About the farm
Sogn Valley Farm is a diversified, organic farm located in the beautiful Sogn Valley region in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. The larger farm, on which Sogn Valley Farm is based, was bought by Dana's grandparents Veikko and Phyllis Jokela in 1963. The farm is 360 acres, with about half in cropland and half in a mixture of forest and rolling grassland. For 40 years, Veikko and Phyllis raised row crops, hay, hogs, and cattle (along with four children), before simplifying to just corn and soybeans in their later years. Dana Jokela, the 3rd generation farmer on this land, now manages a 40-acre parcel of the farm.
After eight years growing organic vegetables, our current production focus is veggie & herb garden starts as well as native prairie plants for use in restoration projects and home pollinator gardens. We also raise Kernza, hay, and lambs, and provide land access for other farmers. Beyond that, we are actively restoring the forest and grasslands of the farm by managing invasive woody plants using mechanical clearing and our trusty herd of Kiko goats.
We would be remiss if we did not also mention that this farm we call home is on land that is traditional territory of the Wahpekute Nation of Dakota (Sioux) people. We owe them this acknowledgement for they stewarded the land for thousands of years before it was stolen from them. We are actively searching for ways to deepen our understanding of the history of this place in order to honor its integrity. Dialogue and input are welcomed. Let’s #HonorNativeLand together.
