Renewing the Countryside

Story Clearinghouse

Great River Vineyard

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Great River Vineyard Great Grapes John and Barb Marshall, owners and operators of Great River Vineyard, are proving that Minnesota is a great place to grow grapes. Their seven and a half acres of vineyards, across the road from Lake Pepin, near Lake City, Minnesota, produces around four or five tons of grapes a year. […]

Easy Bean Farm

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Environmentally Positive Farming Easy Bean Farm is a 120 acre spread in the Chippewa River Valley near Montevideo. In addition to the 46 acres of grass pasture for rotational grazing of beef cattle, there are 12 acres of mixed and certified organic vegetables. Easy Bean markets most of its vegetable to 109 community supported agriculture […]

Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative

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Corn Power! Central Minnesota Ethanol Cooperative (CMEC) of Little Falls, Minnesota is a new generation cooperative formed specifically for the purpose of producing fuel grade ethanol and dried distillers drains with solubles from the processing of locally produced corn. The plant produces 20 milliongallons per year of 100% ethanol and 60,000 tons of DDGS, a […]

The Best-Kept Secret in Northwestern Minnesota

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The Best-Kept Secret in Northwestern Minnesota Red Lake Falls — “A scenic community committed to learning, growth, compassion and heritage.” The mission says it well. One leader, who is one of those rare individuals who lives in the house his grandparents built, calls his town “the best-kept secret in northwest Minnesota.” He describes how you […]