More and more consumers are rediscovering the benefits of supporting local food and products and Superior Grown wants to help!  Through the Consumer Directory, Superior Grown connects people to regional markets, allowing them to shop and dine with businesses that support local.  Through the rest of the link, Superior Grown provides helpful information to consumers, raising awareness about local products and teaching consumers what they can do to help support the movement towards a healthier, more sustainable production system. 

Find Superior Grown products at these regional markets!

Note – Highlighted businesses below are Superior Grown Business Partners and can be linked for further detail found in the business directory. This is not a complete listing of area businesses that carry or use local products. To be included in the Consumer Directory, please contact Cree Holtz at 218-525-4781 or holtz@isfusa.org.

Farmers Markets

It doesn’t get any more local than this! Farmers markets are a great way to get the freshest of produce and allow consumers to meet the farmers that grow the food they buy. They are often a very social and energetic atmosphere, sometimes providing forms of entertainment and activity. Shop at your local farmers market today. You will have a wonderful time!

Ashland Farmers Market
200 Block of Chapple Avenue, Ashland WI
Open Saturdays – 8:00 am to 12:00; July through Mid-October
Contact: Ashland Chamber of Commerce 715-682-2500

Barker’s Island Farmers Market
Hwy 2 and 53, Marina Drive, Superior WI
Open Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00; Mid-July through Mid-October
Contact: Sue Ann Dumke 715-372-844

Bayfield Farmers Market
3rd Street and Manypenny Avenue, Bayfield WI
Open Saturday 9:00 am to 12:00; Late June through Mid-October
Contact: 715-779-3335

Carlton County Farmers Market
Hwy 45 and I-35, Scanlon MN
Open Saturday 9:00 am to Sellout; Late June through Mid-July
Contact: Emma Olson 218-879-5790

Cook County Farm and Craft Market
Downtown, Grand Marais MN
Open Saturday 9:00 am to 1:00; Late May through September
Contact: Melinda Spinler 218-387-2186

Duluth Farmers Market
3rd Street and 14th Avenue East, Duluth MN
Open Wednesday and Saturday 7:30 am to 12:00; Mid-May through Halloween
Contact: Lois Hoffbauer 218-624-4159
www.duluthfarmersmarket.com

Grand Rapids Farmers Market
Hwy 169, SW Corner of the Wal-Mart Parking Lot, Grand Rapids MN
Open Wednesday and Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00; Mid-June through Mid-October
Contact: Kent Lorentzen 218-752-6678

Hayward Area Farmers Market
2 miles East of Hayward on Hwy B, Hayward WI
Open Monday 8:00 am to 1:00

Hibbing Farmers Market
Hwy 169 and New Burg Road, Hibbing MN
Open Tuesday and Friday, 8:30 am to 12:30; July through October
Contact: Amalia Spagnolo 218-778-6497

Iron County Farmers Market
10th Avenue N, by the WI Information Center, Hurley WI
Open Wednesday 2:00 pm and Saturday 10:00 am; both till sellout

Spooner Farmers Market
Beaverbrook Road and Hwy 63, Spooner WI
Open Saturday 8:00 am to 12:00

Sustainable Farming Association U. of MN Duluth Farmers Market
College Avenue, Lot A at UMD, Duluth MN
Open Wednesday 2:00 pm to sellout; Late May through Fall
Contact: Deb Shubat 218-525-3063

Virginia Farmers Market
Armory Parking Lot, 8 ½ Street South, Virginia MN
Open Tuesday and Friday 2:00 pm to 5:30; Early July through September
Contact: Donn and Marilyn Kunnari 218-865-4732

Restaurants

Chester Creek Café, Duluth MN

New Scenic Café, Duluth MN

Angry Trout Café, Grand Marais MN

Coco’s To Geaux, Duluth MN

Barker’s Island Boathouse Restaurant, Superior WI

Black Cat Coffeehouse, Ashland WI

Shorecrest Supper Club and Motel, Duluth MN

The Daily Bread, Ashland WI

Whole Foods Co-op Deli, Duluth MN

Good Thyme ‘Catering and Bistro’, Washburn WI

Blue Horizons, Bayfield WI

Grocery Stores

No listings currently available

Co-ops

Whole Foods Co-op, Duluth MN

Cook County Co-op, Grand Marais MN

Ashland Co-op, Ashland MN

Retail Businesses

No listings currently available

Institutions

Saint Luke’s Hospital, Duluth MN

Meat and Fish Businesses

Russ Kendall’s Fish Smokehouse, Knife River MN

Northern Waters Smokehaus, Duluth MN

Catering

Coco’s To Geaux, Duluth MN

The Reason for the Season

It is important for consumers to recognize the seasonality of local foods. Due to our northern elevation and colder climates, Northeastern MN and Northwestern WI has a distinct growing season in which peak production for many crops lasts for just a month. Despite our short growing season, there is good news!

Many of our producers are experimenting and utilizing season extension technologies, such as hoop houses and cold storage cellars, to prolong the growing season and storage life of many fruits and vegetables. Additionally, supporting local products in the Superior Grown region does not necessarily mean supporting ‘just the summer season’. There are many products that consumers can purchase year round from local farmers, including: beef, cheese, chicken, jams and jellies, dried herbs, honey, wild rice, lamb, maple syrup, turkey, and much more.

Consumers, you too can take part in the seasonality of local foods!

• Purchase fresh, seasonal produce from a local farmers market this summer and learn how to can, preserving that ‘bit of summer’ to be eaten in the cold of winter. To learn about canning classes available to the public, click here.
• Challenge your Christmas gift-giving spirit this winter by purchasing only locally made products. Wrap a basket of jellies and jam, bring a tray of grass fed beef sausage and Gouda cheese to a party, hand-knit a scarf made of fine Finn-Rambouillet yarn, or arrive at a friends door with a hand-made Balsam Fir Christmas wreath. All these gift ideas consist of locally made products easily found in the Superior Grown Farmer Directory. Not only will you be supporting a farmer during the quiet winter months but you will also be giving a gift that is sure to please!
• Learn what produce is available during which months by studying the guide below and enjoy cooking according to the seasons. For available recipes, click here.

PRODUCE SEASON GUIDE FOR NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN

 

Buying Directly From the Farmer

More and more consumers are seeking out farmers on their own and buying food from them directly. Purchasing food and other goods directly from our farmers holds many rewards, including:

• Being able to meet the person or family who grows the products you buy;
   
• Building a one-on-one trusting relationship that no amount of labeling or marketing can provide;
   
• Being able to learn more about how your food is grown or raised, and about the challenges that face our farmers today;
   
• Supporting our family farms that are crucial to the health of rural communities and provide an important means of integrating a land stewardship ethic into a sustainable economy; and
   
• Being treated to delicious, quality food.

To learn more about the rewards of supporting local food and products, click here. (link this back to ‘Why Superior Grown Food’ in ‘About Us’).

When purchasing local product directly from a farmer, consumers should be aware of many things before shopping. For example, do you know where to find regional producers and what questions to ask? Are you an informed shopper and do you know what to do before visiting a farm? Listed below are some helpful tips.

Finding the Farmer

There are many places in which consumer can find local farmers to purchase product directly.

1. Visit a Farmers Market near you. Farmers markets are one of the oldest forms of direct-marketing and can provide the consumer an energetic, social atmosphere with a unique place to shop.

View a listing of Farmers Markets in the Superior Grown region.

2. Search the Superior Grown Farmer Directory. In our directory, consumers can search for a local producer by the county they live in or by an individual product they are looking for.

View the Farmer Directory.

3. Participate in a farm tour. Organizations like the Sustainable Farming Association often hold field days on farms to showcase innovative production methods. Although these tours are often targeted to farmers, providing them with a hands-on educational workshop, they can also be a great way for non-farmers to see sustainable agriculture in action. By participating in a farm tour, consumers can learn valuable information about the local products they buy and can often meet farmers who might direct-market food.

View a list of regional farm tours, click here. (link this to ‘Sustainable Farming Association’ in ‘Educational Opportunities’.

4. Still unfamiliar with area producers? Call Superior Grown or the Sustainable Farming Association of Northeast MN for a recommendation or contact your area food co-op or health practitioner who may also have some suggestions.

Asking the Right Questions

When inquiring with a local producer, consider asking questions about their products and production methods to determine if they are a right fit for your needs. Questions can include:

1. Are your vegetables and fruits produced using chemicals? If so, are Integrated Pest Management techniques applied in your operation to reduce the amount of chemicals needed?

2. Are sustainable farming practices employed on your farm? If so, what techniques do you use?

3. Do you have suggestions on how to cook grass-fed beef?

Being aware of more farming terms and techniques will be useful in forming your own consumer questions. To view a listing of terms and definitions, click here.

Before You Leave Home

Product availability, marketing arrangements, and other factors vary from farm to farm. Be sure to call farmers before you venture out. Remember that farms are homes as well as businesses and that many farmers are very busy during the growing season. If you call, leave a message and wait for a return call. Do not drop in without checking first.

If you find a farm that interests you, contact the farmer to verify that they welcome visitors and arrange a time to meet. Confirm that the product you are looking for is available and how it is sold. Be helpful by bringing your own bags. A cooler can be handy if traveling a long distance from home to farm. For purchases, small bills are best.

How You Can Help

There are many simple things you can do to help support local farmers and build a more sustainable community production system in the Northland. Simply:

• Buy foods that are grown locally whenever you can;
• Buy foods that are produced using methods that result in minimal harm to the environment;
• Buy foods in bulk or with little packaging, recycling and composting packaging and food waste;
• Choose meats and dairy products that are local; and
• Encourage supermarkets, local shops, and restaurants to stock local food and products.