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Inside: Producer Profile, Member Specials, and upcoming events
Minnesota Street Market Newsletter

In This Issue:


Producer Profile:
Common Ground Garden

By Rachel Givens

No local vendor is literally closer to the Minnesota Street Market than the Common Ground Garden. Located on the College of Saint Benedict campus, this project aims simultaneously to build the community through local food and to promote the Benedictine value of good stewardship of the earth. Common Ground provides many of the Market’s greens, such as zucchini, kale, collards, chard, scallions, and occasionally green beans.


The garden was founded nineteen years ago by Phyllis Plantenberg, OSB, a retired biology professor at the College of Saint Benedict. Plantenberg was passionate about local food and wished to set up a project that would enrich the local food system of the St. Joseph area. To this day, Common Ground is property of the campus monastery, as well as Kate Ritger, who directs operations and activities. At first, the garden was available for people in the community to plant their own produce and collect it, but as people became too busy to put in the time, the garden changed its policies to its current system.

Today, people buy subscriptions, which are either a whole or half share. Student workers, who are paid through a community grant, tend the garden. Subscribers can also put in work hours for their produce, and every Tuesday night is open to both subscribing and non-subscribing volunteers to help tend the garden. Thursday is pick-up day, and subscribers gather in the barn to collect their produce.

The Common Ground Garden values building relationships not only with community members but with other farms and organizations as well. Traeger’s pork and Kuebelbeck’s eggs—two other products sold at the Minnesota Street Market—are available as shares to purchase through Common Ground so subscribers can pick up their meat and eggs on Thursdays. The garden sells at the St. Joseph Farmer’s Market as well as the Minnesota Street Market. Regular food donations are made from Common Ground to the monastery kitchen and the local food shelf.

The staff at Common Ground also plans events to bring the community together. Many events focus on getting children involved in the local food system: teaching kids to make art from radishes, for example. There are also many events tailored for older audiences, such as pickling classes. The garden sends out a weekly newsletter with the event schedule as well as recipes and other related news.

While the Common Ground Garden focuses heavily on the people who use its products, it does not neglect the quality of the food itself. Common Ground’s food is not certified organic, but no pesticides or chemicals are used to raise the crops. Crops are rotated to revitalize the soil, and “green” manure is used for fertilizer.

With the extreme respect it gives to its food and the community that eats it, the Common Ground Garden is exemplary in demonstrating the Benedictine values on which it was founded. It is truly a hub in the local food system of St. Joseph.


November Member Specials
Product description / Percent Off / Sale Price
Organic Dried Mango - 15% $8.90
Sliced Almonds (15.b) - 15% $6.09
Organic Garbanzo Beans (25lb) - 15% $2.12
Organic Black Eye Pea - 15% $1.80
Organic Golden Flax - 15% $1.61
Gluten Free Baking Flour - 10% $3.60
Org/FT Semi Sweet Baking Chip - 25% $7.55
NEW! Eziekiel English Muffin (9spt) - 15% $4.41
Eziekiel English Muffin  - 15% $4.41
Coconut Bliss Chocolate - 15% $6.20
Rudi's Breads - 15% $4.58
Wholly Wholesome Pie Shells - 15% $4.58               
Earth Balance Buttery Spread - 15% $5.09
Earth Balance Butter Sticks - 20% $4.79
Earth Balance Coconut Spread - 20% $5.11
Earth Balance Shortening - 20% $4.79
Florida Natural Orange Juice - 25% $4.57
All Natural Pie Crust - 15% $4.25                         
Better Than Bouillon Beef LS - 25% $4.64
Better Than Bouillon Chicken LS - 25% $4.64
Better Than Bouillon Vegetable LS - 25% $4.31
Better Than Bouillon Ham base - 25% $4.31
Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base - 25% $4.31
Better Than Gravy Chicken - 25% $1.41
Better Than Gravy Turkey - 25% $1.41
No Bleach Baking Cups - 15% $1.68
No Bleach Cheesecloth - 15% $2.67
Blue Diamond Gluten Free Crackers - 15% $2.79
Blue Sky Natural Pop (6pk) - 15% $4.07
California Olive Ranch Olive Oil - 15% $12.72
Bragg Liquid Amino 16oz - 15% $4.84
Doctor Kracker Crispbread - 15% $3.91
Doctor Oetker Oganic Cake Mix - 15% $3.82
Doctor Oetker Oganic Icing $3.82
Doctor Oetker Oganic Pudding $1.78
Endangered Species Chocolate - 40% $2.09
Falafel Chips - 25% $4.49
Eziekiel Sprouted Pasta  - 15% $5.61
Gerolsteiner Mineral Water - 15% $1.86
Good Earth Tea Original - 15% $4.78
Good Earth Tea Decaf - 15% $4.78
Green Mountain Gringo Salsas - 25% $4.34
Kettle Brand Chips - 20% $2.55
Kitchen Basics Natural Stocks - 15% $2.79
NEW!! Koyo Ramen - 15% $1.18
Organic Coconut Flour 16oz -25% $4.64
Loriva Oil Extra Virgin Sesame – 15% $7.13
Loriva Oil Sesame toasted – 15% $5.26
Loriva Oil Walnut - 15% $5.09
Loriva Oil Peanut Roasted – 15% $4.68
Mediterranean Organic 15%
Mediterranean Organic  Roasted Red Peppers – 15% $6.37
Mediterranean Organic  Sundried Tomato in Oil - 15% $7.29
Mediterranean Organic  Midel Gingerbread Men GF - 25% $3.29
Native Forest Mandarin Oranges - 25% $2.24
Native Forest Artichoke Hearts – 25% $3.44
Native Forest Pineapple Rings - 25% $3.14
Near East Dinners With Quinoa – 15% $3.05
Near East Dinners Without Quinoa – 15% $2.37
NEW! Maille Dijon Mustard - 11% $3.82
Oregon Chai Concentrate - 15% $4.24
Pacific Natural Foods Broths - 15% $3.90
Pacific Natural Foods Broths Cream of Mushroom – 15% $2.80
Pacific Natural Foods Broths Cream of Chicken – 15% $2.80
Panda Licorice Chews - 25% $2.99
Rapunzel Bouillon Cubes - 25% $2.79
Ryvita Crackers - 25% $2.32
Seasons Cheddar Puffs - 15% $3.51
Suzie's Puffed Thins - 15% $2.63
NEW! Suzie's puffed corn and quinoa cake  - 15% $3.05
NEW! Puffed  thin cake multigrain – 15% $2.63
NEW! Terra Delyssa  - 18% $4.67
NEW! Vita Coco Acai Pom - 30% $1.60
Peach Mango - 30% $1.60                            
NEW! Pineapple - 30% $1.60                      
NEW! Walkers Shortbread Triangles - 25% $3.51
Zevia Soda - 25% $5.24
Desert Essence - 20% $6.39
Giovanni Shampoo - 25% $6.38
Giovanni Conditioner – 25% $6.38
Kiss My Face Aloe Lotion - 15% $10.17
Nature's Gate Toothpaste – 25% $4.27


Save The Date: 11/11 from 5-7 p.m.
Volunteer Appreciation Event

Have you done wonderful things for the Market with your time and/or talents? We'd like to reward you, cherish you, and spend time with you, giving thanks for all that you do to make the Market great! Put Sunday, November 11th (from 5-7 p.m.) on your calendar as a time to come to the Market for food, fun, and fellowship!
holiday hours
The Market is Open:
MondayFriday:
10:00am8:00pm
Saturday: 
10:00am6:00pm
Sunday:
10:00am4:00pm
Knitting Club
Thursday evenings from 6:30–8 p.m.
Bring a project or come to practice with our needles and yarn. (Crocheters also welcome!)
Book Club

Please note, there has been a change to the next book club meeting date!
Next Meeting:
Friday, November 9th
at 7 p.m.


The group is reading Nina Simons’s Moonrise: The Power of Women Leading from the Heart

Feel free to join! All are welcome!
Cookbook Club
The Minnesota Street Market's Cookbook Club will meet Sunday, Nov 11th from 3-5 p.m. The group is working through recipes in the book Spices of Life: Simple and Delicious Recipes for Great Health.

Each member of the group will select a recipe, prepare the dish, and bring it to the meeting on November 11th for all to try.

We'd love to see you there - for more info or to RSVP, contact info@MNStreetMarket.com
GROCERY BAGS!
Do you have gently used grocery bags? We'd love to have them! Please drop off clean, gently used bags (paper or plastic) at the register. Thanks!
Did You Know . . .
The Market is on Facebook?!

Don't forget to "Like" the Market on Facebook!
We post pictures, updates, member discounts, links, community news, and more!
CLICK HERE to visit our Facebook Page.
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