NCR-SARE's 2024 Farmer Rancher Grants

The North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) Program is pleased to announce the 43 Farmer Rancher Grant projects recommended for funding for 2024. More than $784,000 was awarded through this competitive grant program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects.

Those selected to receive funding included (in order alphabetically by state):

Reuben Peterson of Peterson Farm in Ames, IA was awarded $11,270 for the project, “Energy-free Moisture Collection and Utilization System for Irrigating Nut Trees.”
Yves Doumen of The Motherland Gardens Community Project in Springfield, IL was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Sustainable Urban Agriculture Entrepreneurship Incubation for BIPOC and Underserved Communities in Springfield, Illinois.”
James Eckert of Eckert Orchards in Belleville, IL was awarded $5,030 for the project, “Establish and Evaluate a Two-Dimensional Peach Training System Using Three Different Peach Rootstocks and Three Different In-Row Spacings.”
Shirley Johnson of Johnson Farm in Mapleton, IL was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Comparison of Non-herbicide Methods for Control of Invasive Bush Honeysuckle as Preparation for a Prescribed Burn.”
Eric Luu of Zumwalt Acres in Wilmette, IL was awarded $14,172 for the project, “Investigating the Effects of Basalt Rock Fertilizer on Diversified Market Farmed Crops.”
John Plescia of Hazel Hill Orchard in Chana, IL was awarded $22,276 for the project, “Leaf Pellets as Soil Amendment, Weed Control, and Revenue Stream in Agroforestry.”
Marty Thomas of Kakadoodle in Frankfort, IL was awarded $29,067 for the project, “Empowering our community through education: Making Regenerative Farming Accessible for All.”
Sylvester Friend of Prairie Hills Farm in Selma, IN was awarded $14,995 for the project, “Is Goat Brush Clearing a Viable Business for Small Farmers in Central Indiana?”
Elise Koning of Sylvanmore in Bloomingdale, IN was awarded $15,000 for the project, “A Comparison of Weed Control Strategies in Christmas Tree Plantations Using Mechanical and Chemical Methods or Shropshire Sheep.”
STEBO MA'AT of MA'AT Urban Agriculture and Industries in Indianapolis, IN was awarded $14,995 for the project, “Empowering the Community with Education to Restore Balance to Life with Regenerative Urban Farming and the Ma’at Urban Farm Network.”
Whitney Schlegel of Marble Hill Farm in Bloomington, IN was awarded $17,736 for the project, “Integrating Sheep Wool Pellets with Specialty Crop Systems to Enhance Soil Health, Water Storage, Carbon Sequestration, and Plant Production.”
Brent Boman of AST Genetics in Topeka, KS was awarded $14,840 for the project, “Determining Optimal Planting Density Per Acre of Dual-Purpose Industrial Hemp with Cover Crop.”
Andrew Fles of Shady Lane Cellars in Suttons Bay, MI was awarded $11,154 for the project, “Evaluating a 'Soft Pesticide' Program for Wine Grapes in the Great Lakes Region for 2024.”
Abby Johnson of Ox Heights in Rogers City, MI was awarded $12,134 for the project, “Establishment Best Practices for Trees Producing Edible Pine Nuts in the North Central United States.”
Gina Kerr of Whispering Wild Market Farm in Toivola, MI was awarded $29,997 for the project, “Demonstration of Low Impact Tractor Cultivation in a Regenerative Farm Model to Increase Production using Equipment Sharing on Multiple Farms.”
Darla Kroft of Green Garden Foraging in Ypsilanti, MI was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Marketing Native, New, and Unfamiliar Culinary Plants: Sample Marketing Plan and Tools for Pineberries, Groundnuts, and Other New and Unique Crops.”
Emily Buehler O'Leary of North Fork Farms MN in Mazeppa, MN was awarded $14,887 for the project, “Climate Resilient Pastures: Establishing Long-Lived, Multipurpose Fodder, Fruit and Nut Trees in an Upper Midwest Silvopasture System.”
Lachelle Cunningham of Frogtown Farm in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Improving Vegetable Yield, Profit, and Quality of Life on Urban Farms with a New Biobased, Compostable Weed Barrier for Narrowly Spaced Crops.”
Colin Cureton of Midwest Hazelnuts in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $25,221 for the project, “Expanding On-Farm Propagation of Hazelnuts in the Upper Midwest Through Seed-Graft Layering.”
Cindy Hale of Clover Valley Farms in Duluth, MN was awarded $29,996 for the project, “Non-traditional Farm Transition Planning and Value Transfer via Mentoring and Creative Lease Agreements.”
Pearce Jensen of StrongHeart Farms in Marine on St. Croix, MN was awarded $9,790 for the project, “Creating a DIY Video Guide on How to Convert a 1950’s Gas-Powered Weeding Tractor into a Battery-Powered Electric Tractor.”
Andrew Petran of Twin Cities Berry Company in Saint Paul, MN was awarded $14,835 for the project, “Utilizing Beneficial Insects to Eliminate Sprays in Affordable Controlled Environment Systems.”
Noreen Thomas of Doubting Thomas Farms in Moorhead, MN was awarded $30,000 for the project, “Grains for Mushroom Growers.”
Mina Aria of Rad Bunnies in Saint Louis, MO was awarded $29,981 for the project, “Food Waste to Bunny Taste: Demonstrating the Benefits of Rabbit Manure in Building Healthy Soil and Climate Resilience in Urban Environments.”
Holly Evans of Rosy Buck Farm in Leasburg, MO was awarded $11,902 for the project, “Potential Application of Hügelkultur to Increase Water Holding Capacity of Central Missouri Farmland.”
Jeffery Goss Jr. of Ozark Heritage Botanicals in Hurley, MO was awarded $5,273 for the project, “Missouri Dewberry Project.”
Ranjana Hans of Raw Roots Turmeric in Columbia, MO was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Develop Sustainable Resources to Grow Turmeric in Missouri.”
Joshua Payne of Payne Farms in Concordia, MO was awarded $30,000 for the project, “Hydroponic Fodder Automation: Solving the Labor Problem of Feeding Fodder to Livestock.”
Megan Rudroff of Rudy Lane Flower Farm in Linn, MO was awarded $10,176 for the project, “Assessing Effectiveness of Various Methods for Overwintering Dahlias in Zone 6 and Subsequent Effect on Bloom Time.”
Ionut Lucian Toma of Sun And Bloom Farms in Lebanon, MO was awarded $14,859 for the project, “Costs & Effects of On-Farm-Made Vermicompost Tea Use in Vegetable Production VS Commercial Organic Inputs.”
Roger Licking of LickingAg in Seneca, NE was awarded $29,978 for the project, “Summer Forage Crop Options for North-Central Nebraska Counties to Improve Production, Forage Quality, and Soil Health.”
Ashtyn Chen of OceanArc Technologies in Pataskala, OH was awarded $26,295 for the project, “A More Cost Effective and Sustainable Raceway Design for Indoor Shrimp and Fish Production.”
Joshua Combs of Combs Bee Farm in Milford center, OH was awarded $29,956 for the project, “Improving and Sustaining Varroa and Disease Resistance using your Current Local Honey Bee Queen Stock.”
Ronnie Williams of Hood Honey in Walton Hills, OH was awarded $29,953 for the project, “Kinsman Pollinator Corridor Project: A Study on the Sustainable Benefits of Pollinator Gardens and Bee Therapy in an Urban Community.”
Dana Workman of Grass Powered Poultry in Hillsboro, OH was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Increase Farmer Quality of Life and Income Through Mindset Coaching.”
Stephanie Bowers of Glorious Goat Ranch in Greenleaf, WI was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Demonstrate the Impact of Multi-Species Grazing with Virtual Fencing as Ecologically Beneficial Vegetation Management in Critical Watersheds.”
Jennifer Falck of Kahulahele Farmstead in Oneida, WI was awarded $30,000 for the project, “Indigenous Food and Agriculture Apprenticeship Project.”
Michael Gutschenritter of Three Brothers Farm in Oconomowoc, WI was awarded $29,956 for the project, “Automating Grain Feeding in Mobile Pastured Poultry Coops.”
Donale Richards of Madtown Food Services in Madison, WI was awarded $16,069 for the project, “Strengthening Black Farming and Food Businesses in Dane County.”
Gabriel Smith of Loading Ranch in Madison, WI was awarded $13,160 for the project, “Seeds of Sustainability: Cultivating the Future - A Comprehensive Journey into the First Year Farming, from Business Planning to Challenging Stereotypes.”
James Stute of Stute Farms in East Troy, WI was awarded $13,520 for the project, “Up or down: Should Row Cleaners be used when Planting Green into Cereal Rye?”
Alex Tanke of Dispersion Farms in Middleton, WI was awarded $15,000 for the project, “Hybrid Hickory Variety Recommendations and Propagation Trials.”
Debra Weiss of Ethereal Gardens in Antigo, WI was awarded $6,500 for the project, “Sustainable Greenhouse Heating.”

Read descriptions of these projects online at https://projects.sare.org/.

The focus for each of the NCR-SARE grant programs is on research and education. Funding considerations are based on how well the applicant presents the problem being addressed, the project's relevance to sustainable agriculture in the 12-state North Central region, and how well it aligns with NCR-SARE's goals, among other factors specific to each grant program.

NCR-SARE’s Administrative Council (AC) members decide which projects will receive SARE funds. The AC includes a diverse mix of agricultural stakeholders in the region. Council members hail from regional farms, ranches, the Cooperative Extension Service, universities, federal agencies, and nonprofits.

Since 1988, the SARE program has helped advance farming systems that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially responsible through a nationwide research and education grants program. The program, part of USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture, funds projects and conducts outreach designed to bring sustainable innovations to agricultural systems.