By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
Beginning Farmers
Access to Land: The Wonneberg Ranch Family & Succession Planning
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union As its mother protectively stands guard, her newborn calf, supported precariously by its wobbly legs, looks curiously at its surroundings and then begins nursing. For four generations, this heart-warming scene has signaled spring on the Wonnenberg Ranch near Dallas, Texas. And even though it’s been a part of … Read More
Access to Markets: Colorado Herb Cooperative
By Stephanie Syson, Lead Grower & Owner of Biodynamic Botanicals The United States is a large consumer of medicinal herbs, mainly in the form of value-added products such as dietary supplements, teas, personal care products, cosmetics, and other nutraceuticals. However, many of the herbs used to make these products are imported from foreign markets. In … Read More
Access to Markets: Cooperatives
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Although you might not know it, cooperatives are woven throughout every industry in the United States, including housing, banking, agriculture, food retail, and healthcare, providing people with basic goods and services through collectively owned and democratically organized businesses and organizations. Opportunities for cooperatives exist when a group of people or organizations share a … Read More
Access to Efficiency: The Wienk Charolais Farm Family & Technology
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Thumbing through a recent Wienk Charolais sale catalogue, Arnold Wienk, 78, recalls what it was like in the early years. “When I first sold bulls, the only number we gave buyers was the birthdate.” The glossy flyer is filled with photos of breeding stock and several columns of … Read More
Access to Capital: Two Roots Farm & Slow Money
By Harper Kaufman, Co-Owner and Operator of Two Roots Farm Christian and I fell in love with farming not too long after we fell in love with each other. Before graduating from the University of Montana, we had our first farming experience at PEAS Farm, the university farm near campus. While there, we began to grasp the … Read More
Access to Capital: Slow Money
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern As public interest in local and organic food increases, new markets have emerged in response to higher demand for these products. However, producers often need access to additional capital in order to access these markets. In response, Woody Tasch authored Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered, a … Read More
Access to Land: The Birgen Farm Family & Succession Planning
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Like most South Dakota farms 50 years ago, the Birgen’s farm resembled that of the Old McDonald nursery rhyme. “We raised cattle, chickens, sheep, had milk cows and stock cows, but back then, everyone did. You sold cream and eggs,” recalls Matt Birgen, an 86-year-old Korean War Veteran … Read More
Access to Efficiency: Alicia Razvi & Women in Agriculture
By Alicia Razvi, President of the Wood-Portage-Waupaca County Chapter of Wisconsin Farmers Union In September of 2014, I walked into my first Wisconsin Farmers Union (WFU) meeting. The chapter was forming a youth program, and I was curious about local food. Little did I know, walking into that coffee house meeting would lead me on a … Read More
Access to Efficiency: Women in Agriculture
By Melissa Miller, NFU Director of Education As National Farmers Union’s education director, I am lucky enough to travel the country to visit with dozens of women in agriculture every year. From Virginia to Oklahoma, Oregon to Wisconsin, these women never cease to amaze me with their innovative ideas and consistent hard work. I see women … Read More