Twin Cities Metro Growers Network

What's a Growers Network?

A Networking Group of the Sustainable Farming Association, the Twin Cities Metro Growers Network aims to connect anyone who grows produce seriously and seeks education, networking and fellowship. Whether you grow for market, personal or community use, or to rediscover indigenous and ethnic roots, if you want to network with like-minded people in the metro, this group is for you.

The Twin Cities Metro Growers Network is a collaboration between SFA and the University of Minnesota Extension.

Info: Lia Spaniolo, University of Minnesota Extension, spaniolo@umn.edu

Learn about Lia here.

Upcoming Events

Native Seed Workshops with MN SEED Project

This fall and winter, join Twin Cities Metro Growers Network and MN SEED Project for a workshop series that will teach you how to collect, clean and sow native seeds to grow your own beautiful and beneficial native landscapes. Growing native plants on your farm and garden attracts beneficial insects that help crops thrive. By creating more spaces for Minnesota native plants, anyone can support healthy ecosystems across our landscapes. Attend any or all three events!

Funded by Twin Cities Urban Agriculture microgrant from Renewing the Countryside and FSA/USDA.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/10egb319Q5zvUw-pGWElfWT4yo9hxJj6e/view?usp=share_link

Click to download a flyer.

Workshop #2: Processing & Cleaning Native Seeds

Tuesday, November 12 | 5:00 - 6:30 PM

Urban Roots' office, St. Paul

After seeds are collected, often they benefit from separating the seed from the chaff- it makes them easier to grow. For four years, MN SEED Project and Urban Roots have collaborated to clean and process seeds. Both organizations gather their seeds and tools together, and the cross pollination of seed cleaning solutions happens in real time. This year, they are inviting the TC Metro Growers to join their seed cleaning extravaganza!

We will have everything from sieves to rocks, to a fancy new seed aspirator. Come learn all the tips and tricks. We will also have seeds for participants to take home for their farms and gardens. There will be plenty of seeds to work on, but if you have some you'd like to clean you are welcome to. You do not need to have attended our October workshop on collecting native seeds in order to attend this one.

Registration: This event is free to attend. Please register in advance, as our capacity is limited to 30 participants.

Location: 1110 Payne Ave St. Paul, MN 55130 - Note that this is the Urban Roots office and not one of their farm sites!

Parking: Off-street parking is available.

For accessibility questions or requests, please contact Lia Spaniolo, spaniolo@umn.edu.

Workshop #1: Collecting Native Seeds

Tuesday, October 22 | 5:00 - 6:30 PM

Monarch City, St. Paul

This first of three workshops will be focused on collecting native seeds. We will meet at Monarch City. Monarch City is a 10,000 square foot pollinator-friendly planting of the perimeter (along 3 sides) of the West Minnehaha Athletic Fields in St. Paul that is maintained by Frogtown Green. It is also part of the Bee Line, a project to plant pollinator friendly gardens along a 2.5 mile stretch of Pierce Butler Route.

We will show you how to collect seeds from dozens of different native plants- forbs and grasses, we will also talk about processing and growing the seeds. There will be an opportunity to take home seeds for their gardens too. Please wear clothing comfortable to work outdoors in.

Registration:This event is free to attend. Please register in advance, as our capacity is limited to 30 participants.

Location: Monarch City – Meet at the Northwest Corner of the West Minnehaha Athletic fields, approximately 777 Grotto Street N. St. Paul, MN 55104 for mapping purposes.