Minnesota Grown Directory available now

            ST. PAUL, Minn. –  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture announces the release of the brand new 2016 Minnesota Grown Directory. With a record-breaking number of listings, this issue features food and products available directly from growers statewide. A vast array of farms and farmers markets, fruits and vegetables, meats and poultry, beverages, nurseries and more fill this robust edition of the Minnesota Grown Directory.

Consumers can search the directory by region, product, or name of a specific farm or market. The directory is also available online for web savvy consumers, and a responsive mobile compatible directory makes searching from anywhere not only possible, but convenient. All versions of the directory make it easy to find a local farmer, CSA farm, or product for Minnesotans in all corners of the state.

 The 2016 Minnesota Grown Directory showcases spokesperson Carrie Tollefson, world-class athlete and mom. Tollefson knows the importance of fueling herself and her family with healthy, local foods. She knows firsthand how the directory can connect families with local foods, products, and experiences as they visit farms and farmers markets in several seasons.   

 In addition to information about Minnesota Grown members, readers will also find a series of Fun Facts throughout the directory. As Minnesota Grown Marketing Specialist Jessica Miles explains, “We focused on nine products – including raspberries, carrots, squash, apples, and garlic... The information varies but most of the time it’s nutritional and seasonal.” Fun Facts also offer history blips, storage tips, and new ways to try your favorite Minnesota-grown crops.

 The 2016 Directory also showcases recipes from five chefs featured by Minnesota Cooks – an outreach program of the Minnesota Farmers Union that celebrates family farmers and chefs that favor locally-sourced ingredients. The chefs deliver a wide variety of exciting menu options from a hearty breakfast featuring Minnesota-grown blueberries, to a bouillabaisse with northern flare.

 You can order free, printed copies of the Minnesota Grown Directory by calling Explore Minnesota Tourism at 1-888-TOURISM.  Or, visit www.minnesotagrown.com to place an order or search the online directory.

‘Minnesota Harvester Handbook’ guides enthusiasts to natural resources

ST. PAUL, Minn. (12/11/2014)—Harvesting sustainable natural resources is integral to the heritage of many Minnesotans. For a growing number of others, though, interest in tapping into our state’s abundant buffet of resources is reaching new levels.  How to harvest wisely?      

Developed by the University of Minnesota Extension, the newly released “Minnesota Harvester Handbook” has answers. Contributions come from a broad base of experts in this 118-page guide covering a wide array, including mushrooms, maple syrup and berries, as well as non-edibles such as wood for crafting.

“This guide isn’t just for people who own woods. It’s for those who have an interest in learning how to connect with nature through harvesting non-timber natural resources and doing so responsibly,” said Mike Reichenbach, Extension natural resources educator.

Resources are divided by the season of their harvest; its chapters delve into details such as where resources grow and how-to tips on harvesting. Photos throughout the guide help readers correctly identify items. In addition, the handbook offers exhaustive information on resources and their cultural importance, marketing, regulations regarding public and private land and more.

“Each chapter puts an emphasis on environmental benefits, sustainability and regrowth,” said Gary Wyatt, also an Extension natural resources educator.

The guide sells for $24.95. To learn more or order, visit http://z.umn.edu/rnd. Orders will be received in seven to ten days or less.

It will be a text for later introductory non-timber forest products classes offered by Extension. To learn more, visit Extension’s My Minnesota Woods page at http://www.myminnesotawoods.umn.edu/.  

Board on Aging publishes guide to health care choices booklet for Medicare open enrollment

The Minnesota Board on Aging has just published its 2015 edition of Health Care Choices for Minnesotans on Medicare booklet. Now in its sixth edition, the annual guide contains comprehensive information about Medicare health care plan options in Minnesota.

“Health Care Choices is a useful resource for older adults and family members making decisions during the Medicare open enrollment, which runs Oct. 15 through Dec. 7, 2014,” said Jean Wood, executive director of the Minnesota Board on Aging. “After Dec. 7, a change can only be made in a few special circumstances so it is important to use this time to make the best decision possible.  Any changes made will take effect Jan. 1, 2015.”

Health Care Choices is available online, by calling the Senior LinkAge Line®: A One Stop Shop for Minnesota Seniors at 1-800-333-2433, or by visiting www.MinnesotaHelp.info® and using the chat live feature or leaving an email after business hours.

U of M Crookston Holds on to Top Spot in Publication

CROOKSTON, Minn. – For the second year in a row, the University of Minnesota Crookston ranks number one in U.S. News Best Colleges rankings in the category Midwest Top Public Regional Colleges. The ranking is the 17th consecutive year that Crookston campus has appeared in the top four. The exclusive rankings, available at usnews.com on Tues., September 9 will be published in the September issue of U.S. News & World Report, available on newsstands on Tuesday, September 23.

U of M Crookston Chancellor Fred Wood is pleased the campus held on to the top spot in the rankings. "Much of the recognition this campus has received over the years is the result of a highly dedicated faculty and staff," said Wood. "What sets our campus apart from others is that we provide students with an atmosphere that is remarkably supportive and personal, where learning is hands-on and where faculty and staff not only know students' names but also their strengths and interests."

"Our students recognize the value of earning a highly recognized and respected University of Minnesota degree while studying at the University of Minnesota Crookston in an environment that gives them opportunities for learning, leadership, and a chance to develop skills that will prepare them for the workplace or graduate school. We are truly the small campus with the big degree."

The U.S. News ranking system uses quantitative measures that education experts have proposed as reliable indicators of academic quality. Schools are categorized by their mission, which is derived from the breakdown of types of higher education institutions developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of teaching. The key measures of quality include graduation and retention rates; assessment of excellence; faculty resources; student selectivity; financial resources; graduation rate performance, which is the difference between actual and predicted graduation rates; and alumni giving. Scores for each measure are weighted to arrive at a final overall score.

Other colleges ranked in the top four Midwest Top Public Regional Colleges include Valley City State University at number two, Northern State University at number three, Dickinson State University at number four, followed by Bismarck State College and Lake Superior State University tied at number five. The category focuses on undergraduate education with fewer than 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines. There were 364 colleges ranked in four regions—North, South, Midwest, and West—in the Regional Colleges category.

To view the rankings, visit  http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/regional-colleges/top-public.

Today the University of Minnesota, Crookston delivers 29 bachelor's degree programs, 20 minors, and 36 concentrations on campus--as well as 13 degrees online--in the areas of agriculture and natural resources; business; liberal arts and education; and math, science and technology.  With an enrollment of 1,800 undergraduates from more than 20 countries and 40 states, the Crookston campus offers a supportive, close-knit atmosphere that leads to a prestigious University of Minnesota degree.  "Small Campus. Big Degree."  To learn more, visit www.umcrookston.edu.