EVENT edition!

We're eagerly counting down to the 6th Annual FEAST! Local Foods Marketplace festival, just ONE WEEK from today, on Saturday, Dec. 7th!

Keep reading for highlights on what's in store for #localfeast 2019, and make sure you follow us on social media if that's your thing!

COMFORT FOOD edition...

The cold weather is settling in—do you find yourself turning to comfort foods? Indulge in reading about Shokolate Haven and Fifth Season Food Cooperative, plus a preview of the artists bringing life-sized interactives to this year's festival! Also, a recap of this year's FEAST! Restaurant Week: do we need to re-define "comfort" when it comes to food? 

Check out the contest for a chance to win some delectable chocolate from Shokolate Haven!

Welcome to fall—it's the pumpkin spice edition!

Let's make the most of the farmers' markets we have left—have you preserved any of that harvest? If not, never fear: the food businesses of the region are GREAT at using that bounty for their artisan products.

This month we're sharing profiles on West Indies Soul Food and Open Hands Farm, and introducing you to a marketing partner, Hospitality Minnesota. Also, a preview of this year's FEAST! Restaurant Week—coming October 7-13! 

Speak your mind in this month's contest for a chance to win some awesome sauce from West Indies Soul Food!

Where did summer go?

Hopefully you're still enjoying summery days and plenty of fresh veggies, but we all know the cool nights are a harbinger...well, let's not say it! 

This month we're sharing profiles on Seven Sundays and Keepsake Cidery, introducing you to our partner, Agricultural Utilization Research Initiative, and letting you know about some great demos at the Minnesota State Fair (going on now!). And enter this month's contest—with a photo—to win a muesli variety pack from Seven Sundays!

Also: if you'd like to support the FEAST! Local Foods Magazine by placing an ad, the deadline has been extended to Aug. 30! 

We're in the "dog days!"

The term doesn't refer to actual dogs, but to a constellation: to the Greeks and Romans, the “dog days” occurred around the day when Sirius appeared to rise just before the sun, in late July. 

This month we're sharing profiles on CTL Foods, Casablanca Cuisine, Aspelund Winery, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, and a contest—and if you were waiting until the last minute to reserve ad space in the FEAST! Local Foods Magazine, now would be good...deadline is Aug. 12! 

Summer's bounty begins!

By now we've indulged in asparagus and rhubarb, and are awaiting much more to come! It's been a wet, late spring and our region's farmers are comparatively fortunate—many farmers south of us have a difficult year ahead recovering from flooded fields, which is a good reminder to be grateful for what we have.

This month we're sharing profiles on Wisconsin ginseng producer Heil Harvest, Fiddlehead Coffee Co., Midwest Elderberry Cooperative, and the Post Bulletin, plus a new contest for a chance to win a box of Heil Harvest ginseng tea! 
  

Bring on the May flowers, and outdoor Farmers Markets!

We deserve some pleasant weather and outdoor fun, at last, right?
This month we're sharing news about Valley View Farms, Bleu Duck Kitchen, Four Daughters Vineyard & Winery, and the City of Cannon Falls.

PLUS, contests have returned!
Read on for a chance to win swag from Rochester Farmers Markets! 
 

This just in: April snow also brings May flowers!

Okay, we're all ready for warm weather, fresh air, and outdoor activities, right? Check out Kakookies for a healthy grab and go snack, Cameo at the Castle for a special meal when you're too busy to cook, and check in with a local farm if you think you had a tough winter!

Spring IS coming!

Days are getting longer, and farms all over the region are busy as they nurture seedlings and prepare for the soil to come alive again. Hands in the air if you've signed up for a CSA already!
Spring is special in the Midwest— life 'springs' back even after a winter like this...
Scroll down to read about a worthy crowdfunding PIE opportunity on this Pi Day, plus some other good things cooking, growing, and coming soon!