Meet the Minnesota Makers

12/04/2024

The Meet the Minnesota Makers “Shop Minnesota” Gift Guide is LIVE!

Thank you to Minnesota Live for helping us to launch the guide this week.

We had the chance to highlight six of our more than 130 makers.

I’m grateful to C.C. Rode, Chris Egert, Megan Newquist and the rest of the KSTP TV morning crew for the chance to share the maker stories of , , .plaid , , , and .

This curated guide includes artists, artisans, authors, farmers, food producers, service providers and experience gifts throughout the state.

Explore the guide at meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift

Select your favorites to have a customized list sent to you. (Or send the list to someone else as a hint!)

Meet the Minnesota Makers newsletter subscribers receive access to exclusive discount codes for more than half the makers in the guide. Sign up for the free newsletter (weekly this December—monthly the rest of the year) at meettheminnesotamakers.com.

Watch our fun Minnesota Live segment at https://kstp.com/special-coverage/minnesota-live/meet-the-minnesota-makers-gift-guide-2/

12/03/2024

Thank you to Minnesota Live for helping to kick off the Meet the Minnesota Makers Shop Minnesota Gift Guide. What a thrill to share unique products from Half Pint Coffee Co., Five Pines Candle Co, Sweet Land Farm, Brine's Fine Honeys, Dotplaid, and All Ways Nature. Find these makers (and 130 more) in the gift guide.

Meet the Minnesota Makers newsletter subscribers have access to exclusive discount codes from more than half of the makers in the guide.

https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/holiday-gift/

11/22/2024

Thank you Cities South Magazines for sharing this feature about Meet the Minnesota Makers and the upcoming gift guide!

In her annual gift guide, a writer connects Minnesota artisans with shoppers. Michelle M. Sharp, though she’s originally from Chicago, is now

11/21/2024

Bring your foodie friends and family to the Farm at the Arb this January for the first Taste Makers class of 2025.

An all-new year of Taste Makers! Join Chef Beth Fisher and Michelle Sharp, founder and content creator for Meet the Minnesota Makers , as they introduce you to three local, innovative, small business owners. The Makers provide demonstrations, prepare samples and share the passions that inspire their work.
🥬🥬Learn about Minnesota’s Driftless region and why it’s so good for farming, and taste a fresh winter salad crafted by Chef Beth with organic fruits, greens and vegetables.

🎂Discover and taste the ever-classic buttercream. Learn decorating tips and tricks from a professional baker.

👩🏻‍🍳Warm up and celebrate Minnesota’s unique barbecue tradition while sampling smoke masters’ special meat selections.

🚜Abby Benson, Production Coordinator and Kärin Wollan, Passionate CSA Superfan from Rushford’s Featherstone Fruits & Vegetables. Featherstone farm is a 250 acre certified organic vegetable farm in the heart of the Driftless region of SE Minnesota. They grow more than 95 varieties of certified organic fruits, vegetables, salad greens, and herbs that are planted and harvested largely by hand.

🍰Kelsey Endres of Minneapolis’s Eat Me Bakery uses cakes as her canvas. Trained as an artist, Kelsey realized that buttercream frosting is her preferred medium and dessert is her inspiration. She loves designing cakes that will forever be a part of special memories and moments in people’s lives.

🐷Kaylee and Dan Cahill Mathews are dedicated to the craft of smoking meats over Minnesota hardwoods and owners of Baptism River Barbecue Co. on Lake Superior’s North Shore. This family owned, seasonal barbecue trailer has their mission to source the very best ingredients from the boreal hardwood forests they call home. Their passion is to offer smoked meats and sides featuring locally sourced produce, animals, and hardwoods and serve good food to good folks. This is the superior flavor of True Northwoods Barbecue that you can't get anywhere else.

Join us Saturday, Jan. 18,10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Class registration includes daily admission to the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

Register at https://arb.umn.edu/learn/taste-makers-jan-2025

Makes a great gift!

11/18/2024

APPLICATIONS CLOSE THIS WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20!

Are you a small business owner who offers a direct-to-consumer experience of product?

Minnesota-based businesses offering classes, events, food, art, farm goods, artisanal products, customized items, pet goods, in-home services, self-care services—please apply!

Complete your application through the MTMM website. Select categories and tags from the drop down menus to help shoppers search for your business in the guide. Upload your product image directly onto the website as well.

Makers have the option to include a discount code. This code will not be published to the website. It is a perk of being a MTMM newsletter subscriber. Please state in the form how the code can be applied (in-person at events is okay!) and when it expires.

Shoppers can mark their favorites and have their custom list sent to them via email. Each listing includes a link to your website, social media, featured products, and where to find you. After the holidays we’ll remove the section with your upcoming events and leave the rest of the information so that shoppers can use this resource through the end of October 2025.

(That’s the goal, isn’t it? We want to make it as easy as possible for people to always shop local first.)

$15 application fee (reimbursable for MN Grown businesses) and voluntary sponsorship to make the guide accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Please share this application with your maker friends and small business owners. Any Minnesota-based art, artisanal, farm, food, or service-based business is eligible to apply.

Comment gift guide and I’ll DM you the link. Visit meettheminnesotamakers.com and find the link on the home page (button on the top banner).

Not sure if you’re a good fit? Other questions? Please reach out.

Thank you!
Michelle

11/16/2024

11/15/2024

Interview is live! Lots of local shoutouts including Minnesota Registered Cottage Food Producers Association Sun Thisweek Ruhland's Strudel Haus Aspen Ridge Honey Farm Inbound Studio FEAST Local Foods Network Renewing the Countryside Women Who Really Cook Fiddlehead K**b

Thank you all for being a part of the Meet the Minnesota Makers journey.

In this episode of Homegrown Hustle, host Matt Eickman speaks with Michelle Sharp, founder of Meet the Minnesota Makers. They discuss the importance of local businesses, the journey of building a community around artisans and farmers, and the impact of storytelling in connecting consumers with local products. Michelle shares her experiences in creating a platform that supports local makers, the significance of shopping local, and the challenges faced by small business owners. The conversation highlights the interconnectedness of the food ecosystem and the role of cottage producers in Minnesota's economy. In this conversation, Michelle Sharp discusses the importance of supporting local makers and small businesses in Minnesota. She emphasizes the need for balance between passion and profitability, the challenges faced by makers during the holiday season, and the significance of effective self-promotion and networking. Michelle also highlights the resources available for makers, particularly women in the food and beverage industry, and the importance of connecting with local events to foster community support. The discussion concludes with a focus on empowering future generations to embrace entrepreneurship and the value of local products.

11/14/2024

Thing to think about this holiday season (and always). Thank you Homegrown Hustle for talking all things local.

11/14/2024

Another sneak peek of my interview with Homegrown Hustle!

11/12/2024

Grateful to share the story of Meet the Minnesota Makers with Homegrown Hustle!

11/11/2024

Meet the Minnesota Makers invites Minnesota-based art, artisanal, farm, food, or service-based businesses to apply to be listed in the 2024 holiday gift guide.

I’ve been working since August with Inbound Studio, the web design and development company that built my website, to create new pages on the Meet the Minnesota Makers website. We’ve made major upgrades to last year’s downloadable version.

Complete your application through the MTMM website. Select categories and tags from the drop down menus to help shoppers search for your business in the guide. Upload your product image directly onto the website as well.

Makers have the option to include a discount code. This code will not be published to the website. It is a perk of being a MTMM newsletter subscriber. Please state in the form how the code can be applied (in-person at events is okay!) and when it expires.

Shoppers can mark their favorites and have their custom list sent to them via email. Each listing includes a link to your website, social media, featured products, and where to find you. After the holidays we’ll remove the section with your upcoming events and leave the rest of the information so that shoppers can use this resource through the end of October 2025.

(That’s the goal, isn’t it? We want to make it as easy as possible for people to always shop local first.)

You’ll find information in the application about sponsorship levels. Your voluntary sponsorship of the guide supports my time spent assembling, organizing, and promoting the guide. You’re also supporting my part-time office manager and accountant along with my first-ever intern. (We’re growing!)

Please share this application with your maker friends and small business owners. Any Minnesota-based art, artisanal, farm, food, or service-based business is eligible to apply.

Application deadline is Wednesday, November 20. The plan is to publish the gift guide the week of Thanksgiving so people have time to plan their Small Business Saturday.

Application at meettheminnesotamakers.com. https://meettheminnesotamakers.com/gift-box-post-creation/ Comment gift guide and I’ll DM you the link.

11/07/2024

Mark Petersen of Stillwater’s Facepunch Foods fell in love with heat when he was six years old.

Growing up, his family sponsored a number of international students who attended school at St Catherine’s in St. Paul. A student from India invited Mark’s family to her apartment for dinner. “She served us hot curry chicken on rice. I loaded up my plate and my mouth was on fire,” recalls Mark. “That was my first time knowing that food could be like that. I kept eating more. I was sweating from the spice and it was so flavorful. I was hooked. It was so delicious and interesting.”

Fast forward several years to when a couple of Mark’s uncles regularly made hot sauce as a hobby. “What they taught me is the same process that I use today for all of the Facepunch sauces. I love having that connection back to my family and my childhood in every batch I make.”

Mark’s especially proud of his award-winning banana pepper sauce. “It’s an under-sung pepper. Some people think of it more as a pickle. It’s this flavor that’s thrown in on the side with pizza or on top of a Greek salad. I thought it would be a great idea to make a sauce out of this super prevalent completely underutilized pepper. It has an amazing flavor profile with a little bit of a Minnesota nice aspect to it.”

“The part that blows my mind every day is that I get to enter people’s homes with my hot sauces, seasonings, and snacks. I get to bring joy to those that seek different heat or flavors. I get to be a part of their meals, their routines, their special occasions. That feeling never gets old,” smiles Mark.

Back in Minnesota, Mark sources peppers in season from farms in the Stillwater area. “I love sharing a little bit of Minnesota love in a bottle. We’re making people rethink Minnesota spice.”

Facepunch Foods is one of three makers presenting at the Taste Makers class at the Farm at the Arb on November 9. Taste the award-winning banana pepper sauce and experience Mark’s passion for peppers. https://arb.umn.edu/learn/taste-makers-holiday-2024

Follow Facepunch Foods for upcoming events and white-label features.

Follow Meet the Minnesota Makers to meet the people who make Minnesota a tasty place to be.

Full feature at meettheminnesotamakers.com

11/06/2024

Ever taken an apple-inspired personality test?

Keepsake Cidery in Dundas is named after the “Keepsake” apple. This apple, developed at the University of Minnesota, received its name thanks to its extended storage capabilities, disease resistance, and quality of flavor. “These are qualities we emulate - durability, resiliency and quality!” shares Tracy Jonkman, orchard co-owner along with husband Nate Watters.

Keepsake Cidery, just south of Northfield, tends to more than 5000 apple trees on 25 acres. “We are more than ten years in and I feel like my passion for apples has grown,” says Nate. “It’s such a blessing to be able to farm, to help make people happy, and to contribute to society while creating something with my family and crew here that we all feel invested in and genuinely like doing.”

Keepsake’s tasting room and seating areas are nestled amid a grove of apple trees, whose fruit is turned on site into naturally fermented cider. They sell this same cider at their orchard-adjacent tasting room and in liquor stores and restaurants throughout Minnesota. The orchard was founded with an emphasis on community and sustainability. In addition to their organic apples, they partner with a handful of local orchards to source the fruit they press.

Cultivating community is a foundational element for this southeastern MN oasis. Local goods include meats, cheeses, breads, and spreads. The tasting room menu of toasties and charcuterie double as a roll call of local growers and producers. Summer Friday nights feature a rotating roster of local chefs and creative restaurateurs who feed hungry visitors of all ages.

Nate and Tracy enjoy being a destination for multigenerational families, fermentation aficionados, or day trippers looking for a change of scenery—their front porch, also known as the Tasting Room, truly is a site where all are welcome.

Keepsake ships their cider nationally and has a Cider Club and Cider Farm Share.

Keepsake Cidery is one of three makers sharing their story at the November 9 Taste Makers Class at the Farm at the Arb. Taste some of Keepsake’s distinctive naturally fermented cider varieties.

Full feature at meettheminnesotamakers.com

Follow Keepsake Cidery for current events and special releases.

Follow Meet the Minnesota Makers to meet the people making Minnesota a tasty place to be.

11/05/2024

Tina LeBrun of Backstreet Market never thought she’d find motivation in beef sticks.

Her children’s school encourages families to share a healthy treat to celebrate birthdays. Their family sent beef sticks, made with beef from cattle raised on their farm, as the class snack.

“It was a sensation,” laughs Tina. “For living in a rural area, we often find a lack of connection between the farms and the people in town. Lots of the kids had never eaten beef sticks before and were stunned that it was from cattle raised right here in Gibbon. We hadn’t thought that sending this snack would be a way to educate the youth of our community about the farms that are close by.”

Along with her parents, Tina and her husband Kyle together are raising four kids, multiple careers, and food you can feel good about. Backstreet Market is a multigenerational business that provides direct-to-consumer pasture-raised and grain-finished, dry-aged beef and uncontained heritage pork.

“We are allowed to tell our story through the products we produce and create,” shares Tina. “We love being a part of a special event or occasion through the food we make and the protein we grow.”

These days the family uses their catering and food truck as well as their farmers market stand to educate about the value of local products. They incorporate in-season produce from their home gardens and neighboring farms. Their go-to cheese is always Cannon Belles. “We love working with other local farms and businesses to create ways to enhance our delicious products,” explains Tina. “It’s worth the extra drive or effort to bring other local businesses literally to the table.”

Meet Tina and Tami Saturday, November 9 at the Farm at the Arb Taste Makers class. Register through the arb website. Sample their locally-raised meats as prepared by Chef Beth Fisher. Ask questions about their connection with their animals.

Follow Backstreet Market to see what’s happening on the farm.

Visit the Backstreet Market page, www.themeaterymn.com, or email [email protected] to place an order. Follow Meet the Minnesota Makers to discover the people making Minnesota a tasty place to be.

10/18/2024

Opportunity for both foodies and food and beverage vendors!