The most delicious chestnuts you’ll ever eat are seasonally available in the produce aisle: organic chestnuts from J & B Chestnut Farm in Winfield, Iowa. You can read all about the Wittigs and their unusual road to farming chestnuts in the November-December issue of The Mix.

You might call John Horrigan the “accidental farmer.” His small orchard outside Moose Lake, MN, wasn’t a long-time dream that became a reality and it wasn’t even the reason he bought the property. But those who are fortunate enough to eat his Minnesota grown apple varieties have been treated to his growing knowledge and passion for apples and farming.

Last year Horrigan, a Linden Hills Co-op member, supplied the co-op with Chestnut crabapples, Kerr crabapples and Zestar apples. “Zestar went out the door here about as fast as it came in,” said Horrigan.

Check out Chris and Kim Blanchard’s great farm (and food!) blog for up-to-the-minute reports on what’s happening at Rock Spring Farm and how to cook their seasonal organic offerings! Click below to read an article from the Rollin’ Oats Journal with more about the Blanchards and their farm.

Rock Spring Farm: “Feeding People is a Sacred Act”

While many people eat organic food these days, not as many are able to buy garden plants that are grown sustainably and without toxic chemicals. The Circle of Life program puts Rush Creek Growers of Spring Valley, Wisconsin at the forefront of creating sustainable standards and practices, and eventually a certification process, for greenhouse plant production. Rush Creek’s head grower, Sue Baker, is proud to participate in this fledgling project.

Shoppers in Linden Hills Co-op’s produce aisle are used to seeing the occasional farmer around and sometimes having the chance to meet the fine folks who grow the food we eat.

Luis Loja and Leonardo Bravo of El Guabo Banana Cooperative in Ecuador visited North America and the stores that sell their Oké bananas, accompanied by Isaac Grody-Patinkin from Oké USA and Scott Patterson, Equal Exchange).

What’s different about these bananas? Check out the Oké USA site for the full story. Meanwhile, enjoy these delicious bananas!

The produce aisle was happy to host the good folks from Driftless Organics, located in Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin a few weeks ago, before the skies opened up and rained out their fields. Noah Engel might look familiar to our member-owners and shoppers, since he spent some time working in our produce department. With the help of the co-op community, we’re hoping to raise money to help Driftless Organics and other small farms like theirs overcome this setback. To learn more about the Engel brothers’ farm, check out their blog, Cropaganda!

It’s easy to garden organically with native plants grown by Gene Stark and his family. Since native species are naturally adapted to Minnesota’s growing conditions, they don’t require fertilizers or pesticides to succeed.

Interview with Kim Harrison, owner of Artemisia Flower Studio
by Rachael Sarto

When did you start Artemisia?

I started Artemisia in 1998 but have been a flower designer for about 13 years.

What got you interested in flowers?

I was in art school and met a girl who was a flower designer for Laurel Street Flowers. I wanted to try it out as an outlet for my artistic desires, and I loved it instantly.

What’s your favorite part of running a flower studio now?

Bayfield Blues: Highland Valley Farm
Jeanne Lakso, Member Services Manager

Rick and Janet Dale have been growing berries for nearly three decades, and recently became a certified sustainable farm through the Food Alliance Midwest. Via email, I was able to ask Rick a few questions about his farm and philosophy of sustainability.

How did your family get started as berry growers?

An Interview with Greg Reynolds of Riverbend Farm
By Jeanne Lakso

Greg and Mary Reynolds started Riverbend Farm in Delano, Minnesota in 1994. They supply Linden Hills Co-op with certified organic lettuces and specialty greens, radishes, soybeans, arugula, and potatoes. This year, the Co-op will be a pick-up spot for folks who are supporting Riverbend Farm as Community Supported Agriculture shareholders in return for weekly deliveries of fresh produce (for more information about CSAs, check the Land Stewardship Project’s web site.