Olander Farms
A fifth-generation farmer charts a new path.
Breaking with Tradition
Todd Olander is a fifth generation farmer who changed the course of his family farm. For years, his parents used the farm to grow GMO corn as feed for dairy cows, but when Todd and his wife Emily took over, they had a different vision. They wanted to take the farm from uniformity to diversity, and improve their soil health at the same time. Keeping a future in mind that could include more droughts, the Olanders began reducing tillage and rotating new and different kinds of crops onto the land, including grains that required less water.
As they progressed with their new approach, the Olanders began to notice that their soil was becoming richer in organic matter, and holding onto more water as a result. As exciting as this was for the family, they were still faced with financial barriers that made it difficult for them to continue these methods.
Closing the Loop
To complete their transition to a regenerative farm, the Olanders were able to get support for their project with two Zero Foodprint Restore grants. This funding allowed them to continue to use practices like compost application, cover cropping, and managing the nutrients of their soil across many acres.
The Olanders have used their barley, rye, and wheat varieties to make the award-winning malt and whiskey of their company, Root Shoot Spirits. Root Shoot’s whiskeys have since been named Whiskey of the Year in both 2025 and 2026, as well as becoming a ZFP Member. This means that Root Shoot Spirits now donates 1% of its sales to the same Zero Foodprint grant that it was a recipient of, bringing their journey full circle.
About Olander Farms
“Root Shoot Malting is a 5th-generation family farm and estate malthouse dedicated to supplying barley, wheat, rye, oats, and non-GMO corn to craft brewers and distillers.”
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Zero Foodprint awards grants for projects that take carbon out of the atmosphere and put it back where it belongs: in the earth, creating healthy soil and better food. To do this, we focus on regenerative farming practices like composting, cover cropping, and managed grazing that can restore life to our soil while removing carbon from the atmosphere. Together, we have the power to grow more nutritious food, heal natural water cycles, and create habitat for biodiversity to thrive. Explore previously funded projects to see what this might look like on your farm.
For more information, read through other Restore Grant FAQs.oes here
Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit organization restoring the climate, one acre at a time. We believe that by regenerating soil, local food economies can play a critical role in reversing the global climate crisis. We work with food and beverage businesses, philanthropy, and government to bring the next dollar to implement the next regenerative practice on the next acre. This regenerative economy benefits every person who grows food, every person who sells food, and every person on this planet who eats food.
