West End Farm in the news
Fall Farmers Market and Brunch a tradition after Thanksgiving
Beatrice Daily Sun
December 2024
Many people enjoyed attending the Fall Farmers Market and Brunch at Vintage Venue on Saturday. The event was held for the third year in conjunction with Small Business Saturday. Shoppers perused a variety of produce, baked goods, handmade gifts and...
Sheep farmers stunned by results after utilizing unconventional farming tactic: 'A promising alternative'
The Cool Down
November 2024
An alternative to fertilizer is a sheepish solution to the problem of wool waste. In Nebraska, a sheep farmer has found a use for low-grade wool, which otherwise ends up buried, burned, or in the trash after it's sheared from the...
Fifth-generation farmer finds new ways to care for the land as a conservation fellow
Center for Rural Affairs
October 2024
As a teenager, Corinne Kolm wanted to live in a big city and have nothing to do with her family’s farming legacy. With time, her strong agricultural roots took her back to the land, and she’s glad it did. Originally from northeast Nebraska, Corinne is a…
Sheep producers send tons of wool to landfills. A Nebraska business aims to change that.
Flatwater Free Press
October 2024
One word best defines how Megan Landes-Murphy and her husband Tom Murphy met, made career choices and launched a unique-to-Nebraska business. Sheep. Neither spent much…
Local Food Showcase
Beatrice Daily Sun
September 2024
The Beatrice Farmers Market will be the site of the Local Food Showcase on Oct. 3. The event is hosted by the Buy Fresh Buy Local program. The program is…
Farmers Market Continues Through October
Beatrice Daily Sun
August 2024
As summer becomes fall, the Beatrice Farmers Market continues to be open every Thursday afternoon until Oct. 10. Katie Jantzen, West End Farm owner, said...
Beatrice Farmers Market in Full Swing
News Channel Nebraska
June 2024
The season for local outdoor shopping is underway in southeast Nebraska. “There’s really just a wide variety of things you can find here… Honey, eggs, everything,” Morgan Fox is Executive Director for Main Street Beatrice, the group that puts on the Beatrice Farmers Market every summer Thursday…
Farmers Market Opens for the Season
Beatrice Daily Sun
May 2024
The Beatrice Farmers Market opened on Thursday afternoon with a crowd of people looking for fresh produce...
New shepherd in Nebraska pelleting wool for unusual fertilizer
Midwest Messenger
April 2024
Baa, baa black sheep have you any wool? Yes sir, yes sir, three bags full. One for the master, one for the dame and one for increasing soil health…
Local CSA Farmer Prepares for Growing Season
Beatrice Daily Sun
March 2024
Katie Jantzen of West End Farm is getting ready for another season using the community supported agriculture model. Jantzen is the...
Fall Farmers Market Held
Beatrice Daily Sun
November 2023
Visitors at the Fall Farmers Market at Vintage Venue on Saturday morning shopped from local vendors and might have sampled some of the produce in the brunch buffet. Katie Jantzen of West End Farms helped organize the...
Fall Farmers Market to be held on Saturday
Beatrice Daily Sun
November 2023
A Fall Farmers Market will be held at Vintage Venue on Saturday, Nov. 25 for the second year. West End Farm Katie Jantzen has been a…
CONSERVATION PRACTICES HELP NEBRASKA FARMER MAKE A BIGGER DIFFERENCE
Center for Rural Affairs
October 2023
When Katie Jantzen left her home state of Nebraska to attend college in Virginia, she had no idea she’d return several years later to start her own farming operation on...
Farmers Market in Peak of Season
Beatrice Daily Sun
August 2023
The Farmers Market has a variety of mid-summer produce available at the weekly event. Main Street Beatrice Director Michael Sothan said they are in the middle of the mid-summer peak season. “We are in the middle of…
Farmers Market season in full swing
News Channel Nebraska
June 2023
It's the time of year all who enjoy fresh food look forward to...farmers market season. The Main Street Farmers Market in Beatrice held their fourth market of their five-month season…
Farmers Market season begins Thursday
Beatrice Daily Sun
May 2023
If you’ve been craving some fresh produce, you’ll be happy to hear the Beatrice Farmers Market opens this week on Thursday, May 18. It will be held every Thursday from 4-6:30 p.m. Thursday until...
Area farmers celebrate CSA week
Beatrice Daily Sun
February 2023
West End Farm near Plymouth is joining other CSA farms across the country to celebrate CSA Week, a national event taking place from February 20-26…
Fall Farmers Market include all the sights and smells of the holidays
Beatrice Daily Sun
November 2022
Shoppers were greeted with all the sights and smells of the holiday season at the Fall Farmers Market was held at Vintage Venue on Saturday morning. Michael Sothan, Executive Director of Main Street Beatrice, said it was very exciting to see the event happening on Small Business Saturday…
Fall Farmers Market will be held at Vintage Venue on Saturday
Beatrice Daily Sun
November 2022
Vintage Venue will host a Fall Farmers Market and Breakfast Buffet on Saturday morning. Breakfast will be served from 8 a.m. to noon with vendors being available from 9 a.m to noon. Katie Jantzen, owner of West End Farms, said she was…
Land Transition Case Study
Center For Rural Affairs
November 2022
Land transition comes in many forms and involves many decisions among the parties involved. This case study focuses on a familial transition of land from generation to generation.
Farmers Market Season winding down
Beatrice Daily Sun
October 2022
The farmers market in Beatrice will end the season with a final vendor event next Thursday afternoon. Michael Sothan, Director of Main Street Beatrice, said it’s been a good year. “The second year in this location has exposed us to a few new...
Alternative Hive Case Study
Center for Rural Affairs
September 2022
The standard hive in Nebraska is a traditional Langstroth. The Center for Rural Affairs conducted a research project with outside beekeepers, designed to compare and highlight four alternative hive structures: Nuc, Shallow, Top Bar, and Long Langstroth. Each beekeeper was required to keep an alternative hive, as well as two traditional Langstroth hives to use as controls. This is real-life feedback over the course of three years from two seasoned beekeepers.
Find West End Farm’s results as “Beekeeper B” in both studies.
Beatrice Farmers Market continues as community-centered tradition
Beatrice Daily Sun
August 2022
Dozens of locals stepped from under one colorful canopy to the next, dodging the Thursday afternoon sun in the humid shade...
Almost 34 and still learning about vegetables
Beatrice Daily Sun
July 2022
This is the summer I turn 34. If you would’ve told me when I was studying dietetics in college that I’d still be learning about vegetables in my mid-30s, I would’ve said: “Get it together, Tara.” But if Extension work has taught me one thing, it’s that the learning never ends–and that’s the fun...
Local farmers market rolling along, this season
Beatrice Daily Sun
June 2022
Main Street Beatrice hosted their fourth Thursday Farmer’s Market of the season yesterday…at the Centenary United Methodist Church parking lot. Executive Director Michael Sothan says just over a dozen vendors have been coming to the…
2022 Nebraska Food Guide
Buy Fresh Buy Local
May 2022
In 2021 I had the privilege of traveling to a few of the 90+ farmers’ markets in the state. I went to meet vendors and market organizers, take photos, and to ask people a simple but important question: What do you love about your farmers’ market?
Beatrice Public Library
May 2022
Tom Person, Anna Pohlmann, and Katie Jantzen presented ‘A short introduction to the honeybee’ Tuesday night at the library.
Ways to Keep Veggies Fun for Kids
Beatrice Daily Sun
February 2022
It’s National CSA Week—the most popular time of year for fans of local food to sign up for a CSA. If these three letters are unfamiliar to you...
Celebrate CSA Week
Beatrice Daily Sun
February 2022
West End Farm near Plymouth is excited to join other CSA farms across the country to celebrate CSA Week…Farmer Katie Jantzen said, “Especially in light of the ongoing pandemic, being part of a CSA allows people to feel confident about where their food is coming from, and feel good about supporting a local farm…
From the garden to the table
Beatrice Daily Sun
November 2021
The University of Nebraska Extension in Gage County partnered with local businesses, non-profits and other community members to provide the Beatrice Garden Produce Rescue program during the 2021 growing season. More than 4,000 pounds of produce was kept out of the landfill as a result…
Nebraska Gift Guide: Holiday 2021
Buy Fresh Buy Local
November 2021
As we settle into the season of long nights and crisp weather, warm your hearts with gifts and food straight from Nebraska farmers.
Farmers Market Wraps Up Season
Beatrice Daily Sun
October 2021
The final Farmers Market of the season was held Thursday evening in Beatrice with 13 vendors providing locally grown beef, fresh fruit and vegetables, breads, plants and crafts.
Liz Poessnecker
October 2021
Fresh produce without the work, fresh produce fresh from the farm- can't beat that. In addition, Farmer Katie is present to answer any questions and to just engage in a bit of pleasant conversation. Who could ask for more? As the…
Main Street Beatrice Farmer's Market finishes season
News Channel Nebraska
October 2021
Thursday night was the final Main Street Beatrice Farmer’s Market, for the season. "When we get to about the frost date...once we hit this middle part of October...the weather can be great or it can be horrible...and it's just…”
Nebraska farms to participate in Dig Deeper Farm Tour
Lincoln Journal Star
September 2021
Days start at 5 a.m. for Sheng Vang, co-owner of Lu’s Flowers and Vegetables, and often go into the late night or early morning. Vang works in the farm’s fields…
Feeding a community
Beatrice Daily Sun
July 2021
The University of Nebraska Extension in Gage County is partnering with local businesses, non-profits and other neighbors to keep garden produce from being wasted during this growing season. The Growing Together Nebraska…
2021 Beatrice garden produce rescue
July 2021
KNOW YOUR GROWER Appreciation Post! Meet Katie Jantzen: "I'm Farmer Katie from West End Farm near Plymouth. I grow 47 different veggies and have 8 honeybee hives for...
Farm tour with women in local food and farming
center for rural affairs
June 2021
In May 2021, Center for Rural Affairs staff members Erin Schoenberg and Kirstin Bailey filmed an alternative farm tour ("alternative" due to pandemic precautions) to share with an online audience at a later date. Thank you for going along the tour with us in this half hour video.
CASE STUDY: WOMEN IN LOCAL FOOD AND FARMING
Center for rural affairs
June 2021
In May 2021, Center for Rural Affairs staff members Erin Schoenberg and Kirstin Bailey filmed an "alternative" farm tour to share with an online audience. The farm tour features the southeast Nebraska-based group…
LEARN ABOUT WOMEN IN LOCAL FOOD AND FARMING THROUGH VIRTUAL FARM TOUR
Center for rural affairs
June 2021
Eighteen months into the pandemic many group gatherings, including farm tours, continue to be postponed or altered. So instead of having an audience come to the farm, we’ve brought the farm to you, including filmed conversations with…
Open for Business with Katie Jantzen, West End Farm
Women In Agriculture, UNL
June 2021
Katie Jantzen founded West End Farm in 2017 on part of her family's farm near Plymouth, NE. She raises 47 different types of vegetables, berries, melons, and herbs, and also sells honey, jam, and baked goods. West End Farm is currently…
Main Street Beatrice Farmer's Market settling into new location
News Channel Nebraska
June 2021
Thursday was week number three for the Main Street Beatrice Farmer’s Market, using a new location this year…..the parking lot of Centenary United Methodist Church along U.S. Highway 77.
"The new location is working out really well for us. We were really happy that Centenary United Methodist Church was willing to let us be here. I think it has…
Plymouth’s West End Farm to be featured on Women in Ag Webcast
KRVN Rural radio; midwest messenger; Beatrice daily sun; morning ag clips
May 2021
“Open for Business: A Nebraska Women in Agripreneurship Series” will feature Katie Jantzen, founder of West End Farm, during its next live webcast on June 8 at 6:30 p.m.
Produced by Nebraska Women in Agriculture, the monthly webcast series highlights the entrepreneurial spirit of women in agribusiness from across the state, offering creative insights and the stories behind what it takes to build a business…
Liz Poessnecker
May 2020
The best part of a summer Mondays is the fresh food picked up at the farm where it was grown and the good conversations with Farmer Katie and…
2021 Beatrice Mini Food Guide
Buy Fresh Buy Local
April 2021
So many local food treasures can be found in the rolling hills of Beatrice and southeast Nebraska -- from the lively Thursday farmers’ market to farm fresh eggs and the perfect September watermelon. Get in touch with the farmers…
2021 Nebraska Food Guide
buy fresh buy local
April 2021
Since the beginning of the pandemic, small and medium scale Nebraska farmers have gone above and beyond to increase production, change delivery methods, and meet the shifting needs of their communities…
7 ways to keep veggies fun for kids
Beatrice Daily Sun
February 2021
It’s National CSA Week—the most popular time of year for fans of local food to sign up for a CSA.
If these three letters are unfamiliar to you: CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and is one more way you can support local farmers. Here’s how it usually works. You...
CSA week planned
beatrice daily sun
February 2021
West End Farm is excited to join other CSA farmers across the country to celebrate CSA Week, a national event taking place from Feb. 21-28 to promote CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). CSA is a farm membership system that allows consumers to sign up to receive a season’s worth of a farm’s products every week. Along with...
ORGANIZING FOR FOOD POLICY: NEBRASKA FOOD COUNCIL’S 2021 PRIORITIES
Center for rural affairs
January 2021
Since its founding by the Center for Rural Affairs in 2017, the Nebraska Food Council has worked toward its mission to strengthen Nebraska’s...
Nebraska Gift Guide
Buy Fresh Buy Local
November 2020
Find heartfelt Nebraska-grown gifts for your loved ones by…
Beatrice Farmers Market ends another season
Beatrice Daily Sun
October 2020
The Country Cookin’ Café parking lot was full of fall-colored vegetables, breads, jams and excited vendors and patrons on Thursday, as the…
Liz Poessnecker
September 2020
Monday is my favorite day of the week as I go to a local farm to pick up my CSA box of garden produce. "Farmer Katie" does…
No beating around the bush
Midwest Messenger; lincoln journal star
August 2020
There’s a promising up-and-comer in Nebraska agriculture. Tripling its total industry revenue in just…
embrace local food in old and new ways
Beatrice Daily Sun
June 2020
Twenty-two years ago, every kid wanted a Furby, Titanic swept the Oscars and Britney Spears topped the charts with “...Baby One More Time.” If this feels like a lifetime ago, consider 1998 was also the year Main Street Beatrice introduced us to the Beatrice Farmers’ Market.
2020 Nebraska Food Guide
buy fresh buy local
May 2020
What is your connection to agriculture? Did you grandparents or great grandparents have a farm? Separate cream from milk…
beatrice mini food guide
BUY FRESH BUY LOCAL
May 2020
The Beatrice area is home to so many local food treasures – from the Thursday night farmers’ market, to fresh picked strawberries to the sweet crunch of a home-grown carrot. Get in touch with the farmers and ranchers listed below to discover good fresh food in Beatrice! Find your farmer. Find good food!
Growing a garden to a business
beatrice daily sun
April 2020
Katie Jantzen started helping with the family garden when she was a child, but West End Farm near Plymouth, has grown into a business.
Meet Katie Jantzen of West End Farm!
Buy Fresh Buy Local
April 2020
Katie Jantzen of West End Farm in Plymouth, Nebraska is working hard, and showing off her incredible growing and making skills to bring…
We’re Compiling a List of CSA’s in All 50 States
Modern Farmer
March 2020
If you’re worried about having access to fresh food in the months ahead, become a member of a Community Supported Agriculture program! To help you find one near you, we’re compiling a list of farms that offer CSA’s…
NEBRASKA FOOD COUNCIL ENDORSES FARM TO SCHOOL AND KIDS EAT LOCAL ACTS
center for rural affairs
December 2019
Currently, Nebraskans spend $4.4 billion on food, 90 percent of which is sourced from outside the state. The Nebraska Food Council and the Center for Rural Affairs advocate for the reauthorization of the...
Katie Jantzen is living proof of a successful family farmer
Midwest Messenger
October 2019
America’s agricultural history spans generations. Some of the family farms still in operation today have been feeding our neighbors for more than 100 years..,
Innovation and Entrepreneurship workshops: Sustainability Panel
Lincoln Calling
September 2019
Are you still using styrofoam!?!?!!?! Responsible consumerism in Nebraska
KATIE JANTZEN IS LIVING PROOF OF A SUCCESSFUL FAMILY FARMER
Center for Rural Affairs
August 2019
America’s agricultural history spans generations. Some of the family farms still in operation today…
FARMERS COUNT ON NEIGHBORS TO SHOP AT MARKETS
Center for Rural Affairs
August 2019
Some family farms have been feeding our neighbors for more than 100 years, and will continue to do so...
NEW COTTAGE FOOD LAW SUPPORTS NEBRASKA’S ENTREPRENEURS
Center for rural affairs
July 2019
In 2015, a working group gathered to talk about the challenges Nebraska food consumers and producers alike face, and how to best address them. In 2019, Nebraska Legislative Bill (LB) 304 was passed, expanding the state’s food laws to...
GROWING INTEREST IN LOCAL FOOD DEMONSTRATES NEED FOR LEGISLATIVE BILL 304
Center for Rural Affairs
April 2019
I am a cottage food producer in southeast Nebraska. I bake bread as a part of my farming operation. However…
Farmer Stories: Supporting CSA Through Agreements
Farm Commons
March 2019
Katie Jantzen is a beginning farmer in Plymouth, Nebraska, growing produce on a…
Megan Horak
February 2019
With spring around ---the corner (well hopefully sooner than later) I wanted to focus my #AgFactFriday on Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). If you love...
FORMATION OF NEBRASKA FOOD COUNCIL LEADS TO STATEWIDE FOOD ASSESSMENT
Center for rural affairs
June 2018
In Nebraska, residents spend nearly $5 billion annually on food. Approximately 90 percent of that money leaves the state, according to a 2015 Center for Rural Affairs report. The study prompted Center staff to take a deeper look into...
Beatrice Farmers Market closes down for the season
Beatrice Daily Sun
October 2017
It would have been hard to ask for a much nicer day for a last farmers' market. The sun was shining, it was...
Katie Jantzen graduates from NFU's Beginning Farmers Institute
high plains journal
March 2017
Beginning farmer, Katie Jantzen of Plymouth, graduated from the sixth class of the Beginning Farmer Institute of the National Farmers Union. On March 4, 17 beginning farmers from across the country received certificates at the awards banquet of the…
NFU Announces Largest Participant Class for 2016-17 Beginning Farmers Institute
national farmers union
June 2016
National Farmers Union (NFU) Beginning Farmers Institute (BFI) was created to empower the success of America’s next generation of farmers, and the NFU Foundation is pleased to announce the largest participant class in the program’s six-year history. Seventeen beginning farmers and ranchers from across the country
Facing A Shaky Future, Nebraska Family Farm Ponders A Renaissance
NPR WBUR
April 2016
If you're a farmer who wants to stay small and independent, you're under an increasing amount of pressure…
