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Ever think of drinking as an agricultural act? T Ever think of drinking as an agricultural act? The founding of America’s only certified Bee-Friendly Farm Distillery began with a homework assignment. Cheri Reese and Mike Swanson, owners of @farnorthspirits , were living in St. Paul following careers in marketing and communications. Mike was pursuing an MBA from the University of St. Thomas where his entrepreneurial class project included a business plan for a distillery that grew its own grain. A few years later, Cheri and Mike moved to his family farm in Minnesota’s Red River Valley where the Swansons have farmed since 1917. There, they planted rye and corn in the midst of longstanding wheat, soybean, and canola fields. They also built a distillery. “Sometimes it feels like that scene from Field of Dreams where they plowed the corn under to build the baseball field,” says Cheri of the distillery they named Far North–a tribute to its remote location 25 miles from the Canadian border. It’s unique enough for a distiller to make spirits using locally-sourced grains but for that maker to grow the grain themselves is extremely rare. To develop the best rye for their whiskey, Far North partnered with a small-grains specialist at the University of Minnesota. “We taste-tested the varieties with about 200 people from all over the country. The study helped us definitively answer ‘yes’ to the question: ‘does the rye variety alone affect whiskey’s flavor?’” Far North’s pursuit of incredible spirits doesn’t stop there. Their commitment to agriculture also includes certified, sustainable farming practices that promote soil health and ecological diversity. “There’s a lot of smoke and mirrors in this business,” says Cheri. “We actually grow the grain and distill it ourselves. We know our grain and have chosen it intentionally. We’re changing the conversation about how whiskey is made.” Full article and a recipe for “The Farmer’s Handshake” in Vol 8 of @localfeast magazine. Links at meettheminnesotamakers.com Join Cheri and Mike in their Scandinavian-inspired tasting room in Hallock or meet them at FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace, Nov 1 in Rochester.
Feast! on these numbers!! (There’s still one mi Feast! on these numbers!! (There’s still one missing!) *82 food and non-alcoholic beverage booths from Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. *17 unique craft alcohol makers under one roof. *500 limited-edition commemorative glasses *5 cooking demos *1 bag check *15 volunteers at bag and bottle check *60 dedicated volunteers for the full festival *143 volunteer hours *$0 admission for kids 12 and under *10 giveaways throughout the day *800 limited edition tote bags *4400 public parking spaces *5000+ miles Our vendors have made Rochester their destination for Saturday, November 1. Collectively they are traveling more than 5000 miles from all over Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin to meet you and bring you their hand-crafted products. What will they bring? Snacks, Sauces and Seasonings, Meat and Poultry; Cheese & Dairy products, Bakery and Grains; Non-alcoholic Beverages including Coffee & Tea; Confections, honey & syrups; Fermented/probiotic/wellness; and Plant-based proteins *Our missing number…. YOU! We have built it. You should come. This is a great event for families, friends and foodies of all ages. We guarantee that you will find something new to love. Join us Saturday, November 1 from 10am-4pm at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, MN. There’s still time to grab a volunteer spot for free admission and a 2025 t-shirt—find the link at local-feast.org/festival. Get tickets in advance for a discount at https://www.local-feast.org/buytickets until 6pm Friday 10/31, or at the door.#meetthemnmakers #mn #mnfood #minnesota #mnmade #mnfoodie #mnsmallbusiness #knowyourfarmer #localfeast #mnroadtrip #shopmn
This story starts with a couple of 25 gallon fish This story starts with a couple of 25 gallon fish tanks in a St. Olaf dorm room. Swipe through to see the real fish tank in action! Ian Roback founded Owatonna-based Clear Water Nitrate Reduction from the results of an independent research project in his dorm room. Having expanded from a few fish to entire fields of corn, CWNR offers solutions in wood debris utilization, biochar expertise and water quality. You need a very large carbon source to soak up the nutrients coming off the farms’ fields. Instead of disposing of wood waste in landfills, it can be chipped and put into use in Clear Water Nitrate Reduction’s practices. CWNR works with local Soil and Water Conservation Districts and local contractors for installation. Once in place, the system can be left untouched for ten years. When removed the wood waste can actually be reused as fertilizer or compost. “I’m very happy that we have solutions that create real large-scale impact. I’m always proud whenever we finish a project and get the results back for testing. We see that it makes a huge impact. Just a few years ago I was just saying that I hope I can do this,” shares Ian. “Whenever we do a project we’re benefitting our client as well as the community as a whole.” CWNR is a graduate of the 2023 cohort of the @ruralbusinessinnovationlab. Founded by @ceda_usa , RBIL is a cohort-based, entrepreneurial program that redefines the narrative of rural decline. Ian emphasized the power of seeing other entrepreneurs’ struggles. “It can be really easy to feel alone in agriculture  because everything is geographically spaced out,” explains Ian. “We’re trying to create innovation in areas that may be rooted in convention. RBIL has helped me learn how to clearly market our brand to make connections. I feel like I am moving towards a more unified image of the company. This has been especially helpful.” Visit https://nitratereduction.com to see how Clear Water’s program would work at  your farm. Post nine of nine in this rural business series! Full feature at meettheminnesotamakers.com
For this Minnesota small business, apples are the For this Minnesota small business, apples are the “core” for building community. Nick Revoir of Annandale’s @simpleciderco produces single-ingredient pressed apple juice. That juice is his key for creating community connections, especially among families with young children. Nick’s vision is that the adults can be an adult just as much as the kids can be kids within their cidery. Simple Cider Co will be a playground for all ages. “We are an apple juice provider right now and we hope to start a cidery that helps eliminate the social isolation of having young children.” “Half of our company is about the apples. The other half is the space,” explains Nick. “The space will be for all generations of a family. It will be a place of wonder. It will be built as a safe place for the kids to be themselves while adult friends connect.” It starts with their farmers market stand. The Simple Cider Co booth invites passersby with hula hoops, a picnic table with crayons and a chair for adults. “We invite people to come sit down for a minute, let your kid play and just exist,” says Nick. “We make our corner of the farmers market a community space for a few hours.” Simple Cider Co is a graduate of the 2024 cohort of the @ruralbusinessinnovationlab. Founded by @ceda_usa RBIL is a cohort-based, entrepreneurial program that redefines the narrative of rural decline. Working with RBIL coaches shortened their timeline of building their space. “When I think about anyone starting anything new, it’s sometimes that prod behind you saying, ‘Come on, don’t stop. Keep going. We want to see that space be real. We know you want to do it,’ that makes all the difference.” Nick observed the tremendous value of connecting with the other members of his cohort, “There’s this strange magic when you get makers together that is a beacon of wishing everyone else success and ‘giving away’ your processes and secrets to enrich each others’ lives!” Enjoy Simple Cider Co at the Annandale Farmers Market and the Maple Lake Makers and Growers Market. Visit https://www.simpleciderco.com Post eight of nine in this rural business series. Full feature meettheminnesotamakers.com
Family-Friendly Fall Fun! Our first visit to the Family-Friendly Fall Fun! Our first visit to the @greatpumpkintrail was an adventure. While we were there we: *danced through an interactive laser web *hopped along a lighted stepping stone trail *admired hundreds of creatively-sculpted pumpkins *frolicked through a lighted tunnel of pumpkins *admired the seasonally-festive Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe *took advantage of the creative photo stops *enjoyed the fresh air and time together as a family. Pinehaven Farm in Wyoming is the home of the Great Pumpkin Trail. Conveniently located just off of I-35 north of St Paul, this is a destination designed to entertain all ages. Before or after your trail walk (about a half mile on packed gravel), enjoy sweet and savory treats from food trucks, stop in the Beer Garden, warm yourself at the bonfires, and select pumpkins or hay bales for your home display. The Great Pumpkin Trail is now open through November 2. Use code mnmakers50 for half off your weekday children’s tickets. Thanks to the @greatpumpkintrail for inviting us to explore your family-friendly fall wonderland!
A real live wool baroness! Theresa Bentz of @get A real live wool baroness! Theresa Bentz of @getbentzfarm builds an interactive agricultural experience in the hills outside Northfield. Grass-fed sheep battle invasive species, on-farm fiber art days encourage community, discard wool becomes garden food and two city kids experiment daily with their hypothesis about a different way to live. At the start, the farm focused on pasture-raised direct-to-consumer sheep and lamb meat sold at farmers markets. They raise their flock following sustainable practices of rotating pastures and allowing the sheep to browse a diverse array of plants. Their lamb is regularly on  Northfield’s Ole Store’s menu, including custom brats. Being recognized as an agricultural producer when the farm shifted into fiber arts proved to be a challenge. “I had to fight pretty hard to get into farmers markets and not be seen as a crafter,” states Theresa. “Textiles are agricultural products. We’ve largely become very disconnected from our textile production just like we have with large scale food production.” Theresa uses both wool from her flock and fleece purchased from shepherds throughout the region to create her signature products. “I love that I’ve become a producer of yarn in our industry,” smiles Theresa. “I enjoy having control over the end product. I get to collaborate to create something that people use.” Get Bentz is a graduate of the 2024 cohort of the @ruralbusinessinnovationlab . Founded by @ceda_usa , RBIL is a cohort-based, entrepreneurial program that redefines the narrative of rural decline. The content and interactions of the RBIL program helped Theresa recognize what she did and, perhaps even more importantly, what she did not want to do for their business. “The coaches at RBIL helped me push myself into areas where I didn’t think I was going to be comfortable,” says Theresa. “The coaches helped us sort out what parts of our business we wanted to scale up and what was as big as we want it to be.” Sign up for the newsletter at https://getbentzfarm.com Find Get Bentz at Linden Hills and Mill City Farmers Markets. Full feature at meettheminnesotamakers.com Post seven of nine in the rural business series.
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