Cooking Up Connections with Kjersten Oudman, Blue Sky Vegetable Co. & Dr. Joseph Robertson, Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC

Kristine Reiner October 21, 2024 No Comments

Cooking Up Connections with Kjersten Oudman, Blue Sky Vegetable Co. & Dr. Joseph Robertson, Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC

Connections Across the Generations

Saturday, November 9th, 2024 – 9:00am MT

Growing fresh food is challenging enough, but how do we encourage eating it? After connecting through family and because of good food, Dr. Joseph Robertson and Kjersten Oudman sensed a need for teaching people how to cook fresh vegetables. They paired together and have been offering cooking classes to the members of Blue Sky Vegetable Co.’s Farm Share. Over three years, the cooking classes have connected people to the farm and to one another.

Kjersten Oudman cultivates plants and community at Blue Sky Vegetable Co. in Worthing, SD. Blue Sky Vegetable Co. is a Community Supported Agriculture farm focused on providing their farm share members with delicious vegetables and a connection to each other and the farm. When not farming, Kjersten and her husband, Dirk, spend their time chasing their two energetic kids and a lovable black lab who never tires of playing fetch.

Dr. Joseph Robertson is a citizen and enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate of the LakeTraverse Reservation. He is the founder and chief data scientist of Mato Ohitika Analytics LLC. Joseph works with grass root organizations and community groups with cutting edge data science solutions. Asa chef, Joseph works with Blue Sky Vegetable Company to bring cooking classes to the CSA shareholders and works to strengthen farm to table initiatives through community organizing.

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Reducing Tillage on SD Vegetable Farms: What Have We Learned From The Research?

Kristine Reiner October 20, 2024 No Comments

SARE Panel: Reducing Tillage on SD Vegetable Farms: What Have We Learned From The Research?

Cultivating: Building Markets with Community in Mind

Saturday, November 9th, 2024 10:30am – 11:30am MT – Wells Fargo Theater

Join SD farmers and SDSU students as they discuss on-farm research trials related to reducing tillage and incorporating cover crops for vegetable production.

This session will celebrate collaboration by highlighting how farmers and universities can work together to explore research questions, learn new ideas, and support innovation. The farmer presenters will share eastern and western SD production challenges and opportunities, and the students will dig into the data. Come ready to ask questions and bring home ideas for research trials on your farm! Panelists include: Kristine Lang, SDSU Extension; Michelle Grosek, Bear Butte Gardens; Kjersten Oudman, Blue Sky Vegetable Co.; Connor Ruen & Hannah Voye, SDSU Graduate Research Assistants

Kristine Lang is a South Dakota State University Assistant Professor and Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist based in Brookings, SD. She holds a Ph.D. in Horticulture and Sustainable Agriculture from Iowa State University. Her horticultural career has included working in private-sector, university, and nonprofit organizations across four Midwestern states.

Michelle Grosek grows certified organic vegetables at Bear Butte Gardens, 5 miles outside of Sturgis, SD. A combination of high tunnel growing, and outside garden growing is utilized to grow a full variety of vegetables for CSA, an on-farm year-round store, and local chefs and small restaurants.

Kjersten Oudman cultivates plants and community at Blue Sky Vegetable Co. in Worthing, SD. Blue Sky Vegetable Co. is a Community Supported Agriculture farm focused on providing their farm share members with delicious vegetables and a connection to each other and the farm. When not farming, Kjersten and her husband, Dirk, spend their time chasing their two energetic kids and a lovable black lab who never tires of playing fetch.

Hannah Voye is in her second year pursuing a Master of Plant Science at South Dakota State University. Originally from Wisconsin, she studied Horticulture with an emphasis in sustainable fruit and vegetable systems at the University of Wisconsin – River Falls. Since arriving in South Dakota, Hannah has loved learning from and collaborating with growers through the SARE funded Soil Tarping Project.

Connor Ruen is a SE Minnesota native and moved to Brookings, SD to attend South Dakota State University to earn a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and minors in horticulture, soil science, and crop protection. He is currently a second-year plant science graduate student, focusing on the effects of clover living mulch and tillage practices on soil health, weed suppression, and the yield of broccolini. His research aims to help farmers improve their efficiency and improve their soil health.