The Sherburne SWCD has nominated Farm Friends Barn for Sherburne SWCD’s Community Conservationist Award for their positive impact to the community of Becker and Sherburne County as a whole. 

As a nonprofit organization, their mission is to provide agricultural education which leads them to organize numerous free events highlighting agriculture, working within the community to partner on service projects and food education to children and adults. 

Farm Friends Barn offers opportunities for children to be on the farm, learning about conservation and agriculture including the Snack Club, which is a Becker Community Education program bringing children onto the farm to plant and care for a garden which is then protected over the winter with a cover crop. Becker elementary students are also brought to the farm to learn about agriculture and given opportunities to see the happenings in the garden at different times of the year. 

Furthermore, the Big Lake Boy Scouts Troop 93 visited the farm this year planting 100 shrubs and assembling bird and butterfly houses as well as maintaining the prairie by removing downed woody vegetation. The purpose of community conservationist award is to provide SWCDs with the opportunity to nominate an individual, business, company, municipality, or organization for their concern, cooperation, and / or implementation of conservation practices in a community environment

Thank you, Farm Friends Barn, for your strong commitment to agriculture and Sherburne County.