agriculture

Minneapolis parks are getting the wrong kind of blooms

by Peter LaFontaine

update

May 22, 2020

The Parks Department is warning of potentially toxic algae blooms in some of Minneapolis's most-loved lakes. Here's what you need to know. >>

Bake for the river: Kernza in your kitchen

by Peter LaFontaine

update

May 19, 2020

For the first time ever, home bakers can get their oven mitts on Kernza flour, a delicious and river-friendly perennial grain. Let us know if you try it out! >>

Uncertainty amid promise of agriculture climate solutions (Yale 360)

by Trevor Russell

update

April 7, 2020

As policymakers and advocates look to croplands to sequester carbon, a recent article from Yale 360 points out that flows of greenhouse gases into and out of soil are complex, and outcomes can be uncertain. >>

Soil isn't a dirt-y word

by Peter LaFontaine

update

April 6, 2020

You know it when you smell it — good soil is healthy! Here's an explainer for how soil organic matter can make a difference for plants, animals and downstream neighbors. >>

Why rivers flood

by Trevor Russell

update

February 14, 2020

Community water supplies at risk. Sediment and pollutants washing downstream. Catastrophic floods right around the corner — A recent Star Tribune article reminds us of the growing threat high flows and erosion pose for the Minnesota River — and the toll that takes on our waters and communities. >>

Viruses, floods and an economic shoving match: All in a day's work on the farm

by Peter LaFontaine

update

February 10, 2020

What does coronavirus have to do with the economic prospects of rural communities in 2020? In our endlessly entangled global market, it turns out that a public health crisis on the other side of the planet can have shockwaves felt here in Minnesota. We see this as yet another sign that it's time to shift our agricultural practices, for both the river and our farming communities. >>