Every year leaves behind a handful of moments that tell the story of what truly mattered. In 2025, those moments were rooted in connection — between farmers and land, kids and local food, and communities working toward a more resilient future.

We’re proud to share 10 highlights that reflect the heart of our work and the impact we created together this year.

November 2025

Photos and story gathered by Phil Kraus.

"Harvey is a part of the soil, and the soil is a part of Harvey." That is what Bonita said about Harvey, her partner. Harvey is a 94-year-old who was born in the same house he lives in today, on 160 acres in the Midwest.

Although he traveled the world and lived abroad for a few decades, every summer he would return home to his roots. Now that he is older, he had to plan for what would happen to his land, and his home. He wanted to simply leave it to Bonita, but Bonita said, "No way, Harvey." and she connected to resources from the Land Stewardship Project and Renewing the Countryside to help with a land transition to non-family members.

September 2025

These last few weeks of summer have been packed full of events here at Renewing the Countryside, and this last weekend of the summer season, before the autumnal equinox on Sept. 23, is no different. 

We will be hosting an exhibit at Farm Aid 40's HOMEGROWN Village before the big concert Saturday evening. Honored only scratches the surface of describing how we feel being a part of this incredible organization and its festivities (yes, Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization and not just a concert!). With Farm Aid's mission focused on building a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America, we couldn't feel more aligned in this work; especially given their very recent stand with the University of Minnesota's Teamsters employees, staying true to the reality that "labor and farm movements are intertwined" and not crossing a picket line. 

What a well-deserved moment for local family farms this weekend in Minnesota. Come and visit RTC in the HOMEGROWN Village and read to the bottom of our newsletter to explore more of RTC events coming up!

August 2025 Newsletter 

August is one of our favorite times of the year at Renewing the Countryside! For 20 years, we’ve had the joy of connecting with thousands of Minnesotans at the Minnesota State Fair through our interactive, educational food and farming exhibit in the Eco Experience Building. From hands-on kids activities to daily chef demos and delicious local food samples, our exhibit is packed with opportunities to learn, taste, and connect.

Whether you join us as a volunteer, stop by for a cooking demo, or simply wander through the Eco Experience, we hope you’ll come celebrate with us at the Great Minnesota Get-Together!

Learn more about this year's theme in the spotlight below!

July 2025 Newsletter 

This month, our hearts have been heavy. As a team grounded in community and connection, we know how much our work is shaped by the people who bring it to life—those who plant seeds of change, tend to community with care, and remind us what it means to show up with purpose and love. No one did that better than our dear colleague and friend, Melvin Giles.

Melvin’s work and presence touched so many lives, including our own, and we’re honored to share a few words in remembrance of him below. We feel fortunate that many of us were able to connect with him one last time at our annual fundraiser on June 26, proving yet again that there is so much power in gathering and in community. 

June 2025 Newsletter

We’re so excited for our Summer Fundraiser & Gathering happening this Thursday, June26, from 5:30–8:30 p.m. at the beautiful Dodge Nature Center in West St. Paul!

Last year marked RTC’s first large-scale, in-person fundraiser. It was such a joy to connect with our community and raise funds to support our work in fostering just, vibrant, and sustainable communities. We can’t wait to do it all again this week!

Enjoy delicious food from Gardens of Salonica, live music by the Squid City Slingers, and a specialty cocktail featuring tonics from Sweet Haven Tonics and Minnesota artisan gin from Far North Spirits. We’ll also have local beer and wine, and a thoughtfully curated silent auction of local goods and experiences. But the best part? Connecting with all of you.

Haven’t grabbed your tickets yet? We’d love to have you—get yours here!

P.S. Can’t attend in person? No problem! Our online auction is open to everyone. Check it out via this link for a chance to bid on items like Women’s Red Wing Boots, a private dinner with James Beard Award-winning chef Beth Dooley, and other one-of-a-kind local experiences!

May 2025 Newsletter

A month ago, I was having one of the worst weeks of my working life. I had let our wonderful staff know that if things didn't change (and I wasn't optimistic that they would), that we would have to drastically reduce hours for nearly half of our staff. We reached out to you, and many of you stepped up and responded with generous support and/or notes of encouragement. It's thanks to that, along with some of our foundation partners providing support or bridge loans, and finally receiving overdue federal funds owed from past work, that we were able to keep critical programs moving forward and avoid needing to reduce staff time.

While one of our grants was cancelled, and funding is still suspended on two others, we are optimistic that we'll eventually see the suspended projects opened up. Thank you for your support and financial gifts—they gave us breathing room and reminded us that we’re not alone in this work!

Jan Joannides, Executive Director

Intro to the Urban Ag Initiative:

2024 marked the pilot year of the Urban Agriculture Micro-Grant Program through Renewing the Countryside, created in partnership with the USDA’s Farm Service Agency’s National Urban Agriculture Initiative (NUAg). 23 individual farmers across the seven county Twin Cities metro area were chosen and awarded with micro grants to support their goals within their individual farming projects. These urban farmers are doing impactful work with the ongoing support of their families, neighbors, and community. Listening to their stories has revealed just how much food and farming can bring people together, creating connection and resilience within the cit even amidst political uncertainty.

The purpose of the micro grant program was to help make urban farmers aware of and connected with essential resources to ensure longevity of their work and support ongoing generations of urban agriculture. Each applicant applied for specific support related to their projects, such as access to more tools, seeds, infrastructure, or technical assistance to help strengthen and sustain their farming efforts. The micro grant program was designed to do more than simply supply farmers with the resources they requested. More so, it aimed to cultivate strong, resilient communities rooted in mutual support and equitable local food access!

April 2025 Newsletter