Hello, Central Minnesota. My name is Anthony A. Adams. I am the new Small Farms/Local Foods Extension Educator for the University of Minnesota Extension in Stearns, Benton, Morrison, and Sherburne Counties. I joined the Extension team September 6, 2022 and will be working out of the Morrison County Extension office in Little Falls. Before accepting my current position, I was the Interim Extension Educator for Horticulture in Stearns, Benton, and Morrison Counties. I also acted as the Interim Extension Educator for the Farm Information Line (FIL) in the Center for Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources.
I grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and earned my bachelor's degree in Environmental Studies and Biology with a minor in Geography from Gustavus Adolphus College. During my time at Gustavus, I was introduced to conservation and sustainability. Because of this, my summers were spent working for US Fish and Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Refuge, from New Jersey to Florida. Later, I would continue my federal career by working for the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Currently, I am working on completing a master's degree through Kentucky State University in Aquaculture and Aquatic Science; this land grant university was where I first interacted with Extension-based projects and support.
My previous work on the UMN Farm Information Line has allowed me to aid commercial and local farmers in addressing problems ranging from production, explanations of new research findings, and cropland rental rates. As a local Extension educator, I will provide technical assistance to constituents of Stearns, Benton, Morrison, and Sherburne Counties on all aspects of small farms, and local foods.
Extension staff reaches out in many ways, building, connecting, and strengthening the community, and I think that this is a role worth taking pride in. I am interested in expanding my understanding of small farm/local foods and aiding in Extension-led programs' continual growth. I am excited to bring the skills I have acquired throughout my career to improving our Small Farms/Local Foods in Stearns, Benton, Morrison, and Sherburne Counties.