Resilient Farms - Red Oak, IA

08/20/2024

What a great addition to SW Iowa food farming. Congratulations, Whitetail Valley Farm🍎❣️

08/20/2024

08/20/2024

Excited to have all the coos - including baby Lo & momma Orla - at home at Resilient Farms - Red Oak, IA. Lots of sorghum Sudan grass & 11-species summer forage mix awaits them. Lots of nutritious, tasty munching ahead🐂🌾❣️

08/18/2024

The class of 2024 is thriving…about to be “wean-agers”🤣😍

08/15/2024

07/28/2024

The coos are getting their first taste of the sorghum Sudan grass pasture…plus portable shade. They look happy😁❣️

06/14/2024

🚜 Agroforestry for Small Farms 🌱 Small-scale farmers can significantly benefit from incorporating agroforestry practices into their operations. By integrating trees and shrubs with crops and livestock, farmers can enhance biodiversity, improve soil health, and increase overall farm productivity. Agroforestry offers a scalable and adaptable approach that supports sustainable and diversified farming, providing both ecological and economic benefits. Embrace the future of farming with agroforestry! If you're interested in starting an agroforestry project, check out SILT's tax incentive calculator here: https://silt.org/tax-benefit-calculator/

06/11/2024

🌾 Did you know that the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT) safeguards farmland through conservation easements? These easements ensure that the land remains dedicated to sustainable food production for generations to come. By protecting valuable farmland, SILT is building a more resilient and sustainable Iowa, one farm at a time. Discover more about our efforts and how you can support a future of sustainable agriculture: www.silt.org

06/11/2024

Are you looking for an easy, efficient and affordable way to support the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust (SILT)? Monthly giving is easy, time saving, budget-friendly, and convenient for you, and provides SILT with a reliable source of income that we can depend on. Donate monthly to the Sustainable Iowa Land Trust to preserve working farms, wildlife, clean water and Iowa’s high quality of life at https://silt.org/donate/. Thank you for your ongoing support!

06/06/2024

06/01/2024

This is half of the Mud Ridge Ranch Scottish Highland herd. This cows will return to our farm in August😍.

A herd of fluffy, photogenic Scottish highland cattle are currently grazing at Hitchcock Nature Center. It's part of a plan to restore natural prairie to the park.

05/16/2024

🌱 Welcome to SILT, Voloria! 🌾

We're excited to introduce Voloria as our new Administrative Assistant, joining the SILT team as of April 2024. With a background in education spanning six years, Voloria is now bringing her passion for real estate and social justice advocacy to her role here at SILT.

In her free time, Voloria enjoys spending quality moments at the dog park with her two fur babies and cherished family. Her dedication to community engagement and advocacy aligns perfectly with SILT's mission of preserving farmland for sustainable food production.

Join us in extending a warm welcome to Voloria! Together, we're committed to making a positive impact and nurturing a greener, healthier future for Iowa. 🚜🌿

05/16/2024

🚜 Curious about how SILT conservation easements work? It's a win-win! Landowners retain ownership while SILT ensures that conservation values are preserved and sustainable farming practices are promoted. Learn more about the process and how you can be part of this vital conservation effort: https://silt.org/for-landowners/ 🌱🌾

05/10/2024

Welcome, Kelly. May your career with SILT be filled with success & rewarding experiences. I look forward to meeting you😁‼️

🌱 Welcome Kelly Ridenour-Giurato to the SILT family! 🌾

We're thrilled to introduce Kelly as our Cedar Rapids Regional Coordinator, bringing a wealth of experience and a heart for community empowerment to our mission. From overcoming early life challenges to transitioning from finance to nonprofit, Kelly's journey embodies resilience and dedication.

As former director of the USDA-funded Regional Food Systems Partnership grant at Eat Greater Des Moines, Kelly showcased strategic prowess during turbulent times, ensuring organizational stability and impactful outcomes. Her diverse educational background, spanning Business to Conservation Science, coupled with a Master’s in Strategic Leadership, equips her with a unique perspective and skill set for the nuanced work of land preservation and equitable access.

At SILT, Kelly is not just a Regional Coordinator; she's a catalyst for change. With her insights, communication skills, and unwavering passion, she drives forward our mission of securing and preserving farmland for sustainable food production while advocating for equitable land access in Iowa. Beyond her role, Kelly actively engages with the Linn County Food System Council and the Iowa Food Systems Coalition, demonstrating her commitment to fostering resilient food systems statewide.

Join us in welcoming Kelly as she embarks on this journey with us, shaping a future where sustainable agriculture thrives and land remains a legacy for generations to come. 🌱🌾

05/10/2024

The day we’ve been working hard to reach arrived yesterday…Thursday, May 9, 2024😁❣️Thank you Matt & Jocelyn for all your hard work👏👏

05/08/2024

We have goats doing their thing…enviromental w**d management❣️Next week the cows arrive🐂😁

05/02/2024

This is why we are converting our farm to pasture to feed these beautiful animals and bring Mud Ridge Ranch to Resilient Farms🐂❣️

04/15/2024

Just saw the first barn swallow of this year. It was a single swallow battling today’s fierce wind the swoop in & out of our barn. It must be the lead scout for our annual flight of barn swallows. Eagerly awaiting the arrival of our “fighter pilots” of birds that consume thousands of flies each summer❣️

01/13/2024

Blizzard Gerri Chronicles from Resilient Farms: Steve spent the entire morning and I spent nearly 2 hours trying to dig us out. Kudos to the great winter gear that kept me warm in the frigid wind - Berne insulated overalls/coat, Columbia insulated hiking boots, Woolrich wool underwear & socks, Heatwave glove liners, & Yukon Tracks fur hat! The big surprise was how warm my vintage 1971 shearling & cowhide mittens kept my fingers❣️ Sadly, once the wind stops blowing, we will need to repeat all of our work. Big thank you to Matt Vermeersch for helping👍
See photo captions for full descriptions😁❣️

01/04/2024

Congratulations to Matt & Jocelyn on this great article!

Steve and I are very excited about 2024! Violet and the ready of the Scottish Highland herd will take up residence at Resilient Farms in a few months. Matt, Jocelyn, and the boys arrived in December. We look forward to our joint venture of transitioning our farm to perennial pasture producing grass-fed meat! Stay tuned👍😁❣️

Scottish Highland cattle don’t just live in Scotland. And they don’t just adorn artwork and social media memes.

12/21/2023

Watkins worked with Golden Hills RC&D to bring a Canadian conservation program to Southwest Iowa. It's called ALUS and southwest Iowa is the first place to get it.

12/07/2023

“May we be in this world a ray of that light which shone forth from Bethlehem, bringing joy and peace to the hearts of all men and women.” – Pope Francis

The second candle on the Advent wreath represents Peace. Like the first candle, it is also purple. Often called the “Bethlehem Candle,” the second Advent candle reminds us of Mary and Joseph’s journey from Nazareth to Bethlehem before Mary gave birth to Jesus. Building on the meaning of the Prophecy Candle, this second candle recalls that after all of the division, destruction, and dispersion of the kingdom in the Old Testament, there might finally be peace on Earth – Jesus is coming, and so is his Kingdom of Peace. As we read in the quote from Pope Francis, this light of peace shone forth from Bethlehem for all the world.

11/17/2023

Mark you calendars and shop this market - Tuesday, Nov. 21, 10 am - 4 pm. See you there!

Thanksgiving is nearly HERE! Let Red Oak Farmers Market vendors make your entertaining easy this year...we'll supply the baked goods, candy, breads, dinner rolls, local honey, and other special treats! And, we have several vendors offering GREAT hostess and Christmas gift items. Mark your calendar - Tuesday, Nov. 21, 10 am - 4 pm, White Fair Building.
Many of your favorite vendors - Renander Farms, JC Crafts, Garden of Paradise, Mary Wolhoy's Farm Stand, Tom's Bees, Tabor Bees, Project Cuts & Burn, & Roger Magnussen. Plus, new vendors - Ken Podliska, Fika Coffee & Bake Shoppe, Kustom Sweets N Eats, Snipes Spun Treats, & Peonies & Produce. Don't miss this local shopping event!

11/07/2023

Do you bake, garden, or make hand-crafted items that make great gifts? Then, be a vendor at the ROFM Holiday Markets. It's fun and provides local shopping for people in and around Red Oak!

CALLING ALL VENDORS - FARMERS, BAKERS & CRAFTERS! THE MORE THE MERRIER!
The Red Oak Farmers Markets welcomes anyone wanting to sale during its upcoming Holiday Markets.
Thanksgiving Market: Tuesday, 11/21, 10 am - 4 pm
Christmas Market: Thursday-Saturday, 12/14-16, 10 am - 5 pm daily
Note: Any items offered for sale must have been grown, prepared, or made by the vendor. Vendors may solicit advance orders for Thanksgiving baked goods with pick-up at the market.
Contact Maggie McQuown via PM if you have questions.

09/28/2023

Don't miss our final Thursday ROFM, today, 4 till 6:30 pm. Pim's Thai food truck is serving great Thai dinners & specialty drinks❣

09/16/2023

We'll have Rustic Raisin Bran Muffins, tomatoes, cucumbers & zucchini on Saturday, 9/16, 9 till Noon. Also, live music, voter registration...what more could you want to entice you to visit downtown Red Oak, Saturday, 9/16, 9 am till Noon?

09/14/2023

Shop the ROFM, Thursday, 4-6:30 pm. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather while shopping with our loyal vendors!

09/09/2023

We have nice, ripe slicing tomatoes, sweet grape tomatoes, other produce, and few Rustic Raisin Bran Muffins this morning. Teeny Weeny Wiener Wagon is serving BREAKFAST & lunch at today's ROFM, Saturday, 9 till Noon. Come to downtown Red Oak for Great Food, Great Local Shopping and Great Community!

09/07/2023

Steve and I will be at the ROFM, Thursday 4 till 6:30 pm. We have French Fingerling potatoes, tomatoes - slicing & grape, zucchini, eggplant, green peppers, and more!