By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union The Symens family raises crops, purebred Limousin cattle and a feedlot near Amherst, South Dakota. “It’s a garden spot … if we get rain,” says Paul Symens, 72, when describing the land his grandpa, Harm Symens, purchased in 1910. For more than a century, the Symens family has cared … Read More
By Erin Cuseo, Owner & Operator of Erin’s Acres Farm As a first generation vegetable farmer in Colorado, one of the main challenges I face is accessing land. With increasingly high prices and a lack of available agricultural land, finding a long-term solution may take a farmer like myself many years. Not every property will suit … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern For a beginning farmer, who may not have the means to purchase their own land, leasing is often the most viable route to starting an operation. Typically, a lease doesn’t require a hefty downpayment or burdensome loan, and the financial risk is shared between the landowner and the tenant. However, farm … Read More
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Communication can be a challenge when five brothers farm together. Sure, weekly meetings help, but the key to ensuring nothing falls through the cracks on the Sumption family farm has been the daily meal they share together, explains Taylor, 40. “When you get a lot of things going on … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Communication can be a challenge when five brothers farm together. Sure, weekly meetings help, but the key to ensuring nothing falls through the cracks on the Sumption family farm has been the daily meal they share together, explains Taylor, 40. “When you get a lot of things going on … Read More
By Ariana Taylor-Stanley, Owner and Operator of Here We Are Farm Though my husband, Adrian, grew up on a little farm, he has since become a computer scientist and, if not for my agricultural inclinations, would probably live in a sparse, walkable studio apartment in some metropolis. Conversely, I grew up in a downtown duplex and … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern Many clothing retailers don’t own their storefront, and bakeries often don’t own their kitchens. So why would farmers need to own their farmland? In any business, cash is king. Owning a large commercial asset, like farmland, ties up capital that could otherwise be used to grow a nascent business. In some cases, … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Looking for a career path off the farm, Doug Sombke headed to college in 1978. However, only a few weeks into his freshman year, he was ready to pack up and head back to his family’s Conde farm. “Sitting in class I began to think of how many … Read More
By Lura Roti, South Dakota Farmers Union Looking for a career path off the farm, Doug Sombke headed to college in 1978. However, only a few weeks into his freshman year, he was ready to pack up and head back to his family’s Conde farm. “Sitting in class I began to think of how many … Read More
By Cathleen Anthony, Greater Rifle Improvement Team Assistant at AmeriCorps VISTA My winter diet cycles through a couple of staples: rice, pasta, canned beans, cereal, and potatoes. These are not my favorite foods. I eat them because they’re cheap, can be found in bulk, and stave off the feeling of hunger. When you’re on Supplemental Nutrition … Read More
By Jimmy Dula, NFU Intern The United States farm bill, as one would expect, addresses agricultural issues such as trade, conservation, and crop insurance. Some would be surprised, however, to learn that food stamps and nutrition programs are also included in the bill. In fact, the 2014 Farm Bill allocated $756 billion in spending over 10 years … Read More