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Homegrown Minneapolis is a citywide initiative 

expanding our community's ability to grow, process, 

distribute, eat and compost more healthy, sustainable, 

locally grown foods.

February 3, 2017

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News

Reminder: 2017 Garden Lease Program Accepting Applications for Priority Consideration through February 10

The 2017 Minneapolis Garden Lease Program is open for applications for new garden leases. The City of Minneapolis is inviting requests to lease vacant City owned-lots for community gardens and market gardens during 2017. Available lots include nine recently added parcels. The City is accepting garden request forms for new leases through February 10, 2017 for priority consideration. Once this process is complete, lots become available on a first come, first served basis.

Visit the Minneapolis Garden Lease Program webpage to view the map of available parcels, find information about the application process and complete the Garden Request Form.

Garden groups planning to renew their lease in 2017 or existing garden groups with questions should contact Karuna Mahajan at Karuna.Mahajan@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-5051.


Events

February Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council Meeting

Wednesday, February 8th | 5:30 – 7:30 pm meeting; 5 pm presentation from Youth Farm

Whittier Recreation Center, Multi-purpose Room, 245 West 26th Street, Minneapolis (map)

Meeting Agenda

Birchwood BOOSTer Club Breakfast

Join the Women's Environmental Institute at the Birchwood Café for a breakfast of Good Real Food® and actionable information about urban agriculture. Learn what is happening in the MN legislature from Karen Clark, and what you can do to help advance urban agriculture. Tickets are $7. More information

Friday, February 10th | 8:00 – 9:30 am 

Birchwood Café, 3311 East 25th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55406 (map)

Volunteer to Provide True Food Taste Tests for MPS Students

The Minneapolis Public Schools Culinary & Wellness Services is hosting the next True Food Taste Test, which takes place three times per year to expose students to new, flavorful recipes and to encourage them to think critically about their food. Taste tests will happen during lunchtime (times vary by school, typically between 10:00am and 1:30pm) Wednesday, February 22nd - Friday, February 24th. MPS is seeking volunteers to help prepare samples, distribute them to students, and generate excitement for these taste tests. More information

If interested in volunteering, please e-mail Kate Seybold at Kate.Seybold@mpls.k12.mn.us.


Resources

Free Pollinator-Friendly Plants and Trees through participation in Conservation of Minneapolis Bees and Pollinator Points

Looking for a way to beautify your space while helping pollinators in your community? The Minneapolis Health Department has two programs that provide free pollinator-friendly trees and plants to assist pollinators in the City of Minneapolis.

Conservation of Minneapolis Bees Program

There are still 130 free pollinator-friendly patches and pollinator-friendly trees available to commercial, multi-family residential, and community spaces. Each patch includes 7-10 native neonicotinoid free plants. Hosts are required to help with installation, weeding, and watering of the habitat.

Pollinator Patch Program

Help determine how much pollinator habitat exists in the City and receive free plants. A ten question quiz has been created to help residents assess the habitat around them, with support from City of Minneapolis Public Works and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Each person who takes the 10-question quiz will receive half a flat of native pollinator friendly plants, free signage, and a certificate.

More information or email Tiana Cervantes @ beefriendly@minneapolismn.gov

MPCA Seeks Minnesota GreenCorps Host Sites

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is now accepting applications from organizations interested in hosting an AmeriCorps member for the 2017-2018 MN GreenCorps program year. More information

Garden-in-A-Box Program

The Minnesota State Horticultural Society is launching its 2017 Garden-in-a-Box program.  Garden-in-a-Box provides an opportunity for children and families in need to experience the benefits of gardening: affordable healthy food, outdoor activity; education and community building. Organizations are invited to apply and partner with MSHS this upcoming growing season. If interested in participating in the Garden-in-a-Box program, please complete and submit the application form.

Publicly Owned Farmable Land Inventory Now Available Through CEDA

Community and Economic Development Associates (CEDA) is pleased to announce the availability of the Publicly Owned Farmable Land Inventory and related resources. This tool is meant to help new and emerging farmers identify and contact public land owners to discuss small, non-traditional farming opportunities. With the help of partners, they also developed a checklist for discussing lease or purchase terms with public owners: Publicly Owned Land Negotiation Checklist. While not constituting legal counsel, this tool is freely available to assist in early planning stages for farm site selection. 

USDA Grants Available to Support Local Food Sector

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) announced the availability of $27 million in grants to fund innovative projects designed to strengthen market opportunities for local and regional food producers and businesses. The request for applications includes the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP),  Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP) grants and the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) grant.
Find out which grant is right for you.

The grant applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on Monday, March 27, 2017.

For questions, contact Peter Wood at peter.wood@ams.usda.gov or 202-720-6179.

Apply for a Homegrown Loan through the Homegrown Business Development Center

The Homegrown Business Development Center provides financing and technical assistance for Minneapolis-based businesses that process and manufacture local food products. The purpose of this program is to foster the development and expansion of business ventures that promote sustainable agriculture and food production within Minneapolis and the surrounding region.
More information

For questions, contact Kris Maritz at kmaritz@mccdmn.org or (612) 789-7337 x18.

Grow a Farmer Fund

The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation is happy to announce the launch of a new loan fund for small-scale, sustainable farmers, which helps small farmers get a leg-up. The Grow a Farmer Fund is a revolving loan fund managed by SMIF that offers lower-interest loans up to $15,000 to individuals in Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation SMIF’s 20-county region for inventory, supplies, working capital or machinery/equipment. More information

For questions, contact Kallie Rollenhagen at kallier@smifoundation.org or 507-455-3215 x136. 


Jobs and Opportunities

Executive Director, Seed Savers Exchange

Seed Savers Exchangean Iowa-based non-profit dedicated to saving and sharing seeds, is in the active stages of seeking candidates for the Executive Director position. More information

Cook Fresh Program Coordinator, Urban Roots

Urban Roots seeks a part-time, year round, dedicated person to execute a dynamic cooking program leading teen crews in seasonal food prep and conducting healthy food initiatives for the Cook Fresh Program. The youth internship program is a paid work-skill development program in which teen participants learn work and life skills, practical food preparation skills, explore careers & college, and engage in opportunities in cooking, public speaking and environmental advocacy. More information. More information

Market Garden Crew Lead, Urban Roots

Urban Roots is also seeking a full-time, seasonal, dedicated person to execute urban vegetable farm operations and lead teen work crews and volunteers as part of its Market Garden Youth Internship program. The program engages youth in sustainable urban agriculture through the growing and marketing of produce, flowers, herbs, and other products. More information

Chief Resilience Officer, City of Minneapolis 

The Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) will act as the lead within the City of Minneapolis and the greater metropolitan area for establishing a compelling resilience vision supported by an actionable strategy, driving the resilience conversation with internal and external partners, building and implementing effective resilience strategies, and leveraging the benefits and services of the 100 Resilient Cities Global Network, strategy partner and platform of services. More information

Program Manager, Minnesota FoodShare

More information

Board Members, Shared Capital Cooperative

Shared Capital Cooperative is a CDFI loan fund that is committed to building economic democracy by investing in cooperative enterprises. Shared Capital is a cooperative association owned by more than 200 cooperatives throughout the US. Members include worker-owned co-ops, housing cooperatives, small farmer co-ops, purchasing co-ops and retail grocery co-ops. Shared Capital has an eleven-member Board of Directors elected by the members of Shared Capital. Ten of the seats represent Shared Capital’s cooperative members and one seat represents Shared Capital’s individual members. Four seats are up for election: three cooperative member representative seats and one individual member seat. More information

Board Members, Minnesota Farmers Market Association

If you are passionate about promoting Minnesota farmers' markets, food access, and vibrant local food communities, consider applying to be on their Board of Directors! More information

For questions, contact info@mfma.org or 320-250-5087

View additional information on the Homegrown Minneapolis website.

"Like" the Friends of Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council on Facebook!

Homegrown Minneapolis brings together key partners from local government, area businesses, community organizations,

non-profits, and residents to build a healthy, local food system.

www.minneapolismn.gov/homegrown

 

 

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