Nourish by MN350

In this episode of Nourish by MN350, we dive into the story of Frogtown Farm, a food hub in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. This five-and-a-half-acre urban regenerative farm is uniquely located on a public park. MN350 volunteer Mary Clare McAleer interviews Chris Mann, the farm manager at Frogtown Farm, to discuss how the farm came to be, their conservation practices, and how the non-profit is deeply rooted in the community.

In 2013, residents of the Frogtown neighborhood recognized the lack of green space compared to the rest of St. Paul and the lack of access to healthy, nutritious food. The community members lobbied to get a privately-owned 13-acre lot turned into a public park, including this farm. Since its inception, Frogtown Farm has utilized best management practices to revitalize the urban soil. Today, there is still a great emphasis on regenerating the soil and protecting natural resources. The farm is a space for knowledge sharing and fostering community, from the crops they produce to the partnerships they build as they expand access to fresh produce.

For more information on Frogtown Farm check them out on instagram @frogtownfarm or their website https://www.frogtownfarm.org/.

A major problem with expanding regenerative agriculture in Minnesota is the lack of infrastructure to support farmers who want to opt-out of the industrial food chain. And despite a lot of buzzwords to make consumers think they’re buying a quality product, the truth is that finding food that meets our health and ethical standards is a challenge.

This episode of Nourish by MN350 was written, produced, and hosted by Food Systems activist Eli Crain. “An Irreplaceable Treasure” features Jack McCann of TC Farm, whose cooperative-style food group connects local producers directly to consumers who value transparency in their food system. Elizabeth O'Sullivan of Auntie Annie’s Fields shares how working in partnership with TC Farm allows her to produce food in a way that reflects her values and still focuses on what she loves about the job: tending to the land and the animals she treasures.

In the first episode of Nourish by MN350, host Terry Hokenson covers a lot of ground with his guests Shona Snater of the Land Stewardship Project, Bob Dahm of Organic Bob Lawn Care, and Leslie McKenzie, founder of Transition Longfellow. Together they explore the idea that agriculture and gardening can play a role in solving the climate crisis. Shona describes her work in southern MN with farmers reaching out to learn all they can about regenerative farming practices, and why diversity in the soil matters. She explains six separate goals LSP has for creating farmland that is diverse and regenerative. Bob Dahm speaks to us about our yards. Bob works at convincing his customers to plant diverse, native plants in their yards as a more sustainable practice. He also manages to keep lawns, for those who have them, lush and green without harmful chemicals. Leslie McKenzie points out the benefits of having chickens in the city as a way to improve our soil, and share resources for consumers looking to buy in to the regenerative food economy.
Full episode transcript available here.

Is the practice of agriculture an immediate detriment to the land if it forces a crop to grow in a non-native habitat? Is sustainable agriculture really the goal if it merely sustains mediocrity?

In this episode of Nourish, host Terry Hokenson continues the conversation about regenerative agriculture with two inspiring caretakers of the Earth, who share their knowledge on indigenous ways of growing food that focuses on healing the land and all life that depends on Her.

Francis Bettelyoun (Oglala Lakȟóta-Očhéthi Šakówiŋ) is Coordinator of the Native American Medicine Gardens at the University of Minnesota and co-creator of Buffalo Star People Healing Circles, which provides transformational education and healing for adult survivors of childhood traumas and abuses. Jessika Greendeer is a Farm Manager with Dream of Wild Health: a 10-acre farm in Hugo, MN where urban Native American communities reconnect with traditional Native plants and their culinary, medicinal and spiritual uses. Together, Jessica and Francis acknowledge each other’s work throughout their individual healing journeys and inspire listeners to get in touch with their own land-based cultures to discover their own ancestral seeds.
Full episode transcript available here.

In this episode of Nourish by MN350, Mary Clare McAleer and Shannon Lippke speak with longtime farmer and MN350 board member Kurt Kimber, and University of Minnesota professor and Director of Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP), Dr. Kathryn Draeger. Together with Sarah Riedl, they discuss what climate change looks and feels like in Minnesota, and how farmers are adapting (for better or worse) to weather extremes and growing stress on local and global food systems.

- Learn more about the University of Minnesota Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships (RSDP) HERE.

- Check out the UMN Forever Green Initiative to learn more about Kernza® and other crops HERE. Mind blown? Roam the field of this perennial grain even further HERE.

-We need you at the polls! (Yes, you! ) Visit the MN350 Action 2022 Candidate Endorsements Page to find climate champions running for office at all levels of government.

Learn more about this show at MN350Action.org/podcasts

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Full transcript HERE