Each year Spring in the Midwest brings a life-affirming sense of a new beginning, an annual renewal of our connection to the natural world that we sought to shelter from for so many months. As the trees begin to bud and the first flowers open bringing swaths of color to the landscape, we find a renewed appreciation for the abundant plant and animal life that surrounds us and a desire to connect with the local environment.
To make that connection, meet Matt Frank, Founder of From the Ground Up North, an educational initiative focused on highlighting sustainable agriculture practitioners, places and opportunities for getting involved in a thriving local food scene and economy throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin. From the Ground Up North offers a wealth of information about the local agricultural community in the upper Midwest and links readers to local producers, businesses and activists. It was a pleasure to interview Matt about his initiative!
What inspired you to create From the Ground Up North?
I’ve lived in Minnesota for more than a decade and in that time, have developed a passion for the vibrant agricultural community and local food and drink scene around the region. I studied environmental design in college, and in subsequent years have obtained certifications in Permaculture Design and Urban Farming which connected me to a wide array of local sustainable agriculture-based businesses, grassroots organizations, educators, farmers, advocates, and artists throughout greater Minnesota and Wisconsin. I created From the Ground Up North to tell their stories, help build awareness of their ecologically friendly efforts and accomplishments and share related resources. From the Ground Up North combines my personal values, creative skillsets, and passions to educate and inform others about healthy foods, healthy environments and healthy communities in the Upper Midwest.
Why is sustainable agriculture important?
Sustainable agriculture provides people with delicious, nutritious foods while using far fewer fossil fuels, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides than conventional agriculture. In turn, this aids in improving both human and environmental health. As humans, we should see ourselves as stewards of the larger environmental community instead of entities that try to control or dominate it. When we pollute the Earth, we negatively impact ourselves.
What resources will readers find on From the Ground Up North?
The website includes monthly feature stories highlighting organizations that are making a difference in their communities, sustainable agriculture and environmental land use issue research reports, a local foods map, resource links and third-party hosted events. We strive to cultivate awareness of food system issues, related social inequalities, and opportunities for improving equitable access to human and environmental health. We also offer a monthly newsletter called The Harvest to keep followers informed and up-to-date on the latest stories, news, events and resources.
Tell us about a few of the organizations that you have highlighted recently?
I’ve found so many fascinating and inspiring stories to tell! It was a pleasure to meet Kristine Beck, the Founder of Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture. Kinstone Academy of Applied Permaculture is an international Permaculture education center offering a Permaculture Design Certification (PDC) course and other Advanced Permaculture Programs. Permaculture is a regenerative design methodology for sustainable living that seeks to provide human material and non-material needs in a manner that respects the Earth and all living creatures. Originally seeking a change of pace from the corporate world, Kristine wanted to reconnect with the land by transforming her underutilized family farm property into an ecologically sound, productive landscape based on permaculture principles. To Kristine, permaculture embodies how she wants to live her life – by caring for the Earth, caring for people and giving back to both in a way that is benevolent. The 30-acre property located in the Driftless region of western Wisconsin is a living and working classroom that facilitates hands-on learning in a wide range of systems, all the while producing food and regenerating the land and people. Kinstone welcomes visitors to experience a functioning sustainable farm, food forest and view a number of natural buildings on the property that have been designed utilizing permaculture.
Read more at From the Ground Up North – Kinstone Academy
Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply is a wonderful, family-owned business in St. Paul that answers the question “I want to grow food but where do I start?” The store is a one-stop shop reminiscent of a country general store for anyone interested in growing food in an urban environment. Egg|Plant are fine purveyors of egg-laying chickens, edible plants and trees, pollinator-friendly flowers and homesteading items, such as cheese making kits, bee keeping supplies, canning supplies, seeds, compost bins and rain barrels. The owners and general manager are incredibly knowledgeable and happy to offer guidance. They also offer a series of urban homesteading classes on the topics of chicken keeping, seed saving, bee keeping, mushroom growing and more!
Read more at From the Ground Up North – Egg|Plant Urban Farm Supply
Growing West Side is a grassroots organization that responds to a need in an isolated neighborhood on St. Paul’s west side. This neighborhood lacks easy access to a major grocery store, and as such, can be considered a food desert. Seeing a need to educate the community about growing nutritious food for themselves, neighborhood residents started Growing West Side and currently operate four projects, including the West Side Farmers Market, a community gardening and food security project named Beans in the Boulevard, a public Seed Library, and a fruit planting Orchard Project. They also offer gardening and healthy food classes, workshops, and community events as a way to empower people to take control of their health using nutritious food as a tool for change.
Read more at From the Ground Up North – Growing West Side
What advice do you have for people who want to bring sustainable agriculture into their everyday lives?
Anyone can do something to affect positive change. Simple things include supporting local growers by shopping at farmers markets or eating at locally owned and operated farm-to-table restaurants. If they are available in your area, joining a grocery cooperative or buying a community supported agriculture (CSA) share are a few additional ways to directly support local farmers. View the From the Ground Up North Local Foods Map to see what’s available in your area. Growing your own food can be incredibly satisfying and a lot of fun. Even a small space like a window ledge or apartment balcony can be used to create a small-scale edible garden. With a bit more space you can grow herbs and vegetables in a raised garden bed or plant annual and perennial vegetable and fruit crops in your yard or as part of a community garden. Every little effort makes a difference for the health of our environment and communities.
Find many more past stories highlighting sustainable agriculture practitioners and follow From the Ground Up North for future installments and additional resources. You can also stay up-to-date by following From the Ground Up North on your favorite social media sites.
This article appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of Lakeshore Magazine. Subscribe HERE.
Click the cover image above to open the full issue.
