More photos from our Diffley story

Here are some photo outtakes from our recent story (May-June 2012 Edible Twin Cities) on Atina and Martin Diffley and Atina's new book, "Turn Hwere Sweet Corn." Beth Dooley authored the Edible article, and calls Atina's memoir a farm journal, a scientific treatise, a love story, and a legal thriller.

St. Paul launches local food website

The City of St. Paul launched a Healthy and Local Food website today (May 16) to advance the city’s efforts in supporting and encouraging the production of healthy, sustainable, locally-grown food.

The website covers topics from urban food production and proposed zoning changes to information on permits and an inventory of community kitchens and more. It was launched on the same day the St. Paul City Council accepted a report from the St. Paul-Ramsey County Food and Nutrition Commission that recommends the expansion of economic and infrastructure development for urban agriculture.

“St. Paul is a national leader in sustainable living, and access to locally-grown food is an important part of that. By supporting local food production, we support the health of our economy, the health of our environment, and the health of our residents,” Mayor Chris Coleman said.

“There are a growing number of community organizations and individuals doing important work on local food issues – from food security and access to urban farming and backyard gardening. St. Paul is pleased to be a partner in these efforts and expects that the new website will serve as an easy entry point for residents and businesses interested in healthy local food,” St. Paul City Councilmember Russ Stark added.

The commission’s report draws connections between food access, public health, economic development and equity. Its recommendations include expanding urban farming, enhancing local food quality, and integrating the promotion of healthy, local food systems into St. Paul’s government policies and practices.

The new website can be found at http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=4811

From Edible: Ries on locavore snacks

Elizabeth Ries talks about her go-to locavore snack standby and also offers a recipe for black bean dip in the May-June issue of Edible Twin Cities magazine.

Ries, pictured here in a photo by Celia Davis, is the co-host of KSTP-TV’s “Twin Cities Live” show and a devotee of local foods.

Also, check out her classic snack combination of blue cheese and honey. “The light floral flavor of the honey cuts the sharp and salty cheese,” she advises in her article.

Her TV show can be seen weekdays at 3 p.m. on Channel 5.

The May-June Edible can be found at many food co-ops, farmers’ markets, restaurants and more.

Farming the focus of May 16 book event

The future of farming will be discussed 7-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 16, at Common Good Books in St. Paul, where you can hear two young farmers read excerpts from the new book “Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers' Movement,” and Atina Diffley will read from her new book, “Turn Here, Sweet Corn,” followed by discussion.

“Greenhorns: 50 Dispatches from the New Farmers' Movement” showcases the perspectives of first-generations farmers. The stories in this book speak to the challenges and rewards of earning a living off the land, embracing risks, and feeding local communities -- all while maintaining a profound respect for the earth. Contributing essayists Katie Godfrey and Andrew French will share their experiences farming in the upper Midwest.

French and his wife Khaiti operate a small vegetable CSA and raise ducks, chickens, turkeys, goats, pigs, and rabbits on 39 acres in the rolling hills of west central Wisconsin. Andrew wrote the essay titled "Two Pigs and True Love."

Godfrey spent three years working on various organic farms in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin and is currently a Minnesota GreenCorps member at St. Paul Parks and Recreation, where she recently completed a land inventory to find vacant land for urban food production. Her essay is called "The Gift."

The Greenhorns is a grassroots non-profit organization made up of young farmers and many collaborators. Their mission is to recruit, promote, and support the new generation of young farmers.

Diffley’s memoir “Turn Here Sweet Corn” is a lesson in entrepreneurship, a love story, and a legal thriller, all in one book. Diffley is an organic vegetable farmer who now educates consumers, farmers, and policymakers about organic farming through the consulting business Organic Farming Works LLC, which she owns with her husband, Martin. From 1973 through 2007, the Diffleys owned and operated Gardens of Eagan, one of the first certified organic produce farms in the Midwest.

Common Good Books’ new location is 38 S. Snelling. For more information go to  http://www.commongoodbooks.com/event/atina-diffley-katie-godfrey-and-andrew-french-discuss-future-farming

Arboretum hosts evening with Langton

You can spend an evening with Brenda Langton at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska on Thursday, May 10, for a launch event of her newest cookbook, “The Spoonriver Cookbook.”

The program, themed "Journey to Spoonriver: One Chef's Adventures in Fabulous Cooking," will run from 7 to 9 p.m., during which Langton will recount her gastronomic journey.  

For more than 35 years, Langton has been one of the most recognizable guiding lights of Twin Cities organic dining, from the earliest days at the Commonplace Cooperative Restaurant to her award-winning establishments Cafe Kardamena, the beloved Cafe Brenda and now Spoonriver restaurant.

Langton will trace her journey as a chef, which includes years spent as one of the leaders in making organic and predominantly vegetarian dishes taste fabulous. In 2006, she opened Spoonriver and founded the Mill City Farmers Market. She is a senior fellow at the Center for Spirituality and Healing at the University of Minnesota and an educator and consultant on healthy eating.

During this exclusive evening, participants will get a taste of her favorites and learn what goes into developing new recipes.

“The Spoonriver Cookbook,” co-authored by Margaret Stuart and pictured here, will be available for purchase and signing. A cash bar will also be available. The event is $10 for Arboretum members and $15 for non-members (which includes gate admission). Call 952-443-1422 or online at www.arboretum.umn.edu/learn.aspx for more information and registration.

St. Paul looking at its urban-ag regulations

Following closely on the heels of Minneapolis, the city of St. Paul is considering regulation changes that would promote the production and distribution of healthy, locally grown food.

To that end, the St. Paul Planning Commission has prepared an Urban Agriculture Zoning Study and will take public comment on its recommendations during a public hearing at 8:30 a.m. June 1 at the City Hall Conference Center in St. Paul. The comments may further revise the study, which will later be submitted to the city council for review.

The city council in 2009 pledged to look at city policies regarding healthy, locally grown food, and the study – initiated by the planning commission last fall – is an outgrowth of that.

City staff looked at nationwide best practices to come up with several recommendations. Among them are changes in city code that would expand the definition of agricultural uses and therefore allow more community gardens, farmers’ markets, aquaponics operations, and hoop houses, under certain conditions.

The Minneapolis City Council OK’d a number of zoning amendments in March that accomplish many of the same objectives being studied in St. Paul.

More information about the St. Paul study is at http://www.stpaul.gov/index.aspx?NID=3441

Co-ops combine on big FoodShare donation

Twin Cities-area food co-ops combined on the third most successful corporate drive for the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign – for the third year in a row, according to a press release from the Mississippi Market Natural Foods Co-op.

When monetary and foodstuff donations were combined, area co-op member-owners and shoppers donated a total of 91,422 dollars/pounds of food to food shelves during the drive.

Overall, the Minnesota FoodShare campaign in March raised almost $8.5 million in monetary donations and 4.4 million pounds of food. Minnesota FoodShare says its March campaign is the largest food drive in the state and restocks 300 food shelves across Minnesota.

This is the third year that food co-ops all over the Twin Cities metro area joined forces to raised funds and food for the FoodShare campaign, a program of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches. Participating co-ops included Eastside Co-op, Lakewinds Natural Foods, Mississippi Market, Seward Co-op, The Wedge, Valley Natural Foods, Linden Hills Co-op, Just Food Co-op, Saint Peter Food Co-op, and River Market.

Coming: Linden Hills Farmers Market

The Linden Hills Farmers Market will begin its inaugural season on Sunday, June 3, and continue each Sunday through Oct. 28. The market will be located in the heart of "downtown" Linden Hills in the parking lot of Settergren's Linden Hills Ace Hardware, 2813 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis

The market will be open every Sunday, rain or shine, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The founder of the Linden Hills Farmers Market (LHFM) is well-known chef and restaurateur Steven Brown, co-owner of Tilia and a Linden Hills resident.

“We want to embrace the wonderful sense of community in Linden Hills while providing quality farmers and artisans an opportunity to reach a customer base that truly supports the hard work and ethos these people embody,” Brown said. “We also believe any event that brings friends and neighbors together is a positive one that will enhance our community.

"With a range of producers from well-known poultry farm Callister to first-time sustainable farmer Ariel Pressman of Seed to Seed, Linden Hills Farmers Market will provide farmers and neighbors alike a venue to meet, exchange, and learn about the value buying and selling locally brings to a community.”

The farmers’ market will hold a number of family events such as chef and garden demos, weekly music, cooking for kids, face painting and crafts.

A portion of LHFM proceeds will be donated to Project Homeless Connect, a non-profit provider of services that aims to end homelessness one person at a time. LHFM is also providing a free booth to promote bike riding in the community.

The market manager is Kate Ostheimer, whom Brown originally met in 2008 when she volunteered to help him make pickles. Ostheimer can be reached at (612) 345-0946 or [email protected].

Minnesota Grown names top retailers

Winners of the first “Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year Awards” were announced Thursday at the Minnesota Grocers Association’s annual industry luncheon in Bloomington.

Awards were presented by Minnesota Grown spokesperson Carrie Tollefson and Jamie Pfuhl, president of the Minnesota Grocers Association.

Winners were recognized in three categories:

• Single Store: Mackenthun’s Fine Foods, located in Waconia

• Retail Group of 9 Stores or Less: Festival Foods

• Retail Group of 10 or More Stores: Lunds and Byerly’s

Tollefson, a U.S. Olympian, says the stores did a first-class job of promoting Minnesota Grown products.

“As the spokesperson for the Minnesota Grown program, it’s my job to encourage people to buy Minnesota Grown products. It’s an honor to be able to recognize the grocers who have done the best job of making it easy for their customers to buy these locally grown foods,” she said.

Winning entries were selected based on the number of Minnesota Grown products and the number of Minnesota farmers that the grocer carried. Judges also considered how the grocer promoted these products to their customers through ads, displays and the use of promotional venues like Facebook pages and other social media channels. And 10 percent of the points were awarded based on fan voting on the Minnesota Grown Facebook page.    

In addition to a commemorative plaque, winners receive the exclusive rights to use the “Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year” logo in their ads and displays for the next year.

Exec. chef for Bartmann restaurants named

Bruno Oakman has been named executive chef for the Kim Bartmann family of Minneapolis restaurants, including Barbette, Bryant Lake Bowl, Pat’s Tap, Red Stag Supperclub, Gigi’s Café, and the Bread & Pickle concession stand at Lake Harriet.

Oakman, pictured at right, began his culinary career as a line cook with Chef Paul Laubignat at La Marina Restaurant in Waconia in the western Twin Cities area.  As part of a two-cook team he quickly worked his way through the kitchen while attending culinary school.  Positions at Tobie’s Tavern with Chef Tobie Nidetz and a second stint with Paul at Paul’s Brasserie followed.

He spent the next few years in Chetek, Wis. at Canoe Bay, a Rexeau & Chatue property.  Stops at the stoves of Bice in Palm Beach, Fla., and The Woodbox on Nantucket Island followed.

After his time away, Oakman returned to Minnesota as chef at Pazzaluna in St. Paul.  After spending two years “across the river” he was offered the opportunity to cook with Chef Seth Bixby-Daugherty as part of the opening team for Cosmos Restaurant and the Graves 601 Hotel.  Time with Lunds and Byerly’s followed.

As executive chef, he will act as a resource for the chefs at each location, helping to increase the number of local food ingredients used by the restaurants, and forging new relationships with growers, according to a press release. Other project include building the Bryant Lake bowl picnic catering business, helping with the kitchen design for the Gigi’s Café remodel, and organizing the post-remodel commissary bakery at Gigi’s.

Scout’s work results in governor’s garden

The latest newsletter from the Sustainable Farming Association notes that the Minnesota governor’s residence at 1006 Summit Ave. in St. Paul now sports a small vegetable garden, thanks to an Eagle Scout project completed last year by Mark Johnson, pictured with Gov. Mark Dayton.

Mary Jane Miller, an SFA member who has been a part of the Governor’s Residence Council, charged with overseeing care of the property, picks up the story from there:

“The little raised beds were very productive. The chef put up pickles, frozen beans and tomatoes, and served lots of pretty salads. The governor found the garden an easy topic to talk about at state dinners. Green beans are pretty good at bridging political gaps.

“The gardener at the residence had a new baby last summer and made an effort to garden as organically as possible. She welcomed SFA’s advice on how to achieve that in such an important public space.  

“This year, we have been asked to expand the garden, and our chapter heartily accepted. The size of the garden will more than double. We are also writing a few paragraphs about the garden for inclusion in the property’s brochure and website. SFA is also providing volunteer docents to be on hand during the summer tours to spread the good word about growing and eating fresh local food.  

“We will be working on the new space in the next few weeks. The residence is open for free public tours six times throughout the summer. Stop by and see what we’ve been up to.”

Farmers markets focus of new exhibit

Mill City Museum is hosting a new exhibit from April 19 to July 22. The exhibit, "Growing Strong: How Farmers Markets Nourish People, Communities and the Planet," celebrates the unique confluence of community aspiration, cultural exchange and economic activity popularly known as the farmers market.

It also responds to an extraordinary resurgence in the number of farmers markets nationwide – from only 1,755 in 1994 to more than 7,000 today. While supporting renewed interest in sustainable farming and local food, the exhibit suggests that farmers markets help fill a growing desire to make our communities more connected, livable and vibrant.

The exhibit focuses on four theme areas:

• Healthy People – encouraging healthy food choices and lifestyles.
• Fresh Food for Everyone – expanding access to fresh, local foods.
• Urban-Rural Connection – cultivating relationships among food growers, consumers and farmland.
• Economic Opportunit – supporting thriving community businesses and connecting innovation with opportunity.  

Each theme area is explored through personal stories, statistics, and quotes alongside contemporary and historic market images. Examples include:

• Growers and market vendors such as Mhonpaj and May Lee of Mhonpaj’s Garden; Deanna Stanchfield and Scott Jentink of Swede Lake Farms/Global Garlic.
• Non-profit organizations like Second Harvest Heartland and Farmers Legal Action Group.
• Market managers from around the state.
• Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and farmers market food access initiatives, including Market Bucks and EBT.
• Small businesses started at farmers markets such as Gorkha Palace and Ames Farm

A public opening reception will be held Thursday, April 19, from 7 to 9 p.m. Dr. Marc Manley, vice president and chief prevention officer at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, will deliver remarks at 8 p.m. A cash bar will be available and music will be performed by Light of the Moon. The exhibit is located in the museum’s central Mill Commons and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours.

"Growing Strong" was created by North Node Consulting in partnership with Avant Garden Photography, Kidzibits, Renewing the Countryside and Hello Industries. Primary funding for this project was provided by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota with additional support provided by the General Mills Foundation, Wedge Co-op, and Seward Co-op.

Farm Bill’s impact on Twin Cities discussed

U.S. Sen. Al Franken’s staff will hold a “Farm Bill Nutrition Listening Tour” in the Twin Cities this month to discuss how the federal Farm Bill that’s being debated would affect metro-area residents.

Almost three-fourths of the dollars which the Farm Bill funds each year go toward food and nutrition programs, such as school meals and hunger assistance. School and nutrition programs, in addition to public health, will be among the topics discussed at the meetings, which will be led by the Minnesota Democrat’s agriculture advisor, Al Juhnke.

The meetings, free and open to the public, will be held:

• Wednesday, April 18, at 10 a.m. at the Friends in Need Food Shelf, 255 E. 3rd St., St. Paul;

• Wednesday, April 18, at 4 p.m. at the Eagan Resource Center Pantry, 3904 Cedar Grove Pkwy., Eagan;

• Thursday, April 19, at 3:30 p.m., at Crossroads Elementary School, 543 Front Ave., St. Paul; and

• Friday, April 20, at 10 a.m. at The Farmstead Senior Living, 13742 Marigold St., Andover.

Those attending are asked to RSVP by e-mailing [email protected] or calling (651) 221-1016.