a half mile of shoreline on a natural wild rice lake and the headwaters for the Ripple River, we have kept conservation at the heart of our farm operations. I explained how we’d taken row crop acres, degraded and stripped of carbon, and brought life back to them. and described how this focus has helped us to adapt and mitigate extreme weather events.

Satellite photo of Island Lake Farm. The late Doug Thompson, founder of North Face, described the flowing beauty of regenerative agriculture as Land Art.

For many years I’ve felt that climate issues related to energy and fossil fuels will be addressed by technology, but to truly address the climate crisis, we need to focus on instilling a land ethic, most importantly in how our food is grown. I explained this, and how I believe  a focus on carbon dioxide and other atmospheric gasses as the primary way to address climate change takes away responsibility from the individual, placing it on technology, business, and government. This approach creates a sense of scarcity or sacrifice, contrary to my belief that nature is abundant.

A Healing Approach

I argued that a more effective approach to best adapt to and mitigate the extreme weather events we’ve been experiencing due to a changing climate, might be to focus on healing the land. I believe a focus on the land makes it personal and gives land stewards agency to impact their own wellbeing. By healing the soil we can restore the water, chemical, and biological cycles, slowing them down, creating positive feedback loops, and promoting abundant landscapes.

After this introduction, participants toured the farm learning about the various systems that have been established, how they’re managed, and the benefits and drawbacks of these systems.  From the silvopasture poultry operation, to strip-tilled vegetables grown in a multiyear crop rotation between rows of hybrid hazelnuts, it was explained how these systems are integrated for mutual benefit and function. Forest ecology was discussed and how sustainable forest management can maintain forest diversity, ensure multi-aged trees, and increase forest health, quality, and resilience.

Some of the practices showcased on the tour included:

The practice of hedgelaying was also discussed. Photo by HDT staff.

• integrating the soil health principles to increase soil carbon, restore water holding capacity, and slow the nutrient cycle 

  
  

• planting windbreaks and preserving riparian buffers to capture and filter nutrients

  
  

• integration of livestock to drive biological soil fertility

  
  

• keyline contour swales to capture water high on the landscape and allow it to infiltrate

  
  

• forest management to maintain a diversity of tree species and age classes 

  
  

• alley cropping on contour to increase diversity and resilience 

Dinner, Discussion, & Impact

Following the tour, participants shared a meal and discussed what they saw. As the wild rice-stuffed shitake mushroom and green pepper appetizers were served, one dominant theme was the amount of perceived work it takes to farm with conservation at the heart of an operation. “There is so much going on” was heard more than once.  Also mentioned was the diversity of products and the abundance of real food from a relatively small amount of land, and how that differs from large scale commodity farms.

A diverse cover crop mix of sunflowers, hairy vetch, and buckwheat, to name a few. Photo by HDT staff.

There was some discussion on how to scale these practices, including the numerous barriers holding back adoption. Government policy in favor of big ag, lack of accounting for resource degradation, labor/ land costs, and generational transfer were just a few barriers mentioned. It was discussed how technology could either benefit these systems, or serve as a barrier to adoption.  

Attendee Molly Zinns commented: “The event provided a real "aha" moment for me... regenerative, restorative farming practices bring people directly in contact with the land and systems they can personally impact...these types of hands-on experiences help to create a growing sense of community and self-reliance that can ultimately foster increased action and advocacy.“

The Farm Chef. Photo by HDT staff.

As the last of the wood fired pizzas were finished off, and the hazelnut crusted apple tort with homemade ice cream was served, people reflected on the future. Soil health and regenerative agriculture is gaining prominence as younger farmers and ranchers are looking for new options, and they’re finding these production systems require less start-up investment and are often more profitable than the high startup costs of commodity agriculture. Consumers increasingly want to know where their food comes from, and how it’s grown.  And, it was noted that one of the best ways to advance climate resilient farming systems is to get people on farms and ranches, to show the practices and systems that regenerate land, and share a meal.  

Following the tour and dinner, Molly Zinns shared its impact on her: “The event provided a real "aha" moment for me. As we discussed, some of the commonly featured climate solutions don't address the full spectrum of healthy land, soil, water and animal systems that are such a crucial part of the overall solution. While clean energy is a vital part of climate mitigation, this strategy often includes a few degrees of separation from the industry and the individual. In contrast, regenerative, restorative farming practices bring people directly in contact with the land and systems they can personally impact. And as I noticed during our discussions throughout the tour, these types of hands-on experiences help to create a growing sense of community and self-reliance that can ultimately foster increased action and advocacy.“

What is your land story? How can you better manage the small piece of this beautiful world that you steward? Do you know the farmer or rancher that raises your food? Have you considered attending a pasture walk or on farm event?  

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