Longer days, shrinking snow drifts, missing motorists emerging from potholes—signs that spring is indeed nigh. Another hint that the growing season will actually make an appearance this year is that the 2010 Twin Cities CSA Directory is now available. Click here for the online version; call 612-722-6377 for the paper edition. Fifty-four farms are listed, 11 more than last year. That’s 54 ways to get the kind of fresh food we need to prepare our bodies for another Midwestern winter.

John Tuma’s Capitol Update – February 19, 2010

“There is Governor Ames himself.” 

These were the words whispered in a low husky voice from one of four horse riders wearing long white cattle dusters as they rode across the bridge into Northfield, Minnesota, on what would become a fateful day in September of 1876.  Unfortunately for the would-be bank robbers, the words were overheard by Adelbert Ames as he walked past the riders on well-bred horses as he was leaving town from a meeting at the First National Bank. 

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By Kate Ellis, senior policy associate, Fresh Energy

Earlier this month, the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) released the findings of a report they commissioned on the job impacts of a federal renewable electricity standard (RES).  The “Jobs Impact of a National Renewable Electricity Standard” study, conducted by independent, third-party researchers at Navigant Consulting, Inc., found that a 25 percent by 2025 national RES would result in 274,000 more renewable energy jobs over business as usual. Read the rest of this entry »

This week’s Star Tribune article about how the USDA’s school lunch program is no bargain here in Minnesota despite its reliance on highly-subsidized commodities reminded me of a conversation I had some time back with Robin Gaines, who is in charge of providing food for people on the other end of the age spectrum: retirement home residents. Read the rest of this entry »

John Tuma’s Capitol Update

“We, the people of the state of Minnesota, grateful to God for our civil and religious liberty and desiring to perpetuate its blessings and secure the same to ourselves and our prosperity, do ordain and establish this Constitution.”

-The preamble to the Constitution of the state of Minnesota, August 29, 1857

On Thursday of this week, Governor Pawlenty, following the time-honored tradition for over 150 years, delivered the gubernatorial State of the State address to a joint convention of both the House and Senate within the House chambers.

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Conservation Minnesota’s northwest blogger, Kristin Eggerling, reports enthusiastically on a conference to help develop locally-based food systems.

The conference begins on Monday, February 15 at Southwest State University in Marshall with a local food and wine reception with music, short films and clips about community-based food systems.  On Tuesday the conference will be broadcast at a number of college campuses in the 7th congressional district, including the University of Minnesota-Crookston, the University of Minnesota-Morris, Bemidji State University and Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls and will feature a keynote speech by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack who will be attending in Marshall.

More here.

What has the world come to when one of our leading food and farming writers is moved to pen a book with the subtitle, “An eater’s manual”? That was my first thought when I heard about Michael Pollan’s latest work, Food Rules. Now we need a list of rules on how to eat? What’s next: A Human’s Guide to Breathing In and Out? Read the rest of this entry »

John Tuma’s Capitol Update

As the legislative session opens this week, legislators and Gov. Pawlenty have taken some positive early steps for the environment with the capital investments bill.  Hopefully they will take some lessons from the leadership of former Governor Floyd B. Olson in 1933.

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By Elena Velkov, media center coordinator, Fresh Energy

If you’ve been keeping up with Fresh Energy’s Transportations Connections Department, you’ve probably heard about its push for a state Complete Streets policy. The measure aims to make streets safer and more accessible through various planning measures. This includes sidewalks, bike lanes, crosswalks, and shoulders. But as far as understanding how exactly these road changes would equal improved safety and a cleaner environment, it’s a little bit difficult to get from point A to point B–no transportation pun intended. I didn’t have a clear understanding of it, myself, until I actually saw it last week. Read the rest of this entry »

Now that the MPCA has finally gotten around to taking steps to shut down that horrific health hazard that its owner, Excel, chooses to call a dairy farm, neighbors are left to wonder: what about the millions of gallons of manure left behind? Read the rest of this entry »