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Ag and Extension

Tracy Area Public School District awarded grant for STEM studies by farm program

The Tracy Area Public School District was awarded a $25,000 grant to enhance its science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) curriculum through America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education, sponsored by the Bayer Fund. The Tracy Area Public School District will use the Grow Rural Education funds to enhance STEM education in their CTE courses by purchasing new state of the art welders and wood CNC. In addition, through Nov. 1, farmers in Minnesota will have the chance to direct $2,500 to their favorite local nonprofit organization through the America’s Farmers Grow Communities ...

Ag Briefs

Minnesota Master Naturalist Program invites volunteers to serve on National Public Lands Day at Lac qui Parle Mission The University of Minnesota Extension Master Naturalist Program, in partnership with the Minnesota Historical Society, Chippewa County Historical Society and CURE, invites area residents to participate in National Public Lands Day (NPLD) from 9 a.m.-noon Sept. 28. National Public Lands Day is the largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. Since 2012, the Minnesota Master Naturalist Program has facilitated this effort at sites across the state. More than ...

Minnesota county cropland rental rates available

Average, Median, Ten Percent Lowest Average Rents and Ten Percent Highest Average Rents are listed by county in a recently released publication titled “Cropland Rental Rates for Minnesota Counties.” The rental rates come from rents paid by farmers who participate in Adult Farm Management ...

The last seeds of summer

The fairs are here which means that the end of summer is right around the corner. I am hoping that many of you who may have things to share for the open class exhibits at the fair are able to participate. I often find new flowers that I think I should add to my garden or some new vegetable that I should try. This also means that it is time to start thinking about planting those last seeds of the summer as well. Green beans, peas, lettuce and so forth can be planted now so that you will have time before frost (yes, I said frost) to harvest them. This is also the time, about mid-August, ...

University of Minnesota helping farmers adapt to changing growing conditions

Note: This is the third in a series of articles detailing the University of Minnesota’s outreach to farmers in Greater Minnesota and around the country. Farmers already facing a difficult year financially didn’t need anything else to complicate their planting window this spring. Then it started to rain. In each of the last three months, the U.S. broke its mark for the wettest year on record, according to federal scientists. Through May — planting season — Minnesota had experienced its third-wettest year and the waves of rainfall hit farmers especially hard. Many delayed ...

Financial counseling a key aspect of University of Minnesota assistance for farmers

Note: This is the second in a series of articles detailing the University of Minnesota’s outreach to farmers in Greater Minnesota and around the country. Data shows 2018 to be one of the worst years for Minnesota farm income in decades. By all accounts, 2019 looks like more of the same. As difficult finances become the new normal, the University of Minnesota is offering a suite of assistance programs for farmers in Minnesota and around the country. Extension educators say their training programs, financial counseling and economic management courses have been popular with ...