The days are becoming longer, and although our Minnesota winter is still going strong, in our local food system we are turning the corner from winter to spring as farmers begin to germinate crops indoors, repair equipment, and plan for the upcoming growing season.
River Market is committed to supporting our local community and we currently offer goods for sale from over 128 local producers.
Our Growers, Grazer, Makers, Bakers Grant Program is one way we support local farmers to ensure sustainability in our local food system.
For the past three years, the owners of River Market Community Co-op have chosen the Growers, Grazers, Makers, Bakers Grant Program as one of the monthly recipients of our roundup dollars. Through a competitive application process, local farmers are awarded funds to purchase machinery, construct necessary infrastructure, and acquire supplies, services, or other resources necessary for increasing productivity, improving efficiency, or growing their business. A grant committee, made up of River Market staff, previous grant recipients, and board members, evaluates applications and determines which local farms or local business maker is awarded funds.
This year, these farms were chosen to receive funds from the Growers, Grazers, Makers, Bakers Grant Program.
The Maker is Manifest Kombucha and this is how they describe their sustainable, local business:
“Brewed in small batches in Western Wisconsin, Manifest Kombucha is on a mission to make kombucha approachable again. We pride ourselves on crafting a brew that is palatable while still maintaining the integrity of what kombucha is meant to be – a revitalizing elixir that does the body and mind good. We partner up with local farms and orchards to use local produce and herbs whenever possible, which allows us to craft flavors that make even the most die-hard kombucha critics say, ‘Wow, that’s actually not as bad as I thought!’”
Manifest Kombucha will use the funds to purchase a fermenter, clamps, pump, kegs, a mobile cooler with insulation, and a CO2 tank. This equipment will simplify and streamline their kombucha making process.
The Grower chosen to receive funds is Downtime Farm, a small farm that produces vegetables and cut flowers. According to the farmer:
“The farm’s mission is to sustainably expand to meet the needs of our isolated geographic community, strengthen the local food network by fostering relationships between consumers and growers, and implement farming practices that protect the environment and build soil health.”
Downtime Farm will use the funds to purchase and apply necessary soil amendments to create optimal growing conditions.
Please congratulate these farmers for their commitment to providing local products to our community, which strengthens our local economy and food system and has less environmental impact. We encourage you to purchase their products. Spending your dollars locally provides enormous economic benefits to our community.