2024 Organic Farmers of the Year

Rick Adamski, Valerie Dantoin, Andrew Adamski, Heather Toman, Scott Rosenberg – Full Circle Community Farm

The 2024 “Organic Farmer of the Year” award goes to a team of five farmers who are the owner/operators of Full Circle Community Farm: Rick Adamski, Valerie Dantoin, Andrew Adamski, Heather Toman and Scott Rosenberg.

Rick certified the 125-year-old family farm as organic in 2003. He is a managed grazing pioneer who does the day-to-day work, whether dairy or beef. Valerie Dantoin, his wife and ‘co-farmer’ also teaches Sustainable & Organic Agriculture full-time at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College. Together they have promoted principles and practices in organic/grazing agriculture with many statewide organizations throughout their 40-year farming career. They are pleased to transition the farm to the next generation.

Andrew and Heather met during their master’s studies and moved back to the farm in 2017. They draw on their experience living in a housing cooperative focused on sustainability (and rock climbing) and share passions in regenerative ecology. Andrew said “feeding people while regenerating the ecosystem is the most important thing I can do”. He runs the machinery side of the veggie operation and oversees the pastured pork operation. Heather (a New Mexico transplant) is the administrative mastermind of the business and also coordinates a local farmer cooperative food hub.

Scott Rosenberg, the newest team member, joined with Heather and Andrew to form Full Circle Community Farm LLC after leaving a well-paying corporate job. As co-owner-manager he oversees the farm’s work force and daily operations on this 40-acre intensive vegetable enterprise. Scott shared, “My reaction to receiving the award is gratitude and happiness. Also, a weird sense of relief, like I’m not just doing what I do in a vacuum people notice the good we do and feel that it’s making a positive impact.”

“It takes a village to operate a farm” says Valerie, “and that’s why this ‘farmer’ of the year is really a team effort of farmers, plural. We are truly grateful and honored to be chosen. So many other well-respected farmers have received this award and its awesome to join their company.”

Rick explained, “it is really fulfilling to be recognized by Marbleseed as a representative, good example, of organic farming.” And humbly, he says he is just like many other many other farmers out there in the organic community. He reflected “We all struggle, we all have bumps and bruises from trying to move farming forward toward more organic and sustainable practices….so my message is this… ’Just keep trying’. We are getting closer to solutions that value the work of farmers who feed the world without destroying it.”

The Farm is located on land originally occupied by people of the Menomonie Nation who moved lightly through, harvesting what the land offered. The Adamski family started farming here 125 years ago. As Farmers of the Year, we stand on the shoulders of these ancestors who came before us, both native and settlers, who enable us to be the current stewards of this land.

Recipients of the Marbleseed Farmer of the Year Award

2023 Ross and Harold Wilken - Janie's Farm Organics and Janie's Mill
2022 Dave Campbell – Lily Lake Organic Farm
2021 Liz Graznak – Happy Hollow Farm
2020 Jane and David Stevens – Four Elements Organic Herbals
2019 Jim Riddle and Joyce Ford – Blue Fruit Farm
2018 Rosmann Family – Rosmann Family Farm, Harlan, Iowa
2017 Dave, Hans, and Katie Bishop – PrairiErth Farm, Illinois
2016 Steve Pincus & Beth Kazmar – Tipi Produce, Wisconsin
2015 Greg & Mary Reynolds – Riverbend Farm, Delano, Minn.
2014 Dan & Theresa and David & Ginger Podoll – Prairie Road Organic Farm and Seed, Fullerton, North Dakota
2013 Charlie Johnson – Johnson Farms, Madison, South Dakota
2012 Francis & Susan Thicke – Radiance Dairy, Fairfield, Iowa
2011 The Vetter Family – The Grain Place, Marquette, Nebraska
2010 John & Jane Fisher-Merritt – Food Farm, Wrenshall, Minnesota
2009 Tom & Irene Frantzen – Frantzen Farm Feeds, New Hampton, Iowa
2008 Gary, Nicholas & Rosie Zimmer – Otter Creek Organic Dairy, Wisconsin
2007 Dave & Florence Minar Family – Cedar Summit Farm & Creamery, New Prague, Minnesota
2006 Stan Schutte – Triple “S” Farms, Stewardson, Illinois
2005 Carmen & Sally Fernholz – A-Frame Farms, Madison, Minnesota
2004 Martin & Atina Diffley – Gardens of Eagan, Farmington, Minnesota
2003 Richard de Wilde & Linda Halley - Harmony Valley Farm, Viroqua, Wisconsin