What I Do

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Consulting and Coaching

Martin and I provide one-on-one coaching and consulting to farmers. Services include development and evaluation of  business plans, advising on land purchases, consulting on farm systems and long-term goal-setting, planning, and decision making. Visit Organic Farming Works LLC for more information.

Workshops and Lectures

See sidebar or click for upcoming events.

Martin and I host on-farm workshops and tours for farmers and consumer and teach at conferences, through non-profit organizations, and at universities. Go to Organic Farming Works LLC for a full workshop list with descriptions. Here is a select list:

  • Quality Of Life: Communication Tools and Systems for a Healthy Farming Partnership.
  • Consumer Session: Eating As An Earth Advocate: Why Organic Matters. Scientific Findings About Organic Agriculture.30th aniversary party-farm tour Gardens of Eagan
  • Consumer Session: Local and Organic: What’s it all about?
  • Soil Health and Biodiversity in Practice  LISTEN
  • Soil Basics: Soil Building and Rotations
  • Post-Harvest Handling for the Market Farm
  • Cukes to Zukes: Growing Organic Cucurbits
  • Broccoli to Kale: Growing Organic Brassicas  LISTEN
  • What Should I Grow?
  • Market Strategies That Works for You.
  • Organic Food and Farming:101
  • Organic Greenhouse Management

lesson in Brainstorming for Land Stewardship Class by Atina Diffley Organic Farming Works LLCSelect venues and partners: Farm Beginnings Program, Land Stewardship, MOSES Organic Farming Conference, Farmer to Farmer-New York, Minnesota Organic Farming Conference, Eco Farm, Montana Organic Conference, Southern Sustainable Agriculture, Augsburg College, University of Minnesota, Women’s Environmental Institute, Organic Valley’s Kickapoo Country Fair, WI. Dept of Ag – Buy Local Road Show, Minnesota Department of Health, School of Environmental Studies, Iowa State-Leopold Center

Writing

Books

Turn Here Sweet Corn: Organic Farming Works. A memoir.

“Wholesale Success: A Farmer’s Guid to Food Safety, Selling, Postharvest Handling, and Packing Produce”. Co-author/editor of a post-harvest handling manual and educator for a national training program published by FamilyFarmed.org

Blogs

BLOG: What Is A Farm? Reflections, tips, and decision making tools from organic farmer-author Atina Diffley.Soil Building Diffley's Organic Farming Works --Do Not Spray Sign

Atina Diffley – Gardens of Eagan Blog.  A live journal about organic farming. 2005-2010

Articles

Samples

Soil Health and Biodiversity in Practice: Harnessing Biology, Ecology, and Resiliency on the Farm || MOSES Broadcaster

Next Step: Sustainable Gains in the New Farm Bill Need Your Voice to Insure Implementation and Appropriation || The MIX

Notes of Hope from Terra Madre, Turin, Italy: The Slow Food Vision of a Healthy, Abundant Future || Wedge Co-oop Newsletter

Organic Research Funding Gains in the 2008 Farm Bill: Moving Closer to a ‘Fair Share || The MIX

The Price of a Good Nights Sleep: Why AGRI-Lite insurance is in the Gardens of Eagan farm budget || MOSES Broadcaster

Projects and Collaborations

In addition to solo events, talks, and articles, Martin and I enjoy collaborating with others, from writing to teaching, to planning and carrying out projects. Examples include:

Post Harvest Handling and Food Safety Trainings

I provide Post Harvest Handling, Food Safety, and Marketing trainings nationally. I am presently working with FamilyFarmed.org to bring postharvest and food safety trainings to farmers in 29 cities nationally. Past collaborations have included the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, FamilyFarmed.org, Carolina Farm Stewardship Association, Fair Food, Future Harvest-A Chesapeake Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture, Garden Share,  the Leopold Center-Iowa State . . .

Roger Blobaum Organic Food Production Act

Roger Blobaum, director of the Americans for Safe Food Project of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, presents signatures of 136,000 consumers in support of the Organic Foods Production Act Bill to Senator Patrick Leahy on March 22, 1990.

Organic History

I am the editor and designer of Roger Blobaum’s Organic History Website, a collection of forty years of organic history documents.

Video Collaborations

“Organic Adventures.”  An Organic Alliance educational video about the benefits of organic farming for use in 4th Grade Classrooms.

“Turn Here Sweet Corn: The video. Filmed in 1988 and 1989 on the original Diffley family land in Eagan and in the surrounding community, filmmaker Helen De Michael’s 1991 award-winning documentary focuses on the loss of greenbelt farmlands to suburbia.

Present Non-Profit Board Service

Past Service