Mother Earth Gardens to Add Second, Nordeast Location

MARIE FLANAGAN

Residents in Northeast Minneapolis might notice some action this winter on the corner of Lowry and Stinson. Mother Earth Gardens, a popular South Minneapolis garden center specializing in organic gardening, sustainably-grown plants, and earth-friendly products, is working on the variance procedures to add a second store in the Windom Park neighborhood.

Paige Pelini and Karen O'Connor own and operate Mother Earth Gardens. They purchased the South Minneapolis business in 2007 and hope to open their Northeast location in April 2013, “even if it’s just a soft opening,” according to O’Connor. The Northeast location will have two buildings (a two-story building with retail and residential space and a single-story building with multiple retail spaces), currently occupying 2358 Stinson Parkway and 2314-2318 Lowry Avenue.

“I actually used to live in Northeast," said O’Connor. “We have a lot of existing customers who live in Northeast. It’s a similar demographic to our customer base in South─it’s an active community that supports the arts, gardening, and local businesses.”

So what can Northeast green thumbs expect from Mother Earth Gardens? O’Connor says their philosophy of sourcing and selling plants and products that have been grown, produced, and delivered in a sustainable manner will carry through to the new store. During the planting season, they’ll have as many as 50 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, extensive options of unusual edible and medicinal herbs, native plants, and rain garden plants. Their selection of annual and perennials will be sourced from local growers like Rush Creek Growers, Green Earth Growers, and Glacial Ridge Growers.

The indoor retail space at the Northeast location will be larger than the indoor space at their South location─on top of traditional garden center supplies and gifts, O’Connor says they hope to fill that extra indoor space with more supplies for urban farmers, from beekeeping supplies to backyard chicken supplies. And just in case you thought garden centers were only good for visiting in warm months, Mother Earth Gardens also hopes to offer free winter seminars, possibly partnering with theEastside Food Co-op.

Pictured above: Honey Grape organic heirloom cherry tomato (plant purchased at Mother Earth Gardens).

 Mother Earth Gardens, South Minneapolis location.
 Photos courtesy of Mother Earth Gardens, by Karen O'Connor

Cross posted from Mother Earth Gardens to Add Second, Nordeast Location - Twin Cities Taste - November 2012 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Upcoming Event Salutes Lake Superior's Sustainable Fisheries

An upcoming event, "A SALUTE TO LAKE SUPERIOR'S SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES," hosted by the University of Minnesota Sea Grant Program, spotlights the state's seasonal abundance of lake herring from Lake Superior and celebrates the people involved in managing, harvesting, studying, and preparing this sustainably harvested fish.

The second annual event will take place on Tues., Nov. 13 from 5-7:30 p.m. at the McNamara Alumni Center in Minneapolis. A cook-off and tasting event, the “Salute” celebrates the people involved in the success of Lake Superior’s fisheries. Some local Duluth chefs are making the journey to the Twin Cities to compete. Local chefs include Avery Cassar from At Sara’s Table Chester Creek Café and Scott Graden from the New Scenic Café. Admission for this event is $20. For Northland guests, Minnesota Sea Grant is providing a bus for transport at $10 per seat.

For more information about the “Salute,” visit the Minnesota Sea Grant events page here.

A New PastureLand

Remember PastureLand’s award-winning gourmet butter and artisanal cheeses produced from the milk of family operated, organically certified, grass-based dairy farms in Minnesota? They had been a Flanagan household favorite for years. But the PastureLand we knew—the organic, Minnesota-based grass dairy cooperative—is no more. 

As reported in May 2011, PastureLand was having some problems, and their butter and cheese began disappearing from market shelves. In winter 2012, Edelweiss Graziers Cooperative purchased the naming and brand rights to PastureLand, which means the PastureLand brand (previously made in Minn.) will now be used to market dairy products made by five Wisconsin farm families. 

Bert Paris has been dairy farming in Wisconsin since 1983, and started grazing his herd on pasture in 1993. Today, his family is one of the five families that make up the new PastureLand cooperative. 

“We really liked the name, and we wanted to carry on some of the beliefs about grass-based dairies, family farms, and sustainability,” said Paris. “We are so proud to carry on the PastureLand name to continue to promote grass-based dairy products.” 

So what are the differences between the old PastureLand and the new PastureLand? Well, the product line will be totally different, for starters. Whereas the former PastureLand label was organic, the new PastureLand is not. And the former PastureLand products were 100% grass-based dairy products, but the new PastureLand products will be at least 60% grass-based. 

 

In addition to working on a grass-based gouda cheese with the new PastureLand label, called “Peace of Pasture,” they’re developing a Greek-style yogurt with the help of Bert’s brother, Ron Paris, ofWisconsin’s Sugar River Dairy yogurt fame. As Bert puts it, he and his brother were sharing a beer one evening, and decided they’d like to try making a grass-fed based Greek-style yogurt. After experimenting for about three months, the PastureLand cooperative has just about finalized their new non-homogenized, Greek-style yogurt. PastureLand hopes its yogurt will be available starting next April during the grazing season in select natural food co-ops and grocery stores, along with the gouda cheese.

Cross-posted from: A New PastureLand - Twin Cities Taste - November 2012 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

You can Help Shape the Future of Urban Ag in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is developing a plan for urban ag in Minneapolis, and they want your input. If you're interested and/or engaged in urban ag in Minneapolis, consider attending one of these public meetings. You can also share your thoughts about urban ag in Minneapolis using an online form.
----------------------------------------------

From the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board website...

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) has begun a process to develop a plan to support urban agriculture. This plan will guide the MPRB in defining and prioritizing community needs, recommending service delivery goals, and guiding allocation of funds to support urban agriculture within the park system.
                              
Increasing numbers of Minneapolis residents are actively engaged in various urban agriculture activities, and interest in community gardens, farmers markets, community supported agriculture (CSA), and local food production has steadily increased in this decade.  The Board of Commissioners recognizes the many benefits of a sustainable, local food system and has supported community gardens since 2002 by resolution. 

Supporting urban agriculture aligns with the MPRB’s mission, values, and vision for the future.  The MRPB Comprehensive Plan states that park facility renewal and development is to respect history and focus on sustainability, accessibility, flexibility, and beauty.  Sustainability is a core value of the MPRB, and supporting urban agriculture is one component of improved sustainability.  The MPRB seeks to develop a plan that explores opportunities to partner with others, efficiently utilize MPRB resources, and align service delivery of services with the needs of Minneapolis residents and park users.

Share your thoughts at an upcoming public meeting:

            

November 13, 3-4:30 pm	Logan Rec Center	690 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis
November 15, 6-7:30 pm	Linden Hills Rec Center	3100 43rd St. W., Minneapolis
November 17, 10-11:30 am	MPRB Headquarters	2117 W. River Road, Minneapolis
December 3, 6-7:30 pm	Farview Rec Center	621 29th Ave. N, Minneapolis
December 4, 6-7:30 pm	Nokomis Rec Center	2401 E. Minnehaha Pkwy., Minneapolis

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Wisconsin Rush Creek Reserve From Uplands Cheese Released

SLEEPYNEKO

Cheese lovers, the time is nigh. This week, Uplands Cheese
released their first batches of Rush Creek Reserve for the 2012 season.

You might know Upland’s for their award-winning Pleasant Ridge Reserve (it won “best in class” from the American Cheese Society for the past three years, and won the Best Cheese in America in 2010). Uplands makes Pleasant Ridge Reserve on their farm in Wisconsin from spring until fall using fresh, grass-fed milk. This aged, Beaufort-style cheese is pale gold with a firm texture (Beaufort is an Alpine cheese produced in the French Alps). Like a Beaufort, Pleasant Ridge Reserve is rich, smooth, and melts beautifully.

But now autumn is upon us, and as the cows’ diets rotate from fresh summer pasture to drier winter hay, Uplands makes their seasonal Rush Creek Reserve. Whereas Pleasant Ridge is an aged, hard cheese, Rush Creek is a soft, young cheese in the style of Vacherin Mont d'Or (a washed-rind soft cheese made in Switzerland and France). Made from September - November, the 12-ounce wheels of hand-made cheese are wrapped in boiled spruce bark and are aged just two months. Rush Creek is best served slightly warm with the top of the wheel sliced off to expose the luscious, slightly pungent cheese in the center of the wheel. Spoon the creamy cheese onto a bit of baguette, take a bite, and smile. Rush Creek is just hitting the markets, so watch for it to start popping up at local cheese markets—Surdyks has it now.

If you have the time, consider checking out this episode of Wisconsin Foodie, which features Uplands Cheesemaker Andy Hatch as he makes Rush Creek Reserve. Hatch shows you how he makes it, and demonstrates his recommended serving technique.

Cross-posted from TC Taste: Wisconsin Rush Creek Reserve From Uplands Cheese Released - Twin Cities Taste - October 2012 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Hennepin County High Tunnel Workshop

I just received this information, and I wanted to share it right away for all my urban and rural farming friends. FYI, a polytunnel (also known as a polyhouse, hoop greenhouse or hoophouse, or high tunnel) is an above ground tunnel made of polyethylene, usually semi-circular, square or elongated in shape. Farmers use these to extend their growing seasons. Air warmed by the heat from hot interior surfaces is retained in the building by the roof and wall, so farmers can plant earlier in spring and grow later into fall.

Hybrid hazelnut plants grow in this high tunnel in Nebraska. - Photo by Marie Flanagan

Save the Date for the Hennepin High Tunnel Workshop October 2nd

By Betsy Wieland, Agriculture Extension Educator in Hennepin County, U of M Extension

Minneapolis, Minn. (September 7, 2012) — High tunnel or hoop house fruit and vegetable production is a rapidly growing farming technique in Minnesota.  Thanks to increased consumer demand for local food and financial assistance from the USDA’s NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) EQIP program, new high tunnels are being installed across the state and country.  The workshop will take place October 2, 2012 from 9am to 4pm in Greenfield, MN at Knapton’s Rasberries, Pumpkins, and Orchard and will give new growers a solid foundation and provide helpful information to current high tunnel growers. The workshop is being offered by the  U of M Extension Hennepin County in partnership with the USDA-NRCS in Hennepin County. 

The day will be split into two parts, with the morning session focusing on getting started with high tunnels.  Topics will include: selecting the right structure and location, crop and variety selection, production techniques and tips, and understanding the EQIP program and how to get funding.  The afternoon session will focus on keeping your Seasonal High Tunnel productive over time covering topics of: soil fertility management, pest management, crop rotation, and structure maintenance.  Speakers for both sessions will include University specialists, industry representatives, USDA NRCS staff, and high tunnel growers. 

People can choose to attend the morning session, the afternoon session, or stay all day.  The cost is $15 for the morning or afternoon session, and $20 to stay all day.  Lunch and tour of the farm from 12:15-1pm is included in all options.

Registration information will follow soon.  For more information, contact Betsy Wieland at 612-596-1175 or eliza003@umn.edu.

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Fall for Minnesota Mushrooms

WILD CHANTERELLES AND LOBSTER
MUSHROOMS TO DOUG FLICKER
AT PICCOLO. BY MIKE KEMPENICH.

As harbingers of spring, Minnesotans revel in the flavor and season of morel mushrooms. But fall’s mushrooms make a brilliant contribution to seasonal cuisine as well, and definitely deserve a Twin Cities Taste spotlight. Minneapolis local Mike Kempenich agrees; he’s the chief “fun guy” and owner of The Mikeology Store, a Minneapolis-based cultivator of exotic edible mushrooms, and he says “now is the perfect time” to savor the flavor of seasonal mushrooms. 

As one of 52 exotic mushroom cultivators in the U.S., Kempenich is kept busy cultivating about 2,000 pounds per week of exotic mushrooms such as oyster, king oyster, maitake, and chicken of the woods. Kempenich is a savvy forager, always hunting for the perfect specimen. He harvests ideal wild specimens at the peak of their season, and then brings them into the lab so that he can clone and cultivate them in a somewhat surprising environment—a 3,000 square-foot warehouse in Brooklyn Park.

MIKE WITH CHICKEN OF THE WOODS

“You have to maintain an environment that the mushroom is used to in the wild,” said Kempenich. “You can imagine that it’s complicated and challenging.”

Chicken of the woods (or sulfur shelf mushrooms) are attention-grabbing with their bright orange and yellow shelves. Mild in flavor, meaty in texture, chicken of the woods are as versatile as their namesake, so they’re flawless in pasta sauces and soup. As a case in point, Kempenich says one of the best bowls of mushroom soup he ever ate was a chicken of the woods mushroom soup at Café Levain.

MIKE WITH HEN OF THE WOODS

Maitake (or hen of the woods mushrooms) are also popping up on market shelves and menus. Maitakes have a fairly pronounced umami flavor and a texture that pairs well with beef. Valued for heartiness and rich in vitamins B1, B2, D, as well as vegetable fiber, Kempenich says hen of the woods mushrooms are great on the grill (or roasted with a bit of olive oil and garlic over a bonfire).

As for his location in Brooklyn Park, Kempenich says he wants to be as close to the market as possible to ensure the best quality and freshness. Mikeology mushrooms markets include Seward Co-op, Mississippi Market, Eastside co-op, and The Wedge, and you’ll see them popping up on seasonal menus at more than two-dozen local restaurants like Piccolo, Saffron, Sea Change, Vincent, Café Levain, the Sample Room, and Travail.

If you can’t get enough of this mushroom stuff, check out this charming video Kempenich produced last fall about foraging for hen of the woods and chicken of the woods mushrooms in the early autumn.

Pictured: These dangling logs of pressed wood shavings are used to grow cloned oyster mushrooms in the fruiting chamber at the Mikeology mushroom farm in Brooklyn Park. Photo by Mike Kempenich.

Cross post from Fall for Minnesota Mushrooms - Twin Cities Taste - September 2012 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Duo Uses Heirloom Grains for MN-Made Cereals

MARIE FLANAGAN

Mill City knows a thing or two about grains and cereals. After all, from 1880 to 1930 Minneapolis was the flour milling capital of the world. So when I spotted a small stand at the Northeast Farmers Market selling handmade cereals made with organic, historic, heirloom grains, I thought maybe, just maybe, I could taste a bit of MN history. 

Liz Talley is a fourth generation Minnesotan. She started a cereal-making company, Minnesota Goodness, in 2010. In 2012, she formed a partnership with Jule Rentz, and together they started a new company called Urban Graze. Now, in a commercial kitchen in Golden Valley, Talley and Rentz are producing signature lines of Minnesota Goodness and Urban Graze cereals. 

The cereal grains they use are grown by three organic farmers in Wisconsin and Minnesota, who are growing old varieties of open-pollinated grains—heirloom grains. In the Urban Graze kitchen, Talley and Rentz combine those grains with ingredients like Minnesota honey and Wisconsin cherries to develop a range of products like triple berry muesli and Caramel Crunch granola (made with homemade caramel sauce). Talley’s passion for Minnesota’s history shows in the ingredients she uses, but it also extends to the product names she helps develop, like “Good Neighbor” cold cereal and “Boundary Waters” hot cereal. 

“As a community, we're preserving the valuable traditions of our rich heritages in local, sustainable, organic farming—and the enjoyment of cooking and sharing good food as we gather with our families and friends,” said Talley. 

As people who “graze” throughout the day, Talley and Rentz wanted to develop products that promoted eating well all day long. Talley says her cereals are a good match for breakfast, but can also be sprinkled on salads for meals later in the day. Although not their most popular item, her favorite cereal is their North Shore muesli—a European-style muesli with berries, nuts, and grains, which she combines with yogurt. 

“The Paul Bunyon Granola with cranberry and blueberries is our most popular,” said Talley. “The Extreme Crunch is made using grains that are gluten-free, by nature. I can’t tell you how many hundreds of bags of Extreme Crunch I sold last year to people who used it on their sweet potatoes and apple crisp.” 

And if you think the name “Extreme Crunch” is superfluous, think again. The tiny whole grain nuggets are reminiscent of Grape-Nuts, but they pack an irrefutable crunch and a complex sweetness (stemming from maple and sorghum). 

Talley’s got the knack for developing award-winning recipes—her berry nut granola bars took a blue ribbon at the Minnesota State Fair in 2011. But while she enjoys developing recipes that compliment the unique grains she uses, it’s the day-to-day connections she makes that motivate her the most. 

“What drives me is that I love connecting and networking. I am so excited on a daily basis about connecting these farmers and their food to people who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to taste these grains. I get a real joy from connecting the consumer to the farmer."

You can find Minnesota Goodness and Urban Graze cereals at Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market,St. Paul Farmers' Market, Golden’s Deli, Golden Fig, Jack’s Bakery, Ferndale Market, or buy them online. 

Cross posted from: Urban Graze and Minnesota Goodness from Grains - Twin Cities Taste - August 2012 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

Urban Ag Farm Tour Features Urban Farms in St Paul

The University of Minnesota Extension, the Minnesota North Central Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, and the Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture havecome together again to host a bus tour of urban agriculture in the Twin Cities area.

The tour begins and ends in rooms 140A and 140B in the Plant Growth Facilities building, 1552 Gortner Avenue, University of Minnesota, St. Paul Campus.  Check in begins at 8:30am.

The selected sites for thisyear’s tour will highlight urban farms that bring communities together through agriculture.  These farms show a varietyof  types of urban farms including :teaching and demonstration in formal and informal settings;  growing to donate; and growing as a mainsource of income. Participants will see and discuss the pros and cons of a variety ofbusiness models from those working individually to collaborations.

This year’s tour will feature the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. Participants will be visiting five farms. First, you will visit one of Stone’s Throw Urban Farm locations.   Participants also visit two farms sponsored by Frogtown Farms: Amir’s Garden and a site previously managed by the Wilder Foundation.  Then, you will visit Page & Flowers/Holistic Health Farm run by Tim Page and Cherry Flowers, and lastly the Cornercopia Student Organic Farm at the U of M St. Paul campus.

To register visit http://www.misa.umn.edu/, then click “Register for Urban Ag Bus Tour.”  A registration fee of $15 dollars will cover the cost of a locally sourced lunch and snacks. Bus space is limited so register early. The registration deadline is August 10th.

Questions?  Contact Betsy Wieland (Eliza003@umn.edu) or Kate Seager (Kseager@umn.edu).



[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Indeed Brewing Company will Open their NE MPLS Taproom on August 10th

I just received word that Indeed Brewing will open their taproom at the Solar Arts Building in NE Minneapolis on August 10th. I've had a chance to take a few preliminary tours during the build-out, and the space is impressive. The taproom seats 70, with a 36' long hand-built bar and 6 recycled tabletops imprinted with signatures from Miller Publishing, among the seating options. 

Hours

Thursday & Friday 3-10 p.m.

Saturdays 11am-10pm

Location

711 15th Ave NE  Minneapolis, MN 55413

Here's more from Indeed:

-------------

Contact:
Rachel Anderson
Co-founder, Indeed Brewing Company
(612) 843-5094
rachel@indeedbrewing.com


Indeed Brewing Company, the much-anticipated Northeast Minneapolis craft brewery start-up announces an August 10 opening of their taproom.
 
Situated in the heart of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, the taproom has an interior seating capacity of 70 and also includes a 900-square-foot outdoor patio space with seating for 45. The company will launch with their two flagship beers Midnight Ryder American Black Ale and Day Tripper Pale Ale. Customers will be able to pull up a stool along the 37-foot custom-built bar, or enjoy a pint from the patio as the occasional train passes only a stones throw away.
 
“We want our taproom to be a hub for all things Indeed, like a living room for our brewery,” co-owner Tom Whisenand says, “so we can invite people in to get to know us and our beer.”
 
The taproom will be open Thursday through Friday from 3 to 10 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  An array of local food trucks will be on-site to offer their unique menu selections, and patrons will be able to eat inside or outside on the patio.
 
“After working so long to get to this point, we’re excited to finally be able to share our beer with everyone,” Whisenand says, “and with the taproom, we feel like we have the perfect space to do it.”
 
As the brewery grows, so too will their beer line-up, to include one-time offerings in addition to seasonal and specialty beers.


[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

7th Annual Minnesota Garlic Festival to be Held August 11 in Hutchinson

The 7th Annual Minnesota Garlic Festival will take place from 10am-6pm on Saturday, August 11, at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, MN. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for kids (free for babies).

The festival features more than 100 varieties of fresh garlic grown in Minnesota, a Fiber and Fabric Arts UPcycled fashion show, music, games, and food prepared by chefs like Tracy Singleton (The Birchwood), Christopher Sipiorski (Common Roots), Lori Valenziano (Lucia's), Bryan Morcom (Alma), Steven Brown (Tilia), and Joe Hatch-Surisook (Sen Yai Sen Lek). As a Zero Waste event, all of the vendors have agreed to use recyclable and compostable plates, flatware, cups and other items.


[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Valetino Pasta: Pasta for your Pantry

QUINN FARETTA

Some long distance relationships are better left 200 miles away; others are worth talking about, especially when good pasta is involved! 

Perfectly made fresh pasta is sublime, but sometimes it just isn’t practical, and for that reason, dried pasta is considered a pantry staple for most of us. A small pasta maker in Roscoe, Ill.has taken a glimpse into our pantries and wants to improve them with his new line of dried, artisan pasta. 

(Full disclosure: It turns out I know his wife. The summer before I moved away to college, I met another gal named Marie. We spent a summer being invincible, and then I moved away. We grew apart. We grew up. Fifteen years later, writing about local and regional food, I stumbled across a new pasta business in Illinois, and discovered that my friend, Marie Valentino, was the wife of the man making that pasta.) 

Jeff Valentino grew up with pasta as the centerpiece of every celebration, and made fresh pasta for his family as an adult. Pasta-making was a meaningful hobby, so when he got laid off from his corporate job, he looked to his hobby for a new career, and started Valentino Pasta with a basic mission: “Make true small batch artisan pasta in America, from American wheat.” 

Valentino found a commercial kitchen incubator, Dream Kitchen, in Elgin, Ill. where he could make his pastas. He secured a few sources for American, organic, high protein semolina duram flour from locations in Montana, Utah, and the Rockies (Valentino says that most of the flour he uses is organic, but he doesn’t advertise it on the package, since some of his sources haven’t completed the organic certification process). He experimented with dozens of recipes and hundreds of batches as he worked to balance flavor, consistency, and aroma. Now, he’s cranking out batches of pastas like high protein semolina lumache and whole wheat fusilli. Along the way, he personalized the craft by incorporating his personal preferences, like pure bronze pasta dyes. 

“Semolina is really hard, and it’s tough on dyes, so many people use Teflon-coated bronze dyes,” explained Valentino. “But when you extrude through pure bronze, you get a texture that can’t be matched. The product texture is better, and it holds the sauce better.” 

I whipped up a batch of Valentino’s duram creste de gallo pasta to see for myself, following the exact instructions on the package; the pasta was al dente, and the porous surface of the pasta held the sauce beautifully. I was pleased, and our dinner guests were impressed. 

             
Throughout my conversation with Valentino, he talked about social commitment and responsibility. In addition to sourcing organic ingredients from other like-minded business owners, Valentino is donating one meal to a hungry child in America for every pound of pasta they sell. They’re working with Feeding America, food banks, and churches in Rockford. 

“I knew I wanted to use awesome flour, organic products as much as possible, and work with other socially responsible businesses,” said Valentino. “Regarding the social mission, however big or small this company is or will be, in my own weird way, I hope to inspire a future entrepreneur about how a business should be run.” 

Valentino pasta is for sale on their website for about $7 per pound, so you can serve it in Minnesota—or of course, pick some up at a few farmers' markets if you're ever in Chicagoland. One of the greatest rewards of Valentino's new career takes place at those markets, he says.
“The best part is when somebody comes up to you, and they were skeptical when they bought it, and then they tell you how awesome it was. You can see the sincerity in their face, and they’re coming back week after week. We’ve raised expectations about pasta for some people, and experiencing that has been awesome.”

Cross posted from: Valetino Pantry Pasta Worth the Purchase - Twin Cities Taste - July 2012 - Minneapolis, St. Paul, Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

2012 Farm Families of the Year Announced

According to a press release I received from the University of Minnesota Extension, seventy-six families from around the state, one from each participating county, have recently been named a “2012 Farm Family of the Year” by the University of Minnesota.

-----------------

From their news release:


The families will be officially recognized in a ceremony Thursday, Aug. 9 at the annual Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minn. Profiles of the 2012 honorees and information on the recognition event can be found on the University’s farm family website at http://mnfarmfamilies.cfans.umn.edu.


“Farm families and agriculture are a major driver of Minnesota’s economy and the vitality of Minnesota’s rural communities,” said Bev Durgan, dean of University of Minnesota Extension. “The University of Minnesota is proud to recognize these outstanding families for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.”

Families were selected by their local county Extension committees for having demonstrated a commitment to enhancing and supporting agriculture.

Farmfest runs Aug. 7-9 at the Gilfillan Estate, near Redwood Falls, Minn. Event hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 7 and 8, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 9. Admission is $10 per person, and those 18 and under are admitted free. More information on Farmfest is available atwww.ideaggroup.com/farmfest.

The diversity of Minnesota family farms can be seen by looking at a sample of the 2012 honorees:

Greg Booth and Vickie Kettlewell of Cass County
Sunup Ranch began near Osseo, Minn. in 1950. In 1993, Greg and Vickie Booth began managing the ranch. Today, they have beef cattle, a mare herd, and sell registered Quarter Horses. The family takes the horses to homes all over the world, from the U.S. to Canada to Mexico to Germany to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Great Britain and Panama.

Oberton Honey Farm of Morrison County
Oberton Honey Farm operates 2,500 colonies of honeybees, producing honey and beeswax in central Minnesota. The bees are placed at 85 locations in Morrison, Todd, Stearns and Cass counties.  During the winter months, the bees are used to pollinate almond trees in California. 

Dave and D.J. Roeser of Ramsey County
Garden Fresh Farms of Maplewood has proven that urban agriculture is sustainable in a warehouse environment. Dave and D.J. Roeser focus on family urban farm growing and selling produce to the community, and manufacturing agriculture equipment for growing produce in warehouses. They also contribute fresh produce to the local food shelf weekly. 

Joe and Pat DeGrood Bros. of Rice County
The DeGrood Bros. third-generation farm was established in 1931. Today the DeGrood brothers raise dairy replacement heifers and finish out approximately 2,400 hogs a year. They also manage 1,500 acres growing corn, soybeans, small grains, and alfalfa. 

Lunemann Family’s Twin Eagle Dairy of Todd County
In 1983, Patrick and Jody Lunemann took over the farm started by Patrick’s grandparents. Called Twin Eagle Dairy, the operation now consists of 635 dairy cows and 750 young stock.  The cows are milked in a 24 stall parallel parlor and baby calves are raised in a new computerized feeder facility. 

Gary and Lori Swanson Family of Washington County
The Swanson family farm in Afton, Minn. has been in operation at the present location since 1942. The farm was originally a dairy, but was converted to a feeder cattle and hog operation when Gary took over in 1976.Today Gary is operating a corn and soybean farm along with feeder cattle. The Swansons use GPS yield monitoring and mapping, grid soil sampling for fertilizing, and lime applications. 

Here is a complete listing of the 2012 University of Minnesota Farm Family of the Year honorees, by county:

County: Family/Farm

1. Aitkin: 4R Charolais and Angus Ranch 
2. Anoka: Daniel Johnson, Curtis Johnson, Dave Johnson, Drew Johnson, Aaron Johnson, Lee Johnson
3. Becker: Jay & Anna Brown Family
4. Benton: Jeremy & Barb Larson Family
5. Big Stone: Gerald & Peggy Heck Family
6. Blue Earth: Bradley & Linda Leiding
7. Brown: Greg & Kari Scholtz Family
8. Carlton: Newman Dairy
9. Carver: Heuer Dairy Inc.
10. Cass: Greg Booth& Vickie Kettlewell
11. Chippewa: Tony & Stacie Schuler Family
12. Chisago: Roger & Linda Blazek
13. Clay: Donald Schenck
14. Clearwater: Dale & Lois Miller
15. Cottonwood: Tom & Marilyn Fast Family
16. Dakota: Bremer Farms:  Roy & Karen Bremer and John & Janet Bremer
17. Dodge: The Alberts Family
18. Douglas: Max & Lyla Radil
19. Faribault: Mark & Sharon Obermeyer Family
20. Fillmore: LeRoy & Darleen Johnson’s Rolling Acres
21. Freeborn: Andrew & Jody Bakken
22. Goodhue: Rostad Farms
23. Grant: Reuss Grain Farms:  Randy & Connie Reuss
24. Hennepin: Marvin D. Johnson
25. Houston: Viking Valley Farm:  Gerald, Duron & Darin Bratland
26. Isanti: David & Donna Whitney – Dew Fresh Produce and Jacob Whitney – Jake’s Apple Shack
27. Jackson: Christopher Family
28. Kanabec: Anderson Standing Rock Ranch
29. Kandiyohi: Carlson Dairy, LLP
30. Kittson: Justin & Donna Dagen
31. Lac qui Parle: Duane & Suzi Haugen
32. Lake of the Woods: Lyle & Millie Wiskow
33. Le Sueur: Curt & Joyce Bohlen Family
34. Lincoln: Dwight & Peggy Buller Family
35. Lyon: Bruce & Juanita Bot Family
36. Mahnomen: The Geray Farm
37. Martin: Gary & Dorothy Janssen and Family
38. McLeod: Duane & Mary Nelson
39. Meeker: Dave & Katie Hendrickson Family
40. Mille Lacs: Eller Family Farm
41. Morrison: Oberton Honey Farm
42. Mower: Gene Anderson Dairy Farm
43. Murray: Bill & Merri Post Family and Ben & Connie Post Family
44. Nicollet: Jeff & Natalie Leonard and Doug & Nancy Wenner
45. Nobles: Perkins
46. Norman: Bryan & Theresa Hest Family
47. Olmsted: Kroening Farms
48. Pine: Martin’s Greenhouses
49. Pipestone: Marlin & Donna Berg and Philip & Laurel Berg & Family
50. Polk: Chuck & Barbara Schulstad
51. Pope: Arne E. Stoen Family
52. Ramsey: Dave and D.J. Roeser
53. Red Lake: Roger & Janel Walter Family
54. Redwood: Breitkreutz Family Farm
55. Renville: Agre Farms
56. Rice: Joe & Pat DeGrood Bros.
57. Rock: The Christians Family Farm
58. Roseau: Eugene & Eunice Millner
59. St. Louis: Byrns Erickson Families
60. Scott: Casey Acres, Inc.
61. Sherburne: Edling Farms Inc.
62. Sibley: Neyers
63. Stearns: Dan & Jolene Schlangen
64. Steele: Rodney & Michelle Krell Family        
65. Stevens: Lampert Farms
66. Swift: Kevin Voorhees Family
67. Todd: Lunemann Family’s Twin Eagle Dairy
68. Traverse: Bruce & Joann Conroy Family
69. Wabasha: Hyde Park Holsteins:  Kevin & Kay Siewert Family and Kerwin & Sandy Siewert
70. Wadena: Mertens Family Dairy Farm
71. Waseca: Paul & Marijo Beckstrand
72. Washington: Gary & Lori Swanson Family
73. Watonwan: Anderson Farm
74. Winona: David & Kristi Tveten Family
75. Wright : Valley View Dairy:  Dan & Erica Elsenpeter and Luke & Elizabeth Elsenpeter
76. Yellow Medicine: Paul & Jamie Kvistad Family

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

MDA Assessing Needs and Taking Plant Donations for Flooded Vegetable Growers

I didn't have time to write my own story about this, but I wanted to help spread the word. 


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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 22, 2012

CONTACT:
Margaret Hart, Communications Coordinator
651.201.6131, Margaret.Hart@state.mn.us

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is seeking information from fruit and vegetable farmers and established community gardens that lost crops due to recent flooding or storms to determine how widespread these losses are. The agency is also seeking garden centers and nurseries that may be willing to donate annual fruit and vegetable plants to these growers so they can replant some of their crops.

MDA Assistant Commissioner Matthew Wohlman says if the need is great enough, a process will be put in place through the Minnesota Farmer Assistance Network (MFAN) to help connect the affected growers with nurseries and garden centers willing to donate plants that would otherwise be discarded.

“We know that there are losses and we know that many nurseries are ready to discard plants that they haven’t sold this season,” Wohlman said. “It only makes sense that we try to match up the need with the availability of plants and help some of these vegetable farmers replant their crop.”

MDA is asking farmers or community gardens that suffered crop losses due to floods or storms and are in need of annual fruit and vegetable plants to call MFAN at 1-877-898-MFAN (6326). Nurseries or garden centers willing to donate excess fruit and vegetables are asked to call the same number, 1-877-898-MFAN. When calling the number, press zero (0) to leave a message.

Celebrate Father's Day & Dairy Month with the Latest and Greatest Cheeses & Beer

MARIE FLANAGAN

Cheese and beer with friends on the patio—is there a better way to celebrate Father's Day or Dairy Month? I’ll leave it up to you to track down some guests, but here are a few small batch, local cheeses (and some beer pairings) that have been sparking interesting conversations around cheese plates lately. 

Singing Hills Goat Dairy is Minnesota’s goat farm darling on social media channels like Twitter and Facebook. Lynne Reeck and Kate Wall operate Singing Hills Goat Dairy, a 25-acre farm in Nerstrand, where they’re raising Nubian, Alpine, and Saanan goats and crafting fresh, artisan goat cheese. Creamy and mild, the brine on their slabs of feta-style goat cheese compliments rather than dominates the milky flavor of the cheese. And their fresh curds are soft, slightly salty, and squeaky between your teeth. For a homerun, try their feta piled on a rosemary, parsley, and garlic seasoned lamb burger and wash it down with an American Pale Ale like the World Beer Championship winning Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale. You can find Singing Hills’ cheeses at Mill City, Fulton, or Kingfield Farmers' markets, or Just Food Co-op. 

If you’re the kind of person who can imagine a cheeseburger in one hand and a Central Waters Mud Puppy Porter in the other, get thee some Moody Blue by Roth Kase. This small batch, Wisconsin cow’s milk blue cheese is a bold, creamy cheese smoked over fruit wood, giving it a smokey flavor so assertive that it’s been called “bacony.” Moody Blue out-performed Rogue Creamery’s popular Smokey Blue at the US Championship Cheese Contest in 2009, winning a silver medal. Grab a porter and crumble it on a burger, or make an impressive grilled pizza topped with Moody Blue, caramelized onions, and figs. 

A new cheese that’s making a big splash is Chris Roelli’s Red Rock cheese. The Roelli Cheese Haus in southern Wisconsin is making naturally rinded, creamy cheddar cheese, dosing it with big shots of annatto, and lacing blue mold veins through it to make a visually stunning cheddar-blue cheese. It’s aged in Red Rock caves for a minimum of 60 days while it develops its signature stark blue veins and natural blue rind. Red Rock’s bright color is dramatic on a cheese plate, and its flavor takes a grilled buffalo chicken sandwich to another level, especially with a smoked beer, like a Stagecoach Smoked Porter from Stagecoach Brewing Company in Mantorville, Minn. You can find Red Rock in the Seward Co-op Cheese Department. Want to see Red Rock in action? Check out this video from Wisconsin Cheese Talk:
 

Posted on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 in Permalink

Cross-posted from TC Taste: Celebrate Dairy Month with the Latest and Greatest Cheeses - Twin Cities Taste - June 2012 - Minnesota

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

Twin Cities Veg Fest is for Vegans, Vegetarians, and Omnivores

The first ever Twin Cities Veg Fest will take place from 10am to 5pm at Coffman Memorial Union on the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota on July 14, 2012. 


From the event planners:
"Twin Cities Veg Fest is for anyone and everyone – from vegetarians and vegans to omnivores! If you’ve ever thought about becoming vegetarian or are interested in reducing animal suffering, you’ll love Twin Cities Veg Fest.


Learn where your food comes from, how to be a healthy vegetarian or vegan, and why being compassionate benefits everyone. Plus you’ll enjoy tons of free vegan food samples and delicious vegan cuisine."

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]

New Sausages Coming Your Way from Shepherd's Way Farm

Shepherd’s Way Farms makes some of my favorite sheep’s milk cheeses. It’s no secret that their cheese is good—they’ve received scores of accolades for their popular black wax coated Friesago, soft and creamy Hidden Falls, light and tangy Shepherd’s Hope, and spicy Big Woods Blue cheeses. Imagine my surprise, then, when I headed to Mill City Market and found a freezer full of unfamiliar sausages at the Shepherd’s Way market stand.

That’s right, three weeks ago, Steven and Jodi Ohlsen Read of Shepherd’s Way introduced several new varieties of specialty sausages, and they’re made with pasture-raised lamb and pork from their farm in Nerstrand, Minn.

In addition to the existing Merguez, Westlund, and Barlage sausages, the Reads are now selling a sausage made with orange peel and red wine called Sogn Harvest, a Sage and Ginger breakfast sausage, a Big Woods Blue traditional bratwurst made with blue cheese, smoked snack sticks called Birr Sticks, and a hard-to-find smoked sausage link (which is rumored to have notes of coriander and mustard) called Woodsman.

“I’ve always been interested in specialty meats,” said Steven Read. “Charcuterie is an emerging trend, and it’s been fun developing new ideas and seeing them become final products. It’s gratifying and exciting to see people responding.”

The small-scale Sage and Ginger sausage, with just a slight essence of ginger, makes a good breakfast sausage, but could very well be served any time of the day, and a pack of Birr Sticks tucked in with your camping gear will make the great outdoors all the greater this summer. According to Read, the Woodsman links seem to be flying off the shelves faster than they can make them.

Read grew up Swedish in Minnesota, and says making cased sausages and meat sticks simply reflect his upbringing.

Although the Reads raised the animals on their farm and developed the recipes for their new line of specialty meats, they didn’t have the ability to make their own sausages on-site, so they teamed up with sausage maker Dean Anderson at Geneva Meats in Geneva, Minn. Read explained that processing off-site was less expensive than having on-site facilities and licensing, although he acknowledged that it would be fun to have their own processing facility someday. The work they do on their small, family-based farm demonstrates their support of local, sustainable, slow food—they’ve hosted thousands of visitors to the farm, educating and promoting sustainable agriculture, land stewardship, and local foods.

Shepherd’s Way Farms' new line of sausages can purchased at the Mill City Farmers' Market, or you can send them an email and they’ll bring them to the St. Paul Farmers’ Market for you. They hope to start selling the new sausages at local co-ops this summer.

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Cross posted from TC Taste: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Twin-Cities-Taste/May-2012/Orange-Peel-and-Red-Wine-Sausage-Comin-Your-Way/

Celebrate Cedar Summit's 10th Anniversary at Milkapalooza

Cedar Summit is spreading the word about their 10th anniversary Milkapalooza party. Details about the event are posted below.

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Make plans to help celebrate ten years of on-farm milk bottling at the farm in New Prague at Milkapalooza on June 23, 2012, 10am – 3pm. Come help celebrate, it will be a great day for certified organic, 100% grass-fed family fun on the farm.

Lunch will be available for purchase. Food will be provided by Valley Natural Foods, and options will include Cedar Summit hamburgers, vegan vegie burgers, creamy organic coleslaw, kids plates, and cookies and milk for dessert.

You will be able to sample local cheeses and tour the farm with family members. They will have calves for petting and ponies for riding. Local beekeepers will also be showing off their bees – not for petting!

First MN Cheese Festival Coming to State Fair Grounds on Sunday

Check it out! The first ever Minnesota Cheese Festival will be taking place at the State Fair Grounds this Sunday. The following release was sent out from the Minnesota Cheese Festival organizers, and will give you the basic information about the event.

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MINNEAPOLIS - April 9, 2012 - On Sunday, June 3 at the Minnesota State Fair Grounds' International Bazaar, foodies can unleash their inner caseophile (cheese lover) at the first Minnesota Cheese Festival. Minnesota's artisan cheesemakers will be joined by Wisconsin cheesemakers for an event celebrating all things cheese. 

Open to the public from noon - 6 p.m. (with a private media and industry event from 11 a.m. -noon), the event aims to raise awareness for Minnesota's growing cheesemaking community while allowing cheese lovers to sample and purchase artisan, farmstead and specialty cheeses. While its neighbor Wisconsin is best known for a thriving cheesemaking industry, Minnesota is in fact the NO.6 cheese producing state in the US. In recent years, the state's processed cheese giants have been joined by world-class artisan cheese producers - such as Caves of Faribault, Alemar Cheese Co. and Shepherd's Way Farms. All three cheese producers will be in attendance at the Festival, alongside numerous Wisconsin cheesemakers. 

"Wisconsin has incredible, state-run programs that support the cheesemaking community, but the resources for Minnesota cheesemakers are limited," said festival organizer Whitney McChane. "These are hard-working small business owners who are responsible for everything from herd management to product distribution - and marketing often falls to the end of the 'must do' list. This event is hopefully the first of many designed to support and empower the local cheesemaking community while fostering a sense of pride among Minnesota residents." 

Timed to coincide with prime milking season and National Dairy Month in June, the festival is expected to draw sizeable crowds, given America's specialty, artisanal and farmstead cheese consumption is at an all-time high. This can be attributed to a combination of factors including more U.S. citizens traveling abroad and trying unique varieties of cheese; more U.S. restaurants offering a cheese course; and an increased interest in ethnic food (Source: Agriculture Marketing Resource Center). 

"Minnesota has a long and rich history of dairy farming, and while our output can't compete with our Eastern neighbor Wisconsin, our milk quality certainly can," said Keith Adams, Alemar Cheese Company's founder and head cheesemaker. "And, if it isn't immediately apparent, great cheese can only be made from great milk." 

MAIN STAGE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
(Schedule is subject to change)
Noon: Meet the Chef & Recipe Demonstrations - Gastrotruck
12:30 p.m.: Beer & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Michael Agnew
1 :00 p.m.: Meet the Cheesemaker - Caves of Faribault
1 :30 p.m.: Wine & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Leslee Miller
2:00 p.m.: Meet the Cheesemaker - Shepherd's Way Farms
2:30 p.m.: Beer & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Michael Agnew
3:00 p.m.: Meet the Cheesemaker - Ellsworth Creamery
3:30 p.m.: Wine & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Leslee Miller
4:00 p.m.: Meet the Cheesemaker - Alemar Cheese Co.
4:30 p.m.: Beer & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Michael Agnew
5:00 p.m.: Meet the Chef & Recipe Demonstration - Chef Shack
5:30 p.m.: Wine & Cheese Pairing Demonstration - Leslee Miller
6:00 p.m.: Event ends 

REAR DEMONSTRATION AREA
Cheesemaking demonstrations will be hosted by experts from Midwest Supplies, which offers a full line of home cheese making supplies and kits: http://www.midwestsupplies.com/other-products/cheese-making.html

[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]