Western Family Farms

12/20/2023

ICYMI, here are some highlights from Iowa’s first ever Farmers Of Color Conference. One of our goals was to give farmers of color access to the important financial and agribusiness information that is usually kept out of reach intentionally or by lack of visibility to our communities. We brought out the heavy hitters this year to cover everything from government appointees to answer questions about the farm bill to local organizations that help connect food to people. Thank you to everyone who came out and we can’t wait to be back bigger and better in 2024!

Thank you to our sponsors:
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
Rodale Institute
Sustainable Iowa Land Trust - SILT
Iowa Food System Coalition
Syngenta
Practical Farmers of Iowa
The Tennie Group, LLC

12/18/2023

In case you missed it, we were fortunate enough to help organize Iowa's first ever Farmers of Color Conference this past weekend. Stay tuned for more photos and videos from a powerful event.

The free event is an opportunity for Iowa's Black farming families to come together for a day of connecting, networking and collaborating.More news: www.wqad...

10/09/2023

No complaints with a view like this!

10/09/2023

We’re thrilled to belong to this smart collective of people working toward climate-focused solutions.

Welcome new Climate Land Leaders Todd Western IV (left) and Todd Western III (right), whose family has owned and operated their Iowa farms for over 150 years! Western Family Farms is one of only 1,800 Heritage Farms in the U.S. and likely the only Heritage farm owned by a Black family in Iowa.

The Westerns are focused on increasing soil health on their cropland – and have added another chapter to their family’s farming legacy: Todd Western IV has created Minneapolis-based Freedom Farms, answering “a growing need to evolve – for our people and our planet.”

Read more about the Western Family’s legacy in this profile from The Gazette: https://www.thegazette.com/article/immense-sense-of-pride-iowa-farm-owned-by-black-family-for-158-years/

04/02/2023

No snow in sight! That means it was time to hop down to see our friends at P&K Midwest to get the planter tuned up! Is anyone else getting antsy to get out and get planting?

03/01/2023

Did you know Barbara Western was the first black cheerleader in her high school’s history? How about that she received a scholarship to become one of the first African Americans to sing at the Metropolitan Opera? No stranger to making history, Barbara now explains how she ended up owning and operating a heritage farm in Iowa.

03/01/2023

02/28/2023

The family is making our radio debut today on Iowa Public Radio. Tune in to hear what we’re up to!