Hi folks,
After a long rough winter, the first warm sunny day of March throws me right back into summer. It has been a busy year, both in life and in work. In our spring newsletter I have some updates on RFF services for the year ahead, and what we have been up to since our last newsletter.
To start with, I want to state that I am proud of our neighbors and the communities we work in for their actions protecting and supporting our immigrant neighbors. Part of the mission of Read Farm & Forest is to empower people in making our land and our community more ecologically whole, more sustainable, and more resilient. Our work may focus on the land, but it is driven by the people, and is for the people. Thank you to all our communities and neighbors who are doing what good they can, where they can, for who they can.
People
RFF is a part-time enterprise with several talented folks I’m lucky to work with. As the owner, I am happy to reintroduce us:
Aidan Read - Certified Crop Advisor, Restoration Specialist, Agronomist, Rx Burn Boss
I am our lead project manager for restoration and ag work. Experience in conservation farming and natural resource management, my favorite part of spring is fire season!
Maitias Read - Livestock Manager, Agriculture Specialist
With a decade of professional livestock management, Maitias manages our grazing programs, as well as anything else he is needed for. Maitias’s least favorite part of spring is the mud.
Clay Olson - Consulting Arborist and Forester
Clay’s phone number was the best thing I learned in grad school. It’s not often you find someone who is a certified arborist, and forestry plan writer. Or as I say it, he can see the forest and the trees.
Staffing changes - Both Clay and I welcomed new members of our families this year, so all positions for our 2044 burn crew have been filled.
Services
This year we will continue to offer all of our farm services and ecological restoration services. I want to highlight two of our offers:
Organic Lawn Renovation & Maintenance
In 2025 we began offering organic lawn renovation services that complement the lawn conversions we have always offered. I have never been anti-lawn - sometimes you need a place for kids and dogs to run around and tallgrass prairie just won’t cut it. With that, we treat your lawn like any other crop. It requires proper management, proper nutrients, and you don’t want to lose money with unnecessary chemicals. If you have a patch of lawn that is ready to be reinvigorated, contact us to find out how we can help.
Forestry Plans
Clay is our DNR approved forestry plan writer. If you have a patch of woodland you have been hoping to improve or restore, a walkthrough with our forester is a great place to start. Depending on your woodland, there may be immediate tax benefits available, and we can help you get started. The more forestry work Clay has the better, give us a call today!
Thank you to our wonderful clients! We are a small operation and work mostly on referrals. If you have a friend or neighbor that you think we would be a good fit for, send them our way. A special thank you to our partner farm, Shepherd’s Way Farms, check out their great products at a local farmers market or online (https://www.shepherdswayfarms.com/). Finally a plug for Shepherd’s Table - a new shop opened in South Minneapolis by my brother Elia - https://www.shepherdstablemn.com/.
I hope to see you all in the season ahead!
Aidan Read