MinnePod

Rural areas are largely associated with farming, and therefore, our food sources. The dairy industry specifically has shaped Houston County in many ways. In this episode, you'll hear from third generation dairy farmer Matt Hendel of Hendel Farms near Caledonia, MN. Matt discusses everything about the benefits of dairy farming on soil erosion to the effects of the national food industry on farmers. Listen for an enlightening conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing this vital industry.

Starting a business takes a lot of planning, relentless hours, strategy...as well as choosing your location and community well. What do rural areas, specifically Houston County in this case, have to offer start-up business owners? Today's episode digs into this topic with Sarah Mann of Sweet 16 Farm. The tagline for the farm is "Sustainability and Community – A Destination Farm in the Heart of Minnesota's Bluff Country". You'll hear how Sarah brings that tagline to life through a flower CSA, hop harvest, and more.

Volunteers and community organizers are integral to thriving small towns. Father-daughter duo Lee Grippen (of Caledonia, MN) and Rachel Storlie (of Spring Grove, MN) are two very busy and equally enthusiastic community organizers. In this episode, you'll hear them talk about why they feel so strongly about giving back, the challenges small towns face (such as lack of diversity), and the future of small towns.

Episode 5 features an unexpected small town treasure: The International Owl Center in Houston, MN. It's the only center of it's kind in the U.S., and brings people from all over the country to small town Houston for their live owls and programs. Executive Director Karla Bloem talks about the owls' personalities, the center's role in the community and tourism, and their future plans for expansion.

Faith is important to many rural communities. But what is it about churches that create a sense of community identity? What are other ways rural people find and give back to community? In this episode, we hear about these topics and more from Terry Lauden. Terry belongs to the United Methodist Church in Caledonia, MN, is a member of an informal swimming group called the Dolphins, and was a special education teacher for her entire career.

You've maybe heard about this trend of small towns losing younger generations to city jobs and culture. Thomas Trehus is on the other side of that equation, trying to build towards a better future for the community that raised him. He's the youngest school board member in Spring Grove MN and is running for the House of Representatives for Houston and Fillmore Counties in MN.

You know that small town archetype who is probably retired and sits at the town diner or coffee shop and shoots the breeze all day? Well, Jerome Neuman IS that person. But we all know archetypes aren't real, so in today's episode, you get to meet Jerome for the human he is.

Season One of MinneStory focuses on rural Houston County in southeast Minnesota. This episode features Nettle Valley Farm owners Dayna and Nick Burtness Nguyen. Each of them grew up in the Twin Cities area, but now make their home in the heart of the Driftless region. They talk about the transition of moving from urban to rural, the philosophy behind how they raise pigs, and much more.

The clip you're about to hear features Nick and Dayna Burtness Nguyen, who both grew up in the Twin Cities but now make their home in Houston County as owners of Nettle Valley Farm, where they raise beyond organic pastured pigs. Enjoy!

In this sneak peek, you'll hear from Thomas Trehus. He's the youngest school board member in Spring Grove, MN and is also running for the House of Representatives. Season one launches Feb 27, 2018, and will feature the rural community of Houston County, in southeastern Minnesota.