“If you build it, will they come?” That’s the essential question of NPR’s article It Takes More Than A Produce Aisle To Refresh A Food Desert that’s been making the rounds on Facebook and Twitter newsfeeds this week. As it happens, the article is a nice bit of synchronicity for Seward. As we contemplate the…  Read More →

The new Farm Bill, or, the Agricultural Act of 2014, is being signed into law today, and as usual, every sector of the country and economy is finding something to despise in it. The sustainable foods movement can take heart and celebrate several small victories though. Farm Bill 2014 makes it easier for low income…  Read More →

We are happy to announce that we have the required signatures from property owners needed to move forward with a second store at 38th St. and 3rd Ave. This exciting development has been in the works since the last community meeting, hosted by the Friendship Site project task force* on Nov. 6, 2013. At that…  Read More →

With the cold, the snow and the somewhat arbitrary marker of the start of a New Year, it’s a good time to try new things, and to make soup. Therefore, I have recently tried to recreate my favorite Thai soup, Tom Yum. It’s fortunate that Seward Co-op has nearly all the exotic ingredients for it…  Read More →

Since announcing the project in June, we have spoken with area neighbors, organizations, and businesses to learn more about the community and begin developing partnerships for the future. These conversations have informed the design process. In the past weeks we have been working with our design team and city planning staff to prepare the preliminary…  Read More →

Featherstone Fruits and Vegetables started in 1995 as Jack Hedin and Jenni McHugh’s five-acre garden at the Zephyr Valley Land Co-op near Winona, Minn. Since then, the farm has relocated to land near the town of Rushford, Minn., and now employs nearly 50 people working on over 250 acres of optimal vegetable-growing ground. Beginning in…  Read More →

Heartbeet Farm, outside of Lake City, Minn., is a relatively new producer for Seward Co-op. Owned by Joe and Rebecca Schwen, Heartbeet uses a combination of draft horses, small tractors and other technologies to grow a wide variety of vegetables. In coordination with Earthen Path, a farm long owned and managed by Steven Schwen (Joe’s…  Read More →

Hoch Orchard and Gardens is owned and run by Harry and Jackie Hoch. Located near La Crescent, Minn., Hoch has a long tradition of growing fresh fruit. A handful of the farm’s original trees, planted in the 1940s, are still on the farm, though production is concentrated on newer varieties. Besides 50 varieties of apples,…  Read More →

Gardens of Eagan (GOE), a 100-acre certified-organic farm near Northfield, Minn., has always been a place to learn about and grow organic produce. After more than 20 years of growing vegetables, farmers Martin and Atina Diffley leased their farmland to the Wedge Co-op, selling the co-op their 20 tractors and well-respected brand name. Overnight, in…  Read More →

On Saturday, July 20, co-op members and shoppers are invited to travel both within and beyond the city to visit local farms by participating in the third annual Eat Local Farm Tour. Eighteen sustainable Minnesota producers are on board for this year’s tour, giving attendees the opportunity to experience a diverse mix of small- to…  Read More →