How two urban ag practitioners and RTC micrograntees support conservation in the Twin Cities
An interview by Linda Lubi with Elyssa Eull and Courtney Tchida
Linda Lubi is a UMN CURA student working with RTC during the 2025-2026 school year
Elyssa Eull is the owner/operator of California Street Farm, which uses low-till and cover-cropping to grow vegetables on a half an acre in Northeast Minneapolis; she sells via a farm stand, Community Supported Agriculture, and farmers’ market. California Street Farm was awarded a microgrant from Renewing the Countryside in 2025 to rebuild their irrigation system and build a wash and pack station.
Courtney Tchida is the director of MN SEED Project, which provides native seeds and education about seed saving to farmers and gardeners throughout the Twin Cities and beyond. Formerly an organic farmer, Courtney co-created MN SEED in 2020 as a way to help regrow native plants and bring abundance back to wildlife. MN SEED Project was awarded a microgrant from Renewing the Countryside to collect, process, and distribute native seed through a series of educational workshops.
Linda: Could each of you please describe what you do to practice or support conservation?
Courtney: MN SEED Project works with the seed cycle of native plants. In our workshops, we teach people how to collect seeds, how to process, how to grow them, and then we share them with community members. It’s a lot of education work, teaching people about different plants and how pollinators use them, how wildlife uses them, their ecosystem services that they provide for the environment.
Elyssa: The conservation practices we do are utilizing low and no-till practices, so we are really focused on soil health and building up fungal communities. We also utilize cover cropping whenever we can, and organic practices; we never use any chemicals. Conservation is not the mission of our farm, but it is very baked into why we do things the way that we do. We use entirely drip irrigation so that we are trying to have the least amount of nutrient runoff as possible to protect our local waterways.
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An Inside Look at a Local Working Group Meeting
Ev
ery county across the country holds an annual Local Working Group (LWG) meeting, usually during the spring or summer. These meetings are hosted by local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) (or their equivalent, as they are called different things in different states) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
At these meetings farmers, landowners, and community members are invited to share input on local conservation needs. What many people don't realize is that the recommendations that come out of these annual meetings have a direct impact on guiding how federal and state conservation resources are prioritized within counties, and often at the state level. Many farmers aren’t aware these once-a-year meetings are open to the public—yet they’re a simple way to make sure local and diverse farming perspectives are heard.
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Education and Growth through Urban Agriculture Micro Grants
By Linda Lubi, a UMN CURA student working with RTC during the 2025-2026 school year
Over the past two years, the USDA Urban Ag micro grants distributed by Renewing the Countryside have helped gardeners grow their plots in many different ways. Thanks to these grants, community and backyard gardeners have been able to expand their gardens and increase their production through the ability to purchase gardening tools, add raised garden beds, and improve soil health. There have also been improvements that while not as tangible, are still as impactful and important. These grants have given farmers the chance to help educate those around them. Many farmers reported that there has been an increase in community engagement and the ability to teach others how to grow vegetables.
Through the power of educating, farmers have been able to bring people together and help create community within their areas.
Below are three impact stories from gardeners and growers in the Twin Cities Metro whose gardens, lives, families, and communities have flourished from being the recipient of an Urban Agriculture micro grant.
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Key Moments & Impact from 2025
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.
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