June 24 - 26, 2025
Russell, Manitoba, CA
Clinton Loptson & Grip Fast Farm
About the Academy
What You Will Learn
- How diverse farming operations—grain and grassfed beef—can work together to implement regenerative practices and boost sustainability
- How keen observation can guide better decision-making and help farmers adapt to evolving conditions
- How the six principles of soil health can be applied effectively to enhance farm productivity and long-term sustainability
- How adaptive stewardship principles can guide farmers in making flexible, informed decisions for the health of their land and livestock
- Learn how the benefits of cover cropping, including soil fertility improvement and erosion prevention, to support your regenerative practices
- How to design cover crop mixes that meet specific farm goals and address resource concerns in both grain and livestock operations
- How to advance soil health, leading to higher farm profitability, reduced input costs, and improved environmental outcomes
Who Should Attend?
This course will provide a practical and profitable approach to implementing regenerative practices for farmers and ranchers interested in collaborating with neighboring operations to improve soil health, reduce input costs, and enhance sustainability. Open to farmers, ranchers, grain producers, livestock producers, landowners, and farm managers, this academy will offer valuable insights on how the six principles of soil health can improve farm productivity, lower input costs, and build a more resilient farming system.
Agenda
Tuesday, June 17
8:30 Registration opens
9:00 Welcome to SHA
9:15 Introductions
9:45 The Six Principles of Soil Health
10:45 Break
11:00 The three rules of Adaptive Stewardship
11:30 The four ecosystem processes
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Group Field Exercises
5:00 Adjourn
6:30 Screening of Destination Regeneration
Wednesday, June 18
8:00 Questions/Answers & Group Discussion
8:30 The Nutrient Cycle/Nitrogen
10:00 Break
10:15 Soil Tests – PLFA, Haney & Total Nutrient
11:00 Cover Crops
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Group Field Exercises
5:00 Adjourn
6:00 Supper at Turnbull Farm
Thursday, June 19
8:00 Questions/Answers & Group Discussion
8:30 Stacked Enterprises & Adaptive Stewardship
10:00 Break
10:15 Partnerships & Money
12:00 Lunch
1:00 Group Field Exercises
5:00 Adjourn
Registration & Getting There
Cost of Tuition
Tuition of $1,375.00 US includes
• Regen Ag 101 course ($499.00 value), which SHA recommends completing before the first day of class
• In-person attendance at the SHA, along with course materials, daily snacks, water, and lunch each day
• Access to alumni Q&A conference calls with SHA instructors, graduate portal on the SHA website, and an optional 30-minute initial call with an Understanding Ag consultant
*Please note that Regen Ag 101 access will be sent to you within 1-3 business days of registration taking place.*
Cancellation Policy
The down deposit of $500 is non-refundable, but can be transferable toward any academy held in 2025 or 2026.
Financial assistance through scholarships are available to help with the cost of tuition. To apply for a scholarship, please register for the academy, then submit a scholarship application. Scholarships are made possible thanks to the generous support of private organizations and individual donors.
Classroom & Farm Location
Classroom
Russell Inn
BOX 578 Highway #16
Russell, MB R0J 1W0
Farm
Lopton and Turnbull locations
Near
Russell, MB, CA
Hotel Information
Russell Inn
BOX 578 Highway #16
Russell, MB R0J 1W0
(204) 773-2186
Lodging costs are separate from tuition. While it is not mandatory to stay at the accommodations listed here, we encourage attendees to book nearby lodging for the convenience of traveling to the classroom and farm locations.
Breakfasts and dinners are also not included in the tuition.
Closest Airport
Regina International Airport
5201 Regina Ave,
Regina, SK S4W 1B3, Canada
About the Host Farms
Meet Grip Fast Farm
Grip-Fast Farms was homesteaded on the North West Quarter of 36-18-28W by James Norman Robert Turnbull in 1883 when he was only 17! The fourth and fifth generations are currently operating the farm which has changed over the years from a mixed farming operation to straight grain to a grazing operation with all land seeded down to perennial forages and now starting to evolve into a regenerative operation with the reintroduction of cash crops, poly crops and different types of livestock.
Meet Clinton and Ashley Loptson
The Loptson family has been farming at this location since 1949 when Thor and Frances Loptson, great-grandparents of the current generation, moved from Amaranth. The farm initially began like many others in the area, with cattle and grain, but by the 1980s, it transitioned to exclusively growing grain and selling hay. Ashley and [partner's name] are the 4th generation on the farm, with the 5th generation now in tow! In 2019, they dedicated a portion of their land to their very first multi-species cover crop, featuring 9 different plants, which was adaptively grazed with cattle from Grip Fast Farms. Since then, the Loptson family has been implementing soil health principles into their operation, collaborating with neighboring livestock farmers to foster a regenerative community.