September 25 & 26, 2026
College of Saint Benedict's and Saint John's University |
2026 CONFERENCE SCHEDULETHURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2026 @ Saint John's University
Optional Activities:
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2026 @ Saint John's University 9:00 am - 1:00 pm: Conference Registration, Coffee/Tea sponsored by RMF Engineering 10:00 am - 1:00 pm: Pre-Conference Activities (details below!) 12:00 - 1:30 pm: Exhibit Hall 1:30-3:30 pm: Opening Session with Keynote Speaker Ben Passer, Program Director-Midwest Climate and Energy, McKnight Foundation 3:30 - 4:30 pm: Exhibit Hall 4:30-5:30 Breakout Session 5:45 - 7:00 pm: Dinner 7:00 - 9:30 pm: Bonfire and Karaoke SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2026 @ Saint Benedict
8:00 - 9:00 am: 2026 Community of Practice Participant Breakfast 8:00 - 9:00 am: Coffee/Tea at Exhibit Hall, sponsored by Alliiance 9:00 - 10:00 am: Breakout Session 10:15 - 11:15 am: Breakout Session 11:15-12:00 Poster Presentations 12:00 - 1:30 pm: Lunch and "20 Years in the Future: What's Possible?" Panel 1:30 - 2:30 pm: Breakout Session 2:30- 3:30 pm: Closing Session, Awards Ceremony and Ice Cream Bar sponsored by Midwest Dairy |
Pre-Conference Activities on Friday, September 25th
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Farm Tour Sept 25th 10:30-1:00
Meadowbrook Farms- Alex & Kirsten Udermann $20 includes Box Lunch Dairy foods play an integral role in today’s interconnected food system, from the unique nutrient profile that nourishes Americans daily to the resource stewardship that dairy farmers practice to reduce environmental impacts. Midwest Dairy is offering a pre-conference tour to experience dairy farmers' commitment to responsible animal care and sustainable practices in action at a local Minnesota dairy and beef farm. Throughout the tour there will be time for questions and discussions with the farmer and Midwest Dairy staff. Limited to 30 attendees. |
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Earthship Gozadera Tour 10:00–12:45
$50.00/per person, includes tour fee, box lunch and shuttle.
Join us for a guided tour of Off Grid Goat, an innovative earthship created by a Saint Benedict’s alumni and her husband. Experience off-grid, sustainable living firsthand and learn how regenerative design principles come to life in central Minnesota.
Earthship Gozadera in Sartell, Minnesota, is a fully sustainable, off-grid home and educational venue built from rammed earth tires, offering 1-hour guided tours and small private events. Developed over 21 years, this "living machine" highlights passive solar design, greywater recycling, and autonomous power/water systems.
Chapel Trail Guided Nature Hike 10:00–12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided (it is easy to eat on campus after this event)
Walk alongside a Saint John’s Outdoor University Guide on the beautiful, beginner-friendly 2-mile Chapel Trail along the shores of Lake Sagatagan. Enjoy fresh air, scenic views, and an opportunity to connect with the natural landscape.
Woodworking and Pottery Kiln Tour 10:00-12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided
Experience art and sustainability in action as we explore the storied Saint John’s Abbey Workshop and the pottery studio with the largest wood-fired kiln in North America!
Oak Nursery + Regeneration Tour 10:30–12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided
Climb aboard for a wagon ride through the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum as we explore a century-long effort to rehabilitate and restore native oak habitat. Discover the history, challenges, and future of this long-term ecological restoration project.
$50.00/per person, includes tour fee, box lunch and shuttle.
Join us for a guided tour of Off Grid Goat, an innovative earthship created by a Saint Benedict’s alumni and her husband. Experience off-grid, sustainable living firsthand and learn how regenerative design principles come to life in central Minnesota.
Earthship Gozadera in Sartell, Minnesota, is a fully sustainable, off-grid home and educational venue built from rammed earth tires, offering 1-hour guided tours and small private events. Developed over 21 years, this "living machine" highlights passive solar design, greywater recycling, and autonomous power/water systems.
Chapel Trail Guided Nature Hike 10:00–12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided (it is easy to eat on campus after this event)
Walk alongside a Saint John’s Outdoor University Guide on the beautiful, beginner-friendly 2-mile Chapel Trail along the shores of Lake Sagatagan. Enjoy fresh air, scenic views, and an opportunity to connect with the natural landscape.
Woodworking and Pottery Kiln Tour 10:00-12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided
Experience art and sustainability in action as we explore the storied Saint John’s Abbey Workshop and the pottery studio with the largest wood-fired kiln in North America!
Oak Nursery + Regeneration Tour 10:30–12:00
$15.00/person, no lunch provided
Climb aboard for a wagon ride through the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum as we explore a century-long effort to rehabilitate and restore native oak habitat. Discover the history, challenges, and future of this long-term ecological restoration project.
In addition to participating in the above events, you can do the following self-guided tours at St. John's University on Friday between 10:00am and 2:00pm:
- Saint John’s Natural History Museum
Explore the natural and geologic history of the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum at the Saint John’s Natural History Museum, including the impact of glaciers, native ecosystems, and the people who have lived and worked on this landscape over time. The museum is located in the lower level of the Saint John's New Science Center. It is stewarded by Saint John's Outdoor University and the Saint John's Abbey Arboretum - Hill Museum & Manuscript Library / Saint John’s Bible
Home to the world‑renowned Saint John’s Bible—the first completely handwritten and illuminated Bible commissioned by a Benedictine abbey since the invention of the printing press—visitors can view rare folios, ancient manuscripts, and original pages from the Saint John’s Bible. - Saint John’s Abbey Church
Commissioned in 1950 and designed by modernist architect Marcel Breuer, the Saint John’s Abbey Church is a landmark concrete structure and an active place of worship for the monastic community and students of CSB+SJU.