Skip to content
  • Home
  • Meet The Makers
  • Recipes
  • Gift Guide
logo-meetminnesota
  • Maker Services
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Work With Me
logo-meetminnesota
  • Home
  • Meet The Makers
  • Recipes
  • Gift Guide
  • Maker Services
  • About
  • Contact Me
  • Work With Me

Stuffed Cookies

Most popular

  • One Pot Fresh Tomato Pasta

    September, 11

  • A Passion for Pie: Fruit & Grain Bakery Serves Both Savory and Sweet

    December, 8

  • Meet Minnesota’s Cottage Food Community: Breaking Down Barriers to Building a Registered Food Business

    October, 16

  • Nourish the World: Bridget O’Boyle’s Oh Soup!

    February, 2

  • From Kitchen Saucepan to Main Street Tasting Room: Sweet Haven Tonics’ Elevated Cocktail Adventure

    November, 29

  • Pettit Pastures: Regenerative Agriculture Becomes A Family Farming Tradition

    December, 13

  • A Hustle of Love: X2 Pastries Bakes Their Favorites for You

    February, 15

  • Shortie’s Sweets ‘n Treats: The Juicy Lucy of Minnesota Baked Goods

    Steph Krueger's stuffed cookies tip the scale at half a pound each. These creative flavor combos were her quarantine creation.

    READ MORE

Partners

Nashke Games Logo
Keepsake
inbound studio
Rural Innovation
Fives Pines Candle Co.
Fives Pines Candle Co.

Meet the Minnesota Makers

@meettheminnesotamakers

meettheminnesotamakers

*Connect with MN artists, farms, food & bev producers
*Gift guide, maker stories
*Website & Social media Coach
[email protected]
Here’s TEN Minnesota Makers to find at the MN Stat Here’s TEN Minnesota Makers to find at the MN State Fair: 1. The Bee Shed in the Horticulture Building with their seasonal honey varietals for sale. @shedthebee 2. Cool Trash in the Eco Experience Building on Wednesday, September 2 (TODAY!) talking about the power of plastics @cooltrashusa 3. Hazel Heart Farms in the Horticulture Building at the Forever Green Booth (find Michelle there on Wednesday the 2nd from 12pm-3pm to talk about local businesses using cover crops with delicious results) @hazelheartfarms l 4. Catch Chef Mimi at the Renewing the Countryside Demo Stage on Friday, September 4 @mimiscookingclass 5. Pick up Nashke Native Games at the Native Roots Trading Post in the West End Market @nashkenativegames 6. Stop by the second level of the Grandstand to find Sebesta Apothecary as part of the Grandma Skills booth @sebestaapothecary 7. Sample P&TY granola on Saturday the 5th from 11-5 at the Eco Experience Building with Renewing the Countryside @ptygranolaco 8. Find Gray Duck Candle Company at the west entrance of the Lee & Rose Warner Coliseum for odor-neutralizing candles @grayduckcandleco 9. Shop Good Graces prints and art books at the West End Market @shopgoodgraces 10. Spice up your life with SNS BBQ at Beissengers ACE Hardware Grilling Area on Machinery Hill. @sns_bbq These ten Minnesota Makers from the “Shop Minnesota” guide are sharing their products and spending their days at the Great Minnesota Get Together! Swipe through for our quick guide for where you can find these featured makers at the fair. Beyond the viral food lists, the fair is the place to discover all the creative Minnesotans who make our state an amazing place to be. We’re proud to have these makers as part of our “Shop Minnesota” guide. We’re excited to have you stop by in person to sample and see their products and meet them in person. Read more about their products and stories at https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/meet-the-makers-at-the-2026-minnesota-state-fair/ See you at the Fair!
Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time t Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time to shop local at Meet the Minnesota Makers. Our Shop Local series introduces the real makers, growers and doers from our “Shop Minnesota” guide and makers directory.   These are just some of the small business owners who make Minnesota an amazing place to be. 🥓Who: The Drager Family—founders of MTRY & Co and Orly’s Farm 💙Where: Mankato, MN 🐄What: Family-led business connecting family farms directly with consumers across the country for beef, pork, poultry, and cheese *A competitive family, at least in the kitchen and over the grill, whose pursuit of excellence drove them to develop their own line of craft, small batch bacon *An innovative business model that preserves the identity of individual family farms under an umbrella that helps everyone involved increase their visibility *Meat and cheese raised and processed in a way that supports our local rural economy *Freezer staples, corporate gifting, special treats, and lots of snack sticks (perfect for back to school!) 🐷How You Get Involved: Come learn about the MTRY’s local roots and farming philosophy this Saturday at the Farm at the Arb for our State Fair themed Taste Makers class https://arb.umn.edu/learn/taste-makers-fair *View their website for product listings and to meet their farm partners https://mtryco.com/ *Visit https://orlysfarm.com to discover what makes their bacon the main event, not a side dish. *Follow on @mtry_co on Facebook and Instagram. *Learn more about how this family-led business realized its mission of supporting other family farms at: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/meet-your-local-meat-mtry-co-delivers-community-for-consumers-and-producers/ *Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com and follow @meettheminnesotamakers to discover small business owners building community through their everyday missions. 💚Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time t Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time to shop local at Meet the Minnesota Makers. Our Shop Local series introduces the real makers, growers and doers from our “Shop Minnesota” guide and makers directory. These are just some of the small business owners who make Minnesota an amazing place to be. 💙Who: Missi Blue of Sturdiwheat 🏞️Where: Red Wing, MN 🌾What: Heritage business with a mission to improve soil and water sustainability while producing clean, simple bread, dessert and cake mixes *A pioneer for the Perennial Percent program as they incorporate 1% Kernza grain across their pancake mixes (Kernza is a perennial wheatgrass with a 12 foot root system that reduces soil erosion and improves water quality through its root filtering superpowers) *A Minnesota business that’s been based in downtown Red Wing for more than 80 years. Currently led by a mother daughter team. *Gluten free mixes that don’t feel like anything is missing *Many mixes only need water to create fresh, flavorful breads, pancakes, and desserts—get everyone involved in the kitchen creations! 🥞How You Get Involved: Come learn about Sturdiwheat’s commitment to water quality and tasty products this Saturday at the Farm at the Arb for our State Fair themed Taste Makers class https://arb.umn.edu/learn/taste-makers-fair *View their website for product listings and retail partners (or to place an order yourself) https://www.sturdiwheat.com/ *Visit kernza.org to learn about this intermediate wheatgrass that’s changing waterways one field at a time. *Follow on @sturdiwheat on Facebook and Instagram. *Learn more about the modern steps this heritage company chooses each day: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/simple-clean-and-local-sturdiwheat-mixes-keep-it-simple/ *Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com and follow @meettheminnesotamakers to discover small business owners building community through their everyday missions. 💚Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time t Know your Neighbors. It’s always the right time to shop local at Meet the Minnesota Makers. Our Shop Local series introduces the real makers, growers and doers from our “Shop Minnesota” guide and makers directory.   These are just some of the small business owners who make Minnesota an amazing place to be. 🧊Who: Andrew Kasun of Leo’s Pops 💙Where: Eagan, MN 💕What: Mission-drive business concocting fruit-forward frozen treats with a distinctive crunch core *A father connecting with his son over taste and texture. Leo, the company’s namesake, navigates the world on the autism spectrum and firm and crunchy foods are on his yes list. *Made their debut at Eagan’s MarketFest winning over “popsicle fans” with their real fruit and juice bars that mix flavors and textures without artificial dyes or additives *Current cottage food business driven by a mission of inclusivity, love, and support for Leo and the broader special needs community. *A way for Leo to gain real-world work experience while establishing a support system for after Leo has graduated from his supportive school community 😋How You Get Involved: Visit Leo’s Pops Wednesday, August 26 at the their final Eagan MarketFest appearance of the year *View the current menu at leos-pops.square.site *Leo’s Pops would love to be a part of special events whether a family reunion or a corporate team building. Special orders will be available so that fans can still get their Island Zing or Summer Dreamin’ fix all year long. Simply email mailto:info@leospops.com to check availability or place an order. *Follow on Facebook @LeosPops or Instagram @leopopsmn *Learn more about the Kasun Family’s vision for growing Leo’s Pops after their initial market debut at: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/frozen-family-project-eagans-leos-pops-are-packed-with-possibility/ *Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com and follow @meettheminnesotamakers to discover small business owners building community through their everyday missions. Meet the Minnesota Makers is a news site that connects you to the local food, farms, artists and artisans that make Minnesota thrive.
Celebrate our local flavors and flair by supportin Celebrate our local flavors and flair by supporting local artists, artisans, farmers, and food and beverage producers. There are so many festivals and fairs throughout the state to enjoy! Find the makers from our gift guide and maker features across the state this weekend. Visit our gift guide to find out where your favorite makers will be. Farmers markets, of course, are a win right now. We’re in prime summer abundance. Stop by before you hit the grocery store to get some seasonal inspiration for your table. Bonus points if you bring your own bag or basket (it makes the hauling easier, saves resources, and looks chic too). Thank you for looking locally. What event is on your calendar this weekend? Tag it in the comments so we can add it to our list. P.S. Did you spot our new logo? We’re excited to share more about that with you soon.
I can’t stop thinking about @stephaniemarch — spec I can’t stop thinking about @stephaniemarch — specifically her “Which Came First” column in the July 2026 issue of @mspmag . The article doesn’t appear to be online. You’ll have to check your eye doctor’s waiting area or the magazine rack where you get your hair cut if you pass through periodicals in a more timely fashion than I do. In this installment of her regular column in the magazine March addresses the thorny issue of pricing. She refers to a pair of NYC chicken dishes that top $70 and $80 on their menus. These articles kicked off a debate “about why a chicken could, in fact, cost so much: sourcing good birds, the costs of paying a living wage, tariffs, inflation, rising rents, gentrification, balancing lost bar costs, the insane hunger for protein, all the things.” March’s article sets off alarm bells about the precarious position of those in the middle as we settle into a K-shaped economy. The middle is where many of our makers, growers, artists, producers, and innovators live. The squeeze of their bottom line, their narrow margins, and the challenge to compete against the sprawling behemoth promising same day delivery has consequences. There’s a conversation to be had about the actual cost of non-subsidized food grown by people in a real farm. There’s a conversation to be had about the pressures small businesses balance to keep their account sheets in the black. There’s a conversation to be had about the notion that you can find “it” cheaper on line. The middle is a place of ingenuity. It’s a space of neighborhood restaurants, the cottage baker you call for your kids’ birthdays, the artist you look for each summer at the fair to stock up on greeting cards. As March states in this article, “Costs matter no matter what shape the economy takes.” Your small business colleagues feel this squeeze. It drives them as they wear all the hats from chief marketing officer to customer support to make their business move forward. Maintaining the middle is a group effort. This is why I keep bringing the spotlight to our state’s makers, growers, and doers. I hope you’ll be there too.
Follow on Instagram

Sign up to receive Subscriber Discounts in the Meet the Minnesota Makers Newsletter!

Copyright © 2026 All Rights Reserved.

Page load link
Go to Top