FEAST! Local Foods Magazine vol.1

FEAST

FREE

LOCAL FOODS MAGAZINE & MARKETPLACE

Local Chef Recipes & Interviews

Restaurant Week

Outstanding in Her Field

Enterprising Women in Agriculture 1

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VOLUME ONE

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TABLE of CONTENTS

6

9

Access to Good Food for All

12

11,25

Apple for All Seasons

17 Stocking Up

How Buyers Select Products

26 Chef Interviews

Local Chef Recipes

22

FEAST! Marketplace

30

Restaurant Week

32

Outstanding in Her Field

Enterprising Women in Agriculture

Every Dollar Counts

Financing Farmers

33 – Explore Local: Events Calendar 34 – Best of FEAST! Awards

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EXPERIENCE TURKEY THE WAY OUR GRANDPARENTS DID...

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Welcome to the premiere issue of

FEAST

LOCAL FOODS MAGAZINE & MARKETPLACE

FEAST! Local Foods Magazine.

Publisher:

Our publication is not just an introduction to local foods businesses and issues in our region, it’s also your guide to the Fifth Annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, Sat., Dec. 1, Mayo Civic Center, Rochester, Minn., 10am-4pm.

FEAST

LOCAL FOODS NETWORK

Editor: Marlene Petersen

This year’s Marketplace will wow you with new and exotic flavors from all over the upper Midwest as well as plenty of familiar favorites. If you’ve never been, come and sip, sample, shop your way through the region’s largest local foods show, featuring sustainably grown, locally-sourced products you’ll be proud to put on your table.

Managing Editor: Elena Byrne Creative Director: Brett Olson Ad Designer: Amy Liebl

In this first issue, we’re celebrating food and farm businesses as well as introducing the many people involved. To learn more about the network supporting local foods systems, check out “Access to Good Food for All” (pg 6). Curious about who brings local foods to grocery stores and school lunch programs? Then read “Stocking Up” (pg 12). You’ll find a map and directory for this year’s Marketplace on pages 17-20. And pages 22-29 are your guide to the annual FEAST! Restaurant Week, Nov. 26-Dec. 1, a fusion of local food and culinary talent.

Contributing Writers: Kelli Boylen Elena Byrne Jan Joannides Corree Johnson Marlene Petersen Sales Representative: Ann Indykiewicz

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Cover: Local foods advocate Lisa Kivirist, visiting a cranberry marsh in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.

Read about Honestly Cranberry’s land stewardship and legacy on2637 p.30.27th Ave. S., Suite 17, Minneapolis, Countryside, Photo: John D. Ivanko Photography www.local-feast.com

The pages in between are packed with recipes and profiles—a sampling of our farmers and artisans—as well as an article exploring the intricacies of financing food production. We’re so glad you’ve picked up this first issue. Enjoy and thanks for being a local foods fan!

MN

Warmly, 55406 The FEAST! Local Foods Network

FEAST! Partners & Sponsors Premier Partners

Silver Tablespoon Sponsors

Bronze Teaspoon Sponsors 5

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Supporters of FEAST!

U of MN Extension - Regional Development Partnerships, Minnesota Children’s Museum - Rochester, Channel One Food Bank, City of Cannon Falls, Linder Farm Network, Mayo Clinic, Midwest Food Products Association, MN Farmers Market Association, People’s Food Co-op, Region Nine Development Commission, Something Special from Wisconsin, USDA Rural Development, Winona County, Wisconsin Grocers Association

Friends of FEAST!

Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), Riverland Community College, ShopWise Magazine Rochester, Rochester MN Moms Blog

access to

GOODforFOOD all The founding of FEAST! Local Foods Network

A research study commissioned by the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and the McKnight Foundation in 2012 verified an assumption. “We discovered that food entrepreneurs were an important part of local, rural economies, but that limited resources were available to help them succeed,” states Jan Joannides, author of the study and Executive Director of Renewing the Countryside.

It was this information that led the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation and Renewing the Countryside to rally organizations and individuals together to create the FEAST! Local Foods Network: a regional collaborative effort to support farm and food entrepreneurs. Established in 2013, the Network includes dozens of organizations and businesses and has helped hundreds of small farmers and foodmakers by providing an array of services and opportunities.

Collaborating Across the Food Space

“In order for local food businesses to scale sustainably, there needs to be a connective tissue supporting everyone involved, including farmers, producers, growers, buyers, consumers, resource providers and funders,” explains Tim Penny, President and CEO of Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation. “This is largely the role of the FEAST! Local Foods Network.”

Since its inception, the Network has strived to create dignity in the work of food producers and makers, generate understanding of local foods systems, provide access to good food for all, encourage collaboration across the food space, boost resilience in local economies and communities and foster balance in the agro-ecosystem. Lofty goals, but this organization puts its money where its mouth is—literally.

For example, from 2016-17 the Network helped establish “Grow a Farmer,” first with a “mud-bucket” crowdfunding campaign and then opening the loan program that helps small, beginning and emerging market farmers access low interest rate

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loans with flexible terms. Also in 2017, it launched the FEAST! Smart Start program, providing 15 businesses with in-depth training and coaching.

“It all starts with the farms,” says Ryan Brixius, Rural BusinessCooperative Service Specialist with USDA Rural Development. “We work to show support for our regional farmers by expanding their connections with regional food businesses.”

Building Community

Besides working to bolster food system infrastructure, the Network focuses on community enhancement. The biggest example of this is the Network’s capstone program: the FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, now in its fifth year. Day one of the event is an industry-only trade show that provides opportunities for food businesses to gain knowledge and connect with wholesale buyers. Day two is a festival where the public can sample and buy foods made and grown in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa, meet the farmers and makers and gain knowledge on how to buy and cook local foods.

“We strive to promote a culture of healthy eating through local foods,” says Elena Byrne, Communication Specialist at Renewing the Countryside. “This is why we bring entrepreneurs and consumers together, and why we work to include kids in our public events. Strengthening our connections to the people who grow and make our food raises awareness about food choices and how those choices impact the land.”

After five years, the FEAST! Local Foods Network shows no signs of slowing down, continually expanding its support and generating programs which stimulate new businesses and allow current ones to flourish. The ultimate goal? Create a system where local food producers and farmers can thrive and enhance the vibrancy of all upper Midwest communities.

To learn more about the Network or the FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, visit local-feast.org.

GO TO

www.mda.state.mn.us

Who’s in the FEAST! Network?

Agricultural Utilization Research Initiative (AURI) Channel One Food Bank City of Cannon Falls City of Winona Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) Compeer Financial Eagle Bluff Skills School Experience Rochester Ferndale Market Grand Rounds Brewing Co. Grow North MN Mayo Clinic McKnight Foundation Minnesota Children’s Museum of Rochester Minnesota Department of Agriculture Minnesota Farmers’ Market Association 7

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Minnesota Grape Growers Association Olmsted County People’s Food Co-op Region Nine Development Commission Renewing the Countryside Riverland Community College Rochester Downtown Farmers Market Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation Tonic Local Kitchen & Juice Bar USDA Rural Development U of MN Extension - Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships Wisconsin Department of Ag, Trade and Consumer Protection Plus a host of individuals from the public and private sector.

Are you a beginning farmer looking for land in IA, MN, or WI?

We are here to help you navigate the process of accessing land. gotfarmland.org

The Secret Ingredient to Protecting

Serving the Hospitality Industry • Restaurants • Taverns • Food & Beverage Manufacturing

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Winter

Spring

Photo courtesy of EYESPY Photography and Sara’s Tipsy Pies, creator of rustic pies “made with love and local alcohol” in Stillwater, MN. Sara Hayden’s homemade specialties come in a variety of flavors, including delectable Irish Whiskey Apple. sarastipsypies.com

Photo courtesy of Hoch Orchards & Gardens where owners Harry & Jackie Hoch make organic applesauce on their La Crescent, MN farm along with apple jelly, cider and vinegar. For a complete list of products, visit hochorchard.com

Summer Photo courtesy of United States Association of Cider Makers and The Minnesota Cider Guild, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and promoting Minnesota ciders. Join the guild and become a cider enthusiast. mnciderguild.org

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Autumn Crisp, juicy and filled with fiber and antioxidants, there’s nothing like an apple fresh off the tree. Learn more about Midwest-grown apples or find an orchard at minnesotagrown.com, iowaagriculture.gov, waga.com

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Malo Corn-Queso Soup Recipe courtesy of Matthew Howard, Executive Chef, Malo Restaurant, Des Moines, IA (adapted) 1 lb. easy melting cheese (CannonBelles Gouda) 4 c. frozen sweet corn (Iowa Choice Harvest) 1 c. water 1 lime, juice and zest 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tbsp. salt 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 3 tbsp. shredded cheese (CannonBelles Queso Fresco) In a food processor, puree frozen corn with water until smooth. In a small pot, heat olive oil over medium heat and sweat garlic until aromatic and translucent. Add pureed corn and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly. Simmer mixture and cook to reduce to a creamy consistency with light pudding texture. Add salt, lime juice and zest and puree in a blender to eliminate lumps.

Melt gouda over low heat until smooth; fold in corn sauce. Pour into a heat-resistant serving bowl, sprinkle with crumbled queso fresco and broil on high until cheese is a roasted, dark golden brown. Serve with tortilla chips.

Gold Rush & The Hornet’s Knuckles Recipes courtesy of Chris Fierst, Bartender/Owner, The Half Barrel, Rochester, MN

Gold Rush:

2 oz. bourbon (Wild Turkey Single Barrel) 1 oz. honey syrup

(2:1 ratio of Bare Honey Wildflower honey

and water) 1 oz. - lemon juice 2 dashes - Dashfire Old Fashioned Bitters Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker; pour over ice; garnish with orange zest & cinnamon stick.

The Hornet’s Knuckles:

2 oz. The Botanist Islay Dry Gin 1 oz. hot honey syrup

(2:1 ratio of Bare Honey Hot & Spicy honey

and water) 1 oz. - lemon juice Shake ingredients in cocktail shaker; pour into chilled glass; garnish with lemon zest & slice of Fresno chili.

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Stocking Up How buyers, distributors and chefs select local products Ever wonder who decides what a store will carry?

Or how they get the goods? We do. So we sat down and talked with three buyers: the manager of a co-op, a natural foods distributor and a public school chef.

Scouting Food Talent

Karla Meyer, manager of the downtown Rochester People’s Food Co-op (PFC), oversees a full-service store which carries local products in every department. Cooperatives like PFC serve their member owners, not a corporation, so Meyer has to keep up with consumer trends. One way she does that is by attending food shows.

“A lot of it is listening to customers and seeing what they are buying and interested in,” says Meyer. “I go [to shows] with a very open mindset. Just looking at what is there, thinking about what our store has and doesn’t have. I’m frequently surprised by what comes along.”

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Surveying new products, Meyer considers affordability, quality, the food producer’s ability to meet demand and presentation— packaging can be a barrier for customers. She tries to visit every booth at a show, but there isn’t always time, and, unfortunately, PFC doesn’t have the capacity to support all local businesses (even though it would like to). Just because a vendor doesn’t get a visit from Meyer, it doesn’t mean she’s not interested. She encourages producers to reach out.

“Schedule a time to talk with me,” she advises. “Before that meeting, email pictures and pricing so I can assess fit and generate questions. It makes the conversation much more productive. Also, tell me about your customer base. It’s important for a store to know your product will sell.”

Steps to Success

So how does a food maker snag a buyer’s attention? For insight, we talked with James Talbot, account manager for United Natural Foods, Inc (UNFI)—a distributor of natural and organic foods and a supplier for Whole Foods and Amazon.

Talbot primarily works with logistics and customer service for the grocery stores and co-ops in our region. Having worked with stores for over ten years, he knows what it takes for a food startup to succeed.

“The product needs to be unique and fulfill a need within a specific niche. The ingredients are also important, along with flavor, quality and presentation. All of that leads to sales.

Stores need to know how the producer’s margins compare to competitors. Also, be realistic about what you can approach. If you can support three stores, support three stores. Don’t try to support six,” he cautions, advising food makers to try taking a few smaller steps before scaling up. Once you’ve earned a spot on a store shelf, you never want it out of stock.

Not all buyers want to work directly with food producers, Talbot adds. Most prefer to utilize a distributor because they’re efficient for ordering and delivery. However, for most food startups being able to afford a distributor represents a big step. That’s why consumer exposure from events like the FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace and other food shows is so important. Because if you can get the public to demand your product, co-ops and distributors will too.

Getting Schooled on Local

Grocery store managers and natural food distributors aren’t the only buyers looking for good local food. Restaurants, other

foodservice and schools—yes, schools—often seek nearby alternatives.

Efforts to include more fresh fruit and vegetables in school lunches has surged, thanks in part to the growth of Farm to School programs working to get healthy, local foods in cafeterias. Besides boosting kids’ access to nutritious fare, it creates new markets for farmers and food producers and reminds students where food comes from.

Mark Augustine became a chef in his 20s and now serves as Culinary Manager and Executive Chef for the Minneapolis Public Schools. He strives to change the misconceptions around school lunch. For him, that starts with the ingredients.

Quality is foremost—no artificial colors, flavors, antibiotics.

Products must meet high standards for Augustine to consider them. This often means doing research and having conversations with farmers and food makers. Augustine and his department work directly with farmers, not third parties, to get fresh ingredients grown locally.

So how do you get on Augustine’s radar?

“Create the opportunity, don’t wait to be called,” he advises, encouraging farmers and food makers to do research, reach out to the community and make themselves available. “It’s important to be the one taking the initiative to make a change, have a sustainable product that fits into the market, and continuing to build relationships and partnerships.”

Radishes, Hare and Tortoise Farm 20 miles to Rochester Ridgeland Harvest 38 miles to La Crosse Grape Tomatoes, Easy Yoke Farm 23 miles to Rochester Deep Rooted 29 miles to La Crosse

Cabbage, Featherstone Farm 50 miles to Rochester 35 miles to La Crosse

your partner in

local food.

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Downtown La Crosse, WI and Rochester, MN www.pfc.coop 7 days, 7 am–10 pm Open to the public • Free parking!

Our focus at the Minnesota Grocers Association (MGA) 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 1300 locations!

We are proud to partner with the

FEAST! Local Foods Network!

Building Relationships!

Karly Ackerman, Membership Coordinator kackerman@mngrocers.com 651-228-0973

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December 1, 2018 10am - 4pm

Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Civic Center 17

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Lo c a l Welcome to the Fifth Annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, the region’s largest local foods festival.

Our event showcases sustainably-grown, locallysourced products from all over the upper Midwest.

If this is your first visit, wander the aisles, sample incredible fare and chat with the makers­—connecting you with them is why the FEAST! festival exists. Watch James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Beth Dooley whip up something fabulous; vote for your favorite vendor in our “People’s Choice Award;” and then pick up one (or ten) new items for your pantry.

If you’ve been to FEAST! before, you’ll find a few surprises this year, including vendors from the Rochester Downtown Farmers Market and Kids’ Choice Veggie Voting with Mayo Clinic dietetic interns plus the return of exhibits from the Minnesota Children’s Museum of Rochester. Wine is also available for take-home purchase, thanks to the City of Rochester and the Minnesota Grape Growers’ Association.

To help you prepare for the big show, the following pages include a list of exhibitors, a detailed floor map and an illustrated schedule so you know what’s happening, when and where (p.20). We’ve been adding vendors daily since June, so if you don’t see your favorite on this list, grab a handout at the festival. It’ll have the latest additions and all exhibitor booth numbers. See you at the show!

Agri-Cultured Foods

CTL Foods

Alexis Bailly Vineyard

Ferndale Market

WAUKEE, IA

HASTINGS, MN

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CANNON FALLS, MN

American Hazelnut Company Fizzeology Foods GAYS MILLS, WI

VIROQUA, WI

Ames Farm

Flower Valley Vineyard

Aspelund Winery

Folly Coffee Roasters

Atlas Provisions

Forager Brewery

B&E’s Trees

Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery

Baba’s Food Company

Freak Flag Foods

Badgersett Farm

Frederick Sound Fish Co.

Bare Honey

Grandma’s Gourmets

Blue Fruit Farm

Hastings Cooperative Creamery*

Bolton Bees

Hazelnut Valley Farm

CannonBelles Cheese

Heartland Burrito

Canon River Winery

Heil Harvest

Carlson Roasting Co.

Hidden Stream Farm

Coconut Whisk

Hoch Orchard

Country View Dairy

Honestly Cranberry

Creature Comfort Hot Sauce

HoneyberryUSA

DELANO, MN KENYON, MN

SAINT PAUL, MN VIROQUA, WI

BURNSVILLE, MN CANTON, MN

MINNEAPOLIS, MN WINONA, MN

SAINT PAUL, MN NORTHFIELD, MN

CANNON FALLS, MN HOUSTON, MN

ROSEMOUNT, MN HAWKEYE, IA

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

LOCAL FOODS EXHIBIT

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COLFAX, WI

WOODBURY, MN

SILVER LAKE, MN ROCHESTER, MN

SPRING VALLEY, MN BUFFALO, MN

ROCHESTER, MN ALBERT LEA, MN HASTINGS, MN LAKE CITY, MN IOWA CITY, IA EDGAR, WI ELGIN, MN

LA CRESCENT, MN

WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI BAGLEY, MN

Family Fun Area

F o o d s M a r k e t p l ac e Infuzn Foods

Mama Stoen’s

Next Chapter Winery

K-Mama Sauce*

Midwest Elderberry Cooperative

Oak Valley Creations

Kakookies

Millner Heritage Vineyard & Winery

Out Of The Kitchen

ROCHESTER, MN

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

MINNEAPOLIS, MN

KellyG’s Wild Rice Burgers WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN

MN Turkey Council My Sweet Greens MN

ROCHESTER, MN

ZUMBROTA, MN

Leafy Legacy Herb Farm L’Etoile du Nord Vineyard

NessAlla Kombucha MADISON, WI

Philtera Cold Brewers WAYZATA, MN

ROUND LAKE, MN

59 58

68 69 55 54

70 71 53 52

42 43 41 40

44 45 39 38

46 47 37 36

48 49 35 34

50 51 33 32

22 23 21 20

24 25 19 18

26 27 17 16

28 29 15 14

30 31 13 12

1 2 3 4

5 6

7

8

CALEDONIA, MN

Squash Blossom Farm Taking Stock Foods ROSEVILLE, MN

The Bee Shed

102 101 100 99 98 97 96 95 94 93 92

9 10

Green names represent wine, beer and cider vendors. To sample wine, beer and hard cider, guests must present a valid ID and purchase a $25 wristband.

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Sno Pac Foods ORONOCO, MN

* Friday wholesale tradeshow only.

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ROCHESTER, MN

LINDSTROM, MN

106 105 104 103

66 67 57 56

Salsa Joe L. Diablo

Shokolate Haven

Round Lake Vineyards & Winery

90 91 73 72

Salem Glen Vineyard & Winery

STILLWATER, MN

FAIRFIELD, IA

Farmers Market

TWO HARBORS, MN

Sara’s Tipsy Pies*

Pickle Creek Herbs

86 87Demo 88 89 Cooking 77 76 75 74

Ruth’s Vegetarian Gourmet

ROCHESTER, MN

PRAIRIE DU SAC, WI

CANNON FALLS, MN

VIROQUA, WI

WINE CIDER BEER 61 60

SAVAGE, MN

Raw Bistro Pet Food

Nami Chips

LANESBORO, MN

PARKERS PRAIRIE, MN

KIMBALL, MN

BUFFALO, MN

Kinney Creek Brewery

116 117

ROCHESTER , MN

OWATONNA, MN

ORONOCO, MN

The Farm of Minnesota HUTCHINSON, MN

Timberlake Orchard FAIRMONT, MN

Trail Creek Coffee Roasters KASSON, MN

Treats by T

NORTHFIELD, MN

West Indies Soul Food SAINT PAUL, MN

You Betcha! Box

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SAINT PAUL, MN

You Betcha Kimchi MINNEAPOLIS, MN

New exhibitors added daily.

Check out local-feast.org for the latest additions.

Family activities featuring Kids Choice Veggie Voting with Mayo Clinic volunteers, Seed Matching, Craft Corner, Veggie Grand Prix, and Children’s Museum exhibits.

Popup Rochester Downtown Farmers Market.

People’s Choice voting— for a chance to win a local foods gift basket.

Holiday shopping—perfect for friends & family.

Wine/Cider/Beer tasting, plus *new this year* purchase a few bottles to take home.

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FEAST!

Restaura From Lanesboro to Lake City · November 26 - December 1, 2018

Establishments from Lanesboro through downtown Rochester to Lake City have once again collaborated with local farmers and food producers to bring you six days of culinary creations featuring local ingredients.

How does it work?

Participating restaurants choose a food producer to be showcased at FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace (Dec. 1, Mayo Civic Center, 10am-4pm) and create a menu item featuring their products. It may be a cocktail, entrée or even a three-course meal. Each item is special and will only be available during Restaurant Week.

Diners who order a special FEAST! selection receive information about the local ingredients, as well as a coupon toward admission to the Marketplace (the region’s largest local foods festival) where they can sample and purchase more local fare.

“FEAST! Restaurant Week provides an opportunity to showcase our city’s exceptional cuisine and our restaurants’ commitment to farm-to-table options and to local growers and makers,” says Mary Gastner, interim executive director of Experience Rochester MN. “Visitors and residents who dine out at participating restaurants are in for a treat!”

Check out the list here and online: local-feast.org/restaurantweek New restaurants are signing up every week!

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antWeek BLEU DUCK KITCHEN 14 4th St SW Rochester, MN 55902 bleuduckkitchen.com

CASABLANCA 1151 6th St NW #106 Rochester, MN 55901 casablanca-cuisine.net

CHESTER’S KITCHEN AND BAR 111 S Broadway #108 Rochester, MN 55904 chesterskb.com

FORAGER BREWERY 1005 6th St NW Rochester, MN 55901 foragerbrewery.com

THE HALF BARREL BAR AND KITCHEN 304 1st Ave SW Rochester, MN 55902 halfbarrelbar.com

LITTLE THISTLE BREWING 2031 14th St NW Rochester, MN 55901 littlethistlebeer.com

THE LOOP 318 1st Ave SW Rochester, MN 55902 thelooprochester.com

NOSH RESTAURANT AND BAR 310 ½ S. Washington St. Lake City, MN 55401 noshrestaurant.com

PEDAL PUSHERS CAFE 121 Parkway Ave N Lanesboro, MN 55949 pedalpusherscafe.com

PEOPLE’S FOOD COOP 3304, 519 1st Ave SW, Rochester, MN 55902 pfc.coop

THE TAP HOUSE ON HISTORIC THIRD 10 3rd St SW Rochester, MN 55902 taphousemn.com

TONIC LOCAL KITCHEN & JUICE BAR 318 1st Ave SW Rochester, MN 55902 tonicfreshjuice.com

VICTORIA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 7 1st Ave SW Rochester, MN 55902 victoriasmn.com Participants too new to get in the nifty graphic!

PORCH & CELLAR, BAR BUFFALO, CAMEO...

Check online for complete list. local-feast.org/restaurantweek

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VICTORIAS FEAST AD 10 15 18_Layout 1 10/15/18 8:17 AM Page 1

Proudly Serving Award-Wining Cheese from Eau Galle Cheese Factory in Durand, Wisconsin.

Eau Galle Cheese Factory Founder Leo Buhlman

eaugallecheese.com

507.280.6232 I www.victoriasmn.com I 7 1st Ave SW I Rochester, MN 55902

Develop Your Brand.

Discover Your Voice.

507 351 9000 • www.brandyourselfconsulting.com

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The Basic Place Sandwich Recipe courtesy of Chris Pickett, Chef, Forager Brewery, Rochester, MN 2 slices sourdough bread

(Basic Place Farm) 2 slices heirloom tomato

(Grasshopper Farm) 4 slices cucumber

(Pine Creek Farms) 2-3 slices raw sweet potato

(Whitewater Farm) Shaved goat cheese

(Capra Nera Creamery) Snow pea shoots Tempura Batter –

recipe below Pickled Daikon Radish –

recipe below, make 4 hours ahead Basil Aioli –

recipe below Basil Aioli Recipe 3 eggs (Four Daughters Farm) 2 juiced lemons 1 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 c. garlic 1 c. fresh basil 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard Whisk all ingredients together in mixing bowl; slowly add oil until mixture is aioli consistency.

Tempura Batter 1 c. all-purpose flour 1/2 c. baking powder 1/2 c. lemon-lime soda Mix all ingredients.

Pickled Daikon Radish Slice radish into strips, sprinkle with salt, leave for two hours; soak strips in white vinegar for two hours; remove.

Spread basil aioli on both pieces of sourdough; top one slice of bread with tomato and cucumber. Dip 2-3 sweet potato slices in tempura batter and fry in vegetable oil—two minutes each side or until golden brown.

Add to tomato/cucumber. Top with pickled daikon radish, shaved goat cheese, snow pea shoots and other slice of sourdough.

Seafood Bouillabaisse Recipe courtesy of Youness Bojji, Chef/Owner, Casablanca, Rochester, MN (adapted) 1 tsp. ea. capers, diced Spanish onion, minced garlic Pinch of saffron, paprika, oregano, thyme 1/2 c. Chardonnay Slice of lemon, plus 1 tsp. zest 1 tbsp. diced heirloom tomato Fish: 4 clams, 4 mussels, 2 prawn 2 scallops, 2 oz of halibut or seabass Microgreens (River’s Edge Market Garden)

Casablanca’s

Into a pan with a tablespoon of olive oil, add onions, garlic, lemon zest, capers, salt, clams and mussels on medium/high heat. After onions become translucent, add saffron, paprika, thyme, oregano, heirloom tomato and Chardonnay. Cover and let simmer and reduce. Once the clams open up, add the remaining seafood. It is done when all mussels open. Garnish with lemon and micro greens.

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HOT OFF THE PASS: a visit with local chefs Greg Jaworski

culinary landscaper Nosh Restaurant & Bar 310 ½ S. Washington St. Lake City, MN 55401 noshrestaurant.com What’s the name about? I was doing a crossword puzzle with my mom while planning my restaurant; nosh is a four-letter word that means “to snack.”

Menu? I opened Nosh with the idea that farmers would determine the menu. I go to area farmers’ markets and see what’s available.

Nosh’s ever-changing menu reflects what I find that’s fresh.

Why? I was influenced by talented chefs who showed me that great ingredients make great food. For me, that means fresh and local.

Tied to the stove? Sometimes I spend more time out of the kitchen than in, searching for ingredients.

Pre-packaged foods? No! Everything is from scratch.

Local products? I was local before it was trendy (we opened in 2004).

Your first FEAST? I was blown away by how many local artisan products are available. There was kimchi from the Cities, bourbon maple syrup from Viroqua, Wisc...I could go on and on!

Why Restaurant Week? Local farmers and food producers make it easy for me to make great food. The least I can do is feature them a bit more.

Whatcha makin’ for 2018? We’ll likely have an appetizer, entree and dessert made with products from FEAST. Last year, we did Korean BBQ beef tacos.

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Nicci Sylvester local food curator

Tonic Local Kitchen & Juice Bar 1217 2nd Street SW Rochester, MN 55902 tonicfreshjuice.com Tonic’s philosophy?

Provide our guests with the freshest food available!

The process? We know our community. We know the people we buy our food from, and we make everything from scratch. Our family recipes for borscht and pyrohi (Don’t know what that is? Come try it!), fresh juices and specialty entrees are the kinds of things you want to eat.

Custom dining? It’s a one-of-a-kind experience with something for everyone! Need gluten-free, nut-free or dairy-free? We do it. The most delicious juices featuring fresh berries and veggies? We do it.

Good food that is good for you? We do it.

Why FEAST? FEAST and Tonic share the same morally-driven goal: bringing the farm to the table in a delicious way.

Connecting at FEAST: We have been involved since the beginning.

Last year we picked up five new vendors.

Why Restaurant Week? We love getting folks to check out the different places serving this type of fresh food. Plus...who wants to cook?

Deliciousness for Restaurant Week 2018? Gouda & Winter Veggie Cheese Soup with Gouda from CannonBelles Cheese and a gorgeous salad with spring mix from My Sweet Greens MN, elderberries from Midwest Elderberry Co-op and The Bee Shed honey in the dressing.

#micromagic

Microgreens

Photo by AB-PHOTOGRAPHY.US

1. Microgreens and sprouts are not the same.

2. Microgreens are nutrient rich and very flavorful.

3. Microgreens can be part of your healthy lifestyle.

Visit our booth for free samples and to learn more about these delicious superfoods.

Sweet. Green. Clean

My Sweet Greens MN Dean and Jayne Bredlau | Zumbrota, MN Mysweetgreensmn.com mysweetgreensmn@gmail.com

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Tell us about your Rochester experience.

Take the 1-minute survey!

myrochesterexperience.com

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Locally sourced stories picked daily just for you. postbulletin.com How can we help your community grow?

e Good L t r o v ife a .

S

Inn Serendipity® Bed & Breakfast and Farm

• Vegetarian, Vegan or Gluten-free • Organic Breakfast Ingredients

We have been investing in the innovative people of southern Minnesota since 1986 in Economic Development, Early Childhood and Community Vitality. Tell us how we can help your community, business or idea grow.

507.455.3215 smifoundation.org

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• Completely Solar Powered • 2.5 Hours NW of Chicago • Farmstay outside Monroe, WI

www.InnSerendipity.com

Outstanding in HerField

Entrepreneurs whose commitment to family, soil and community led their businesses to new heights Forty years ago women owned less than five percent of US farmland. Now, that figure is nearly 50%. Every year, FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace showcases dozens of female farmers and food producers from all over Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa. Here’s a glimpse at three 2018 vendors whose dedication to innovation, sustainability and conservation reflect what FEAST! is all about.

Glacial Lake Cranberries, Inc./ Honestly Cranberry Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.

Trivia: Cranberries don’t grow in water. But they do float. During harvest, the marshes in which they grow are flooded, making them easier to gather.

Mary Brazeau Brown is a third-generation cranberry grower in central Wisconsin and sole owner of Glacial Lake Cranberries, Inc., a diverse 6,000-acre property that includes wetlands, water reservoirs, forests and 92 beds (330 acres) of cranberry vines. Cranberries, once wild, have been produced commercially here since 1873. Some current vines are nearly 75 years old, evidence of the Brazeau family commitment to conservation and the sustainability of their farming methods.

“I’m not just a cranberry grower. I’m responsible for managing the wetlands,” Mary says with reverence. “We live here, own it.

There are so many things that are motivating: the crops, timber harvest, the trumpeter swans. This whole area teems with wildlife.

Do I feel responsible for maintaining reservoirs so that birds can migrate there and nest? Yes, I do. It’s not just farmland; it’s not just a business.”

Mary’s township, Cranmoor, boasts the largest cranberry production in the world. The industry, however, is small: less than 1,000 growers in the US, with only a handful of major buyers. So, to get her tart, red gems to consumers year round, Mary started her own value-added business: “I realized that much of what’s on the market has added sugar.

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Natural cranberries are so good for you and offer unique health benefits, but much of that is negated because of added oils and 60-80% added sugar.”

This inspired her to produce a pure, dried cranberry—nothing added—and establish Honestly Cranberry, a certified, womanowned, small business delivering sustainably-grown, non-GMO goodness. Come try her one-of-a-kind cranberries, at FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace or visit honestlycranberry.com.

Pickle Creek Herbs Fairfield, Iowa Jocelyn Engman was a chemist who didn’t plan to become a farmer. Then her father retired in 2004, and she and her siblings inherited the family farm in Iowa. After much thought, Jocelyn and her husband gave up their Chicagoland chemistry jobs “to do the crazy and near impossible: thrive on a 100-acre farm,” she writes on Pickle Creek Herbs’ website, picklecreek.com.

They began by transitioning the fourth-generation farm to organic and starting a CSA program. But, after two years of struggling to find labor and composting too much of what they raised, Jocelyn knew they had to switch course.

“We decided to start a value-added business so we could get more out of what we grew,” she recalls of the decision to raise organic herbs, tomatoes, berries and garlic and infuse olive oils, vinegars, salves, soaps and lip balms with them. “We went into herbs because we really liked them. As a chemist reading about them, I learned so much about the plants’ interesting properties and what you could do with them. From a culinary point of view, they bring life to food. From a farmer’s standpoint, they’re very efficient: not a lot of disease or pests.”

Today Jocelyn’s a proud Farmer-Entrepreneur—or Farmerteur as she likes to think of herself—taking her infused products “from seed to store.” To try Pickle Creek Herb’s culinary creations, stop

by their booth at FEAST! (Be sure to check out the tarragon vinegar/rosemary olive-oil combo. Delicious!). For bath and body products, shop online at picklecreek.com.

Renewing the Countryside is one of the founding organizations of the FEAST! Local Foods Network.

FEAST! is only one of a number of programs that allow us to address the complex ecosystem of people, organizations, and policies that empowers communities to realize just, vibrant, and sustainable countrysides.

As a small nonprofit organization, we rely on the support of individual donors and grants to operate.

Every donation counts, and becoming a sustaining donor makes the process easy for you and something we can rely on in our financial planning.

Number of Women Farmers

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969,672

32,167

27,802

33,184

Acres

301,386,860

9,102,738

7,318,629

5,570,953

Impact

$12.9 billion

$474 million $398 million $325 million

Source: USDA 2012 Census.

For more, visit www.usda.gov/our-agency/initiatives/women-agriculture.

local-feast.org

ide • re

untrys

Together we can create a just, vibrant, and sustainable countryside!

newin

In the culinary world, Lisa Klein is kind of famous. A pig raised on her farm helped Minneapolis chef Karyn Tomlinson become “Queen of Pork” this fall at the prestigious Cochon555 national contest. But it’s not the first honor bestowed on Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin. Their all-natural bacon debuted in the Birchwood BLT at the Minnesota State Fair this year, receiving rave reviews.

The secret to their success? Maybe it’s the way Lisa and her family care for their livestock. “We raise our animals using grassbased and deep bedded systems,” she explains. “This allows us to farm in an environmentally friendly way and ensures our animals have a good quality of life. It also means we don’t use antibiotics or hormones.”

Lisa’s commitment to the health of her land is also apparent.

“We want to take care of our corner of the world, to maintain it, and make it better,” she says about the property her grandmother purchased in the 1950s. To that end, the Kleins implemented conservation practices to build their soil and prevent erosion, including using cover crops and farming on the contour.

They also started Dover Processing in 2017, a state-of-theart meat processing facility and retail shop in Dover, Minn. The new facility increased their own sales and provided another processing option to fellow farmers. Come sample their awardwinning products at FEAST!, or find them at Dover Processing, the Rochester Downtown Farmers Market or online at hiddenstreamfarm.com.

he c gt o

Hidden Stream Farm Elgin, Minn.

renewingthecountryside.org/donate

NATURALLY RAISED BEEF • PORK CHICKEN Non GMO Feed • Drug Free • Hormone Free

The Hidden Stream Farm Family

Home Delivery NOW AVAILABLE In The Rochester Area Call Us For More Information On Our Selection Of Meats Or To Place An Order For Home Delivery

(507) 876-2304

Or visit our Website: hiddenstreamfarm.com

EVERY DOLLAR COUNTS Farms remain the backbone of many rural areas.

But, it can be challenging for some to access the financial resources needed to grow and become successful, especially ones outside of mainstream agriculture (e.g. farms raising vegetables, fruit or honey—or food businesses launching new products or services). So why is it difficult for beginning or nontraditional farmers to find financing? And what is being done to help them?

Emerging Markets

Appropriately named, the Emerging Markets program from Compeer Financial offers nontraditional (or emerging) businesses like urban farms, value-added (food processing), and fresh fruit and vegetable growers access to credit and other financial services. The program is more flexible when evaluating the five Cs and provides loans to clients who would not qualify through the company’s mainstream programs.

“The program is part of our commitment to help provide flexible capital to emerging farmers and help advance local and regional food systems. The loans are small compared to commodity agriculture loans, but they’re big for emerging farmers and food producers,” says Thao.

Compeer incurs some risk on these loans. But it’s a chance the company takes to support farmers pioneering new efforts. For details regarding Compeer’s program, visit compeer.com/Home/ Agriculture/Ag-Financing/Emerging-Markets-Program.

Grow a Farmer

Crazy Boy Farm is a Compeer Emerging Markets Program loan recipient

The Challenge

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Some of the difficulty lies in satisfying traditional lending requirements.

“All lenders make decisions using the five Cs: character, capital, capacity, collateral and conditions,” explains Sai Thao, Senior Lending Officer at Compeer Financial, a farm credit cooperative. “Meeting these criteria can be a challenge for people farming outside of the mainstream. For example, businesses growing apples or grapes require a few years to yield a crop, and many lenders are not willing to wait for such longterm returns.”

Insufficient collateral and credit information can also be a factor. Beginning farmers may not have loan-repayment histories, or they may not own property. For nontraditional farmers, equipment may include specialty items, like a vegetable sorting machine, which is harder for a bank to resell, should the farmer default. All of these factors raise risk and can lead a bank to deny a loan.

So what’s the solution? Try reevaluating what it takes to fulfill the five Cs. It’s the methodology behind two programs—Emerging Markets and Grow a Farmer—from two sources whose novel approaches are changing the landscape of finance accessibility.

local-feast.org

The Grow a Farmer loan program helps small-scale farmers access low-interest, flexible-term loans. The funds don’t derive from a bank or farm credit cooperative, but rather are the result of community donations.

The program started in 2016 when the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) partnered with the Slow Money MN Network to launch the Grow a Farmer campaign. SMIF’s seed funding of $25,000 at Slow Money MN’s annual gathering kicked off a summer of fundraising that included house parties, a Barnraiser.com crowdfunder, and a Mud-Bucket challenge. Nearly $100,000 was raised from 240 individuals, businesses, and organizations.

In 2017, Hare and Tortoise Farm, an organic vegetable farm in Zumbro Falls, received the fund’s inaugural loan, which they used to scale-up operations, including building a waterway to reduce flooding. Grow a Farmer has since provided loans to a small poultry farm in Faribault and a mushroom producer in Kasota.

Grow a Farmer’s loan criteria include the five Cs of lending.

“We require collateral, credit sources and various things banks do but are more flexible in what we accept for collateral and are more lenient than a bank loan,” explains Marcia Haley, Small Business Administration Lending Director at SMIF who helps administer the funds. “We want to be good stewards of the money given to us to loan out, but we want to make it easier for small farmers and start-ups to get financing.”

Jan Joannides, Director of Renewing the Countryside, whose organization helped start the Slow Money MN Network, hopes to see this program replicated throughout the state: “Interest in local foods continues to grow,” she says, “and we are committed to developing mechanisms that ensure that those raising and making these foods can create desirable livelihoods, while those of us who love good food have meaningful and direct ways to invest in these businesses.” For more information on the Grow a Farmer fund, visit local-feast.org.

E X P LO R E LO CA L WINTER/SPRING EVENTS

VISIT A WINERY, CIDER HOUSE OR TAPROOM

Taste of Winneshiek, Decorah IA Feb. 1, 5-8pm Shop charming stores while sampling food, wine, coffees and micro-brews from the Driftless Region. visitdecorah.com/favorites/ taste-of-winneshiek

Discover the Upper Midwest’s many winery trails and regions MINNESOTA GRAPE GROWERS ASSOCIATION mngrapes.org IOWA WINE GROWERS ASSOCIATION iowawinegrowers.org/about/wineries-info/trails

Dinners on the Bluff, Lanesboro, MN Feb. 2, 5:00-8:30pm A three-course meal & presentation at picturesque Eagle Bluff Learning Center. eagle-bluff.org/top/dinners

Wisconsin Garden Expo, Madison, WI Feb. 8-10, Fri: 12-8pm, Sat: 9am-6pm & Sun: 10am-4pm This three-day, midwinter oasis celebrates gardening and landscaping with exhibits, demos, workshops and a market on Sunday, featuring farmers, food artisans and local food retailers.

WISCONSIN WINERY ASSOCIATION wiswine.com “The Growler” Magazine’s Land of 1,000 Drinks Map Interactive map of Minnesota’s craft breweries, wineries, cideries and distilleries.

LandOf10000Drinks.com

wigardenexpo.com

Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival, Des Moines, IA Feb. 16 Celebrate all things bacon at the event National Geographic named “Top Food Festival in Iowa.” blueribbonbaconfestival.com

Wisconsin Foodie Winter Smorgasbord & Fundraiser, Milwaukee, WI Feb. 18, 11:00am-5:00pm Sample Wisconsin’s finest cheeses, meat, beers, spirits and attend master classes, featuring top chefs and local artisans.

CERVEJA FREE VECTOR PACK

wisconsinfoodie.com/events

Winter Beer Dabbler, St. Paul, MN Feb. 23, 2:30-6:30pm Sample over 150 local and regional brews at the biggest outdoor beer festival in Minnesota. beerdabbler.com

Chef in the Classroom Breakfast, Madison, WI March 2019 Join REAP at the Dane County Farmers’ Market Breakfast and enjoy a meal with Chefs Tory Miller and Lisa Jacobson. reapfoodgroup.org/chef-classroom-breakfast Taste of ‘Loo, Waterloo IA April 2019 Explore tastings and beer pairings throughout downtown Waterloo.

FILES FORMAT AI / EPS / SVG

mainstreetwaterloo.org/taste

Minnesota Cider Week & Festival, Minneapolis, MN Cider Week: June 2-8, Festival: June 8 A week-long celebration ending with a festival featuring local, national and international ciders at the only MN festival devoted to cider. mnciderguild.org

FIND A FARMERS MARKET OR CSA Rochester, MN Downtown Farmers Market — Winter Markets Graham Park (Olmsted County Fairgrounds) 9:00am - noon Nov. 3, 10, 17; Dec. 8, 15, 22; Jan. 12, 26, Feb. 9, 23; Mar. 9, 23, Apr. 6, 20 www.rochfarmmkt.org

State Farmers Market Directories Minnesota: mfma.org; minnesotagrown.com

USDA CSA Directory ams.usda.gov/ local-food-directories/ csas

Wisconsin: wifarmersmarkets.org Iowa: bit.ly/IAFarmMarkets

FOOD & AGRICULTURE CONFERENCES Practical Farmers of Iowa Annual Conference, Ames, IA Jan. 17-19 This event includes farmer-to-farmer learning, short courses, in-depth workshops, networking and grassroots solutions to on-farm challenges for a more diverse, sustainable agricultural landscape. practicalfarmers.org/news-events/events/annual-conference MOSES Organic Farming Conference, La Crosse, WI Feb. 21-23 The largest organic and sustainable farming event in the U.S., offering workshops, keynotes, roundtables, and a resource-packed exhibit hall with over 170 vendors. mosesorganic.org/conference

Minnesota Organic Conference, Saint Cloud, MN Jan. 10-11 The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) hosts this conference and trade show for farmers and others interested in organic agriculture. Join us for two days of networking, learning, and great food. mda.state.mn.us/environment-sustainability/minnesota-organic-conference

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Best of the Best

With so much good food at FEAST!, picking a favorite is nearly impossible. That’s why, in 2016, we created the People’s Choice Award, to let the power of the people decide who is the Best of the Best. Cast your ballot for the 2018 winner at this year’s festival.

You could win a local foods gift basket!

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d M oca o o l C f Honors have also been granted behind A the R scenes at FEAST’s A L K tradeshow. Be sure to check out these winners: E T P 2016 Ready-to-Grow Minnesota: Kakookies 2016 Outstanding Wisconsin Vendor: B&E’s Trees 2016 Outstanding Iowa Vendor: O’Brien’s Own Granola 2017 Buyer’s Choice Minnesota: Grandma’s Gourmets 2017 Buyer’s Choice Wisconsin: Alsum Sweet Corn 2017 Buyer’s Choice Iowa: Agri-Cultured Foods

Stay tuned to FEAST! social media —on Friday, Nov. 30 we’ll announce this year’s industry awards, including three new categories: Most Innovative Local Sourcing • Most Inspiring Social Benefit • Most Engaging Booth

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@Local_Feast

LocalFeast

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d M oca o o l C f AR KETPLA

2016 People’s Choice: K-Mama Sauce 2017 People’s Choice (tie): Mama Stoen’s 2017 People’s Choice (tie): Millner Heritage Winery

ENJOY FOODS PRODUCED

LOCALLY IN OUR COMMUNITIES

© 2018 Mayo Clinic

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Wherever your path leads,

WE’RE WITH YOU. Agriculture isn’t just a market we serve. It’s what we’re founded on. It’s who we are. And if your farm is a non-traditional operation marketing directly to consumers, or through local and regional food systems, we can help with a broad range of financial products to meet your unique needs. Let’s get started today.

Paul Dietmann

Sr. Lending Officer (608) 963-7763 Paul.Dietmann@compeer.com

Sai Thao

Lending Officer (612) 597-4086

COMPEER.COM/EmergingMarkets (844) 426-6733

Sai.Thao@compeer.com

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Compeer Financial, ACA is an Equal Credit Opportunity Lender and Equal Opportunity Provider. ©2018 All rights reserved.