..and welcome from The Local Growers.
Here you will find the stories about those individuals who grow food and make products locally.
These are some of the people I’ve met while looking for good foods - locally grown foods.
I know their journey. It’s one I experienced growing up on our family farm in West Central Minnesota. That farm was diversified. In other words, we raised several things - crops, hogs, dairy and chickens.
Our meals featured the garden produce my mom harvested, canned and froze and the meat, eggs and dairy products we raised.
It was wholesome food!
While I don’t live on that farm anymore, I am always on the search for locally grown foods. I invite you to join me in this great journey.
Let’s go!
Rick Abrahamson of Fergus Falls raises micro greens in his Fergus Falls, MN home. He uses grow lights to nurture the trays of micro greens. Recently, Rick and his wife, Christine, purchased the former Bluebird Gardens property where they are raising hanging baskets and other plants that will be sold with the micro greens at the Fergus Falls, MN Farmers Market.
Rick and Sharon Julian own and operate Lake Ida Apple Farm near Lake Park, MN. Their U-Pick operation features Nine varieties of apple trees and over 40 varieties of crab apples which are ready for picking from August until October. They have more than 200 trees and also grow asparagus.
Rhubarb Torte and Peach Cream Pie were the desserts Shawn and Dave Schneeberger brought to our Locally Grown Meal. True to our local meal challenge, the two sourced ingredients from the area including Millerville Co-Op Creamery Butter, Swany White Flour and eggs purchased from a six-year-old who is using the egg money to buy a splash pad. The desserts were flavorful and not too sweet or too tart. Just right.
Spareribs and roasted vegetables were featured in our Locally Grown Meal. The spareribs came from Haffner Family Farm. Every item served had a story of where it came from and who grew it. A great connection between the food we eat and local growers.
It was a first for Leon: pan fry cheese curds, but these curds were a great part of our appetizers. Made with fresh cheese curds from Redhead Creamery with bacon from Haffner Family Farm, it was great served with locally sourced salad and a cheese and meat board with cheeses from Redhead Creamery and Fruitful Seasons Dairy.
Haffner Family Farm is a diverse family farm raising pork, beef, sheep, turkeys and chickens and selling meat cuts and meat bundles. Spareribs and bacon from Haffner Family Farm was used in our Locally Grown Meal.
Noreen Thomas and her furry friend live near Moorhead, MN on a certified organic farm. Noreen and her husband, Lee, raise organic crops and have added value to their crops by selling items like oat groats, pearled barley, rolled oats and more on their website’s online store. doubtingthomasfarm.com.
The conversation flowed as we sipped local wines, enjoyed local meats and cheeses for appetizers, relished the entrees of roasted vegetables and grilled spareribs and savored desserts of peach pie and rhubarb torte. There’s nothing like a Locally Grown Meal shared with friends.
Leon is our personal chef for our Local Growers Meal.
We had another locally sourced meal last night with Shawn and Dave Schneeberger joining us. It was also National Personal Chef day and Leon was honored by us all with special gifts and many thanks for a wonderful meal!
Thanks, Leon!
Sarah Thacker is a self-taught bread baker who started making sourdough during stay-at-home orders during the height of COVID-19. She made her first loaf a year ago and once she started, she couldn’t stop. She started her cottage food industry business Pass the Bread last October and takes orders via her Pass the Bread Facebook page and on Instagram.
Emily McCune operates a cottage food business, Sugar High Bakery and Confections. She also makes infused edibles. Her focus is on local. She sources local flours, sweeteners and goods for her baking.
Meet the cook! Leon cooked a meal of Local Growers vegetables and meats and what a meal it was!
Need a gift idea? Local growers offer many gift giving options. Check it out.
