St. Paul's X2 Pastries is a “hustle of love” according to Xiong Xiong. “We get to bake for ourselves, the products we think are the most delicious and delightful, and we then share it with all of you.” 

For Emma Crutcher of Cool Trash in South Minneapolis other people’s trash is literally her treasure.  Emma discovered the Precious Plastic project, which was founded in 2013. This project hosts a suite of open source plans to build machines to recycle plastic on a small scale. “This movement challenges us to think about plastic as a valuable resource for building and creating,” explained Emma.

Carline looks forward to continuing building her village of fellow foodies. She started a newsletter “Get to Know Those Who Serve” to highlight the contributions of people working to bring positive change. “I want to promote others doing good. We all need to lift each other up,” shared Carline. “At the core of my being, I’m a natural giver. Giving back was the mission at Medtronic. It’s something that I took with me after retiring. It’s all about leaving a legacy where people will remember you because of what you did.”

“Love on a Plate…” is the Strudel Haus’s slogan. This passion project became a growing business for Eagan’s Tom Ruhland and his family. Everyone involved literally brings something to the table thanks to the positive energy and creativity that brings these strudels to your table.

Welcoming visitors of all ages, Nate and Tracy enjoy being a destination for multigenerational families, fermentation aficionados, or day trippers just looking for a change of scenery — their front porch, also known as the Keepsake Cider Tasting Room, truly is a family-friendly site.

That education piece allows Jessica to be a representative and advocate of agriculture. “I especially want people to know that each cut of beef, each pound of hamburger is a long time in the making.” Your hamburger patty starts with the soil. The better the soil conditions, the more nutritionally dense the corn, grasses, and hay that feed the cattle.