Living Land Farm
St. Peter, MN
Living Land Farm is a second-year CSA farm owned and operated by Adam Ellefson and Lupita Marchan (their four-year-old son Adan helps out, too). They are transitioning the land to become certified organic, a process that typically takes three years. Their three acres and large greenhouse are nicely situated along the Minnesota River in the Ottowa Bluff, about two miles north and east of St. Peter. Living Land also provides a haven for some of Hendryck’s Apiaries’ bees. Both Adam and Lupita find organic farming a natural instinct for them. Using Adam’s background in biology, they are incorporating the natural systems of the earth to restore the area around the farm.
Along with organic certification in their future, Adam and Lupita hope to grow Living Land from three acres to five acres of production, and continue to incorporate more aspects of permaculture to the farm. This will allow them to provide more for CSA members and deliver larger volumes of food to the St. Peter Food Co-op.
East Henderson Farm
Henderson, MN
Sally and Josh Reinitz own and operate the 35-acre East Henderson Farm on the bluffs of the Minnesota River. It has been in Josh’s family for four generations, and they are raising the fifth generation. Currently their farm is comprised of six tillable acres, three in alfalfa hay and three in vegetables. More than two thirds of those six acres are certified organic, and the remaining will be certified organic in 2012. They have diverse acreage with a lot of potential for annual crops, livestock, and permaculture.
They have 35 more acres on their farm, but it’s mostly wooded ravines and pasture. Therefore, they are not only building a vegetable business, but a small livestock business as well. East Henderson Farm is already home to chickens and cows, but will soon be expanding into sheep, pigs, and goats. Plus, the woods are full of maple trees so they will be starting a maple syrup business soon. They also have plans to begin beekeeping.
Alemar Cheese Company
Mankato, MN
Alemar Cheese is founded on the premise that great ingredients coupled with patience, knowledge and passion can produce extraordinary results. In early 2008, Keith Adams began sketching out a plan to make small batches of soft-ripened artisan cheese. After careful research, study, and counsel from some of the finest minds in the field, he started production in late April. Their first cheese, Bent River, is in the style of Camembert. Named for the sharp turn of the Minnesota River a few hundred yards from our production site, it has a creamy interior and loads of flavor. 
Prairie Pride Farm
Mankato, MN
Roger and Dawn Hubmer own and operate Prairie Pride Farm, a small 5th generation family farm in south central Minnesota, where they raise NON-GMO corn and soybeans and Berkshire Pork. They implement a variety of sustainable farming practices to help preserve the farm for the next generation. NO antibiotics, hormones, animal bi-products or feed grade drugs are used.
Hendrycks Apiaries
Lafayette, MN
Charles and Marjean Hendrycks have been supplying the co-op with their clover basswood honey for over 15 years. From honey bears to raw honey, this local producer has been a mainstay as well as assisting the pollination process throughout the river valley and beyond.
Thousand Hills Cattle Company
Cannon Falls, MN
Enjoy safe and wholesome 100% Grass Fed Beef from Thousand Hills Cattle Company. They don’t give their cattle any antibiotics, artificial growth hormones or grain – ever! The cattle live freely on grass pastures and are never confined to a feedlot. They personally inspect and source-verify all the cattle from their network of over fifty Midwestern family farms. Enjoy! Chef preferred, doctor recommended, raised on family farms.
Hope Butter
Hope, MN
They are one of the last small batch creameries in the state. Hope Creamery uses only the freshest local cream to create an exceptionally smooth and rich-tasting butter. It is hand-churned butter made with fresh cream in small batches which creates and old-fashioned flavor and texture. Hope butter is pale in color, as there are no chemicals or dyes used to enhance its yellow hue.
Caves of Faribault
Faribault, MN
Their cheese is made from rBST free raw cow’s milk. Only three other ingredients are added. The Amablu® blue cheese recipe was created there at the caves in 1936 by Felix Frederickson. It is the first American blue cheese marketed nationally from the first American blue cheese plant. The cheese is aged in natural sandstone caves along the Straight River that were originally used for brewing and storing beer.
Rebel Ridge Family Farm
Viroqua, WI
Rebel Ridge Family Farm Beef operates a 650 acre organic beef farm in the hills of scenic southwestern Wisconsin. Located in Richland County, we exemplify the term “family farm.” The Green family’s work force consists of three generations of family members. Their main business is the rotationally grazed beef herd. The Beef herd consists mostly of crossbred and Angus steers. They have been organically certified for the last 12 years and go through a third party certification annually.
Glad Corn
Mountain Lake, Minnesota
The people of Mountain Lake, MN are an inventive bunch. How else can you account for the fact that the town of Mountain Lake has neither a lake nor a mountain? But the story of Stan and Gladys Friesen and the explosive beginning of Glad Corn may sound fictitious, there’s nothing made up about it. Glad Corn® is all natural, gluten free, a good source of fiber and has no trans fats. This corn snack will compliment your diet even if you are trying to stick to a high fiber diet, vegan diet, gluten free diet, or just looking for a diabetic snack. Glad Corn® is great as a stand-alone snack, used in place of croutons on top of salads, as a garnish in thick soups, or as an ingredient in a trail mix.
Barsy’s Almonds
Minneapolis, MN
Barsy’s Almonds is the delicious brainchild of Jason and Barbara, a couple of Minneapolis residents and friends. Tired of working in an office for someone else, they were determined to start a business of their own. They had been making their special, hickory seasoned almonds for years as gifts for friends and relatives. Again and again they were told, “These are the best almonds I’ve ever had! You should sell these!” So, on May 3rd, 2008, they started doing just that. They named the hickory seasoned almonds “Smokies” and added four more kinds of seasoned almonds. Jason and Barbara still bake and season the almonds themselves in small batches. Their unique process is slow and labor-intensive, but they think the results are worth it!
Lucky’s Popcorn Dressing
Mankato, MN
Mark Porisch started creating various kinds of sauces at his home and decided to start selling them in 2008 at the Mankato farmers markets. Lucky’s sauces are used for marinating meats, baste for grilled foods, salad dressing, and also can be used for dipping popcorn. These sauces are naturally flavored, using local ingredients in season and produced locally. Mark says, “Once people try my sauces, they love them!”
Driving Force Popcorn
Woodbury, MN
Brenda Stanton had a vision one day of having her own company. She is the owner and creator of Driving Force Popcorn. The mission at Driving Force Energy Co. is to provide an all natural, no preservative product that is delicious too. Driving Force Energy Popcorn uses only the highest quality ingredients to produce some of the most unique combinations of flavors around such as Heavenly Chocolate Caramel, Sweet and Salty Caramel, and Sinfully Hot Caramel Popcorn. 
Fahlstrom Farms Gluten Free
Hastings, MN
Fahlstrom Farms Gluten Free is a family business. The family is small; they are working hard to make sure the business doesn’t stay small. Kay Beth’s life’s goal is twofold: to make gluten-free food that tasted so good family and friends would love it, and to give support to as many people as possible in their changing lifestyle and quest for good food and a good life. To that end, she has been developing recipes that are delicious and simple to make.
