New guide showcases local growers, producers, and food culture
ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture announces the release of the brand new 2016 Minnesota Grown Directory. With a record-breaking number of listings, this issue features food and products available directly from growers statewide. A vast array of farms and farmers markets, fruits and vegetables, meats and poultry, beverages, nurseries and more fill this robust edition of the Minnesota Grown Directory.
Consumers can search the directory by region, product, or name of a specific farm or market. The directory is also available online for web savvy consumers, and a responsive mobile compatible directory makes searching from anywhere not only possible, but convenient. All versions of the directory make it easy to find a local farmer, CSA farm, or product for Minnesotans in all corners of the state.
The 2016 Minnesota Grown Directory showcases spokesperson Carrie Tollefson, world-class athlete and mom. Tollefson knows the importance of fueling herself and her family with healthy, local foods. She knows firsthand how the directory can connect families with local foods, products, and experiences as they visit farms and farmers markets in several seasons.
In addition to information about Minnesota Grown members, readers will also find a series of Fun Facts throughout the directory. As Minnesota Grown Marketing Specialist Jessica Miles explains, “We focused on nine products – including raspberries, carrots, squash, apples, and garlic… The information varies but most of the time it’s nutritional and seasonal.” Fun Facts also offer history blips, storage tips, and new ways to try your favorite Minnesota-grown crops.
The 2016 Directory also showcases recipes from five chefs featured by Minnesota Cooks – an outreach program of the Minnesota Farmers Union that celebrates family farmers and chefs that favor locally-sourced ingredients. The chefs deliver a wide variety of exciting menu options from a hearty breakfast featuring Minnesota-grown blueberries, to a bouillabaisse with northern flare.
You can order free, printed copies of the Minnesota Grown Directory by calling Explore Minnesota Tourism at 1-888-TOURISM. Or, visit www.minnesotagrown.com to place an order or search the online directory.