After a few phone conversations and a handful of emails with Minnesota Monthly's dining critic and senior editor Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, Elizabeth Dehn, Jason DeRusha, Stephanie Meyer, and I have teamed up with her to write Minnesota Monthly's Dara&Co blog.
My team role: MNMO's sustainable food correspondent.
I'm looking forward to my role, which involves writing about interesting local producers and products and sustainable practices.
You can read my first blog post here: http://www.minnesotamonthly.com/media/Blogs/Dear-Dara/April-2010/Heirloom-Season-Has-Begun/
I intend to continue to write this blog and www.reetsyburger.com, in addition to the work I'll be doing for Minnesota Monthly. So it seems all of my days and many of my nights will be devoted to reading, researching, and writing about sustainable agriculture and sustainable foods, and I'm definitely not complaining about that.
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Friday, April 16, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Ag Awareness Day at the University of Minnesota
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 marks the first annual Ag Awareness Day on the Minneapolis Campus of the University of Minnesota.
Where: Northrop Mall
When: ALL DAY
What: Booths from campus and industry groups complete with
activities and freebies
Contact Jason Kaare at kaare002@umn.edu for more information on the
event.
For more information, go to www.facebook.com/AgAwareness
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Where: Northrop Mall
When: ALL DAY
What: Booths from campus and industry groups complete with
activities and freebies
Contact Jason Kaare at kaare002@umn.edu for more information on the
event.
For more information, go to www.facebook.com/AgAwareness
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Monday, March 29, 2010
Twin Cities Sharing Yards and Resources at www.Y2G.org
Are you a Twin Cities gardener looking for a space to garden?
Do you have space in your yard that could be used for a garden?
Did you make too much compost? Do you have extra mulch?
Do you have gardening tools that you could share?
Do you have space in your yard that could be used for a garden?
Did you make too much compost? Do you have extra mulch?
Do you have gardening tools that you could share?
MINNEAPOLIS, MN –
Yards to Gardens (www.y2g.org) is a new website designed to connect eager gardeners with available space. The website was launched in July, 2009. This year, fueled by the unprecedented growth of interest in home and community gardening, Yards to Gardens is reaching critical mass in the Twin Cities, MN and beginning to catch on in other US cities.
"It's a simple concept," states Jesse Eustis, Y2G co-founder and local Minneapolis gardener. "Say you have some extra space in your yard but no time for gardening, you can go to the website and in just a few seconds you can post your yard as a resource for someone to garden. Or say you'd like to be gardening in your neighborhood but you don't have a yard, just go to the website and see if there are any available yards in your area, or post yourself as a gardener."
As of March 18th, Yards to Gardens has launched an expanded version of their website which includes new listing categories. In addition to 'Yard' and 'Gardener', you can now post and search for 'Organic Matter' (compost, mulch, wood chips, etc.) and 'Tools & Stuff'. These new categories make Y2G a resource for sharing and finding all things gardening-related.
The problem is a lack of space for gardening in urban areas. The National Gardening Association estimated a rise in the number of new gardens to seven million in 2009, an increase of 19% over the previous year. Here in the Twin Cities there are over 240 community gardens; however most are already full this season and the waiting lists continue to grow. Gardening Matters, a Twin Cities-based organization that supports community gardens, has partnered with Yards to Gardens to help deal with the rise in demand. This year they have begun referring individuals to the new Y2G website to find space.
The Yards to Gardens website, created by three Minneapolis gardening enthusiasts, grew out of the observation that while our food system ships food an average of 1500 miles from the farm to fork, at the same time we use the vast majority of our cultivatable urban land to grow grass. "If you consider this and the fact that many urban would-be-gardeners can't find space to garden, it's just a matter of connecting the dots," exclaimed Eustis.
Last year the City of Minneapolis also stepped in to support Yards to Gardens, awarding Y2G a Climate Change micro-grant as part of the City's effort to help local neighborhoods and organizations fund creative ways to engage residents in fighting global warming. Y2G may pursue other grant and sponsorship opportunities, but for the time being it is a labor of love. Jonas Goslow, Y2G co-founder and also a Guthrie Theater actor states, "We've invested a lot into this, not just for the love of gardening but because of the way this tool can help build community relationships."
Over the coming year, the Yards to Gardens team plans to promote the site by building partnerships with related organizations, gov't agencies and businesses. Other additions to the website are likely, such as a category for sharing fruit and vegetable surplus. Goslow explains, "Our eventual goal is to have other US cities use Yards to Gardens as a resource for neighbors to connect and share with one another through the act of gardening."
Contact:
Jesse Eustis
jesse@y2g.org
646-244-5058
2319 1st Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55404
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Friday, March 5, 2010
U of M Conference to Explore 'Relocalizing Our Foodshed'
North Source: Dakota Ag Connection - 03/04/2010
A workshop on foodshed assessment, methods and models, will take place at the University of Minnesota's Coffman Memorial Union (Minneapolis East Bank campus) on March 15 and 16. These two days will be an opportunity for University and Community researchers to focus on emerging methods being used to study regional food systems and food system planning, and to consider how to address challenges involved in these methods, particularly around the relationship between research and implementation.
On Monday, the group will be joined by Christian Peters (Tufts - Nutrition Science and Policy) and Gail Feenstra (University of California Davis, Food Systems Analyst - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program), who will provide focusing keynotes for our discussions. Tuesday will be spent in small working groups to address issues of research development, interdisciplinary collaboration and funding opportunities.
This symposium was funded by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development and is a joint effort between North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota (where over 100 faculty and are currently involved in research, outreach, teaching and campus-based activities associated with the development of regional food systems).
If you are currently involved in food systems research, or would like to be involved with research efforts in the future, please consider attending this conference.
To register, please follow the "Click here to register" link under "Relocalizing our Foodshed" on the U of M's Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships website: www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu. Registration fee is $75.
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
A workshop on foodshed assessment, methods and models, will take place at the University of Minnesota's Coffman Memorial Union (Minneapolis East Bank campus) on March 15 and 16. These two days will be an opportunity for University and Community researchers to focus on emerging methods being used to study regional food systems and food system planning, and to consider how to address challenges involved in these methods, particularly around the relationship between research and implementation.
On Monday, the group will be joined by Christian Peters (Tufts - Nutrition Science and Policy) and Gail Feenstra (University of California Davis, Food Systems Analyst - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program), who will provide focusing keynotes for our discussions. Tuesday will be spent in small working groups to address issues of research development, interdisciplinary collaboration and funding opportunities.
This symposium was funded by the North Central Regional Center for Rural Development and is a joint effort between North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota (where over 100 faculty and are currently involved in research, outreach, teaching and campus-based activities associated with the development of regional food systems).
If you are currently involved in food systems research, or would like to be involved with research efforts in the future, please consider attending this conference.
To register, please follow the "Click here to register" link under "Relocalizing our Foodshed" on the U of M's Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships website: www.regionalpartnerships.umn.edu. Registration fee is $75.
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Attend Longfellow Sustainable Yards Workshops, March 20
The Longfellow Community Council is hosting a workshop this Saturday on sustainable practices for your yards and gardens. Workshop topics will include:
* Rain Gardens
* Landscaping with Native Plant Species
* Composting
* Fruit Trees and Shrubs
* Vegetable Gardening
At the event, you can also learn what's behind the City's stomwater fees and Do and Don't of boulevard planting.
Light refreshments will be provided. Longfellow residents are eligible to save energy, water and time with an array of door prizes - such as rain barrels, compost bins, native plants, fruit trees, green cleaning products, low-flow shower heads and more.
The event is free, but please click on the link below to RSVP:
Register Now!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sanford Middle School
3524 42nd Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
If you have any questions, contact:
Kim Jakus
Longfellow Community Council
kim@longfellow.org
612-722-4529 x 5
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
* Rain Gardens
* Landscaping with Native Plant Species
* Composting
* Fruit Trees and Shrubs
* Vegetable Gardening
At the event, you can also learn what's behind the City's stomwater fees and Do and Don't of boulevard planting.
Light refreshments will be provided. Longfellow residents are eligible to save energy, water and time with an array of door prizes - such as rain barrels, compost bins, native plants, fruit trees, green cleaning products, low-flow shower heads and more.
The event is free, but please click on the link below to RSVP:
Register Now!
Saturday, March 20, 2010
10:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Sanford Middle School
3524 42nd Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55406
If you have any questions, contact:
Kim Jakus
Longfellow Community Council
kim@longfellow.org
612-722-4529 x 5
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Friday, February 19, 2010
Shepherd's Way Weekend
Shepherd's Way will be at the Indoor Winter Farmer's Markets in Minneapolis and Saint Paul this Saturday.
They'll be at Local D'Lish in the warehouse district:
Local D'Lish
208 North 1st Street
10:00 am and 2:00 pm
612-886-3047
www.localdlish.com
They'll be at Golden's Deli in Lowertown Saint Paul:
Golden's Deli
275 4th St East
9:00 am until 1:00 pm
651-224-8888
www.goldensdeli.us
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
They'll be at Local D'Lish in the warehouse district:
Local D'Lish
208 North 1st Street
10:00 am and 2:00 pm
612-886-3047
www.localdlish.com
They'll be at Golden's Deli in Lowertown Saint Paul:
Golden's Deli
275 4th St East
9:00 am until 1:00 pm
651-224-8888
www.goldensdeli.us
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Thermal Banking in Lake City, MN
Source: Cooking Up A Story (CUPS)
This is the second in a series of “how-to” videos showcasing the knowledge and creativity of farmers who are have worked with the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE)—either as grant recipients, cooperators or leaders. In the first video, Jeanne Carver (Imperial Stock Ranch, Eastern Oregon) described her ranch’s approach to value-added marketing.
Now we turn to the Midwest where Steven Schwen of Earthen Path Organic Farm (Lake City, Minnesota) has built an innovative greenhouse that allows him to extend his growing season while reducing energy costs. SARE’s Farmer-Rancher Grants program provided critical assistance for Schwen in the beginning phases of his project.
At Minnesota’s latitude, farmers who can extend their growing season have a distinct advantage in the marketplace: By offering a product outside the “normal” growing season, they can receive a higher price.
That’s what Schwen has done with his greenhouse vegetable production, starting earlier in the year with seedlings of warm-season vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and peppers), and continuing production into the fall and even the winter months when he grows cold-tolerant crops such as salad mix, cilantro, scallions and carrots.
Season extension is a common enough practice, but what makes Schwen’s operation so unique is the added innovation of thermal banking, which significantly reduces the energy costs of running a greenhouse for cold-season production. Schwen’s simple description of thermal banking is that it’s like a savings account: Instead of money, you save (or store) energy for future use. In this case we are talking about the heat that accumulates in a greenhouse during the daytime, especially on sunny days.
As you watch the video, you’ll appreciate the level of detail Schwen provides about the greenhouse’s design and construction. In addition, he has made the design drawings available for reference (PDF), and viewers are encouraged to download those and follow along as Schwen talks about the construction process. Note that in this set-up, it’s more about what you don’t see underground, than the greenhouse structure itself!
Schwen views this technology as a key component of his farming operation, particularly in this time of global climate change and energy insecurity. He feels this project moves him closer to his ultimate goals of energy independence and self-sufficiency.
---------------------------------
To view another CUPS video about Steven Schwen, click here.
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
This is the second in a series of “how-to” videos showcasing the knowledge and creativity of farmers who are have worked with the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program (SARE)—either as grant recipients, cooperators or leaders. In the first video, Jeanne Carver (Imperial Stock Ranch, Eastern Oregon) described her ranch’s approach to value-added marketing.
Now we turn to the Midwest where Steven Schwen of Earthen Path Organic Farm (Lake City, Minnesota) has built an innovative greenhouse that allows him to extend his growing season while reducing energy costs. SARE’s Farmer-Rancher Grants program provided critical assistance for Schwen in the beginning phases of his project.
At Minnesota’s latitude, farmers who can extend their growing season have a distinct advantage in the marketplace: By offering a product outside the “normal” growing season, they can receive a higher price.
That’s what Schwen has done with his greenhouse vegetable production, starting earlier in the year with seedlings of warm-season vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, basil and peppers), and continuing production into the fall and even the winter months when he grows cold-tolerant crops such as salad mix, cilantro, scallions and carrots.
Season extension is a common enough practice, but what makes Schwen’s operation so unique is the added innovation of thermal banking, which significantly reduces the energy costs of running a greenhouse for cold-season production. Schwen’s simple description of thermal banking is that it’s like a savings account: Instead of money, you save (or store) energy for future use. In this case we are talking about the heat that accumulates in a greenhouse during the daytime, especially on sunny days.
As you watch the video, you’ll appreciate the level of detail Schwen provides about the greenhouse’s design and construction. In addition, he has made the design drawings available for reference (PDF), and viewers are encouraged to download those and follow along as Schwen talks about the construction process. Note that in this set-up, it’s more about what you don’t see underground, than the greenhouse structure itself!
Schwen views this technology as a key component of his farming operation, particularly in this time of global climate change and energy insecurity. He feels this project moves him closer to his ultimate goals of energy independence and self-sufficiency.
---------------------------------
To view another CUPS video about Steven Schwen, click here.
[where: Sustainable Food, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, Minnesota]
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