| Farmer Trainer |
|
|
Rick Abrahamson
|
Rick Abrahamson is currently the farm project coordinator at the Farm at St. Francis and owner of Homegrown Gardens in Fergus Falls. Formerly he was a lecturer at the University of Minnesota specializing in production horticulture. Rick’s educational background includes a B.S. in horticulture and an M.S. in soil science both from North Dakota State University. He was responsible for teaching several horticultural courses at UMC including; floriculture, introduction to horticulture, plant propagation, herbaceous perennials, and interior plants.
Prior to coming to Crookston he taught horticulture courses at Southeast Technical Institute in Sioux Falls, SD. He has also served as an extension educator, Pennington County for South Dakota State University Cooperative Extension; director of education at Lauritzen Gardens, a 100 acre botanical garden in Omaha, NE; extension educator, Clay County for the University of Minnesota Extension; and Grounds Manager at NDSU in Fargo, ND.
|
|
Ngozi
Akubuike
|
|
|
Ini
Augustine
|
|
|
Katie
Bonow
|
|
|
 Jayna
Larrea
|
Summers on her grandparents' and aunt and uncle's farms instilled in Jayna a deep love for the land. Even while living and working in Minneapolis, she regularly sought solace in gardening and farm visits. The 2020 lockdown, however, spurred a dramatic change. Leaving behind a 40-year career in professional event planning, she embraced full-time produce farming. Despite warnings of its challenges, Jayna chose the emotional fulfillment of cultivating the land over financial security.
With her aunt and uncle's guidance, Jayna farms 5 acres in Litchfield, MN.
|
|
Sarah
Masikini
|
|
|
Kamillah
Mayfield
|
|
|
Xor McCray
Robert
McCray
|
|
|
Scott
Merth
|
Scott Merth is an emerging market gardener interested in growing food, creating beautiful gardens, and building a stronger community. After practicing structural engineering for 12 years, he decided to delve deeper into his hobby of home gardening and in 2020 became a Master Gardener for Hennepin County. Now, he has fully shifted his career over to the growing sector after one full season as a landscape gardener, and two full growing seasons studying sustainable agriculture at the UMN Landscape Arboretum.
He established Kaleidoscope Market Garden—an organic, no-till, urban farm based in NE Minneapolis—in 2024 and sells produce weekly at the Audubon Farmers' Market, to the Four Sisters Urban Growers Collective, as well as a mix of local restaurants.
|
|
Moses
Momanyi
|
|
|
Xe Susane
Moua
|
|
|
Onesmus
Mutio
|
Onesmus Mutio is a first-generation Minnesotan originally from Kenya. He is a graduate of Killimo MN, an incubator farm dedicated to equipping emerging farmers with the skills needed to succeed in Minnesota's agricultural landscape. After leasing a quarter-acre lot for a year, Onesmus founded Smarterlife Organic Farms and purchased a 3-acre farm in Bradford Township in Isanti County, where he, together with his young family, continues to advance his deeply rooted passion in farming. At Smarterlife Organic Farms, Onesmus organically grows and sells a diverse range of nutritious vegetables to The Good Acre and various wholesale accounts. Looking ahead, he plans to expand his market offerings by including Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs and participating in local Farmers' Markets starting 2025.
In addition to his farming work, Onesmus is a founding board member of the African Growers and
Producers Alliance (AGAPA), an organization in Minnesota that unites emerging farmers of African
descent to enhance their collective impact and voice in the agricultural industry.
Onesmus holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from Kenyatta University and an MBA from DeVry University. He currently works as a Senior Project Lead for Supply Chain Resilience at Abbott Laboratories. However, he plans to transition to full-time specialty crop farming in the near future, making it his primary focus and long-term career path.
|
|
Caliton
Ntahompagze
|
|
|
Esther
Ondieki
|
|
|
Jina
Rahimi
|
|
|
Nancy
Vue Tran
|
|
|
Friendly
Vang-Johnson
|
|
|
Jane
Windsperger
|
|
|
Youa
Yang
|
Youa Yang is an emerging farmer and lover of flowers and vegetables. Youa learned to garden by watching her parents grow vegetables on lease land every summer. Prior to living on her farm, she lived in the east metro but was deeply bored of suburban life. She had a tiny garden in her yard but wanted more space. She often found herself daydreaming of living on a farm and going back to her roots where she can learn to garden; using Hmong agricultural practices. She also loves nature, and along with many Hmong people; believes that all things have a soul. To receive an abundance at harvest time, one must respect the land and the earth that you are using.
Last year, Youa left corporate life and began her life on her new farm. She lives on 35 acres in Isanti with her husband Paul and their four kids ages 7, 5, 2, and 1. They own Roots and Heritage Farm where they will be growing cut flowers and vegetables and offering fresh eggs.
|
|
