Sustainable St. Paul: August 2007

Friday, August 31, 2007

Kopplin's Coffee - St. Paul

Cedar Summit Organic Milk and zeal with a Synesso.

Organic milk does not foam consistently. Andrew, the owner, is working it out with the dairy directly. There may be an issue with ultra pasteurization....

Hampden Park Co-op - St. Paul

Volunteer operated format.

Featherstone Farm - Rushford

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Thousand Hills Cattle - Cannon Falls

Thousand Hills has dedicated herds and they also stipulate husbandry practices for affiliated family owned ranches. Thousand Hills offers them a higher margin than conventional markets, and they provide all the processing and marketing expertise.

Grass feeding leads to a not so subtle improvement in flavor, also a significant improvement in herd health. Cattle stomachs have difficulty digesting corn. Many of the health problems requiring antibiotics are eliminated in grass fed animals.

We've been serving their tenderloin, 80/20 ground beef (bolognese), and short ribs.

Larry Schultz Organic Chicken - Owatonna

Eggs and whole birds (not old hens, rather a special variety).

Belliful Farm - Saint Paul, MN

Collin's tomatoes are the definition of local. 45 minutes from order to pick to delivery. They are not "certified organic", but they are grown without herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and he uses organic/sustainable methods.

Co-op Partners Warehouse - St. Paul

Co-op Partners Warehouse
746 Vandalia St.
St. Paul, MN 55114
(651) 644-7000

The Twin Cities only "certified organic" warehouse space, and the largest distributor of organic foods in the region. They are a few blocks away, and their customer service is excellent.

Gardens of Eagan - Eagan

Sweet corn and more, made easily available through Co-op Partners Warehouse.

Coastal Seafoods - Minneapolis

I focus on sustainably harvested and farmed varieties. Chilean Sea Bass for example is something we avoid. By the by, it's an idiot proof fish, so full of oil that even the worst cook has a hard time making it inedible. Tim, Brian, and crew are uber friendly, and competent.