Scott Haase farms in Blue Earth, Minnesota, raising crops with his brother Brent and raising pasture and woodland pork under Blue Dirt Farm. Their German ancestors “walked here from Wisconsin back in the 1860’s,” and they still farm some of the land where those ancestors homesteaded.
Like most in the area, the Haase family farm is still a fairly conventional corn and soybeans farm. They have made some changes, including going completely no-till on their soybeans and reducing tillage overall, and adding cover crops to their management. The soil in the region feels difficult to manage for most, but Scott thinks “tillage here just begets more tillage” and the transition has been worth it.
In his conversation with host Jared Luhman, Scott discusses the challenges and joys of raising Mangalitsa pigs on pasture, including pasture rotation, marketing, inventory management, processing, and fencing technology. He has long range goals for the land, and is mindful of the risk of burnout. “It’s very hard and you need support from customers and the community at large” he says, reflecting on the value of farmer-to-farmer relationships and knowledge that he’s built through SFA and other networks.
His passion and self-admitted stubbornness keep him moving forward: “I really want to make an impact on more land than just my own farm…I’ve really gotten excited about finding things that work on the land and sharing those with people and providing really high-quality products.”
Scott Haase, Blue Dirt Farm
Jared Luhman, Soil Health Lead, SFA
Cannon Valley Butcher's Block
The Meatery
If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, please consider supporting Dirt Rich and SFA's work by donating or becoming a member at www.sfa-mn.org.
The viewpoints of the speakers expressed within or outside of this episode do not necessarily reflect the goals and mission of SFA.
Dirt Rich is produced by the Sustainable Farming Association.
55: Soil Lab Tests for Regenerative Ag
Revisited: Designing Cover Crops for Late Season Grazing
54: REKO Rings
53: Endorsed for Water Quality
52: We’re on YouTube (and in the field)
Revisited: Restoring Oak Savanna
51: Framing Succession Planning
50: Transferring a Land Ethic Legacy Farm
49: Family Farm Succession Planning
48: Grazing Cattle to Restore Oak Savanna in the Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
Revisited: Managing Spring Grazing
47: Four DIY Soil Health Tests
46: Managing Land with Solar Grazing
45: Local Meats and Processing in Southeast Minnesota
44: Scaling Up Soy- and Corn-Free Pastured Chickens
43: Heirloom Apples & Craft Cider
42: Conventional to Kernza®: A Soil Health Journey
Revisited: Pastured Turkeys
41: Studying Soil Health
40: Field Notes
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