Minnesota

Do Honeybees Fly South for the Winter?

Posted in Farms & Gardens on Mon, 03/08/2010 - 4:19am by Debbie Morrison -

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As a 20-year marketing professional living in the Twin Cities, going to the grocery store used to be all business. I had my list of items to get, but I also made it a habit to take note of product packaging, shelf placement, and displays before heading to the checkout.

In 2000, that all changed when my husband and I bought a 172-acre farm and moved 70 miles north to Mora, Minnesota. Here, we established our certified organic farm where we grow apples, plums, and veggies; and we produce maple syrup each spring. I have also joined the incredibly fascinating world of beekeeping.

FruitShare Offers Fresh Organic Food Year Round

Posted in Specialty Food, Organic Food on Wed, 01/13/2010 - 1:13pm by lee -

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"Sometimes all people should get is a big bunch of blueberries," Everett Myers tells me. "Sometimes the blueberries are so good that everyone should just get those. Twelve pints at a time." I laugh a little bit, letting on that I might not be all that thrilled with such a shipment. "With recipes and information about how to use them, how to store them, things like that," Everett continues. His point is that when blueberries are at their peak, when they exhibit their most complete blueberry-ness, they should be consumed like crazy. Get your fill of blueberries when they're good! What are you waiting for?

The Farms of New York City

Posted in Local Food, new york, Organic Food, Sustainable on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 12:55pm by Kristen Meinzer -

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Here's what most people in Minnesota and Nebraska and Idaho don't know and would never suspect about New York City: we are a farming town. Yes, you heard that right.

What Local Foods Do You Love?

Posted in Local Food, Specialty Food on Mon, 04/27/2009 - 9:46am by lee -

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So here I sit, day after day, week after week, writing about my favorite local foods and places, like The Craftsman in Minneapolis, Flatbush Farm in Brooklyn, and Peace Coffee, roasted in the Twin Cities.

Flatbush Farm: a Little Minnesota in the Heart of Brooklyn

Posted in Local Food, Midwest, new york, Organic Food, Restaurants, Sustainable, Twin Cities on Sun, 04/26/2009 - 11:39am by Kristen Meinzer -

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Two and half years ago, in the fall/winter of 2006, a new eating and drinking establishment opened on the border between Park Slope and Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. Called the Flatbush Farm, it won over locals almost immediately with its friendly bartenders, inventive drinks, hearty daily specials, rustic interiors, and enormous candle-lit backyard.

10 Ways Local Food Has Changed My Life

Posted in Local Food, Organic Food, Specialty Food, Sustainable, Twin Cities on Mon, 04/20/2009 - 9:54am by lee -

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It was just over 6 weeks ago when I joined my first CSA, bought Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, and started hunting down restaurants serving local, sustainable foods.

The Sustainable Passover Seder

Posted in Local Food, Organic Food, Sustainable on Fri, 04/10/2009 - 9:12am by lee -

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I had a blast at my good friends' Passover Seder last night. Awesome people, an exciting story ("Let my people go!" Moses demands each year), and terrific food. My wife and I made the matzo ball soup again this year, this time a more local, organic version - free range chickens, organic chicken broth, home-made matzo balls (with locally raised cage-free eggs, all from The Wedge Co-op) - and even the kids asked for more.

Whole Foods Up Close: Local, Organic Values (Part 1 of 3)

Posted in Sustainable, Organic Food, Local Food on Tue, 04/07/2009 - 9:59am by lee -

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About a month ago, I went to the Minneapolis Whole Foods Market looking for local meat. I’ve been a Minnesotan long enough to know that our produce choices are severely limited in the winter months, but I figured there’d be plenty of local pork and beef to bring home. Turns out I was wrong - there was almost none. I left Whole Foods confused and surprised, and I left them a note. The next day, Renee Howard sent me an email.

Thousand Hills Cattle Company: Grass Feed, Midwestern Beef

Posted in Local Food, Specialty Food, Sustainable, Twin Cities on Sat, 04/04/2009 - 10:15am by lee -

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One of my favorite things about writing the Simple, Good, and Tasty blog so far is that I get to share information about people and companies that are working hard to do something good for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Bryant Lake Bowl Serves Up Sustainable Food

Posted in Local Food, Restaurants, Sustainable, Twin Cities on Fri, 04/03/2009 - 10:47am by lee -

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Bryant Lake Bowl is unlike any other place I've been. The front of the place is a bar/restaurant with a terrific beer list (including local favorite Surly and several Belgian beers) and some of the best tofu and egg scrambles in town.

The Every Kitchen Table Blog: Why CSAs Aren't Enough

Posted in Sustainable, Local Food on Thu, 04/02/2009 - 12:03pm by lee -

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Some of my favorite writing on the topic of local, sustainable food these days comes from Rob Smart in Vermont, whose Every Kitchen Table blog (and Twitter posts) cite some of my favorites (Michael Pollan, Eric Schlosser) as inspirations.

Local Coffee Beans - in Minnesota

Posted in Organic Food, Local Food on Wed, 04/01/2009 - 12:02pm by lee -

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[caption id="attachment_717" align="alignright" width="305" caption="John and Maggie Torsvald of Dawson, MN"][/caption] Today's Star Tribune reports that John and Maggie Torsvald of Dawson, Minnesota (about 50 miles west of Montevideo) have been growing coffee on their organic farm for more than 30 years.

Tour de Farm: Great Chefs on Location at MN Farms

Posted in Activities, Local Food, Midwest, Restaurants, Sustainable, Twin Cities on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 1:12pm by lee -

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tour-de-farm-farm Thanks to Hidden Stream Farm's mailing letter, I just got wind of Tour de Farm, which is the new way I'm thinking of organizing my summer.

Choosing a CSA

Posted in Sustainable, Organic Food, Local Food on Tue, 03/17/2009 - 10:03am by lee -

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CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) provide opportunities for people to eat locally, the get the kinds of foods you would normally find at local farmers markets, and to take part in the agricultural process. Most CSAs require some sort of ongoing commitment, such as a monthly fee in exchange for a weekly box of locally grown vegetables. Depending on where you live, the weekly box may include a wide assortment of mostly-root vegetables (kale, cabbage, squash, turnips in Minnesota, for example) or of anything else grown on a particular farm, in a particular climate. Many CSAs encourage their members to work at the farm for a day or more, to better understand the farming process and to get closer to local, sustainable food. Some require it.