birchwood cafe

Forgive us for a little bit of hyperbole, please - we're just really, really excited. After weeks of scheming, plotting, cutting deals, and eating out, Simple, Good, and Tasty is absolutely thrilled to launch our Local Food Lover program.

The program offers participants discounts at many of the best local, sustainable, organic, and fair trade businesses in the Twin Cities. Here are just a few highlights:

Thousand Hills Cattle Company, a leading producer of grass fed beef in the Midwest, has its work cut out for it.

First of all, there’s the cost of their product. Although their cattle are relatively inexpensive to raise, according to founder Todd Churchill (they just eat grass, right?), the cost of transporting, processing, packaging, and shipping 24 grass-fed cattle each week is enormous - there’s just not much economy of scale. By the time it gets to the grocery store or co-op, Thousand Hills beef costs more than its corn fed (non-organic) counterparts, nearly every time.

What a year it's been! Since April, Simple, Good, and Tasty has been asking you to participate in monthly local food events at many of the Twin Cities' best local food spots. In May we brought you to the Birchwood Cafe. In July we met at the Strip Club. In September we invited you to Boom Island Park for the biggest local food pig roast and potluck this town has ever seen.

I feel sorry for turkeys. They get no respect. For instance, the word “turkey” has become a commonly used derogatory term, as in, “You turkey!” And, whether or not it’s true, turkeys have a reputation for being so, shall we say, “intellectually challenged,” that they can drown looking up in a rain storm.  Even our esteemed founding fathers thumbed their noses at the turkey, choosing the bald eagle, instead, as the national bird. (Supposedly, the quirky Ben Franklin was the gobbler’s only advocate.)

Shepherd's WayThe cold weather hasn't slowed down the Twin Cities' passion for local food or the momentum we've got going here. Here's a quick roundup of some important news and activities:

Linden Hills Co-op to relocate and expand

Super great news from their member letter:

What more I say? Last night's pig roast and potluck at Boom Island Park in Minneapolis was awesome. As in, I'm still in awe of the event. The night was really perfect - fantastic weather, delicious sustainable and organic food,and truly amazing people - about 150 of us!

I didn't know what to expect at the Minnesota Cooks stage, located outdoors at the Minnesota State Fair's Carousel Park, but I was pleasantly surprised at every turn.

My family and I had a fun time at the Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota's Garlic Festival this past weekend in Hutchinson, MN.

Image Credit: Mette Nielsen

From the Mississippi Market website: MISSISSIPPI MARKET TO OPEN NEW ST. PAUL LOCATION TODAY