You're Invited!

Community Dinner at Curry in a Hurry to benefit equitable farmland transitions

Wednesday, April 27
6:30-8:00 pm
Curry in a Hurry
3025 E Franklin St, Minneapolis
$15 for 4-course buffet of delicious Bangladeshi food; full menu also available.

Sign up here so we have a good headcount for food prep.

We are on the home stretch of the fundraising that will ensure a successful farmland transition of retiring Singing Hills farmer Lynne Reeck to the Lor family!

Join Renewing the Countryside, with special guests Mai Lor, Bao Xiong and other community partners as we break bread together during the month of Ramadan for an interfaith community iftar (meal) benefitting farmland transition. There'll be a short presentation on the work we've been doing and plenty of time to enjoy delicious food and warm community vibes.

As shown in the poster above, our friends at Curry in a Hurry invite you to dine anytime from 6:30-8 pm each day now through May 1st, and a portion of the sales will be donated to benefit this Minnesota farmland access work.

If you’re unable to join us, please share the video above with your networks, and consider donating today.

Did you catch the coverage of the Singing Hills farm transition journey on the PBS Almanac program? Reporter Kaomi Lee talked with RTC’s Jan Joannides, retiring farmer Lynne Reeck, and the Lor family (shown here). Click to watch!

Farmland Access Navigators

Since the Land Access Navigators program began, over 80 new and beginning farmers have secured farm ownership or land leases! Now RTC is thrilled to embark on a 3-year renewal and expansion along with Practical Farmers of Iowa and Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service in Wisconsin. Funding is from the USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program.

The expanded program has included recruiting and training new Navigators with an emphasis on those closely aligned with Emerging Farmer communities. The new cohort of Navigators is ready to work with farmer clients—meet the new crew here!

The group recently gathered for their first annual Navigator Retreat in Hammond, MN (as shown above). With a lot of new farmers interested in alternative land ownership models, the group learned about one cooperatively-owned farm, another with numerous owners set up like a condominium, and also about the buy-protect-sell-support model put into action with the Singing Hills Farm transfer we’ve shared in this and previous Rooster updates. The Navigator team is looking forward to further developing relationships to support new and beginning farmers in securing land leases or purchasing farmland.

For more about this project, the Farmland Access Navigators and Hubs, visit gotfarmland.org.

Slow Money

Renewing the Countryside (RTC) was recently featured in Minnesota Women's Press about our work connecting Slow Money and Regional Food Systems. As RTC Executive Director Jan Joannides said, “To support the sort of robust food and farming system we wanted, we needed to make connections between those in need of financing with those who are interested in funding businesses that align with their values.”

You’ll learn some interesting things in this article, such as where Jan was born, how long ago she first formed Slow Money Minnesota, and some of the great partners she works with in this innovative financing approach to food system change.

Shown above: Jan (left) with farmer Melissa Driscoll. Photo by Sarah Whiting

Conservation Connections