Roots Return Farm Turns Rainwater into Pollinator Paradise
A 20-foot-wide buffer of
pollinator-friendly plants greets visitors to Roots Return Heritage Farm
and separates it from the highway’s rolling hills. This swath of
milkweed, goldenrod, wild aster, and countless other prairie plants
buzzes with bees, beetles, moths, and monarchs. It’s just one indicator
of the environmentally-friendly approach behind this small-scale farm.
Roots Return owner and operator Lori Cox works hard to conserve water and soil on every inch of her 16 acre property. The sandy soil is prone to erosion in heavy rains, which has been a big challenge this year. Pollinator-friendly cover crops like clover keep the soil in place and return nutrients to the earth, while rain barrels capture runoff from her barn’s roof that might otherwise wash away delicate seedlings planted nearby.
It’s hard to believe that Lori has only been in the farm business for a few years. Since purchasing the Roots Return property in 2014, she has built environmentally-friendly practices into every aspect of her operation, earning recognition from the Carver County Soil and Water Conservation District.
Lori clearly relishes the new challenges each growing season presents. Her former career as a corporate project manager and consultant underpins her drive to find the most efficient and productive approach to water conservation and pest management.
As a kid, Lori was inspired by her grandparents who grew their own food on a 5,000 square foot lot in south Minneapolis. Now that she’s cultivating four acres of her own land, she sees small farms as leaders in watershed-friendly practices. She has made big strides over a few growing seasons thanks to educational resources, federal programs, and networking with like-minded farmers.
These days, Lori keeps every part of her soil covered year-round to minimize erosion, and a full 10% of her main field is dedicated to pollinator-friendly plants through the Conservation Reserve Program. Wild hedgerows and aisles of white dutch clover buzz with insect life and enhance the soil’s root systems.