Anyone in Minnesota?

Lake Bleeker wrote:Hello everyone,

    My name is Lake, I live near the maple grove/champlin area northwest of the city.
I consider myself and expert hortoculturalist, and amature pomologist. I am currently
creating a test garden, project site, or collection of useful plants which grow themselves
with very little to no maintainance (other than harvesting of course, and catalyzing the system
for greater production; ). I love exploring plant varieties for there uses for food, energy,
materials, and medicine.
   
    I also have interests in fire technologies such as wood gasification, and copicing systems.
I am currently working on some passive solar/geothermal hoophouses design variables.
anouther project I'm working on is low to no maintainance plant propogation techniques.
I love most things material, mechanical, biological, or chemical.
I also have interests in networking with other "permies" in minnesota whom share similar interest and would like
to discuss these things.

Way "cool" to hear from all of you.

Lake.

Hey I’m located in white bear lake MN and curious about your project site and possibly learning some propagation methods. Let me know any updates on how your project has been going, would be thrilled to learn more about cold hardy plants that grown themselves here in Zone 4b MN

SALUTE from Isanti, Minnesota!
Now I feel like I'm part of that corn field skit from the old Hee Haw show.

Just giving shout out to everyone here in the land of 10,000 lakes. I'm north of the Twin Cities on a few acres in the middle of the shire. Curious to see if there are others in my community.

I went solar last summer, and so far, I have not regretted it. Hoping to go off grid some day when it becomes affordable.

I enjoy foraging, collecting vintage recipes and heirloom seeds, gardening. Other interests include energy-efficient home improvements, sustainability, and energy saving technology. I'm curious about rocket stoves, hand pump /deep wells for cold climates, and tiny house traveling/ living for retirement years.

I'm trying ween myself off propane and plastic. Every little bit counts, right? Does anyone know of a good carpenter or electrician in this area? 😆

Peace be with you all.

Jane

Hello fellow Minnesotans, hope you're staying warm during this rather invigorating Minnesota winter!
My wife and I live in a hand built, off grid log cabin located about 100 miles from the Twin cities metro area. We are experienced in organic gardening, low-tech food preservation including root celler cold storage. We also practice the arts of blacksmithing and woodworking.
We would like to engage in a dialogue with like-minded folks.
We've included a photo of one of our Minnesota gardening techniques, snowshoeing for carrots!
Best wishes!
Rick and Rose.

I just gave this link a post of it's own, but thought I'd drop it in here too, in case someone was looking for this kind of opportunity: https://organicconsumers.org/the-north-shore-agroecology-center-is-hiring-a-new-farm-manager/

Was just wondering the same thing, here in 2025. Just moved to New Ulm last August and, not having much of a built-in social circle, have been wondering where my people are. Looks like quite a thread to work through!

Welcome to Permies Dion!

Let me say that while I do not live in Minnesota, it is near and dear to my heart.

Both of my parents were from Minnesota and I have especially fond memories of traveling to the farm where my mother grew up and my grandparents still lived.  On that farm I learned how to operate all sorts of farm equipment from the tiny and obscure to the huge.  I was operating my Grandfather’s utility tractor by the time I was about 12 years old.  

And I absolutely LOVED Minnesota winters!  My grandparents had a pair of snowmobiles that was their main transportation after serious storms before the roads would open—and I got to operate those too—Whoo HOO!

I learned what real cold was and how to dress for it—in layers and always with an outer layer that is wind proof.

Sadly, my grandparents have passed away and it has been some time since I have been up in the north country.  And unfortunately the old family farm has been sold.  Even though I never technically lived in Minnesota, it left a profound influence on me and I sort of consider myself “ethnically” Minnesotan.

Go Vikings!!


Eric

Dion,

There's an event this Sunday (7-13-25) near New Ulm that you'd probably enjoy!  My farm will have a vendor booth there and it'd be a great way to meet some of the local community of farmers and people who live the homesteading/permaculture way.

It's hosted at a really great farm homestead and put on by the Sustainable Farming Association (SFA).

Link:
https://sfa-mn.org/minnesota-river/

You will need to pre-register since they may max out on tickets.

-S

Hi guys!

Just another Minnesotan checking in.

I was wondering if anyone in the Twin Cities area has any apprenticeships for Permaculture or opportunities like that?

I'm in my early 20s and I'm just trying to get out of the rut I find myself in since I was part of the Lost Generation that dealt with covid in their teen/high school years.

I was 3 months out from graduating high school when it hit and I don't think I've been able to get back on my feet since.

Thank you!!

Esther Norine wrote:Hi guys!

Just another Minnesotan checking in.

I was wondering if anyone in the Twin Cities area has any apprenticeships for Permaculture or opportunities like that?

.....

Thank you!!

The link below may at least possibly put you in touch with some in the Minneapolis area that could help you out.  Good time to look because there may be opportunities for the coming spring!

Good luck!

https://permies.com/t/270803/Urban-farming-Minneapolis

I posted in the thread you linked me but it seems people haven't checked back in yet.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction though! Hopefully they respond soon.

Esther Norine wrote:I posted in the thread you linked me but it seems people haven't checked back in yet.

Thank you for pointing me in the right direction though! Hopefully they respond soon.

If you have other social media accounts, you may want to search that for some of the names or projects linked in that gardening thread.  It may be a faster route to the information you seek given the proximity to the growing season.  Good luck, Esther!....