2025 Theme: Plant Protein Power!
With help from our sponsors—the Northarvest Bean Growers Association, Seven Sundays, SunOpta, The Specialty Soya and Grains Alliance, The Minnesota Institute for Sustainable Agriculture (MISA), and the Plant Based Foods Association—Renewing the Countryside's 2025 Eco Experience Exhibit is centered on the power of sustainable plant based proteins and the farmers that grow them.
Proteins are an essential building block for everyday life. Finding and identifying sustainable meat based proteins can be as simple as looking for labels like "100% grass fed", but how many of us know how our black beans or edamame are grown? And once we identify sustainably grown, local plant-based proteins, how do we incorporate them into our daily recipes?
Renewing the Countryside's Plant Protein Power! interactive exhibit will offer a special look at some of Minnesota’s bounty: beans, specialty grains and seeds, tree nuts, mushrooms, and their role in the ever-more-inventive landscape of plant-based food.
Stories, photography, hands-on demonstrations, and of course delicious samples, will get visitors of all ages interested to learn: How can soybeans turn into a silky block of tofu, oats make for a smooth and creamy latte, or peas become the secret behind those uncannily meaty plant-based burgers?
Discover how Minnesota is bridging agricultural tradition with the future of sustainable, plant-rich eating.
| Plant Protein Power Exhibit |
Daily Schedule Overview
- 8 a.m.-8 p.m. — Plant Protein Power! exhibit, local food-themed kids activities and more!
- 11 a.m.-3 p.m. — RTC’s FEAST! farmers and food-makers will sample their newest and most celebrated plant-based protein products
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11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m. — Celebrated chefs, food-makers and cooks from across Minnesota will demonstrate how to make their favorite protein dense recipes using Minnesotan ingredients, sharing samples and stories
2025 Cooking Demonstration Schedule
All demos take place at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 3 p.m.Thursday, August 21 Patrice Johnson Chef and Cookbook Author of Land of 10,000 Plates: Stories and recipes from Minnesota (2020) Friday, August 22 Jamal Hashi Chef and Food Consultant Saturday, August 23 Bertrand Weber Director of Culinary and Wellness Services for Minneapolis Public Schools Sunday, August 24 Chef Samson COMING SOON! Monday, August 25 Urban Roots Tuesday, August 26 Carrie Frank Chef and K-12 Food Service Director Wednesday, August 27 Rick Didora Chef/Co-Owner at Houndstooth Tavern Thursday, August 28 Beth Dooley Beth Dooley's Kitchen Friday, August 29 Nalini Mehta Route to India and Yoga Pops Saturday, August 30 Gustavo Romero Chef at Oro Nixta Sunday, August 31 Tiffany Alexandria CHOOCHOO-ca-CHEW Monday, September 1 Subash Yadav Mr. Momo 2025 Schedule of Sampler Partners
Every Day: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sample Partner One Sample Partner Two Thursday, August 21 Mr. Momo The Simple Sauce Company Friday, August 22
Gardner Family Farm Creative Confections Saturday, August 23 Creative Confections Amazing Chickpea Sunday, August 24 Gardner Family Farm Tasty Tin Monday, August 25 Eli Hot Rockin Cereal Smude's Tuesday, August 26 Snopac Mr. Momo Wednesday, August 27 Baker's Field Flour & Bread Natasha's Pierogi Thursday, August 28 The Simple Sauce Company Gingerbread Village Friday, August 29 MinnTofu P&TY Granola Saturday, August 30 Marshay in the Garden Amazing Chickpea Sunday, August 31 MinnTofu Doubting Thomas Farms Monday, September 1 The Simple Sauce Company Mr. Momo
2024 Theme: Agroforestry
With the help of our sponsors, HeathPartners and the Savanna Institute, our 2024 exhibit centered on the theme of Agroforestry.
As climate change continues to pose a threat to our food systems, sustainable agricultural practices have the power to mitigate and even reverse those threats. Agroforestry is a particularly effective practice as it integrates trees, perennials, pasture, and even native species into more traditional farming practices. Renewing the Countryside’s Agroforestry exhibit showed how these systems create resilient food production and explored ways we can all contribute to these sustainable systems
| Agroforestry Exhibit |
RTC's Past Eco Experience Exhibits
2024 Summary Report and Agroforestry Display
2023 Summary Report and Farmland Access Display
2021 Summary Report and Climate Change display
2019 Summary Report and Artisan Grain Exhibition display
2018 Summary Report and Best If Used exhibit display
2017 Summary Report and Organic exhibit display
2016 Summary Report and Forever Green exhibit display
2015 Summary Report and AGRIculture exhibit display
2014 Summary Report and Grow A Farmer Overview
Gallery of past exhibits: see photos of the 2015 and 2016 Local Food Exhibits here
Favorite fair recipes from our Chef Demonstrations here