FARM STEWARDS
Monthly gatherings to learn, labor, sing, and pray on Saturdays.
Come connect with the land and with other people of faith who love the land.
Cohorts of Stewards are forming now through the end of February. Gather a group of friends from your faith community, workplace, or neighborhood and sign up for a seasons-long reciprocal relationship with the soil, plants, creatures, and people of Good Courage Farm. Root your spiritual practice in the reading of both Creation and Scripture in the company of other people of faith.
Read on below for information.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit”
The Gospel according to John, Chapter15, Verse 5
“Knowing that you love the earth changes you, activates you to defend and protect and celebrate. But when you feel that the earth loves you in return, that feeling transforms the relationship from a one-way street into a sacred bond.”
- Robin Wall Kimmerer
​
The Stewards small group ministry program is a seasons-long relationship with one another, with Hebrew scripture, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and most notably, with Good Courage Farm's Vineyard, Orchards, or Creatures. Our goals are to experience reciprocity with Creation, deepen our understanding of vineyard metaphor and imagery in Jesus' teaching and in our lives, and end the season with bottles of Eucharistic wine or homemade pies for sharing in our parishes or congregations.
-
Field days are one Saturday per month, March - October (It's okay if you can't make every month...)
-
We encourage faith communities to organize a committed group of 8-12 participants.
-
All tools are provided.
-
Participants bring a bag lunch.
-
Don't have a faith community at this time? Individuals are welcome, too! We'll connect you with a cohort.
Here's the rhythm:
Church groups of Farm Stewards organize their own carpools and internal communication. Register for our 2025 Farm Stewards small group ministry, which runs March through September, by February 23.
​
​
​
Want to learn more? Read on below for details...
More about Farm Stewards
What is the Farm Stewards about?
What is "agrarian faith formation"?
This unique, immersive ministry invites you to learn by doing and to reconnect your faith practices to Creation. On each "field day" at the farm, we'll work, reflect, pray, feast and share.
Whether you join the Vineyard / Orchard / Creatures cohort, you will enter into a seasons-long relationship with the living, created beings at Good Courage Farm in Hutchinson. In parallel with facilitated reflection on Jesus’ parables and feeding ministry, and on the psalms and stories of the Hebrew Scriptures, Stewards will learn about the art and science of regenerative farming in the upper Midwest.
All participants will share the actual fruits of our labors. Some of our yield will be donated to food ministry partners. Vineyard Stewards will take a share of wine to be blessed and shared in the Sacrament of Holy Community in their parish or congregation. Orchard Stewards will take pie and sweet cider to their communities. Eggs from the flocks tended by Creature Stewards will feed their households and those facing food insecurity.
This way of working, learning, and praying doesn't only yield edible fruits, it produces spiritual transformation, as well. Cohort members form meaningful friendships with one another, with the farmers, and with the earth which yields the fruit. All tools and equipment will be provided. Expect prayerful, joyful, hard work and satisfying results.
What does a "field day" look like?
-
9:00 a.m. Gather in the barn for biscuits, jam, tea and coffee. Reflect on connected scripture texts through the practices of lectio divina and natura divina
-
9:30 - 11:30 a.m. Work in the field
-
12:00 noon. Eucharist in the barn (open to all)
-
12:30 p.m. Lunch (bring your own sack lunch)
-
1:00 p.m. Finish field work, clean up tools.
-
2:30 p.m. Closing circle in the Silo
-
3:00 p.m. Head home with a blessing!
Is this program family-friendly?
Farming has always been multigenerational work. That said, our experience has been that Farm Stewards cohorts are best suited to people ages 8 and up. It may be possible to tailor a cohort especially to families with youth - get in touch with us to talk more. The farm will be happy to collaborate with participants who have younger children in their families so that on-farm childcare can be arranged.
Who is this for? Will I find it meaningful?
While no prior experience is necessary, Farm Stewardship is a great opportunity for members of faith communities who already have a Creation Care group or a Good News Garden.
​
The work of tending vines and trees is physically demanding; while the vineyards, fields, and orchards are not easily accessible to individuals with mobility needs, we do all we can to include everyone in the experience. Reach out to us to talk more about how to get involved, especially if you're wondering how that might look, physically and practically.
Some churches like to form a group of Farm Stewards so that participants can connect in between field days. This is also a great way to form carpools.
​
Not connected to a faith community? No worries. Good Courage can become your faith community for a season! We'll connect you to others through the work, study and fellowship.
What's the time commitment?
Stewards come to Good Courage Farm once a month from March through October for Field Days that run from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. Each Saturday immersion on the farm will be about 6 hours long (with the exception of harvest and wine pressing, which is a full day), including prayer, learning, work, lunch and worship. The farm is roughly a 60- to 90-minute drive from the Twin Cities metro area. So, in all, the commitment is about 60-80 hours across the year, depending on travel time.
-
Orchard Stewards' Field Days are FIRST SATURDAYS of each month.
-
Vineyard Stewards' Field Days are SECOND SATURDAYS of each month.
-
Creature Stewards' Field Days are THIRD SATURDAYS of each month.
It’s not necessary that every participant be able to make every date. Of course, we hope the whole group can be on the farm for harvest in August and September!
Sign Up Here for a Farm Stewards 2025 Cohort
Food | Fellowship | Faith Formation
First Saturday
Orchard Stewards
Pair deep reflection on the Creation Story and Psalms with the art of tending fruit trees. Together, we'll prune, graft, mulch, thin, harvest and share. The fruits of your labor will feed those who access groceries through our food ministry partners. You'll take home cider and apple butter!
Second Saturday
Vineyard Stewards
Learn all about regenerative viticulture while digging into Jesus' parables and teachings. Together, we'll prune, train, mulch, irrigate, net and harvest grapes that will be shared with those who hunger, and grapes that will become Communion wine for your faith community and others. You'll take home grape juice and jelly!
Third Saturday
Creature Stewards
Build life-giving relationships with the animals of the farm, including livestock and wild creatures. You'll learn about integrating poultry into perennial crops, maintaining pollinator strips, composting manure, and keeping animals naturally healthy. Help produce eggs that feed your family and those facing food insecurity.
