Work for the MFA!

The Minnesota Food Association, which runs an organic farming training program (Big River Farms) for recent immigrants and develops retail and wholesale markets for the products they produce, is looking for a Production Coordinator.

The MFA is a first-class organization, and does some wonderful work under the skilled guidance of its executive director, Glen Hill, and staff. The full job description is below, and for more information on the MFA, read the front page story in Issue 1, Volume 2 of the Harvest Foodservice Journal.

—Mike Mitchelson, managing editor

Position Announcement

Minnesota Food Association – Big River Farms

Big River Farms is looking to hire a Production Coordinator for the 2012 season.  The Big River Farms Program of the Minnesota Food Association (MFA) operates an immigrant and minority farmer training program together with a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) and wholesale distribution service.  The Production Coordinator has primary responsibilities to help oversee the coordination, production, and distribution of organic certified vegetable produce for Big River Farms.  This includes production for the CSA and wholesale markets and the coordination and operations of the greenhouse and hoophouses.   The position would run from March 1 – November 15th, 2012.  This is a full-time position, 40 hours per week. The expected pay range is $10 – $12/hr. depending upon experience.  Successful applicants would have at least 2 full seasons on an Organic vegetable operation involving all aspects of Organic vegetable production, plus a strong work ethic and recognition of the physical and time demanding aspects of farm work.  Preferred qualifications include: experience in supervising workers, proven abilities in greenhouse production, and experience and proven interest in working with people from diverse backgrounds.  Rustic on-farm housing is available.  MFA is an equal opportunity employer.

If you are interested please click for a full job description or visit our website www.mnfoodassociation.org for more information about our farm and programs.

Deadline for applications will be January 15, 2012.

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Food Trends for 2012

By Mike Mitchelson

Well, here’s a shocker. The James Beard Foundation announced that “locavorism” will be among the food trends in 2012. They also say the doughnut craze will only get crazier, which highlights America’s bi-polar attitude with food: “Obesity Epidemic! Eat Healthier! Watch Your Portion Sizes! What’s that? OOOooooOooooohh, doughnuts.”

Yeah. OK. I’m sorry. no matter the craze with the deep fried batter lazed with the sugar glaze of your choice, can it really be a lasting trend? Really? I mean, didn’t the country go nuts for Krispy Kreme a few short years ago? That really went well for that company. Yeah, not so much.

Continue reading

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(Another) farmer goes organic

Ever heard of the Dairyland Peach newspaper? Me neither. Published each Monday, it covers the area including and surrounding Sauk Centre, a town northwest of St. Cloud. An agricultural community, as many are out there. Hard working people grow the goods that fuel our bodies. And an increasing number of them are reconsidering how they are farming, and are looking for ways to get off the commodity roller coaster. As you all know, the local sourcing movement and increasing demand for organic products has given many of these producers an option to reinvent their business. Let’s just say it: those customers demanding those products understand a little better than most the true cost of food, and that a subsidized system just shoves costs elsewhere—many of them on the personal health and environmental sustainability fronts. Those customers are willing to pay a little more for the actual cost of a good, wholesome, better-tasting product. Continue reading

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Want best ingredients? Source local.

By Mike Mitchelson

If you’re not sourcing local, you’re not in the game.

The above statement was the overarching message from five of the top chefs and business owners in Minnesota—make that the Midwest—who assembled together in a discussion panel at Foodservice News’ second annual Local Challenge event last month at the St. Anthony Main Event Center in Minneapolis. (Harvest Foodservice Journal co-sponsored the event.)

That statement is not grounded in idealism, either, those chefs said. Simply put, local farmers grow some of the best products available—from meat to vegetables—than anywhere else in the country, and those concerned about quality use them on their menus. Continue reading

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Listeria laden cantaloupes update

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released today an update of the Listeria outbreak from cantaloupes from the Jensen Farms in Colorado. To summarize:

  • A total of 116 persons infected with any of the four outbreak-associated strains of Listeria monocytogenes have been reported to CDC from 25 states.  All illnesses started on or after July 31, 2011. The number of infected persons identified in each state is as follows: Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (1), Colorado (34), Idaho (1), Illinois (1), Indiana (3), Iowa (1), Kansas (7), Louisiana (2), Maryland (1), Missouri (4), Montana (1), Nebraska (6), New Mexico (13), New York (1), North Dakota (1), Oklahoma (11), Oregon (1), South Dakota (1), Texas (17), Virginia (1), West Virginia (1), Wisconsin (2), and Wyoming (3).
  • Twenty-three deaths have been reported: 5 in Colorado, 1 in Indiana, 2 in Kansas, 2 in Louisiana, 1 in Maryland, 1 in Missouri, 1 in Nebraska, 5 in New Mexico, 1 in New York, 1 in Oklahoma, 2 in Texas, and 1 in Wyoming. In addition, one woman pregnant at the time of illness had a miscarriage.

Additional details can be found on the CDC site: http://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/index.html

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