"Conservation means harmony between men and land. When land does well for its owner, and the owner does well by his land; when both end up better by reason of their partnership, we have conservation. When one or the other grows poorer we do not.... It is the individual farmer who will weave the greater part of the rug on which America stands."
-Aldo Leopold, in his 1939 essay "The Farmer as a Conservationist"
ARF In the News:
Alternative Roots Farm connects customers to food and wellness 12/23
Fruits of Labor: After years of supplying customers with vegetables, a Madelia couple hopes for similar success with apples 7/18
Alternative Roots Farm pigs featured for National Pork Month 10/21
Fruits of Labor: After years of supplying customers with vegetables, a Madelia couple hopes for similar success with apples 7/18
Alternative Roots Farm pigs featured for National Pork Month 10/21
ARF organic and heirloom apples are available through our on-farm store, Fall Apple Shares, and Mankato Farmers Market. Featuring over 40 varieties! Try a new one this season!
We are passionate about bringing fresh, nutritious, quality produce to our local community; as well as growing nutritious food in a way that is in harmony with nature and conservation-minded.
Our farm sits on 5 lovely acres in rural Madelia, Brown County - the land supports an orchard, home vegetable garden, a native prairie planting, laying hens, a passive solar deep winter greenhouse, on-farm kitchen and farm store! We have been certified organic since 2014. We also manage a 10-acre apple orchard just outside of Lake Crystal, which became organic in Aug. 2020. Our home orchard is planted to apples, apricots, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb and asparagus. We harvest from over 1,000 apple trees each season! Some of those apples head over to our other business Tallgrass Cider.
In our "deep winter greenhouse" we grow baby salad greens, microgreens and pea shoots during the winter months, September - April and offer them at local markets and through our Winter CSA.
We continually strive to improve our farm-site with wildlife habitat and conservation practices. Attracting wildlife promotes ecological biodiversity, strengthens our environment and aids in organic pest control.
Our chickens support the cycling of nutrients on our farm, as well adding to our quality of life. The laying hens provide fresh eggs that fuel us through the season and are available for purchase, as available. They help support organic pest management at the orchard. In 2025 we retired from twelve years of farrow-to-finish heritage hogs. We do miss them!
Alternative Roots Farm is a Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farm.
Brooke is passionate about self sufficient living, homesteading, food preservation, holistic/natural health, and community. In her spare time she plays a lot of legos and enjoys spending time with family, reading, canning, camping, canoeing and having bonfires. She loves spending time outdoors foraging wild edibles and hiking. She is interested in medicinal herbs and holistic health.
We are passionate about bringing fresh, nutritious, quality produce to our local community; as well as growing nutritious food in a way that is in harmony with nature and conservation-minded.
Our farm sits on 5 lovely acres in rural Madelia, Brown County - the land supports an orchard, home vegetable garden, a native prairie planting, laying hens, a passive solar deep winter greenhouse, on-farm kitchen and farm store! We have been certified organic since 2014. We also manage a 10-acre apple orchard just outside of Lake Crystal, which became organic in Aug. 2020. Our home orchard is planted to apples, apricots, pears, plums, cherries, raspberries, blackberries, rhubarb and asparagus. We harvest from over 1,000 apple trees each season! Some of those apples head over to our other business Tallgrass Cider.
In our "deep winter greenhouse" we grow baby salad greens, microgreens and pea shoots during the winter months, September - April and offer them at local markets and through our Winter CSA.
We continually strive to improve our farm-site with wildlife habitat and conservation practices. Attracting wildlife promotes ecological biodiversity, strengthens our environment and aids in organic pest control.Our chickens support the cycling of nutrients on our farm, as well adding to our quality of life. The laying hens provide fresh eggs that fuel us through the season and are available for purchase, as available. They help support organic pest management at the orchard. In 2025 we retired from twelve years of farrow-to-finish heritage hogs. We do miss them!
In 2020 we started a new venture with our apples - Tallgrass Cider! Find our ferments locally!
. . . . . Meet Your Farmers. . . . .
She has a background in natural resources conservation, photography, and writing. She serves on the board for the public library.
John
is passionate about farming and the great outdoors. At the farm he is most often found working in the orchard. In his spare time he is an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys fishing, hunting, canoeing and pretty much anything out of doors and hands-on. As a Master Naturalist he is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about environmental education, preserving and promoting our natural environment, and environmental stewardship.
is passionate about farming and the great outdoors. At the farm he is most often found working in the orchard. In his spare time he is an avid outdoorsman, who enjoys fishing, hunting, canoeing and pretty much anything out of doors and hands-on. As a Master Naturalist he is enthusiastic and knowledgeable about environmental education, preserving and promoting our natural environment, and environmental stewardship.He has a background in rock climbing, outdoor program leadership and bird watching. He serves on the board for the Minnesota Cider Guild, Linden Township and Brown County 4H.
Emily is an artist and animal lover. She graduated from UND in the spring of 2021 and moved back to the area! She loves art, cats and nature. Married in 2022, you'll see Casey and Emily in the socials from time to time!
Leopold is a busy, busy kiddo exploring and learning and helping with everything on the farm. He loves to be outside adventuring and building with natural materials. He loves sampling ALL of the apples and fruits and collecting all the rocks, pinecones and more.
He shows us the innate connection to nature we all have at our core and keeps us grounded in the WHY of what we do on the farm. In summer chances are he'll greet you with an enthusiastic conversation!
