New farmer Steve Boyda (Kansas) and retired farmer Carmen Fernholz reflect on their experiences in organic row crop farming and offer insights to those who are considering transitioning. They discuss cash crops, setting yourself up for a successful transition period, managing landlord relationships, using the transition to build soil fertility, cooperative marketing, incorporating livestock and more.
Steve is also the president of the Organic Farmers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing (OFARM), and Carmen is an OFARM Director Emeritus. Carmen also happens to be one of SFA’s first Board Directors.
Speakers
Jonathan Kilpatrick, SFA Farmer Education Director
Steve Boyda, Kansas farmer, OFARM President
Carmen Fernholz, Minnesota farmer, OFARM Director Emeritus
Resources mentioned in this episode:
OFARM’s Organic Grain Market Pulse 30-min monthly Zoom sessions starting Oct. 2026
Marbleseed Conference (Formerly MOSES)
This work is supported through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP). TOPP is a program of the USDA Organic Transition Initiative and is administered by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Organic Program (NOP).
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 of Minnesota.
If you enjoy Dirt Rich, consider supporting our work by becoming a member of SFA or making a gift at www.sfa-mn.org/support.
