You’re looking for a farmers market in your area – looking for some locally grown produce straight from the hardworking Minnesotans who grew it. Google can’t always help you sort through the madness of the internet. And sometimes the internet is wrong.
(Even though if it is on the internet, it must be true. That’s how this works, right?)
But, thankfully, there is a great solution for all of us looking to support our local farms and farmers: The 2018 Minnesota Grown Directory recently went live, featuring 1,000 members and boasting Minnesota agricultural products and services that are available directly from local farmers and farmers markets.
Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson recently discussed the benefits of the directory, saying, “Minnesota’s farmers offer a diverse range of quality products and the Minnesota Grown Directory is one of the best places to find local growers. Buying directly from farmers and farmers markets also helps ensure the economic vitality of communities across the state.”
Pretty useful in this age of overstimulation.
The directory is user-friendly, and allows for specific searches. For example, you can search by region, farm name, or product, including locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy items, wineries, nurseries, Christmas Trees, Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operations, and just about anything else you can think of.
This is highlighted by the following statement from Minnesota Grown Member Services Coordinator Karen Lanthier: “The 2018 Minnesota Grown Directory has a new, user-friendly design. The Directory is the first place customers go to look for local fresh produce, agritourism locations, or farmers markets, and now that information is easier to find than ever. The online, mobile-friendly versions of the Directory is another a great way to search for farms and farmers markets for customers on the move.”
The directory also offers learning features like the peak season for produce, tips on storing your finds, and even preparations ideas from some of Minnesota’s local chefs.
The educational outreach program of sponsor Minnesota Farmers Union, known as Minnesota Cooks, has once again contributed recipes from local chefs and restauranteurs. They have agreed to contribute recipes that celebrate Minnesota’s unique agricultural offerings; recipes such as Sen Yai Sen Lek’s Long Bean Salad utilizes a variety of freshly grown produce, while The Bluestem Restaurant offers a Bison Brisket Slider recipe using locally raised bison. Each region of the state has a featured recipe, brought to life by the lush photography of Katie Cannon.
For a free, printed copy of the Minnesota Grown Directory, visit the Minnesota Grown website, or call Explore Minnesota Tourism at 1-888-TOURISM.
For more information, read this press release.
Interested in learning more about Minnesota’s many markets, and how they bring us together throughout the year? Listen to the most recent episode of the Deep North podcast below:
