Homegrown Minneapolis is a citywide initiative
expanding our community's ability to grow, process,
distribute, eat and compost more healthy, sustainable,
locally grown foods.
March 3, 2017
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March Homegrown Minneapolis Food
Council Meeting
Wednesday, March 8 | 5:30 – 7:30 pm meeting; 5 pm presentation from MPS Culinary & Wellness Services
Minneapolis Public Schools Culinary & Wellness Services, 812 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411 (map)
Meeting Agenda
GAPs (Good Agricultural Practices) Food
Safety Workshop for Fruit and Vegetable Farmers and Gardeners
Learn how
good business practices, good agricultural practices, and marketing are
interconnected and can benefit your farm. While this workshop will not result
in you being "GAP certified", it
will provide the information and resources necessary to help your farm prepare
for a GAP audit. Many wholesale buyers
and institutions are increasingly requiring GAP audits,
or at the minimum a food safety plan. This workshop will help you develop your
farm's food safety program and plan that will help you get an audit if
desired. Hosted by University of Minnesota Extension On-Farm GAPs Education Program, West Broadway Farmers Market and
Appetite for Change. Space is limited. If the workshop fills you will be added to a waiting list.
Cost: Free! Thank you to the MDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program for support for 2017 GAPs workshops and to USDA Farmers' Market Promotion Program for covering cost of materials and lunch.
Friday,
March 31 | 9 am – 3 pm | UROC, 2001 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis MN
Register
at: http://z.umn.edu/2017gaps by March 20, 2017
Community Connections Conference
Registration is open for the sixth annual Community Connections
Conference – Your Voice, Your City: CommUnity at the Minneapolis Convention
Center on Saturday, April 1. All are welcome to make their voices heard, participate in interactive sessions, robust learning and exhibits and enjoy a delicious cultural lunch. The conference is designed to showcase and build successful community collaborations between neighborhoods, cultural communities, residents, and the City. Consider attending as a participant or exhibitor, or both!
Register for the free conference. Registration will close March 24.
Exhibitor registration and payment must be received before Friday, March 10, 2017.
Saturday, April 1 | 8 am- 3 pm | Minneapolis Convention Center (map)
Minneapolis Arbor Day Tree Planting Celebration
Everyone is welcome to join in the Arbor Day festivities at Lake Hiawatha: tree planting, tree climbing, a nature play area, food trucks, a beer garden, tree themed yard games, a trail run, an outreach area, and more! An exciting part of our Arbor Day tree planting will include establishing a fruit and nut tree orchard at Lake Hiawatha Park on the east side of the lake in three newly established agricultural zones.
Organized by People for Parks, Brewing a Better Forest, Friends of Lake Hiawatha, Brewery Running Series, Ecological Design, Hiawatha Food Forest, and Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board as the lead event organizer and host. More information.
Friday, April 28 | 4:00 - 8:00 pm | Lake Hiawatha Park, 2701 E 44th St, Minneapolis, MN 55406
2017 Community Garden Compost Program Accepting Applications for Minneapolis Community Gardens
The City of Minneapolis will provide Community Gardens with low or no-cost compost. Qualifying community gardens may request one delivery of up to 10 cubic yards of compost. The amount of compost and the number of compost deliveries are limited, and not guaranteed. Compost and compost deliveries are provided on a first-come, first-served basis. However, community gardens that have never received compost, have poor soil quality, or are start-up gardens will get priority. More information.
- Spring/Summer compost deliveries begin May 1 and end September 30. Spring compost requests must be submitted by April 21. Request Spring/Summer Compost
- Fall compost deliveries begin October 2 and end November 1. Fall compost requests must be submitted by September 22. Request Fall Compost
Good Food Access Program Request for Proposals
The Minnesota Department of
Agriculture’s (MDA) Good Food Access Program (GFAP) is now requesting grant
proposals for equipment and physical improvements. For-profit and
not-for-profit grocery stores and small food retailers can apply for equipment
to help stimulate sales of affordable, nutritious, and culturally appropriate
foods in underserved and low- and moderate-income communities. Purchases may
include equipment like retail display coolers and freezers, storage coolers and
freezers, shelving, mobile food trucks, permanents infrastructure at farmers’
markets installation costs, and more. $150,000 is available through the
GFAP Equipment and Physical Improvement Grant. Proposals are due on
Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 4:00 pm. For more information, visit
http://www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/grants/gfapequipmentgrant.aspx.
Blue Cross and Blue
Shield of MN Foundation Funding RFP
The Foundation announced the Healthy
Communities: Health Equity in Action 2017 funding opportunity. Qualified nonprofits can apply for up to
$100,000 to support projects that advance health equity and promote
systems change related to the social and economic determinants that drive health:
education, income, employment, community safety and family and social support.
This is the foundation’s largest grant opportunity for 2017; a total of
$1,000,000 will be under consideration. For questions, contact the BCBSMN Foundation at foundation@bluecrossmn.com or 651-662-3950. More information.
Survey to Examine Local Agricultural Production and Intermediated Markets
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is
asking farmers to participate in a 10-minute survey.
They are interested in examining the opportunities and risks of four main
marketing opportunities for farmers—direct-to-consumer, direct-to-institution,
direct-to-retail, and selling to intermediaries (such as distributors or food
hubs), who in turn sell the products as local food. NCAT is interested
in all farmers’ perceptions of these markets, whether currently selling to
these markets or not. If you would prefer to
complete a paper version of the survey, you can request a copy by contacting
Lydia Oberholtzer, Penn State, at 301-891-0470 or lso3@psu.edu.
The study
is funded by USDA, and led by Syracuse University, New York University,
the Pennsylvania State University, and the National Center for Appropriate
Technology (NCAT).
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