LOCAL FEAST! Putting Local First - Volume 6

Stewards of the Catch Hubbub about Food Hubs Taste of Home

Vol.6 FREE

Read online at local-feast.org/magazine local-feast.org

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LUXURY LIVING AWARD-WINNING CUSTOMER SERVICE

4871 Pines View Pl NW, Rochester, MN 55901 (507) 226-3302 | Pines@Regency-Multifamily.com

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

thank you,

Farmers &

local partners!

We are honored to have been named a Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year!

We couldn’t do it without the support and partnership of our local farmers and distributors. We thank these businesses for their help in supplying Kowalski’s customers with the best of the best local produce year-round:

UNTIEDT’S VEGETABLE FARM RUSS DAVIS WHOLESALE BUSHEL BOY URBAN GREENS REVOL GREENS FIRESIDE ORCHARD

11 Twin Cities Locations

ROB’S GOURMET GREENS MINNESOTA’S BEST ORGANIC GARLIC FOREST TO FORK PYRAMID SPROUTERS LIVING GREEN SALADS

...and many more!

kowalskis.com

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MADE IN

DULUTH

EVERY SIP

MN

IS AN ODE TO THE WOODS

ORGANIC. ZERO WASTE. WOMAN OWNED. 4

LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

TABLE of CONTENTS

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14 Taste of Home

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20 Food Hubs

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26 10 Years of FEAST!

38 Safeguarding Seeds

SMIF

Stewards of the Catch

Farmland Transitions

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43 Hot Off the Pass

Last Call

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Welcome to Volume Six This year marks a decade of the FEAST! Local Foods Network bringing you the best in local foods! We’re excited to greet you all at the 10th annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, Saturday, November 4, 10am-4pm at the Mayo Civic Center (Rochester, Minn.) where you can sip, sample and shop 100s of local products.

Publisher:

FEAST

LOCAL FOODS NETWORK

Until then, this issue showcases stories about the local food movement you won’t want to miss. We kick things off with a heartwarming story about the family food legacies that inspired the special flavors of two local-food entrepreneurs (p.8).

Our cover story shows how the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa has stewarded Lake Superior for generations and increased their food sovereignty (p.26). We also explore the importance of farmland access (p.33), safeguarding seeds (p.38), food hubs (p.14), and the work of a local food advocate (p.20).

Editor: Marlene Petersen Managing Editor: Elena Gutierrez Byrne Creative Director: Brett Olson

Our recurring segment Hot Off the Pass checks in with chefs in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin to see how local foods feature in their fare (p.43), and Last Call reveals a local whiskey made with Kernza® that’s as tasty as it is good for the environment (p.48). Finally, don’t miss a sneak peek at this year’s Marketplace (p.24)!

Contributing Writers: Kelli Boylen Josey Chu John Clarke Katie Godfrey Demmer Tim King Henry Kisitu Marlene Petersen Amy Peterson Stanley Schrock Bonnie Warndahl

We’re grateful for the sponsors and advertisers who make this nonprofit magazine possible and for the opportunity to bring people together around local foods.

Thanks for supporting regional farms and food businesses.

Warmest regards, The FEAST! Local Foods Network

Photographer:

Bob Gross, HLP Studio

/localfeastnetwork

Executive Director: Jan Joannides the

Countryside,

2637

27th

Ave.

S.,

Suite

LocalFeast

FEAST! Partners & Sponsors 17,

Minneapolis,

MN

55406

Premier Partners

www.local-feast.com

Cover: The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have been wild harvesting fish and stewarding Lake Superior for generations. Read about how their venture—the Red Cliff Fish Company—is feeding thousands and increasing their food sovereignty (p. 26).

Photo by: Bob Gross, HLP Studio Story suggestions? Comments? Contact us: Editor, Local FEAST! Magazine 312 Center Street East Hammond, MN 55991 editor@local-feast.org 6

LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

Silver Sponsors

Copper Sponsors

Bronze: Home Federal Savings Bank Associate: Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Friends of FEAST!: The Bee Shed

We treat our turkeys like they’re part of the family.

Because since 1939, they have been.

We proudly raise our turkeys in much the same way our family has for over 80 years, since our founders – Fern and Dale Peterson – settled on our farm in Cannon Falls, Minnesota. Free-range. Antibiotic-free. Naturally processed.

Reserve your fresh Thanksgiving turkey for pickup at our on-farm market in Cannon Falls or use our online locator to find our turkey near you.

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Healing Communities continued on page 9 local-feast.org

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Taste of Home Celebrating Cultural Foodways From the name on the label to cherished ingredients, the delicious fare made by two local-food entrepreneurs centers around their cultural and familial heritage, specifically their grandmothers’ culinary legacies. Josey Chu of Madame Chu and Henry Kisitu of Jajja Wellness share how endearing family recipes create their unique flavors.

MINNEAPOLIS

MADISON

SINGAPORE UGANDA

Madame Chu: Handcrafted Southeast Asian Delicacies Made in Madison, Wisc. madame-chu.com

By Josey Chu

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he name ‘Madame Chu’ honors both my grandmothers. My maternal grandmother was my biggest champion.

She is Peranakan…the Madame…the Nyonya of our family with a rich history of wonderful cuisine. My ancestors on her side came from China to Thailand where they picked up Thai cuisine.

They tended to travel to Malaysia and again picked up the Malay style of cooking. Ultimately, they ended up in Singapore where we settled. My paternal grandmother is Cantonese and also Madame. Her cooking is very much Cantonese based. My desire to honor them both and bring our food culture to the Midwest sparked the start of my company.

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

Josey’s grandmother wrote her recipes down for her mother, who had no interest in cooking but loved cookbooks. Her mom kept those recipes in her cookbooks where Josey and her husband later found them and started to cook from them.

We are Peranakan, where the culture is very much cuisine based. A good daughter-in-law will spend her time caring for the family by sewing and

cooking. Many daughters spend hours learning to cook. This was my grandmother’s education, her schooling. She learned how spices work with each other to enhance and preserve food. She learned beautiful embroidery, sewing clothes and shoes for her family. Cooking methods are an important part of education. Some dishes need steaming, some boiling and others roasting or deep frying. My grandmother painstakingly hand-wrote all of her recipes for me, which I have adapted to vegan, vegetarian, no-added gluten, preservative free and without fish sauce or shrimp paste.

My Madame Chu Sambal Nyonya is a deep red chili paste that carries a unique and assertive heat. It is cooked slowly using traditional methods which add a unique caramelized and earthy flavor to the heat of the peppers. It compliments eggs, rice and noodle dishes, or any savory dish that benefits from some added heat. My Ginger Garlic is a

flavor punch. Every spoonful is filled with freshness that stands up on its own as a condiment. It also pairs well with noodles, seafood, chicken, tofu, vegetables and different stir-fry dishes.

The Satay Peanut Nyonya is like a dense pesto that balances the heat of the peppers and the richness of peanuts.

Fourteen ingredients come together to offer a sweet, hot and delicious flavor that goes well with grilled chicken, fish or tofu. Cook the sauce with coconut milk over the stove for a creamier taste.

It’s a good base for many noodle dishes.

We source our garlic from local farms and are trying to work with local

farmers in sourcing our turmeric and ginger. It gets tricky because turmeric’s curcumin level is important to give it a strong yellow color. The ginger we get also has to have a strong bite to it. So, sourcing locally depends on the variety of ginger and turmeric the local farmers can grow for us. The food system needs to support a lot of people, from those who grow and harvest it to those who transport it and process it. I love that I can meet people, educate them about my culture through food, and support sustainability at the same time.

Taste of Home continued on page 11

Sambal Nyonya Shrimp Courtesy of madamechu.com

10-12 medium-size shrimp, shelled and deveined 1 c. thinly sliced onion 3/4 c. frozen green peas 1 tsp. salt 2 tsp. Madame Chu Sambal Nyonya (3 tsp. if you like it spicier) 2 tbsp. water 2 tbsp. cooking oil 1/2 c. sliced cucumber to serve with the dish (optional) Season the shrimp with salt and set aside. Mix Madame Chu Sambal Nyonya with the water (to thin the Sambal Nyonya) and set aside. In a frying pan, heat the cooking oil. Add the thinly sliced onions, and fry in medium to high heat until translucent.

Add the frozen peas and the shrimp. Fry both for 2 minutes (or less), just until the shrimp are cooked through but not overly done.

Turn off the heat and coat the shrimp with the Sambal Nyonya sauce. Serve with steamed rice and a thinly-sliced cucumber. For a vegetarian meal, substitute the shrimp with tofu.

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Our focus at the Minnesota Grocers Association is the sustainability of the food industry from farm to fork. As the foundation for the state we have a strong commitment to consumers, careers, and community.

Become a part of this organization by joining over 300 member companies supporting 1,300 locations!

We are proud to partner with the Building Relationships!

Karly Ackerman, Director of Membership & Communications kackerman@mngrocers.com 651-228-0973

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

FEAST! Local Foods Network! @MNGrocers

www.mngrocers.com

Jajja Wellness: A Tonic with Ancient Origins

African superfoods such as baobab, turmeric, hibiscus, and lemongrass. We have recently added a spirulina tonic, which is a natural energizer.

Made in Minneapolis, Minn. jajjawellness.com

By Henry Kisitu

T

he primary inspiration behind Jajja Wellness comes from the remarkable woman who played a pivotal role in my life—my grandmother. After the untimely loss of both my parents at age 3, I was raised by my aunty and uncle and was greatly influenced by my grandmother. She was an African herbal medicine guru and nurse with knowledge of Chinese medicine principles. She had her own juice business in Uganda where her original recipes included pineapple, ginger, baobab, and turmeric. Her tonics offered immune-boosting and antiinflammatory qualities.

The flavors and healing traditions of our cultural heritage in Uganda served as a constant source of inspiration as I was growing up. My grandmother shared her wisdom with me, ensuring that her legacy lived on through the flavors and healing properties of our tonics.

Even after I moved to Minnesota for college, I continued to support my grandmother’s business.

Henry’s grandmother—Jajja Margaret Luttaaya—was born in Uganda, East Africa in 1939. A health pioneer, she mixed ancient indigenous wisdom, organic fruits and other superfoods to make and sell her wellness tonics. Her grandson Henry continues her legacy.

with colds, flus, digestion, immune balance, etc. She would make them with pineapple, ginger, cane sugar, and lemon.

Now, I make these tonics with the same ingredients plus apple cider vinegar, a natural preservative and gut healer. I also have expanded our flavor line to include

We are proud advocates of sourcing locally whenever possible. We source our bottles and packaging locally, along with lemongrass and apple cider vinegar, whenever we can. By prioritizing nearby ingredients, we not only support local farmers and businesses but also ensure the freshness and quality of our products. It’s a way for us to contribute to the vitality and sustainability of our community.

Some of our ingredients come from Africa because it’s important to keep that connection and the heritage of the ingredients. For example, our Baobab comes from Africa, which has the best quality, and our hibiscus, which comes from Egypt. The superfoods we infuse into our tonics are organic and would be approved by Jajja! We continue to work to build healthy communities and individuals, from our production process to our community involvement.

After she passed away in 2016, her love and compassion for good health inspired me to share her tonics with a broader audience. I carefully craft my wellness tonics “the Jajja way,” using her recipes.

The name Jajja Wellness holds a special place in my heart. It is derived from the Ugandan word for “grandmother” (jajja).

I chose this name as a tribute to her, to honor her and the immense influence she had on my life and the creation of our company.

My Jajja taught me how to make the original pineapple ginger tonic. She would make this whenever we were ill or needed an immune boost. She would tell us the healing benefits, which included helping

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What’s the Hubbub about Food Hubs?

Helping small farms fill big orders

By Tim King

G

ood things happen with food hubs. Community members make connections, farmers and food makers tap new markets, and buyers gain access to local food in bulk. Never heard of a food hub? You’re not alone.

Imagine you run a school, hospital or restaurant, and you want local, farm-fresh food. Not the stuff shipped from 1000s of miles away, but the healthiest fare plucked from the fields in your own community. If you only needed one or two bunches of broccoli, you could bop down to the farmers market. But you need 100 per week. Very few small farms can accommodate that need individually, and it’s too time-consuming and cumbersome for wholesalers to track down multiple providers to fill one order.

Enter food hubs.

Across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, food hubs aggregate products from multiple small farms to fill big orders. Although “aggregate” sounds like something you do when you have a sore throat, it’s just a fancy word for “combine.” Food hubs connect farmers with large-scale buyers to provide the best local food, in the most efficient way.

The nature of food hubs varies. Some focus on wholesale sales (schools, hospitals, restaurants), while others navigate directto-consumer transactions. Many aggregate fruits and vegetables to provide CSA boxes.

Some hubs—like Sprout and The Good Acre in Minnesota—have permanent buildings that may include refrigeration,

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

a dock and produce washing equipment.

These brick-and-mortar models are less common because the costly overhead can be challenging to maintain.

“I think of a hub as a focal point where multiple lines come in, reconfigure, and go out again,” explains Allison Rian, who manages the Aitkin Farmers’ Market Hub (AFMH) in the small northcentral Minnesota town of Aitkin. “The work happens at the central point, whether that’s a brick-and-mortar building, a canopy at a farmers market, or simply online.”

Local food system advocates in Minnesota have been testing a new model, referred to as the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Hubs (MFMH), which aggregates products right at the farmers market, minimizing overhead and allowing farmers to spend Allison’s hub utilizes a nifty virtual place more time on the farm. called the Open Food Network (OFN).

Minnesota Farmers’ Market Hub Model

$1.00

+

.18¢

=

$1.18

FOOD FAMILIES

CAFE

HUB

MARKET

SCHOOL

To fill large orders for institutions like schools, hospitals and restaurants (depicted far right), food hubs gather products from multiple farms (featured far left) and then combine and redistribute them into one large shipment…all on one invoice.

She uses the OFN to view quantities and types of produce available from farmers like Bev Antonich and her husband, Steve, of Buck Hills Farm. She can also view orders from AFMH customers like The Joint Tavern and Eatery. If The Joint has posted an order for fifty pounds of butternut squash, Allison can see that.

She can also see that Buck Hills Farm has thirty pounds of squash and Maple Ridge Produce has twenty. From there, she can combine the two farms’ offerings to fill the restaurant’s order.

AFMH could, theoretically, exist only as a virtual entity. But combining the hub with the farmers market component provides additional sales for farmers, physically connects them to the public and provides a sense of place and community for the hub.

“Strictly online food hubs don’t have the overhead of brick-and-mortar hubs.

Everything happens on the sales platform, in spreadsheets, in the manager’s head, emails, texts, phone calls, but it can feel a little disconnected,” Allison explains.

“A farmers market gives a hub ‘place identity.’ I would not want to do this work without it. It’s important to me to have a community.”

The hubs aren’t just a practical way to fill big orders. They also help to even out food inequity, something made possible with help from private and public investments, state and federal funding,

The Good Acre, a brick-and-mortar food hub in Minneapolis, is the largest food hub in Minnesota.

They strive to help growers, makers, partners, consumers, buyers, and donors sustain a healthier, more equitable food system. thegoodacre.org

and support from state-based programs like Minnesota’s SHIP (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership).

SHIP works at the local level with schools, healthcare providers, employers, and communities to increase access to healthy eating, physical activity, well-being, and commercial-tobacco free environments to reduce the leading causes of chronic

disease. For Wabasha County SHIP, that includes the food hub run through its farmers market (aka Wabasha Farmers’ Market Hub).

“Our priority is to work with the people with the greatest disparities, and the Farmers Market Hub in Wabasha really does that,” says Tina Moen, Wabasha County SHIP Coordinator, who works closely with the Wabasha hub and helped found it through an innovate program piloted there in 2016.

That pilot became the foundation for the Minnesota Farmers’ Market Hubs. “There is a lot of energy around [the hub], the staff and volunteers, and it really helps those with the greatest need.”

Delivering the goods Minnesota isn’t the only place experimenting with hub models. The Iowa Food Hub, an incorporated nonprofit in Decorah, aggregates food from small-scale farms. In 2022, the Hub worked with 110 farms and food producers, serving 120 customers.

Allison Rain (left), Aitkin Farmers’ Market Hub Manager, taking delivery of apples from Allicat Farm. They will then be delivered to several customers who placed orders through the online Aitkin Farmers’ Market Hub store. farmersmarkethub.org

“The Iowa Food Hub specializes in wholesale distribution, specifically to

Food Hubs continued on page 17 local-feast.org

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Connecting Good Food, Good People & Good Opportunities

@THEGOODACREMN WWW.THEGOODACRE .ORG

FIND LOCAL

h t i W

1000+ farms, markets, and more

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

Food Hubs continued from page 15 schools and colleges,” says Teresa Wiemerslage, Hub co-founder.

“Wholesale customers are emailed an availability list each week. They can email, call, or text their orders.”

Julie Udelhofen, Food Service Director for the Clear Lake School District, is a Hub customer. She oversees 1,100 daily meals during the school year and works closely with the Hub to maximize farmto-school opportunities. “The Iowa Food Hub is a rockstar band in the local food supply chain. Without the food hubs, buying fresh, nutrient-dense, local foods would be so much more difficult.”

Across the border, the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative takes a different approach. They consider the buyers’ needs and then work with their farmers to fill them. “At our winter meetings, we tell our farmer members what the companies want,” says Sarah Lloyd, the District Six Director at Wisconsin Farmers Union. “We work with farmers to project what they will grow. The buyers give us the specifications for the produce they need, and we work with the farmers to project how many feet [of crops] will translate into cases of harvested produce.”

Sarah says that the Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC), which is owned by about 100 farmer members and the Wisconsin Farmers Union, was founded

Sprout in Little Falls, Minn. not only offers a food hub, but their facility also houses a commercial kitchen where food entrepreneurs can navigate the licensing and start-up process, and community members can take cooking classes. sproutmn.com

in 2012 to be a sales, aggregation, and distribution business serving small- to medium-sized Wisconsin farms. It has grown due to a vision and a tremendous amount of sweat equity. The results of that sweat equity have paid off for farmers and thousands who now enjoy farm-fresh products.

Although food hubs mainly aggregate farm products, they’re so much more than an aggregator. These innovative

programs have helped Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin create new and expanded markets for farmers, have brought local fare to more tables, strengthened community connections and decreased food disparities.

But they have also shortened supply chains, bolstered rural economies, and expanded the efficacy of local food systems in the Midwest. Win-win for us all.

—Tim King is a journalist and produce farmer from Central Minnesota.

Find Your Area Food Hub IOWA

MINNESOTA

WISCONSIN

Iowa Food Hub, Decorah, iowa-food-hub.myshopify.com

The Good Acre, Falcon Heights, thegoodacre.org

Fifth Season Cooperative, Viroqua, fifthseasoncoop.com

Sprout, Little Falls, sproutmn.com

Chippewa Valley Produce, Elk Mound, cvproduce.com

Iowa Food Cooperative, Waveland Park, iowafood.coop Field to Family, Longfellow, fieldtofamily.org

Farmers Market Food Hub, Statewide farmersmarkethub.org

Wisconsin Food Hub Coop, Waupaca, wifoodhub.com

For a broader search, see also:

extension.iastate.edu/ffed/iowa-food-hub-directory usdalocalfoodportal.com local-feast.org

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hen we opened our doors back in 1983, we knew that a big part of our focus would be on supporting local growers, businesses and nearby communities. It’s always been important to our family to support honest, hard-working people who go the extra mile to ensure a higher quality product and who adhere to the same higher standards that we do, including sustainable practices.

Our local connection is extremely important when it comes to bringing you the freshest produce in the marketplace. Whenever possible, we pick the best local growers to ensure your fruits and vegetables are superior in quality and always at the peak of their freshness.

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege to help launch and foster many area businesses, which has led to a growing number of lifelong relationships. Most of our artisan producers started small, selling privately to family and friends. More than a few dipped their toe in the waters of retail at their local farmers’ market. Eventually a call to Kowalski’s became their “big break,”

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11• Twin LOCAL FEAST! VOLUMECities SIX Locations

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a jumping off point from which they’ve achieved even greater success on a regional or even national level.

We’ve helped hundreds of producers share their goodies with the Twin Cities for over 35 years. Could yours be our next big find?

If you’re a doer as well as a dreamer, you could be the new partner we’re looking for.

The gourmet grocery game is a tough one.

It takes not only a great product but also a willingness to learn, grow and change.

It takes time and hard work. Having a partner like Kowalski’s can make it easier.

In addition to helping our partners learn the ins and outs of the retail food biz, we work with them through all manner of tricky issues like labeling, packaging, ingredient sourcing and so much more to ensure they can compete with big name brands.

Are you a local producer and interested in getting your products in our stores? We would love to meet with you and discuss a possible partnership.

Joy F O

O G OD FO OD

scan here>>

kowalskis.com

Nourishing the commercial production & sales of native North American (Sambucus nigra canadensis) Elderberry & flower ingredients.

Visit us!

midwestelderberry.coop

MEC seeks food and beverage industry partners for bulk frozen American elderberries (aronia berries & black currants), pure raw juice, dried berries and flowers. Coming soon: juice and pomace powders.

River Hills Harvest is one of our retail partners.

To learn more, email Chris Patton at info@midwest-elderberry.coop No claims of medical benefit local-feast.org

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Meet a Local Food Advocate Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation

By Katie Godfrey Demmer

S

outhern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) is a nonprofit organization based in Owatonna, Minn., which invests for economic growth in 20 counties in south central and southeastern Minnesota from Watonwan to Winona.

Among its many projects, SMIF propels farmers and food entrepreneurs forward.

Here’s five ways SMIF builds a stronger regional food system:

2. Provides peer learning opportunities

3. Administers a loan fund for small-scale farmers

In 2017, the FEAST! Smart Start Initiative began with a cohort of 15 businesses that produce local food products, ranging from honey and jam to pizza and coffee.

Entrepreneurs, like Pleasant Grove Pizza (pictured here) built new networks with food producers in the region and developed skills to grow their business.

SMIF’s Local Food Peer Networks still meet on a regular basis.

The Grow a Farmer Fund provides small-scale, sustainable farmers with loans of up to $15,000 to help them improve operations and increase their bottom line. The fund has supported growers who produce mushrooms, chickens, vegetables and more. SMIF has a portfolio of many other loan programs for businesses in the region.

1. Leverages partnerships

In 2010, the town of Lanesboro began connecting food makers and consumers, drawing SMIF’s attention to the importance of building a regional food system… and SMIF hasn’t looked back since. Shortly afterward, SMIF partnered with Renewing the Countryside and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to launch the FEAST! Local Food Network, a powerhouse for connecting food entrepreneurs with buyers and consumers in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Join SMIF on November 4th in Rochester to celebrate the 10th annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace (see pg 24 for details).

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4. Invests in regional food brands 5. Helps farmers preserve their legacy

SMIF’s Economic Development Grants (one of six grant programs) have supported Through SMIF’s Acres for Good a wide variety of projects throughout program, farmers who do not have an the region, including initiatives to brand heir can donate their land to SMIF to the “foodsheds” of the Cannon River ensure it continues to be farmed. The watershed area and the Driftless Region. proceeds, after taxes and expenses, can go Cannon Valley Grown and Driftless toward a cause that is near to the donor’s Grown have both received support from heart—perhaps even to support SMIF’s SMIF to create skill-sharing opportunities local foods initiatives! for food makers and farmers, and to develop branding to help consumers Learn more about SMIF’s food entrepreneur identify food that is unique to the region. programs (and its Early Childhood Development and Community Vitality focus areas) at smifoundation.org.

—Katie Godfrey Demmer is the communications director at SMIF. She lives in Owatonna with her husband and two little girls and enjoys spending time in their vegetable and pollinator gardens during the summer.

“We love southern Minnesota because of the diversity here: the diversity of landscapes, diversity of people and diversity of industries. SMIF brings the right people to the table and fosters collaboration. They’ve been that centering voice to bring everyone together and help move us forward.”

– John Peterson (Ferndale Market, Cannon Falls)

How can we help your community grow?

Since 1986, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation has been investing in the innovative people of its 20-county region in Entrepreneurship, Early Childhood and Community Vitality. Tell us how we can help your community, business or idea grow.

507.455.3215 | smifoundation.org local-feast.org

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Tyler Utzka

Jessica Bringe

Local News Coverage You Can Count On!

Building a Resilient Local Food System www.minnesotacooks.org

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www.farmerskitchenandbar.com 750 S. 2nd Street Suite 100, Minneapolis

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Wisconsin Cottage Bill aka “The Cookie Bill” If you are a Baker and need

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ten years

2014 - 2024 Like to savor new flavors?

Looking for an affordable, family-friendly event filled with food, music and giveaways?

Check out the 10th Annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, Saturday, Nov 4th, 10am-4pm at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, Minn.

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Sip, sample and shop aisle after aisle of luscious, local fare—from creamy queso fresco and zippy mockails to buttery peanut brittle and the ham and turkey your holiday gatherings crave.

Meet makers from MN, WI & IA and get the scoop on what makes their food so incredible. FEAST! is a nonprofit event, so all proceeds benefit the local foods system.

Over 21? Try the region’s best wine, mead, cider, beer & spirits and get a commemorative 10th anniversary tasting glass to take home.

Reading this after Nov 4? Check out our online directory and stay tuned for FEAST! 2024.

local-feast.org local-feast.org

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Guardians of the Lake, Stewards of the Catch

The Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Red Cliff Fish Company

By Stan Schrock Photography by Bob Gross, HLP Studio Not all freshwater fish are created equal. The pristine waters off Wenabozho Ominisan (the Apostle Islands) are home to thriving populations of whitefish, lake trout, walleye, herring, and a multitude of other species. Members of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa have been fishing the waters of Gitchi Gami (Lake Superior) their entire lives. Like their ancestors, fishing is more than what they do, it’s who they are.

I

n November 2020, after nearly a decade of planning, the Red Cliff Band opened the Red Cliff Fish Company, a 3,500 square foot over-the-counter fish market and commercial fish processing facility on the shores of Lake Superior, just north of Bayfield, Wisc. The opening marked more than a new business, it represented the culmination of rights 150 years in the making.

“Opening the Red Cliff Fish Company was an historic milestone in furthering our community and food sovereignty goals,” explains current Red Cliff ViceChairman and former Tribal Chairman, Rick Peterson, who oversaw much of the planning, construction, and business opening. “The Tribe has devoted countless hours into the development and success of the Red Cliff Fish Company, but our ancestors and the generations before us laid the foundation.

“Our people have been fishing the waters of Lake Superior for many generations.

Our Anishinaabe ancestors signed a series of treaties in 1836, 1837, 1842, and

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RCFC’s state-of-the-art filleting machine can process over 30 fish every minute in its FDA-registered food facility.

The construction and beginning operations of the processing facility was made possible, in part, by support from the Intertribal Ag Council, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the USDA, US Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Native Americans to help Red Cliff expand the Tribe’s food sovereignty and community food systems.

1854 with the United States government.

In those treaties, our people ceded land in Northern Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, but we retained the rights to hunt, fish and gather in the ceded territories. However, the Tribes’ treaty rights became ignored, culminating in legal trouble as well as physical and verbal abuse towards Tribal members while fishing. Tribal members started to stand up for our treaty rights, which led to the Gurnoe decision and a series of other court decisions that gave our people legal affirmation and reinforcement of our treaty rights.”

The cases to which Peterson refers are the landmark 1972 Wisconsin Supreme Court case Gurnoe vs. State of Wisconsin, which reaffirmed the Red Cliff Tribe’s fishing rights in Lake Superior; the 7th Circuit US Court of appeals Voight decision; and the 1999 US Supreme Court Mille Lacs decision.

“Without our ancestors’ hardships and sacrifices,” Peterson concludes, “we wouldn’t be here talking about the fish company. We might not even be here at all.”

Feeding the community Establishing the Red Cliff Fish Company (RCFC) created a way for the Tribe to sell to community members, the general public, wholesalers and retailers for the first time, creating even greater food freedom.

“Our people have an inherent right to provide culturally appropriate food for the health of our membership, and the Fish Company is a crucial part of this,” explains Red Cliff Chairwoman Nicole Boyd. “The Tribe has worked incredibly hard to make the Fish Company an accomplished food hub in the overall food sovereignty goals.”

RCFC has also made it possible for the Tribe to buy directly from Tribal fisherman, creating more affordable prices for community members and increased income for the fishermen.

“Until the creation of Red Cliff Fish Company, there had not been a means to process the Tribal catch on-reservation or through a Tribal-owned business,” says Peterson, who comes from a long line of family fishermen. “As a result, nearly all that Tribal catch was sold at wholesale prices to off-reservation processors.

Tribal fishermen account for a significant percentage of the fish harvested across the Great Lakes. That’s a lot of fish they can earn more money on by selling to RCFC. They’re also contributing directly to the Tribe’s goal of total local food control.”

Each box contains food sourced from local producers and is representative of traditional foods whenever possible.

Even before officially opening to the public, RCFC began donating fish to elders, youth programming, and the surrounding areas. Initiatives like Community Fish Project have sent 2,000+ pounds of fresh whitefish to Tribal programs and non-Tribal programs like Feeding Wisconsin and the Oneida and Menominee Food Distribution Centers.

RCFC also grants a year-round discount on all products for Tribal members, Tribal employees, and veterans.

And nothing goes to waste. In line with the Tribe’s environmental stewardship principles, all fish offal—100,000+ pounds—goes to Mino Bimaadiziiwin Gitigaan, the Tribe’s farm, where it is converted to compost.

A Superior catch

“It’s such a great partnership,” says Allissa Stutte, Mino Bimaadiziiwin Farm Manager and Food Systems Coordinator.

“Our staff and community members here at the Farm—really across the Tribe—have been making huge strides towards achieving local food control and increasing food sovereignty.”

In addition to using offal, the farm now provides fish sourced from the fish company as an option in its Community Supported Agriculture Food Box Program.

“We’re able to offer our CSA members frozen or smoked fish in their weekly boxes,” says Stutte. “It’s been a huge hit.”

RCFC also contributes fish to the Tribal Elder Food Box Program, a free distribution of local, traditional foods specifically for Tribal elders aged 55+.

Taking care of the fish and the lake from start to finish is the responsibility of the Tribe and RCFC, according to Peterson. “We close our whitefish and lake trout fisheries from the end of October through the end of November during the spawning period. Fishing is about working with the lake and with our natural resources. We’re not here to just take and take.”

Coming from Lake Superior—the largest, coldest, deepest and cleanest freshwater lake in the world—the fish harvested by Tribal fisherman and sold at RCFC is some of the finest on the planet.

“Our fish are locally harvested, wild caught, and processed immediately at our state-of-the-art facility,” says Nick DePerry, RCFC Operations Manager. “We don’t use hatchery fish. They’re all wild from the lake. It’s the best in the world.”

To match the variety of catch brought in from Lake Superior, RCFC proudly features a variety of fish offerings, apparel, and other locally-sourced products. Step into the market, and you’ll find fresh and flash-frozen fillets, smoked fish, fish spreads, and specialty products.

“One of our goals in creating RCFC was to offer year-round options to customers and to our community,” says Peterson.

“We wanted to have a dedicated space where community members and the general public can come in, see some of our history, and feel comfortable choosing the exact piece of fish they want. Our staff have also done a wonderful job of incorporating items like honey and eggs in the retail shop, all sourced from other Native producers.”

While the market gets a lot of foot traffic at its location near Bayfield, most of the Tribe’s catch is distributed wholesale.

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“Our retail market does pretty good, and it’s fun to see people get the experience of picking out their fish, but we also provide a good amount of packaged products to distributors, local markets, and restaurants like Miijim on Madeline Island,” says DePerry.

Miijim, owned and operated by Red Cliff Tribal Member and chef Bryce Stevenson, incorporates products from RCFC into its menu of “modern Ojibwe Medicine with French Soul.” For Stevenson, it’s all about cooking with locally-sourced, Indigenous ingredients.

“The obvious joy in being on Mooningwanekaaning [Madeline Island] is that I’m home. The Island is sacred to us Ojibwe, and I couldn’t have more pride in sharing my perspective of being Ojibwe on the same land we were removed from,” says Stevenson. “The cornerstone of Indigenous food is using what’s around you, thinking simply and as a part of a system, not the owner of a kingdom. Keep it simple, honor tradition, honor the medicine. We pay homage to

as close to home as possible while also realizing that for my Tribe, home is where the food and medicine is.”

You can also experience Red Cliff ’s fish at Owamni in Minneapolis, a modern Indigenous restaurant revitalizing Native American cuisine. “Our relationship with Red Cliff Fish Company is critically important,” says Dana Thompson, cofounder of Owamni. “Their product is extraordinary; our chefs love it! But more importantly, we strive to drive wealth and resources into Tribal communities. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship with us receiving an excellent product to serve to our guests. It also gives our staff the opportunity to talk about Tribal diversity to the guests, which is an education in itself.”

A seat at the table The care of Lake Superior and its fisheries is now jointly managed by Tribal and state biologists. Red Cliff became the first Tribal nation to be an official signatory to the Joint Strategic Plan for the

Management of Great Lakes Fisheries, joining eight US states, the Province of Ontario, the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, the Chippewa Ottawa Resource Authority, and 1854 Treaty Authority as agencies that share management authority across the Great Lakes.

“We now have a critical seat at the table in the management of Great Lakes fisheries,” shares Peterson. “This not only allows our voice to be heard in matters regarding our Tribal fisheries set forth in treaties, but also those of other Tribal nations throughout the Great Lakes.

Protecting Gitchi Gami and the fisheries is of the utmost importance. We’re proud to be making a difference for our local community and for our fishermen.”

For more, visit the Red Cliff Fish Company online at redclifffish.com or in person at 37525 Dock Rd., Bayfield, Wisc., 8am–4pm Mon.–Fri. For more on Bryce Stevenson and Miijim, check out the profile on pg 47.

Tribal fishermen are out on the lake before the sun comes up and don’t return until the afternoon. They then load their catch into trucks and drive up from the dock to the processing area where the fish are inspected and cleaned.

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

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Where Did All the Farms Go? What every American needs to know

By Bonnie Warndahl and Marlene Petersen Illustrations by Khou Vue

T

he numbers are staggering. 31 million acres of American farmland have been lost to development between 1992 and 2012.1 That’s three acres per minute of topsoil—the fulcrum of land-dwelling life on this planet—permanently lost for growing healthy vegetation, including food. And we’re on a collision course to lose another 24.4 million acres in the next 20 years. Yet this cataclysmic loss, which diminishes America’s ability to feed its people, remains an imperceivable threat for most.

What happened?

Much of this massive loss is due to poorly planned development and low-density residential sprawl. What’s worse is that it doesn’t include countless other acres being hoovered up by large, consolidated farms and foreign investors. (Foreign persons alone held 40 million acres of US agricultural land as of December 2021 and are acquiring approximately 1 million more acres every year.)2

America is simultaneously experiencing a widening generational gap in our farm force. In the last few decades, some young people raised on family farms have stopped working on them, opting for less risky, better paying jobs. At the same time, their folks are retiring. The result? The vast majority of our producers—those who grow our fruits, veggies, grains, milk, meat, leather, and wool—are fewer and older than ever.

One last lightning bolt of sad truth before we get to the rainbow in this hailstorm: land prices for those looking to acquire it have skyrocketed. Since 1990, the average Minnesota farm real estate value has increased from $1,190 per acre3to $6,600 with some regions commanding over $10,000 per acre. So, with farmable land becoming scarce, more farmers exiting than entering the occupation, and prices hitting ludicrous highs, the few folks who are willing to do the hard work of feeding everyone, often can’t access it.

Feeling the squeeze No one knows this agonizing cragfast better than Pat Donaway of Oakdale, Minn. A transplant from Louisiana, Pat grew up on his great-grandfather’s family farm where his mom and extended family still reside. Although he’s been in Minnesota for 18 years he helps out with his mom’s calving program when he visits. “Even though I’ve been away from farming since high school I’m still really connected to it,” he says. “I’m interested in farming livestock and maybe some vegetables and fruit.”

Like many others starting from scratch, Pat has run into one barrier after another. The high cost of land has been prohibitive for buying, and he notes that the farmland around him in the St. Paul suburbs is rapidly being developed. “In the 15 years I’ve been here, at least 1,500 acres of farmland has turned into houses.

Probably more.”

Farmland continued on page 34

1 American Farmland Trust (AFT), “Farms Under Threat 2040” report, released in June 2022. https://farmlandinfo.org/publications/farms-under-threat-2040/ 2 https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/usdafiles/EPAS/PDF/2021_afida_annual_report_through_12_31_2021.pdf 3 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hCGJFQSArhBa9osSschRJUaRLCZME7cfjMbyJhNuSvc/edit#:~:text=https%3A//www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Pennsyl-

vania/Publications/Annual_Statistical_Bulletin/1998_1999/PAGE120.PDF

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Farmland continued from page 33 Pat received guidance about a zero-downpayment, low-interest USDA loan to help beginning farmers purchase a farm, but the loan requires three years of farm management and educational experience.

“It’s frustrating,” he says. “While I don’t have recent farm experience, I grew up on a farm.”

He tried working with an incubator farm to get the requisite experience. The idea was to set up a small herd of goats on a few acres, but it didn’t work out due to concerns about the goats escaping and damaging other farmers’ crops. He was then advised to start his farm venture on rented land to acquire the experience but he has been unable to find a farm for rent nearby. The only prospects are over 45 minutes away and have been void of housing, which makes daily care of livestock nearly impossible.

“I’ve been at this for 10 years, and it’s always a door being closed. I thought, ‘If I can’t access the land right now, what can I do in the meantime?’ So, I started working at an equestrian center that works with inner-city youth. Hopefully it will help ease some of the pain and open up opportunities for me.”

Saving the farm Do we just throw in the towel and resign ourselves to the fate of disappearing farmers and farmland? Or is there a way to help enthusiastic farmers—like Pat— find secure land tenure to salvage local, sustainable food systems? There is a way forward, but it’s complicated and timeconsuming.

“One of the biggest problems is that once farmland is lost, it’s very hard to reclaim,” says Jan Joannides of Renewing the Countryside (RTC)—a Minnesota nonprofit that strives to create more just, viable and sustainable rural communities through its many farmer and foodentrepreneur focused programs. “Being able to successfully transition farms from retiring landowners to emerging farmers 34

LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

Kue Lor and Bao Xiong were successful vegetable farmers in Laos before moving to the United States. Settling in Minnesota, they farmed on rented acres for over 30 years, often driving 50+ miles between parcels. They dreamed of owning their own land, but the high prices of farmland kept that dream out of reach. They recently were able to purchase their “forever farm” with help from the Farmland Access Hub.

is crucial. We are working to implement solutions to help farmers transition on and off the land. It takes a lot of time (sometimes years), patience and meticulous planning, but it can be done.

It must be done.”

The Farmland Access Hub, an upperMidwest consortium of partners, including RTC, addresses land access

More than ½ of US producers are 55+ while those under 35 are only 8% of the workforce.

Source: 2017 USDA Census of Agriculture.

issues with programs to assist farmers and landowners directly, including the Farmland Access Navigator program.

RTC is in the beginning stages of developing a similar program to offer one-on-one support to retiring farmers and exiting landowners. To learn more about the Hub, check out www. farmlandaccesshub.org These transitions are generally very complicated. To be successful, landowners must plan well in advance. They also require support and resources from professionals who can meet them where they’re at and guide both exiting and incoming farmers through the process.

How can a non-landowner, non-farmer help?

Share! Share this article. Share this knowledge. If you know farmers looking

Farmland continued on page 36

Renewing the Countryside In 2003, Renewing the Countryside set out to build more just, vibrant and sustainable communities. Twenty years later, because of help from you and your neighbors, this work has greatly impacted thousands of lives across our Upper Midwest region…and beyond. But we still have much to do. Visit us on-line to learn more about our work to renew the countryside.

renewingthecountryside.org

Niman Ranch and our network of U.S. family farmers and ranchers raise livestock HUMANELY and SUSTAINABLY to deliver the

finest tasting meat in the world.

local-feast.org

35

Farmland continued from page 34 to retire or exit farming or someone who owns farmland, ask them if they have transition plans. Share with your friends who may advise farmers— accountants, attorneys, financial planners, ministers—or who may hold land as an investment. Plant the seed; help spread awareness about the Farmland Access Hub. If that’s beyond your comfort zone, consider a donation to the many farm-based nonprofits working to save American farmland. For a list, visit farmlandaccesshub.org/hubpartners.

Get involved in farmland access policy.

Many issues plaguing farmers are rooted in poor policy (or lack thereof). We need protections and incentives at the policy level to support farmers and protect our natural resources.

American Farmland Trust’s tagline No Farms No Food® is no joke. The 24.4 million acres of farmland projected to disappear in the next two decades doesn’t have to be our destiny. The future is still unwritten, but the time to act is now if we want to have continued access to safe, healthy food, grown on our own soil.

—Bonnie Warndahl is a Farmland Access Navigator and Farmland Access Specialist with Renewing the Countryside. A farmer herself, she struggled for years to secure land tenure before finding her fit through a short-term land contract. She now lives on a 300+ acre land-based condominium shared between seven homesteads. When she’s not running her 5-acre diversified farm, she helps farmers navigate options to achieve land tenure and transition out of farming. For help with farmland access or transition, email Bonnie at bonnie@rtcinfo.org or call 612-462-9311.

farmland why we need to protect it Protecting farmland provides multiple benefits, including:

ensuring a regional food supply

improving environmental quality

supporting the local economy

protecting wildlife habitats and open space

providing historic preservation Photo provided by Carmen Fernholz & Luke Peterson

When Luke Peterson approached his neighbor about mentoring him on organic growing practices, Carmen Fernholz said, “How about you come intern for 2 years and, if all goes well, you can take over managing the farm through a lease agreement.” That was in 2016—since then Luke and his wife Ali have been partners with Carmen and his wife Sally and manage over 500 acres of organic crops at A-Frame Farm near Madison, Minn.

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

making land more affordable for emerging farmers

WISCONSIN WOMEN

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37

Seeds for Thought!

Safeguarding the past, present and future of food

By Kelli Boylen and Marlene Petersen

E

ver made a wish on a dandelion and launched the seeds with your breath?

Or watched “helicopters” twirl to the ground from a towering maple? Seeds connect us to the earth and the rhythm of the seasons. They are the basis of all food, fiber and fuel…even keepers of history. But did you know they can become extinct, have their own banks and even be intellectual property?

“So much of what we take for granted traces back to seeds,” says Mike Bollinger, Executive Director of Seed Savers Exchange, a nonprofit in Decorah, Iowa dedicated to the exchange and preservation of seeds. “Without the vast diversity of seeds in the world, human society wouldn’t be where we are today—from the things we eat to what we wear and even pharmaceuticals. Seeds are the foundation of our existence.”

The Exchange is a seed swap that allows people all across the country to share homegrown (non-patented, non-GMO) seeds. Founded by Kent and Diane Ott Whealy in 1975, it’s now the largest exchange in the world with 15,000+ varieties listed from gardeners throughout the country. Anyone can browse the Exchange’s offerings, through its print and online catalogs, but you must have an account on the Exchange to request or list seeds. (It’s free to join.)

“Participants in the Exchange have saved thousands of rare heirlooms from extinction by connecting with new seed stewards to carry on seed saving traditions to the next generation,” says Mike. “Many heirlooms that have entered the marketplace in recent years have been stewarded in Seed Savers Exchange seed bank, and many more heirlooms are still only found in the gardens of this community.”

In addition to the Exchange, Seed Savers offers 600+ varieties of seeds for sale to consumers. These sales, along with donations, fund their research and preservation work. Learn more and find seeds at seedsavers.org

Hinueber, operations manager and coowner of Albert Lea Seed, an independent commercial seed company, in Albert Lea, Minn., which carries non-GMO and organic seeds. Founded in 1923 by Lou Ehrhardt, the company has been owned and operated by the Ehrhardt family for 100 years. “What you have for lunch relates Seeds of change directly to what farmers grow, and that has “Seeds are an amazing little packet of a cascading effect on the landscape. Where energy that, in the right environment, your food comes from is important and offer nothing but potential,” adds Ben your choices empower change.”

Seed Savers has the world’s largest non-governmental seed bank—a climate-controlled deposit that maintains a variety of seeds and protects them from natural disasters, climate change, and harmful farming practices that could drive them to extinction.

Seed banks create a “library” of diverse genes of a wide variety of food crops, so there is genetic material to work with when new diseases or pests start damaging a crop. There are about 20 such banks registered in the United States, and Seed Savers keeps a backup at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway.

Seeds continued on page 40 38

LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

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Seeds continued from page 38

Sowing seeds “Growing for seed takes into account the entire lifecycle of the plant,” explains seed farmer and owner of North Circle Seeds, Zachary Paige. North Circle grows the majority of its 70 varieties of certified organic open-pollinated seed right on the farm in Vergas, Minn. “Each plant species requires a different method to save seed.

There are dry seed pods like peas and beans.

And then there are wet seeds like tomato, cucumber and melon. We ferment our wet seeds in water for a few days before drying them to provide the seeds with a beneficial bacteria which coats the seed.”

Albert Lea Seed currently sells more than 500 types of seeds to farmers and homeowners alike, such as corn, soybeans, alfalfa, wildflowers, native grasses, small grains, forages, cover crops, turf and lawn and garden seeds. They grow some of the seeds they sell and contract with farmers to raise others.

The process requires relationships with many different seed growers. Albert Lea Seed often sells stock seed to a grower, who then grows the crop, producing even more seeds. They then buy the seeds back from the grower and perform genetic testing to ensure the newly harvested seeds are nearly identical to the original.

“Seeds can take three to four years from the time we decide to offer them to the public to the time they are listed for sale,” says Ben. “It is important to make certain that subsequent generations of the seeds have the same traits as those they started out with.” And that requires a lot of variety, purity and testing.

So with all this talk of plants and seeds, what happens to the plants if you’re growing them for the seeds? According to Zach, it depends. “Often the plant that produces the seed is used up in the seed production.

Take greens like kale, mustard, and head lettuce. They eventually bolt to form flowers and seeds, so those seed-producing plants are not used as a food crop. For plants like squash, we bring the squash to a clean environment, scoop all the seeds out and then store the halves in bins to sell to local businesses.”

While it’s not yet an issue for the home gardener—these genetically engineered, patented seeds are only available for certain commercial crops—it is a growing concern, especially when the issue of who “created” a certain type of tomato gets blurry or litigious patent holders threaten farmers and independent seed companies.3 Luckily, organizations like Seed Savers Exchange, Albert Lea Seeds, North Circle Seeds, community seed libraries— and all those committed to healthy, accessible seeds—help curb the trend towards privatization. If you’re unsure where your seed comes from or how it was raised, ask your seller. Then find some soil, plant a seed, and empower change today.

Seeds of discontent Farmers have grown, saved and exchanged seeds for centuries, but now those practices have resulted in lawsuits for some.1 The issue in these suits revolves around the ownership of genetically engineered, patented seeds, generally created by one of four multinational corporations. Once patented, these seeds become the intellectual property of the patent holder, and anyone using them without permission can be sued for infringement.

These cases have sparked ethical debates and activism around the world regarding what constitutes creation and whether these organisms, upon which our food sources depend, should ever be owned, let alone controlled by a few multinational companies.2

Choose from North Circle Seeds’ 70 varieties of certified organic seeds at northcircleseeds.com or Minnesota food co-ops. North Circle works with diverse and immigrant communities to offer culturally-important seeds like African zebra eggplant, red okra, and Mexican maize.

—Kelli Boylen is a freelance writer who lives in the Driftless Region of Northeast Iowa with her family and two black cats named Chaos and Mayhem. Marlene Petersen is Rochester-based writer and editor.

1 https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/14/business/monsanto-victorious-in-genetic-seed-case.html; Bowman v. Monsanto Co., 569 U.S. 278 (2013). This was one of approxi-

mately 150 lawsuits Monsanto has brought in the last 20 years regarding alleged patent infringements on the use of its seeds.

2 For a deeper dive on seed sovereignty and the issues around patenting living organisms, check out the work of Vandana Shiva: https://vandanashivamovie.com/ (documentary); https://www.navdanya.org/ 3 https://civileats.com/2020/09/11/op-ed-how-seed-patents-threaten-small-seed-companies/

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LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

Free seeds?

Check out a seed library. Located throughout the U.S., they help people learn how to grow their own food. The Seed Library in Rochester, Minn. is a nationally-recognized initiative at the Rochester Public Library, offering 45 seed varieties in the main collection, along with communitydonated seed. You just need a library card, and there’s no return date (borrowers are encouraged to return seeds from their harvest).

“In addition to checking out seeds, you can also sign up for seed saving classes, watch videos, or browse informational handouts,” says Rochester City Councilwoman and Seed Library co-founder Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick. “Seeds have won my heart. I now find myself wanting to grow out seeds more than growing food or flowers.”

Learn more at rplmn.org/services/more-services/seed-library

Guess What Kind of Seed Corn This Is...

Ok...maybe a trick question. Often it is impossible to tell the difference between a GMO, heirloom or organic seed by just looking at it. But what do those terms even mean? Here is a quick primer on the definitions.

Hybrid

Open-pollinated

Hybrids are cross-bred to obtain certain traits, such as sweeter corn. They are not the same as genetically engineered (GE) seeds. Hybrids originate from pollen exchanges between two parent plants of the same species to create seeds with traits from each parent. GE seeds result from directly manipulating an organism’s genome. Hybrids often have higher yields but seeds from hybrid plants may be sterile or may produce different plants from the parent.

Naturally pollinated by wind, birds, bees or other insects, these seeds tend to remain stable from one generation to the next and are more genetically diverse.

They don’t always produce the “perfect” appearance we see at the grocery and may have lower yields.

Heirloom Open-pollinated plants passed down through generations.

GMO

Organic

(Genetically Modified Organism)

Organic seeds may not be genetically engeneered. But they may be hybrids. There are also restrictions on what types of chemicals that can be used in the cultivation of the seed.

Sometimes referred to as GE (Genetically Engineered) or BE (Biologically Engineered.) These terms refer to technologies used for the modification and manipulation of an organism’s genes. These technologies change the genetic makeup of cells, including the transfer of genes within and across species boundaries.

Non-GMO Seeds from plants selected using breeding techniques that do not involve direct insertion, modification or deletion of genes within the plant cells. local-feast.org

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STRONG SEED. STRONG FARMS. STRONG FAMILIES. At Albert Lea Seed, we’re obsessed with providing strong organic and non-GMO solutions to make reaching your goals a little easier.

800.352.5247 ALSEED.COM 42

LOCAL FEAST! • VOLUME SIX

HOTa visit OFF THE PASS with 3 local chefs

by Amy Peterson carrots, potatoes, squash and onions are almost always on our menu. But some of my favorites are the ones with the shortest window of availability, like strawberries, raspberries, and tomatoes. Eating those crops feels like a celebration of summer and makes me feel more connected to the passing of the seasons.

Hannah pictured above left, Sarah right.

Sarah Cousins & Hannah Garry Co-owners & Chefs Blazing Star Decorah, IA blazingstareats.com Why vegetarian?

Hannah: My family ate mostly vegetarian while I was growing up, and I was always interested in cooking and baking. My dad and I would pretend we were filming a cooking show in the kitchen while we prepared meals together.

“Local, Sustainable, Farmer-focused Eats”?

Sarah: My background is in vegetable farming, so I wanted to stay connected to local farmers as much as possible. We have relationships with most of the farmers in our region and are CSA members of their farms. Many of them are regular customers here. It feels like a symbiotic relationship.

Hannah: Starting this business, it was important to us to showcase the local produce we have year round. Local beets,

Tasty tips for plant-based meals Hannah: We like to feature local and regional beans, eggs, tofu and mushrooms to add extra protein to our dishes. We look for local mushroom cultivators and experiment with cooking different varieties. There are so many different kinds out there that can provide different flavors and textures. As with any protein, cooking your mushrooms in fat, salt, herbs and spices will make a world of difference.

Sarah: A good sauce can make anything tasty. We use tahini as the base of many of our sauces. It’s a great vegan ingredient that provides a rich, creamy element. We love making a ginger miso sesame sauce that’s great for dipping or as a topping for rice noodles with broccoli and scallions for a quick, simple meal.

Goals?

Sarah: Continue to build out our menu and customer base and create a positive work environment for our staff. We’re very lucky to work with wonderful people. Continuing to create a supportive kitchen atmosphere for our employees is my number one goal.

Hannah: When we started hosting dinners in 2019, we wanted to connect more people in our community to delicious, local food. We’re very proud of how we’ve been able to offer people a quick, tasty prepared meal option using lots of local and regional ingredients through our cafe. We look forward to doing even more of that in the years to come.

Chefs continued on pages 45 & 47 local-feast.org

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ORGANIC FAIR-TRADE SMALL BATCH COFFEE ROASTED IN HOUSTON, MN

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Find us at: -People’s Food Coop -Hy-Vee W Circle Drive -Hy-Vee Barlow -Kowalski’s Markets -Rushford-Preston-Harmony Foods -Bluff Country Coop -Root River Market -International Owl Center

Find your connection today A project of the Cannon River SFA chapter: Connecting the sustainable farming producer-consumer community in SE Minnesota

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Subscriptions and online ordering available at CarlsonRoasting.com

Scott Taylor

Chef, Co-owner Pedal Pushers Cafe Lanesboro, MN pedalpusherscafe.com

Culinary Background?

None before Pedal Pushers. I was working as a business consultant. My wife, Angie, had managed restaurants. Together, we thought it could work.

We hired chefs for the first few years, but as the challenges of a start-up became evident, I moved into that role and have managed the menu since.

Have you always sourced locally?

That wasn’t a consideration when we opened 18 years ago. While we have always had an emphasis on scratch cooking, we started out using traditional suppliers. Then, one day our chef sourced eggs from the local farmers’ market. When we saw the color and quality, we began to realize there were other options. Around that time, I noticed the ingredient label on the chicken nuggets we were using. Almost daily, my daughter was eating a product that took the entire side of the box to list the ingredients. This combination challenged me to reevaluate what I was serving my customers.

Delivery challenges, locker space, and inconsistent availability make it difficult to keep as many yearround local menu items as we would like, but we strive to present a unique and flavorful menu in a comfortable atmosphere with as much local sourcing as possible.

Most popular item?

The blackened chicken grain bowl. We serve a lot of burgers, but grilled salmon with quinoa tabbouleh and steak fries with gorgonzola sauce are getting a lot of attention.

Food tales Regional suppliers make for a more interesting menu and much better stories.

Currently, we’re featuring WW Homestead cheese curds, Fizzeology Kim Chi, local beers from Decorah, Mankato, Stillwater, and Minneapolis, lettuce from Owatonna, seasonal produce from a local Amish grower, Lanesboro honey, and hot sauce from Cry Baby Craig’s. Challenges of restaurant local sourcing have been part of the story as well. local-feast.org

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MINNESOTA’S FARMER TO FARMER NETWORK

SFA was founded in 1988 by farmers united in their commitment to creating an agricultural system focused on improving soil health, growing healthy food and revitalizing rural communities.

To learn more visit www.sfa-mn.org

JOIN US.

# KnowYourRegionalGra inChain Artisan Grain Collaborative presents...

G

S N O I T C E N O N A Short docu-series C N I A H C RAIN Bringing to life stories of collaboration, highlighting how relationships are vital to individuals throughout the grain chain and our regional grainshed as a whole.

The Artisan Grain Collaborative is a network of farmers, processors, end-users & advocates working together to strengthen the Midwest grainshed.

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Scan to wathcehr!e

www.graincollaborative.com @artisangraincollab

@graincollab

What’s it like running a restaurant with a local focus on an island?

Gilpin: Very difficult. We’ve always focused on local food, organic. That’s tricky, though, when you have to essentially order all of your products. The climate makes it tough; the season is half over before things are coming in. We use a lot of wild mushrooms, foraged on the island, and a lot of our ingredients come from local farms, just over on the mainland. When [Lauren and I] got the farm, we started growing our own produce—greens, carrots, stuff like that. We use that when we can.

Pictured left to right: Gilpin Matthews, Lauren Schuppe (Farmhouse co-owners) & Jessica Principali, and Bryce Stevenson (Miijim co-owners)

Gilpin Matthews

Co-Owner Farmhouse Farm, Kitchen & Inn

Bryce Stevenson

Co-Owner & Chef Miijim (“food” in Anishinaabemowin)

Pointe, Wisc. farmhousemadelineisland.com miijim.com/

Bryce: Our main focus is with Indigenous providers.

We use farmers such as Ramona Farms in Arizona and Cheyenne River Buffalo to bring more options to our diners and to blend flavors of other regions with our own. We also source as much as we can from the few farms and foragers here but easily open up to the Chequamegon Bay area.

Food is medicine?

Bryce: Sacred medicines of the Ojibwe people, such as cedar, white sage and sweetgrass are staples on the Miijim menu. When we boil and blanch, it’s in a strong tea. When we season and finish plates, it’s with herbs and flowers like clover and nettle that not only enhance the dish but literally bring good medicine into the body, allowing it to heal and regenerate. People are looking to go back to the beginning. Instead of mutilating the earth to fit their needs, they’re looking to exist with it and realizing that everything they needed was already here.

How did you find your way to Mooningwanekaaning (Madeline Island)?

Gilpin: I was living in Minneapolis and coming up here quite a bit. Eventually, we [he and co-owner Lauren Schuppe] decided to stay. I noticed there was a breakfast restaurant that was rarely open, so I wrote the owner and asked if she wanted to sell. We’ve been living here and running the Kitchen and Inn ever since.

Bryce: A simple question solidified my path. My professor at UW-Milwaukee, Margaret Noodin asked, “Now that you’ve found this knowledge, how will you bring it back and share it with your people?” That’s when Miijim was born—name, place, spirit and all.

Amy Peterson is a Stillwater area writer and communications professional who loves exploring Minnesota and local food.

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last call

By John Clarke For Minneapolis-based Tattersall Distilling, there is no compromise in the pursuit of flavor and sustainability. They seek out grains from Minnesota and transform them into spirits in a facility in River Falls, Wisc. that boasts the industry’s largest solar array and first-of-its-kind water reclamation system.

So when regenerative agriculture advocates at the University of Minnesota’s Forever Green Initiative and The Land Institute (Salina, Kansas) sought a distiller to craft a spirit using their earthfriendly grain—Kernza®—Tattersall jumped at the chance.

“To be on the forefront and play around with something that nobody really had done before is really exciting,” says Tattersall co-founder Jon Kreidler, who started Tattersall with childhood friend Dan Oskey in 2015.

Tattersall continues to experiment with this innovative grain, including aging it in used scotch barrels and blending it as a flavor component in future whiskies. The hope is that it will open the door to new flavors while supporting beneficial agricultural methods associated with American whiskey.

tasting notes America’s first 100% Kernza® Whiskey departs from the typical caramel-corn sweetness or cocoa-pepper-rye notes to a nutty, wheat-like sweetness with brandy notes developed from three years of aging in charred virgin oak barrels. It’s best enjoyed neat - with a splash of distilled water or a few ice cubes.

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Thank You To the advertisers who make our nonprofit journalism possible.

what’s Kernza®?

A perennial, winter-hardy grain that only needs replanting every few years (vs annually). Unlike wheat, Kernza® provides continuous living cover for fields, requires less tillage and diesel, and develops deep roots (12+ feet!) that promote soil health by increasing water uptake, preventing erosion, and increasing soil organic matter. Learn more at kernza.org.

In a cocktail mood? Try Tattersall’s Derby Day, made with rye from Dale Anderson’s farm in Cambridge, Minn.

derby day 2 oz Tattersall Rye Whiskey 0.75 oz Tattersall Grapefruit Crema 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice 0.5 oz simple syrup Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass & garnish with an expressed grapefruit peel.

John Clarke is Market Development Manager and Brewing & Distilling Working Group Coordinator with the Artisan Grain Collaborative, a network of Midwest farmers, processors, end-users, and advocates, strengthening the regional grainshed.

Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI)...............................16 Albert Lea Seed...........................................................................................42 American Hazelnut Company...................................................................10 Artisan Grain Collaborative......................................................................46 Cannon Falls Chamber of Commerce....................................................13 Cannon River Catering/Nick’s Diner .....................................................12 Cannon River Winery ................................................................................13 Cannon Roots (City of Cannon Falls EDA............................................12 Cannon Valley Grown................................................................................44 Cannon Valley Trail ...................................................................................13 CannonBelles...............................................................................................12 Carlson Roasting.........................................................................................44 CHOO CHOO-ca-CHEW ......................................................................50 Commercial Testing Laboratory ..............................................................23 Compeer Financial .....................................................................................52 Country View Dairy ..................................................................................42 CTL Foods, Inc...........................................................................................42 Farmland Access Hub................................................................................51 Ferndale Market...................................................................................... 7, 13 GreenSeam...................................................................................................19 Hidden Stream Farm .................................................................................31 KIMT............................................................................................................22 Kowalski’s Markets................................................................................. 3, 18 Market Entry Fund.....................................................................................10 Meadowlark Farm and Mill.......................................................................39 Midwest Elderberry....................................................................................19 Minnesota Dept of Agriculture................................................................32 Minnesota Farmers Union ........................................................................22 Minnesota Grocers Association................................................................10 Minnesota Grown.......................................................................................16 Niman Ranch ..............................................................................................35 People’s Food Co-op..................................................................................31 Raw Bistro ...................................................................................................13 Regency Multifamily Luxury Apartments.................................................2 Rochester Women Magazine.....................................................................23 Renewing the Countryside.........................................................................35 Sailor Mercy.................................................................................................44 Santa Martha Cafe ......................................................................................12 Savannah Institute.......................................................................................32 Seed Savers Exchange................................................................................39 Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.............................................21 Squash Blossom Farm................................................................................44 Sustainable Farming Association..............................................................46 Sweet Harvest Foods..................................................................................13 The Bee Shed ..............................................................................................31 The Good Acre...........................................................................................16 Vikre Distillery..............................................................................................4 Wisconsin Women in Conservation.........................................................37

Support local food stories here!

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