February 2025 Newsletter
A letter from RTC Executive Director Jan Joannides:
The recent federal funding freeze has created uncertainty for many nonprofits and the communities they serve. While this moment poses challenges, it also reminds us of the power in collaboration, resilience, and shared purpose.
At Renewing the Countryside, our mission and work remains strong. Whether it’s supporting farmers, strengthening local food systems, or conserving our lands, we are leaning into this moment with creativity and determination. We believe that through innovation and community partnerships, we can navigate these challenges together—and emerge even more united in our work to sustain and uplift our communities.
We invite you to join us in this important work. Together, we can ensure the projects and initiatives that matter most continue to thrive. Whether through a donation, a partnership, or advocating for stable funding, every action makes a difference.
Let’s move forward with hope, resilience, and a commitment to our shared future.
- Jan Joannides, Executive Director
P.S. Looking for a quick, dopamine break to lift your spirits amongst all the chaos? I highly recommend baby animal videos such as this one. There may be another baby animal waiting for you later in this newsletter too. Because, why not?!
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FEAST! Local Foods Tradeshow
The 2025 FEAST! Local Foods Tradeshow is coming soon—Thursday, March 20 in Cannon Falls. This annual event is a key opportunity for hard-working food entrepreneurs in the region to develop relationships with wholesale buyers.
From grocery co-ops to supermarkets to restaurants and schools, these larger-scale sales can be crucial for businesses to thrive, but not always easy to achieve. In 2024, the FEAST! Tradeshow hosted 57 vendors engaging with 75 buyer attendees and 42% of the vendors reported that they made sales arrangements during the event, with a similar number following up on pending sales. We love hearing the success stories!
“When you are busy being a maker and starting a small local food business, it is hard to find the time to travel all over to meet with buyers, and buyers are very busy people as well! FEAST creates a venue where both makers and buyers can be the most efficient with their time,” said 2024 Tradeshow vendor Melissa Driscoll, Founder of Escape Garlic Pesto.
Renewing the Countryside is a co-founder and Premier Partner of the FEAST! Local Foods Network, alongside the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF). Compeer Financial and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture also serve as Premier Partners. Additionally, numerous Network members play a vital role in this effort, including the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), GreenSeam, Naturally MN, Ignite MN, the City of Cannon Falls, and more.
Learn more about the FEAST! Local Foods Network at local-feast.org.
Who else is Renewing the Countryside?
Tim Penny and the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF)
The Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF) and its President/CEO of 18 years, Tim Penny, were the catalyst and have been a cornerstone of FEAST! Local Foods work since its beginning, along with other RTC projects providing funding, insight, attendance, and overall atrusted partnership in supporting local vibrancy in Southern Minnesota.
After nearly two decades leading SMIF, Tim Penny is retiring in just a few months. His partnership has been instrumental for Renewing the Countryside and no matter how we phrase it, we simply cannot give enough thanks to all he has done for RTC initiatives, especially within the local foods network.
Read more about Tim Penny's legacy in Southern Minnesota via the Northfield News.
Stop Scrolling & Smile -- We Insist
Minnesota Women in Conservation (MNWiC) will host a three part webinar series starting Wed., Feb. 26 through Wed., April 23; occurring the fourth Wednesday of each month from Noon-1 p.m. The theme for this early spring series is "Sowing Seeds of Conservation and Community," featuring a conservation professional and an experienced farmer/landowner practitioner each webinar.
February's webinar will be hosted by Burke Murphy, MNWiC State Coordinator (Red Wing), Claudia Ciganik, Natural Resources Conservation Service (Duluth), and Wendy Johnson, Hay Creek Hills Farm (Red Wing). RSVP here for all three webinars!
Want to learn more about Women in Conservation webinars and events? Learn more about MN events here and WI events here!
We're excited to announce the addition of Erik Heimark to the RTC staff! It’s only been a few
weeks since Erik came to Renewing the Countryside and his impact was immediate. Dozens of farmers have benefited from his extensive knowledge and experience in agricultural education and farm business management. Through webinars, presentations and one-on-one consulting, many farmers now have a better handle on their finances and a sustainable path forward towards profitability. Erik has really shored up a deficit in the technical assistance we can offer at Renewing the Countryside. And the best part? Erik has a knack for making it all seem attainable and maintainable.
He's patient and kind to those of us that cringe at the idea of even balancing a checkbook (wait, is that even still a thing?). Erik owns and operates Maple Ridge Farms, a four acre produce farm in Aitkin, MN, where he lives with his husband, dog, and four bratty cats.
1. The 2025 Farm to School Roadshow is underway! RTC is part of the Minnesota Farm to School Leadership team through University of Minnesota Extension, an active member of the Farm to Kids Strategic Planning Committee with Minnesota Department of Agriculture, and a logistical partner in helping with the F2S Roadshow. We're excited to connect with educators, school nutritional staff AND farmers across MN this month! Learn more about the Roadshow and/or register.
2. Renewing the Countryside is a sponsor and co-host for the Land Stewardship Project's 2025 Family Farm Breakfast & Lobby Day on Thursday, March 13, in Saint Paul at Christ Lutheran Church on Capitol Hill. RTC will join hundreds of LSP members and supporters, partners, and public officials over a delicious meal featuring locally-sourced products from LSP members’ farms to ground ourselves in good food and community and bring our voices to our legislators.
Q: What big conference will RTC be at over February 20-22?
Email your answers to mikell@rtcinfo.org and/or look for the chance to answer on Renewing the Countryside's social media. Give us a follow below!