An Irreplaceable Treasure

06/15/21 • 49 min

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.

Previous Episode

A Healing Path

This week on Nourish by MN350, volunteer host and architect of the Headwaters Community Food & Water Bill (HF1332/SF1580), Marita Bujold, welcomes two members of the Red Lake Nation, Robert Blake and David Manuel.

Robert is the founder and director of Solar Bear and Native Sun Community Power.*

David Manuel co-directs the tribe’s food sovereignty initiative.

Together with their community, they are pursuing local energy and food sovereignty as a pathway to climate resiliency and freedom from the extractive fossil fuel and industrial food economies imposed by colonization.

Armed with a fierce commitment to care for Turtle Island (earth) and guided by traditional native wisdom, this community is collaborating with other tribal communities to create a promising, healing and enduring future.

Our listeners cannot fail to be inspired by the courageous leadership and transformative, local energy and food economy being shaped by Robert, David and our brothers and sisters of the Red Lake Nation.

*Solar Bear is the first native-owned solar installation company. Native Sun Community Power

is a native run, non-profit organized to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency and a just transition through education, workforce training and demonstration.

Learn how the economy created by the Headwaters Community Food & Water Bill. (HF1332/SF1580) will yield abundant sources of food, clean water, capture carbon and nurture the health and well being of all communities.

https://www.justfoodandwater.org/video-just-food-and-water

Take heart. By following the proven leaders, our communities can create the resilient food economy we need for living sustainably.

https://justfoodandwater.org/video-leadership-defined

Read a one page description of the economic resiliency program

CTA join MN350 Action’s campaign

Listen to MN350 Nourish podcast MN350action.org/podcasts

Next Episode

A Return To Vibrancy

In this episode of Nourish by MN350, host Eli Crain talks with Matt Maier, owner/founder of Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed, and Laura Schreiber of The Land Stewardship Project.

Matt founded Thousand Hills with the vision of rescuing the U.S. food system from collapse by implementing regenerative agriculture practices on family farms nationwide. Using practices that increase soil fertility, biodiversity, water retention, and soil carbon sequestration, Thousand Hills has a goal of converting 1,000,000 acres from extractive conventional ag practices to holistic regenerative grazing practices by 2025.

Laura is a policy organizer with The Land Stewardship Project, mobilizing around a collective vision that includes a just food and farm system, a healthy landscape, thriving small and mid-sized farms, just and prosperous communities, and a flourishing democracy. LSP is celebrating recent wins at the Capitol, including $5.35 million to get more soil-healthy farming practices onto the landscape - effectively taking soil health from non-existent to a top issue in the 2021 Minnesota legislative agenda.

This conversation with writer, producer, and host Eli Crain is redolent with information to aid farmers and eaters at all stages with how to take care of the land for better climate health.