Local Babies Can’t Stop Babbling About Sweet Cheeks Baby Food

Sweet Cheeks Baby Food is the first locally made, locally sourced organic baby food in the Twin Cities. Made by hand in small batches in St Paul Minnesota, Sweet Cheeks Baby Food will change the way you feed your favorite small folks! Try some Wednesday, August 5 between 1 and 1.

Sweet Cheeks owner Lori Karis works directly with Minnesota suppliers to source ingredients for her organic baby food line, including Old Orchard farms: a small family organic farm in Northfield; and Whole Grain Milling in Welcome, Minnesota.

Rufus, Jacob and Jessica Haucke
Viola, Wisconsin

Keewaydin Farm was founded in 1976 by Richard and Mary Haucke. The Hauckes considered themselves stewards of the land and for several decades, ran a sustainable grass-based dairy enterprise while raising their three children. IN 2002, after years of travel and exploration, the adult Haucke children returned to Keewaydin to create a viable, certified organic family farm. In addition to a 40-cow dairy, the farm includes a 10-acre market garden, and a maple sugar shack. The family also raises chickens, heritage turkeys and pork.

Farmington, Minnesota

Gardens of Eagan is a 100-acre, urban-edge vegetable farm providing certified organic produce to the Twin cities and surrounding communities. Its proximity to the metropolitan area allows the farm to serve as an educational resource to consumers and farmers through its nonprofit Organic Field school.

Gardens of Eagan is a demonstration of the logic, elegance and viability of ecologically based, organic food production. Originally in Eagan, Gardens of Eagan was established by Martin Diffley in 1973 and co-operated with Atina Diffley.

Plain, Wisconsin

Cedar Grove cheesemakers craft 4 million pounds of cheese a year from milk bought from more than 30 Wisconsin farmers who have pledged not to treat their cows with artificial growth hormones. And no animal enzymes or genetically-modified ingredients are used in the cheesemaking process.

Working in concert with nature is an important part of Cedar Grove’s business, which relies on a “Living Machine” to clean wash-water in a beautiful biological way. The company actively promotes recycling and energy use reduction programs.

Mary & Ed Eichten and Eileen Eichten Carlson
Center City, Minnesota

Eichten’s Hidden Acres is a family-owned farm that has produced award-winning artisan cheeses since 1976. They also raise bison, which is lower in fat, calories and cholesterol than other red meat while being high in vitamins, minerals and protein.

The VanDerPols
Kerkoven, Minnesota

Pastures A Plenty supplies area co-ops with naturally raised pork. A family-run opearation since 1952, the farm is currently being passed along to the second generation. Pastures A Plenty raises Berkshire and Duroc-bred hogs that live free to roam and pastuer in the warmer months. The pigs are antibiotic- and hormone-free, and delicious!

Sid Cooke
“LaValle, Wisconsin*

Fourth Generation owner Sid Cook is among a handful of the nation’s certified Master Cheesemakers—a distinction awarded only to veteran craftsmen who complete a rigorous 15-year advanced training and education program.

Carr Valley cheeses have won more than 60 awards; many have been won by Sid’s one-of-a-kind artisan cheeses. In additional to cow’s milk cheeses, Carr Valley produces cheeses made from goat’s milk, sheep’s milk, and combinations of different types of milk.

Featherstone Farm’s Jenni McHugh
Nurturing Life on the Farm and Elsewhere
by Allie Mentzer, Promotions & Education Coordinator

As we embark on another Eat Local Challenge, you might notice that eating locally has become trendy and mighty marketable. Frito-Lay, even Walmart, will claim to sell you “local food” from “family farms.” Fact is large corporations simply can’t develop the long term commitments to local farmers that co-ops have nurtured for decades.

Meet one of our newest suppliers, Unpeeled Kombucha, made in St. Paul, Minnesota. Kombucha is a phenomenon—a naturally cultured probiotic drink made from raw ingredients. According to the Weston Price Institute (experts on traditional foods):

“Kombucha is rich in B vitamins and a substance called glucuronic acid which binds up environmental and metabolic toxins so that they can be excreted through the kidneys. Glucuronic acid is a natural acid that is produced by the liver. Kombucha simply supplies the body with more and boosts the natural detoxification process.

Veriditas Botanicals offers pure, therapeutic grade, organic essential oils imported directly from our producers worldwide. Our close relationships with internationally known essential oil distilleries allow us to provide pure, certified organic essential oils at affordable prices.

We at Veriditas have a deep respect for our growers and producers because they produce the highest quality medicinal essential oils offered in the world. These organic essential oils are produced with the intention of being used for their healing properties.