Minnesota Permies? Let's all be best friends!

Hey everyone! I'm a new(ish) poster here on the site and I am hooked! I will be going back to school in the fall for Horticulture in Rochester, Mn. I'm wondering if anyone is near by? Would love to meet up and become best friends! My better half and I plan on camping/backpacking through as many state parks as we can in Minnesota/Wisconsin this summer so if you are in that area, please contact me! It would be awesome to meet some fellow permie enthusiasts in Rochester as well. We will be moving there so would love to already have friends prior to the move! Of course everyone from all over the world is welcome to be our friends Anyways, if you all want to chat about anything to do with sustainability, gardening, permaculture, alchemy, music, history, hiking, veganism, woodworking, pretty much about anything, please get a hold of me! It's so awesome to find like minded people in one place on the vast interwebs! You're all awesome and I hope your weekends are just the same.

To health and happiness,

Evan

Hi Evan,

We're a couple of vintage permies living south of Winona, about 50 miles from Rochester. You can read what we're up to at: http://www.geopathfinder.com/
Where are you currently living?

Hi Larisa!

Thank you for the response! I have been reading much of you two's information on your website and I am fascinated! I would love to have 1/10th of the knowledge you two have! You are living my dream! I am currently in Austin, Mn. We will be moving to Rochester in the fall! I would love to get together with you all sometime to talk about, well, anything! I'm sure we wouldn't have trouble finding something to go on about!

Hi Evan,

Keep in touch. Austin is only about 80 miles west of here. No doubt we can find lots to talk about. Hope to meet you in person at some point. You can contact us through the website's e-mail address if you want some conversation directly in the meantime.

Hello! Though not currently based in MN, I was born and raised there, and plan on moving back (probably to the twin cities) this Fall. It would be great to have some local permie connects, even before getting back home. Yay friends.

Starr Brainard wrote:Hello! Though not currently based in MN, I was born and raised there, and plan on moving back (probably to the twin cities) this Fall. It would be great to have some local permie connects, even before getting back home. Yay friends.

Hi Starr,
Given the current political climate, why would someone return from Canada now when folks are joking about heading north of the border (depending on the outcome of the presidential election)? All joking aside, just curious about the "whys" behind your decision (you can tell me to mind my own business and I wouldn't be offended). Given your name, have you ever lived in a certain MN city a bit farther north than the Twin Cities?

Ha. The short answer is I miss home, family, and the culture of the twin cities; and I don't have the propper visas to work here in Canada after I'm done with my current research. But yes the country I chose may be swayed by the outcome of the next election.

I have never lived in Brainerd, but it is named after a distant reletaive.

Starr Brainard wrote:Hello! Though not currently based in MN, I was born and raised there, and plan on moving back (probably to the twin cities) this Fall. It would be great to have some local permie connects, even before getting back home. Yay friends.

Hey Starr! We should definitely be friends! I'll be in Rochester, Mn in the fall and plan on transferring to the University of Minnesota after 2 years in Rochester to complete a bachelors degree in organic farming! At least that is the plan for now anyway. I would also like to attend a PDC in the near future! The cities is where all the life is at!

Larisa Walk wrote:Hi Evan,

Keep in touch. Austin is only about 80 miles west of here. No doubt we can find lots to talk about. Hope to meet you in person at some point. You can contact us through the website's e-mail address if you want some conversation directly in the meantime.

Hello Larisa,

80 miles sounds like a good weekend adventure in the Summer! I hear there is a lot of good hiking around your area as well! Hopefully I can make it your way to chat a bit with you two over the summer!

Hi Evan (and everyone else),

I am a new poster as well, although I have been a member of the forum for a while. Just have not been active. I live in the northern part of the Twin Cities suburbs and just started the free online "Intro to Permaculture" course through Oregon State University.

If you do a search on Facebook, there is a Twin Cities Permaculture Guild group. Some of the members are from outside of the cities including the Fairbault area. There are also quite a few "Pages" on FB for permaculture in Minnesota. PRI Cold Climate is one, you can also find many of them through postings in the group mentioned above.

Since you will be in the Rochester area, be sure to check out Kinstone. http://www.kinstonecircle.com/ It is just over the river in Wisconsin. I haven't been there yet myself, but it is on the list.

Sean

Sean Holt wrote:Hi Evan (and everyone else),

I am a new poster as well, although I have been a member of the forum for a while. Just have not been active. I live in the northern part of the Twin Cities suburbs and just started the free online "Intro to Permaculture" course through Oregon State University.

If you do a search on Facebook, there is a Twin Cities Permaculture Guild group. Some of the members are from outside of the cities including the Fairbault area. There are also quite a few "Pages" on FB for permaculture in Minnesota. PRI Cold Climate is one, you can also find many of them through postings in the group mentioned above.

Since you will be in the Rochester area, be sure to check out Kinstone. http://www.kinstonecircle.com/ It is just over the river in Wisconsin. I haven't been there yet myself, but it is on the list.

Sean

Hello Sean!

Thank you for the reply! I just signed up for the Oregon course as well. It's amazing what is offered free if you look a little bit! Thank you for the PRI cold climate mention, I looked them up and am now following them! If you need a friend to go over to kinstone or need help on a project, I would love to tag along!

Evan

I'm on 1.4 acres between Farmington and Northfield, right off Highway 3.  Been trying to permaculture my yard for the past few years when time permits between working 50+ hr a week and raising a 6 yr old, so I've still got quite a way to go

Nick Blonigen wrote:I'm on 1.4 acres between Farmington and Northfield, right off Highway 3.  Been trying to permaculture my yard for the past few years when time permits between working 50+ hr a week and raising a 6 yr old, so I've still got quite a way to go

That sounds amazing and I bet that 6 year old grows up to be an awesome person!

Anyone in the Duluth area?

Hello MN Permies, I'm Chaz!

Currently looking for a place to help and live near Eden Prairie (SW suburbs) once my lease is up in April. Constantly dreaming of sustainable living and doing projects, but will need to save a lot before I can do anything on my own. I've got a 9-5 (my first!), but would love to lend a hand where I can, get outside, and escape this cooped-up rent trap asap!  Any ideas?

I've worked with Arduino, Raspberry Pi (pocket computers) and sensors of all types for monitoring and controlling woodburning stoves, prototyping hydroponic windowsill apparatuses with artificial light, and little alarm circuits.  It's super fun, and I'd love to build more little projects if someone needs them!
I've also done lots of gardening, landscaping, roofing, and siding - I'm young (24), so don't hesitate to reach out if you need a hand!