Minnesota Grown's Pick of the Month newsletter offers you tips on what to look for in seasonal food and products.





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Pick of the Month December
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A counter set with baking ingredients including flour, milk, butter, eggs, honey and maple syrup. [ [link removed] ]

Get Baking with Local Ingredients

If you're like us, December has you busy in the kitchen baking up cookies, bars, and other tasty holiday treats! Make your recipes even more delicious by using local ingredients like rich milk and cream, eggs, butter, and sweeteners like honey [ [link removed] ] and maple syrup [ [link removed] ]! Look for Minnesota Grown at your local grocery store or find a producer near you in the online directory.

*Find Local Dairy* [ [link removed] ]


*Find Local Eggs* [ [link removed] ]






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Recipe: Mulled Wine

Picture of wine with a recipe for mulled wine. [ [link removed] ]

Minnesota's cold climate is no barrier to making fine wine! This holiday, get cozy with a warm mug of mulled goodness, compliments of a local winery. Find this recipe and more in the winter issue of Minnesota Grown's seasonal magazine, Living Local, available to browse online.

*Read Living Local* [ [link removed] ]


*Find Local Wines* [ [link removed] ]

Don't forget to shop the Minnesota Grown Holiday Gift Guide [ [link removed] ]




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Michael and Cheri of Far North Spirits. Photo Credit Megan Sugden. [ [link removed] ]

Farm Feature: Far North Spirits

Pour something truly special this season with an exceptional whiskey from?Far North Spirits [ [link removed] ]. The farm, distillery, and tasting room are located just 25 miles from the Canadian border, but you can find their rye whiskey, bourbon, gin, and rum at many stores around the state as well as online [ [link removed] ].

The story of Far North is one of family legacy, regenerative agriculture, and the pursuit of crafting exceptional spirits. The distillery is proud to be one of just a handful of estate distilleries nationwide that grows their own grain. Similar to the approach in the wine industry, they focus on varietals, resulting in complex and distinct flavors in the finished spirits.

A bottle of Roknar MN Rye Whiskey from Far North Spirits

*Read More* [ [link removed] ]


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Holiday Shop at a Winter Farmers' Market

Collage of images from the Saint Paul Farmers market featuring cheese, apples, ham and popcorn. [ [link removed] ]

It's the perfect time of year to visit a farmers' market for gifts and goodies! Local producers have meat, cheese, and winter vegetables to round out your holiday table and beautiful winter d?cor to make your home a winter wonderland. Surprise your host with a bottle of pure maple syrup or a unique gift from a local artisan. We wouldn't say no to some local jerky in our Christmas stocking!

*Find Your Market* [ [link removed] ]

North Loop Winter Market Flyer [ [link removed] ]

In the Twin Cities, the North Loop Winter Market on Saturday, December 16, is a benefit for the Minnesota Farmers' Market Association [ [link removed] ]. Shop handmade crafts and delicious treats while supporting local farmers. The first 500 attendees will receive a Minnesota Grown reusable Swedish dishcloth!

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Minnesota Grown Announces Contest Winners

A boy of about seven years old eating a healthy lunch with a surprised look on his face.
Farm to School District of the Year

Three Minnesota school districts have been named a 2023 Minnesota Grown Farm to School District of the Year. This first-ever statewide contest recognizes schools for their exceptional efforts to serve and promote foods grown in the state to their students.

Judging was based on several factors, including the variety of local foods offered in school meals, the number of producers the districts buy from, and activities they do to promote and teach about local foods.?



*Read More* [ [link removed] ]


A display of grocery store produce.
Retailer of the Year

Seven Minnesota grocers who promote locally grown and produced products have been named a 2024 Minnesota Grown Retailer of the Year in partnership with the?Minnesota Grocers Association [ [link removed] ].

?We commend these seven grocers for their creative efforts to promote fresh, local foods from Minnesota Grown members,? said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen. ?When consumers have the chance to eat more foods grown and produced by their neighbors, it benefits Minnesota?s farmers, grocers, and communities.?



*Read More* [ [link removed] ]












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