Local Food

Caroline Houghton of Carobeans knew that she was serious about chocolate when she bought her own melanger to grind cocoa beans into chocolate. Carobeans is an artisan bean to bar chocolatier based in St Louis Park, MN.

Tahir Sandhu and Gwen Williams of St. Cloud, Minnesota’s Artisan Naan Bakery found that the easiest way to eat the naan and other flatbreads they enjoyed was to make it themselves.  “We started the bakery for purely selfish reasons,” laughed Gwen. “My husband was quite dissatisfied, and had been for years, with the frozen naan, roti and pita that we found in stores.” 

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farms and businesses are real life examples of individuals collaborating at the local level to support the common good and build thriving communities. Through the CSA model a farm becomes the community’s farm. 

“Love on a Plate…” is the Strudel Haus’s slogan. This passion project has become 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 makes this strudel business possible.

At Little Curly Pig Farm, all sales are direct from the farm. Michelle offers full and half shares as well as individual cuts. Unique items such as bones, heads, organs, and the fat itself are all available. She also sells breeding stock and feeder pigs.

Jenny Casper relaunched Fiddlesticks Bakery, her Eagan cottage bakery, in the fall of 2023 with gluten-free celiac-friendly cinnamon rolls.