Live Green Twin Cities

July 28, 2010 12:13pmCST

Looking for a way to dig in to the earth, get your hands dirty, and be rewarded with real, good, farm-grown food? Join the Crop Mob on Saturday, July 31, at 10am, for a weeding session at Riverbend Farm in Delano, where families, farmer wannabes, and food lovers will gather to help on the farm and then enjoy a free lunch courtesy of Common Roots.

July 13, 2010 1:16pm CST

Feel intimidated by the concept of "local food"? Don't know the difference between garlic scapes and kohlrabi? Or just simply want to learn how to eat healthier? You're not alone. Join like-minded folks this Saturday in Lowertown St. Paul for a tour of the St. Paul Farmers' Market, food prep demos, and discussions about urban farming, the ethics of eating, and more.

July 7, 2010 1:15 CST

Not sure if you can recycle that cereal box? (Hint: You can.) Don't know where you can recycle batteries? What about that fridge? Never fear. We offer you an easy guide to finding recycling info, disposal drop-off sites, tax incentives, energy-saving resources, and more.

July 2, 2010 1:52pm CST

Local, sustainable food is important, but it's not always accessible or affordable, especially for low-income families. But that's about to change for many Minnesota residents.The big Minneapolis Farmers Market  joins the Midtown Farmers Market and the Northeast Farmers Market in helping bring low-income families and healthy foods together.

June 28, 2010 11:58am CST

Declare your independence this Fourth of July by celebrating Food Independence Day. The concept is easy: Take simple steps to ensure that all of your meals use as many local, sustainable ingredients as possible. And help support your health, the environment, and your local communities this Fourth of July.

June 15, 2010 12:15pm CST

When it comes to local foods, the menu is endless. In fact, much morethan broccoli and squash are filling up plates this summer. I've recently tried two great, local veggies that are entirely new to me: kohlrabi and garlic scapes. So what are these great food finds? And how does onemake them so delicious?

June 9, 2010 8:18pm CST

Want fresh, local, sustainable food but can't seem to find the time to shop for it? VeloVeggies to the rescue! This bike-riding crew lets you skip the stores, the CSA pick-ups, and the weekend trips to the farmer's market and and instead pedals the food right to your door.

May 20, 2010 1:22 pm CST

Summer is finally here, and that means picnics, parks, celebrations, and long days in the sun are on order. So how do you do it green? LiveGreenTwinCities provides your essential guide to greening your summer gatherings.

May 13, 2010 3:39pm CST

May 6, 2010 10:48am

Still stumped on what to get mom this year?  From a sustainable brunch to all-natural manicures to locally grown roses and nature walks, we offer up some great, green last-minute gift ideas for Mother's Day that will keep mom and Mother Earth happy all year long.

April 29, 2010 3:35pm CST

Where can you go to get the deets on real ways to make your lifestyle more Earth-friendly? The new Do It Green! Resource Center in the Midtown Global Market is a place for people dedicated to sustainable living to exchange information, ideas, and products.

April 28, 2010 9:35am

The farmers markets of the Twin Cities will soon be offering up their treasures. Each market has its own personality-- its own strengths, specialties, and customs. Our Farmers Market guide will help you find your way to the spot that best suits your tastes--and your shopping list.

April 23, 2010 12:04pm CST

In seasonally-challenged Minnesota, it's hard to know what foods are fresh and in season. After all, ripe and ready tomatoes gather on store shelves even when the entire state is covered in a thick enamel of permafrost. But eating local and in-season foods not only tastes better; it's better for your health and the environment.

April 21, 2010 6:17pm CST

The Minnesota Zoo's celebration, the "Year of the Farm," puts the spotlight on agriculture--on the role it plays in Minnesota's past, present, and future; on the people who are actively engaged in it; and on the animals and plants that are the life-sustaining output of the whole endeavor.

April 15, 2010 11:11am CST

Along with getting local, sustainable produce at area farmers markets, many folks are buying direct from the farm, too. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) offers pick-up or weekly delivery of organic goods directly from the farm to your table. Here's a guide to finding one that works for you.

April 12, 2010 4:05pm CST

After getting canceled late last year, the Living Green Expo is back on, thanks to its many fans and supporters. The free event is now sponsored by the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, a coalition of more than 80 environmental and conservation organizations who have come together to bring back the beloved, eco-minded weekend event.

April 5, 2010 6:15pm CST

Here is something you don't know about your own backyard: You have room for a farm. That's because the experienced gardeners of A Backyard Farm can take a small plot of your land--that one neglected corner, or that unused spot snug up to the house--and coax magical waves of delicious greens and veggies out of it.

March 24, 2010 10:44pm CST

The Minnesota Twins are bolstering their hometown credentials and giving a big boost to the local economy as they settle into their new home at Target Field.
From the ground up, the team is eager to use its new stadium to demonstrate its Minnesota connections.

March 18, 2010 12:01am CST

Know someone in Minnesota who is dedicating their days to creating a healthier planet? LiveGreenTwinCities wants to hear their story. From creating an urban farm to fighting against phone book waste to starting eco-friendly companies and grassroots campaigns, we want to hear about local folks taking green mainstream.

March 15, 2010 1:25pm CST

What are your kids eating at school? Lee Zukor of SimpleGoodandTasty.com is encouraging parents to find out. He's holding a contest, asking parents to eat lunch with their kids at school, take a picture of it, and send it in to the web site to inspire conversation and possibly change.

March 10, 2010 11:36am CST

Concerned that your kids are eating junk at school? You're not alone. But there's some good news on the horizon. According to a new survey, the number of Minnesota school districts purchasing food directly from local farms has more than doubled in the last 15 months.

February 26, 2010 1:24pm CST

Always dreamed of working on a farm but little things like not actually having the land and super-long hours get in the way? A Crop Mob might be the answer to your prayers. Crop Mobs, which first sprang up in North Carolina, are groups of organic farm- and food-loving folks who gather once a month or so to help out on an area farm, assisting in weeding, composting, harvesting, and good-old fashioned hard work.

February 22, 2010 12:10pm CST

How do you find affordable food kids love that’s also easy to make, light on packaging, and good for baby and the earth, too? We offer up some tips on how to integrate healthful, whole foods into your kids’ diet without breaking the bank.

February 12, 2010 12:23pm CST

Still fretting over what to do for Valentine's Day? Some of our favorite sustainable Twin Cities restaurants are offering up affordable weekend dinner deals sure to make any heart happy. Best of all? You can still get in on it. Because there's no reservation required. 

February 1, 2009 12:22pm CST

Food expert and journalist Michael Pollan appeared on Oprah last week to talk about why industrial farming is wreaking havoc on our environment and our health. Check out a recap of the show, learn about the doc films Fresh and Food Inc., and take the food quiz.

January 26, 2010 1:28pm CST

Is Minneapolis a shining example of the future of food? Last week, in a speech before the Conference of Mayors, first lady Michelle Obama cited Minneapolis' mini farmers markets as a leading example of communities combating obesity and promoting healthier, sustainable food initiatives.

December 15, 2009 12:05pm CST

Give your friends and loved ones the gift of great deals and discounts at more than 20 restaurants, cafes, and stores serving up sustainable, local food. The Local Food Lover Card from Simple, Good and Tasty is bound to turn anyone into a card-carrying happy gift recipient.

December 2, 2009 12:57pm CST

Pick up any food package, beauty product, or even a box of garbage bags and no doubt they're stamped with some claim or another. In fact, there are more than 300 eco-labels out there. But not all are created equal. Mother Jones is here to set the labels--and consumers-- straight.

November 23, 2009 10:10am CST

Minnesota 2020 recently released its annual Made in Minnesota Gift Guide, a wonderful and comprehensive guide chock full of locally grown gift ideas, from food to clothing to toys to pets and everything in-between.

November 20, 2009 5:07pm CST

Affordable pasture-raised turkey. Organic green-bean casserole. Desserts made by local experts and featuring only the finest of all-natural ingredients. LiveGreenTwinCities offers up a guide to a delicious, all-natural and sustainable Thanksgiving that's as good for your health as it is the environment.

November 19, 2009 12:00pm CST

Get your reusable bags ready. This Saturday more than 70 local retailers will be at the Midtown Global Market offering up their green, recycled, organic, and fair-trade gifts as part of the annual Green Gifts Fair. Clothing. Jewelry. Bags. Artwork. It's all local, green, and perfect for gift-giving.

November 15, 2009 12:01am CST

Looking to give your loved ones the gift of going green this season? We have it all. Cool home accessories and eco-friendly toys. Half-price deals on clothes and green events. Free green makeovers and killer deals at the greatest sustainable restaurants.  We make your holiday shopping simple---and green.

November 10, 2009 11:49am CST

"King Corn" filmmakers return to Iowa to learn the impact their acre of corn had on the people, land, and river in a new documentary called "Big River." The Riverview Theater will show both films and host a questionnaire with the two critically acclaimed filmmakers on Wednesday, Nov. 18

October 28, 2009 9:44am CST

Looking to eat local, sustainable, and healthy? The local food blog the Heavy Table has embarked on a venture to create a comprehensive guide to Twin Cities restaurants that are environmentally- and worker-friendly. Behold the Atlas of Ethical Eating.

October 26, 2009 12:23pm CST

Chemical-free candy. Fair-trade chocolate. Eco-friendly costumes. Non-toxic make-up. Having a green Halloween is easy, and safer for you, your family, and the environment. And LiveGreenTwinCities has all of your green tips, tricks, and treats.

October 8, 2009 12:28pm CST

Lucia's Restaurant in South Minneapolis is one of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities for local, organic fare. On Sunday, October 11, the oft-raved-about restaurant will host "Know Your Farmer," featuring conversations with 12 local farmers and their food prepared by Lucia's award-winning chefs.

October 6, 2009 3:33pm CST

Didn't get a chance to see FRESH when it was on a mini tour this summer? On Wednesday evening at 7 p.m., Fresh is screening at the Ritz Theater, where local caterers the Chowgirls will be on hand to serve up fresh and tasty local treats.

September 24, 2009 11:09am CST

Urban farm guru Will Allen is launching a Twin Cities training center at Little Earth United Tribes in Minneapolis. Allen, who founded Milwaukee's Growing Power, focuses on affordable, healthy food and sustainability issues.

September 18, 2009 4:27pm CST

The leaves might be changing colors, but there are simple steps you can take to ensure your fall stays green. LiveGreenTwinCities offers 10 easy tips for having a happy, green fall season.

September 11, 2009 9:28am CST

Mill City Farmers Market will become the first zero-waste market in Minnesota, thanks to Eureka Recycling's "Make Dirt, Not Waste" composting program. Head to the market this Saturday to learn more and get free compost.

August 26, 2009 2:20pm CST

1.7 million people. 500,000 corndogs. 22,000 rolls of toilet paper. And nearly three and a half times more materials getting recycled than get tossed out every year. It's Minnesota State Fair time, and LiveGreenTwinCities is here to show you how to go green at the Fair.

August 25, 2009 12:04pm CST

Treehugger has a great series of WWII posters espousing frugal and green living. The posters promote everything from canning to saving gas to recycling to staycations. And some of the best posters come from the Minneapolis Library, which has an extensive collection of WWII posters promoting gardening, canning, and--what else?--winterizing homes.

August 17, 2009 1:42 CST

Anything can become a greenspace, even electrical poles. And guerrilla gardeners all over the world are taking that idea to heart by planting "surprise" gardens in empty containers, flower boxes, medians, and more.

August 13, 2009 11:25am CST

It's Thursday, close enough to noon, which means it's officially the weekend. And what better way to greet this summery week's end than with free food, cooking classes, and more delicious food.

August 5, 2009 1:16pm CST

All August long, the Eat Local Challenge is taking place at local co-ops. And for local-food lovers and game geeks it’s more than a tempting dare--it’s a thrill. So how can you satisfy your wine craving while still throwing down the gauntlet to the challenge? It's easier than you think.

August 3, 2009 2:07pm CST

It's on: The Eat Local Challenge has landed in Minnesota. The month-long program--going on at the 11 Twin Cities area food co-ops--is inspiring people to eat local foods and support local farms.

July 30, 2009 11:46am CST

When it comes to local, sustainable food in the Twin Cities, it's hard to overstate the importance of award winning chef and restaurateur Brenda Langton. Since she opened her first restaurant, Cafe Kardamena, in St. Paul in 1978, Langton has been committed to serving fine vegetarian food, fresh seafood, and the best local food she can find.

July 27, 2009 12:07pm CST

Corner Table chef Scott Pampuch responds to an MPR story last week in which a U of M professor dismissed organic, local food as a trend because it makes up an allegedly small portion of total food sales. Pampuch response: "What's wrong with starting small?"

July 27, 2009 11:22am CST

Heartland chef Lenny Russo has been a celebrated Twin Cities chef for more than a decade, serving mostly local foods and helping to bring the movement to the Twin Cities. He sat down to chat with us about why eating local foods is so important, and why people and the planet are paying for cheap food.

July 21, 2009 11:16am CST

As local food continues to grow in popularity, so does the number of farmers markets in the Twin Cities. But local food goes beyond just taste: New mini-markets in Minneapolis neighborhoods aim to increase access to healthy, local, and organic food.

July 20, 2009 12:01am CST

Lee Zukor of the local food blog SimpleGoodandTasty.com takes a trip to Riverbend Farm in Delano, Minn. to learn about local food, organic farming, CSAs, washing arugula, and what it's really like to work hard for the second time in his life.

July 15, 2009 1:53pm CST

Ice cream sales are up. Lily pads are forming floating lake cities. And the sun's rays are slanting through the trees. It can only be mid-July in Minnesota. And LiveGreenTwinCities offers easy ways to get out and go green this week.

July 15, 2009 2:11pm CST

Cow manure. Sun-basking ewes. A calf named Charlie. And a bunch of squawking chickens. A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of talking to local organic farmers for the Star Tribune publication, vita.mn. Here's what I learned about the people who grow our food.

July 14, 2009 12:24pm CST

Eating local doesn't have to be a chore. In fact, finding local foods is easy--they're in the co-ops, grocery stores, farmer's markets, your own backyard. But if you still have a hard time finding the best in local foods, we present to you a guide to eating local without lifting a finger.

July 13, 2009 10:58am

Mill City Farmers Market is always overflowing with fresh food, families, and foodies. On a recent visit there, director Marjorie Hegstrom talked to LiveGreenTwinCities about the market's mission, its growth, and its waiting list that’s a mile long.

July 7, 2009 11:38am CST

Tracy Singleton has been a key player in the local food movement since she opened Minneapolis’ Birchwood Café in 1995. The Birchwood, a key part of the Seward neighborhood’s thriving local, sustainable food scene, has an eclectic menu that satisfies hippies and hipsters, vegetarians and carnivores alike.

June 30, 2009 9:57pm CST

Everyone has been talking about local food lately: The health benefits; the ecological benefits, the community benefits. And this month at LiveGreenTwinCities.com we’re going to show you easy ways to eat local, healthy, and delicious foods every day.

June 30, 2009 9:30pm CST

D'Lish sells organic products made and grown in Minnesota. But the idea for the one-stop local-foods shop was born all the way across the world--in China--where farmers have faces and stories and rich histories. Now the D'Lish owners want to bring that story--and healthy food--to the Twin Cities.

June 26, 2009 1:58pmCST

A resolution approved today by the Minneapolis City Council ensures that healthy, locally produced food will be a growing issue in Minneapolis. Under a new Homegrown Minneapolis initiative, backyard gardens, community gardens, farmers markets, urban-agriculture programs, and more will be blooming all throughout Minneapolis.

June 18, 2009 12:41pm CST

The Women's Environmental Institute has launched its Organic Farm School at the Midtown Global Market. And there are plenty of open classes--from courses on composting to biodynamic farm tours--that can help turn you into an urban eco-farmer this summer or, at the very least, become a little more knowledgeable about what "organic" really means.

June 17, 2009 1:18pm CST

This summer is shaping up to be the season of the food film, and Food, Inc. is just the latest in the line of compelling documentaries that focuses on the way we eat and its detrimental affects on health and the environment. The film--which is more enlightening than gloom and doom--opens at the Lagoon on Friday.

May 11, 2009 2:36pm CST

Note: Book Club date change! LiveGreenTwinCities is launching a book club, and we want you to join! This month we're reading Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. Join us at Common Roots Cafe on Tuesday, June 23 at 6:30pm to discuss the book and its impact on the way you eat. We'd love to hear from you!

June 9, 2009 11:51am CST

The White House vegetable garden is more than just fruit-bearing: It's an education tool that spotlights the importance of sustainability and eating healthy, local food. Philadelphia Philly Ryan Howard recently visited the garden and discovered fresh herbs, a bio-cycling compost site, and a honey-bee hive that will produce about 100 lbs. of honey.

June 1, 2009 12:05pm CST

This week's green events include the much-buzzed-about screenings of "Fresh," a film that looks at a new way of eating and spotlights the environmental pollution, food contamination, and continued obesity caused by processed foods and industrial farming. Also, an "ask the expert" green event and free, all-natural skincare products!

May 6, 2009 11:49am CST

Want to learn about the best in local foods? Tonight, local food luminaries Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl of Minnesota Monthly and Scott Pampuch of Corner Table will detail how eating local, sustainable foods can benefit you and the community and give you guidelines on how to do it.

May 4, 2009 3:34pm CST

Still hunting for that perfect gift for Mom? From locally-grown flowers to co-op classes to wine tours and organic dinners and more, LiveGreenTwinCities offers up a guide to the coolest Mother-approved green gifts in town.

April 23, 2009 12:19pm CST

Still looking for a good Community Supported Agriculture farm (CSA) that will allow you to enjoy the bounty if this season's best produce? Want to learn more about CSAs and what they have to offer? Come out to Seward Co-op this Saturday to meet local farmers and choose a CSA that you can enjoy all season long.

March 16, 2009 4:12pm CST

Sweet Cheeks Baby Foods is expanding the traditional meaning of "farm to table." How a one-woman St. Paul company is making organic baby food that's so good and Earth-friendly even foodies give it the stamp of approval.

February 10th, 2009, 7:56 AM CT

How one Minneapolis restaurant's 70,000 pounds of compost, five Surly brews, 90 percent of organic goods, and nearly 60 percent of local ingredients are adding up to up to a boon for farms, the planet, and customers.