Meet our Team

Lauren

Head Farmer

After interning for several years on other farms, Lauren started Dancing Gnome Farm in 2014 in Stockholm, WI. The farm has grown a little each year, and in 2019 we moved the farm to its current location in Wabasha, MN. Lauren loves the thrill of early greenhouse season, taking naps after farmers market, designing new record-keeping systems, and eating bountiful farm lunches with the crew.

Arthur

Chicken Supervisor

Crew member since 2023. Enjoys long hikes in the woods, watching over the animals, sharing his meals with Holly the Farm Dog, and talking to the sheep. Favorite farm veggies: cucumbers and sweet corn.

Holly the Farm Dog

HR Manager

Holly the farm dog joined our team in 2018, and quickly settled into her role as chief morale-booster, bunny-chaser, and treat-consumer. She loves hunting mice under tarps, shucking and eating cobs of sweet corn, and cooling off in the pond.

Michael

Head Kayaker

Michael found his way to Wabasha in 2012 to run a bed and breakfast and start a kayak-guiding-business with a group of friends. Since meeting Lauren in 2014, he has expanded his farm skills to become the chief project-doer on the farm. Aside from finesse with the pressure-washer, spreadsheets for tracking tractor-maintenance, and perfect timing with ice-cream-sandwich provisioning, he has the most impressive chicken-catching dive we've seen. Set him up with a plate of summer sweet corn and he'll be happy as can be!

Laura

Lead Farm/Kayak Crew

2020-2024: Growing up as a city girl in the Midwest, Laura's always been captivated by farming. Now finishing her fourth season at DGF she can't seem to stay away from the excitement of earning new vegetable bagging badges and encountering more giant state fair worthy vegetables. It isn't always easy to keep track of harvest counts, so this season she's been fine tuning her telepathic connection with the vegetables to guess the correct amount. No recounts needed with this farm secret superpower! It's impossible to choose a favorite part of working at DGF, but the striking views of beautiful bluffs in every season, the fantastic farm community, getting covered in dirt, and tasty farm lunches are all contenders. Favorite farm task: pruning and trellising high tunnel tomatoes

Espoir

Farm/Kayak Crew

2023, 2024: Espoir started farming in fall of 2019 at Dickinson College Farm in Carlisle,PA where she was a student farmer and then an apprentice, from there she kept ending up in a garden wherever she lived. By way of Senegal and the twin cities, Espoir revels in the experience of growing food at Dancing Gnome Farm and is so grateful to be a part of the incredible crew and community that weaves its way through all we do. She especially loves chatting with awesome fellow farmers and thinking of all the ways to cook veggies in the fields. Espoir is most likely to go jump in the Zumbro river after a day of work.

Nial

Farm/Kayak Crew

2023, 2024

Drew

Lead Farm/Kayak Crew

2021-2024: Enthused by ethical farming techniques I am glad to play a role at Dancing Gnome Farm. Hands on methods and a personal experience with plants is everyday life. From starting mini-sprouts in my windowsill to being a part of these greater practices is something I take pride in. Catch me covered in mud with a handful of happy veggies!

Sam

Lead Farm/Kayak Crew

2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

Isabel

Lead Kayak/Lunch/Baby Crew

2022, 2023

Julia

Farm/Kayak Crew

2021, 2022: Julia grew up down river in Dubuque, Iowa where she loved exploring the river and bluffs of the Driftless region. She traveled upriver to St. Paul, MN to study history and political science and kept falling in love with Minnesota. When she is on the farm, you can find her humming a tune while working or trying to make the perfect espresso shot after lunch. She enjoys a good book and making earrings when she is not farming. **current co-record holder of fastest onion planter ever.

Liv

Farm Crew

2021, 2022: This is my first year at Dancing Gnome and I love it so far. I’ve already learned a lot that I can take back to my own plot where my partner and I grow produce to sell at the knobs farmers market. Along with my coworker Julia, I’m the proud onion planting record holder coming in at 2:13 for a whole tray of seedlings. We’re happy to take on any worthy competitors.

Liam

Farm/Kayak Crew

2021, 2022

Maria

Farm Crew

2022, 2023