"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"
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ARF organic and heirloom apples are available through direct sales, Fall Apple Shares and wholesale. ARF is owned and operated by husband and wife team, John and Brooke Knisley, 2019 Brown County Farm Family of the Year.
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.
The farm sits on 5 lovely acres in rural Madelia, Brown County--the land supports an orchard, home vegetable garden, a native prairie planting, pasture for our heritage hogs and laying hens, a passive solar deep winter greenhouse, on-farm kitchen and farm store! We have been certified organic since 2014.
We 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.
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 and pigs support the cycling of nutrients on our farm, as well adding to our joy and quality of life. The laying hens provide fresh eggs that fuel us through the season and are available for purchase. We raise heritage pigs on pasture, during the summer/Fall, offering them as whole/half hogs; the pigs are a BIG part of organic pest management at the orchard!
John is passionate about farming and the great outdoors. At the farm he is most often found working at the orchard or with the herd of pigs. In his spare time he is a forager, 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.
Emily is an artist and animal lover. She graduated from UND in the spring of 2021. She loves art, and is an avid painter. We are grateful she moved back to the area with her fiance Casey and we are looking forward to their wedding in 2022!
Leopold is a busy, busy toddler exploring and learning and helping with everything on the farm. He keeps us on our toes and brings a new appreciation and viewpoint to everything! He loves feeding the animals and sampling ALL of the apples.
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.
The farm sits on 5 lovely acres in rural Madelia, Brown County--the land supports an orchard, home vegetable garden, a native prairie planting, pasture for our heritage hogs and laying hens, a passive solar deep winter greenhouse, on-farm kitchen and farm store! We have been certified organic since 2014.
We 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.
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 and pigs support the cycling of nutrients on our farm, as well adding to our joy and quality of life. The laying hens provide fresh eggs that fuel us through the season and are available for purchase. We raise heritage pigs on pasture, during the summer/Fall, offering them as whole/half hogs; the pigs are a BIG part of organic pest management at the orchard!
In 2020 we started a new venture with our apples - Tallgrass Cider! Find our ferments locally!
Alternative Roots Farm is a Minnesota Water Quality Certified Farm.
. . . . . Meet Your Farmers. . . . .
Brooke is passionate about self sufficient living, homesteading, food preservation, holistic/natural health, buying local and community. In her spare time (what's that?) she chases a toddler and enjoys spending time with family, watching movies, trying to read, canning, canoeing and having bonfires. She loves spending time outdoors foraging wild edibles and hiking. She is interested in medicinal herbs and holistic health.
She has a background in natural resources conservation, photography, roller derby and writing. She serves on the board for the public library.
He has a background in rock climbing, outdoor program leadership and bird watching. He serves on the board for the Organic Fruit Growers Association, as well as Linden Township.
Alternative Roots Farm is a proud member and supporter of
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