Moose Lake, MN
“My mission is to grow affordable and nutritious heirloom beans in an environmentally responsible way for our region. Short-term goals center around increasing bean processing efficiency and developing regenerative/sustainable farming practices. I am working towards a no-till system with increased use of cover crops and creating more farm-made compost. Long-term, I am working towards increasing the amount of land farmed, improving the bean yield per acre, and adding additional products (e.g. popcorn and grains) to my operation.”
– Britt Johnson, owner
The Project
Grant funds helped purchase dry bean cleaning equipment, specifically a thresher and winnower, to increase efficiency and yields for this emerging farm business.
Environmental Impact
“Producing food more sustainably and locally are key elements to help mitigate climate change and strengthen food systems. Dry beans play a significant role in this, not only as a nutrient-dense and high-protein food but as a sustainable crop. Being a legume, they have the ability to fix their own nitrogen, which creates soil-building bacteria and increases organic matter. Beans also improve the physical properties of the soil through the protein glomalin. Glomalin serves as a “glue” that binds soil together into stable aggregates. These aggregates increase the porosity of the soil, which helps reduce erosion and crusting.”
