Greener Pastures

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Greener Pastures

Greener Pastures is working for a world where food is healthy, humane, sustainable and factory farm-free. Why is this happening? So stay awhile!

Our mission is to help our country move away from factory farming and towards humane, sustainable agriculture. Greener Pastures is a blog, community, and activism hub in the upper midwest here to make everyday support of humane, sustainable agriculture easy and seamless with your lifestyle. Because let's face it- we want our food and farms to be healthy, humane, and sustainable for farm animals, c

ommunities, and our environment. But the way our food system is set up makes that way too hard. So hard that we wind up buying factory farmed products- even though we don’t want to! Surprise: because our food system favors (and has been shaped by) powerful corporate interests in industrialized agriculture that have stacked the deck against ethical farmers and community food systems raising food in the spirit of land stewardship, animal welfare, and community nourishment. That’s where Greener Pastures comes in: we're your dose of inspiration, encouragement, and education for everyday support of humane, sustainable agriculture. We provide credible guidance on how to make food decisions authentic to your values so you can vote with your fork and feel amaaaazing about your choices. And we don’t stop there- we give you opportunities to take civic action to shape a better food system- one without factory farming. Check out our blog for the latest recipes, stories, and how-to's for eating authentic to your values. Learn what we're doing to help celebrate and support humane, sustainable farms. And get notified about the next opportunity to take grassroots action towards greener pastures. After all, it's going to take all of us at the table to move towards a more kind, just, green food system. And we can't wait to do it together. togreenerpastures.org

11/21/2025

🤔 💻 🥕Calling all sustainable farmers: is your website *actually* turning visitors into customers?

Join Greener Pastures and Meet the Minnesota Makers for a 90-minute virtual training: “Websites that Convert: How to Make Your Farm’s Website Convert Visitors into Customers.”

📆 Wednesday, December 10 ⏰6:30–8:00 pm CT 💻Virtual on Zoom 🎟️Cost: $35

In this workshop, you’ll learn what your website needs to:
 • Clearly tell your farm’s story • Help customers actually find your products and services • Turn casual visitors into committed buyers

We’ll cover: what makes a compelling About page, how to make your products searchable, the right balance of images and text, how to engage customers from your homepage, and how to use FAQs to cut down on confusion and back-and-forth messages.

This training is perfect for direct-to-consumer farms, food producers, and ag educators whether you’re upgrading an existing site or creating your first one. No prior website skills required.

And, this training is hosted by Sarah Carroll from Greener Pastures, a visual storytelling nonprofit on a mission to build a more humane, sustainable, just food system, and Michelle M. Sharp, digital marketing expert and champion of Minnesota’s local makers and food producers from from Meet the Minnesota Makers .

Is cost a barrier right now? We have a limited number of free tickets available for farmers with financial need – simply send us a DM to request one.

➡️Register at the link in our bio now- spots are limited!

📯Partners, please help us spread the word to sustainable farmers and ag educators in your networks!

11/20/2025

🎁 For Give to the Max Day, we’re doing something we’ve never done before!

Here’s the scoop:

At Greener Pastures, we believe that inspiring visual storytelling can change hearts + minds to build a more humane sustainable food system.

That’s why we produce Farm Features, visual storytelling campaigns & farmer storytelling trainings. It takes a whole community to make visual storytelling for a better food system possible.

And we’re so glad you’re with us.

So for Give to the Max Day , we have something special to say thank you.

On our stories yesterday, you chose our first-ever limited-edition print: a 10x8 photography print of grass-fed and -finished cattle raised by Grillin’ Meats + Rolling Hills Cattle Co., a woman-owned farm in Avon, MN!

🐮🌅 The first 50 supporters to donate $75+ starting today through Dec 31 , 2025 will get this 10x8 limited-edition print.

We only have 50 prints available, so don’t miss this opportunity to support our work and snag your print.

And you’ll definitely want to meet the farm behind the print: Grillin’ Meats + Rolling Hills Cattle Co.! .christina You can read + watch + listen to farmer Christina Traeger’s Farm Feature that we made in partnership with Meet the Minnesota Makers, and then bring a piece of her pasture into your home.

Your support makes this storytelling possible and helps build a more humane sustainable food system.

➡️ Visit our link in bio to donate- $75+ donations on any of our giving platforms will be eligible for getting one of these 50 10x8 prints! (Please allow us 6-8 weeks for receiving your print: going slow allows us to do responsible sourcing and printing!)

With gratitude this giving season,

Greener Pastures Staff + Board

(PS- tag someone below who believes in a more humane, sustainable, just food system who’d love to have this print in their home! 💛🌾)

11/19/2025

➡️ SWIPE for scenes of Greener Pastures’ fall 📸 and 🎥 projects!

Did you know autumn is our busiest time of year for producing visual storytelling projects to help build a better food system?

We’ve been traveling across Minnesota and Wisconsin these past few months filming farm features, campaigns, and client visual storytelling projects— and we thought you might want a sneak peek at what’s coming your way soon, including:

🎥 working with our friends at Sustainable Farming Association and Great River Greening on a 3-part video series following farmers Tom Hunter of Tangled Bank Farm .tangledbank, Judy and Harry Worm of Clayhill Farm and Forest , and Bryan and Jesse Simon of Lakeside Prairie Farm as they implement silvopasture land management practices on their farms.

📸 producing upcoming farm features with Wegmueller Farm , Crosswinds Farm , North Circle Seeds and more to bring you new inspiring storytelling spotlights of incredible local sustainable farms who you should know and support!

🐮visiting farms who are part of Headwaters Beef Cooperative, a brand new co-op with a mission of providing pasture-raised, sustainably managed, local beef to the Pine River area and beyond. We had the best time producing photography, video, and food styling of their products!

and so much more!

Make sure you’re subscribed to our e-newsletter (link in bio) to get all the updates on our visual storytelling projects!

And, if you’re a farmer who wants to learn about our Farm Feature program or a community partner interested in learning about our visual storytelling services, head to our website to get in touch with us! We’d love to connect!

11/11/2025

✨ We’re BLOWN AWAY!
 Thank you to everyone who attended, donated, bid, volunteered, or cheered us on at An Evening with Greener Pastures in St. Paul.

Because of our incredible community, we exceeded our $5K match challenge — enormous gratitude to everyone who helped make it happen!

🎤 Huge thanks to our panel moderator from and and farmer panelists Elyssa Eull and Kifah Abdi from Adbi-Mayfield Farm for a thoughtful, hopeful conversation about building a better food system.

🏠 A special shout-out to and for generously hosting us in their beautiful space at F-O-K Studios at Farwell-on-Water.

🤝 We’re grateful to all the businesses, farms, and community leaders who donated silent auction items, provided food & beverages, and supported our mission — please show them some love:          .grove  .playmates 
            
And many more!

Because you showed up, bid, gave — we’re now able to create even more Farm Features, launch new visual-storytelling educational campaigns, and provide training for sustainable farms and makers.

➡️ Drop a 💛 if you can’t wait for our next farm features, storytelling trainings and events coming soon!

11/06/2025

🔜 TONIGHT! Join us Thursday, November 6 for An Evening with Greener Pastures at F-O-K Studios in St. Paul!

We’re raising $10K to build a more humane, sustainable, and just food system through the power of visual storytelling.

🎤 Hear from host Elizabeth Ries of & as she moderates a panel with amazing local farmers — Elyssa Eull of and Kifah Abdi of !

🎁 Bid on silent auction prizes featuring local food, art, and farm experiences from generous partners

🎨 Enjoy a hands-on art activity led by board member Veronica Mangio .grove

🥂 Sip NA beverages from & more

🍽️ Taste delicious bites from

🎟️ Registration is required and space is limited — save your donate-what-you-choose ticket today through the link in bio!

💚 Every ticket and bid supports Greener Pastures’ mission to tell the stories of farmers building a better food system.

💚 Huge thanks to our generous silent auction donors who have donated incredible prizes!
                .playmates        
and more!

Every bid supports our mission to create visual storytelling that inspires a humane, sustainable, and just food system.

11/05/2025

🔜 TOMORROW! Join us Thursday, November 6 for An Evening with Greener Pastures at F-O-K Studios in St. Paul!

We’re raising $10K to build a more humane, sustainable, and just food system through the power of visual storytelling.

🎤 Hear from host Elizabeth Ries of & as she moderates a panel with amazing local farmers — Elyssa Eull of and Kifah Abdi of Abdi-Mayfield Farm !

🎁 Bid on silent auction prizes featuring local food, art, and farm experiences from generous partners and local business.

🎨 Enjoy a hands-on art activity led by board member Veronica Mangio .grove

🥂 Sip NA beverages from & more

🍽️ Taste delicious bites from

🎟️ Registration is required and space is limited — save your free/donate-what-you-choose ticket today through the link in bio!

💚 Every ticket and bid supports Greener Pastures’ mission to tell the stories of farmers building a better food system.

10/31/2025

Our Silent Auction is officially OPEN! 🌾
 Our Fall Fundraiser is around the corner, with a goal of rising $10K to continue our work to build a more humane, sustiainabe, just food system through positive visual storytelling.

Our virtual silent auction has incredible local experiences, handmade goods, and one-of-a-kind items.

✨ Here’s a look at what you can bid on:
 🏡 Farmstay at
 🥩 Grass-fed Beef Sampler from
 🥕 Gift Certificates to MN Food Club

☕️ Coffee with award-winning cookbook author Beth Dooley
 🍷 NA Celebration Sampler: Prima Pave () + Three Spirit Drinks () from
 🍏 Trio of NA Beverages from Dry Wit
 📸 Photo Session with

🐖 Farmstay and pastured pork package from
 🧘 Coaching Session with Sincerely Susan Smith
 🛒 Gift Card to

❄️ Tickets to Arboretum Taste Makers with
 🌱 Soil Biology Analysis from Clear View Regenerative Farms & Services
 🪡 Upcycled Quilted Jacket, Cloth Napkin + Tea Towel Set from
 💆 6 Visit Chiropractic Package from The Joint Chiropractic - C**n Rapids, MN
 🎭 Tickets to off/on another tangent by .playmates at The Southern Theater
 🍽️ Lunch and a Studio Tour with host Elizabeth Ries of and
 🔪 Gift Card to a butchery class with MPLS Meat Collective

… and more prizes coming soon!

💚 profound thanks to all our generous donors who made this auction possible — and to everyone bidding to build a better food system!

🎟️ Don’t forget to grab your donate-what-you-choose ticket for An Evening with Greener Pastures on Thursday, November 6 at F-O-K Studios in St. Paul. . Link in bio!

Start browsing + bidding today: 👉 https://givebutter.com/c/TXS7yw/auction

10/22/2025

Mark your calendars, because you’re invited to a beautiful, fun evening of farms, food, art, and community - all to help us build a better food system.

On Thursday, November 6th, Greener Pastures is hosting our annual fall fundraiser, An Evening with Greener Pastures, at F-O-K Studios at Farwell-on-Water in St. Paul, MN.

And we’d love you to join us.

Here’s why: We’re gathering to raise $10,000 to support Greener Pastures’ mission of building a more humane, sustainable, just food system through the power of inspiring visual storytelling.

Every dollar we raise will go to support producing more Farm Features of incredible regenerative farms, creating new visual storytelling and educational campaigns that build the movement for a better food system, and training farmers & makers on visual storytelling & marketing skills.

When: Thursday, November 6, 2025, from 5:30-8 pm CT
Where: F-O-K Studios, Farwell-on-Water, St. Paul MN
Cost: Donate what you choose!

At an Evening with Greener Pastures, you’ll:

🎤 Listen to our special guest and emcee Elizabeth Ries , host of and , lead a special conversation with a panel of incredible local, sustainable farmers including Elyssa Eull from and more! 
🎁 Bid on silent auction prizes on the theme of food, farms, art, nature and community, featuring special items & experiences from .playmates and so much more! (stay tuned- the virtual silent auction will be opened in a few days!)

🎨 Get artsy with a hands-on art activity led by Board Member Veronica Mangio .grove

🥂Enjoy complementary NA beverages

🍽️ Eat delicious bites generously donated from !
 ➡️🎟️ Registration is required, and space is limited- so save your donate-what-you-choose tickets today through the link in bio!

09/29/2025

What if we built a food system that honors nature’s gifts? 💫🥕🎨

On Sunday, Gifting Grove .grove and Greener Pastures hosted a Farm-to-Table Breakfast at the Greener Pastures kitchen in Northeast Minneapolis. It was a morning of food, community, poetry, and art with farmer/poet/artist Cory Eull of .

The highlights:
 🌾 Veronica Mangio, Gifting Grove Founder and Greener Pastures Board Member, invited us to imagine a gift economy inspired by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s writing and read an excerpt from her book Braiding Sweetgrass on the Honorable Harvest.
 🍽️ Breakfast featured seasonal produce from and ingredients from , Hmong growers at the , local farm-direct eggs, wild-foraged serviceberries, and many more intentionally raised ingredients.
 🍅 Cory shared words and a poem about the end of the growing season and the trust that forms when you know the people who raised your food.
 🖌️ We painted with pigments made from food scraps like coffee, blackberries, marigold, onion, and avocado skins.

Thank you to all the volunteers who made this day possible, including and Regina Mangio 💛

Question for you: should we host another Gifting Grove x Greener Pastures farm-to-table collaboration? Drop a 💛 or comment with what you’d love to see us do together next.

PS: Join our email list to hear about upcoming events—link in bio.

09/23/2025

The 5 photos you need to help your farm grow customers- and how our training this week will show you how ⬇️

because here’s the thing – your farms, website, social media and newsletter need high-quality photographs that tell the story of who you are, what you grow and how you grow it.

But too often farms don’t have the the photography and images that they needed to build trust with customers in ways that generate new sales.

After producing countless farm features and photography campaigns for clients and partners in sustainable agriculture world, we built expertise in farm photography-and want to pass those skills to you!

So if you’re ready for better farm photographs that help customers, our training Wednesday is for you.

From Snapshots to Sales: Taking Better Farm Photos That Attract Customers
 🗓 Wed, Sept 24 | 12–1:30 pm | Virtual | $35

Co-led by Sarah Carroll of Greener Pastures and Michelle M. Sharp of Meet the Minnesota Makers, this workshop is designed specifically for sustainable farmers and ag educators who want practical, realistic tools that fit with your farm— not to become a professional photographer or influencer.

Greener Pastures is a 501c3 nonprofit based in Minneapolis on a mission to build a better food system through the power of visual storytelling.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this virtual training:
 ✨ Why you don’t need fancy equipment (your phone works just fine!)
 ✨ The 5 photos every farm needs to have on hand
 ✨ How to make a photo convert—composition, light, subject, and intentionality
 ✨ Quick tips: framing, focus, and perspective that instantly make images stronger
 ✨ Simple editing tools and filter strategies to keep your look consistent
 ✨ Exporting for website vs. social media (what size, jpeg vs. png, etc.)
 ✨ How to use your best photos across social media, websites, and Reels to maximize impact

Space is limited, registration is required. Spot now through the link in bio!
 Accessible free tickets available (just reach out).

📸 of in Waldorf, MN, produced in partnership with for Local Foods Month

08/26/2025

Calling all farmers and food producers ready to grow customers—this one’s for you!

We’re kicking off a brand-new series of farm storytelling trainings, created specifically with your feedback in mind. These short, practical, virtual workshops are designed to fit into a busy farm schedule and give you the skills you need to attract and retain customers through strong digital marketing.

The first session is coming up soon:

📸 From Snapshots to Sales: Taking Better Farm Photos That Attract Customers 🗓 Wednesday, Sept 24 | 12–1:30 pm | $35

In this workshop, Sarah Carroll of Greener Pastures and Michelle M Sharp of Meet the Minnesota Makers will share real-life examples and hands-on tips to help you capture authentic photos that tell your farm’s story and make your website and social media shine.

And that’s just the beginning! Coming up later this season:
 🌐 How to Make Your Farm’s Website Convert – Nov 10 ✉️ From Inbox to Impact: How to Make Your Farm’s Newsletter Convert – Jan 28 🎥 Reels for Busy Farmers: A Step-by-Step Guide – Mar 6

✨ Why Greener Pastures? We’re experts in visual storytelling, having supported dozens of farms and partners with campaigns, photography, videography/film, and communications. We know what small, sustainable farms need to succeed—and these trainings are all about giving you the tools to do just that.

Space is limited and advance registration is required. A small number of free accessible tickets are available—just reach out if cost is a barrier.

➡️ Register today through the link in bio or at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/from-snapshots-to-sales-taking-better-farm-photos-that-attract-customers-tickets-1607239439429?aff=oddtdtcreator

Partners, please help us spread the word to the farmers you serve by sharing this post!

07/22/2025

LAST CHANCE! Farmers, the deadline to apply for a Greener Pastures Farm Feature is Wednesday, 11:59pm on July 23, 2025!

This is a free program for farmers- here’s what you need to know to apply:
 Each year we select a handful of farms in MN & WI to receive an in-depth photography, video, and written feature published across Greener Pastures platforms (and often in local media). Through storytelling and visual content, we share your farm’s mission, practices, and products with our audience to help connect eaters to local farms.

Farms who are selected receive professional photography and a 3-5 minute “intro farm video” of their farm that farmers can use for their marketing purposes or to help grow their business- a $3000 value.

Who Is Eligible? We feature farms that:

✅ Are pasture-based farms (not confinement-based/factory farm operations)
✅ Use regenerative, sustainable, and/or ethical farming methods
✅ Sell products directly to consumers, such as meat, eggs, dairy, fiber, value-added products, produce, or other farm-based goods
✅ Are based in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Indigenous nations within these states
✅ Are independently owned (farms that are a 501c3/nonprofit may apply too)

➡️ Ready to learn more or apply? Head to the link in profile! Applying takes less than 10 minutes!

📸 of - find their farm feature on togreenerpastures.org!

📯 Partners, please help us spread the word about this great free resource for farmers!

Know a farm who should apply? Tag them below!

Address

Minneapolis, MN

Telephone

+13014664715

Website

http://www.togreenerpastures.org/

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