Meet the Minnesota Makers

12/15/2025

How many of these creative local businesses did you already know?

Our platinum sponsors are an amazing group of Minnesota small businesses.

Swipe through for a preview of their gift guide listings. Browse meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift to view their full listings.
Today we celebrate the unique products, creative spirits and community generosity of…. (drum roll please)

Five Pines Candle Co & Trading Company (Ely)
Keepsake Cidery (Dundas)
Nashke Native Games (Ham Lake)

The “Shop Minnesota” is accessible to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our sponsors’ support makes a project of this size happen while keeping it accessible to businesses of all sizes.

A local gift makes a difference.

Make your neighbors’ dreams come true when you choose to support their business. Choosing local is more than a slogan. It builds community strength.

Swipe through to learn more about these local businesses. Comment Gift Guide below to receive a direct link to the guide.

12/13/2025

It may be frightful outside but the makers markets, farmers markets, and festive pop ups will be cozy and inviting.

These in-person shopping options will be worth braving the cold!

Find the makers from the Meet the Minnesota Makers “Shop Minnesota” gift guide at these markets throughout Minnesota.

Did we miss your market? Tag it in the comments section to help shoppers find you on Small Business Saturday.

Want to skip the snow and shop from home? Browse the our gift guide at meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift

Many of our local makers ship or offer local pickup/delivery. See what local treasures you find when you shop locally.

12/12/2025

What an amazing treat to gather with Stephanie Hansen and Stephanie March on Weekly Dish myTalk 107.1 - Minneapolis/St. Paul for their annual gift show. They invited me to share food and beverage highlights from our “Shop Minnesota” guide last weekend.

Here are the incredible local food and beverage makers included:

CannonBelles Cheese - Gouda,Toni S Luschen S LuschenFresh Cheese Curds

Earthtani a Community Supported Bakery: Holiday Cookies, HomemKeepsake Cideryake Cideryal Monthly Menus

Keepsake Cidery : Natural Ciders and Wines, GHazel Heart Farmseart Farmsider Membership

Hazel Heart Farms : Hazelnut Gift Box—contains hazelnut oil, roasted hazelnuts, hazelnut tea, salted hazelnuts, spicy mapleThe Bee Shede Bee Shed Salty Midwest Munch

The Bee Shed : Seasonal Honey; 3-Jar Flight Gift Boxes; Hot Shed Honey

Not Half Bad Bakehouse️ : Bûche de Noël (GF/V Yule log cake), GF/V Bakehouse cookies, GF/V Donut mini cakes

Listen to the full segment, including gift ideas from Crocus Hill at: https://www.mytalk1071.com/episode/12-6-25-hr-1-cooks-of-crocus-hills-and-minnesota-makers

Thank you to all 141 makers who make Minnesota’s small business landscape so vibrant (and delicious). Your stories deserve to be told.

Thank you again to Stephanie and Stephanie for including our stories as a part of their annual gift show. We so appreciate you sharing your platform with Minnesota’s creative food and beverage makers, highlighting their local sourcing and creativity.

Shop their products: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift/

12/11/2025

12/10/2025

Here’s the local shopping inspiration you’ve been waiting for!

Our gold sponsors are an amazing group of Minnesota small businesses.

Swipe through for a preview of their gift guide listings. Browse meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift to view their full listings. (We make it easy for you to shop locally even during a snowstorm from the comfort of your own home—perhaps with some local snacks on hand?)

Today we celebrate the unique products, creative spirits and community generosity of…. (drum roll please)

Facepunch Foods
Hart Country Meats
Healthy Eating On The Go
Isadore Nut Company
The Bee Shed

The “Shop Minnesota” is accessible to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our sponsors’ support pays for all the unglamorous behind-the-scenes pieces that makes a project of this size happen.

Where you spend your money matters.

A local gift makes a difference.

You make your neighbors’ dreams come true when you choose to support their business. Support a broad local community when you choose local first.

Swipe through to learn more about these local businesses. Comment Gift Guide below to receive a direct link to the guide.

12/08/2025

We’ve done the shopping for you.

Seriously.

Better yet? It’s all locally made often with local ingredients.

Who is on your list? We have Minnesota-made suggestions.

Comment below with the sort of gift you need. I’ll share a match from our “Shop Minnesota” gift guide.

Want to upgrade your stocking stuffers? Ask that below too.

Have a Secret Santa you don’t know very well and a strict budget? Let us help.

A sampling of options:

Cooking Classes
Kids Books
Bath and Body Care
Gourmet Baked Goods
Upcycled Products
Crocheted Whimsy
Hand Poured Candles
Wooden Puzzles
Dining Experiences
Gifts for Artists
Gifts by Artists
Winter Accessories
Clean Ingredient Snacks
Premium Spirits
Year Round Grilling
Games
Stationery
Chocolate
Cheese
Fishing Aficionado
Jewelry
Poetry
Hot sauce
Cookbooks
Gift boxes
Garden design
Salts
Clothing
Sassy hostas
Soap
Calendars
Ice Cream
Planners
Tea
Coffee
Ribbon Pants
Sausage Making Class
Ornaments
Nuts
Nut Free
All the gluten
Celiac safe
Strudel
Matcha
Elderberries
Pancakes
Wooden Bowls
Wooden Pens
Wooden Books
Spices
Honey
Tonics—for cocktails or zero proof Mocktails
Puzzle Rooms
Stained Glass
Live Music
Fresh Bread
Ginseng
Mushrooms
Glass Dishes
Earrings

And more…

Seriously, let us connect you with local makers.

We’re here to make it as easy as possible for you to shop locally.

You’ll give a gift that brings joy at least three times over—from the maker, from you knowing your bought something of quality that supports your local community and whoever receives the gift. Browse the guide at meettheminnesotamakers.com

12/06/2025

Thank you to Weekly Dish for sharing our Minnesota only gift guide with your listeners! It was a pleasure to highlight six of our featured makers this morning.

*Connects you with MN businesses *Gift guide, maker features, product reviews *Website & Social Content Creator [email protected]

12/06/2025

Looking for in-person shopping options?

Find the makers from the “Shop Minnesota” gift guide at these markets throughout Minnesota.

Did we miss your market? Tag it in the comments section to help shoppers find you on Small Business Saturday.

Want to skip the snow and shop from home? Browse the our gift guide at meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift

Many of our local makers ship or offer local pickup/delivery. See what local treasures you find when you shop locally.

12/05/2025

Gratitude post on this snowy Friday.

Our silver sponsors are an amazing group of Minnesota small businesses.

Swipe through for a preview of their gift guide listings. Head on over to meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift to view their full listings.

THANK YOU



Gray Duck Candle Co.
Hazel Heart Farms


Earthtani a Community Supported Bakery


Cookies and More By Lisa



The “Shop Minnesota” is accessible to businesses of all shapes and sizes. Our sponsors’ support pays for all the unglamorous behind-the-scenes pieces that makes a project of this size happen.

Thank you for shopping locally. Where you spend your money matters. A local gift benefits so many people.

12/05/2025

We're honored to be a part of the third annual “Shop Minnesota” Gift Guide by Meet the Minnesota Makers! 🎁 The guide features 140 local businesses and includes a huge variety of gift ideas - from artisan foods to handcrafted jewelry to home goods and more.

Check out the gift guide here and support local this holiday season: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift/

12/03/2025

So grateful to have spent the morning on KSTP’s Live sharing about the Meet the Minnesota Makers “Shop Minnesota” Holiday Gift Guide today!

Chris mentioned that our guide “is just hitting at the right time. Folks just want to know where their stuff is coming from. Culturally we’ve evolved to recognize that we don’t want our money always going to a giant corporation.”

Megan noted that 140 makers feels like a lot for Minnesota and we talked about how this only scratches the surface of our talented maker community.

We highlighted how this guide makes it easy for Minnesotans to support small businesses this holiday season. These are Minnesota products made by our artists, artisans, farms, food producers, and service providers. Your choice to purchase locally matters.

A few highlights from the piece:

Learning about Minnesota Grown ginseng from Ty's Ginseng in Morristown, a farm run by grandfather and grandson

Exploring sassy hostas with Lazy Toad Farm — a destination for hosta lovers and flower bouquet CSAs in Clearwater

Admiring iridescent glass by Paulie’s studio a Farmington artist who makes plates, coasters and jewelry that shine

Celebrating pyrography on wood that “feels like a furniture finish by — a father daughter business who work from forest to finish on each piece they make in Isanti

Marveling at the jewelry by — an autistic gourd artist in Winona who grows, cures, carves, sands and shapes her own gourds

Sampled fresh baked goods from community hub Martha's Eats & Treats — a destination bakery that sources from a half dozen farms near their Dundas storefront

The take and bake pastries from Martha’s definitely held the hosts’ interest too.

Watch the full segment: https://kstp.com/special-coverage/minnesota-live/gift-ideas-from-minnesota-makers

And explore the guide: https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift

Thank you to all 141 makers who make Minnesota’s entrepreneurial landscape so vibrant. Your stories, commitment to excellence, and unique approaches are true inspiration. I’m grateful to Minnesota Lve and their wonderful audience for supporting our local businesses