By Rich Larson
Sharing Our Roots Farm is inviting the community to take part in a busy month of events designed to showcase sustainable agriculture, build connections, and support the organization’s mission of helping new farmers establish themselves.
The first event on the calendar is a trivia fundraiser at the Ole Store Restaurant on Tuesday, Aug. 11, from 6-8 p.m. Hosted by local trivia emcee, and the host of Alphabet Soup for the Soul right here on KYMN, Jae Jem, the evening will feature farm and food-justice themed questions while raising money for Sharing Our Roots. Participants can make donations to earn extra trivia points, and a portion of the restaurant’s proceeds from the evening will also benefit the nonprofit. Reservations are encouraged for the event.
Sharing Our Roots operates a 163-acre farm north of Northfield while also managing seven community gardens throughout Northfield and Faribault. The organization combines land conservation, food access and agricultural education, serving approximately 150 families through its community garden program while providing affordable opportunities for beginning farmers to launch their own operations.
One of the organization’s most distinctive programs is its farm incubator model. Eleven farm teams, representing about 40 families, lease land on an annual basis while sharing infrastructure such as greenhouses, tractors, irrigation systems and packing facilities. That arrangement dramatically lowers the cost of entering agriculture while giving farmers the independence to operate their own businesses. Many participants hope to eventually purchase farms of their own, and Sharing Our Roots provides stable access to land while they gain experience and build their operations. The organization also partners with agricultural training groups to create a pathway from community gardening to commercial farming.
The demand for that opportunity continues to grow as farmland prices make ownership increasingly difficult for new farmers. Sharing Our Roots is exploring ways to expand both its land base and its support systems while encouraging other communities to adopt similar models.
Additional events planned this month include an educational land walk, a community dinner, soil health demonstrations and policy discussions that bring farmers together with elected officials, all highlighting the organization’s belief that healthy farms strengthen both the local economy and the broader community.
Rich Larson is the owner and General Manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net.
